[KQ] [SE] muderately messy (babies)

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen
I searched 'aurora borealis green'

Liam's strike once again hit true, and he smiled grimly as he realized just how close they were to ending it. But when the tide jaguar and the assumed magic user missed, he grimaced and readied himself for another attack. He'd almost forgotten about the fourth person - a girl he didn't recognize - until she appeared with twin daggers. He might have shouted for her to get out of the way, but it was too late; the mudling turned on her, swinging a club-like "arm" that collided with the girl's ribs.

With a snarl, Liam jumped between the mudling and its target, slashing out once more with Oakblade. If he was lucky, he could end this now, before anyone else got even more hurt than they already were. He didn't chance a look at the girl, but that blow couldn't have felt good. This time, instead of darting out of the way, Liam held his ground between the mudling and the stranger, sword poised between them as though ready to block any incoming attack.

---

Liam jumps between the mudling and Noe and slashes at the mudling with his sword. Then he opts to stay put, guarding Noe from further attacks.

Oakblade | When sheathed, this longsword feels as light as a feather, but upon being unsheathed, it instantly adjusts its weight to the wearer’s intent, allowing for devastatingly heavy strikes.
Type: Grey | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic | Cost: Action

I've never seen someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery

Liam

Liam moves before the creature can strike again, boots skidding through the soaked earth as he throws himself between Noe and the sagging wall of mud. His Oakblade arcs in a clean, decisive slash, slicing through the creature’s midsection with enough force to send a spray of muck hissing into the rain. The blow cleaves straight through whatever magic holds it together—its form rippling, sagging, then collapsing entirely with a low, guttural gurgle.

For a moment, the clearing goes still except for the patter of rain and the faint hiss of steam rising from the dying creature. Then, as the last of it melts into the ground, something unexpected glints in the mud. Four small eggs remain nestled amid the puddles; smooth and brightly painted, each one adorned with the delicate image of a hot air balloon drifting through a clouded sky. The colours shimmer faintly under the will-o-wisps’ light, untouched by the rain, as if the forest itself had decided to leave behind a peculiar sort of peace offering.

---

Congratulations! You've killed both mudlings!

There are also 4 eggs to be collected! It's up to you who takes what. Diplomacy or selfishness; it's your call! At the bottom of your post, based on the actions of those who posted, clearly state how many eggs you're taking.

Your randomly assigned posting order is Liam, Calypso, Hawthorn, Noe.

Damien has been disqualified from this KQ for failing to post twice. He cannot use this KQ for levelling or as a creature encounter.

Liam: 51/51
Calpyso: 45/45
Hawthorn: 36/36
Noe: 18/32
Damien: 31/45

Memory Mudling 1: 0/150 HP | To-hit 27 | Dmg 19 **Killed by Liam for levelling purposes
Memory Mudling 2: 0/115 HP | To-hit 20 | Dmg 14 ** Killed by Liam for levelling purposes.

You have 24 hours to respond before you are skipped. Remember to include a summary at the bottom of your post with all action taken. If weapons/upgrades/abilities/items/shifts/etc are used, please include their desc. from your profile at the bottom of your post as well.

REMEMBER: KQs are rewarding but dangerous. They may cause death and/or permanent changes to your characters.

MEMORY MUD

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen
I searched 'aurora borealis green'

The second mudling disintegrated before Liam's eyes, and he lingered just long enough to make sure it wasn't going to rise from the dead before he turned, sheathing his sword in one smooth motion, to kneel beside the girl who'd been hit. "Try to breathe," he told her kindly. "My name's Liam. Are you alright?"

Something glinted in the mud, and Liam glanced over to see something egg-like gleaming in the mire, but he was too focused on the girl to give it much thought. Ignoring the eggs, he kept his attention on the stranger - except for a brief glance at the other two combatants. "Thank you for fighting," he told them. "Any chance either of you can heal?"

---

Liam takes zero eggs and focuses on Noe. He asks Calypso and Hawthorn if either of them can heal.

I've never seen someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery

Liam

don't talk 'bout me like how you might know how i feel
top of the world, but your world isn't real

Liam steps up and as he cleaves into the creature as she passes by, snarling softly from her miss. The spray of mud is sent into the air, spiraling out in wet little plops as it lands against the ground. Left in the wake of it she spies a clutch of eggs – confusion flaring in the jaguar’s face as she tilts her pale head, splattered with mud.

She takes note of the girl that’s hurt, but without any ability to heal, the young attuned snags one of the eggs carefully in her maw and with a little mrowr and a flick of her tail, slinks off into the underbrush.

---

Caly takes ONE egg and leaves!

Calypso

your world's an ideal

so we take our time and skip around some

His air goes wide, splitting the rain that keeps falling in rivets around them. It doesn’t seem to matter too much, though, because at the very least it hadn’t swung wide and hurt anyone, and for all that he can tell it seems like the creature’s about to meet its demise anyway. He starts to ready himself, precisely when he sees the hit on Noe. Wincing and dropping the rain immediately, he starts stepping over toward her when Liam steps in and claims the kill.

Eggs are left behind and despite the courtesan’s confusion, he pockets a singular egg as he makes his way over toward Liam and Noe, dropping down beside them. “I can heal.” He informs them with a crooked and charming smile, looking her over before reaching out with glittering gold hands to try and heal her from the worst of the injuries. “I’m Thorn, by the way. My healin’ ain’t too strong yet, but it’s somethin’ till we can get ya settled.” Belatedly he thinks about the sandwiches, if either Liam or Noe would want one when the chaos finally settled as a little peace offering to help for his lack of strong healing.

---

Thorn takes ONE egg and heals Noe!

Healing (Abandoned/Hybrid): Heals minor wounds at basic level.
Type: Light | Rank: Basic | Cost: Action

Hawthorn

half my love is on the run

Draw the cat eye, sharp enough to kill a man
You did some bad things, but I'm the worst of them

Maybe staying out of the way would have been the smarter move, but Noe has never been one to pull her punches. Even when they don't seem to do much in the way of damage.

She has just enough time to register that her attack hardly does anything at all before a clumpy arm - if it can be called that - is crashing into her side, pulling a cry of pain from her lips as she staggers back. Hissing through her teeth, she falls to one knee - but then the blonde man is there in front of her, finishing off the mudling, and she lets out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

His name is Liam, it seems, and he kneels beside her, talking with a gentle tone. "Noe," she grits out between clenched teeth. Gods, that blow hurt, but her pride is stronger. "I'm fine." Despite the evidence to the contrary.

Then the other man - Hawthorn - is there, and he's healing her, and by the time he's finished, she can breathe a little easier. "Thanks," she says, relief on her face and in her tone regardless of whatever scraps of dignity she has left to cling to. "That's a lot better." Then, glancing over at the eggs left in the mud, Noe palms the remaining two. "What are these?" she asks, glancing between the two men. And when no answers are forthcoming, she shrugs and pockets them - something to survey later, she thinks.

For now, though, she looks at the remnants of the mudlings and shivers. "Okay, so like, can we get out of here now?" she asks the men. And so they do.

fin

Sometimes I wonder which one will be your last lie
They say looks can kill and I might try

Noe