open Expedition into Uncharted Land

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@,

 

"I need not sleep, my energy comes from my surroundings. It is why I must not stray far from water" Nymphaea said passively as she stepped out of the river and onto the shore. "What was your dream? It is not healthy to have your mind burdened by dark thoughts, not in a place like this."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

He sighed and looked at the kelpie "Just some bad memories... A soldier never really forgets the battlefield. It is why they tell you to never look into the foes eyes before you strike them down..." He said before setting his helmet aside and pulled down the coif. He fixed his mane which was pressed down because he wearing was wearing the coif all night.

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@,

 

"I take you looked into the eyes of your foe before bringing an end to their life?" the kelpie asked eyeing the reminiscing knight. Her tone held a slightly jovial quality as though she were joking, however her face remained serious and even suspicious as she continued. "You have seen war, why? Why did you become a soldier? You do not seem like the kind who lusts for bloodshed, was there perhaps someone you fought for?"

Edited March 9, 2015 by HunterTSN

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

"I didn't fight for just one pony, I fought for the ponies that would die if I failed, I fought for the princess, and I fought for the soldiers that fought along side me, and since I am a captain; the soldiers that follow my orders" He said "also, I didn't have a choice in the matter of me becoming a soldier. I am a knight, which means I have spent all my life to earn my knighthood, and I did not make that decision... my parents made me do it." He looked into the darkness of the night.

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

((Just so you know I haven't been totally wasting time when I'm taking forever to post here: http://mlpforums.com/topic/123315-nymphaea-kelpie-oc/))

 

Nymphaea let out a rasping hiss that could have been a chuckle, however it was impossible to tell for sure.

 

"They must be so proud" the kelpie said, her voice holding a slightly condescending tone. "And are your parents also the reason you came here, or did you make that mistake yourself?"

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

(I have always wanted to draw Chronos but I am unable to draw him on my laptop.)

 

"I am 29, I make my own decisions now, when my parents made me train to become a knight, I was 3. So yes, I chose to come here." He said with a slightly annoyed tone because he thought the creature was chuckling. "but unlike you, I do not believe that coming here was a mistake. If I did, I wouldn't have come here." He said as he looked into the darkness. For an Island that is out to kill them, at night it seemed quite peaceful.

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

((I could try and draw something up for you, however I would need a reference. A ponycreator picture would be fine.))

 

"Then why did you come here?" Nymphaea pressed. "I don't expect you came seeking adventure like the mare, nor do I expect you are just another relic hunter seeking the Drage Slottet. So knight, why did you really come here? Why do you really seek the treasure?"

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

(Your going to need more then a simple pony creature drawing, I may have a pencil drawing somewhere, I may need to darken the lines but it could work)

 

"I came here to prove my loyalty to the princesses, they believe that my loyalty is wavering, because of something my father did. I said that I would come to this Island and bring them a portion of the treasure, to prove them that I am still loyal to them." He said, He looked at the kelpie before continuing "My honor and my rank mean more to me then almost anything, I am not going to let something that I have worked all my life for to be thrown away, because of a doubt."

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

"Loyalty and honor do little for those who die before they can reap their rewards" the kelpie said warningly, it was apparent she had little faith in the the ponies' chances on the island. Suddenly she got a sickening feeling in her gut, as though the temperature in the clearing had dropped substantially. The quietness of the forest became less peaceful and more suffocating, even the crickets stopped their chirping and the babble of the creek became a faraway murmur. The coals still flickered in the dying firepit, however they seemed to no long cast any light on their surroundings, even Chronos' magelight seemed to be swallowed by the shadows. "Something very wrong is approaching" she whispered softly, mostly to herself.

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN, 

 

Chronos noticed that the light he had made became dim, he heard the creature whisper something but he couldn't make it out. He looked around at the darkness, the silence...  The silence war broken at the break of a twig. Chronos pulled up his coif and put on his helmet. "something is telling me, there is something near... should I wake Tyra?" He whispered to the kelpie.

 

 @@Eternal Night,

@@Firehearted,

 

The sound of large flapping wings in the night. The sound slowly got closer and louder to where Atlas and Cosmos were sleeping. The creature perched up on a tree looking over the two. The weight of the giant raven caused the tree to rustle and bend.

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

"No, if it is what I expect then it shall not harm her as long as she remains sleeping. We are not so lucky however" she said in a hushed tone. There were few creatures on the island that carried such an aura of darkness; most of them bad, some of them worse. A barely audible growl began to echo through the clearing making it impossible to locate the source. "Aufhocker" she hissed as her suspicions were confirmed. "Watch the forest, do not let it at your throat."

Edited March 11, 2015 by HunterTSN

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

 

"Alright" Chronos said as he covered his throat and mouth with his shield. His eyes peaking over it,  He kept his sword ready, He would not be able to fight as well while using his shield but he would rather stay alive longer then kill whatever was in the darkness faster. He looked around, He looked around, occasionally hearing the movement of leaves and turning to face the sound. His light had almost completely gone out. "what does the creature look like?" He whispered to the kelpie as he continued to look around.

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

"I could not say, it has no appearance of its own, instead taking body of any creature it wishes. A shapeshifter" Nymphaea said in a hoarse whisper. "Watch behind you, that is were it will strike first."

 

Suddenly she noticed a quick movement in the darkness of her peripherals, her catlike eyes barely picking the quadrupedal shadow as it leaped towards the knight's unguarded back. Unable to form words quick enough, the kelpie hissed angrily in warning as the beast descended on Chronos.

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

 

Chronos turned around and tried to teleport. He lifted his shield to protect himself as he teleported.

 

He teleported back a few feet and raised his shield over his neck again and tried to strike the beast down, He aimed for the neck and tried to decapitated it.

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

"Do swing to kill it, it is immortal and can not be felled by a mere blade. Keep it distracted until I can be rid of it or it of you" Nymphaea cautioned as the knight parried with the shadowlike creature. Quickly the kelpie wracked her brain for memories on the aufhocker's weaknesses. The fire might have worked, however it had grown too low and she didn't fancy the idea of nearing a burning flame herself regardless. A quick glance at Tyra told her the mare was still blissfully unaware of the happenings in the real world, however the sleeping sellsword did remind of something else. Expecting the worst, Nymphaea turned back to where Chronos had been fighting the demonic theriomorph.

Edited March 11, 2015 by HunterTSN

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

 

"I will not die to this cur!" He said before trying to strike the beast once more. When the creature tried to leap on him, he would teleport and try to strike it. It kept the creature busy, but it tired Chronos the more he teleported.

He started to step back from the creature, behind him was the stream. He looked at the Kelpie "Oh do take your time" He said sarcastically as he continued to try and fend of the aufhocker. He began to grow more and more fatigued, if it was a normal foe, he could probably fight for hours. But since he was having to use his magic allot more, his energy was being drain.

[Firehearted 120]

((Can I get a time?))

 

I jolted awake.

 

 

“It’s been six months without incident, Mr. Lightfeather. Very good” Said a man sitting behind a desk.

 

“Wa? Where am I?” I was in an… Office? Behind the man was a long list of pedigrees. The room had a single window, and besides that, the couch I was on and, the desk it was a bit dull.

 

 

“Where am you? Have you begun to develop amnesia, Mr. Lightfeather? You’re in an insane asylum, admitted by a friend of yours by the name of Leads with a recommendation from a Dr. Silver Cast” He’s not dead! Thank God… I thought I’d killed him… Everything was just so strange… I’d ask why I was thrown in here but I just want to get out now.

 

 

“How long have I been here, again?”

 

 

“You’ve been keeping count of the days yourself, Mr. Lightfeather. We gave you a notebook just to keep track” He gave me a suspicious look.

 

 

“I can’t remember all the time”

 

 

“Five years, Mr. Lightfeather. You have been in the Thunder Hill Mental Correctional Facility for five years”

 

 

“Sorry, I just blanked for a moment”

 

 

“... It’s fine, Mr. Lightfeather. Happens to all of this… As I said six months without incident. Combined with your good conduct I sincerely believe you are ready to return to society” I might have shown more excitement if I was really in for six years. I wouldn’t be best to say I don’t remember anything about it…

 

 

“So?”

 

 

“Pack your belongings. A bag will be sent to your room and you will be free to go noon tomorrow. We will notify your kin and those you would wish us to”

 

 

“Good. Good” This was too strange… Way too strange… Something here wasn’t right.

 

 

…

 

 

Noon. I slept terribly. The bed in my padded, yes padded, cell was extremely uncomfortable. I’d rather be sleeping on the jungle floor. Jungle floor… Why did that seem so familiar… Like I should be somewhere.

 

 

“Mr. Lightfeather?” An orderly opened my door. “Are you ready to leave?”

 

 

“Yes, I am”

 

 

“Follow me” As we walked I studied everything I passed. It all seemed familiar. A very surreal feeling swept over me. It felt like some part of me was trying to convince the rest I had been here for five years. No. I was never here. This place was foreign to me. I had no part in it.

 

 

I walked out the door to freedom. The building sat on a hill next to the coast. In front of me lay nothing but a road and field. No one was waiting for me. Maybe they didn’t send a message? Maybe this place was far away? I walked forward on the road to get away from this place… After no less than five minutes I was turning a bend next to another hill to see a well. A village girl was tending to it but where she lived I didn’t know. I could see no towns anywhere near here, just fields.

 

 

 

A figure I knew all too well walked past me toward here. I was trapped were I was as if my feet were in cement. Everything went silent. The girl’s mouth moved to scream but no noise came out. In an instant she was lying in the grass in her own blood. I laughed over her corpse.

 

 

I took a step back away from myself only to find no ground and fall into the abyss below… Black.

 

 

…

 

 

 

I was boiling hot. The savannah sun beat down on me. Food… I need food. I stumbled around the huge grasslands.

 

*Thump* I collapsed.

 

 

“You’re in the same boat?” Asked… Me? I looked across at myself who looked tired, hungry, and dying. Oh yeah, and there was a corpse of… Something next to us.

 

 

“You bet”

 

 

“Well…” Atlas looked at the corpse of thing. No… Nu-huh… Stop me. “We got a choice?” This me was a lot more… Accepting. Then again I felt like he looked right now. I was going to die if I didn’t get something in me.

 

 

 

We ate so of the carcass. It was terrible. But it was something. And I needed something. It was far from picked clean. We could barely muster a few bites.

 

 

“Good eatin” Atlas joked.

 

 

“Yeah…”

 

 

Wait… This is me… This is when I was stuck in the savannah. I-I ate an animal carcass to survive. But I don’t remember any of this… Something is- Black.

 

[Eternal Night 61]

@@Firehearted,

(I think its midnight, not sure)

 

"Hey you, get up! Get up!" I yelled at Atlas, shaking him for good measure.

 

It all happened so quickly, one moment I was passed out, the next I hear some tree branches break followed by this huge black raven casually sitting on one of the branches. The raven stared at me with a gaze that flooded me with fear, I wanted to run but I couldn't leave Atlas behind. He was my ticket off this island after all, amongst other things. I keep shaking him, all while keeping an eye on the raven. The moment that thing makes a move, I want outta there.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Eternal Night

[Firehearted 120]

@@Eternal Night, 

 

Black...

 

I woke up from Cosmo's shaking in a cold sweat. I hadn't noticed that fact in my dream not had I noticed I was dreaming.

 

I jerked my head up from the floor. "Wa? What?" I looked around to see Cosmo looking like he was about to piss himself. "Cosmo. What's wrong?" I gave him a look. "I don't see any... thing..."

 

I looked at the raven. "Hi..." I slowly reached for my musket. "Make no sudden moves" That thing could defiantly eat us if it wanted. "It may not want pony... Ponies can't be common food for it" But who says it wasn't up for some exotic food? 

 

I had my musket at my side. Thank Celestia it was loaded. I knew this thing could drop a buffalo but I didn't know if it would drop this.

 

"Pack your things... We've going to walk away... Slowly" I kept my musket train on the bird while I shook my wing awake.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Firehearted

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Eternal Night,

@@Firehearted,  

 

Once the creature realized that the two had seen it, It flew up and dived at them, about to grab them with it's talons. The Nachtkrapp planned to abduct the two ponies and feast upon them, by ripping off their limbs and pecking out their hearts. It snatched the arquebus instead of Atlas and tossed it away. It made a Cr-r-ruck sound and it came back to try and grab Cosmos and Atlas once more.

 

(pro-tip: Run)

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

Through the dark, Nymphaea briskly made her way to the sleeping mare, silently scanning the ground around her until her eyes landed on the crumpled tunic. Careful not to wake her slumbering companion the kelpie searched the folds of the tunic until she found what she was looking for; a small silver coin. Another quick glance at Chronos told her he was tiring quickly; the large aufhocker had the knight on the defensive and even the tiniest slip would mean disaster. Bracing herself, Nymphaea scooped up the small coin in her cloven hoof. Immediately she felt a searing pain lance through her leg, as though a red-hot poker had been pressed against the sensitive frog of her hoof. With a tortured gasp she madly she flung the vile coin towards the beast, watching as it landed in the dirt only a few feet from Chronos. The aufhocker reacted immediately, ceasing it's attack and backing away from the exhausted knight. It growled and kept its head low as if preparing to attack again at any moment.

[Eternal Night 61]

@@Firehearted,

 

As the bird forcefully removed Atlas's gun, I re-actively casted off my flare spell, blinding both Atlas and the creature and buying us some time. I quickly grabbed my crossbow with one hoof and Atlas in the other and teleported both of us into some nearby shrubbery. While the creature was still dazed I casted my invisibility spell, it was certainly taxing on me, especially after teleporting the two of us, but I manage to cloak both of us perfectly. I'm certainly going to be feeling this in the morning....

 

I whisper to Atlas. "not a sound, and no sudden movements. I don't know how long I can keep this up so just stay put and hopefully the damn thing goes away..." 

 

I make sure to use my sound spell to divert the sound waves to make it seem like we were talking behind the bird, hopefully the bird takes the bait and flies off in the opposite direction. My head started throbbing, I was starting to feel the effects of my condition... This was going to be a long night....

[Firehearted 120]

@@Eternal Night,

I rubbed my eyes from the flash. "If that thing takes my gun with it..."  I was going to be pissed. Sure, it wasn't MY gun but it was expensive. MY gun was in my closet at home ready to be fired but that one cost me a lot. I probably had more things to worry about than my gun though.

 

"Hey, good thinking back there" I added before shutting up. This is why you go to bed early 'cause I doubted we're getting sleep now. I kept put feeling a bit too close to Cosmo for comfort but not saying anything or moving since I'd rather not get a close look at a bird's digestive system.

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

 

 Chronos realized that the creature was backing away, but he did not lower his shield. He saw the coin which had caused the creature to back off. Chronos used his magic to bring it to him and said "So this is what you are scared of.... what do creatures here have against fine silver, back home it is a valued resource," Chronos smiled and started to walk a little closer to the creature, with the coin levitating in front of him. Watching it back away from him.

 

 @@Firehearted,

@@Eternal Night,

 

The Nachtkrapp was blinded but once it's vision was back, It began to search for the two ponies.

There was a sound in one of the bushes, It stabbed its beak into the bush and pulled out something.

It was a husk, The giant crow threw the husk aside and began to feast upon the rotten creature, It tore off the husks legs swallowing them as it went and coughing out the bones. It then proceeded to tear out of the withered heart of the husk and ate it whole.

 

(Don't you just want to give it a hug?)

[Eternal Night 61]

@,

@@Firehearted,  

(Oh you...)

 

With the beast disgustingly eating what seemed to be another pony in the distance, I began to guide Atlas away from the beast. Using my expert knowledge on stealth I guide the two us silently out of harms way without so much as a peep. All while surprisingly keeping up my invisibility spell,  once I find a nice hiding spot in the woods. I decloak the two of us and immediately pop one of my meds as the typical migraine begins to settle in. I collapse a little under the exhaustion and hand Atlas my blade and my crossbow.

 

"Stay silent and keep watch, I'm afraid i'm going to be useless for a little while till my medicine kicks in." I whispered silently, propping myself against a bed of moss. "If you see anything, stay out of sight, I don't think I need to tell you why we should avoid a fight right now."

 

I take out a small bottle of cover scent and spray some on both me and Atlas.

 

"There that should keep that anything from sniffing us out," I smile a little "Glad I kept this little bottle, helped me out more than once avoiding animal patrols. We're going to smell like dirt for awhile but we should be "safer" for now." 

 

As long as we kept totally quiet I was confident the raven or whatever the hell it was wouldn't find us, or at least until i gained some of my magic back, its going to be at least an hour or two before i'm back to some sort of spell casting condition. I had at least one more spell in me, but after that it'd be up to Atlas to handle things. I may have been rather jumpy to say the least here, but I don't care as long as I'd make it out alive. Hopefully things calm down soon I don't think I can take much more "excitement" like this.