[RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Agent of Dread »

Ashley stops, and flicks Alice a compassionate smile.
"Sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Ashley Kennsford... I travel, so it'd make sense if you hadn't seen me."
She pushes open the door to the hut and sees the bandits still lying there. As the creak of the door emanates throughout, the faces of all the other girls inside light up. Ashley immediately gets to work untying the closest one, telling them all that they're going to be fine. When about half of the girls are standing again and stretching their arms, one of the bandits quietly gets to his feet and grabs Ashley from behind, holding her with one arm around her neck and the other around her waist. Without even turning her head, she sighs and says
"Why didn't I see that coming..." and starts to squirm, although his grip is tight and she can't gain any leverage.
"I'm gonna make you pay for that, and I'm sure my friend down there will be quite eager to join in. We're going to have some fun with you, girly."
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Shade »

Alice returns Ashley's smile. It feels comforting...
As they arrive back at the hut, Ashley quickly goes inside and begins to untie all the remaining girls while Alice follows, but stays near the door. The fact that she's still alive is met with both relief and disbelief from the other captives. The faces of some of them put on an expression of shock when they notice the injuries on her arm, however. Alice tries to cheer them up with a smile.
Yet her smile quickly changes into an expression of shock as well.
The bandits Ashley apparently knocked out to escape beforehand seem to have recovered... One of them, at least. And he's angry. He's got her in his grip, and she seems to be unable to shake him off.
"No!"
All of this will have been pointless if they get caught again. It may not have worked before, but this time she has the advantage... Just like before, she concentrates and forms a small sphere of black energy in front of her. ...and just like before she loses her focus before she manages to fire it. A strong hand grabs and forcefully pulls her right ankle, causing her to lose her footing and fall.
"Ack! What...!?"
"No chance, girlie. I dunno how exactly you came back here, but the client's gonna be pretty mad if we don't take ya back to him--"
"Leave me alone!"
With her other foot, she kicks him right in his face.
"Augh!! You little bitch!"
His grip momentarily loosens - enough for her to get away and draw herself up.
"Ashley!"
For the third time now, Alice concentrates and forms a small orb of darkness in front of her. This time, however, she is aware of her surroundings and stays out of both bandits' reach while she finally flings the little orb at her target. The bandit holding Ashley loses his grip and stumbles forward a little.
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Agent of Dread »

As Alice calls out to her, Ashley immediately returns to her sharp state of mind. Alice draws upon herself and summons what appears to be a magic orb which she proceeds to toss as Ashley's captor. His grip loosens and Ashley immediately bends all her limbs backwards, pushing off and away from the bandit. He doesn't take long to recoil, though, and Ashley ducks the quick swing that follows. As she bends low, she spots something - the bonds holding the girls captive. These could very well be helpful. She deftly snatches one of the ropes lying behind a chair and then stands while spinning around to continue the contest.
"Hey, Alice, thanks for that. We'll call it even now-" She swung to the side to dodge a jab, "..Eh?"
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Shade »

Fortunately, it worked! In the brief window of opportunity created by the magic orb, Ashley manages to escape her captor's grasp. While she grabs a rope and continues to deal with the bandits, the girls that have already been freed finally decide that just standing around watching them is not a good idea, and help untie the remaining captives.
"No! No!! Stop! We can't let you escape!!"
After all the girls are freed, they all hurry out of the hut - Alice and Ashley included. Without their buddies, there's not much two bandits can do to keep a dozen girls in check. Much cursing ensues.
"Let's get out of here..."
And so they run. Run from the grasp of death, back towards life... ...towards a second chance.



King Loring is woken up by the sound of someone frantically knocking at his door. He takes a look out of the window. It's still night! What's going on!? Having a bad feeling about this, he angrily gets up and opens the door, only to find a completely exhausted messenger in front of it, trying to catch his breath.
"My king... I bear... terrible news... The capital... has fallen!"
"What!?"
Impossible! Almost the entire remainder of his army was stationed there! The capital has insurmountable defenses! Surely not even their numerical advantages could possibly have outweighed that!? So why...!?
"That's... that's ridiculous..."
If the capital has fallen... that means his army no longer exists. He has been defeated. He has failed his people. He has failed to protect them from the enemy...
...or has he? Maybe he should have listened to his advisors right away... ...he may have no choice but to play his ace.
"...fine. Tell him we're gonna start the Twilight Project."



After what feels like an eternity - the moon has already set, and the sun will probably rise soon - they finally arrive back at the village. Or what's left of it, to be precise.
"No..."
There are only ruins left. Some walls are still burning weakly. The only sound filling the air is the flames' faint cracking.
"It's... terrible..."
Alice runs into the ruined village, looking for her house. And she finds it. The corpse is still there... And it still shows her mother's terrified expression...
With tears in her eyes, Alice kneels down next to her mother's dead body. Then she begins to cry her heart out.
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Agent of Dread »

Ashley, with the group of young girls tagging along, returns to the village. The entire thing is burned to shreds. Not a single building is in a usable state. The girls are overcome with grief, and most of them run off to try and find what is left of their homes. Alice is nearby, in what Ashley presumes used to be her dwelling, and she's bawling. Ashley knows very well how hard it is to lose a mother... She slowly walks over, kneels beside Alice and puts a single arm around her.
"I'm so sorry... I understand what you're going through, and it's a terrible feeling... It's going to hurt for a while, I can't help that, but I can help you overcome it after those stages. You're a very capable girl, and I think it'd be nice to have you travel along with me for a while.
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Shade »

Alice is overcome with grief. This is reality. She is now an orphan. Her father died a few years ago in battle, and now her mother is dead too... She no longer has a family. Most of her friends are dead, too. She is now pretty much alone in this world, without a home and nowhere to go. What did she do to deserve this?
She hardly even notices Ashley attempts to solace her.
"Wh-what... what should I d-do... I have lost everything... Everything..."
Traveling around the world... To what benefit? She has no money, no special abilities, nothing. She's just a common 13-year-old girl who has read a book or two about magic and happens to have a somewhat uncommon elemental affinity.
"B-but... w-why... I'd just be... a burden..."
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

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"I've never told anybody that didn't already know this, but all my siblings and my parents were killed when I was about nine years old. I lost four of the most important people in my life... and at the time everyone thought the Kennsfords were a bunch of no-good ill-willed dirty businessmen... it was a terribly hard living for me, despite all the money they left behind... I had to put up with the jeers of almost everyone I knew. So I know what you're going through, and how awful it feels. But I really do see something in you. Potential... possibility. You really can achieve something, and I can tell just from looking at you. If you ask me, the people with the worst tragedies in their lives have the greatest understanding of everything because they don't have to guess at the bad things in the world."
Feeling the despair emanating from Alice, Ashley extends her second arm into a complete embrace, holding Alice tight.
"You might have lost everything you once had... but try to think of it as an opportunity to create a new life, instead of clinging to memories of the old. Time moves forward, and we have to go with it."
She pauses, thinking about the situation.
"Whether you do want to stick with me or not, you can't stay here. I want to take the other girls to the closest town from here, and try to find them somewhere safer to stay, and you should come with me at least that far."
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Shade »

Ashley has this kind of past, too... And at an even younger age? That's terrible... ...and despite this, Alice wouldn't have guessed just by looking at her - she seems brimful of life. But still... It's too much to bear...
...yet suddenly, she feels Ashley's warm embrace. Just like a big sister. Alice closes her eyes and attempts to calm down. Her mind is filled with warmth. This night is a terrible memory, one that she'll never forget... ...but Ashley is right. She doesn't have a choice but to move on and begin anew. It's unfortunate that she has little to no experience in life, but if she takes up her offer to tag along, she at least has someone she can still rely on.
After a few more sobs, she finally replies.
"T-then... I-if you really... don't mind... I would like... t-to stay... with you..."
But there's one thing she must do beforehand. She would never be able to forgive herself if she didn't.
"B-but... C-could you... help me bury... her first? I... I can't just... leave her here..."
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Agent of Dread »

"I was about to ask you the same thing... let's do it."
Ashley stands up and scans the area for a shovel or other digging implement to use. Spotting one lying near a close hut that was demolished, she runs over and heaves it over one shoulder.
"Inside what's left of the house, or do you have somewhere else you want to have her...?"
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

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"N-no... Not in these ruins... L-let's... find a n-nice place... at the b-border... of the forest..."
Alice closes the dead body's eyes. She doesn't want her last memory of her mother to be one with an expression of terror on her face... At least let her last memory of her be a peaceful one.

After the burial, Alice has finally managed to calm down a little. She's still sad, but she's stopped crying. Unable to help much with actual burial, she has instead carefully decorated the grave with the prettiest flowers she could find in the vicinity.
"Thank you... for everything. We've just met a few hours ago and you've already helped me more than I could ever possibly repay you..."
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

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"You're absolutely welcome. I hate to see a life which hasn't yet reached its full potential squandered. By the way, the grave looks beautiful. You've done her the most justice possible."
Returning to the village with Alice close behind, Ashley rounds up the rest of the children.
"Now... do any of you know which way it is to the next village?"
One of the smaller girls raises her hand.
"Y-yes... it's to the south of here, about two hour's walking..." She pointed her other arm in the general direction.
"Great, thankyou, sweetheart." Ashley gave the girl a quick pat on the head and a reassuring smile before taking everyone off southwards.
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

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After an eventless journey accompanied by a beautiful sunrise, the group arrives at the next village. It's notably larger than the one Alice used to live in, but... ...something seems wrong. Those soldiers on the streets... They look vastly different from the ones she used to occassionally see in her village. Their armor is of a dull dark gray color, and the emblem on their shields and helmets is not the one she knows. What's going on?
It doesn't take long until one of them notices the group.
"Halt! Who are you!?"
Alice cluelessly looks at Ashley, who seems to be surprised as well.
"We're--"
"Bah, doesn't matter. You're just a bunch of girls. Know this: this village is now property of King Zangan. Nobody may enter or leave. So be on your way!"
Property of King Zangan? Not Loring? What's the meaning of this?
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

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"I think I heard about you guys... invading the land, right. I suppose we'll leave if you'd point us in the direction of the next village with a place for a bunch of young orphans to stay as opposed to getting kicked out again."
Ashley's distaste at having to take the girls further is clear from the harsh tone with which she speaks.
"I don't like your tone. Get out of here, girl."
Ashley sighed and gestured to the left, then turned to the girls and shrugged.
Do we go on our way, or not?
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Shade »

Invaders?
Alice is fed up with the soldier's rude responses. She takes a step forward.
"Look, I don't care who you people are or whom this village belongs to. We lost our home. Is it asking too much to be granted shelter for a while?"
"I don't care about your sob story. Leave."
She takes another step forward.
"Why!? It's not like--"
The soldier steps forward, grabs Alice by her shirt and lifts her up so he can stare directly into her eyes.
"Are you deaf? I told you to leave."
He forcefully tosses her to the ground and draws his sword. Giving him a grim look, Alice gets up, dusts off her clothes and slowly takes three steps backwards, prompting the soldier to sheathe his weapon again.
"...is that so. Then, let's leave..."
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Re: [RP] The Twilight Project - Game Thread

Post by Agent of Dread »

Ashley urges the girls on.
"Let's just get out of here... there's nothing to gain from aggravating them."
Ashley takes one glance down the main road of the town before they leave, and sees a beautiful fountain decorated with intricate engravings. I know that fountain... Dad would always tell me about how it was the pride of this place when I was little. I remember where we are, actually. And my family's old house is in one of the nearby towns...
"I know a place for us to go to. I'll lead the way, I'm fairly certain I know it well enough from here."
After walking for about two and a half extra hours, and having made some light conversation with all of the girls, the group arrive at a town with walls. There are a few bodies clad in armour similar to that of the men who barricaded them from the previous village lying about the large iron gates.
"I can always trust Garith to be free of invaders... home, sweet home." Ashley then proceeds to call out loudly and wave her arms in the general direction of the windowed room above and to the left of the gate, built off the wall. After maybe two minutes of this, A well-aged man with a greying beard pokes his head over the wall.
"Oh, it's the Kennsford girl... I personally don't think you should be let back in, but a Garith-born is a Garith-born... I'll raise the gate."
Slowly, the gates turn open with a rather audible clanking.
"I owe you one, Jarred. Your beard looks great, by the way."
"You owe all of us one, Kennsford... now get in there before I change my mind..."
Ashley ushers her group in under the stone arch, and the gates crank shut behind her. The group proceeds to walk through the town for a while. Many remarks are made upon notice of Ashley's presence by the townsfolk.
"What are you going to do with those girls, Kennsford? Ruin their virginity nice and early like you did your own?"
"How many men did you sleep with to end up with all of those, Kennsford?"
"Kennsford's back... I'm sure all the tavern's studs will be delighted."
"What are you doing back here, girl? Nobody wants to see a Kennsford's face in Garith anymore."
Eventually, through all the rude quips and unflattery, they reach a mansion standing tall above the other buildings in the area. The front door is locked up with various chains and padlocks and the windows have all collected a good share of cobwebs. A tattered banner displaying the emblem also found on Ashley's vest is hanging above the door.
"Well, here we are... this is my house. I'd like to think it used to be, I'm not around very much, as you probably heard."
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