Complete Private Solvale The Lizard That Rolls

[Fiora Di Angelo]

"I dont' know." It was unexplored terrain to say the least, and her experiences were practical rather than theorical. "But there were spirits trapped in these crystals, and a guardian shaped out of all the trapped researchers that came out to fight us. Whatever was unearthed, I can't say it was happy about it." Perhaps another civilization beneath the very snow they walk on.

The cold reminded her she couldn't just doze off right now, and so she kept her eye open, giving a moment to think over as Ronja expanded the scope to nature itself, nodding in agreement. "There's a balance between nature and civilization too, compared to our world." She sighed, leaning a little more in their embrace. "Zalra though. I like how quiet it is compared to a forest: No chirping birds, no owls, no bugs or snakes. There's nothing but the cold and some tall crystals." Fiora let a quiet chuckle a few seconds later. "I do miss my phone at times. But that's why I spam you messages in-game when I'm traveling." Even if she didn't want to admit it was her worrisome, overcautious nature what made her check on Ronja that much.

She knew it was time to part once her muscles cooled off, a mere glance to the big lizard reminding her what they set out to do here in the first place, grounding her back to earth. Zalra was still dangerous, unfortunately, until it's disease could be dealt with. Lingering for too long wasn't wise.

"We wasted enough of your mana. I'll get the moose down and we'll get some distance before you let him go." It turned out to be harder to let go of Ronja than it was to deliver such with her monotone voice, her arms being the last to unwrap on her lover as she went over to the cart, reaching out her hands over for the remnants of the croc's meal, only to be jumpscared as the bastard lunged to try and get a bite out of her hands, only to be cut short by the chains holding it from turning his head enough for a good angle.

"It's awake alright!" Clicking her tongue once, Fiora reached for the moose from a safer position, poised to bring the magical, ancient beast several feet infront of the croc and dump what's left of it on the snow, dusting her hands off as she backtracked back to her dearest.

@Ronja Bubblyfoot

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

From what @Fiora Di Angelo had said, the assumption of the crystals being enough to trap someone's soul in it didn't seem that far from possible. Granted a spirit and a soul were essentially two different things in the depths of its meaning... But were they the same thing in Terrasphere? Who knows.

"Yeah... Here it is just..." Ronja looked around. "Silence. As if the sound has been frozen as well." She didn't feel well in that place. It gave her a feeling of a fate worse than death. Thankfully, Fiora's lighthearted words brought a small smile to Ronja. "Right right, miss Clingy." She giggled, tapping the back of the elf and urging her to go ahead, watching attentively at every movement she did to try and keep the croc ready for its next life...

But...

"Nico!" Ronja called, feeling her heart tight when the crocodile went far closer to Fiora than she wished. Her lips pursed even as her beloved went back to her side, and she took a hold of her arm with a frown. "Did it get you?" She asked, first and foremost, and then glanced back at the crocodile that was now very far on the arcane-made cart and binds.

Not truly wishing to have anything to do with that creature anymore, as it had already caused enough trouble, Ronja tugged Fiora just to make sure they were even farther than before, finally snapping the magic away and making the rolling lizard go belly first against the cold floor of Zalra.

Thankfully, now there was something else to catch its attention, and the moose turned out to be a great bait to leave it with something distracting enough.

"With that much food, it won't need to eat for weeks." That is, if National Geographic didn't fail her again.

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

She started to wish she had a jacket now that Ronja showed all that concern out of a sudden, only to pull a trick and make it seem like their gator had eaten her hand. "I'm alright miss Clingy, don't you worry~" A playful smile danced on her lips as her hands reached for Ronja's, giving it a firm squeeze to reassure her. "But let's not take our chances. He's hungry, he's mad, and he's back in shape." And it was far from a fun fight given how much it ragdolled them around last time.

Fiora complied as her lover begun to tug her away further and further once the moose was down, clumsy steps trying to match her pace, feeling more like a doll at this point given how determined Ronja was to get them a proper distance as if the Lizard could suddently explode, and only this many meters away could keep them out of the blast radius.

The certainty with which she spoke about it's meal finally tickled her with interest, as it hasn't been the first time Ronja did so, "Maybe. But this is the biggest croc I ever seen. This might just be a meal or two for it. But you are the croc expert here." She commented, folding her arms under her bust as she watched each part of the cart begin to undo itself.

And finally letting the Lizard That Rolls have it's freedom yet again.

The first few steps were far too wary. It's a beast in an unknown land it had never seen, far away from it's old territory. Yet the Moose was the bait needed to catch it's attention and make it dive headfirst on it, powerful jaws crunching and shattering bones like they were toothpicks. With biteforce enough to tear down a house, the moose, no matter how large, was insignificant in comparison.

Yet from this angle, the beast felt happier. It might be an illusion, but compared to it's demeanour in their battle, the lizard may have found it's place in the cold winters of Zalra. A peace that very much matches their own when they reflected on the wasteland itself.

It justified the tiresome journey on it's own, even if to anyone in plain view would be them watching an unnaturally large gator eat through a Moose. Satisfied with their effort, her eye peeked to the side to see how Ronja would react to the view, and only a few seconds after clearing her throat. "Now you got a story to tell in the orphanage if you ever get tangled up in that situation. Might be a good lesson for them about restraint." Specially one's own. For all she cares, they could have killed the Lizard with no consequences nor dilemmas to come, and yet they didn't, and let loose an enhanced predator on a habitat unfamiliar to it. But that's what they thought was right. Afterall, the Lizard wasn't malicious, merely a prey of it's own instinct like all creatures are.

Nature would sort it out eventually, she thinks. It always does.

"Think it's about time we heaaad-" Her voice dragged out as her lips slowly parted, and, after one loud mouthful of air, sneezed. "Back... Crap, I caught a cold now." She winced, rubbing a finger over her nose.

@Ronja Bubblyfoot

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

Ronja pondered for a moment. "From what she knows, crocodiles don't need to eat with that much frequence, so that moose may be enough to suffice the crocodile for a long time. Cold-blooded creatures advantages, she supposes." She tilted her head, hoping her memory wasn't failing her.

Squeezing her beloved's hand, she turned to look at her, and her shoulders dropped slightly after finally relaxing.

"Ronja would rather have more fun stories than getting eaten by a crocodile." Ronja half smiled, shaking her head and looking at the crocodile at distance, eventually tugging @Fiora Di Angelo once again to urge her to move away. Now that their work was done, they didn't need to stay near that creature, especially if it could go rampage at them, at any moment.

"It sure is..." She casted a concerned glance at Fiora, frowning her lips as she heard the mention of a cold. "If you are, Ronja will try to make something to relieve it... We need to rest after all this adventure. But hopefully, at least everything we have done will improve the mood of those that don't trust us that well yet."

Ronja haven't gone through all that for ulterior motives, but she did wish to get rid of the burden the magia problem has caused so far.

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

"Hm. Then that moose should be enough for now. At least it will let it get used to it's new home before going out for it's next meal." She scratched her nape, as the topic was far from her understanding here. Only that it was a beast, and like all beasts it must feed. Ronja was the one who usually went into details.

As her hand got squeezed, Fiora returned it back, interlocking their fingers together as they kept making distance with the Lizard, yet not until they were far enough did she set her sights back to her lover. "Kids love good endings. You would also be lying by saying we were eaten." They haven't seen the inside of a crystal lizard's stomach. Perhaps that was an Aid-Ling's fate. "If anything, it ate fist and bullets."

Fiora felt disarmed as Ronja gave her a worrisome look back. The frown almost like a pout in her eye. It proved hard to turn down her offer like this. "Some warm soup and rest should do. And a back massage... And some ic-" A sneeze wiped the smug look on her face in karmic retribution for her teaseful acts.

"Ah-" Shaking her head from side to side, she gave the magia a firm squeeze as the topic turned to something far more real and problematic than getting a drippy nose. "There will always be people who won't trust us. It's inevitable, Starcalled are known to destroy, to do as they please. They bring trouble wherever they go." Her tone grew blunt despite the softness invading her features. "But we won't be Starcalled. We will be better." Just getting rid of this Lizard would bring ease to many hunters near Hanrift, and Elias undoubtly will compensate them both and let the word spread.

It would be hope and determination what decides if they cut off the root of these trust issues, or merely a symptom.

@Ronja Bubblyfoot