Dillyweed | Söl / Rial

The books were relentless. They kept coming, more and more each time, as they tried to hurt the four Coursers. The books didn’t seem to tear up as much as all the other book rooms they had entered. The other times the books did half the work as they destroyed themselves, but these books didn’t break down, and instead it seemed as if they became more and more relentless each time. They would dive from the top of the room and use the back of the book to try and smack the Coursers around on the head. Eventually Söl would give up and try to take cover. Rial tried to tear them apart but even Goosebert the Peckish would run away and hide instead of trying to eat up the books. Söl was the first one to head back out the door again. Rial would follow second but only because he felt as if the other two - Senbonzakura and Stroheimer - wouldn’t leave the room unless he left first. The books didn’t follow them outside. AS soon as they stepped back out the door the books flew back to their book shelves again and it was as if the fight never happened.

“Do you think they were reinforced with magic or something?” Söl speculated to the others as he watched through the door. Bart the bat was bundled into his mane hissing aggressively as he had been smacked down by one of the books early on and managed to exit the room. Goosebert looked as if he was ready to head into the room again as he was honking at the opening, trying to get the books to move from outside the room. “Should we try again?” Söl asked, hoping that the other three also realised that it would be a losing battle no matter how many times they tried.
Rial walked up to the door. He looked at the squiggles at the doorway. It was an old, old language of magic. And even if it wasn’t discoloured and worn out, none of them would know it. It was ingrained into the walls and most likely the reason this room was so well protected against time.
“I doubt we’ll have any other outcome without stronger weapons.” Rial nodded to whoever said that. He carefully stuck his head inside the doorway again. Just to check what would happen. The books didn’t immediately attack. But after a few minutes they started stirring again and he quickly stepped out of the room again shaking his head.

They decided to go back to camp. This was, after all, the most perfect time for it. The trek back was fairly long but at least they would be able to get a good rest out of it. Söl walked at the end of the lead, Rial walked at the front with Senbonzakura. They didn’t speak. Rial didn’t want to speak. He was feeling something inside of his chest. That tingling feeling. He could almost tell what it wanted. What it needed. And as he looked behind him at the other two Coursers there was a tiny voice trying to tell him something. Something he would have to do, but he couldn’t tell what it was yet. It felt good.

Before they arrived back at camp, by the last turn, they could hear it. A couple of voices. They all, almost synchronised, pinned their ears back and Rial let out a quiet sigh. Raiders. Less honourable adventures who would rather steal someone else's work than do the hard and dangerous parts themselves. Despicable. Rial himself could never stoop so low. He slowly took the knife out of his side bag. Goosebert, as silently as the goose could, flapped his wings to amp himself up. He was clearly ready to bite some hocks. Rial let his gaze fall over on Senbonzakura and as their eyes met he nodded. A silent “I will follow.”. Giving Senbonzakura the lead position in this attack.
Söl was at the back. Bart the bat flew up into the ceiling. He had had enough of fighting after the books and decided that he certainly would only be watching the fight. This was a perfect opportunity to test out his new, but rusty, pitchfork. Before he had a crooked dagger that never truly felt good in a battle for him. Söl looked över at Strohmeier who met his gaze. There was a certain worry in it, as if to ask him to be careful and Söl nodded. They were ready for a surprise attack.

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AberrantKapro | Strohmeier / Senbonzakura

After a prolonged fight with nothing but relentless attacks and failed parries, thye group decided it would be best to retreat before sustaining any major injuries. These books seemed to have no end to them and their blades wouldn’t even cut through them at all, Söl has suggested they were reinforced, and everyone was ready to agree with that. A sigh left Senbonzakura, as he figured a retreat to camp would be due, he didn’t mind a longer break at all, he just didn’t look forward to the way back due to everything they had passed on this long journey.

The way back was, thankfully, rather uneventful. No spectral hands, no creatures or monsters in their way, no gas. As far as they could tell, at least. Everything seemed almost suspiciously dormant, which Senbonzakura grew suspicious of very fast.

Just as they had almost made it back, unknown voices could be heard from ahead of them. From what was without a doubt their camp. Strohmeier groaned and rolled his eyes. He was sick of these filthy raiders that would just steal what others had fought so hard to get. He looked over at Söl with worry in his eyes, he didn’t want him to get hurt. And while he didn’t necessarily see him as a weak link, he knew he wasn’t their strongest fighter, so to himself, he swore to protect him, and for some reason, he just had a gut feeling this time would be different.

Senbonzakura and Rial also exchanged a look, they were both showing the other that they were ready for a fight. To put these dishonourable pricks in their place. The madder champagne took a quick look back, making sure Strohmeier and Söl were both ready, and they looked as ready as they could get. 

“Stay back behind Strohmeier.” Senbonzakura quietly whispered to Micke and Kinka, who obediently ran to the back of the group from safety. Senbonzakura then looked up again and gestured to the group that they were going forward, to apprehend the scum going through their things.

They rounded the corner, charging in to attack the unsuspecting raiders, and Senbonzakura was quick to land a severe, gashing wound on one of the intruders. With their neck cut, they let out an enraged shriek of pain and lunged back towards Senbonzakura who was swift to dodge and land a good kick on their flank, almost kicking him off his feet. Between attacks, Senbonzakura threw quick looks around to make sure they didn’t get collapsed on by an ambush, and to make sure everyone was holding up well on their own. So far so good.

He dodged yet another incoming attack from a second courser, but just barely. Some of his mane was cut off as a sacrifice, but he was fine, for now. He was not completely unfamiliar with getting ganged up on, but this second courser seemed stronger than the other, so he had to stay vigilant, one wrong move and it could prove devastating.

Strohmeier stood between Söl and one of the intruders at this point, and he was quick to throw his torch in the hostile stranger's face, temporarily blinding him so he could strike uninterrupted. He swung his blade, cutting the raider across his face, and followed up but swiftly kicking on og his front knees back, and while it didn’t immediately break, a loud crunch could be heard from the impact. It would surely leave a good injury and make walking a pain in the ass, but it was for sure deserved if they resorted to such things as theft, Strohmeier thought to himself. No mercy for the thieving scum. He was sick of these ruffians who kept disrupting their already tough and dangerous journeys. The last thing they needed were some greedy bastards stealing their loot.

Micke and Kinka watched as their beloved owners fought and protected them from harm. They wanted to help, but they knew there was little they could do, and they wanted to be obedient and listen to what Senbonzakura had told them. Kinka whined and sought refuge behind Micke, who was puffing up his tail as much as he could and growling whenever one of the intruders would attempt to attack either of the coursers in the party. He made his disapproval of the situation very well known to anyone within earshot.

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