[ His blood runs cold as he catches sight of the creature's face.
Molly will have to cope with the pain because there's no way Fjord can protect him down here alone, grabbing him by the hand and swimming for the surface as hard as he can, firing off random Eldritch Blasts into the shadows to try and keep their pursuers back. He just needs to make it to the jetty, that's not far, and once Molly is on dry land Fjord can deal with the rest of this shit. Thankfully the blasts give them a little lift each time he fires, making his job slightly easier, and once he figures that out he shoots blazing cantrips off like a madman to increase their lift. ]
[ While Mollymauk doesn't know what kind of assholes these things are, the look on Fjord's face says it all. He curses his lack of weapons again, snapping out another Mockery to one of them that gets far too close as he tries to somehow help swim without jostling the harpoon too much. It's weighing him down and crippling his movements, and so does the rest of the chain.
They're not going to make it to the jetty like this.
Molly shimmers, turning ghostly and losing the half-orc's grip, but the javelin falls out of his ethereal body, easing the weight and to help give himself more movement to reach the surface. As soon as he turns back to himself, however, blood rapidly clouds the water around them. ]
[ He almost screams when Molly vanishes, a beat later recalling the weirdass ability and swimming back down to try and snatch his corporeal hand again. Molly can't swim alone fast enough with a gaping wound piercing through his body and Fjord can't fight while he's swimming for him; it's a fucked up situation. A harpoon slices through the outside of his thigh and he yells, pushing through the pain to get to Molly and help him reach the surface. That's his priority. Get Molly to the rest of the Mighty Nein, then ...
[ There's more than enough blood already escaping him to weave some of it into his blood curse, blinding one of the two following creatures, the third still recovering from its failed wisdom check earlier.
He turns to swim towards Fjord, easier now that he isn't weighed down, and grasps that hand once again. Tightly.
When they finally break the surface the rest of the Nein are scouring the beach for them. The sound of the splash has them on alert, shimmering balls of light appearing overhead from Caleb so they're more easily seen. Yasha waves his swords over her head as she runs towards them which makes him smile in relief. He wouldn't be completely useless. ]
[ He doesn't wait for Molly to get up on the walkway alone, lifting him up as much as he can to all but shove him out of the water. That leaves Fjord open to attacks but he doesn't care, not with the Nein racing toward them —
He screams as the falchion slices through his side, a scaly webbed hand snatching over his mouth to muffle the yell and drag him under as he seizes up in pain, hands scrabbling to hold onto the wooden edge of the jetty. ]
[ Molly screams, reaching to try to grab the half-orc before he's pulled away. His grip isn't very strong with all the blood he's lost, however, and all he can do is hold on and hiss at the creature rather than pull him closer.
Meanwhile, Yasha and Beau are the fastest of the Nein, reaching the dock quickly to help. Yasha throws Molly his swords and reaches to help pull Fjord out, while Beau whacks the fishman with her bo as hard as she can to push him back into the water.
Caleb and Caduceus are next, the wizard weaving a haste spell on Fjord while the firbolg bends down to push a Cure Wounds into the still heavily bleeding tiefling. It gives Molly enough energy to grab his swords and getting ready for the fight.
Last is Jester and Veth, both their rooms in the other side of the Chateau. Jester is in her nightgown, summoning her spiritual lollipop as Veth disappears from sight. ]
[ Hauled up on deck with haste, he coughs and hugs his side where the blade sliced through, dizzily aware of his friends creating a protective circle around him. His body is cold with a biting wind kicked up from the icy waters and he sees yellow eyes rising out of the darkness. So many. Merrow? Monsters? He locks gazes with one and murmurs through a mouthful of blood, ]
I don't have your damn orb ... Leave me alone.
[ He doesn't know how, but it feels like he's heard by all of them. They convey a hatred he's tired of dealing with. ]
[ This time he knows better than to mess with his blood rituals when he's teetering on the edge already, so Molly doesn't light up his scimitars. With Yasha and Beau handling one of them, he waits for the two others to arrive... only to see more eyes in the darkness.
They needed to get out of here.
Fjord's words are replied with otherworldly hisses and shrieks, yet some make sense to the half-orc. Traitor's blood. They call, hungrily and cold.
Caduceus' gentle hands come to rest on the half-orc's shoulder, sending healing energy from the Wildmother to close some of those wounds. Meanwhile, spirit dragonflies and beetles are swarming out over the waters to drive the things away.
Get off the dock!, Caleb calls out. They needed to get away from the water to be on an even level with these creatures, easily demonstrated by another harpoon launched towards the group but caught by Beau. ]
[ There are so many eyes in the water, a hissing voice threading through his mind where it no longer belongs but knows where to find purchase. Fjord hangs back as the others run down the jetty, summoning the Star Razor in a flash of blue, talking under his breath so that if anything is in his head it's the only thing that can hear him. ]
Come after me again and I'll kill you.
[ Fjord turns back to the pier where scaly sea-creatures are crawling up in spidery motions, raising his sword in a surge of anger to cast Divine Smite with an additional fifth-level slot for the hell of it. As Dwueth'var swings up it arcs with a white light tinged in the green of Melora and seaweed snatches at the enemies on the jetty to ensnare them in place like whips as radiant damage rushes out in a shockwave to smash the end of the walkway to splinters and eviscerate those immediately in its path. The light burns down in a shimmery arc to illuminate the dark waters and it reveals even more monsters beneath who try to flee before being roasted in the ocean.
For a moment, Fjord becomes a shining Paladin conduit for the Wildmother's wrath.
Then the spell fades and the hissing is done for the time being, the night silent again. He turns around and staggers toward his friends as the glow fades from his eyes, reaching to catch up with Molly. ]
[ The others start to get off the dock, but Molly can't move quick enough so Caduceus picks him up in his arms to help. Yasha slices the head off of one of the creatures and Beau kicks another off the wet wood before they all reach the sand. A bolt hits another creature from where Veth is hidden and Jester smacks a fishman off the beach with her lollipop like a paddle.
Then the white light of Fjord's new pact blade catches everyone's attention. The Mighty Nein stares at the spectacle in front of them, Fjord a catalyst for all of nature's wrath as divine energy destroys a bunch of the creatures. It's a lot different from the fight on the Balleater, ending in what can only be called a resounding victory as the few surviving of Uk'otoa's chosen flee into the depths.
Caduceus looks proud as Fjord comes to join him and his lavender cargo. Molly wipes blood from his mouth and smiles at the half-orc, tired and woozy from losing far too much blood. ]
[ He barely has time to share a wan smile with Caduceus before snorting at Molly, sharing the same sharp smirk and hurrying everyone up the steps to the safety of the Chateau. once inside Molly is draped on a couch for Caduceus to fix up and Jester finishes off the rest of Fjord's wounds as he explains what happened. Caleb is intent on securing their rooms and the pathway up from the beach, leaving with Nott to attend to that, as Beau and Yasha stay with Fjord and Molly respectively at their sides. Caduceus is the one to suggest they all return to Xhorhas tomorrow and gets no argument, least of all from Fjord who hangs his head with the guilt of ruining the vacation.
It's awful revisiting the moment when Molly was harpooned, barely able to look at him now they're indoors. ]
[ Molly is healed up fully by the firbolg, who tells him softly that he'll have to rest to replenish all the blood he lost, which sound excellent to the tired tiefling who is pretty much out already on the foyer couch of the Chateau.
Beau leaned over and is speaking to Blude and Marion while the others set up whatever protection they can. Marion mentions hiring more guards, which might be a good idea in case the creatures come looking again.
Mollymauk makes grabby hands at Fjord from his position, smiling softly. ]
Hey, paladin man. Care to help me into the bed?
[ They could talk there. He saw that guilty face. ]
Edited (lol 'sexellent' good job brain) 2020-05-23 18:58 (UTC)
[ More protection, more guards ... it all sounds good to Fjord who would rather not wake up on the wrong end of a sword again. That fish-face will be in his nightmares if the Wildmother doesn't speak with him tonight.
He wraps an arm gently around Molly and hooks the tiefling's arm over a shoulder, easing him to his feet. ]
Let's get you to bed ...
[ Where he can hold onto him and be the barrier between Molly and anything else blade-shaped. ]
[ Molly leans to Fjord, carefully moving with him to not get too dizzy. He absently touches a bit of Fjord's hair, fondly and trying to sooth what was going on between those ears.
Once they get up to the rooms, Molly decides for them to sleep in his room, just in case. He's happy to be helped onto the bed, leaning his head to a pillow with a sigh. ]
[ Sinking into his seat next to where Molly lies, he lays a hand over where the harpoon struck and against all his best intentions his face crumples. ]
I-I'm sorry. [ He ducks his head, sagging forward to wrap around him in a hug, and while Fjord shudders as he takes steadying breaths he manages to hold back the dampness in his eyes. ] I'm sorry.
[ Molly takes him into his arms, holding him close and planting a kiss on the half-orc's forehead. Soft, loving. So is his voice when he speaks, even if it has steel in the conviction of his words. ]
Hey. That's some bullshit, Fjord. This wasn't your fault.
[ He strokes his hand over where Fjord's own was covering the former harpoon wound, nothing more than a bruise now thanks to the talented hands of their healers. It had been horrifying, being pulled back like that and feel his flesh tear as the water resistance fought him all the way down, but none of that had been Fjord's doing.
[ He meets that kiss and smiles into it, fingers stroking over the short hairs at the back of Fjord's neck. Molly had been terrified and his pulse is still weak, but this wasn't the time to deal with that. Not when his boyfriend was a mess. ]
We're going to be in a lot of fights, Fjord. You can't always protect me, so trust in me that I've got more survival chances these days. We have two of the best healers there are and I've learned a lot more tricks.
[ He kisses the bridge of a green nose. ]
Besides, you just fucked up a whole group of the people that killed you. We're all stronger.
[ Knowing and living through it are two very different things. He closes his eyes when a kiss dapples his nose, looking up with a long, bone-deep sigh. ]
I'm ... I'm going to find us more blankets, it's cold in here. Yeah. Yeah, I'll be right back. [ He has to find something to do to be useful, even if it's mundane. ] Stay here, I'll be two minutes.
[ Fjord takes around five minutes to gather up all his armour and belongings plus two extra blankets to cart back to the room, entering to find Molly snoozing. As quietly as he can he sets up his armour next to his side of the bed, then rearranges the blankets to stack on top of Molly and keep the tiefling warm, sliding in and gathering him up against his chest. The oil lamp is almost done so he lets it spill the last of its glow over the room, staring up at the ceiling as he brushes up the nape of Molly's neck and rubs his back in slow circles, more to calm himself than his lover.
He has to sleep eventually in order to regain his spell slots for the next day, but it's done reluctantly and takes an hour.
Morning comes with the birdsong of the coast filtering in through their closed window, soft sunshine pouring past dreamy white drapes. Fjord, having slept lightly (but soundly, thankfully), blinks awake to the sight of ...
Flowers.
Blooms surround their bed, growing out of the wood itself, purple and pinks and yellows, red roses curled around the headboard near Molly, white stars dotting the cacophony of colour. He closes his eyes and feels a warm breeze run through the room despite the window being securely closed, and for the first time since the docks he lets himself smile, kissing Molly on the forehead as he relaxes.
Melora let them rest last night, but she was there. ]
[ Molly doesn't move when Fjord returns to the bed, exhausted and exsanguinated in one, sleeping deeply. He was trembling a bit before he's swept up in blankets and a half-orc, and rests soundly through the night in Fjord's arms.
The morning sounds has him burying his face more into Fjord's chest, smiling at the kiss on his forehead. It smelled nice in here, his brain registers, and he pops one red eye open groggily to see the flowers.
For a moment he's really confused, but then he gets it and smiles against that green skin. ]
She loves you.
[ He says softly and a little raspy, still half-asleep. ]
[ That makes it twice in two days he's felt like crying, albeit for very different reasons. With his heart made of mush he plucks a rose from overhead (no thorns!) and tickles Molly's nose with the petals. ]
Don't tell the Moonweaver, but I think she loves you too. [ Kissing a curl-strewn forehead. ] Like I do.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Molly will have to cope with the pain because there's no way Fjord can protect him down here alone, grabbing him by the hand and swimming for the surface as hard as he can, firing off random Eldritch Blasts into the shadows to try and keep their pursuers back. He just needs to make it to the jetty, that's not far, and once Molly is on dry land Fjord can deal with the rest of this shit. Thankfully the blasts give them a little lift each time he fires, making his job slightly easier, and once he figures that out he shoots blazing cantrips off like a madman to increase their lift. ]
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They're not going to make it to the jetty like this.
Molly shimmers, turning ghostly and losing the half-orc's grip, but the javelin falls out of his ethereal body, easing the weight and to help give himself more movement to reach the surface. As soon as he turns back to himself, however, blood rapidly clouds the water around them. ]
I'm okay! Keep going!
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Fuck shit up down here, probably. Or run.
Running sounds great, if it becomes an option. ]
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He turns to swim towards Fjord, easier now that he isn't weighed down, and grasps that hand once again. Tightly.
When they finally break the surface the rest of the Nein are scouring the beach for them. The sound of the splash has them on alert, shimmering balls of light appearing overhead from Caleb so they're more easily seen. Yasha waves his swords over her head as she runs towards them which makes him smile in relief. He wouldn't be completely useless. ]
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He screams as the falchion slices through his side, a scaly webbed hand snatching over his mouth to muffle the yell and drag him under as he seizes up in pain, hands scrabbling to hold onto the wooden edge of the jetty. ]
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[ Molly screams, reaching to try to grab the half-orc before he's pulled away. His grip isn't very strong with all the blood he's lost, however, and all he can do is hold on and hiss at the creature rather than pull him closer.
Meanwhile, Yasha and Beau are the fastest of the Nein, reaching the dock quickly to help. Yasha throws Molly his swords and reaches to help pull Fjord out, while Beau whacks the fishman with her bo as hard as she can to push him back into the water.
Caleb and Caduceus are next, the wizard weaving a haste spell on Fjord while the firbolg bends down to push a Cure Wounds into the still heavily bleeding tiefling. It gives Molly enough energy to grab his swords and getting ready for the fight.
Last is Jester and Veth, both their rooms in the other side of the Chateau. Jester is in her nightgown, summoning her spiritual lollipop as Veth disappears from sight. ]
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I don't have your damn orb ... Leave me alone.
[ He doesn't know how, but it feels like he's heard by all of them. They convey a hatred he's tired of dealing with. ]
Leave my friends alone.
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They needed to get out of here.
Fjord's words are replied with otherworldly hisses and shrieks, yet some make sense to the half-orc. Traitor's blood. They call, hungrily and cold.
Caduceus' gentle hands come to rest on the half-orc's shoulder, sending healing energy from the Wildmother to close some of those wounds. Meanwhile, spirit dragonflies and beetles are swarming out over the waters to drive the things away.
Get off the dock!, Caleb calls out. They needed to get away from the water to be on an even level with these creatures, easily demonstrated by another harpoon launched towards the group but caught by Beau. ]
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Come after me again and I'll kill you.
[ Fjord turns back to the pier where scaly sea-creatures are crawling up in spidery motions, raising his sword in a surge of anger to cast Divine Smite with an additional fifth-level slot for the hell of it. As Dwueth'var swings up it arcs with a white light tinged in the green of Melora and seaweed snatches at the enemies on the jetty to ensnare them in place like whips as radiant damage rushes out in a shockwave to smash the end of the walkway to splinters and eviscerate those immediately in its path. The light burns down in a shimmery arc to illuminate the dark waters and it reveals even more monsters beneath who try to flee before being roasted in the ocean.
For a moment, Fjord becomes a shining Paladin conduit for the Wildmother's wrath.
Then the spell fades and the hissing is done for the time being, the night silent again. He turns around and staggers toward his friends as the glow fades from his eyes, reaching to catch up with Molly. ]
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Then the white light of Fjord's new pact blade catches everyone's attention. The Mighty Nein stares at the spectacle in front of them, Fjord a catalyst for all of nature's wrath as divine energy destroys a bunch of the creatures. It's a lot different from the fight on the Balleater, ending in what can only be called a resounding victory as the few surviving of Uk'otoa's chosen flee into the depths.
Caduceus looks proud as Fjord comes to join him and his lavender cargo. Molly wipes blood from his mouth and smiles at the half-orc, tired and woozy from losing far too much blood. ]
Badass.
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It's awful revisiting the moment when Molly was harpooned, barely able to look at him now they're indoors. ]
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Beau leaned over and is speaking to Blude and Marion while the others set up whatever protection they can. Marion mentions hiring more guards, which might be a good idea in case the creatures come looking again.
Mollymauk makes grabby hands at Fjord from his position, smiling softly. ]
Hey, paladin man. Care to help me into the bed?
[ They could talk there. He saw that guilty face. ]
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He wraps an arm gently around Molly and hooks the tiefling's arm over a shoulder, easing him to his feet. ]
Let's get you to bed ...
[ Where he can hold onto him and be the barrier between Molly and anything else blade-shaped. ]
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Once they get up to the rooms, Molly decides for them to sleep in his room, just in case. He's happy to be helped onto the bed, leaning his head to a pillow with a sigh. ]
Come here, love.
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I-I'm sorry. [ He ducks his head, sagging forward to wrap around him in a hug, and while Fjord shudders as he takes steadying breaths he manages to hold back the dampness in his eyes. ] I'm sorry.
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Hey. That's some bullshit, Fjord. This wasn't your fault.
[ He strokes his hand over where Fjord's own was covering the former harpoon wound, nothing more than a bruise now thanks to the talented hands of their healers. It had been horrifying, being pulled back like that and feel his flesh tear as the water resistance fought him all the way down, but none of that had been Fjord's doing.
Just his abusive ex-patron's. ]
I'm okay.
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I'm supposed to be the reason you're safe, not the reason you aren't.
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Would you blame anyone else if their old enemies came and attacked one of us? I doubt that.
[ He rubs Fjord's back a little bit. ]
I am safe. You helped save me. Everything's fine.
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[ Slumping forward, he kisses him and presses their foreheads together to stay close. ]
I was so scared I'd lost you.
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[ He meets that kiss and smiles into it, fingers stroking over the short hairs at the back of Fjord's neck. Molly had been terrified and his pulse is still weak, but this wasn't the time to deal with that. Not when his boyfriend was a mess. ]
We're going to be in a lot of fights, Fjord. You can't always protect me, so trust in me that I've got more survival chances these days. We have two of the best healers there are and I've learned a lot more tricks.
[ He kisses the bridge of a green nose. ]
Besides, you just fucked up a whole group of the people that killed you. We're all stronger.
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[ Knowing and living through it are two very different things. He closes his eyes when a kiss dapples his nose, looking up with a long, bone-deep sigh. ]
I'm ... I'm going to find us more blankets, it's cold in here. Yeah. Yeah, I'll be right back. [ He has to find something to do to be useful, even if it's mundane. ] Stay here, I'll be two minutes.
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[ Cold in general, down to barely human temperature.
Molly leans over a bit to let Fjord go, pulling the blanket over himself. He'll be asleep in a minute, exhausted as he is. ]
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He has to sleep eventually in order to regain his spell slots for the next day, but it's done reluctantly and takes an hour.
Morning comes with the birdsong of the coast filtering in through their closed window, soft sunshine pouring past dreamy white drapes. Fjord, having slept lightly (but soundly, thankfully), blinks awake to the sight of ...
Flowers.
Blooms surround their bed, growing out of the wood itself, purple and pinks and yellows, red roses curled around the headboard near Molly, white stars dotting the cacophony of colour. He closes his eyes and feels a warm breeze run through the room despite the window being securely closed, and for the first time since the docks he lets himself smile, kissing Molly on the forehead as he relaxes.
Melora let them rest last night, but she was there. ]
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The morning sounds has him burying his face more into Fjord's chest, smiling at the kiss on his forehead. It smelled nice in here, his brain registers, and he pops one red eye open groggily to see the flowers.
For a moment he's really confused, but then he gets it and smiles against that green skin. ]
She loves you.
[ He says softly and a little raspy, still half-asleep. ]
Like I do.
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Don't tell the Moonweaver, but I think she loves you too. [ Kissing a curl-strewn forehead. ] Like I do.
Good morning, sunshine.
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