forum Elemental kingdoms (STILL OPEN 2/4/24) Large group.3/?

Started April 01, 2022 by @CaseyJ group

tune

After a while, ciana still hadn't returned. Then there was a ruckus, sounds of a fight, and Ginger's illusion flickered for a second. Ciana was still awake, the illusion came back, but she was obviously in trouble.

Ginger's head snapped toward the sounds of a scuffle. She didn't notice that for a second, she seemed to flicker with light and change appearance. But it happened so fast, none of the other people in the vicinity seemed to notice.
Ginger stood, her hand going to her belt where her hunting knife hung in its leather sheath. Not wanting to draw attention, she glanced at the boys, eyes wide. "Do you think I should check on her?" she asked, voice low. No one was staring, and only some of the other people were looking concerned at the noise.

Devon sighed and pulled his staff out, "If your not back in ten minutes we'll go after you, but no reason to tire everyone out if its just something small".

Elias gave her a thumbs up and a wink.

She shrugged. "Aight. It's probably nothin', I betcha somebody just tripped and fell." But her gut still writhed with unease as she sauntered toward the bathroom.

(not sure how the scene should play out / look when she enters the bathroom?)

Pushing the door open casually, Ginger's facade of calm dropped at the sight of a smear of blood on the floor. A tiny window for ventilation and light near the ceiling, probably only about one square foot previously, had been blasted wider; the gaping hole in the wall was easily big enough for a person to fit through. She dashed to the opening.
Another small speckling of blood colored the trampled grass outside, before vanishing into the packed dirt and cobbles of the street. "ShhhhhhhIT!" she hissed. Ginger whirled, starting back to Eli and Devon. But there might not be time… she thought. "Shit." she said again, and turned, leaping through the hole in the wall, following the footsteps before they were erased.
She scanned the surrounding thoroughfare, peering through the small crowds of chattering people. A muffled shout, a flash of pale hair around a corner across the street: Ciana! Ginger sped after the sound, intent on saving her new friend.

At her quick shout, her captors pricked her with some sort of dart, needle, or other method of delivering sedatives, and Ginger's illusion fell as ciana fell into sleep. She slumped into her captors arms as she was pulled out of Ginger's sight.

Her feet hammered across the street at a dead sprint. One hand stayed on the hilt of her fixed blade hunting knife, somewhat concealed under her coat, while the other pushed pedestrians out of the way. Shouts accompanied her passage, yelling and swearing after her. Ginger paid none of them any mind. Her new friend was in danger and she found herself itching for a brawl.
She didn't notice when the faint glow around the edges of her vision disappeared abruptly.
She whipped around the brick corner, drawing her knife. Every line of her body itched with tension, adrenaline coursed through her veins. But an empty alleyway yawned in front of her, vacant save for rodents and a stray cat.
"Son of a–" Ginger picked up her pace again, charging down the alley. But at the end, it opened to another street just like the one she'd crossed on the way here. "Son of a bitch!" she screamed. "Ciana! Ciana!" Ginger turned, banging on the doors lining the narrow alley. Three of them were restaurant kitchens, and she got sworn at some more. One was locked. She glared at it savagely, swearing to herself a stupid lock wouldn't stop her. She kicked it, the way she'd seen military do it, practicing within eyesight. She imagined pushing her foot through the wood, right next to the handle, pouring effort into the motion. A crack sounded, but the door resisted. 'one more…'
With a yell and one more kick, she got the door open. A long, dim hallway stretched before her. The dingy rugs and musty smell suggested it was a hotel or apartment.

(ok um not sure where to go from here… in my mind there's one more door in this alley she hasn't tried. its not locked, but it might be someone's place of residence. she could run down the hall but im kinda hoping Dev & Eli catch up by now so I dont have to carry all the descriptions myself😅 any other ideas for how this goes cause im open to better ideas than what I have😅)

Devon stood waiting for a few minutes, but after ten minutes had passed, he marched off in the direction the others had ran, dragging Elias along with him.

Elias, noticing Devon's change of attitude from uncaring to serious and probably pissed, changed the way he held himself, going from a playful, calm stature, to battle ready. He could tell something was off, and besides, time was ticking, they wanted to get to the ice castle before it got any colder, and Elias knew Devon did not like delays.
Electricity crackled along his fingertips as they scanned the alleyway, having followed the angry shouting, which led them to where Ginger was now.

Ginger turned at the sound of footsteps near the mouth of the alley. "Eli! Devon!" Relief flooded her at the sight of her two other friends. "I don't know who it was but someone got Ciana, I saw them drag her down this alley but I was too slow…" She stopped only to take a breath. Running around and panicking like this had not been on her agenda for today, she thought. "They could have gone anywhere, out the other end of the alley or one of these doors." She adjusted and readjusted her grip on her knife in anxiety, pacing a little as she spoke.