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Lucretia's Tears [Lady Grimoire x Pazzo]

Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Location
Canada
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Lucretia's Tears
Jack of All Trades; Master of the Mist?
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Chimes jingled against a gentle breeze. Voices filled the commons; people of all shapes and sizes going about their daily routine, attempting to ignore the oppressive mist that surrounded them. It clung to the city's outer walls, held back not by the wooden palisades but by the shining gemstone at the city's center. An artifact known as a Lucretia's Tear--named after the goddess herself who in the myth of creation wept them down to the world before it could be overtaken by the twisting, corrupting influence of the mists.

The sun shone down on the town of Camor, one of the towns saved generations ago by the goddess. Within the sky was the one place that was safe from the mist--it reached as high as the tallest trees, but it could not reach the clouds, of which they were few today leaving a bright blue sky for those turning their gaze upward. Being late spring, with summer near, it was also pleasantly warm. It left many in good spirits--children were playing, adults joking and laughing.

Camor numbered a few hundred people. Farmland lined the outer walls, and food was not yet at the point it was scarce, but within the next generation there would be troubles. The interior of the village was where all the homes had been constructed, with the center of the village, surrounding the tear itself, where most of the tradesmen and artisans worked. There was a certain comfort that came from being within close proximity to the white crystalline artifact; it was as though it radiated a calming, warming glow. Those of keen magical senses might even be aware of it on a greater level, but none were allowed to more directly inspect or examine the artifact.

It was too important to allow someone to toy with. An attitude which likely lead to what was to come. If someone had just been allowed to get close enough, to observe the fading light in the crystal's center. Perhaps something could have been done sooner.

A silence fell upon the town as the roar of a beast from just beyond the walls called for their attention. For several long seconds, many heads turned in that direction. Just when most would return to their day, they were interrupted again. This time by a loud thud; the sound of something slamming into the eastern gate. It took until barely the count of five for someone to scream in a panic, and then, all hell broke loose within the city center.

More thuds, and whumps came from the gate as people fled for their homes. This was not the first time something battered the gates, it would not be the last; as the beast outside the wall continued to slam against the wood and made it buckle, though, it was the furthest anything had ever gotten. In the wilds, there were rumours that tears often had a calming effect on the wild creatures found there. Why this one was not being calmed so close to a city.... well, speculation would have to wait.

Several hard hits later--the gates gave. Torn open, nearly right off the hinges, mist poured through the opening like water through a burst dam. Something which shouldn't be happening. With the flood of the mist came the creature itself: a squat creature on four powerful-looking legs, clad in red plates that gave the appearance of armour protecting a white, fleshier underside, and face. A tail rose up behind it that ended in a spike, like that of a scorpion. From a maw filled with sharpened teeth hung many tongues, a bundle of small tendrils that waved back and forth as it trotted a few feet into town.

Although not overly thick like a morning fog, the mist itself still obscured sight. Enough so that anyone still out and casting a glance over toward it would be able to see two more of the creatures emerge from out of it. Most beasts from the wilds had no names--they weren't encountered often enough to be named--and these were no different. The creatures paused just inside the town, taking a long, slow look around.

Then, one growled as it glanced to another next to it. As if communicating; the third lifted its head and sniffed at the air. Immediately after, the three of them rushed toward the town proper, splitting enough that they could no longer be considered together. Moments later, a touch too late, the clang-clang of the city's warning bell rung out loud. To summon the militia, which would be too late to prevent any initial attacks, but would, with luck, be able to drive the creatures back before too many came to harm.

Of course, that wasn't to say someone else couldn't step in first. If they were close enough, and had the fortitude to do so...
 
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There was an age old saying in the old world, and in the new, that rigorous arcane study had left little time for exercise, and that students of magic were often weak.
Such was not always the case.

Jack could be considered a fairly handsome, athletic man in his early forties. His icy blue eyes were always focused and direct when he was at work, pounding out tools, repairing pots, or even making nails by hammering out recycled metal upon his makeshift anvil. He never could decide on just any one profession, as there always seemed to be a shortage of some vital skill that was needed. His many years of hammering at an anvil and carpentry has left his body lean and muscular. If it was mechanical, or needed repair, Jack could often fix it fairly well. He was not as masterful as a full on weapon or armor smith, but he was more than competent.

His skill in magic was likewise of this nature, where his knowledge was a little more spread out, making use of the more technical magical effects, like using his flames to heat and stoke his forge, cook meals, or launch the odd magical attack. Again he was not quite as good as the full casters, but he was often able to fill in the gaps when one wasn't available.

Such was the nature of life in the world now, and in towns like Camor. Nothing could go to waste, and often a wide variety of skills and creativity were required just to survive the day.

If nothing else, one could say that Jack was a master of Survival. The lurid scars from claw attacks on his chest, and the right side of his face, spoke well of this, and he wore them proudly, like medals of honor. Proof that he was stronger than the creatures that had tried to kill him.

The available arable land in Camor cad become something of a problem. The cramped nature of the city left little in the way of prime real estate, and so Jack had been brainstorming ways to solve this problem. He had devised an ingenious method of vertical farming, where long tubes of substrate were erected in various areas of the town that had received the most sun during the day, with holes cut in the sides of them, allowing the plants to grow at 45 degree angles. Water and nutrients were then pumped into the tops of these large pipes, creating a type of crude, but effective hydroponics setup that could help stave off the inevitable shortage.

"Best not to think of problems that have not manifested yet. Only worry about the problems right in front of you, right now" try as he might, for the life of him, Jack could not remember the person that had uttered that phrase. Truth be told, Jack didn't remember much about his life from before the last five years. They had apparently found him unconscious and horribly injured, outside of the town gates, with several dead monsters all around him.

They had brought him inside the gates, and had tried to nurse his injuries, until he had used his rudimentary healing magic to mend himself. Magic that he could not remember how or where he learned it. Still, he was grateful, and was fully integrated into the community of Camor, and had done his best to support his new home.

One of his many duties was to help defend the town during times of unrest, and if it were attacked. Times like right now.

His ears perked as he heard the alarm chimes being furiously rung, and he set down his black smithing hammer, sweat glistening from his bare upper body. His lower body was clad in the worn but serviceable red lower robes that he was found wearing, along with his boots. He looked to his forge, and waved his hand, silencing the flames that were crackling and sputtering before. He was then able to hear the metallic crashes in the distance, towards the main gate. He brushed his silver streaked long red hair away from his face, and thought quickly.

Something big, and angry was trying to get in. He swore, and sprinted past one of his many weapon racks, snatching up a makeshift armament that had a boar hunting spearhead attached to one end, with a three pronged trident head on the other. He never understood why, but it just felt right in his hands.

He murmured a few ghostly words under his breath, using his magic to augment his reflexes and his speed, allowing him to run and move much faster than normal. He was still not withing line of sight when he heard the metal hinges and fittings of the gate burst open, followed by horrible screaming. He swore again. He couldn't see a damn thing with all of these buildings in the way.

Jack looked up and around, and saw the ramshackle roof of the general store nearby. It didn't look like much, but Jack himself had repaired that roof a few times, and knew it to be sturdy.
It was also the highest building in the town. Murmuring more arcane words, he used his magic to strengthen his legs as well as making his body weigh less, for just a few minutes, as he leapt forty feet up to land upon the building. He now had an excellent view of things.

It wasn't a thing that had broken into the town, but a couple of things. They had split up. The largest of the two looked something akin to a nightmarish scorpion, was jogging to the center of town, whereas the other two misshapen creatures were skirting the walls and the roads.

He swore again, spitting onto the mismatched wood roof tiles. He just shook his head, and decided to pursue the largest of the three creatures, leaping from house to house on account of his ad hoc enchantments. He dodged this way and that, leaping around the high buildings, built as such to make use of the limited space.

Jack was close enough at one point to the creature, that he pointed his finger directly at it, and uttered an angry sounding word of power. White hot lightning leapt from his fingers, and arced menacingly towards the scorpion like demon, only for the stroke of lightning to miss, hitting the road directly in front of it. Booming thunder shook the area all around an instant later, causing the creature to flinch, and look around angrily.

Jack leapt to the ground, just about twenty paces away from the beast, and felt his jumping enchantment wear off. He hefted his weapon at the creature, spinning the strident end at it, gauging the best route of attack. His agility enchantment was still active, and would be for several more minutes.

"What to do , what to do..." his mind raced furiously as he assumed a fighting stance... "Alright Cthuluscorp..." The Red Wizard of Camor murmured acidly "...lets dance."
 
The tightly packed and cramped interior of the city proved to be a hindrance to those of the militia who were also attempting to respond to the external threat. A normal person was forced to follow roads and alleyways, and when bogged down with armour and weapons, it was a slow and occasionally arduous process. Those beasts, however, had the leg strength to do what no typical men and women could--to leap onto the tops of buildings, run across, and jump between them as if they were more a suggestion than an obstacle.

At least, that was what one had done--Jack spotted it from the corner of his eye as he barred the path for the largest of the three beasts. The errant bolt of lightning had cause it to pause, and those small black eyes on the front of its armoured skull honed in on the icy blues of the man before it. A challenge offered, and one accepted, for it did not back down. In fact, it answered with an eerie screeching-howl; a noise which caught the attention of the others like it.

One answered, at least, with a screech of its own. That one in the corner of the man's eye; it turned in Jack's direction, and started bounding across the rooftops to join the fight. The third was nowhere to be seen, yet, not nowhere to be found. A scream went up from several streets over, a male voice, coupled by shouting voices and faint calls of 'shields!'

Regardless, the creature let loose and noise and wasted no time itself. Off of its hind legs, it bounded forward, going from a standstill to a full sprint that could easily top any normal human in a matter of a couple seconds. Lest Jack clash it head on, it'd not stop either, it'd bound pass while giving a sharp, quick jab with the spike at the end of its tail. Then, coming to a skidding halt, it'd turn--albeit a bit slowly--and it'd be off again. Charging forward, to bound pass, to poke, to test, to seek some kind of opening.

Or perhaps, merely to stall. The second creature nearby would be onto of a building overlooking the street in mere moments. For now, the streets here were bare, just Jack and the beast he faced. He'd need to seek out his own assistance if he decided it necessary, or hold out long enough for others of the militia to arrive.
 
Jack's grip on his spear tightened a little, as the wail of the creature filled his ears. His adrenaline was pumping hard, and icy claws of fear pawed at his mind. He was however no stranger to combat, and maintained his calm demeanor, leveling a cold gaze at the creature. He set his feet, and observed the beast, trying to anticipate what it might do next.

He let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding, and bit his lower lip. His mind raced as he thought of a plan to combat this menace, and for a moment, his vision momentarily fell to the spot of dirt right in front of him and the creature. Within the space of two heartbeats, he felt the ground rumbling, and glanced up. The tentacled mawed horror was almost upon him!

Jack reacted accordingly, bringing his trident spear close to his body in a vertical manner, and attempted to dodge and spin to his left, narrowly avoiding the fearsome charge on account of his enhanced reflexes. However, it was not enough. A ridge on the side of the creature's carapace slashed a superficial wound onto the wizard's right shoulder as he spun. His nerve endings in that area stung and burned, but it was nothing serious. Just the skin was cut. It would heal. The underlying joints, tendons, and muscles were still functional.

His feet came to rest on the ground nearby, as the creature charges past, barreling into a nearby cart full of hay, sending splinters and dried grass in all directions.

Jack spat angrily to his left as he watched the creature destroy the wooden cart, a rare commodity that would be hard to replace in this world of dwindling resources.
His magical power was slowly regenerating. It would likely be the key to this creature's undoing. e collected the blood from his shoulder with his left hand, and then pointed his crimson glistening fingers at the beast, speaking a few forgotten words, as his eyes glowed a pale blue. He then slung his hand to his left. Five droplets of blood were flung, and hit the ground with small puffs of smoke and sparks.

From each of these puffs of dust, a perfect facsimile of Jack came into being. Made from his own blood, they likewise carried his heat, and his scent, making them virtually indistinguishable from himself. They were just illusions however, and wouldn't be able to cause any real harm. The creature however, didn't know that.

The creature now had six targets to consider, rather than just one. "Alright beasty...." He growled angrily. "Your move."
 
Trudging from the cart's wreckage with a snort and shake of its head, casting off loose hay and bits of wood, the beast turned toward Jack once more. Its hind legs dug in, bending and tensing, but before it took off into another charge the facsimiles of the one it was engaging appeared; it gave it pause, while its head turned and shifted slightly as those black orbs moved from target to target. Outnumbered, it hesitated.

Small heads poked up and peeked through nearby windows; fearful eyes watching Jack take on the beast alone. Some held makeshift crossbows in shaking hands, or small blades, neither of which would be of much use without any kind of combat experience. Unlike those of the militia, who had that experience, and were fighting for them just a few streets over.

The noise from that encounter had grown louder--shouts and screams more frequent. Steel clattering against iron hide; spikes and bodies slamming against hardened shields. From a nearby alleyway just about two dozen paces from behind Jack, a few hushed voices called up for his attention. Four men he was at least aware of from the militia, clad in their simple leathered armour, with long spears set ready to charge out and render aid. He might even know some of them.

They were not the only ones to join the battle in the few moments it took for Jack's original opponent to recover from his crash into the cart, and the indecision over the sudden swarm of targets. One final leap over another narrow street, the second creature arrived on the top of a building much closer to Jack and overlooking his position. It made no sound, but one Jack faced down did--another howl and then it took off.

As it neared the half way point, the second arrival leapt from the building, one charging and one jumping down toward Jack and those duplicates--neither of which found the man himself. The charging creature skidded to a halt and swiped a tail right through out of the false images, while the second just flat-out landed on top of one. If that had been a real person, from the size and bulk, and the loud WHUMP the beast made when it hit the ground... it'd not have been pretty.

Both creatures screeched in answer to the failed attempts, both starting to turn toward other copies but remaining within reach of Jack's weapon; for a moment, vulnerable.
 
Jack clenched his teeth as the creature attacked one of his illusions, making it dissapate. And then, out of nowhere, another creature appeared out of nowhere, and attempted to attack another of his illusions.

They were just illusions, and they did thier job. He still had 3 more.

"What to do, what to do..." His mind raced furiously though several possible scenarios, as everything around him slowed to a crawl, the creatures themselves seeming to pass through the air at a languid pace, as dust hung in the air like a hot, raspy fog.

In truth, it was his mind, working quickly, like lightning, powered by his surge of adrenaline from having a threat such as this actually breach thier defenses. It was this that gave the illusion that everything was moving slowly...

A fire based explosion maybie? No. Shit, He just now saw the other members that belonged to his milita, many of them his friends... An explosion would only catch them, and cause more harm than good. Lightning? Actually, that would work. It was not as damage producing as an eplosion, but it was highly accurate, as well as possibly stunning the creatures it struck.


Two of the militia he recognized;
One of them in particular was a huge brute of a man, weilding a heavy iron club, with claw marks on his face, and an eyepatch. Another was an attractive female with tanned skin, and for a split second, his mind begin to wander down her exposed legs, only to be shook back to the clear and present danger right in front of him.

These creatures were lighting fast... He still had his fast enchantment going, and it would likely afford him two actions at best, by his etimations before the monsters were upon them.

Like lightning, two actions... That gave him an idea.

For his first action, capitalizing upon his speed enhancing enchantment, the red wizard uttered a staccato of magical words, centered upon the rest of the militia that had just arrived. This would double thier agility, as he felt a lucky surge of power thunder through his tongue as the incantations tirelessly ripped from it.

He then focused his attention to the creatures, and uttered another fast paced incantation that seemed to darken the arir around him and the creatures, as static electricity spat ouwards from his eyes and his mouth, making them glow a bright yellow.

From his oustretched palm, a thick stroke of powerful lightning leapt forth, barreling into the largest creature with the tendrils hanging out of its mouth, as it showed its vulnerable flank to him, attacking one of his illusions. A lesser type bolt then leapt from the first creature to the second, striking it directly in its side, as it was likewise distracted by another illusion.

Deafening thunder filled the area, booming all around. He hefted his spear, and assumed a defensive stance, to see what effect his power had. Hopefully it would stun the creatures as well as harm them, and create an opening for his militia bretheren to have an opening...

He could only hope and pray.
 
The people of the village were not unfamiliar with magic, however, they were, at times, ignorant of the sensations and enhancements it provided; the other two of those gathered, a young boy barely a man and a middle-aged man who looked like he'd be more at home in the fields, were of that kind. Both gave an odd look at their own persons, while the man with the club grinned and hoisted it to a shoulder.

He was ready--the others still had that look of fear in their eyes. In fact, the booming thunder startled the youngest and nearly made him drop his own spear. It was that, or the screech that the first struck by the bolt let out as all of its limbs tensed and seized. Tail lashing wildly, and striking another one of the illusions, it staggered back and forth after as little jolts of static crackled across those reddened plates. Just short of collapsing, it appeared.

Although the first had been incapacitated, the second was not nearly as much. It shook its head wildly as the lightning struck those reddened plates and cracked across it, as well as up its tail. However, it shook it off much more quickly, and turned toward what was initially to be another one of Jack's illusions... only to charge passed it and attack the man himself.

Not with the tail, or the bulk it had, but the jaws. Sharpened teeth, and jaw strength that felt like it could crush even the thickest pieces of wood; it'd not be a small pain if it latched hold. Worse then that, though, would be those tongues. Curling, and circling like an octopus' tentacles, the undersides barbed, and as sharp as a razor's edge. However, Jack would not be alone now.

"Now!" The eyepatched man shouted before he charged out, took several long strides, and swung his club like he was hitting a ball on the ground toward the stunned beast's head. A loud resounding crack came, sending the beast staggering to the side. Those other three--the woman, the boy, the farmer--rushed in to aid Jack.

One ducked in low, and jabbed the creature's more tender underside, while the farmer struck at the creature's red hide--a mistake. The head of his spear broke and cracked off from the force of the impact, leaving him with a stick, and a moment later, a concussion as the beast swung it's tail down and struck him in the side of the head. Absolutely leveling him, he went sprawling to the ground, and he didn't get back up.

That same tail lashed at the body, but he managed to awkwardly stumble back and out of the way with an almost comical flail of his weapon coupled with a yelp. After, he stepped up, spun his spear round', and jammed it downward into the back of one of the creature's rear legs. For his efforts: a swift boot to the gut which send him staggering backwards.

"I got iss'un!" Eyepatch called, as the nasty he struck was coming back around. He probably had the most experience there, but it was certainly up for debate if he could handle one on his own at all. No doubt, the boy and the woman would cede to any instructions given by Jack. The man? Perhaps not so much.
 
Jack swore as he jumped out of the way of the creatures attack, doing a shoulder roll along the dusty ground at his feet. He saw the old man go down, and not get back up. He spat angrily, as adrenaline and rage fueled his system, making his face contort into a horrid scowl at the creature. He gripped his custom weapon tightly, feeling the red leather adhered to the insides of his hands.

The large warrior with the club had things well in hand with the other creature, assisted by the woman. The wizard focused his attention on the other creature.

He shouted as he channeled his magical power into his muscles, completely taken with rage. He pointed the spear end of his weapon at the soft, fleshy underside of the creature's side, and started a charge of his own. With all of his magically augmented might, he drove the head of his spear in-between the joint of two of the armor plates in the creatures hide. The flesh there was still hard as granite rocks, and the first half inch of the spears blade broke off. The remaining nine inches however pierced forth, deforming as a result of the forces involved.

Jack pushed and pulled with the shaft of his weapon, twisting and forcing it through to the soft flesh between the creatures ribs, hopefully into something vital. his momentum forced him to leap up, kicking his legs into the air as he leapt over the creature in the manner of a side flip. Trying to tear his weapon free, it caught on the creatures ribs, breaking off the shaft and remaining inside the creature.
Jack clenched his teeth angrily in midair, and continued his side flip. He then landed and spun, watching as the creature barreled past him.

He risked a quick glance at what remained of his weapon. A trident fashioned to a five foot pole. It would have to suffice for now. He could always make another one after this fight, as he had no intention of dying today..
 
A pained wail rose up from the beast as Jack visciously impaled it on the spear. It staggered from side to side, making a clear, yet extremely clumsy, attempt to turn around to face him. White dribbled down the broken haft of the spear, andi t was able to muster up a few weakened grunts and snarls but before it could turn completely, it collapsed. Both of the nearby woman and boy glanced at each other, then the boy threw his arms up in a bit of a premature celebration with a "yes!"

Eyepatch and the other beast tussled a moment. It rushed him, and he wedged his club between its teeth like a bit for a horse. The two struggled over it, as if he was playing with some kind of dog, culminating in his frustration winning out--he relinquished the weapon, then brought up his foot and gave a swift forward-kick to the beast, knocking it right on the skull with his thick boot. Out of surprise, or pain, the beast dropped the club, which eyepatch quickly retrieved and as he lifted it from the ground, he uppercutted the underside of the beast's jaw.

Once more, it was sent staggering backwards. From a street over, another pained wail came amid the shouts, cries, and screams of the militia. It was followed by some heavy thuds, and then one of the beasts jumped onto one of the nearby rooftops from wherever it had been. It wailed down toward the beast tussling with Eyepatch, then sprinted across the rooftops toward the gate.

The second beast followed in short order, but it plowed right through Eyepatch as it did--the sharp spike at the end of its tail jabbing his thigh and sending him to the ground, for his attention had faltered and he'd glanced over at the other creature. "AGH! PIECE OF SOD!" he roared in pain as he toppled over, clutching his thigh, from which a not insignificant amount of blood flowed, stained his clothes, and pooled beneath him. Even from his prone position, he lifted and curled his club at the retreating creature.

Lest Jack intervene, both creatures would run to the end of the street, where the one on the rooftops lept down to join the other; from there, the pair sprinted for the gates. Some more members of the militia came onto the street with Jack and the others, momentarily giving chase before they saw the beast's intended destination--drawing a cheer from everyone there.

"Right, anyone who isn't injured, or can't help the injured, come with me!" A woman called as she stepped from an alleyway; tall, with a very athletic and toned body, she was as Eyepatch and Jack were--a soldier through and through. She gave a 'round them up' motion with her hand, and made for the gates. "We need to bar those gates up before anything else can get through! Some of you grab some wood and iron from anywhere you can!"
 
Jack's adrenaline was running hot, and his senses wasted no time on savoring the small victory over the monster. The miasma was relentless, and soon enough another such creature would take its place, he scanned the area quickly with his battle ready eyes. His ears heard the high pitched wail a few streets down, followed by happy cries and cheers, and his heart jumped a little.

"Good..." He said flatly, with little emotion. He then sank quickly into a fighting stance as a creature appeared on the rooftops, and with breakneck speed, made a beeline for the gate, grazing Eyepatch in the process.

Jack swore as he considered giving chase to the creatures.. But they were only trying to escape...
No, he was needed here, there would be wounded, and defenses to shore up.

He turned around to face the burly warrior with the club, to see him swearing and clutching his thigh, with prodigious amounts of blood flowing. He grit his teeth, and pointed his finger at the man's thigh, and uttered a few ghostly words. A thin ray of white hot healing energy shot forth, striking Eyepatch right in his bad thigh, making his flesh knit together. It was not a full strength healing blast, so the wound would still be a little sore, but it would be enough for him to get back into the action.

If Jack had healed him completely, he would have never heard the end of it, depriving the big warrior quality time with that highly attractive female nurse he favored. "On your feet gramps..." Jack chided him grinning, "...Our new pets are getting away!" he exclaimed, as he started running to the gate before he could say anything back.

Jack ran furiously to the gate, towards the athletically built woman calling for aid. Using his mind to enhance his strength, Jack burned more of his internal store of power, as he telekinetically lifted a big sheet of metal from the destroyed wall, and slammed it into place over a large hole that had been ripped away. Jack worked furiously, sending bolts of hot fire into key points in the plate, welding it together as an ad hoc barrier.

This attack didn't make any sense, wasn't the tear supposed to drive off these creatures and protect the city? That was unless...
Jacks face then went grim as he thought of a potential reason. "Shit..." He murmured.
The power of the tear must have been waning. He just shook his head, and continued patching the barrier. He spun around to address the amazon that had ordered to shore up the wall. "What in the hell were those? " He asked her incredulously. He knew better than to ask directly about the status of the tear, as he could accidentally cause a panic.

Scaring everyone as they worked to shore up the wall and the gate would serve no useful purpose. If the tear was indeed weakening, then something would have to be done. A group would have to leave the town and find a solution.

"Damn..." he murmured to himself, as he went to a rubble pile, and started to free another big sheet of metal.
 
There was a moment of stunned confusion as the beam struck the man's leg, while his hands rubbed at the sealed wound. "Heh... heh, hahaha. Ay, you're good to have around, Jack!" Eyepatch said as he dragged himself back to his feet, "Bleedin' out on the street after the battle's won... pah." He had a slight limp to his step as he retrieved his club, with a grumble to the nickname. Something was shouted to Jack's back, but it was lost in the sounds of people moving to the gates, the thumping of the beast's heavy frames, and the wind.

People ran toward the gates carrying wood, metal, and tools of their own. Far less magically inclined, some had to resort to the more hands-on style. The creatures had run out the opening without much fuss, allowing the sounds of hammers pounding pegs and axes chopping wood to fill the air; what mist had poured in was only about knee-height, so it wasn't so much a danger to those working nearby--Jack's effort had also stemmed the tide significantly, it'd disperse in time.

To Jack's question, the woman was only able to truly answer with a heavy shrug and a short, simple: "I don't know." Her voice was quickly turned back to directing those repairing the gate, however, trying to manage all resources--supplies and people--so that none were stepping on each other's toes. Fortunately, there were plans in place for just such an event, things which were set aside specifically to deal with it. It made the work take no more than somewhere between an hour and two. It wasn't a perfect repair job, but it'd do for the time being. It kept anything outside from seeing all the tasty pieces of meat within, and hopefully could do an adaquate job should something come knocking once more.

It was at the work was wrapping up that one of the villages' elders approached the gate. His face bared the wrinkles of many seasons, with short hair of ash gray. His eye, though, was on Jack, and when he caught that gaze, he flagged Jack over to speak with him though not before retreating a short distance away from those at the gates. For the moment, the town's streets were still empty; reminiscent of a kind of ghost town, as those who had been out decided to stay in their homes for the rest of the day. It was safer that way.

"There's trouble, Jack," the man dressed in a fine tunic and trousers began once the two were more or less alone, "There were those in the square just prior to the attack. The tear had... flickered, they said. Flickered, and dimmed." His tone was low, and the concern in his voice unhidden. "I've had some others take a look, and they have all told me and the other elders the same thing. I'd like for you to take a look, and give your opinion. What we've heard thus far from others like you--magically inclined--has not been... calming. Take what you find and bring it to the council chambers this evening, with the others. We are to have a meeting to discuss what needs to be done."
 
Jack grumbled under his breath as he listened to the old man impart his knowledge.
The geezer wasn't wrong. The red wizard knew exactly what the problem was, he could feel it from here. The tears were a sort of field generator, creating a bubble of non corrupted reality for people to exist in, a sort of remnant of what had been here before the goddess created the tears.

And like all damn generators, you needed fuel and energy. "Damn..." He grumbled as he walked the empty streets toward where the shard was housed. His mind worked furiously thought a multitude of possible solutions, yet all of them failed before his mental simulations.


The best overall temporary solution would be to rest for tonight after whatever meeting was about to be had, and then he just poured all of his magic into the Tear. Then he could then just rest a day. That would probably give it another three days to a week. The problem however was that it was only a temporary fix. The crystal would be stressed from having energy poured into it, and over time, the more instances of it being recharged like that, its overall capacity would be diminished. All they were doing was staving off the inevitable.

If he could just somehow repair the damn crystal's matrix, it wouldn't be a problem. But that was just it. The crystal was made of something divine, something un touchable, a power he couldn't even hope to fathom. Repairing the crystal would be an option. A temporary charge from his own power likewise wasn't a viable option. No, they needed a way to recharge this crystal.

If only he could just power it down and then let the damn thing recharge itself from ambient energy, just like his own magic recharged...


"Wait a minute..." He murmured as he stopped walking, and knelt down to the surface of the road, scratching a rough diagram. The math seemed sound enough. They crystals could be placed in a type of stasis, and allowed to recharge. If the simply could find another Tear of similar size, they could just rotate them out...
He then reached out with his mind, and gently felt the threads of the bubble, gauging its power level.
a fortnight. That was all they had left before the crystal was completely dead.

Satisfied that he had something to present to the council, his pace quickened.
He pleaded his case logically and soundly, as well as his plan to take a smaller shard with him, and venture out into the miasma to find another tear. It was a crazy plan at best, but in two weeks, it wouldn't really matter.

Jack then said if anyone wanted to come with him, he would be at the South gate in the morning.

He then promptly left the meeting, before anyone could talk him out of it, and change his mind.

Jack walked along the top of the huge wall, lost in thought, as he dropped his backpack on the ground, unrolling his blankets so he could sleep on top of the wall tonight, in some feeble attempt to hide from everyone who would try to convince him to try something else. He laid down on his blankets, thinking about the adventure ahead. His adrenaline was high, and he couldn't deny, part of him enjoyed the thrill of exploring the unknown...



He grinned. If he was going to die anyway, he might as well go down fighting.
 
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