hadain's quests

[neon.]

username; neondisaster
kalons featured; apollyon
story; [WC : 1113]

This village- it has been his home, even if he had left it at points. He has always been filled with a sense of duty, and what sort of kalon would he be if he abandoned his home? Apollyon would never stand for it, and even if he felt his energies might be better suited for greater tasks, he would not turn down the chance to help even the smaller things. He knows as well as anyone how those small problems could rot something from the inside. If the street gremlins weren’t taken care of now, couldn’t they be a bigger problem in the future?

He sees the tired light in Hadain’s eyes. He knows it is reflected in his own, even as he agrees to the task that he asked for. The silk and false jewelry are collected, and Apollyon takes his leave of the shop without a further world. Small talk has no place in their world plagued by monsters, and he had never been one for it anyway. Outside, the village’s inherent gloom even seems to dim the sparkle of the fake jewels. The silk itself seems more drab. How would he attract the street gremlins with this? Hoarding pretty things- there is nothing pretty about the despair that oozes through the town, and there is nothing pretty about the way the smoke swirls from the royal castle. It is sickening, and even this far, it as if the smoke is poisoning his very heart.

If he was the type of kalon to shudder, he would have. But he was not, and Apollyon merely tightened his cloak around him. He would certainly find a way to lure out the gremlins. He’d just need to find something to give the jewels more radiance- some sort of bright light.

The cloak is helpful in more than one way. It is a comfort, with its steady woven presence, and it is concealing, in these days of a plague, it feels like almost everyone needs to be hiding something. For him, it hides a halo. The thing glows with its own inner radiance, like a beacon. He has a light source around his middle. Hiding is truly a wonderful and easy task with such a thing. His life is great.

With villages, there are always a few alleys, though most end up being beside someone’s house or shop. This building seems abandoned- ruined even. A likely place for gremlins to keep their hoard, and a likely place for some to be lured out with the promise of jewels. And gremlins were not the most intelligent- they would not question why jewels were out, laying in the middle of the street.

Now to attract their attention. With a great sigh, Apollyon unclasps his cloak, letting his own light shine. The glow from the halo catches the facets of the jewels, leaving them sparkling like the finest of treasures, even under the haze of the sky. Apollyon spares no thought to their beauty, focusing instead on abandoned building. A pair of beady eyes peaks out, red and shining. And then another. And another. It’s nice to have your suspicions proved correct, Apollyon thinks. It is not as nice to realize you’re going to be fighting a hoard. The amount of eyes watching only increases.

The first gremlin moves out, covered in fur and yet he finds the being reptilian. It is the eyes, he thinks. There is nothing mammal in the eyes. They are cold and greedy. It skitters over to the jewels, moving at first on four limbs, and then down to two as it peers over the jewels, prodding them with its forelimbs. Apollyon has not fought gremlins before. But he has fought- All manner of beasts. One does not become a knight without fighting, one does not become a captain without facing the surprising.

The gremlin ignores him, its eyes only on the jewels. He is a statue- a light source. Not a threat. Not yet, at least. More slowly crawl out, and now Apollyon is reminded of insects. Their fur is matted and coarse. Their bulbous eyes are only outsized by the enormous ears. Like ants from a hive, they swarm towards the jewels, grabbing and pulling and even fighting each other. There are five, now- there should still be a few more, but now is the time to strike. Apollyon knows he must get them before they begin to leave.

There is a deadly grace in Apollyon’s movements. It’s a dance, his footsteps show, moving among the much smaller creatures without stepping on a single one. There is a music, his movements say, as he slashes and dodges to the rhythm of the fight. Five smaller, unintelligent creatures are no match, not when he has surprise and their distraction working for him. His blade his sharp - not a one survives.

Apollyon stiffens, suddenly, pain shrieking through his body. He had been bitten- twice, actually, to the tail. The first was to the braided hair, and he hadn’t felt it. The second had struck home, and it hurt. Reinforcements had arrived, it seemed. This time, he had no surprise, but skill could account for much.

The gremlins had to be removed from his tail- that much was true. But striking himself wasn’t entirely something Apollyon wanted to do. Instead, he flicked his tail towards the others- smacking the the gremlins against each other, the collision of bodies knocking them free from his tail. Good. Unencumbered, he could fight again.

The swarm was no longer distracted by the promise of shiny jewels- an enemy to their nest scratched their survival instinct, and that dominated all else. No longer can he number them, not when he must concentrate on one after the other. He feels a strong sense of satisfaction when a well placed kick sends one flying.

Eventually, there are no more. There is only one thing living in the alley, and that is Apollyon. His breathing is heavy, but quickly regulated. Training involves all aspects- and that includes never running out of breath. He wonders if Hadain wants the jewels back. Not leaving it up to fate- he never would- Apollyon gives the previously unused silk a task, wrapping the not entirely clean jewels up in it. He certainly hoped Hadain wasn’t expecting everything back in pristine condition. And if he was- Well. Apollyon would simply have to take on a new task, and complete that with an even greater degree of perfection. Himself, a disappointment? It wasn’t an option. It wasn’t something to stand, or even for him to consider.

Sweeping his cloak around him, Apollyon headed back towards the armory.

[seijuu]

username; seijuu
kalons featured; kairos & behr

{wc//1042}

"And why can't you help me?" Kairos said, her words cautious and laden with dread. Her mother, Behr, milled about the dimly lit room -
endless stacks of books, leather, and metal were piled here and there. Whether she didn't hear her or simply wished to disregard her daughter, Behr kept her attention firmly planted elsewhere. In growing anxiousness, Kairos rushed over. "Mother, please. I know they're rather... small, and all, but-"

"You're an adult, let alone my daughter! And a mother yourself, as I am oft' not to forget," Behr chirped, dismissing her child's pleading.
"If we plan on surviving this quest, we need supplies. Plans. You know, those sort of rather essential items," she explained as her paw reached towards a rolled map. Hadain had granted the kalons access to his storehouse, and Behr had full intention to utilize it. Quietly plucking one, two, three scrolls down from the shelf, she turned back at her offspring and grinned. "Now, off you go.
Be safe, trust in your abilities," she cooed, a motherly tone replacing her chiding sneers. With a nod Kairos, with a face of plastered courage, opened the door. Before crossing the threshold, suddenly Kairos is in the arms of Behr and the embrace is warm and loving. There is a fierce sense of pride in it. "And trust in this, too" Behr added, tapping on the amulet around Kairos' neck.

- - -

Outside the air is thick, heavy in her lungs and clinging to her fur. Rotting smells carry on the wind and into her nose, making her face wrinkle into itself. This was no longer the village she grew up in. As kairos jogs down the gravel path, her eyes scan across the now desolate landscape. "Why'd they give up on us..." she mutters to herself, glancing to an overcast sky. At spots along the river,
where she once washed clothes and escaped the summer heat, Kairos places bundles of coins. At the stoop of the tailor's shop,
where her first ever gown was made, Kairos lays faux necklaces. It's funny how places change but memories don't, she laments. Fighting the bitterness in her heart is an ongoing battle made harder only by the realities of today.

Sunsets are no longer bright, vibrant displays of nature. The humbling feeling of beauty is fleeting, if not extinct, in this new world of shadows. Kairos rests with her paws hanging over the roof, dangling as she waits for the gremlins to appear. As the gloom of a cloudy day gives way to a somber night, pinprick eyes begin to illuminate the village below her. Their bodies shimmer as they move, their form never quite solid but still opaque. Dual set eyes blink slowly as the monsters roam, the primary set being more lizardlike - minus the pupils. The second set is typically closed slits; however, when threatened, they open wider. While the studies on these monsters is sparse, Kairos reasons that certain biological factors must apply to them... though, that grows harder to believe as she watches these ethereal beings. If you ask her what color these gremlins were, she wouldn't be able to say. Pale purples, blueish hues, and an overall feel of grey? It's hard to describe a creature your eyes refuse to focus on. Their limbs look unnaturally thin as they slink between alleys and corridors, and the smog that wafts off their bodies seem like toxic galactic fumes. Their clicks fill the otherwise silent night - alien noises screeching against a black, still backdrop. Tiny claw like hands, spindly legs, shrewd faces with jagged teeth; Kairos' heart holds no remorse for their fate.

- - -

The first gremlin dissipated beneath her paws just as it reached the coin bags. Conveniently for her, gremlins don't leave much of a reminder of their existence; besides a slight black stain, there's no remnants, no horror scene. The second gremlin had the audacity to screech as Kairos descended on it, wielding her father's old sword and swinging it rather clumsy above her head. Swordsmanship has never been her forte, and for that alone she is her mother's daughter. Now, perching above the river in an ancient oak, Kairos watches two gremlins snap at one another over a scattering of fake diamonds and gold. With a large bound, she flies over the river and lands on the soft marsh. A gremlin lashes out, his claw catching in Kairos' back, before being flung into the swiftly rushing river. Purples and blues swirl around the water before Kairos turns her attention to the second, larger, gremlin. Nearly her size, Kairos is taken back and distances herself. Lowering herself some to further ground and make a sturdy stance, she centers herself and focuses in. The amulet around her necklace glows faintly, swirling with the pure white energy flowing from her eyes ; father may have been a fighter, but her mother was a witch. Now imbued with a righteous fury, thoughts of heroes and ancestors filling her head, Kairos charges. It ducks, the gremlin briefly out thinking her, and yanks the amulet from her throat.

Magick in its fickleness takes, and gives, at it's own discretion. One is only ever at the whim of it's power, a student in it's wake,
rather than the master of it. The greatest witch is but the embodiment, a vessel, for the magick blessing her. And suddenly,
it's gone. Kairos feels it fly from her body, ripping part of her soul on it's exit out, and is left shaking in knee-deep mud. Slowly she turns, her body sways with unease and pain. The gremlin has it in his mouth, leaning back to swallow it whole, and cracks a sharp smirk. Kairos snaps.

- - -

Somehow, it made it - a pastel opal glimmering in the monochromatic mess of this village. Cracks across the front waver as the gem tries to heal itself, shallowing the wounds it's taken in the jaws of a monster. Kairos holds it tenderly between her paws, cradling it like she had her son. Minutes pass and the amulet has fixed itself, mostly. A single crack along the back remains, but she could feel the magick flowing between them. On her lips settled a small, wary smile. "Alright then." she said, seemingly to know one.

[shishou]

username; eggshells
kalons featured; naomi + grey
image/story; 509/500
"and who the hell are you?!" grey yelled at the kalon. a weird one to say the least, he has some wand and the wierdest of hair cuts, for a guy at least. "a magician that is unfortunate enough to have to save you from these gremlins." he spat back. grey, astonished by the kalons response, shook his head and peered over his shoulder just in time to watch said creature take a peek at a gem.

"I don't need help. the only reason why I may do is because these little brats keep appearing and disappearing out of nowhere!" he protested. naomi huffed, this is the guy he's gotta work with, at least elne doesn't have to face him. "look, I don't want to be here nor do you.
let's catch them and get this over with." he said before catching none with his wand.

"you have a wand?" grey asked as he set up a trap with some fake gems his mind curious as to how and where he got one

"yes, and what do you have? awful skills?" naomi sneered, setting the ungodly creature in a sack. grey hissed at him which naomi hissed back at. naomi used his magic instead of actually working together with grey but he's alright with that, hell just get in the way of everything and all of his work. and what do you know, he was right they worked better alone grey finished his trap and naomi was doing whatever he was doing. waiting patiently a few gremlins had fe!! for his trap and were stuck in the pits of it. he was very much happy with this.

as grey was shoving a few more gremlins into a cage naomi spoke, "their not rodents you know.. you can just shove 'em all in one tiny cage." grey huffed, "says the kalon whose using magic on those beasts then putting them all into a sack." he retorted. naomi swished his tail letting out a breathe before carrying the sack over his shoulders. grey finally learned how to lock the damn cage and began carrying it until he felt a small sharp object being injected in his leg.

"what the h-" a small, probably baby, gremli had put its sharp needle-tail into his right leg as an attempt to weaken him and save it's mother. "oh you littl-"

"grey!" before he could even grab his gun to end the thing, naomi had yelled at him and ran over to where he was.

"you can't just kill it, its a baby for crying out loud!"

"well, what am I supposed to do hmm? leave it here to die alone? it won't survive either way egghead!" he yeled back.

naomi flinched, dang maybe angering him isnt a good idea.. "just capture it and we could bring it back. is that so hard?" grey tsk'd and grabbed the demon shoving it in the cage with the other gremlins.

"there, let's go now we've probably caused enough trouble." naomi suggested dragging the sack along with him.

[eros]

username; eros;
kalons featured; hae-ju "miami" + cordelia
image/story;
"Alright! What do we have to do?" Cordelia asked excitedly as Hae-ju stepped out of the blacksmith's shop.
"We don't have to do anything," she replied with a sideways glance at her sister, "but I'm going to use this stuff to take care of the street goblins."
The kit's eyes narrowed more and more as her sister spoke, whites barely visible by the time Hae-ju finished her sentence.
"What'd'ya mean!? I'm plenty strong enough to take care of the gremlins!" she growled, gesturing to the tiny dagger in a sheath on her thigh.
"Goblins. And you're too young to be fighting dangerous creatures, even alongside me."
"B-but my dagger!"
"To be used for self-defense only."
"Ugh, fine..."

Cordelia watched from the safety of a nearby inn as Hae-ju set up her trap, expertly placing the fools' gold and silk in the spots that would be the easiest to trap and kill the goblins in. When the trap was finally finished, she simply waited, hiding herself behind a haystack so that she could watch for the terrible little creatures.
Soon enough, one little cloaked figure, about as tall as Cordelia, crawled out from a hole in the cellar of a tavern, glowing yellow eyes fixated on a pile of faux sapphire.
While the goblin was distracted, Hae-ju jumped up from behind, using her shortsword to cut through the creature with ease, it then disappearing into a cloud of black smoke.
More goblins soon followed suit, coming toward the kalon with malice in their eyes. Hae-ju had no trouble in defeating these as well, using her expert technique to take out the rest of the "fleet".
However, as more and more of the little monsters came out from their hiding places, Hae-ju became a bit overwhelmed.
Soon, she was being nipped by the little beings, tail being yanked and tiny holes being made in her flesh as their teeth sank in. The kalon yelped as one of the larger goblins chomped down on her right arm, causing her to drop her sword as she shook to remove the monster.
Cordelia's blue eyes widened as she saw the attack on her sister, heart racing as fear welled up inside her.
"I have to do something!" she decided, adrenaline beginning to rush through her little body as her heart filled with inspiration.
The kit sprinted outdoors, producing her dagger and forcing it into the back of the nearest goblin. When it burst into a cloud of smoke, she moved onto the next, and then onto another, until she had cut a way through to Hae-ju.
"How did you get over here!?" the eldest exclaimed, staring at her sister with wide eyes.
"I don't think they expected me!" Cordelia simply laughed in response.
Hae-ju's eyes narrowed and her ears flattened as she watched her sister battle, but as the fight drew on, she became a bit less nervous, now checking over her shoulder occasionally to see how the other kalon was faring.
Soon enough, the goblins had been defeated, leaving nothing behind to even signify their past existence aside from a small, beautifully crafted silver pendant with an emerald embedded within its core.
Cordelia examined it carefully before putting it in her pocket, deciding to have it appraised at a later date.
"Those gremlins didn't stand a chance, huh sis?" the kit laughed, wrapping her arm around Hae-ju.
The eldest smiled, looking down at her sister.
"Goblins. But no, they didn't."

(WC: 581 words)

[eltonn]

username; save seedcakes
kalons featured; Adelaide, Mike, and Gale [my entire party]
image/story;

[trans]

[ 1580 words ]

username; trans
kalons featured; margaret, eden, and wiyby
image/story; ↴


"here, take this." the kalon had said, and passed you all an assortment of false jewelry and patterned silk, ranging from the obviously fake to the scary realistic look-alikes.

you are a little nervous, a little tired, and a little bit speechless. you dont know what you were thinking going on this trip, but you're starting to regret it. you dont know the first thing about fighting, and even if you did, you'd still look like a bumbling fool compared to your friend and the mysterious party member you'd found along the way.

anxiety claws at your insides, but so as not to ruin the trip or alert anybody of your turmoil, you shove it down harshly and follow the others as they head a little further into the kingdom, fake golds and cheap cloths dangling from their pockets and 'dripping' from their hands for all to see.

your brain is a pretty even mixture of Run! and Fight! and it confuses and frustrates you a lot because you're actually trying to focus here, and there your brain goes again, being stupid and causing you even more trouble than you started out with.

the others trail a bit ahead, though wiyby─truly the best friend you've had the honor of knowing─makes frequent looks behind her shoulder to look at you and make sure you're okay. you find it endearing, but the gesture isnt enough to quell your anxieties or soothe your mind's troubles.

after a few minutes, it looks like nothing is going to come out for you even with the gaudy, fake valuables, but not a second as you all turn around, a short, fat little thing, covered in warts and taut, leathery skin, hobbles out of a hole in the foundation of a building and starts sniffing around. when it sees your group, and by extension the fake jewelry and silks, it starts growling, face pinched in a nasty frown and beady eyes transfixed on the 'shinies.'

wiyby immediately goes into action mode, swishing some of the silks around like a flag, very similar to trying to anger a bull to charge forward. you stand beside her, a potion in one hand and the other on your belt, ready to pull another out if need be. the mage you'd picked up on the journey here is quiet, but you hear her muttering chants to the intricate wand she carried with her, eyes screwed shut in concentration and the crystal on her wand pulsing even more than it did previously.

you watch as the gremlin finally charges forward, just barely missing wiyby and nearly knocking her over. from up close, it's a lot bigger than you'd thought, but not bigger than a fox or similar creature, at least. however, it seems that the gremlin is now nowhere to be found.

you look around but to no avail, and the rest of your party does the same, confusion clear as day on all your faces. how does something just vanish into thin air?

turns out, it doesnt. you're just about to go looking at the hole the gremlin had popped out of when you see more than a few heads poking out of the hole. several gremlins tumble out, just as nasty and frown and angry as the first, and you swallow thickly.

wiyby is already on the case, laying out false gemstones and glittery fake jewels that seem to immediately pique the interest of the gremlins, however they dont want to take the bait, now knowing it is a trap. now the problems really begin─how do you draw them out without the use of the nice little decoys that kalon in the armory gave you?

it takes some quick-thinking and improvising skills you didnt know any of you had, but wiyby, you, and the mage quickly devise a plan. a messy plan, but a plan nonetheless. while you are not as strong as them nor have the firepower, you make up for it with your numerous abilities. you can douse the goblins in blinding ink or smog if they get too close, or you can boost your party members abilities and give them an advantage over the gremlins. all you have to do is throw down a shiny blinding light potion (though you're sad to have to waste it) and the gremlins wont know what to do when the gems and goodies they're eyeing from a distance suddenly hurt their eyes.

you aim the sparkling yellow bottle right at the jewels not far from the gremlins, and throw it as hard you can to make sure it breaks open as intended when it hits the ground.

with a splash and a tinkling sound, the bottle smashes open onto the stone, and the gems sparkle unlike any gem you've seen before. you give wiyby and eden the signal, and watch as the two pounce, both utilizing their skill sits in different ways but complimenting each others' fighting styles, if you do say so yourself.

in no time, the gremlins are mostly gone, except for an especially pesky one that just wont leave no matter how many times your party members go after it. you're a little antsy, wondering if you've made a mistake, or something is amiss, but you try to quell your nerves because saying anything now would disrupt the flow of the fight and possibly get someone hurt.

the fighting quiets, and you realize with an exhausted sigh the same gremlin is still there, munching on the fake gems and seemingly unphased. it's like it had a protective barrier or something around it, and no matter what you did, it wouldnt go away. gremlins werent supposed to be this resilient, and even so, this one looked very strange. it's eyes particularly were a bit frightening to look at, in the rare glimpses you got of them.

you can tell wiyby is frustrated, but instead of telling her to cool down, you approach her carefully, and lean into her and the mage's ears, ready to share a plan that you honestly just came up with a few seconds ago. literally. this could either go really well or really bad, but you had hope it would work out in your favor.

"so what's the plan, maggie?" wiyby asked impatiently, and you could tell she was eager to get this show on the road. well, she'd just have to wait, because you were going to have to explain this as thorough as possible for it to make sense.

"that gremlin is acting weird, but not impossible to beat. we just have to find its weak spot, and use that to our advantage. im sure you knew that already, but just for clarification purposes, of course." she started, a little nervous and her voice very obviously cracking in some places, but she continued anyways. "the gremlin is very strong, much stronger than the others. it's likely not just a simple street gremlin, or if it is, something is wrong with it. i can get past its tough skin or whatever is cloaking it, but you'll both have to act fast, because the window of opportunity will be short."

"sounds like an outstanding plan, but how exactly are you going to do that, miss thatcher?" eden questioned, clearly very interested in the conversation.

"well, you see.." she began, suddenly feeling her confidence drain out of her all at once. "um.. well.. i-i was just─i was going to.." your voice dies in your throat, and you look down in burning shame, head heavy with thoughts of failure and worse.

unexpectedly, they wait, and you stare up at both wiyby and eden in confusion, but take a deep breathe and at least attempt to explain yourself. "i-i have─i have a burning potion. it doesnt actually burn people, but it's supposed to be able to─well it should─i mean, i dont know for sure, i havent tried it myself but─it'll hopefully get rid of whatever is.. whatever is preventing you from taking care of the gremlin in a timely fashion. hopefully. most likely." you breathe out, hands balled up into fists at your sides and your heart hammering in your chest loud enough that you feel like everyone else can hear it too.

wiyby quietly laces her hand with yours, but says nothing, just gives you A Look and then nods encouragingly. eden seems to be thinking about that all for a moment before nodding too, and you break away from wiyby's hold to pull out the potion. you dont have many─after all, these are a bit expensive to make─but you're glad you brought some of the few you had with you.

with a underhanded throw, you fling the potion at the back of the gremlin, and watch as it turns around, clearly angry that it had been disturbed. wiyby and eden are on it like bugs to a bug light, blasting it all the way back into the forest you'd all came from the morning before. with a sigh of relief, you let yourself sag against a wall and stare at your feet as you try to calm your racing heart.

wiyby comes over, but neither of you say anything. you dont need to. she just holds your hand again while you calm down, and as eden picks up the strewn about fake valuables and tucks them into her satchel, she whispers a very quiet 'good job' in your ear that makes you smile, just a little.

[♡♡♡♡]

username; Scream
kalons featured; My whole party ;v;
word count; 991/500

↠ Sheiran's profession is being a bounty hunter!
He has experience with tasks similar to the following
and often times packs weapons -
hence the use of Sheiran unsheathing his dagger
from his right pocket ;v;

Of course, after entering the shop and offering help, the party of friends couldn't decline the offer of chasing off the gremlins. Of course, none of them wanted to, except Sheiran, as they thought they could be in danger.
"I guess they're only some stupid pests." Noah suggests, trying to comfort the younger Adrien, who was standing next to him.
They waved goodbye to the shop owner and head down the street. By now Sheiran has a wide grin on his face and his dagger was unsheathed from his right pocket.
"Oh boy, oh boy," Adrien grumbled looking at Noah shaking her head.
Noah just let out a chuckle, "He's like a little kid in a candy store... I bet he'll do all the work anyways."
At this Adriens face lit up, "We can just let him go ham!" she laughs- by now Sheiran was already at the end of the street, a little while away from the others. When the rest of the party arrived they all decided to stand ground.
Now, Adrien hesitantly pulled the items the shop owner had given to them and handed them to Noah.
Noah turned to her and yelped, "Why don't you do it! Don't give it to me!"
"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSsssHHHHHHHHHHHHhHHH" Sheiran and Adrien yelled in unison.
Noah backed down from his argument and held the items tight in his fist.
Sheiran took the beads and silk from Noahs hand and yelled, "HEY GREMlINS! WE HAVE A BARGAIN FOR YOU!"
Before Noah could protest we was handed back the beads and pushed towards the front of the group.
Noah couldn't help but tremble when a rustle came from the side of the main plaza they where standing in.
Then another. Then another. Then another.
The groups eyes now all scanned the plaza wildly.
Sheiran let out another shout, "HURRY OR WE'LL RETRACT OUR OFFER! WE HAVE SILKS AND-" he paused, looking at the necklaces and bracelets dangling from Noahs fist. "JEWELRY!" he finishes.
Now a small, particularly obese body, emerged from a side fern- meant to decorate the plaza.
Sheiran now clenched his dagger in his paw and Noah started to retreat to the side of Adrien once more.
Following the first Gremlins arrival four others had appeared.
Now, these Gremlins didn't resemble the Gremlins portrayed in movies.
They all had rings, silk patters and pearls draped over them, covering their dark, rough skin.
They grumbled, more... mumbled and didn't speak good English.
"O-ffer wh-aaa-et?" The first one cooed.
Noah held out his hand, showing the group the silks and fine jewelry that had been equipped with.
All of the Gremlins eyes shone with interest and they moved a good measure closer, making Noah retract the fine goods and stuff them in his pocket.
The - what seemed like the leader - snapped back, "Gi-ve j-ewrley fu-rst" it growled.
The others in the group seemed to nod at their leaders statement, although it looked difficult as they where piled with layers of precious metals and fabric.
"We cant trust you!" Sheiran snapped back, teeth clenched and dagger now showing at his side.
Adrien yelped and pushed Sheiran aside - "Hey, bounty hunter" she growled lowly, "We're not starting fights- we're coaxing them out."
With that Sheiran retreated back to Noahs side- staring at the Gremlins once more. Now, Noah wasn't sure if he listened to Adrien because of the situation or if he had never had her yell at him. Noah didn't really care about that, only that he knew how to get Sheiran to actually follow what others say.
Through the whole fiasco with the dagger the Gremlins moved closer without the others noticing. When they approached Sheiran, almost chest to chest, the whole group seemed to simultaneously point at his dagger- "Le-t se-ee" They croaked.
Adrien looked at him, her gaze sharp, mouthing - "Do it." Sheiran turned to Noah, for once wanting his opinion. Noahs eyes looked like he was pleading for him to do it, anything to get this over with faster.
Sheiran turned back to the head Gremlin and held out the dagger as it was gripped tight in his fist.
The Gremlins all circled around and gently laid a rubbery finger on the blades surface.
The Gremlins all traced the sharp details, newly engraved wood, the beady purple gems at the handle, the flashy newly sharped tip.
They we're obviously entranced by the dagger and looked at the group.
The leader spoke once more, "And what in return for the dagger?" It grumbled looking at Sheiran, and only at Sheiran.
Sheiran retracted, looking disgusted as the Gremlin asked for the dagger.
"No way ar-" Adrien interrupted him. "We'll give you the dagger if you go to another city!"
The Gremlins looked at her, heads cocked.
Noah looked back at the Gremlins, "It would be something to benefit you- I-ive heard of a city made of gold out just past the horizon!"
Adrien looked back at him and gave an approving nod, thankful for the backup story.
The Gremlins eyes shown, "Gooooold?" They all cooed their voices surprisingly smooth.
The group wildly nodded and the Gremlins gave a slight nod.
"We'-el te-ek the da-gger a-and the shi-nes and kni-ts" They grumbled.
The group looked back as the Gremlins beckoned towards the dagger and the fine goods.
With a heavy heart Sheiran handed the Gremlins the dagger , as did Noah hand them the goods.
Adrien turned around and grabbed something from her pocket handing the Gremlins a map.
Finally- it might finally be over.
With that the Gremlins scrambled towards the setting sun, and the group chuckled, all obviously surprised by their speed with the mention of gold.
The party all patted Sheiran on the back, they all knew the dagger was special.
"Thanks man..." Adrien murmured side hugging her friend. The feisty kalon gave a slight smile.
"Anything for you guys-" and with that they returned to the shop to deliver the good news.

[furby.]

username; furbywiki
kalons featured; mandarin and orcus
image/story;

"What do you say we just take the jewels and sell them? There gotta be someone who'll think these are real." Mandarin grinned, eyes shining as he raised the pseudo-jewels to his face. Orcus sighed in response, to which the other just laughed. "I'm joking, I'm joking. Lighten up."

"Lighten up? We're on a serious mission right now, Mandarin. We don't have time for your joking."

Mandarin humpfed, following Orcus as he started to walk away from the storefront. "Where are we going?"

"To lure out our prey." The answer was monotone and sent a chill down Mandarin's spine.

"For priest-class, you're pretty scary, you know? You should have chosen to be something cooler like me-" Mandarin's rambles were cut off by a low screech that pierced the air from a nearby alleyway. Orcus glanced over at his shoulder, making eye contact with Mandarin before nodding. Mandarin nodded back and the two began to creep towards the alleyway.

The alley floor was uneven dirt and the whole area reeked of sweat. Orcus inwardly cringed walking into it; Mandarin however seemed unfazed. The duo walked, watching for anything the gremlins could hide under or in when Mandarin tripped falling onto the ground, dropping the good given to them.

"I'm fine, thank you." He said, crawling up and brushing his suit of dirt and grime.

"You tripped on this." Orcus said, ignoring the other as he crouched over a small whole, the size of a fist.

"They're that small? How does something that tiny cause a whole lot of trouble?"

"There is a nest of them under here." Orcus answered, backing away from the hole. "Pick up the stuff you dropped." As he gave the order, he reached into his pocket and took out a small pseudo-pearl necklace Hadain had given them. He examined it before shaking it in his hand, letting the pearls clack together before flinging the necklace down the hole. He waited a few minutes before standing up. Meanwhile, a low cry filled the air, coming from the hole. Orcus turned just in time to see a small creature bolt from the hole towards him.

It ran on two legs, and the first thing Orcus saw off it were its large, sharp claws. He quickly sprung into action, jumping back and removing his staff from his back to defend himself with it. He held it out as the monster, the gremlin, clawed on it, trying to reach the gold cross around his neck.

The gremlin has a face that resembled a cat, hairless and scaley. It's ear were small and pointy, it's eyes wide and purple. It's nose was huge and it continuously breathed into it, smelling for jewels and valuables around the area. With a burst of strength, Orcus managed to push it off of him and it flung to the ground. It's body crumpled into it's self as it stilled and hardened.

"What the heck." Mandarin voiced from behind Orcus, having taken to cowering behind him after he collected the jewelry. "What happened to i-" He was cut off once more by another shriek from the hole. And another. And another. Orcus quickly jumped back realizing what was happening, pushing Mandarin in front of him.

"What are you doing?" He cried, trying to resit against the other's actions.

"You're bait." Was Orcus's reply.

Mandarin was stunned silent as the Orcus readied his staff. With that, the gremlins rushed out the hole, knocking Mandarin down, as dirt flung through the air. They clawed each other and climbed over mandarin as they fought over the dazzling jewels in his hands. He yelped as claws dug into his skin and the gremlins screeched as Orcus knocked them off of Mandarin, one by one. As each gremlin hit the ground, they curled up and solidified, their skin greying. It took about ten minutes to get them and once they were all on the ground. Mandarin jumped up and shock himself clean.

"That was your plan?" Rage fumed out of the small man's body as he glared at Orcus.

"It was rough. If I had more time for it, it would have been better." Orcus responded as he crouched down next to a fallen gremlin. He brought his hand to it, touching it's skin before bringing his fist down, knocking on the crumpled being. "They turned to stone."

"Are they dead?" Mandarin questioned.

Orcus nodded, "As close to it as they can get, I figure." With that he got up, and began to walk back to The Armory.

"We're just gonna leave them there?" Mandarin asked, running up to catch up with the other, his anger forgotten.

"The job was to take care of them."

"You're saying some else can clean them up? You're suppose to be good, pure of heart you know, but you won't do extra work unless you're paid?" Mandarin laughed, accusing the other.

Orcus ignored him as the two went on their way.

[Wileyfangs]

username; Wileyfangs
kalons featured; Martha + Sozin
image/story;

"Gremlins?" The words left her mouth like a bad taste. Sozin watched her normally bored expression twitch to one of disgust. "You mean we have to catch these things?" The boy nodded, a grin on his face. "Aw don't look so putout, Martha. It's not like he's asked us to slay a dragon." The bubblegum haired woman glared at him. "He might as well have! Those things are terrible! Small, scuttly creatures. Ugh. Worse than gnats."

The two were walking through the deserted marketplace. Originally, the plan had been to just show up for Sozin to finally gain some type of armor besides that tiny shield in the young apprentice's grip. Something that would actually, ya know protect him. Doing the smith's dirtywork for him was not what Martha called a fair trade, but loathe it be for her to leave the little master to his lonesome this way. Especially against these beasts. Narrowing her soft purple eyes she huffed. "You'd better be getting that damned armor for this 'pest' control job," she muttered, wondering if she'd have to step in next time.

Sozin noticed her oddly dark demeanor. "What the matter with you, Mar? Yer actin snootier than usual, ya are." Martha snorted at him as they passed by booths usually bustling and filled, now silent and empty. "Really, Mar what's eatin ya?"

Martha huffed and then sighed. "Nothin Sozin. Just....do you even know what street gremlins look like?"
The young adventurer paused and the older mage couldn't help smirking watching the literal wheels turn in his mind.
"Nope!" He finally said pronouncing the "p" with a bit more emphasis.

A wind rustled through her thick hair while a familiar energy made her growl and she frowned. "Well you're about to find out."

Sozin turned as soon as the words left her mouth and his multicolored eyes widened in disbelief. "W-Wha?"

It was bigger than he suspected. Like the size of a dog. Two pupil-less eyes, stark white against it's wide skull, two pointed ears laid back against its head. Two sets of horns protruded from it, the front curling forwards like a bull's, the others spiraling backwards, the tips curing into a low hang. It had no fur, but rather bright and mottled skin a deep purple. But it was it's mouth that kept Sozin's attention longest. It drooled, two sets of mouths. It was like something from a nightmare. A very familiar one.

"They don't look this way."

The words broke the boy out of his horrified trance. "It's an illusion. Their true forms are much smaller. More vulnerable. Pink bodys, imps with bejeweled eyes and sharp fangs. Leathery ears too big for their small bodies. But like all gremlins, Street gremlins need to protect themselves. So they turn into your biggest monster." The words sounded hollow and Sozin could only wonder what Martha was facing. The sounds of more snarling filled the air and his eyes widened as he pulled out his sword, a dozen more slowly filing out from their hiding places, agitated.

Martha watched silently as the shadow being smiled at her, her face identical to her own.

"Lets finish this already shall we?"


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Sozin glared at his sword silently. "So they look like this?" Martha glanced up, smirking as she bandaged his shoulder up. "Cute one isn't she?" The gremlin in question was curled up in Sozin's lap like a regular kitten.

"She almost killed us."
"She's a gremlin."
"She bit me."
"Again she's a gremlin."

Sozin huffed refusing to pet the terrible thing that dared to show herself in the fight. A street Gremlin. It was tiny, pint sized at best. He could fit her in his paws. Pink, soft like a bunny. Two nubs for horns, a small snout filled with teeny, tiny teeth. What was worse, he wondered as she purred idly in his lap. A demonic dog or one pretending to be one?

"Do we have to take her?" He asked the mage once she had finished up. Martha paused and then shrugged.
"No, but I'm keeping her. It's been forever since a Gremlin found my true fear. Can't have her running around. Too many problems." Sozin had to wonder what she had seen when they had been attacked. He rather preferred the demon dog.
"So what'll we tell Hadain?"

Martha shrugged. "We took care of his problem. That's all he needs to know. Just keep her quiet when we go back."

[743 words]

[Sanara]

username; Sanara1
kalons featured; Dunkin