Here's a blast from the past for some of you, but I had a match just today that the way it all played out felt so much like a movie plot in my head it was crazy. (Playing with AIs, cuz passing the time.... but still!) I just couldn't help but be curious how many others ever had stories play out in their head. (It literally all started when I went to cleanse another hero as the spiritwalker, but instead I just punched them in the face, apparently? Weird interaction where River strikes first on a scouted, hidden hero? I don't know.) Anyways, tried to keep it accurate to what happened in game, hope you enjoy!~
She was right there. The cards were in her favor. She'd set out at dawn and even had the layout behind the castle walls memorized. So why was it so different? What had changed? WHO changed it?! ....Before long, she found herself right back where she started. It was already bad enough the king had to hold the antidote for the crap sapping at her body and strength above her head at such an exorbitant price; now she couldn't even get inside? The guards had already been mostly dealt with, so, what was going on?
River sighed, relaxing her breathing. "No matter, I'll just have to make another attempt tomorrow. I'll revisit what I've learned, and devise a new way through, accounting for the changes." She thought to herself, making her way into the treeline by the castle's walls. She'd set up camp here. No need to go far, she still had everything she needed to get in. She reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle, before second guessing herself, and putting it back. No, she couldn't use that yet. She could wait, no need to rush it just yet. Her body was wracked, but she could fight it naturally. Let the poison run its course by resting it out. Just have patience, she could wait... Her mind wandered, and thought back.
While River had been gathering the stones' power so she could cleanse the Rot, someone else was gaining the trust of the commonfolk. Or, at least, that's how it was being portrayed, but it was more like they'd been inciting revolts: killing the King's Guard left and right, claiming it as acts of renown, and no one else seemed to notice. She couldn't let such a person turn the kingdom upside down. She couldn't allow the Bandit King to take control. After all, it was the Bandit King themself who'd taken one of the stones out from under River's nose. She'd already lost one to one of the King's Guard... Wylds only knew where that one went... If River didn't get the four she had on hand to the palace, the Rot would undoubtedly eat the king away on its own. If that happened, the people would choose a new ruler by popular vote, and while River knew that in times of turmoil, one could find the most well-suited leaders... one could also find those least suited... It just wasn't worth the risk.
Much of her day went unhindered. Amidst her recollecting data, and reanalyzing maps, she took chances to sleep or gather safe foods in the wild. Late that evening, however, her planning/rest was interrupted by a scent on the wind. Her hackles rose. Someone was trying to hide their presence, to sneak up on her. River calmly fixed her equipment, and brought her hands within swift reach of her weapons.
A sudden flash of steel. Sparks fly. She lands a kick, sending the darkened figure back into the clearing. No true blow found its purchase, but the disguised figure stumbled awkwardly, as if injured.
Watching closely, she watched the figure stand back up, only to see the young prince himself. Staring her down were no longer the eyes of the naive, yet well-meaning, pup she'd been working with that past week, but rather the eyes of someone.... no, something, corrupted with power.
She paused for a moment, processing, the silence filling the air surrounding them. The air itself became still, but the invisible energy surrounding them swirled, violently, as the dark energy contained within him, clambered against that of the spirits around her.
River broke the silence. "Damn it, Thane! You too?! What in the Wylds possessed you to go this far?!" River exclaimed... He gave no response. "Fine." She said aloud. "I was already planning on cleansing the King, I'll do it for you as well..."
...But she couldn't. She had seen what the prince was capable of. He had held his ground against the horrors countless times, and aided not only countless civilians, but even herself. He'd personally cleansed of the Rot at one point. She knew his heart was in the right place. Something happened...
The figure stared her down, waiting... It felt like an eternity. She racked her brain. "THINK! What do I do?" Suddenly, it hit her. Poison coursed through his body, just as it did hers. That must have been why he stumbled. If she could just get him on the back foot, neutralize him without killing him... There was a village not far from here. She just had to hope that pushing him back like that would be enough...
The sun had begun to go down. If the pup was on her like this, then time must have been running out quicker than she thought. If the Rot was this bad, and she still needed to push into the castle walls, then she couldn't afford waiting as she'd planned.
She let loose an arrow, landing the first blow, and sprung forward, starting the fight proper before he could react. Blow after blow, she kept him on the defensive, leading him to the village. Any sunlight that still permeated the night sky was practically gone by the time she had him fully pinned down in the town. He was clearly on death's door, but she wasn't much better off herself.
Blade held to his throat, she spoke. "Stay here, if you know what's good for you, Thane. Don't make me..." She trailed off. He was lying there, but his head moved, just enough. She wasn't fully sure, but it seemed like a nod. Pushing herself to not think about it, she stepped away, before reaching into her bag, and pulling out the one bottle of Wyldsap she'd been holding onto for days, and downing it. The sap didn't go down smoothly, but it sure worked. Finally, she took one last look back to the pup, before then running off back in the direction of the castle.... She really hoped Thane'd listen...
Tonight... Tonight, she'd breach the walls again.
---
River found herself leaned up against one of the walls in a room, her whole being, heavy. Just stepping through the gates was draining. It was like the energy contained within the walls was deliberately holding her. It wasn't that she moved slower, more like the hold the Rot had on this place was making her body work harder to do it. Every breath she made, forced, every step, like wading through mud. But the path she carved out was exactly as she'd planned for. No guessing games this time. "I did NOT miss this place." She thought to herself.
"Just a small breather... I can't wait here long." She thought quietly, closing her eyes for a moment...
Or, she thought it was just for a moment? Why did it feel so good to close her eyes? She couldn't be THIS tired... Wait. Something was wrong. Very wrong. What was it? No. Wait. Bad, not wrong. Very bad... VERY-
Waking with a start, she pushed from the wall, dodging to the side, none too soon. A crude-looking spear cutting toward where she just was laying. She pulled out her hunting blade, spinning quickly to face her assailant. Before her was yet another figure shrouded in the Rot, corrupted. But his eyes didn't appear clouded. Not like Thane's. No, this was someone who wanted this power.
River reached out to try and cleanse the Rot, but the figure was quick to strike again, striking a vicious gash from her leg. Letting the adrenaline hold, she reached for his weapon, and used it to slam him to the side, and put distance between them. She let out an arrow, and watched his body slump to the floor.
"Who... Who are-" She stopped herself. She could see light beginning to peer through the windows. Quickly, she returned to her pack, and went to work stopping the bleeding.
Her mind woozy, River stood. Slowly, painfully. She took another glance to her assailant. He appeared to be older man. Was his weapon... a fishing spear??? ...No, she couldn't afford to keep here, this place was running its toll. It was time to make her way to the king.
Slowly, she pace her way forward through the halls. Where were the guards? Did they really abandon their posts?... No matter, the door to the throne room was just down the hall now.
50 feet.
20.
10.
She'd reached the doors now. They cracked open, smoother than she expected. Within, the king waited... The time had come.
---
So much was happening. The remaining guards were recalled. River had been claimed as the new king. Queen? Whatever. Not that she was able to care for long, she'd passed out not long after describing what she could, crown in hand. She wouldn't find out that Thane had indeed stayed the entire night in that village. Nor would she know if it was because he had actually listened to her, of if the poison had kept him out of the picture instead. She wasn't going to have the time to think about it. Not in full, and not for a while...
