T1 Match - Esmeralda (Scarlet) vs Riaze Nightroad (Lobos)

[Lobos]

Ruleset: SC T1
Match Type: 1v1 Open
Time Limit: None
First Post: Scarlet​

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Setting
A coniferous forest, roughly 5km in diameter.

There is a small lake in just east of the center, with an open field along its northeastern shore. A stream drains into it from the north running from the west, and continues to the southeast. The denser forest is to the west of the lake, rough, wild woods where the only trails are game trails.

A rough road follows the stream to the east, and the woods thin out, with the majority being localized groves with more open fields between each grove. A fence runs along the western side of the road, very basic split logs and posts.​

 

[Scarlet]

Esmeralda stepped out of the thick forest line, blinking against the unfiltered sun. She had been walking for days now, following the faint signs of civilization. The stream bubbled besides her, gaining strength as it flowed and spilled into the lake in the distance. A faint smile touched her lips as her eyes fell upon the wire fences and split logs along the east edge of the clearing.

People.

She pulled up her hood, the thick blue material casting a comfortable shadow across her face. The sun was so strong in this world, she was already bracing for the burns. She walked towards the lake with light steps, humming to herself as she let her mind stretch out and scan for life around her. More specifically, she was looking for fish in the river. She located several small nuggets of energy and deemed them sufficient. She dropped her pack, scanned the area once for threats, then went about the mindless task of building a fire.

She settled along the west edge of the lake, her back to the thick forest, allowing her to keep a lingering eye on the fence line least the owners show up. While she was eager to return to her creature comforts, Esmeralda preferred a solidarity life. A life that didn’t surprise her. A life that she could control. There was nothing more unpleasant to her than people showing up and changing everything she had planned for her day. But still, people were necessary for things like a warm bed… tea… bread...

Her mouth was watering in anticipation. She hoped she could find herself an actual house to stay in before the sun set, but there was still the chance that she couldn’t. She forced herself to stay patient and use the current resources at hand. She dumped her kindling into a pile and huffed, blowing a curl from her eyes as they trailed, once again, to the man-made fence.

As much as she hated to admit it, a small part of her was craving the hustle of human minds buzzing around her. It had been years since she had stepped foot in a city and her mentor had kept his mind firmly shut to her, leaving her with just the sparse wildlife on the mountain they lived on to listen to. She should really should have double checked her portal before she left, she could have saved herself all these weeks of unsalted squirrel.

She brought the fire to a nice roaring blaze, then left it alone to die out and create cooking coals. She scooted herself to the lake’s edge, refusing to let herself think about how deep it could be… No, she wasn’t thinking about that. She shook her head and cleared her thoughts, entering an almost meditative state as she put all of her focus into finding the sparks of life in the lake. She located the biggest one and then began the tedious task of coaxing its dull mind to swim towards her.

 

[Lobos]

A man meandered along the road in an unhurried manner, puffing on a rolled cigarette with unconcerned ease. Padding along with bared feet, his appearance was almost mundane. Loose fitting pants and shirt, lightly flapping in the gentle breeze as he walked, he was fair of skin, average of height, a lean figure in motion. His hair hung loose, bouncing slightly with each step, drawing attention to one of his unusual features, canine ears erect, twitching in various positions as sounds found their way to his keen senses. A single red eye watched languidly, its opposite occluded by an eyepatch across his face. Steel piercings rested in over his functioning eye, a set of three rings in the edge of his right ear. His features were youthful, often regarded as attractive as he'd been told, though they were typically accompanied by propositions virtually never reciprocated.

Riaze Nightroad was unhurried, merely wandering as was his wont to do. Little was the concern he had for the dangers associated with the untamed wilds, for in his scent carried a primal warning that sent potential predators seeking elsewhere. Equally unconcerned was sentient threats, bandits and their ilk. The grip of the wrapped blade across his back was well worn, and while he held the appearance of a man much younger, his age gave him the practice of humans three times what they thought he hand. And his heritage made him a traveler far stronger and swifter than those that preyed on such adventurers expected.

His time on the road had been dull, though new sounds from ahead made themselves known. The crackling of a fire, a sign of either nature's passing...or sentient presence. His hand brushed against the sword's grip, his experience with not bothering to conceal his inhuman traits often inviting conflict.

But his confidence, that of the predator he was by birth, allowed no immediate concern for potential combat, and so he continued on his way, casually, and without attempt to conceal himself.