The Scorched Earth [Neptune x Phrincut]

[Neptune]

Introduction: The year is 2207, 149 years after the end of human civilisation. The world was devastated by a huge Asteroid that crash landed on the planet in 2058, one equal to the size of the one that wiped the Dinosaurs out. It was the first of many asteroids that devastated the planet. 79% of all life has been wiped out, along with 90% of the human population. Resources are scarce and humans are clinging to life, having been reduced back to the stone age. 

Participants: 

@Neptune: Rowena

@Phrincut: Kaiser

[Phrincut]

Date: Friday, November 5th, 2207

Location: Wynn(Impact sight #5)

Weather Condition: Cloudy

Temperature: Mild

Environment: Stable

 

  149 years prior to today, human civilization around the globe was subject to utter annihilation. In the year 2058, Earth was assaulted from all sides by a tremendous meteor shower the likes of which had never been witnessed before. City after city, nation after nation, wiped out in a blazing inferno, leaving nothing but ash and death in its wake. Earth's various governments barely had any time to react to this situation before being wiped out themselves. As such, the details of this cataclysmic event, unfortunately, have been lost to time. Or, rather, the details of its cause were never discovered. Regardless, what remains now are but the shattered, dilapidated husks of what was once human civilization. But, even in the face of such utter devastation, life finds a way.

  When the meteors hit, 90% of the human population was wiped out, leaving the surviving 10% with the absolutely daunting task of repopulating the planet and recovering what little wasn't destroyed. Living amongst the remains of the old world are the descendents of those that survived the initial disaster. Humanity reverted back to tribal civilization, small to medium sized gatherings of people huddling together for safety and comfort. One such tribe was the Wynn tribe, a fairly medium sized gathering of hunters, gatherers, and farmers. In today's world, resources are scarce, and a tribes survival is dictated by their ingenuity and their environment. In this instance, the people of Wynn are very fortunate. The land they chose to colonize was blessed by the touch of irrigation. A meteor struck this location in the initial disaster. Thankfully, the meteor was not comprised of radioactive isotopes, as it had struck an aquifer and filled the impact zone with pure, untainted water, the most valuable commodity in the wastes. As such, the lands around their village are a flush with life, the greenery so rarely seen in the wastes here in their lands. This was their life line, the key to their survival. Without it, they'd have likely died off decades ago.

  It was another peaceful day in the paradise that is Wynn. The farmers were tending to their maize and grains. The children were running and playing together, their mothers not far behind. The cooks were roasting large skewered iguana carcasses over open fires to feed their families. And returning from a successful hunting trip were the Wynn hunters, carrying several dispatched iguanas and a few boars, a valuable bounty. Amongst these hunters was a young man that stood at an average height of 6'3, a body built with lean, well-defined muscle, accented with tribal tattoos over his left bicept and pectoral region. His hair was shaved on both sides of his head whilst leaving the top and back almost completely untouched, his braids reaching his waist in length. His natural hair color was blonde, but he dyed it blue to stand out amongst his people. His name is Kaiser. And he is a Wynn hunter.

[Neptune]

As has been the case for the lifetime of the tribe, the hunters were welcomed back warmly by the community. Mother’s and daughters turned out to greet them with warm smiles and an appreciative eye for their prizes. The small, everyday tasks that kept the tribe churning were abandoned in favour of greeting their providers and protectors. A number of them came forwards with cups of water for the hunters to drink, after spending so long away from home with an uncertainty of finding clean water to drink from. One of the group was a young woman, standing at just over five foot tall. Her blonde hair was long, going past her waist and was straight and silky, the envy of most of the young women within the tribe. She was slender, with a generous hourglass body shape, with D-cup breasts and rounded hips. She had little muscle mass on her, giving her the slender appearance. She was pretty, with soft delicate facial features. Her eyes were a deep blue in colour, almond in shape and slightly slanted to give her an exotic look. Her nose was small and delicate, with a slight flick at the tip and her lips were full. 
 
She was Rowena, one of the number of young women within the tribe. Arguably the most beautiful and enchanting. Many of the young men had attempted to woo her to become their wife, however none of them seemed to be able to attract her attention. She simply didn’t desire any of them and she would let them down as kindly as she possibly could. The only man she gave any ounce of attention to was her cousin, Kaiser. She had known him all of her life, and she had been as attached to him almost like a little sister who adored her brother. Thus, it was not a surprise when she was one of the ones that weaved through the tattered buildings to greet the hunting party. She did it every time since Kaiser was old enough to join on the hunt. She wouldn’t miss it, even if she was extremely busy, whether it be washing clothes, or helping her mother cook.
 
Rowena slowly approached Kaiser, holding a cup of water as she gave him a sweet smile that was reserved just for him. She offered him the drink, as she looked at the offerings that the party had brought in, “You’ve had a good haul today.” She observed, before turning her head back towards Kaiser with a wider smile, “We’ll be eating well tonight, I should think.” She observed as laughter rang out across the village as everyone seemed to be in a good mood at the rich hunt as it meant that everyone would be going to bed with full stomachs for a while. And with it being so hard to survive, especially with the almost constant raider attacks, they took any chance to improve the morale of the tribe. It was likely that they would have a feast that night as there seemed to be plenty of food to spare. They had not had a good feast in many moons, and it would help raise the spirits of the tribe, especially when the harvest season was so close and they would soon be pulling long hours to make sure the food was properly harvested and preserved for the rest of the year.

[Phrincut]

  Greetings, admiration, and gratitude. These three things were what the young hunter always looked forward to when returning from their hunts. But no matter what time of day it was, SHE would always be there. She would always be the first one to greet him. At this point, it was almost instinct that drove him to look for her. His beloved cousin, Rowena. She and Kaiser had grown up without siblings to call their own, so when their two families introduced them to one another, it was almost love at first sight. From that day forward, the two had remained inseparable, almost never seen without one another by each other's side. No matter the current situation, the two would always be there to comfort one another.

  As usual, it wouldn't be long before the two would find one another, both baring gifts for one another. He approached his beloved cousin, meeting her sweet smile with one of his own before pulling the beautiful girl close to his strong body, hugging her tightly. "Mmh, I always miss you whenever I go on these trips, cousin." He whispered to her as he happily claimed his cup of water, the cool, clear liquid gone almost instantly, an indicator of the conditions outside of their home. Gasping for air, he returned the cup to his beautiful cousin before taking a firm hold of one of her arms, leading her away from the entrance. "You'll want to keep your distance, however. We have a prisoner with us today." He warned her as he returned his attention to the hunters.

  As Kaiser spoke of the prisoner, a group of stragglers soon arrived with the man in question. He was a large, dark-skinned male clad in numerous fur pelts and leather wrappings. However, his most defining and noticeable feature was the mask he wore to conceal his face. It was the top half of a human skull adorned with red war paint, metal hoops held together by rope, and a slot atop to expose a portion of his thick, unkempt hair. The tribe would likely recognize him as the Raider Boss Kama, leader of the Kama Raiders. His wrists were bound by rope and he was being lead into their village to meet with the elders.

[Neptune]

(Sorry for the wait. Now that Christmas has been and gone, I can get into a more regular posting pattern)
 
Rowena’s smile widened when her cousin pulled her in for a firm hug. Her blue eyes closed for a few moments as she enjoyed the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around her. She always felt a measure of safety when he held her like this, even as children when their village was being attacked by raiders. She would always feel calm when he was with her, enveloping her within his arms. It made her heart flutter in a way she wasn’t familiar with and she wanted nothing more than to just prolong the embrace. Rowena always felt a sharp sting of disappointment when he pulled away, but hid it behind a smile, especially when she saw how appreciative he was of the water that she had brought him. They must not have encountered much fresh water on their hunting trip, a fact that concerned her for it made their hunting trips harder. 
 
She blinked a little in confusion when his fingers wrapped around her arm and he pulled her away from the entrance. Her eyes widened slightly at his words before her eyebrows furrowed a little in confusion. Prisoner? It was rare for them to bring back prisoners. Usually, if raiders attacked their hunting party they were killed on the spot. That was the kind of rough justice that went in the wasteland, and Rowena couldn’t feel bad for them either. Raiders lived their lives stealing from others, usually hard working people that would do no harm to anyone and were content with living their lives getting on with their farming. In her mind, Raiders deserved all the misfortune that befell them. 
 
Her head turned towards the group of stragglers that arrived, pulling along the prisoner. She heard a few gasps from around them and she gave Kaiser a nervous look before she looked back at the large dark-skinned man. After a few moments she asked him in a whisper, “Isn’t that Kama? How the hell did you get your hands on him?” She asked, surprised. From what she knew of the man, he didn’t seem the type to give up easily. She pictured him as the kind of man to commit suicide rather than let himself be captured by a group of hunters from a, in his opinion, good for nothing village. Her glare was almost suspicious as she watched him being dragged further into their home. She didn’t want him here. His very presence was fouling the air. 

[Phrincut]

(No apologies necessary, friendo. That's the holiday season for ya.)

Young Rowena would have her question met with a potentially nerve-wracking answer. Her beloved cousin leaned into her ear and whispered to her, "What if I told you... that he surrendered himself to us?"

The Raider Boss Kama is a man of immense strength and cruelty. He'd lead the largest raider clan around Wynn and was known for his unrelenting brutality. The man cared nothing for people making a simple living in these trying times. He firmly believed that humanity is approaching it's end, despite the evidence disproving his belief, and had elected to hasten it's inevitable demise. He'd raided numerous villages, cut down every man, woman, and child in his path, and looted the remains for himself and his crew. The blood that stains his hands could be seen as clear as day. So it seemed strange for him to just surrender himself to Wynn.

Since it was fully possible that this was simply a ruse to distract them, the guard was doubled across the entire village. All eyes were glued on the large, dark-skinned man being lead by rope to the center of their village. The man reeked of unwashed musk and death. His eyes darted back and forth slowly, his breathing heavy and chest heaving. He wanted to kill them. Kill them all. Kaiser could see it. So... why hasn't he tried anything yet? He may be restrained, but he's still a physical powerhouse. Kaiser kept a firm hold on his beloved cousin and guided her along the path to the village center, where the three elders were convening with a statue of Marty Mouse, whom they believed to be a god of fortune. They stopped their prayers, however, when they felt(or smelled) the presence of Kama. Naturally, they took this another miracle from Marty and turn to address the feared murderer. The hunters forced him on his knees before the elders to make their judgement.

[Neptune]

If it had not been for what Kaiser had just whispered into her ear, Rowena would have enjoyed the closeness of her cousin. As it was, his words sent a shock through the very core of her being. Her eyes widened and every muscle in her body froze. A feeling of dread settled in her stomach, and she couldn’t explain where it came from. She shook her head, her mind refusing to believe it, “No… he would never willingly surrender himself. Why? T… there must be a reason.” She said. Rowena turned her blue eyes back towards the prisoner once again, feeling a shiver running down her stomach. She suddenly felt very cold, and she unconsciously leaned against Kaiser. She just couldn’t believe that this monster of a man would give himself up like this. He was too much like a wild animal. The kind that could never be tamed. The kind that was far too dangerous to have among them. She shivered again when the monsters gaze passed over her, making her feel like a mouse cornered by a cat that wanted to kill her not because it was hungry, but for the pleasure of rendering her flesh apart. There were a few times she had been truly frightened, like when raiders once almost over ran their small village. This was one of those times, and she didn’t want Kaiser to even step a metre away from her.
 
Rowena was so deep in her thoughts that she barely noticed when he cousen kept his grip on her and pulled her through the village as they followed the murderer through their streets. She wished that the hunters had blindfolded him. He was able to see far too much of her beloved village for her liking. What if he broke free? He would go in a rampage. He was a monster that would delight at tearing them apart with his bare hands. She brought her hand up, fumbling a little as she sought Kaiser’s hand as she glanced at him, allowing the worry and fear come to the surface before she turned her eyes back towards the elders as they stopped their prayers and turned towards the monster in their midst. Rowena pressed herself even closer against her cousin. She wasn’t someone that liked the taking of life, but her entire being was praying that the elders would pass down the judgement of death. She looked back up at Kaiser and whispered, “I don’t like this. Do you think they’ll execute him?” As she said this, there was a slither of hope in her voice, a tone he would have never heard before. 

[Phrincut]

(I apologize for my extended period of silence. The LAUSD strike was going on and I had midterms to study for... it’s just been a mess. And I simply couldn’t muster the mental strength to write for a while. And I feel bad for leaving you hanging for so long. So here’s a nice, large, meaty post for you to sink your teeth into. Don’t be afraid to play some of the other hunters, or even the other two elders.)

Kaiser looked over to their beloved elders as the three stood to address the criminal that sat before them, their leathery old faces twisting into looks of disgruntlement. Shaking his head slowly, Kaiser spoke under his breath, “I really wish the Elders would stop worshipping that thing.” Kaiser felt his beautiful cousin clinging to him as if her life depended on him. Which... it does. In more ways than one, come to think of it. Regardless, he could feel Rowena’s fear. Her genuine terror. In fact, it could be felt throughout the entire village. Why is this psychopath sitting in our village? That question echoed through the young hunters noggin since arriving minutes prior. Still, he knew that Rowena needed him. He needed to be strong for her. For the village as a whole... but primarily for her. He locked an arm around her waist and held her close to his strong upper body. “The man has certainly had it coming for him...” He whispered to her, though somewhat unsure in his tone. 

The eldest of the elders, a 6’5 , pale-skinned 85 year old man clad in black sweatpants, blue slippers, and a White Marty Mouse themed bathrobe adorned with blue feathers and wooden prayer beads, stood up and looked down upon the large raider boss, genuine contempt seen on his leathery old face. “You’re presence here is unwanted, Kama. Surely you realize that your death is inevitable now that you sit before the mouse god, Marty.” The old man proclaimed as he raised his arms above his head to frame the Marty statue behind him.

In an almost sinister, triumphant tone, Kama spoke to the old man. “I’m fine with that. I’m not the only one who’s already dead.” He let out a deep, sinister laugh as he looked around at the people watching him. “My boys were murdered not too long ago. By men in suits of metal. They rode into our territory demanding we surrender our food and supplies. I told them they could go to Hell. Tried to send em there, too. Heh... Irony’s a bitch, right?” 

Immediately, it occurred to Kaiser... why would he simply surrender himself to Wynn? And the answer was clear. Because he knows he’s dead already... and he aims to take Wynn with him. “Rowena... close your eyes.” He told his beautiful little cousin as he gripped his spear tightly, his arm muscles growing tense as he prepared to toss his spear into Kamas head.

[Neptune]

(It’s alright, I understand. I’m pretty patient X3)
 
Rowena glanced up at her cousin as he made a comment about the elders and their worship. Despite the cold, and despite the feeling of dread that made her body shiver, she couldn’t help but smile slightly. She privately agreed with him, but the Elders tended to be a little obsessive with their worship and didn’t like being told that they should stop. Clearly it gave them a sense of purpose that they otherwise didn’t feel. She turned her eyes back towards the raider, the monster and she found herself shrinking even further against Kaiser. She was conscious of his strong arm wrapping around her waist, and the contact comforted her. It felt right to have him so close to her. She pressed her face against his torso, filling her nose with his unique scent before she turned her head once again to observe the small gathering in front of them as the oldest of the elders stepped up to address the monster.
 
Rowena stiffened slightly at the sound of Kama’s voice, his words causing a coil of fear to wind inside of her, making it hard to draw breath. His men had been murdered? They unfortunately knew a lot about Kama’s men, as they frequently attacked their small settlement. They were strong, and attacked with such ferocity that Wynn sometimes found it hard to fight back against them. And they were killed, by this other force? The thought of there being people even stronger than Kama’s raiders made her look up at Kaiser, her brow creased a little and her lips drawn into a thin line that showed her distress. 
 
“What are you talking about?” One of the elders demanded in a clipped tone, their voice harsh on the silent air. But Kama merely laughed back at him, finding the question amusing but clearly beneath him in answering. His maliciously burning eyes were watching them in a sadistic amusement, as if he was already imagining all the ways in which they were going to die. 
 
Rowena shook her head, trembling in Kaiser’s arms, “I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all.” She moaned softly, turning her head back into his chest as she clung tightly to him. The feeling of dread that weighed down on her stomach refused to budge. If anything, the feeling was getting even worse, taking over her entire being. The watching crowd began to whisper, their voices sounding tense and concerned. They were clearly very worried about the prospect of what Kama seemed to be implying. If he was indeed telling the truth and there was a group stronger than Kama’s raiders, then they were likely in some deep trouble and their concern showed in the uneasy way the crowd stirred.