|
Post by Hebihime on Nov 14, 2019 19:01:10 GMT -8
Hebihime watched as her dragon companions bite hard onto the Kraken's injured arm. She pulled with all her tail's might, and the limb was ripped free, falling to the deck of the ship with a crash. Several men were nearly crushed by the severed appendage, and it bathed the deck of the ship in a wash of oily black blood. With her tail free, Hebihime could focus her attention on the beast itself. She wrapped her tail around the other tentacle, the one held at bay by her grip as she began reigning in the beast. Unused to being the one dragged, the Kraken struggled, screeching as it was slowly reeled in closer to the boat. The dragons took a blow from the leviathan's frenzied swings, and the magic that summoned them dispelled in an instant. The serpent woman could feel the crackle in the air, static electricity building as her hair stood on end. She glanced back at The Wizard and saw a large purple summoning circle appear overhead. The crew looked up at it in awe and surprise, before shielding their eyes as an arc of lightning danced from the spell to strike its conjurer. "Indeed I do..." She said with a chuckle, as he declared why he had earned his moniker. Elemental invocation indeed. The Wizard channeled his arcane lightning, blasting the Kraken through the wound where its limb had been severed. The creature howled in pain, skin blistering and boiling from the heat as electricity crackled across the ocean's surface far as the eye could see. It thrashed violently, dislodging its grip from the ship as its muscles went limp. The Wizard looked winded from his attack, and Hebihime smiled with sinister glee when he told her to finish off the beast. "My pleasure Darling." She said, fell violet ki swirling around her right hand. Blade like talons of ki sprouted from her nails, and the energy seared and danced like fire. The gigantic woman gave a mighty pull on the Kraken's arm in her clutches, reeling the beast in towards her with all her strength. It's wounded body was wretched from the sea, as Hebihime threw out a savage right hook with her right arm. "HELL... FANG.. FRENZY!" She called out in a booming voice, her punch landing square in the Kraken's eye bursting it in a spray of viscera. A bloody hole was blown out the backside of the creature's head, as it was sent hurtling back into the sea from the impact. A huge plume of water sprayed into the air, the waves that followed churning the seas. The ship rocked back and forth from the force of the impact, Hebihime steadying herself to keep from capsizing the vessel. She looked out at the Kraken's body, it was well and truly dead. Bleeding a huge slick of inky blood into the sea, its body sinking beneath the waves until all that remained of it was a black stain of its blood and the severed tentacle laying on the ship. The skies above began to clear, the storm still raged but the nowhere near as hard as when the beast was present. Black, ugly storm clouds became dull, grey, and ceased spitting lightning strikes. Hebihime sat down cross legged, her already typically large, now giant sized rear taking up a large portion of the deck and her tail hanging lazily over the bow of the ship. She reached for the severed tentacle, raising the end of it to her mouth and taking a large bite. Calamari, fresh from the source at that. She chewed greedily, swallowing with a loud gulp before looking down at the startled Captain. Sakana had been frozen in fear for most of the battle. He threw up his arms and cheered. "That was amazing you two! I've never seen anything like that! I thought we were headed to Jones Davey's Locker for sure!" His men cheered as well, most of the survivors looking worse for wear. They'd hardly had time to recover from their curse before the Kraken struck. Sakana turned to his First Mate, and immediately began barking orders. "I want the wounded below deck. Get our men treated. And full steam ahead for that shipwreck. I'll be damned if I come this far just to let our treasure slip away!" His First Mate nodded his head, and relayed his commands to the men. The ship quickly became a flurry of activity, as sailors reported below deck for triage or worked to assess the damage to the hull left by the Kraken. "Are you two ok?" Sakana asked the two spell casters, to which Hebihime merely shrugged. "I've had worse." She said nonchalantly, ripping another great bite from the severed kraken limb with her sharp teeth. She still hadn't transformed back yet, in truth she had simply loosened the magic bindings of her disguise. Normally, gigantification techniques took significant expenditure of energy, making the muscles and cells of the body grow rapidly. Hers was the inverse, this state was actually closer to her true form than the disguised form she usually took. "No sense in me transforming back yet." She added, using her tail like an oar to help row the huge ship. "Odds are we'll just have to tear open the hull of that shipwreck anyways." She took another blood black bite of the tentacle, and casually gestured the severed limb to The Wizard. "Hungry? I've got plenty to share." The giantess said with a playful grin. She knew he was likely repulsed by the display and would hardly accept.
Word Count: 945 | The Wizard
|
|
|
Post by The Wizard on Nov 14, 2019 20:13:53 GMT -8
Well, it seemed everything went according to plan. The woman had used to opening to launch a powerful attack, it managed to slay the beast in a single hit. It fell back into the ocean causing a massive splash of black blood and gore. It was a fantastic victory, one that a real wizard could tell stories about! For the first time, Duck did feel as though he was a true wizard, and believed in himself with a confidence he had previously lacked. Perhaps his parents would allow him to return home after such a victory... But why would they believe him? He had no proof of the battle, nor did he know a man willing to return home with him to tell the tale. "Hahaha. Quite the display. Quite the display indeed." The wizard would chuckle this before coughing a bit. It would take some time to recover the power he had spent, but luckily his ally seemed relatively capable. "I'm surprised you capable of remaining in that form. Especially after exerting yourself..."
The crew would soon come out of the woodwork to cheer them on and praise the two magic users for their victory. While the woman was in her giant form, and sitting down on the side of the ship, several deckhands would gather around the wizard and lift him into the air! "Three cheers for the saviors of our journey!" One would shout. A small crowd would appear and give said cheers, allowing the wizard yo bring out his boastful side. "Now now humble salvage workers! There is far more work to be done and admiring our abilities." The crew would disperse with chatter of joy and gratitude. That was, until an important announcement was made. Sakana had finally spoken up after some time and said the wounded from the attack would need treatment. Again, he was no doctor, but most of the wounds were simple and could be handled with bandages by the looks of things. Over all, the fight could have gone much worse than a handful of injuries. The entire ship could have been reduced to driftwood... "Do what you must to care for the wounded..." He would say in an almost overly-stoic manner. After that quick conversation, the now massive Hebihime would offer him some of the squid's tentacle as nourishment. While many earthling may have refused this, Duck was well... Part duck. Aquatic foods of any kind were pretty eatable to him. "Ah sure, why not." expanding a bit more of his energy, the earthling would float upwards and materialize a simple pair of chop sticks. Using the utensils, he would take a large piece out of the arm and start eating it. It most definitely tasted like common squid, and actually wasn't that bad. There was something interesting about it however... It gave him a strange sensation as he swallowed it. The beastman's eyes would widen and spark with arcane power once more. A bit of electricity would spark in his eyes, as he realized his magic power had been restored, perhaps even improved. "This thing's very soul was fueled by magic, I'm not feeling so worn out anymore..." Now rejuvenated, they had a job to do. Duck would return to the bow of the ship and raise his arms. Commanding the waves to bend to his will, water would push their boat forward with even more force than before. This would all be done while nothing seeped into the hull. The waves were much more quiet now, and thanks to the paddling tail of the snake-girl they would reach the wreck shortly. "This looks to be our stop..." The wizard would look down at the ruined ship, it was partially submersed by water with the bow of the ship clearly visible. Members of the salvaging crew would all begin gathering supplies for the job, but many of them would be whispering. "You think there are more curses in that thing?" one would ask, others would remark "Maybe we should just send the mystics in first?" There was clearly a fear built up around this mission, and the wizard didn't blame the poor fools. This was the first time he had ever gone treasure hunting too, but their fear would be to his own gain... He and Hebihime had already agreed to split the artifacts, maybe the should enter and never return? That would be a good way to collect what they had come for. "You all should stay here. The sorceress and I will examine the ship to determine if it is safe or not. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt after all..." [WC: 774] Hebihime
|
|
|
Post by Hebihime on Nov 14, 2019 20:59:53 GMT -8
Hebihime grinned at the compliment, shrugging her shoulders. "What can I say Darling, I never cease to amaze. It's in my nature." She tore another bite from her meal, swallowing quickly. "Now just imagine what I could have done if I wasn't limited by standing on this ship." This much was true, and it would have been a much shorter, much more carnage filled battle. As her massive body coiled around the hapless creature while tearing out great hunks of its flesh with her fangs. Hebihime gave a casual shrug when commenting on her giant form, "Oh this? Child's play. I have considerable experience, and significant ki reserves." Food helped too, but more importantly she wasn't going to inform The Wizard this state was actually closer to her True Form than he would likely ever know. The woman kept eating as The Wizard basked in his revelry with the crew. Normally she hungered for the spotlight, the adoration, though right now her hunger was more literal. She cared only for the magic relics ahead, not the praise of a few sailors in over their heads. To her surprise, The Wizard actually wanted to share in her meal, and she held the great severed limb out for him to take his comparatively small bite. His face seemed to light up as he tasked the beast's flesh. She nodded along in agreement. "Krakens that size are not natural creatures. They are born of magic, created by powerful magic wielders and used as watchdogs to guard regions of the sea." She took another bite, speaking with her mouth full. "Did you wonder why I've been so keen to eat this arm?" She'd come back for the rest of the carcass later. Swim by in the evening and scrounge for the corpse at the bottom of the sea. It would keep her nourished for many days and nights. While they spoke the salvage ship continued towards its destination, steaming towards the pirate shipwreck. The old galleon was caught on a jacket rock outcropping, partially submerged in the water. Its hull covered in patches of barnacles and the wood turned a sickly sea green from exposure. The masts and sails had long since been knocked down by storms, and a huge hole split the vessel down its center. She watched the wreck draw closer, feeling the evil lingering in the air. Damned souls, trapped in their mortal bodies despite their time having come. The curse of undeath, a type of perverse being the Snake Goddess despised. Her father's celestial duty was to forever judge the souls of the dead. Perhaps part of this had rubbed off on Hebihime, inherited from King Yemma. For she despised the undead as hideous and repulsive creatures that deserved only to feel the bite of her magics. The sailors began to murmur of curses and evil, and Hebihime nodded in agreement as she gestured to the ship with her kraken tentacle. "You're right to worry. That shipwreck is cursed." She said in a serious tone, summoning a ki blast in her hand and lazily throwing it at the vessel. It exploded along the side of the hull, and a fiendish chill took to the air. "Watch." She added simply, as the dead began to rise. The rotted corpses of the pirate crew awakening from their undying slumber, clambering up from the depths to amass on the ships hull. They patrolled the deck for several minutes, seemingly search for intruders before the curse that roused them diminished and they fell to the ground in abject heaps. "Undeath." Hebihime said casually, taking another bite of her meal. "The ship is crawling with the souls of its damned crew. I can sense them from here, I'm sure some of you can too. It is a particularly pungent kind of curse."The crew were noticeably unraveled by the sight. A giant sea monster most could rationalize, but to see the living dead walk in their spectral haunt. It was a bit much for the common man. They murmured among each other, pleading for the two wizards to go on ahead of them and make sure the way was safe. Hebihime nodded in agreement, still lazily eating her food. The tentacle was nearly gone, she'd worked through it unnaturally quickly, and wiped the blood from her lips. "The Wizard and I will go ahead. He can deal with the undead, I will dispell the curse. Once it's safe I'll wave you over." It wouldn't be much of a hassle, not after what she'd seen her comrade was capable of. But it was more than sufficient to spook the crew, who thanked the two for their continued bravery and ability. With that Hebihime stood up, the whole ship rocking heavily as her immense weight shifted. She took one last bite of her meal, finishing off the tentacle before jumping overboard into the murky waters. She emerged a moment later, standing in water that was up to her chest in her giant state. "You should have seen the sharks flee. There's always a bigger fish, and today that fish is me." The woman said with a giggle. Her hair damp and laying slick against her skin. Skintight wet suit glistening in the water as she held out her palm flat, level with the side of the ship. "Come along Wizard. Unless you prefer to swim." Hebihime said in a cheeky voice, waiting for The Wizard to climb onto her outstretched palm before she lazily began to walk her way towards the wreck. It would take only a few minutes to arrive, the water growing more shallow as she came close. Until it was barely at her ankles.
Word Count: 960 | Total Word Count: 1,905 | The Wizard
|
|
|
Post by The Wizard on Nov 14, 2019 21:50:54 GMT -8
This woman may have been more powerful than he had even thought. She didn't even seem slightly tired from attacking the sea monster, and would remain in her giant form. Perhaps the flesh of the kraken gave her the energy to do so. After all, with a bigger mouth one could take bigger bites, and that meant more power being absorbed. When he thought about it, it was actually a very smart tactic and would ensure she gained as much power as possible. With that assessment in mind, he could assume that she already knew the benefits of eating kraken flesh. When she eventually did ask him as to why she would eat such a thing, he would simply respond "I suppose magic can be hungry business. If one hungers for power, they must seek it out, then eat it." It was the best omen he could come up with off the top of his head. It was what someone might expect him to say, but Duck thought it pretty clever. Another matter would rear it's head in the form of the crew's worries. Though the wizard knew there would be more problems with the lingering bits of the curse, his partner knew far more. She was apparently able to determine the presence of undead, an ability that was foreign to him. Though he would much like to learn it, and would if they made it out in one piece. She had done her job well by explaining just what horrors awaited them. Striking just the right amount of fear into the hearts of the men would keep them a bey long enough for them to search the ship for it's artifacts. Though he had no clue what kind of treasures it would hold, anything was better than nothing. More over was a lesson from the woman, as he yearned for all forms of magical knowledge. If he was to be the best, he would have to train like the best. In this case, it would mean learning these secret arts. With the men further rattled by the possibility of undead, it would be time for the duo to play hero once again. If the ship's deck was filled with undead, the wizard would have no trouble blowing them to pieces with wind magic or incinerating them with fiery incantations. She was right to say he could deal with the undead, as he had plenty of spells capable of harming them. "Yes, dispatching them shouldn't be much of an issue. I can buy as much time as you need to reverse the curse." He seemed very confident, and rose his bill to the air with pride. Now came the question of transportation. It seemed his best option was to hitch a ride with the sorceress. Though he could swim, it was by no means stylish. "Well, It's much better than getting my robes soaked."As he stepped onto the woman's palm, he would open the dusty tome that acted as his spell book. Flipping through many pages, he would search for a section based on undead, and eventually find it. "Hmmm... How curious." If the undead were in fact the former crew of the ship, then they would retain some of the combat skills their previous lives had. Due to most of them lacking flesh and muscle however, physical attacks would do minimal damage. From what his book described, they shouldn't be capable of using energy attacks either, though that much seemed obvious. Overall, it would not be much of a challenge for a man like himself, especially not after receiving his power boost from the kraken's flesh. Duck figured the woman would be interested in his reading, and would preemptively explain "My tome has many secrets hidden inside. One such secret is the power of the undead. What we have here are simple skeletal pirates, this should be an easy battle to say the least..."Looking ahead, he could see the figure of a few skeletons gathering at that very moment. The were shambling remains of old sailors, all dressed on coats with flintlocks and rapiers at their sides. It was classic attire alright, but they would nee a lot more than that. From the woman's hand, the wizard would raise his staff and quickly swipe it to the right. A powerful gust of wind would follow this motion, blowing the skeletal-men off the side of the boat. Their bones would scatter through the air before all landing in the water. That would only be the fire few of them however, as the half-submersed top deck was crawling with more. "Bah. These thing's are insufferable!" he would grunt. When a wizard wanted to destroy something weak without using up much of their mana, there was always one go to spell. "Magic Missile!" Blots of sheer arcane energy would dart from the man's hands picking off targets from some distance away. Skeletons would sink to the ground as they were blasted with this energy and the wizard would continue to do this for some time. It would be an attempt to fully purge the deck, a successful one, as when they finally arrived the place seemed to be clear of all undead presence... There was one that remained however. Out from the old ship's main cabin would walk a bearded skeleton holding two cutlasses. It was quite intimidating for Duck, who would gulp hard as he tried to cast yet another magic missile. His energy bolt would launch itself straight for the skeleton's chest, only to be cut through by the being's sword! "Oh, I think this might be the old boss..."[WC: 942] [WC Total: 1,716] Hebihime
|
|
|
Post by Hebihime on Nov 15, 2019 22:02:00 GMT -8
Hebihime raised her free hand to her mouth, as she gave a haughty, stuck up laugh at his remark on hungering for power. "Oh Wizard, that's what I like most about you most." She said, leaning down and giving the duck man a sinister grin. "You don't know just how right you are." Her hunger for power took many forms. First and foremost, it was very literal. She craved power, going to the ends of the Earth to seek out objects of great magical power to augment her strength. Of course, The Wizard already knew this, for she had plainly told him. But just as important, if not more so, was that Hebihime had a ravenous appetite. She considered anything smaller than her food, and she would prey on Human, Beastman, Saiyan, Namekian, even Demon with equal fervor. Hebihime considered anything she could sink her fangs into to be food, from the most boring of humans to the mightiest of dinosaurs. Only androids and cyborgs with their horrid, mechanical components were exempt from her appetite. The Wizard was fast finding his way onto the short list of people Hebihime actually enjoyed in her company. He had all the qualities she desired save for attractiveness. Well, perhaps he was attractive for a duck beastman, but his appearance did nothing for her. However, The Wizard was intelligent, capable, had a strong power level, was well versed in the arcane arts, and was filled with greed and pride. The latter was most important, as Hebihime much preferred the company of individuals predisposed to acts of selfishness. Selflessness had no place in the snake deity's world, she served only herself, and those with good in their hearts always seemed to find a way to worm their way into her schemes. She detested their selfless nature, giving their strength to help others with no concern for reward or compensation. Just as important, those with self serving desires were the most easily manipulated, seduced with promises of power and knowledge. Hebihime much enjoyed dangling that metaphorical carrot on a stick in front of others to goad them into helping her with her own quest for power. She scoffed when The Wizard said dispatching the undead shouldn't take much effort. "After that display of yours with the Kraken? I should hope not." When her companion climbed aboard her palm, the giantess clenched her hand slightly as she held in her grip, rising slowly to her feet. "I figured you would say that, and besides... no sense getting wet when I'm already the one wearing a wet suit." This statement was very true, and the skintight garment had changed size with her, continuing to hug her curvaceous figure with a svelte tightness. It also kept her skin dry, which was good because she found that incredibly irritating. So the two began to move towards the shipwreck, and the crew of the undead readied themselves with their crude weapons of antiquity. Hebihime watched as The Wizard rifled through the pages of his spell book. He kept the well worn tome close to his personage at all times from what she had seen. It was clearly quite important to him, as it never strayed far from his sight. "I see..." She mused aloud when he informed her of his spell book's knowledge of the undead. "That is a proper grimoire you have there. A very rare, and coveted source of arcane knowledge. I'm curious as to where you found it." Her own knowledge of dark magic was much more... first hand in its accounts. Hebihime had been raised in Hell, cast there as a mewling hatchling barely born from her egg. She had been raised by all manner of sorcerers, witches, wizards, warlocks, necromancers, and any other magic user cast down into the fiery pits of Hell when they died. The souls of the damned were her teachers, and had taught her a great deal. The rest of her vast reservoir of knowledge was innate, stemming from her mother's bloodline, or learned during some point of her centuries on Earth. She had no need for spell books, other than as trophies within an arcane collection. The giantess watched as The Wizard dispatched many of their foes from the safety of her palm, blasting them back into the watery depths with his command of the element of wind. "Ha! I know they are insufferable, that is why I waited for you to say you'd deal with them." She disliked undeath greatly, it rotted the mind and the body, making the living corpses little better than feral beasts shambling about in decayed husks. Perhaps it was the ogre blood in her too, but Hebihime despised the idea of a being that cheated death and found a way to keep its soul shackled to its undead body. Even though these pirates did not willingly chose this curse, its presence still irritated her the way Necromancy, Vampires, and Liches did. She watched with glee as The Wizard cut down their ranks with his Magic Missiles. Blasting the skeletal warriors apart into little better than ragged scraps of cloth and heaps of bones. When the titular Captain appeared, the undead form of Black Roger himself, lengthy black beard still clinging to his rotted skull, Hebihime simply looked at him in disgust. "Insolent creature, too ignorant even to die." She said in contempt, eyes narrowing on the Captain as she stomped closer. Black Roger howled a spectral scream, gesturing with his sword as the ship's remaining cannons fired a volley at the towering woman. Hebihime swatted one cannonball out of the way, batting aside the rest with her tail. Her tail shot out like the crack of a whip, coiling around the pirate captain in a constricting grip. She lifted him to eye level, gaze narrowing as she stared him down. "Your time is over Black Roger... go be with your woman in your final moments." Hebihime then laughed, and evil, wicked laugh as she hurled the skeletal warrior as far away as she could. He soared through the air before landing unceremonious with a splash far off into the distant ocean. "Sometimes the best solutions, are also the simplest." She told The Wizard dryly, setting him down on the bridge of the ship then transforming back into her fully suppressed disguised form. Landing besides him, she silently lamented restricting her body so much so anew, but she knew maintaining her 'gigantification' technique indefinitely would raise suspicions from her companion. She stretched her arms over her head, popping her back. "There... that's better." She lied, it was not. "Now... you go search for that treasure I was promised. I have a petty deity's curse to undo." Hebihime said, as she rolled her neck and cracked her knuckles. What was The Sea, before might of The Serpent?
Word Count: 1,150 | Total Word Count: 3,055 | The Wizard
|
|
|
Post by The Wizard on Nov 15, 2019 23:39:21 GMT -8
Thanks to the helpful nature of the woman's incredible size, tossing the skeletal man would be no issue. It seemed the ghost of Black Rodger was defeated easily, and none of the other skeletons were left moving. The time would come for them to finally investigate the ship. The sorceress would have to dispel what remained of the curse, and he would need to scavenge the place for artifacts. That was the plan she implied by her statement at least. Though Duck had never actually found a magical item before, he could search arcane power out like a blood hound. If the items did wield such a power, he would be able to discern their locations. Earlier, he had notice the way Hebihime was looking at him. She was likely sizing him up, as beastmean weren't attractive to most humans after all. By his own kind's standards however, he was slightly above average. Learning a polymorph spell to better blend in with the public would have to be arranged eventually. Though he could tell, this wasn't just on magic user admiring another's powers. By the cynical personality the woman had, and her quick agreement with him prior, there was something else. She didn't want him dead, but would want to exploit him, he could just feel it. While he would usually hate the idea of becoming someone else's puppet, he felt there would be much to gain in a partnership. If she did turn on him eventually, the wizard felt confident he could defeat her... To an extent that was. The woman would revert to her smaller form, and explain that the gaint form was a good thing to shed off. That much was true, he knew how much energy that technique costed, and not just anyone could master it. In fact, he was surprised she still had the energy to keep using her abilities at this rate. At the same time, she had eaten the kraken earlier. He would accept this as a valid excuse for the moment, as he had a job to do. Since the ship was partially submersed, he would be the best for exploration thanks to his elemental control of water. It would be tough to create a bubble of air under great pressure, but not impossible. Tapping his staff against the wooden floor of the old ship, a simple bubble would form around the wizard's body. "Here we go. This is all the diving equipment I need!"The man would crack his knuckes, and then open the first door frame he saw above water. It would be the old captain's quarters, walls molded and rotting, floor chipped and soaked, and the bed would be torn to pieces. From what he could tell, there was nothing of value, but there was still much more of the ship to be discovered. In the center of the room would be a panel on the floor, it apparently lead to the submersed hull. "Let's see here..." The man would open the hatch to see a room filled entirely by water. Looking around it was some sort of meeting room, council table, clairs. All the objects were old and covered in algae, but there was something he'd notice in the corner of the room. Duck would jump in feet first and sink to the bottom thanks to his bubble. He would soon approach what appeared to be a treasure chest. It had a lock, but would easily be broken by a kick from the wizard. "Hmph. That was easy." He would open up the chest and see a couple items of value inside. One would be a necklace of pearls, while the other would be a shell that radiated magic power. Both seemed useful to some extent, but there was much left to be explored. The room would have a couple other doors attached. One would lead to cabins for the crew, while the other lead to an armory. The wizard was very lucky he had powers of divination, otherwise it would have been a tougher decision. Opening the door to the right. he would make his way into the old armory. Archaic weapons adorned the walls, and he would eye each of them in search of some magical infusion. There would be several daggers among the other weapons that had a strangely tooth-like blade, they would be somewhat magical in nature... So far, the items he had come across didn't seem to be incredibly high quality, but there was always time to find more. Without any other door in sight, the wizard would fire a magic missile below himself to destroy the floor. He would allow himself to sink down into a room filled with maps! It was some sort of study, and even appeared to be mostly dry. Deciding not to discriminate, the beastman would grab every map and book he could find. At this point his arms would be full with knowledge and power. The two foundations of magic itself. All he needed to do now was return to the deck of the ship and see how his partner was doing. Floating back to the top would be fairly easy, and he would soon appear from the captain's old room. "I think this is everything of value. Necklace of Pearls, Magic Conch Shell, a couple enchanted daggers, and many books." He would lay the items out on the ground, and begin using his air manipulation to dry them off. [WC: 913] [WC Total: 2,629] Hebihime
|
|
|
Post by Hebihime on Nov 16, 2019 16:33:52 GMT -8
Hebihime watched as The Wizard conjured an elemental bubble of air to act an an impromptu submersible. "Simple, but efficient. You're full of surprises." She said playfully, watching as the robe clad mystic bravely trudged his way underwater. Once he disappeared below deck she could get to work. The entire shipwreck reeked of its curse. Magical energies of undeath hung like a dense fog in the air. Any man who died in this foul place fell victim to the Sea, enslaved by its terrible spell and forced to guard the wreck of Black Rogers... until now. What a goddess had wrought, another would unmake. Hebihime prepared herself, taking a wide stance and flexing her muscles as she drew forth her reserves of magical power. The sorceress slammed her tail down hard, the reverberations echoing through the ship. Violet hellfire began to glow at her palms, as the red rings of her cobra hood unleashed an eerie glow. Her eyes blazed with arcane fire, illuminating the darkness of the stormy shipwreck. The serpent deity radiated her dark magics, her malevolent powers for once being used for a benevolent cause. But, as always her motivations were out of greed and hatred. She despised the undead, and lusted for treasure. It was as simple as that, and the mercy of granting the cursed pirates the sweet release of death meant nothing to her. Hebihime cleared her throat, before chanting her demonic incantation. "Serpent's scales, and Serpent's bite. Behold my power, tremble before my might!" A bright flash of violet light burst from her palms, illuminating the area like the beacon of a lighthouse. It shimmered for moments, even lightning up beneath the seas. Then it faded, and the persistent aura of dread that wreathed this cursed shoal was no more. The remaining skeletal pirates rose to their feet, making moans of agony and tearing at their nonexistent skin and hair. Their bones burned, their bodies fighting against the pull of their liberated souls. One by one the skeletons collapsed, the magic that compelled them to animation fading before Hebihime's curse dispelling magic. Their souls were ripped from their chests, sickly green clouds that ascended towards the heavens. Soon they would stand trial in her father's court, though what came of that was not her concern. "I will see you all in Hell!" She said mockingly, swinging her tail and shattering a convulsing skeleton as it exploded into splinters of bone and cloth. Its soul bursting free, joining the others in their procession of the dead. She meant what she said, Hebihime had long since accepted that when she died she'd be sent kicking and screaming back to the place she was born. It took only a minute for centuries of magic to be undone, the curse that shackled so many souls to this wretched place faded at last. The air felt cleaner, the sky grew less grim, and the roiling seas seemed to calm if only just. The looming sense of dread faded away, bringing a sense of relief to the crew. Though those with keen ki senses could instead feel the surge in the demon serpent's malevolent ki as she invoked her spell. Hebihime sealed away her powers once more, taking a seat on an old rotted barrel and waving to the ship. She didn't have a better way to communicate with them. The ship sounded a loud blast of its horn, and began slowly steaming closer to the shipwreck. Its gantry crane swinging out to the side plunging the small mini sub into the frigid sea. When The Wizard returned he'd find the ship free of undead, their bones cluttered in heaps or scattered into the waves. Just one buxom snake woman sitting legs crossed inspecting her nails as she hummed herself a tune. "Oh? You're finally back. What did you find below deck?" She looked at the objects curiously, picking them up and looking them over. She could feel the subtle thrum of magic coming from each of them. She'd need unlock their secrets back on dry land, away from prying eyes. "It's such a shame..." Hebihime said with a smug look on her face. "That we came all this way and found nothing of any magical value." She waved her hand over the objects, casting an illusion over their forms. The Wizard's small collection of relics became little more than water logged old scrolls, a tattered map, and several of the Captain's Journals. "It's a good thing a scholar such as yourself only cares for knowledge, isn't it Wizard?" She said with a haughty laugh, rising to her feet. "Hold onto to those for me." Hebihime said commandingly as she began to walk towards the bow of the wrecked ship. She turned back slightly to catch The Wizard's eye. "And if you try to run off with them I have no quarrels with hunting you down and killing you myself." She added harshly, before moving to the railing of the ship. Greeting the Captain with open arms as he stepped foot on the wreck, as the man waved The Wizard over. "Come on then Wizard, the Captain wants a photo for posterity. He says he's going to mount and frame it over the his desk back on dry land." Hebihime posed in a rather seductive fashion alongside the rest of the crew, blowing a kiss to the camera as it flashed. "I'll have my men go search below deck more. There's bound to be gold and treasure down there." Captain Sakana said, his men already geared up in dive suits heading into the gaping hole in the ship's hull. "With any luck this'll be my biggest haul of a lifetime. I can't thank you two enough!" He added, shaking Hebihime's hand vigorously then pulling The Wizard into a bone crushingly tight bear hug as only an old sea dog can. Hebihime just smiled sinfully at her companion, giving him a sly wink. "Happy to help, Captain." She said sweetly, words betraying her greedy nature. "I only hope our payment was worth the effort we put out. It's not easy dispelling a curse you know, you were very fortunate to have me around." She chuckled to herself, silently contemplating what powers to be may lie dormant within the few relics The Wizard had uncovered. "I can't sense any more latent magic in the area, I think we can safely say we got it all. Wouldn't you agree with that assessment, Wizard?" She shot a wry grin at her fellow sorcerer, awaiting his response.
Word Count: 1,105 | Total Word Count: 4,160 | The Wizard
|
|
|
Post by The Wizard on Nov 16, 2019 21:59:50 GMT -8
Duck would make his way out of the sunken death trap with a fair amount of artifacts. They may not have been extremely powerful, but they were magical in nature. In his mind, this would be more than enough to give his long journey meaning. Even if he did have to part with the majority of the loot, he would soon receive something far more valuable. The woman had sworn to teach him of her own abilities, and he knew she would keep this promise. While he would usually question the words of others, Hebihime had a certain charm about her. It was one that reassured him is a strange way. After he had walked out of the main cabin and dropped the items on the deck, he would look around to see mounds of skeletal corpses all lifeless. It appeared that she had done it, the sorceress had broken the curse on the seas. "Impressive. An ancient curse foiled in mere moments..."The woman seemed displeased with the items he had collected. It was quite unfortunate that there weren't more items of power, but the wizard was quite satisfied with the various maps and writings he had collected. Knowledge in any form was a treasure to some extent, and arcane knowledge was the purest gold to him. "Well they may appear old and dusty, but looks can be deceiving. These item are more than likely to have some sort of powerful ability. That's usually how these kinds of things work." He would do his best to argue his end of the situation, though doubted the woman would entirely understand. Before he could say much more on the matter, the woman would use her abilities to shroud the objects. The illusions did come in handy after all. As she turned to threaten the wizard, he would simply shake his head and chuckle. "I wouldn't dream of running. To run from you would be to abandon our agreement. I need to know what you have to teach." He would stand perfectly still, assuring her he was serious. That was until she called him over for a photo! Now the wizard was a man who loved the spotlight, and would make a classic olympion stance flexing his minuscule mussels. Some of the sailors would chuckle at the sight, but none would really poke fun at him, he did save their entire ship after all. After that had finished, the captain said he would send his men down to salvage what they could. There were plenty of items the beastman had left behind, so they could go wild. "Right that way my friend. Treasure awaits." The crew would give a hardy cheer before boarding the ship and diving into it. The captain himself would then hug the wizard with a powerful grip. The beastman was pretty frail when his guard wasn't up, so the sounds of poping could be heard as he was embraced. "Uh... Don't mention it captain." With that, he would be let down, and slightly disoriented. "Well... This has been fun I admit. Our assistance will be worth the haul, I can assure you that much, heh heh heh." Duck would look over to Hebihime as she mentioned other feeling of magic in the area. He could sense no such items, and had already scavenged the boat to the best of his ability. Shaking his head once, he would honestly state "I'm afraid so my dear, if there were anything else left, we would have felt it..." He could feel she would be disappointed by that statement, but it was the truth. With the job done, and the loot hidden, all that was left was for them to split the treasure. Well, then a training session at a later date. Knowing the woman had significant strength, he would give her every last item he had found, with the exception of the maps and journals. "Your share... Seem fair?"
[WC: 659] [Total WC: 3,288] Hebihime
|
|
|
Post by Hebihime on Nov 17, 2019 18:08:46 GMT -8
The serpent sorceress merely shrugged at The Wizards remark. "Curses weaken with time, and even the Gods themselves can grow old." She was loathe to tell him any more than that, though magic did fade with time. Hebihime spoke nonchalantly, inspecting her nails as she did. She was glad she got The Wizard to explore below deck himself, for she was in no mood to get her hair wet. It tended to cling to her back and with so much of it, it took eons to properly dry. Vanity was a blessing as much as a curse. She did smile though, nodding in agreement at The Wizard's statement. "Indeed, looks can be deceiving." She was living breathing proof of that. When The Wizard stated he had no plans to abandon their agreement, Hebihime just gave him a coy smile, run a hand gently down his arm. "Good, you're pragmatic. The savvy stay among the living, especially around me." She would teach this beastman, but only as an avenue for further manipulation. Dark magic came at a cost, and none who abused its power could resist the temptations of evil tugging at their hearts. At least, none from her own experience that is. Servants came, and servants went. Followers were as temporary as Earth's changing seasons. They all ended up biting off more than they could chew, perishing without their mistress to protect them, or coming to earn her ire and finding themselves quite expendable. Hebihime giggled when the Captain crushed The Wizard's spine with his bear hug, she found it humorous, this it did speak to her companion's relative frailty. His over reliance on magic led to an under reliance on ki, and that left him physically weaker than comparable warriors. The crew continued to pilfer the wreck, looting anything not bolted down and hauling them unceremonious back to the ship. The mini submarine scuttled by carrying cannons and anchors in its mechanical arm. There were maritime museums that would pay a small fortune for genuine relics from the wreck of Black Rogers, and Captain Sakana was already picturing the new ship he would purchase with the mountains of Zeni he'd make from this haul. "This will do nicely." Hebihime said simply, as The Wizard handed over her share of the loot. Of course this was in addition to their payment in Zeni from the captain, which would be sizable given they were the keystone of this whole venture. "Fair enough for a serpent." She added, flickering out her forked tongue before blowing a kiss. When the Fortunate Sons pulled in close to the shipwreck and laid anchor, Hebihime was among the first to climb back aboard. Her task was done, she had little reason to scour the vessel like the rest of the crew. She retreated below deck, to the lounge off of the ship's galley. Here she would remain, inspecting her trinkets for anything useful to her. She would keep anything of value, and sell those that did not appeal to her through the various black markets on Earth that dealt in magic relics. There was a small, but very dedicated community of witches, wizards, warlocks, and other mages that dealt in magic goods far away from the prying eyes of those not fortunate to be blessed with knowledge of the arcane arts. In the meantime, the crew continued to strip mine the wreckage for everything of value. Chests of gold and gems were hauled up, goblets and cutlery, even bars of silver and gold bound for royal mints that had been plundered from treasure ships. It was a bountiful haul, though the real money was to be made selling these rarities off to private collectors and art auctions. While Hebihime did covet gold and silver, it was just another form of currency to her. Money was a means to luxury, and luxury a means to comfort. She cared little if her own coffers were filled with zeni or gold, so long as she could spend it as she desired. When the salvage was through, Hebihime remained below deck, letting the crew go about their duties as she enjoyed her time in the lounge. The sea was much calmer, though the storms around the Devil's Trapezoid persisted even during their return trip to port.
Word Count: 725 | Total Word Count: 4,885 | The Wizard
|
|
|
Post by The Wizard on Nov 18, 2019 6:04:16 GMT -8
The wizard was quite pleased to see his new ally in high spirits, she seemed satiated for the moment. Unexpectedly, she had even taken the wizard's deal, something he thought she would negotiate on. Then again, from her perspective it was the better bargain by far. Most of the crew had then managed to get aboard the sunken ship, crews of men would begin doing all they could to haul off the gold and silver. It was quite the sight, but not one the sorceress or wizard cared for. Material possessions were far weaker than magical knowledge, so much so that money mattered very little to Duck. Of course, some money was required for comfortable living, but it didn't change the way he felt nonetheless. Though Hebihime would be the first person back onto the salvaging ship, the wizard would be the second. "My, how that enjoy that gold..." The journey he had just completed was a tale of epic proportions, but it couldn't simply end there. There was plenty more work to do. though, it may not be done all at the same time and place. He would have much to discuss with the woman, but would wait until the crew were ready to set sail back to port. It would take some time, roughly two hours of salvaging the boat for every piece of gold and parchment. One of the hands would eventually call out "That's the last of it! Everyone, it's time to sail to port!" The captain seemed to agree with this assessment, giving a simple nod and announcing "You heard him right boys, it's time to reap what we've sown!" The rest of the men would cheer at that remark, and soon the ship would be fully manned once again. Duck had spent the hours meditating, he would have visions. They told him of possible futures, but all thoughts of the snake-woman would some how be blurred. He could not tell if she would stay with him or betray him, and the powers she wielded were even more foreign. They all seemed to have a dark aura to him, all giving off some sort of negative energy. Though the exact source of this power had yet to be discovered, he knew it wasn't anything good if he couldn't feel it. Though he would be tempted to bring this up, he had far more pressing questions. Besides, if she taught him these dark powers he would be more than capable of shaping the future with them. With all that in mind, he would approach the woman as the wind began to blow and the ship would begin to leave... He would approach with some knowledge, knowledge that the future was blurred with her around. Duck would speak simply, "Well. We will be back in port soon. I don't expect you to uphold our deal immediately, but at some point you must teach me of your full abilities. I don't expect you'll tell me everything you know either, but my title is more than just a title. Even the most simple of techniques you teach me, I could easily reverse engineer them into any spell I desire. That is another ability of this tome after all..." Duck would pat the book that was strapped to his side. It was indeed true, since the beastman could fully control the elements all he needed to do was experience an aspect of magic before he could begin bending it to his will. This was one reason he didn't need to use incantations like his sorceress friend. He would cross his arms and explain to her plainly what he saw in his dreams. "I've used my abilities to see many futures, and all involving you have been blurred. That tells me you're powerful, capable of shaping destiny. For that reason, even after you teach me what I want to know... I'll stand by you." Every word the beastman spoke was true. He had every intention of assisting someone who could change fate. Not to say she would be more powerful than himself, but that he would be willing to help. He would wait patiently for her answer. The right one could result in an alliance, but if he was brushed off, that would be unlikely. [WC: 718] [Total WC: 4,006] Hebihime
|
|
|
Post by Hebihime on Nov 18, 2019 18:02:27 GMT -8
Hebihime spent the remainder of the journey home trying to meditate, only to end up casting off the advances of her fellow crew mates. It was no surprise a bunch of sailors would take a fancy to a tall, buxom woman that filled out every curve of her wet suit. Her magical prowess and the fact she had likely saved their lives multiple times in a single day were an added benefit. Hebihime brushed off their advances with charming words and teasing smiles. She played hard to get... very hard to get. She had no interest in common humans, certainly not as bedfellows. The sailors were closer to meals than they were to mates, not that any of them had any reason to suspect that. On one hand, she envied The Wizard slightly, who could sit quietly in his corner and mediate in peace. The crew seemingly left him alone, likely under the belief whatever profound visions he was contemplating on were of the utmost importance. But, Hebihime had carefully crafted her disguised form to be as alluring as possible. She was more than used to undue attention. When The Wizard came to speak with the sorceress, she was sitting idly at a table reading through the old runes etched on the side of a cursed dagger. "Indeed we will, and with any luck I shall never see these men again." She said softly, not lifting her gaze from the trinket. "I will keep to my bargain, I am a woman of my word... so long as that word was on my terms." Her capricious nature left the serpent indifferent to agreements she made under duress. If things were not done in accordance with her will, she felt no compliance to uphold them. The exception was when individuals she had no desire to challenge, such as Piccolo Daimao, were the ones setting the terms. "But I will tell you now... not all secrets can be taught, and few can be taught so easily." She flashed a fanged smile, thinking if he only knew. She may reveal her true form to The Wizard someday, when he was sufficiently ready. Of course, this would also require a great deal of trust in him. Trust was a currency Hebihime rarely dealt in. Hebihime chuckled to herself when she was told her future was blurred. "Have you ever stopped to consider my illusions may effect more than just the physical world?" This was an empty boast, Hebihime held not mastery over time, the future, or destiny. But... it was always fun to lead potential followers on with her ruse. The enigma surrounding her was half of her charm. "Oh? You'll stand by me?" She said in mild surprise, tapping a finger to her chin. "Hmm... I suppose I could always do with an Acolyte..." With that the ship let out a loud foghorn, as the Fortune Sons began to pull its way into port. Their mission was coming to its end, but... it seemed more of their journey lay ahead. How much though, not even the Princess of Snake Way could say for certain.
Word Count: 530 | Total Word Count: 5,515 | The Wizard
|
|