I will pop all 4 parts in the one post this time, to save the spam. This is for august. Thanks
A wanderer lost.
It was another long hot day on Next island. The sun baked down on our weary explorer, yet it was hard not be in love with this place. The cool turquoise waters, tropical forests and enchanting wildlife was certain not something you tire of quickly. Bonnie had been exploring the final parts of the Island she had not been to yet, whilst contemplating returning to Ancient Greece. She was reminded of the stranger in at Thebes, who had encouraged her to come visit this place, but as of yet was left wondering why. Sure it had been lots of fun exploring, the locals and wildlife were certainly unique!, but she was left with a feeling like she was missing something.
The museum at Conqs Rest was full of clues of the factions and creatures who inhabited these lands, but there was a sense something was missing, or that she had not yet found. On her travels and conversations with the locals, the friendly ones that is, she had learned of the great exodus and the legend of the Pillars of Ether, and for as much as it made for some nice history of the people here, it did not help explain the dark forces which seemed to be at work in these lands. Each factions story of events varied, it was hard to know who to trust. Her instinct for adventure and exploration, was firmly set from her space exploration days, and as much as she longed to head back to the stars, she knew she had to finish what she started here, and find the Haruspex Elder.
The sun was beginning to set, the red and purple sky looking very fitting for this island paradise. As the air cooled, Bonnie mustered up the energy to continue the search. “Tanzanite” She read aloud from her map, “surely there must be some sort of clue there!”
The Stolen Gift.
Bonnie travelled across the map before finally arriving in Tanzanite. It was much a kin to some of there other places she had visited before. A few buildings here and some palms there. Bonnie sighed, deflated in her lack of finding anything of much interest. Just as she was about to leave, the winds picked up, spiralling dust all around the teleporter she was going to use, she glanced over to the swaying of the palm trees, when she was struck to see a faint green glow. “What on earth, or should I say Next Island, is that” thought Bonnie.
The winds settled as she approached the now still tree, and to her great wonder there it was, a glowing orb, like the kind she had seen before in Orpheus.
It was an elder, of the Haruspex. Although it would usually seem odd conversing with an orb, there was not much surprising these days! The elder spoke of a great tragedy and that they needed help. The Haruspex had been busy creating a new armour set, as a thank to the human colony for the continued assistance. " A very powerful armour" the Elder emphasized. “However, unbeknownst to us, they have apparently been corrupted by the influence of the Demra, and that has persuaded them to keep the armours. They have stolen our gift to you.” He continued.
“Wait” Bonnie interjected, “who is Demra?” She asked trying to make sense of it all. It turned it it wasn’t a who at all, but a what, a molecule that might hold all the answers in these strange and beautiful lands. Bonnie had the feeling she was only scratching the surface of what really went on here.
“The molochs are very powerful, and with this armour, they may attempt to take that world, especially it they are under the influence of the Demra corruption. We need you to stop them, to fight them in their depths and retake the gift.” The elder warned.
The elder passed her the details of the ways to get to the depths, and the blood sacrifices that will be required. “It is time to take back what is ours” Bonnie shouted to the elder and she rushed off to the teleport to begin this new and exciting quest.
Blood on your hands.
Unfurling the paper she had stuffed in her arm guards, Bonnie tried to make sense of her smudged list. It was her notes she had made whilst speaking with the Haruspex elder, the details of all the items she would need to get into the depths where the Molochs were, and of course what creatures will need to be sacrificed. She had met many of them on her travels, so had an inkling where they each might live, yet it did seem like an awful lot of blood was to be spilled for this.
Arriving at the beautiful beach under the shadow of the cliff side settlement of Crystal peaks, she chatted with the local gatherers, who were busy secreting the sweat from the large blue birds to later sell on. Bonnie was impressed by not only their patience, but the military precision in which they encircled the creatures to ensure maximum efficiency in the process.
She was careful to keep away from the birds, or screechers as they were known locally, the group were working on, and soon enough she had her sacrifices of the screechers checked off the list, and it was time to move onto the desert.
“These ones are mine!” an angry voice called in the distance, before her teleportation chip had even a chance to cool down. “I guess I am not the only one the Elder has sent” Bonnie chuckled to herself, moving away from the disgruntled hunter. The desert to the north was vast, but the creature herds not so much! The little desert crawlers certainly lived up to their name, but finding let alone killing 2000 of them seemed to be more challenging that she first imagined. “It’s too hot here anyway” Bonnie grumbled, " to hunt during the day anyway, I’ll come back at dusk" Bonnie reasoned with herself, deciding it was time to go swimming in those beautiful waters instead. “How hard can killing a few sharks be?” She continued, leaving the blistering heat behind.
Shark bait
The cool water was a pleasant change from the burning sand, as she made her way down the beach and onto the shore line. The sea in front was vast, but seemingly surrounded almost on all sides by land. They waters were as deep as the sea lochs she remembered from her time on ancient earth, yet much warmer! “Should be easy enough to hunt here” Bonnie thought as she slipped under the water.
Using electricity under water to kill things, whilst you are also under water… doesn’t usually sound like the best idea, however Bonnies mindforce implant protected her from the dangers of self destruction. A few zapped sharks later, Bonnie was sure she saw something much larger in the water from the corner of her eye.
Her eyes darted to each of the creatures in visible range. “No, they are all the same” She thought as she studied each one meticulously". " Must have just been a shadow" She re-assured herself.
Then it happened again, something moved, something huge! In the distance, there was an enormous shadowy shape swimming through the waters. Bonnie immediately called for backup from her crew who were also in the area completing the mission.
A small group of hunters assembled. “What is it?” one of them asked. “Whatever it is, its huge!” another replied." Well lets find out, shall we?" Said the admiral as his warning shot hurtled through the water toward the great beast. In that very instance, it turned and raced through the depths at break neck speed towards them. For such a mammoth creature it could move as though the water parted in front of it. “MEGALADON!!” Bonnie yelled as they all braced for impact. The sheer force of the creature on the water surrounding them knocked them all off kilter. Regaining their positions they opened fire on the fearsome mob, jostling to stay in position against its ferocious onslaught. Eventually the group gained the upper hand, and the beast was no more. “Now I know which ones not to shoot.” Bonnie joked to her team mates, as they each went in separate directions, hoping all to meet again when they can each gain entry to the Molochs Depths.