Homebound

CLONE had been watching the events through the broken window in the rear of the mac, trying to take in what all he saw. When he thought he had it all pieced together, he heard Kain speak. "From the looks of things some sort of electricity attack had managed to hit the worm with enough power to stop it," he said to Kain. "Considering the power that would have been required to do that, it must have been a weapon from atop the mac we are in. However, this is merely a passenger vehicle of sorts, and from my understanding the only weapons available for passenger vehicles are the kind that can be carried, such as your rifle." He motioned to the weapon strapped to Kain's back. "If I am not mistaken, then the only options left are there is someone that managed to get on top of the vehicle to fire a very powerful weapon that they managed to carry with them up there, or there is a very powerful 'mage', as I've heard them be called, standing atop the vehicle and managed to stop the worm. Either way, all signs lead to the roof of the vehicle. By the way, how is the one known as Mortis doing? Better, I'm assuming, if you left him to come this way."

Vision slowly returned to Mortis as he regained conciousness. He sat up in a slow, cautious movement and looked around him. The relief in the air was unmistakable. Clearly, the worm was dead. He didn't know how they did it but he didn't really care. All of a sudden, he noticed that he was on the floor. Wondering how he had ended up on the floor he checked his body for signs of damage. As his hand felt the medical dressings on his head, the memory and the pain came back to him in a flash.

"Hey thanks for patching me up guys, I really appreciate it" Said Mortis with gratitude. "Don't worry though, I don't think I've broken anything"

He reached into his satchel and pulled out his bizzare canteen. It was shiny silver with blood red glyphs etched all around it. After taking off the cap, he drank most of what was inside and tensed in pain. A strange noise was emanating from underneath the dressings. It sounded like flesh being rubbed together really slowly. He cried out as a loud CRACK was heard, and finally he was just breathing very heavily. The sounds had stopped. A few people stepped forward to help him but he told them that he was fine. Reaching up, he pulled off all the dressings until the wound was bare. Except there was no wound there at all! Where there had once been a savage gash that leaked blood everywhere, was pink and healthy flesh without a scratch. It was like nothing had ever happened.

As he settled back into his seat he could feel everyone looking at him, making him feel really uncomfortable.

"Sorry about being incapacitated all this time. I promise that I will make it up to you all if we run into anymore trouble."

It's over, Rai panted. I need to get a better seat on this thing, Rai said, walking to the ladder. He climbed down the ladder and into the M.A.C. The strange person climbed in through the broken window. He was wearing a black shirt with an electric blue Japanese symbol fo Rai next to the left shoulder, a pair of black pants with the same symbol at the bottom of the left leg, a strange metalic band under his slightly spiked electric blue hair, and a black 4 ft sword that slightly shined an electric blue in the sun. He stood in the middle of the M.A.C. and put up his sword. I'm Rai. Anyone mind if I hitch a ride? I'm so tired. If no one minds, I'll just sit here, Rai said, taking a seat next to Mortis.

Thanks, Rai said. But what's a fare? he asked himself. By the way, what's your name? If I'm gonna be traveling with you, I should at least learn your name, he said. Also, are things always so exciting on here? And what is this thing? Why is it that it drains my energy on top of it, but not in here? Rai asked these questions in quick succession, barely stopping for air. You know what, I'll settle for who are you all and what is this thing? He re-drew his sword and started cleaning it. I really should take better care of you Mazike, Rai said, to himself. As he cleaned it the name Mazike revealed to be etched in to the blade written in Japanese. Oh yeah, holding a sword out of its sheath is dangerous on a moving vehicle, Rai said, re-sheathing Mazike. So yeah, who are you all?

"Yeah I gotta be more carefull next time." Said Mortis, replieing to what Kain had said. "I had no idea this tin can could accelerate so fast."

He noticed Rai come in and start asking lots of questions. He didn't know who he was but at least he wasn't hostile.

"Ok ok slow down a bit mate, lets take this slowly. I'm Mortis and the bloke sitting next to me is Kain. I don't know anyone elses name but that isn't really important. Its not usually this exciting around here but thats only because you normally die before you realise whats going on. This place is about as deadly as you can get. If you want an example of how deadly it really is, here it is" He got real serious as he said the next part. "That worm was just a baby compared to some of the things in this place. Pray that you never meet them."

Mortis relaxed back into his chair and examined his sliver flask. He noticed that it was nearly empty, but refilling it would have to wait. Suprisingly, no one had asked him about the strange healing properties of the liquid. It was a potion that he had created himself. The recipe was detailed in the book that he possesed and, just like everything else, was something truly evil.

"So do you think we will run into anymore trouble? I mean, we have still got quite a long way to go yet."

CLONE had followed Kain as was requested of him and took a seat. When the one known as Rai began asking all the questions, he tried his hardest to ignore him. He wasn't too fond of hearing many questions asked in quick succession. But when Rai settled down and decided to ask just the one question, he figured he should go ahead and answer. "You may call me CLONE, just as long as you ask questions one at a time. I highly doubt many people can answer that amount of questions correctly without them being repeated." He added a little anger to the first sentence, and calmed down for the second. He paid attention to the other two that were asking questions. Kain answered Mortis' question before he had a chance to give a guess, but that was probably for the best. However, he didn't hesitate to answer Kain's question. "I was pulled here from my home planet via a sort of dimensional rift. Unfortunately I was unconscious during the process and can't give you any more information on the event. It is probably for the best I am here and away from my home planet. War had broken out with an opposing planet. However, I shall give no more information on the subject from my point of view. I shall let the others speak."

Well, like I said, I'm Rai. I've been in this desert for several days, and I've beed here in Felarya for about 3 years now. It's nice to meet you all. By the way, where is this thing going. Anywhere's better than here, Rai said, but I still gotta ask.

Rai stared out the window, watching the desert fly by. He seemed to be deep in though, as though reflecting on his meeting of these people, despite having just met them and asking them a question. He looked back towards them looked at his right hand, closed and opened his right hand, focused on the burn, looked back at them, and waited for the answer to his question.

(Sorry for the late post, I've had a lot to do lately.)

"Well I came here of my own free will actually." Answered Mortis. "That cryptic book you saw earlier showed me how to make a portal to this place. Of course, if I had known what awaited me on the other side, I would have had second thoughts about coming. As for WHY I'm here I am searching for more info concerning that book. I would rather not say why. This is personal."

He stared into the distance when he finished talking. It was almost as if he was looking at something far beyond the sandy dunes. Something that no ordinary eye could see.

Lol, I fell out of sync with the rp from lack of posts. Sorry. Let's try and get it rolling again, eh?


"We're headin' to Negav... migh' take a while but we'll get there." Kain pulled a protein bar out of his cloak. It looked comparable to hardtack. No real surprise, slave food wasn't meant to be good, just to last long. "Name's Kain if y'don' a'ready know it. I'm here 'cause a'got enslaved due t' high debts. Got sent 'ere t' work off the fines slowly n' painfully. Ain't much else -to- do 'round 'ere, anyway."

Meanwhile, Jason stared at the growing party of oddballs and misfits with contempt. Granted, they were responsible for the Mac remaining in one piece, but that didn't mean he had to be kind. None of them had any say aboard the Mac. None, at all. He turned to his porthole and fidgeted his thumbs together, just trying to ignore them. Now wasn't the best time to start up trouble, anyway. The guards were out of bolts, after all...

CLONE wasn't very interested in the current conversation any more. He now knew where he was, where he was going, and who his current traveling acquaintances were. For now, all he needed to know he did. All that was left was for him to wait long enough for the Mac to make it to Negav, or for something to come and eat the Mac and everyone in it. He could tell pretty much everyone would be unprepared for another attack, which could happen very soon if the Mac had that kind of luck. Should something bigger than the worm come around, chances are the best he could do is move its teeth around while the magic-makers tickle its insides. He turned his attention to the guard sitting nearby.
"Let's assume another creature comes by and attacks," he began in his ever-so-robotic voice. "Are there any backup weapons, or some reserve ammunition? With any kind of luck, we really should keep those readily available. Assuming this vehicle does have some, of course. It would be just awful if something disastrous happened before we managed to get to the city known as Negav." Only after saying this did he get the feeling he might have come off as a bit suspicious, but he left it to the guard to decide if he could be trusted.

Heh, you're making me feel special. I'm just trying to survive out here. Rai said, with the slightest hint of joy. But...I'm gonna need a bit of rest before I can fight like that again. Rai sat down and closed his eyes. I'm gonna sleep for a little bit. If you need me, wake me up. Just be careful, I might swing at you if you startle me awake, Rai said, drifting half asleep.

"Yeah I suppose your right. Most women aren't the adventuring type though are they? You rarely see a female adventurer in the wilderness, especially this far out."

Mortis had very little experience with girls. They were like a seperate species to him. Hell, even other men seemed alien to him occasionally. He prefered to be alone most of the time. Reading his book and wandering the markets of Negav was how he spent his spare time. Trawling through the book stands, he sought out maps, historical douments and occult scriptures. They all helped him move further towards his goal. And yet, as time went by he was having second thoughts about his goal. Was it such a good idea to achieve it? But could he live with being a killer forever? His mind raced with so many thoughts and scenarios. He decided to forget about it for now and concentrated on staring out of the window, watching for more danger.

CLONE had next to no experience with women. The only clones his home planet created were those of men. The only thing he knows about them is that they lack three things a man has, and have 2 an average man shouldn't. He never met one, and in all honesty doesn't mind if he never does. Clones from his planet lack reproductive organs, and even if they had them it wouldn't do much good. On an essentially all-male clone planet, reproductive organs would be wasted. Information like this is useless to his travelling companions, so he decided to not speak on the matter. Having no thoughts on the current conversation topic and no interest in much of anything else, he decided it would be best to rest, considering he hasn't had proper sleep since before the war started. He shut his eyes, emptied his mind, and slowly drifted off

I shed a solitary tear for CLONE's love life.


"Well, there was tha' time we met, one blond, n' uh, tha'.. half-woman... thing. " He frowned to himself, a half-hearted shrug following shortly after. Who knew how the hell this place worked, anyway? Kain turned to the flashy youth with the ridiculously large blade and gave him a prod. "How 'bou' you, Zippy? You got any lady-friends t' bring along? Come t' think'a it, do any'a ya have somethin' waitin' fer ya outside'a this dump? It'd be a change'a pace t' hear 'bout. Shit, slaves don' have nothin' waitin' fer 'em when they get out, if they ever do." Kain pulled an apple from a pouch hidden by his cloak, and a knife, and began cutting the apple up into slices. "Damn, sun's goin' down n' it's still hot as hell..."

Rai sreached for a few seconds and yawned. Well Kiya would count, I guess, but we're just friends. Why I'm here? I cane here for a change of pace. I've been here for about 3 years now, and I'm planing to stay about 2 more. I'm a dimensional traveler. I'm gonna meet up with Kiya and Nagi on my birthday in two years. That'll be five years since I've been here. And not a single day goes by that I don't have to fight something. I run into a lot of preds, you know. Alot of them are those damn fairies. Why is it that they all think I'm free? Just cause I'm part elemental they try to do me. Stupid fairies.

(Have you noticed that every thread in the rp forum has had no posts for at least 7 days? Whats going on? Is everyone dead?)

(( waiting for either mort or boris to post. /shrug)

((I was waiting for Mort, and I haven't been on my computer for the past few days))

(( well, lawl, seems we've all been on a waiting chain. I'll toss some schtuff in to get the ball rolling again ))


The Mac had begun to slow its pace. With the sun setting at the horizon, it had become time to take a break. The Mac would find rest on a large, solid patch of stone, raised just a few feet above the rest of the rocky desert landscape. The elusive Jim's voice was hard throughout the Mac once more. "A'right, folks, we're gonna take a break. Ya'll just get some rest now, we'll be settin' up camp. Feel free t' get out n' get some fresh air, but don't stray too far. Everybody's gonna be sleepin' in the Mac." Shortly after this, the Guards and some of the slaves had been ushered into working.

Kain, too, was called for, and with a sour look, he stood up and went to help prepare the Mac. "Be righ' back..."

The guards unloaded the weapons and equipment they had spoken of while the slaves and Mick did most of the real work.


hopefully, that's enough for now

Rai got up and started outside. I think we need someone to keep watch. I'll take first shift if no one minds, since I've already rested some on the trip. Rai jumped down from the back exit of the MAC and walked around the MAC, scaning the area for any threats. Not finding anything out of the ordinary, he stepped a short distance from the back of the MAC and pulled some wood from his bag, placed it in a pile, and proceded to attempt to set it on fire. Damn it! Stupid wood! catch on fire! After failing several times, Rai stood up with a frustrated look on his face. He took two steps away, held up his left hand, palm towards the wood, and shot a single bolt of lightning towards the wood, which set it on fire instantly. There we go. Rai said happily, sitting down next to the fire. He turned around and yelled to the people still on the MAC, Anyone want to join me?

Mortis declined Rai's offer and decided to remain on the MAC for now. He was pretty tired after all the excitement they had earlier and wanted to rest. However, his mind raced with hundreds of thoughts and ideas, as it did almost every night. He had seen Rai light the fire with a lightning bolt. He couldn't do that despite the the fact that he too could cast lightning.

Mort's kind of magic was a complicated thing. Due to his physical and mental bond with a demon it could be considered Thaumaturgy, except he didn't want the bond to happen. Its a deal that Mort didn't agree too or even want. The deal is this, Urael (The demon in question) shares his body and allows him to utilize his dark and sadistic power. In return, Mort has to regularly absorb the lifeforce of humanoid creatures in order to "feed" Urael. If he fails to absorb lifeforce regularly, Urael will slowly feed on his until he becomes an insane husk. The shadow magic that he can use is a truly terrible force to be reckoned with. It doesn't burn, freeze or electrocute the opponent. It rots the opponents mind and rips apart his soul, causing unimaginable pain. He can shape it to do a variety of tasks. For example, a dark fireball would stick to the foe and burn through armour, cloth and flesh as if they were paper. Due to the rarity of this sort of magic, there is not much protection that is available to the average joe. However, divine charms, blessed armour and spiritual shielding can be obtained if you have enough money and know the right people. Also, Mort still considers himself to be human and so finds it impossible to use the full extent of his power. But when Urael takes control, thats a whole other story.

Mort closed his eyes and tried his hardest to get to sleep. But one question continually crossed his mind.

Could he still be considered human?

(Ill get round to posting in "WLBTP?" asap, but Its 2 in the morning where I am and I'm exhausted. )