The steams baths are so soothing. The warm water, peace, quiet and giant salamanders.... Wait.
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The unassuming den of the Constrictor Dhani, it is truly a pit of snakes. Travelers should take care, because the Dhani are always hungry... [Lore]
Xen walked down the warm, dimly lit tunnel. The moist air rushes by and opens the pores along his skin. The dhani was searching for the right steam bath to clean and soak his body in but was having a few problems. He couldn't find one that wasn't occupied already, it seemed like the constrictors knew that he was coming to take a bath. However, Xen knew this wasn't the case, he was just unlucky today and if he had woken-up a little earlier, he could have found one in time without all the hassle.
There were a few baths that were unoccupied but they didn't smell to nice, it was like someone had peed in them, or worse. Xen didn't want to jump into a boiling pool of waste that would ruin him in ways he probably wouldn't understand. The viper keeps on walking, wishing that he would find the right bath as he progressed deeper into the tunnels. Xen turns to his left and see's a clear blue steam bath just sitting out in the open... jackpot. He happily walks over to the bath and inspects it carefully, he observed the outer edges of the pool and saw no plants growing. He didn't smell anything odd and the water looked smokey as usual.
“ Thisss isss my lucky day! ”
Xen unwraps the towel from around him, places his machete near the waters edge and then submerges his lower body into the soothing water. He could feel his muscles relaxing already, nothing like being in human form when relaxing. The viper grabs a small towel that was conveniently sitting near the waters edge, it was good and felt and also smelt clean. Xen places the towel on top of his head and starts to swim around a bit in the water, allowing the sweat to be washed away by the luke warm water. The viper was happy he had finally got what he wanted but realized that there was something odd about this place.... it was quiet.
“ I don't know about thisss. ”
Xen made sure to swim near the waters edge, he heard rumors about the salamanders that sometimes occupied the baths along his way here. Though he had never seen one, he planned his approach and brought his machete with him just in case he was to meet a large one instead of the tiny one's that the constrictors talked about often. The viper was observing his surroundings and was making a minor analysis of it; he'd try to gather as much information on salamanders as he could.
Last edited by Xen on September 21st, 2013, 7:55 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Xen hears a large splash come from somewhere, he knew it wasn't caused by him; it had to have happened elsewhere. He grew suspicious of his surroundings and distrusted the waters below him. The viper climbs from the steam bath and wraps a large towel around his waist. The smaller towel he placed on his head before was used to dry his hair, face and arms. Xen grabbed his machete resting within its sheath, sensing the tension rising within the air. He felt as though something was going to happen and pauses where he stands in order to listen. The viper could nothing, nothing at all—not a soul was talking in the tunnels. Xen's eyes squinted, as he tries to recognize a faint noise in the distance.
He could barely hear it at first but gradually the sound became more definite and frightening. The viper could make out the sound of wet feet softly patting against the floor. Xen could tell how slowly the thing was moving by listening to the footsteps, it was dragging its feet and paused for a few seconds before continuing on with its walk. The viper backed away from the entrance and timed his steps carefully with that of the footsteps he heard approaching him. He didn't want whatever was coming to know that he was alone; it could be something that hasn't been seen before, or was successful enough to remain hidden from the constrictors.
Xen stuck to the shadows, letting his presence assimilate with the blackness surrounding him. He carefully watched the entrance, he could hear the thing breathing in the deafening silence, it was right there.... waiting. The viper refused to move but if he needed to, his blade was ready to cleave the creatures head right off. A few seconds passed, followed by minutes that felt like hours! Xen had faith in his patience; he would out wait this predator and seize the opportunity to surprise whatever it was. A black body wobbles into the cavern; its beady eyes stared forward as it carried its heavy body across the moist floor.
Xen carefully observes this creature, letting every detail of its body be absorbed into his mind. The salamanders skin texture, tail and webbed-feet would be useful to him later on. So, he focuses on these aspects of the salamander until he was able to make a complete mental image of it within his mind. The viper was ready now, he slowly unsheathes his weapon being careful in not to make any sudden movements. He had the element of surprise to his advantage, as he walks along the moist cavern wall, something captures his attention.
The salamander turns and starts to pull something into the cavern. Xen couldn't make out what it was until what it was pulling was revealed by the light. Xen tightly grips the handle of his weapon, he couldn't believe what this thing was pulling into the cavern... a body, and it was pulling in the body of a snakeling! The snakeling looked big enough to be able to take on the salamander which was probably seven feet long. Xen couldn't tell from where he was, infrared vision wouldn't have helped him either with all the steam floating around in certain spots. He couldn't let this fat slimy thing get away with this! The viper couldn't imagine how large this thing would get if he allowed it to live and feed on more unlucky prey.
“I'll kill thisss sssalamander and find your mother little one. ”
Xen promised to kill the salamander for the little snakelings sake and for the many others who would fall, if he was to allow the salamander to live out the rest of its life. He approaches the salamander; carefully placing his feet in areas where water puddles wasn't so plentiful to reduce the noise he made. When he raises the blade of his weapon to stab the salamander, it turns around towards him violently swinging its long tail. Xen loses his footing and falls onto his back; he doesn't have time to worry about the pain as the salamander rushes and jumps on top of him.
Xen immediately raises his machete; he holds it out horizontally and places his right hand behind the machetes sharp blade, blocking the salamander from his face. The salamander bites down on the blade of the machete and instinctively refuses to let go after biting onto the sharp weapon. Xen raises his right knee and slams it hard into the salamander’s side then he raises his right hand and slams a fist into the salamander’s eye to get it off him. The salamander refused to let go as Xen punched it in the face and kneed it in the side.
“ Arrrggh! ”
Xen bent his legs and positions his feet beneath the salamander’s stomach. He pushes his weapon deeper into the corners of the salamander’s mouth to force it to its trap. The salamander opens its mouth slightly in response to the pain before attempting to close it again. Xen placed all his strength into his legs and kicks forward, throwing the salamander off of him and into the cavern wall. He quickly stands to his feet and assumes a fighting stance.
Xen observes the salamander on the floor; it didn’t move and he believed he’d knocked it out. He took a step forward and almost slips on the moist cavern floor. Luckily, he gains his footing and he continues to walk over to the salamander. The viper couldn’t let a creature such as this exist any further. He places the tip of the machete’s blade in back of the salamander’s neck and raises it into the air before bringing it back down again and decapitating the salamander. Xen let out a sigh of relief, it was finally over, and he could rest now. That one salamander had stressed him out, he didn’t know what they were capable of and did not want to find out at a minutes notice.
“Awww! Disssgusssting! ”
Xen realized that there was salamander slime all over him, he looked and there was some on his hands and a little on his face. He frowns in complete disgust, throws the towel off of him and jumps into the steam bath. The viper starts to scrub like crazy, he wanted the slime and smell off! Xen felt like he was going to vomit, it smelt so bad and he was glad that the water washed all the slime off of him. The viper swam around about it to make sure that he'd gotten all the filth off of his body. He smiles in triumph, he’d defeated a salamander and cleaned his body—that was enough for today’s work.
“I need to find a bath to put thisss thing in.”
Xen climbed out of the steam bath and wraps a towel around his waist. He was done for today and decides he would throw the salamander’s body into one of those searing hot baths. The one's no one ever goes into unless they wanted to become a freshly cooked dhani soup. Xen walks over to the salamander’s body and drags it across the floor by its tail; he remembers that there was an abandoned steam bath somewhere. He makes a dull expression; he didn't have for this, ain't nobody had time for this! The viper grumbles as he walks down the long walkway; he couldn’t help but feel the sudden sensation of being watched, it was strange because he could not sense, smell or hear anyone.
“Still waters calm my spirit while raging waters of the seas, drives my soul.”
Xen whispered this incantation to himself, as he continues his walk down the path. He could hear the sound of wet feet hitting the cavern floor behind him but they were heavier and were moving at a faster pace. The viper starts to run; he couldn’t fight in this small space against a salamander. Xen enters the closest room next to him; he leaves behind a trail of salamander blood, leading to the room he had fled into. He stands quietly within the room, observing his surroundings until he notices the steam bath next to him; it was the smelly and steaming hot one from before.
Xen tosses the headless salamander corpse into the water and watches as it boils and sinks into the scalding depths. A little water splashes onto Xen's toe and burns him a little; he instinctively jerks his foot from the water’s edge; away from the hot water and pain. The viper could still hear the footsteps advancing towards him and he stretches his hand outwards to allow res to flow from his palms. Xen didn't have time to form it into a sphere, so he quietly focuses upon the water to allow his will to draw some of it towards him.
Xen watches as tendrils of searing water flowed towards him with a hiss. In his focus, he doesn't realize that the steam in the air was being drawn to him. Xen listened quietly, ignoring the steam that partially clouded his vision; he could barely make out a form standing in front of him in the cavern entrance. The thing was low to the ground, on all fours and looked larger than the salamander he had killed. Xen tossed the steaming ball of water he'd collected towards the figure but misses; it disappears into the murky blackness. Xen lets out a sigh of relief and sits down on the warm floor; he was done, really done for the whole day.
“I’ve had enough heart attacksss for today.”
Xen looks to his side and notices a decent sized crustacean walking towards the water’s edge; its black shell glistened with water droplets that slid down the sides of its body. The crustacean noticed Xen was watching it and raised its claws in a defensive posture. Xen remained still, he didn’t want to scare the crustacean or appear intimidating. The crustacean disarmingly lowers its pincers and fiddles with them, its cuteness strikes Xen’s heart as a he smiles at his little friend. The crustacean scuttles towards Xen’s hand and pauses to look up towards him.
“Awww…. Well, hi there little one.”
The little crustacean eases a little closer to Xen and then pinches his pinky finger. Xen jumps and places his pinky into his mouth. Xen tries to exact his revenge on the crustacean but slips on the floor; he proceeds to glare at the little crustacean as it makes its escape, narrowing his eyes in betrayal. He vowed that he’d get the little crustacean someday but then laughs at the fact that he was deceived by a crustacean. Xen gets up from the floor and walks down the pathway to get his weapon and towels. A bit of nervousness graced his thoughts; he didn’t know where that big salamander went and didn’t want to resort to biting it in order to kill the thing… he’d have bad breathe for weeks! Xen quietly enters the room, squinting in suspicion as he watched for movement in the room. In his observation, he noticed that the salamanders head was missing, no, it was taken! He could see the drag marks leading into the hallway.
“I’ll get you later… salamander. Wait... I’ll get that crustacean later to, it pinched me!”
Xen gathers his things and leaves the room; he could still hear those wet feet echoing in the cave.
Very interesting little thread you got here! It was action packed and funny, so I enjoyed that, I would just ask that when working with Reimancy in the future to make sure to detail all of your magic well. Xen is a novice and he seemed to have no trouble magnetizing the steam water, but having only a small bit of the steam that would have been attracted to his res, something that would take a lot of finesse as a Reimancer.
The other thing I had to note was that Xen utilizes a machete in this thread that you claim is his, but such a weapon is not shown in your ledger or possessions, please deduct the appropriate sums from your ledger if you're looking to have a machete!
Thanks for the fun thread, and I'm curious to see if you'll follow up with this thread, showdown with the salamander .
If you have any questions, concerns, accolades, complaints, etc about your grade, drop me a PM and we can most certainly talk it out.
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