Summoned!

[Aenon]

"...thanks" the huntress said, but she placed it in her pouch, rather than wearing it. "Lets hope it isn't cursed or something."

"I'm coming along. This place stinks, I can tell already." she grumbled "I know I'll regret asking, but while following the moon, mind you giving me an explanation of the fuck is going on?"

"The bad singer friend of yours, is just as bad at explaining..."

~~~

Silly as the plan to follow the moon was, perhaps it was right. Right on top of a hill, there was an old, withered tree. Under its shadow, there was a pile of stones forming an altar...a very similar layout to the one Cyra had found herself on, back when she had first been revived.

Sadly there was no inscription or any obvious way to use the dilapidated altar.

The huntress wasn't a big help either...apparently it was the first time ever she had heard about altars, at all.

Right before Cyra had started having some of her trademarked wilder ideas, she felt something pulling her towards the altar! And in the blink of an eye, she was not where she used to be any more!

~~~

She was in a different place, once again.

"Welcome back to the Drifting Temple, Cyra." the blindfolded pristess welcomed her arrival. However, this time she wasn't naked and chained. And this was not the only change...the temple itself looked very different than what it used to look like last time Cyra had been here.

"It seems you were victorious. But I wonder...did you realize what I send you there for?" she asked after a while.

 

[Pervy]

"I mean there's a 25% chance it'll turn you into a vampire slut.. but you are supposed to wear them on your finger!"
She chided the huntress.

"Well long story short, I'm traveling through worlds, so did you, this is your original home, superimposed upon Garus', I just came here to help out... oh hey, look over at that tree, that looks ominous, I guess follow the moon was literal for a change, I mean.. go me!"
She grinned, dropping her.. knight mode with no strangers abound.

Cyra tried poking the altar with a stick, before shrugging, wandering to procure something.. and releasing the little goat she'd caught when the shrine tried to activate by itself!

".. woaah things are shifting..
Well the obvious answer is to kick evil vampire ass, buuuuut if you were the type for obvious answers, you'd not ask me like this, so I feel the answer is 'you were trying to hit two birds with one stone, you could have found other shiny holy heroes but you send the one that needed it?"
She chuckled to the priestess, shifting a little.

"Send me somewhere where someone can work on my little.. interesting armor. Perhaps there's a drow smith? I wanna visit some dark elves for.. reasons. Also, where's Momo, also also, actually how about you send the huntress to Momo to tell her I'm fine and help defend that little village that revived me, I still owe these guys one.. Plus there's still two problems I need to deal with in that world, but I am not quite ready for that yet."
She nodded.

 

[Aenon]

"...Yes, I did send you because you needed it."

"Did you see them? Those who were innocent, and were turned to unholy creatures. Those who grew up with evil surrounding them, and still resisted it. Those who could have done anything, yet chose to do the wrong thing. The nature of good and evil."

"You, who were born to be raised as a champion of evil. You, with the fiendish body forged in the fires of hell." she approached, hugging Cyra and feeling with her hands the place where she had torn her fiendish wings off. Only now the pain from that wound started fading away.

"What do you think. Were they really defined by their nature? Unholy monsters that needed to be purged, with no hope of redemption?" she paused for a moment, taking a step back.

"What I mean to say is. Stop being afraid of looking at yourself, Cyra. You define who you are."

"That been said. I think it was about time you visited your druid friend, and your daughter. The hunter girl you brought along...she has to head to an other place, to find her brithright. But this will not be the last you will see of her."

"As for the world you left behind, you need not worry. It is not yet the time for you to go back. But you will...you have yet unfinished business."

"The drow will also need your help, but you will make it in time regardless where you choose to go." she concluded.

 

[Pervy]

Cyra tried her very best to avoid a bored expression at the priestess lecture.
"Listen, I don't like the wings, you can't wear a stylish cloak with wings, you feel me.."
She hesitated, and shrugged.

"Hell was not a good place for me, what can I say. I'm better now. Perhaps better than I've ever been. I wont define myself by my struggle against evil anymore, after all, when I let evil define me, even in opposition, in a way, well.. I'm still defined by evil. and..."

Cyra froze up for a moment, before raising a brow and pointing at the priestess.
"I mean damn straight I have unfinished business, there's a tree that needs to be chopped into firewood and someone tried to summon me for a nasty thing, BUT! Can you rewind that one a few sentences back to the D-word."
She crossed her arms.

"Yeah I'll conclude you want me to help your daughter, sure, where's Momo and whoever, happy to go meet up with them if you think that's more important than the dark elves."

 

[Aenon]

"Uh-huh. Well, you are hard to define, that's for certain." she nodded.

"You need not worry about making it in time." she paused for a moment, thinking about something.

"Time in different planes flows differently. A thousand days in your plane you were summoned equal around one day in the demiplane you went. Of course you will find a lot of things have changed in ten years..." she mused.

Before chuckling.

"I am kidding. But of course, even in three days a lot of things can change."

"But you should go." she waved her hand towards the mists behind the altar, that could take Cyra out of this place "I will bring you here...when it is time."

~~~

Going away was simple as walking...because that was all that it required, going through the blades and into the mists.

Soon, Cyra would feel as if she was falling for a moment...and she would land on soft ground!

It seemed she was in a green forest!

It was still night, but with her sight she would notice a red-headed fox-girl resting peacefully under a tree nearby, inside a small hole that had been dug at it's base!

However, once Cyra would approach, something would jump from inside the hole and go straight at her, getting stuck at her legs! It was a silvery metalic goo like thing!

That seemed to wake the fox too!

"Silvy? Oh...SNOWFOX!" she asked, also jumping straight for Cyra's hug!

 

[Pervy]

"... hmn. So a lot of time passed. A little warning ahead would have been nice.... huh?"
She rolled her eyes. She definitly prefered doing this to others over it being done to her!

"You can bring me again, but next time, I'll ask a price. There are many places that need fixing. I'd prefer to have a plan to defend that's actually my own."
She mused. She'd been summoned so often she wondered if the forces of good wanted to use her just like the forces of evil, sometimes.

Cyra stepped calmly as things around her shifted, observing the forest, only to be pounced by something.. silvery? And then a fox-girl!
"Heh. Hello. How do you enjoy nature as compared to fiendish cults, fair fox?"
She asked, deciding to let a bit of noble mannerisms flow into her voice. Because she was worth it.

"I fixed a few things, including myself, even though I barely understood the place myself. I really need to get myself a plane-traveling stick or somesuch."
She mused, scratching behind the foxgirls ears and examining the slithery silvery thing, although she had a suspicion already there. "So, location wise, this is...?"

 

[Aenon]

Momo didn't seem listen a lot to what Cyra said, licking her face a few times, then sniffing her neck, and licking her some more!

"Hmmm!" she nodded in satisfaction, before remembering!

"Snowfox! I held the armor thing in your place...and then, and then...!" she reached down to pick up the small ooze, that turned into something that vaguely resembled a girl "...and then we got a cub! We moms!" she said happily!

"She can't speak, but..." she giggled as she gently gave the semi-fluid girl to Cyra "...she is very smart, like you! She is growing up fast too...but she eats metal things so..." she explained, looking somwehat troubled.

The small creature was the same silvery thing Cyra had used as an armor back then...except now it was way more human like! And it seemed to have a liking for Cyra too, hugging her finger putting it into her mouth! It seemed she wanted to mimic the foxgirl, but she was lacking a tongue...

"We are at that village that lady sent us! Looking out for mean soldiers from the big village...but you came first!"

 

[Pervy]

"I.. mnyaaah! Hey I learned to be a dignified knight during a journey of self discovery!"
She flailed a little under Momo's attention.
"Waaah? That's not how it works.. I think."
She nodded, looking at the goo thing. Well Momo in fox form had...

.. Cyra looked more troubled than Momo when handed the metal-eating goo girl, poking at the goo-girls mouth with a little awww, but also making sure to keep her very away from her sword..

"What soldiers? I sure hope they have armor to feed the little thing, because I am not sacrificing mine, my walking around nude and slutty days are -for now- behind me."
She declared, before adding. "Let's go find some soldiers and feed the lil goo thing their armor.. do you have a name for it? Oh also!"
She added, hugging Momo. She'd missed the silly fox. Not so sure about the licking but.. she shrugged and gave her foxy companion a soft kiss on her lips. "Forgot to thank you, in your own, weird, vulpine-slutty ways you helped me get through a pretty bad time. Sorry you had to see me at.. kind of my worst, heh..."
She nodded.

 

[Aenon]

"Ah...what you mean your worst...Snowfox is still Snowfox. Only that magical thing we got is gone." she pondered...but she wasn't the one to stick to the same topic for long.

"She is silver, so I called her SIlvery! Do you like it?" she asked, looking at Cyra with puppy eyes.

"The soldiers, right. I have NOT found them!" she declared proudly with a big smile!

"The witch-girl said they would probably be coming for the goblin friends! Most definitely!" she nodded.

"An axe-collector visited to collect the axes. The axe collector was in heat however, and he tried to mate with the witch-girl." she explained "However, the tough rock-muscle girl smacked him."

"Then, a few days later the axe-collector lost his axes, and said that the goblins stole them. And then we arrived, and we said our story too. Everyone was very impressed with Snowfox and all the things she did!" Momo said happily!

"Ah...yes, and then they told me to help by checking when they come, while goblins look for an other place to go." she explained "But if we fight it will be looooots of trouble. I shouldn't fight them! The witch-girl said so many times! But Momo understands with just one time!" she complained, while rubbing her face against the paladin's neck!

 

[Pervy]

"Whaaaa?"
Cyra made now moderatly sure that it was the foxgirl being strange, not her being dumb struggling to listen to the rapid fire reasoning of the fox girl. "I know the witch and the hob-goblin yes.. axe.. girl? Hmnn."
"Glad to impress people however..."
She noted, moderatly worried that the vulpine might have.. shifted about details of the story a little bit, scratching behind the fox-girls fuzzy ears with a smile at her affectionate nature.

"Yeah I'ma go mess with those guys because they sound mean-o. ..although if you haven't found them I doubt I will be any swifter.. perhaps we should go check up on witch girl what was her name.. dying is a pain fo the memory..

Oh also I have a score to settle with a tree somewhere down the line but that's not as important."
She noted, patting the foxes hair, before deciding to move towards whatever the fox-girl suggested was the proper path to re-encounter her witch aquaintance, affectionately patting her fox-companion along the way.

 

[Aenon]

"A tree? Uh, there are many trees around!" the foxgirl giggled, happy to get petted and rub against Cyra on their way back, while the small Silvery decided to nap comfortable in the paladin's arms!

It took a few hours to return back to the village, even with Momo showing the right way without much effort. It seemed they arrived along with the first rays of the morning sun...

The village still had its wooden wall around it, and it was even well guarded...for village standards that is. Just two guards, with spears - one of the cheapest weapons to have - and with some chainshirts that were probably family hairlooms...

"Oh....quick, help open the gate! Its the Foxy girl! And Miss Cyra!" the guard seemed happy to see them back. It seemed so long ago since Cyra had left the village...but it wasn't. The village was still the same, if anything had changed, that would be the paladiness...

The gate didn't take long for the 'gate' to be opened. It was just a large door made of thick planks after all.

The guards seemed happy to see them both, looking at Cyra with both admiration and perhaps some shyness. They were by no means seasoned soldiers.

"Ah...you are back! Welcome back Lady Cyra and Miss Momo! Did you really go to hell?" the guard asked before he was stopped by the other guard "Forgive him, he is not very bright....should I go wake up the Mayor, or you want to meet Miss Sera? Or something else we can help with?" he offered


After a while, Cyra and Momo would meet Sera once again! She wasn't even asleep. She had red eyes, proof that she has been reading thebig piles of tomes that were laid on her table. However, she seemed relieved to see Cyra again.

"You are back! You are back!" she gave a friendly hug. "She is My Snowfox!" Momo complained, but she just rubbed herself on Cyra a bit more to erase the witche's smell!

"Ah. sorry..." the witch said, leading them inside"...what happened? I heard the story..." she said blushing a bit "...and Momo, what happened, did you see any soldiers?" she asked.

After a short explanation, Cyra would learn the whole story. It was a tax collector, not an axe collector the one who had caused the trouble, it was just that Momo couldn't understand the meaning of the word. According to Sera, he had probably just kept the taxes for himself and then pretending that the goblins took them. That would get him both a revenge against the hobgobliness who had beat him up, and he would keep the gold for himself. Of course proving the goblins innocense would be hard...Sera had been trying to read all the law books she could find trying to find a solution.

"We can't fight the soldiers...they are just doing their work. Or so they think. And if we beat them, it will just make us look even more guilty. It is the goblins word against the tax collector's word...and well..." she sighed "...until recently they had been attacking. How are we going to persuade the Lord that they changed their ways...?"

"So I guess, they can only move away..." she explained, with one more sigh.

 

[Pervy]

Cyra petted the adorable oozey thing, before glancing over to Momo. "Well, yes, but no, I got a tree in particular in mind."
She explained, idly wondering when she'd last slept. Another upside of her new body, it seemed. She could sleep, but didn't seem to need to..

"Good morning gentlemen.. Keeping up the defenses I see."
It was not much, but.. it was something. Cyra approached with a refound knightly grace.. at least compared to her nude sneak-in the first time, definitly...

"Went to hell, can not recommend the experience. Same for dying by the way. I however decided neither should keep me from my duties yet."
She nodded to the guards, still happy to spread her legend - a little-

She smiled to the witch, and scratched behind the lewd foxes ears... her posessiveness was cute, and ever so slightly sensual. "I shall be having a talk it seems."
She grinned to Sera, and focused for a moment, straightening out her posture.

"Infact how about instead of doing all these booklets you remember two things you .. hopefully.. read about me. One thing I placed this village under my protection.. a.. short while ago. Two."
She chuckled. "Well, just watch two in action. Send for the soldiers if they don't come by by themselves, let them in. I shall meet with them."
She nodded, before deciding to place herself in the village square, pulling out her moonlight blade and the Watcher of ultimate pervyness (working title) calmly polishing the latter and meditating over the former. In time, the Soldiers would come to them, she assumed. She also adviced: "Momo, I'll be needing to be serious for a little, if you can take the errr.. little one and just watch the show from a distance that'd be very cuddleable later."

She insisted, before calmly waiting for whoever was there to come.. upon arrival she'd put her weapons away and stand, this time focused with calm authority.. and those beholding her more serious demenaour, and knew little of her.. slutty escapades might feel they were standing not before a woman, but a ruler as she seemed to stand larger than she really was upon the little towns square.
(Random rolled charisma and got a 19, so good start, rawr!)

 

[Aenon]

"Uh...right! Now that you are here, what's the worst that could happen..." Sera pondered rubbing her red eyes "...I think I need to sleep for a bit..." she sighed.

Momo was not very opposed to the idea of cuddles later.

"Sure thing, Snowfoxy! I will be over there, if you get bored..." she agreed, picking Silvery with her (the small thing waved her hand at Cyra happily as she was taken away). They didn't go very far away however, and Cyra could still watch Momo tickling and playing around with her...perhaps daughter...?

In any case, it seemed the distance from the city wasn't very short...or maybe they got lost in the way...or maybe a tree ate them...? At least the villagers were all very friendly, an old lady even brought some food for Momo and Cyra...and a while later an other familiar face showed up!

It was Olda, the blacksmith girl Cyra had brought back from hell! She was more properly dressed, looking like a commoner however...

...and she had brought a spear-head for Silvery too!

"Oh...I heard you came back...nice village, but it has already a blacksmith, and not nearly enough metal..." she sighed.

A break for food and some talking helped the time pass a bit...but only for a while. Olda had found a side-job helping the locals with their lumbering.




Luckily, all the waiting finally paid out. There was a small commotion at the entrance of the village, before a group of soldiers bearing purple tabards were led towards her. They were well equiped for the local standards, wearing chainmails. Two of them even had crossbows, four others had large shields spears. Their leader was even better equipped, wearing a breastplate. Even if it wasn't a full plate, it was certainly not a common armor for soldiers to have. A step behind him followed a female soldier, her armor showing that she was not part of the same group. From her pouch and her looks, she was a spellcaster.

"I am Captain Lagart, we are here to deal with your goblin troubles. So, we were told to meet you first, miss..?" he asked, as he arrived.

 

[Pervy]

Cyra was, naturally, not supposed to being fed! "Hmnnn? .. oh I'm sure we can find you some good metal to work upon." Cyra enthused.

She sat there, calmly folded, until observing a troupe of ooooh.. good organized soldiers, continuing they had a spellcaster too.

She rose when the man introduced her, sheathing her blade and folding her hands.
"Greetings, Captain Lagert. 'tis a strange aquaintance we make, in a little village like this, is it not?"
She mused, rising.
"Good enough an excuse as nay to reprimand thee for thine dishonorable approach."
She acknowledged.

"The proper way to address me should be her Ladyship Cyra Darkbane, the White General. To hard working seeming strangers such as thou I shall pemit a shortening to 'Lady Darkbane' but know that I am in a sour mood due to no fault of your own, and yet by the circumstances of your arrival.
This town is under my vassalage, as I am sure you've been informed. If not, I shalt apologize for the oversight of my subjects. There's been a bothersome clerk instigating false rumours about troubles with goblins that verily I can handle by mself. I'll accuse him of slander and malfesance, without exenuating circumstances considering the litigations of sexual abuse I hath heard."

She ordered, rather than questioned.
"I'll also formerly request a throughout investigation of corruption among your administrative staff considering this incident by your honored leadership."0
She folded her hands.

"Now that the bothersome official business is done, allow me to apologize to you for your misplaced effort, you came here expecting to hunt down creatures. There's no necessity for this. As noted, this is my town. I shall take care of all ills that befall it. If I require aid and you are willing to lend it, I shall make sure to let you know."
She promised.

 

[Aenon]

The witch seemed to want to say something, but she didn't do so when the old captain started speaking first.

"Greetings Lady Cyra Darkbane. If you excuse me, my knowing of heraldship isn't what it used to be." he didn't seem too shocked by her introduction, but not challenging it directly either.

"Countess Bluelake didn't mention your Ladyship to us. We were on our way here, and we decided to solve the goblin problem while at it." he explained

"But I am puzzled, while it is true that the tax collector was suspiciously unharmed, there seemed to be reports of goblins attacking travellers the last weeks. So much, that it is strange that he dared to visit this village in the first place. Perhaps there is some kind of sinister plot going on here, that lies beyond what we can see?" he pondered.

"Have there been sightings of goblins in the area at all? Or perhaps other forces of the Dark?"

It was at this point that the spellcaster joined the conversation, with a steady monotonous but oddly determined voice.

"I wish to speak with the Witch of this village, and hold a proper investigation for traces of magic. Our mission goes beyond chasing goblins. There seems to be activity of Blighters -Dark druids- in the woods beyond. The Council wants to cleanse the area and control it strictly for a time - we do not require anything of your Ladyship, except the most basic level of cooperation." she said, after taking few steps forward.

 

[Pervy]

"'tis fine. Mine heraldry has not been worn for many a year, but that itself doesn't illegitimize heritage."
She hoped that was true to the rules of this land, anyway.

She listened in and glanced over to the spellcaster as well. "You have my cooperation."
She nodded, stepping aside to nod at Sera. "And more. Whilest I pacified a goblin tribe a while back, they are too diverse and violent to claim I could solve the problem.

Furthermore. I wish to report.. Sera, a map." She commanded and just for one moment, there was a hint of hesitation.. the ease with which she fell into the behaviour of calling upon others as her lesser, it was too reminiscent of...

She was just doing an act to appear strong before these folks.


A moment later, they were standing around a table, with Cyra circling an area in the wildernis, doing her best to look like a carefully and mysteriously genius planning strategist by staring at the map for a moment too long, secretly pondering if equine or vulpine cock was better.. hmnnn Equine had the amazing girth, but a knot.. oh right back to topic: "I was attacked by an animated tree around there, a while back..." please don't ask when I've gone through too much shit to keep track!
"I thought it just an accident of nature, but perhaps I unwittingly wandered upon a guard."
Coming to think of it, she still owed that tree a good beating, now that her abilities were more or less fully returned!

"... I shall investigate the area. Momo do you wish to accompany me?"

 

[Aenon]

While Cyra was discussing the route they would take with the grizzled Captain, the witch took Sera to the side and had a talk with her. She also went around the village casting a few detection spells, but she didn't seem to find what she was looking for.

Captain Lagart on the other hand, didn't seem to be fearful of Cyra's supposedly noble status, but he was also not antagonizing her either. Instead he showed her exactly the area they were supposed to investigate.

It was just a bit further down from where Cyra had encountered the unfriendly living tree, indeed. Both the ravine and the claw-mountain were marked on the map, but not the cave with the shadows. Luckily, the supposed area they were investigating wasn't on the same side Cyra had explored last time.

For the goblins, the Captain just said that they would have to investigate further at a later time.

"We will also refresh our supplies, and head towards that area. We would welcome a capable fighter along." he nodded.

~~~

Soon, Cyra and Momo were travelling along with the band of soldiers. With enough time, the soldiers had opened enough to chit-chat among themselves on the way. One was eager to go back and see his wife and his kid, an other noted that he couldn't wait to visit his favourite whore, the other got angry for the implied comparison...however their argument was silenced when their commander turned to give them a stern look.

Cyra however had someone else poking her too.

"Hey, Snowfox, look at this! This tree is three hundred years old!" Momo would happily show her findings to her.
"Look, those berries are very tasty! But after they turn black they are poisonous, not eat!"

"Wooo...a big bear likes to pee here...we should probably look out for it's bear-cave...no Silvery don't go there...!!!"

Between a loud group of soldiers, and a druid tagging along, going through the forest was unexpectedly easy...

It was late in the evening, and the Captain was already looking for a proper place to set camp for the night. Momo seemed to investigate something by the side, returning with a mischievous look.

"Hey, Snowfox...I found a note that there is a nymph living nearby. Have you ever seen one? Wanna go find her tonight?" she asked with a lowered voice.

 

[Pervy]

"This whole issue is a bit close to the village under my protection, so I'll go." She agreed, watching the others stockpile supplies and just now realizing she hadn't eaten in like.. days. She could enjoy food but this body didn't get hungry anymore it seemed.. Alright, so perhaps hell-crafted flesh had some advantages.. were was the Lovely devil anyway?

Cyra suprised an intercession towards the soldiers that it was bad luck to talk about going to see wifes and kids.. she'd remembered in her own revolutionary army that..
Old memories, not important now. "You sure know a lot about nature,.. red fox."
Cyra smiled, taking in the advising along the way.

She did throw in the occasional spell for detecting evil outsider or undead influences, just in case there were any shenanigans in the forest, but things seemed uneventful. Then, Momo approached her, and Cyra cleared her throat. "I'm pretty sure a mor- I'd go blind if I stared at a nymph for too long, I've heard of that ability somewhere in my education... hold on who gave you this kind of message anyway...?"
She mused.
"Then again, a nymph might certainly know of evil druid activity in the area, so perhaps going there is not a bad idea.."
She mused, letting Momo convince herself to head over if she was insistent.

 

[Aenon]

Meanwhile, somewhere moderately away...

"Uh...didn't I just eat? Why am I hungry again? Uhhh...damn...maybe I ate too much?"

"Sigh...I wonder what my lovely paladin is doing..."

~~~

"Oh, I found some old druid symbols on a tree over there." Momo nodded "They are a bit old, but Nymphs don't move around if they can avoid it.."

"Also, you don't need to worry. You just need to close your eyes, and make friends before they allow you to look." she explained "Of course they get angry if you peep. If you get discovered..." she giggled.


(If Momo is further questioned, she would reveal that the old druidic runes also mark the location of their circle - a place friendly travellers could visit as long as they don't bring harm to the forest. It is very clearly a message left from druids to druids however, and it doesn't seem to be written by evil druids given it's contents.)

 

[Pervy]

"Alright so, there are friendly druid markins but they are old, I get that right?"
She pondered. "I'm starting to worry if those nymphs.. or druids, are still around and healthy..."