notavirtue | Journeys with a Prothean (Year Two)

Journeys with a Prothean (Year Two)

Javik

COURT
Unseelie

TITLE
Border Shark

ABLE TO FAST-TRAVEL
Yes. Possesses Maglor's Magic Ring, but doesn't tell anyone

RESIDENCE IN 2,701 Caer Scima/The Station

RESIDENCE IN 2,702 You can't tie down a banjo man

MAJOR EVENTS

Promotion
Following his participation in the war and his work along the borders, Javik is given the title of Captain within the Unseelie army.

Treun
Javik attends the summer Tourney in Treun, and meets with the Governor again.

Amunet
Javik learns the secret of Vanessa's Ives possession during Samhain.

YEAR ONE | YEAR TWO | YEAR THREE

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

SPRING IN 2,701 (Mar, Apr, May)

MARCH - The new king of birds brings late snowstorms and a deep freeze to the Drabwurld. Visiting the ruins of Caer Scima, Javik travels with Katsa to assist refugees to the Third Tooth of Dorchadas. Javik visits Vanessa's spire, and once the snow has gone, he visits Damon and his sand worms. Maglor will be gone, having left Javik his magic ring and a shard-palantir. Javik is now the last of the Fellowship of Grumpy Old Men (and a Genie). Aragorn uses the shard-palantir to contact those that also have one.
APRIL - Reul's Right Hand, The Winter King and Unseelie General Saber Alter recruits Javik as an officer in the military. Not one to let emotions get control of him, Javik will bust up that harp as soon as he realizes what's going on. Time not spent flipping out about harps will be used to continue patrolling Dorchadas.
MAY - No more lockets or fairy rings or monarchs! Javik goes swan hunting, and racks up some cash to fund his travels. He stops in at the new trading post, meeting Vol'jin's brother-of-sorts, Thrall. At the Station he crosses paths with Midna, and they both head south together. Unfortunately, the road to Treun is awfully close to Seelie territories...

SUMMER IN 2,701 (Jun, Jul, Aug)

JUNE - Javik attends, but does not participate in the tourneys at Treun. He reconnects with Effy, Ben and Hikaru, and meets Diarmuid and Katherine. Athame has her second litter of puppies in the city. Following the tourney he meets with Debal to discuss replacing Vridan's grave marker... and the governor gets to dogsit Prativ for awhile.

JULY - Javik heads south to Leathann, and is entirely unaware of the hangings in Daonna until news reaches that far south.

AUGUST - Leathann's Festival of Lights occurs during the second week. Javik attends and observes, and visits the Tower of the Oracle. While there's no obvious mark left behind by Vridan, the design of the tower is reminiscent of the architecture found on Feros and Eden Prime. Returning to the mainland, Javik teams up with Diarmuid to take down some rampant forest golems.

FALL IN 2,701 (Sept, Oct, Nov)

SEPTEMBER - Language is of no concern to him when people lose the ability to understand one another. He returns to Treun for the wreath festival, and is knee-deep in the resulting riots. 'Wish you were here' postcard material. Ben takes a look through Javik's eyes to check up on him, and Javik doesn't appreciate it.

OCTOBER - Samhain! Javik meets Wan (twice), argues with Damon, gets drunk with Unseelie soldiers and the Brucolac, gets harassed by Effy and Archer and dances with Vanessa. He later returns to Vanessa's spire despite her warning against it.

NOVEMBER - After Samhain, Javik makes his yearly trip to Loch Sluagh, to visit the grave of Vridan and replace the marker. Following this he will return to Dorchadas to pick up his duties in the Unseelie army.

WINTER IN 2,701/2,702 (Dec, Jan, Feb)

DECEMBER - Protheans may have evolved as hunters, but the White Hart gets the drop on him. Javik will be a bear for the remainder of the month.

JANUARY - Travelling Dorchadas and/or a bear.

FEBRUARY - Travelling Dorchadas. Javik catches up with Katsa at the third spire, Diasbaile.

SPRING IN 2,702 (Mar, Apr)

MARCH - The skeletons strike while Javik is at Damon's spire.

APRIL - Missing fairies. Who cares.

( codes by whambam )( art source )

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If it was any consolation, even the most advanced aliens from Diarmuid's possible future had once confused an alien invasion with a meteor storm. Sometimes the universe threw things your way well before you were ready for them.

Javik frowned, noting Diarmuid's tension immediately. He turned his head, four eyes sweeping over the area around them, looking for the source of disturbance.

"What - " And then Diarmuid was running off. Javik cursed, throwing the horse's reins up and over a tree branch, and then took off after him.

"He may have found one. Be on guard!" Diarmuid doesn't look back at Javik, too focused on trying to get an early glimpse of whatever Oscar has found. He slows slightly as they make their way into the woods, plans forming in his head. Finally, they find him standing in front of a group of...large trees growling loudly at them.

"What the..."

Before he can say anymore, the trees start moving...

At first, Javik assumed it was Oscar growling at the trees, simply because that was what made sense to him. Of course, it was just the drabwurld throwing him another curveball, and his sword was in his hand just the trees started moving at them. It was the damn weeping willow in La Llorona all over again.

These were golems, though, and once limbs could be picked out from branches, they resembled trees less and less. Javik turned his head and let out a short, concise whistle, intending to call Athame back to him. The sound made the golems pause, and then they came at them both, mossy fists swinging.

"Move!" Javik swung his sword, slicing through wood as the pack of golems came lumbering at them, much quicker than they had any right to be.

"Oscar! Attack!" Diarmuid moves amazingly quickly as well once he has sent Oscar off. A swing that should have only had the option of being blocked or hitting him, is dodged instead. He throws his hand up, runs through a pattern of images in his head and then a gout of shadow-tinted flame shoots out at the nearest tree golem. The golem shrieks in either pain or anger--it is a little hard to tell which--and swings its flaming branches at Diarmuid. He doesn't seem to worried, though, and dodges easily.

"I hope you aren't afraid of fire! Try to keep him away from the real trees," Diarmuid's spear finally appears in his hand from nowhere. "Drive him toward the other golems!"

He was startled by the sudden gout of flame, but Javik had no real fear of it. A lifetime of war eventually numbed him to all of the possible ways he could die horribly.

One of which was being pummeled to death by walking trees, and that was not how he planned on going out. Athame hadn't arrived yet, but Javik pressed forward to attack all the same. Shifting his sword to one hand, he lifted the other in a fist, entire body flaring in bright green light. Several of the nearest flaming golems got caught in the same green light, and with the pull of his fist, they were yanked off the ground and sent hurtling towards the rest of the lumbering monsters.

Javik didn't really aim away from the trees, but for now they were unharmed.

The sudden green light catches Diarmuid by surprise, but the surprise is soon replaced by a grin as he realizes what Javik is up to.

"So that is how it works," Diarmuid laughs softly and then motions for Oscar to fall back from the up close fight and to move between the golems and the normal trees instead. The bandersnatch can work like a dog herding sheep might. Keep the golems in one place where the fire can do the most damage without taking the whole forest down with it.

Something tells him the villagers would not much like that.

With Oscar keeping the golems bunched up, Diarmuid moves in for some closer fighting himself. His spear blocks blows and breaks limbs with startling accuracy and speed.

Javik favored learning through experience, versus just talking about it, or however it worked among aliens. Case in point: Diarmuid understood biotics a lot more now than he had just listening to Javik describe it. He didn't even ask where the flames had come from, assuming the answer was magic. It was always magic around here.

Athame finally came bounding through the underbrush, barreling through shrubs until she reached Javik's side. The first thing he did was to wave her away, but that was all the direction she needed. Going in low, she snapped at the heels of the golems, jerking back whenever one took a swing at her. Between her and Oscar, they were doing pretty well. At least -

"There are more of them," Javik pivoted, following the movement in the trees. Not many more, thankfully, but these ones hung back, afraid of the fire and not leaving the safety of the forest just yet.

At first, it seems as if Diarmuid is ignoring Javik's warning. He launches himself at a golem who is pretty badly burned, bringing his spear down across its back with so much force, there is a sickening crack and the golem breaks in half, then falls to the ground and is still. How it happened it is hard to say. One would think that the spear would have been the thing to break, not the golem, but even if strength is not Diarmuid's strong suit, he is many time stronger than a normal human and his spear cannot be broken by any hands but his own.

The moment his feet touch the ground again, he whistles and motions toward the trees where the other golems are lingering. Oscar responds to the whistle changing his duty slightly. Not only does he work to keep the group of golems they are fighting together, he now also moves to keep those in the trees from joining their fellows. Growls and snarls are sent out to both sides, followed by swipes of his claws and lashes from his tail.

Almost full grown now, Oscar is a rather fierce creature to behold...

At this point, Javik wasn't going to question it. His crossbow reloaded itself without any assistance, so why not a spear that could deliver a blow like that? Magic or not, apply pressure at the right point, under the right circumstances...

Athame circled around, keeping the burned group between herself and Oscar while the bandersnatch dealt with the new group. The latest arrivals should just retreat, if they knew what was good for them, but they obviously weren't normal animals. Something kept them from running.

Javik had no intention of wasting time figuring out why that was. Another flare of green light caught two of the golems, slamming them together. Stunned, Javik made short work of them, blade cutting through splintered wood with ease. Before long, they could set their sights on the other golems, though without the use of fire.

Yes, in this case it is more about the right pressure and the right circumstances than straight up magic, though the spear's inability to be broken is helpful in that regard. Diarmuid gives Javik an approving look as he makes short work of the two golems and then turns his attention to the other group. Javik is right. No fire for this group. It is too risky. That actually might be what is keeping them in the trees even more than Oscar's threats and warnings.

Diarmuid drops back beside Javik, " Why don't we let Oscar and Athame keep their attention while we circle back behind them? It will be their mistake that they did not run when they had the chance."

With the main bulk of the golems taken out, Javik shifted his sword to one hand, letting it point down towards the ground. He watched Diarmuid with one set of eyes, the other hard on the raging golems. Oscar was definitely giving them more to think about.

"Agreed." Even with his sharp vision, he could only see so far into the trees, but it didn't look as though there were anymore coming. A few raindrops pattered down on them. "Together, though. I cannot see more of them, but it would be best not to be separate if there are."

Athame followed the motion he made, leaping over to Oscar's side immediately.

Diarmuid frowns for a moment and then nods. Despite the fact that he would really like to encircle them from all sides, Javik has a good point. There is no telling if there are more just waiting to catch one of them alone or, even worse, golems of a different kind just waiting to attack. Rock or earth golems will not be as easy to deal with as the tree ones have been.

He makes note of Athame joining Oscar and then motions toward the trees, "Lead the way then. I will guard your back should anything try to sneak up on us from behind."

Plans like these ran a high risk no matter what, unfortunately. Split up, and you were too scattered to do damage, or too vulnerable to defend yourself. Stick together, and lose the whole party in one great, unexpected attack. While he had confidence in this decision, he never let it feel like victory until the enemy was dead and gone.

Javik nodded in return, lifting his sword again and leading them both into the thicket. Not suited for stealth at all, he made no attempt to quiet his steps or keep low to the ground. He doubted they'd be able to catch the golems by surprise anyways, but you didn't need shock to successfully flank a target. Caution warned him against trusting Diarmuid fully at his back, and his wide range of vision let him glance back easier than most. Thus far, they'd had no trouble working together.

Even without sneaking, per se, the golems were still focused on the bandersnatch and varren. Athame had gotten a mouthful of twigs and leaves out of one of them, shaking it like a hare. Javik stopped for a moment, assessing them, then gave Diarmuid one last nod. Time to finish this.

On the other hand, despite the fact that stealth is not really needed here, Diarmuid cannot help but move silently and near to the ground. He has hunted and fought like this for all of his life. Add in the fact that he is very gifted in speed and agility, and it becomes very difficult for him to not move silently. This would be a very great advantage should he wish to attack someone from behind, but doing so to Javik is the very last thing that is on his mind. They are allies working to defeat a common enemy. To attack him would be dishonorable. It doesn't matter if he can tell the other doesn't completely trust him, Diarmuid will still do exactly what he said he would--watch his back. Not everyone trusts as easily as he does. Diarmuid knows this and does not hold it against them.

He watches for a good moment to spring into action and when Oscar launches himself at one of the golems, that moment arrives. Diarmuid mimics the animals move, launching himself onto the same golem to help the bandersnatch finish the job. Then, as one, man and animal turn on the golem next to it.

While Diarmuid and Oscar worked in tandem, complementing one another perfectly, Javik's methods were a bit more organic. In cities and towns he kept the varren on a tighter leash, so to speak, but out in the wild they were given freedom. Athame attacked as she saw fit, diving in to go for joints and occasionally help the other two. Javik paid her almost no mind at all, confident in her abilities.

A few more golems fell victim to his biotics, wood cracking as he slammed them together. His sword did the rest, and between the four of them the remaining golems were reduced to splinters before long.

Athame, tail high, ran back and forth, nudging limbs curiously to see if they still reacted. She had a much higher prey drive than her mate, and the sudden end of a battle always made her a little loopy. When she found no survivors, Javik decided that was that.

"There may be more in the forest, but these ones have been subdued."

It pleases Diarmuid how quickly the four of them finish off the golems. They make a very efficient fighting group even if they do fight in very different ways. For example, Oscar show no interest at all in the golems once they have fallen. Instead, he makes his way to Diarmuid's side and sits next to his master, looking over at him and sniffing him to make sure he is all right. Diarmuid laughs and ruffles the bandersnatches fur.

"Oh, I am certain there is, but the farther into the forest we go, the farther into their territory we are. For all we know, it was the job of this smaller group to goad us farther in so that we might run into an ambush or some traps," Diarmuid looks into the ever darkening woods. "I am not sure it would be a good idea for just the four of us to go farther in alone, no matter how good a fighting team we make. What do you think?"

"You may be correct." They were strange creatures, and their intelligence seemed lacking, yet... Another peal of thunder, much closer this time, was enough to force that decision. The golems were too far out, with too many unknowns, and the weather was quickly going to turn against them. "I think we are done here. Should the golems come to close to the villages again, then we will strike them down again."

The smoldering pile of their brethren would serve as a decent warning, he thought.

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Journeys with a Prothean (Year Two)

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