The Drow Queen of Glaley [Very NSFW]

[Coquette Blacquin]

~...creative? Why?~

[NPCs]

~It helps pull your mind away from whatever is stressing you out. If you're busy trying to write something or sing or what have you, then less of your brain is able to focus on negative thoughts.~

[Coquette Blacquin]

~..I'lll think about it.~

[NPCs]

~Which is all I could ask,~ Seli says with a mental smile. ~Alright, you go enjoy your bath and relax some. We'll talk again in a few days.~

[NPCs]

The first obstacle-- the first one of the actual operation, not just the planning-- was getting to the island where the young girl was being held. After all, they certainly didn't have an invitation and the Eels just as certainly weren't not going to have guards posted. The nature of the island in question-- small and more of a sandbar with pretensions-- would be a blessing of sorts once they land, as there simply wouldn't be a lot of ground to search or fight across, but at the moment, it also meant that those guards didn't have to be spread out. Thankfully, Shiori had an, if not clever, then workable idea.

The mists at sunset on the water are thin and wispy, not very good for hiding in. But when you add in a little bit of alchemical potion, a real fog can brew up instead -- and if you do it far back enough, it seems "natural". With apologies to the lake god, the group make their way onto the island and into the great house they use as a headquarters before anyone notices.

[GamesMaster]

From there, it's rougher going. The animals help with the element of surprise, and the eagle is a useful lookout as well, but there's a lot of indoor space to search and they're not quite sure where to find her. They search the entire left wing of the house before they cross the main room to get to the right side -- and find their prey at last. 

They can see her from their vantage point up above on the rafters of the great room. She is submerged in a freshwater tank full of small- to mid-sized electric eels. Her nipples have been pierced, the piercings hooked up to what look like metal reigns on one of the eels; it's curled up on her stomach, though if it were to be startled it's clear where the electricity would be going. Another pokes out from between her legs, having found a soft, warm cavity. Only her head is above water, and she's crying silently, making little whimpering gasps every time the eels move around her in the tank. 

[Jassinth]

There's a flick of regret that Jassinth swiftly crushes inside himself. No matter their deeds, torture has no place in nature. Kill that which is maddened or diseased and move on. Trying very hard to keep that specific bit of dogma in mind, he gestures at his companions. "Kill guards. I'll get her," he murmurs. 

[GamesMaster]

Tsuki hops down from the rafters with a ki shout, landing on and killing one of the guards instantly. She's surrounded quickly by goons, but she holds her own, the fox and eagle coming to join her as Shiori casts support spells from above. 

Tsuki's in poor shape by the time she defeats the goons, but she does emerge victorious. That's when the eidolon arrives. The shadows coalesce into a large snake, one with horns and webbed hands that help it glide through the water but don't hinder its movement on land either. The front third of it is reared up to allow the hands to come off the ground and show off its glowing orange necklace, while the bottom's powerful muscles propel it forward. It lashes out with tail and claws and fangs, pumping venom into the fox even as Tsuki lashes out at its head.

The fight is over quickly. The snake shoves  half of its necklace into Tsuki's mouth and slams her onto the ground, detonating the fireballs in the necklace to obliterate itself and Tsuki's lower jaw. She screams, her tongue badly burned and her jaw hanging off from the force of the blow, and Shiori is at her side in an instant, trying to feed her a healing potion despite her grevious wounds. 

"We have to get her -- get them both to a hospital," says Shiori, voice urgent. 

[Jassinth]

Jassinth, despite the distraction of pitched combat nearby, had managed to keep his focus on rescuing Ayaka. Setting some scraps of fish on the surface of the water so they can sink slowly down, he persuades the eels to release the girl in exchange for more scraps; Speak with Animals is such a handy spell for rangers. That completed, he'd pulled the young woman out of the water and slug a robe around her. It's not much, as far as battle equipment, being a simple linen blend with no reinforcing material, but it is enchanted to be very mildly more protective. As much as he'd like to do otherwise, he then takes the time to give Ayaka three vials.

"Drink and drink swiftly," he murmurs. "Please." Two weak healing potions and the last a potion of Aid. A Calm Emotions would be more effective in ensuring she's not panicked, but Aid has the benefit of granting her false vitality, making it less likely an incidental or weak blow kills her. His final act is to gently touch the back of her hand as he murmurs, 'Shaded by the Oak, warmed by the Sun, know comfort in Nature." Given that she's soaking wet and mostly naked, the chilly night air would start hindering her ability to move far too rapidly without some magically gifted, climate-oriented endurance. He's just about to say more when he hears a strangely wet explosion followed by a mangled scream of pain and a shrill yowl of rage.

[NPCs]

Tsuki's new companion-- who had eventually managed to convey that her name is Lady of Splendorous Dreams, though she thankfully allowed her new allies to call her Dreamy in informal settings-- had suffered from the venom in her veins but not for too long. Foxes are not the most robust animal, but she is a dire fox, and while her muscles still twitch unpleasantly, that doesn't stop her from lifting Tsuki onto her back. Cradling her new person with her tails to keep her in place, she starts sprinting for the boat they'd arrived on, only caring that the others follow because she needs them to row. 

[Shiori]

Shiori dives towards the boat, pushing it down the sand even before Jass gets there with Ayaka. Once they're inside, Shiori grabs one of the oars to help lend what strength she can to Jass's rowing, hoping they won't follow. 

Tears run down her face the whole time. They are followed, but Jass's companion is able to dissuade them with claws to the face, and so the thugs turn back, letting Ayaka go. 

Ayaka shivers, huddled up against Dreamy for warmth, sniffling softly. "Th-thank y-you," she stammers, as they get clear of pursuit. "I c-c-cannot r-repay you," she adds, teeth chattering from the cold. "But you may have my l-l-life d-d-ebt, and I wi-will s-s-serve y-y-ou." 

"There's no need for that," says Shiori gently. "We're family. Don't you recognise your cousin Tsukikage?" 

[Jassinth]

"Shiori, you have breasts now and Tsuki is..." Jass trails off, the unspoken and inappropriate 'missing a third of her face' far louder than he wishes it was. "Death-Strikes-From-Above," the eagle had not permitted a shortened name, at least not yet, "can you fly ahead and-- Shiori, can you write a message for him to bring ahead? Two potions and one healing spell aren't-- speed is important."

[Shiori]

Shoiri nods, breaking off a small bit of the bandage she's wrapping around her sister's face and instead jots down a note on it in quick, simple characters. She ties it around the eagle's leg, nodding to him when she finishes. 

[Jassinth]

The dire eagle looks less than thrilled with being made into a mere messenger, but takes off into the night sky after a glance at the deeply wounded Tsuki. Jass continues to row as fast as he can despite the deep ache in his ribs from where he'd taken a blow earlier in the night. Despite his motivation and training, however, he's still made of flesh and blood, and begins to flag more and more. "Not sure... how much..." he pants tiredly.

[Shiori]

"Come on," encourage Shiori. "You can do this. For Tsuki." A slight pause. "For me."

He only has to struggle a few minutes more, however, as a small sailboat makes its way towards them. At the front of the boat, acting as a lookout, is Carbonne; sailing the boat is Kuronue, clearly worried about her children.