V The Pulse of the Land [Quest]

[Cho]

There’s something to be said about a cool breeze when the air is just so stifling and morbidly humid. Just cool enough to take the edge off and stop any perspiration. Not quite so strong that it ruffles your hair or has you squinting to try and retain the ability to see. It was a shame, then, that the Earthbender found himself being whipped about by a wind so strong he could barely open his eyes. Not that he wanted to, really. Opening his eyes meant returning to reality and facing the atrocities of the world again. The last thing he remembered was being swallowed whole by the lava summoned by the periapt, his body beaten and battered beyond repair. But he’d saved his newfound friend, regardless of whether or not the Exorcist would admit their friendship. It was a bittersweet moment, really. The duo had resolved themselves to actually engage in what the Abyss was all about, only to go out in a cloud of smoke not twelve hours later. The Earthbender lingered momentarily on the thought of Yu Kanda. Had he made it out alive? He hoped he’d won the thing for them, but given the state of the monsters they’d faced, he wasn’t sure. That’s not to say he didn’t believe in the Exorcist; boy did he. But, sometimes, the monsters are just a bit too much. Something that Cho had had very personal experience with a few times.

Twice. Twice, he’d died since arriving in this twisted realm. Double the amount he’d ever expected to die. But it just didn’t feel like the end in either case. It was more like he’d fallen asleep, painfully aware that he still had to face whatever else the Crossroads had to throw at him. To say he was scared would be an understatement. Less so of death now. He’d stared death in the face twice and come back. A little changed each time, like dying had chipped away at his anxiety a little bit and opened him up to the possibility that he had more to offer. Both times he’d slipped away from the mortal coil, he did so with a profound sense of regret, like he was letting everyone down. Himself, even, to an extent. Now, he had to wake up again and figure out what the fuck he was going to do and how he was going to chip away at that regret. He wanted to be dependable. Someone his friends could rely on. He’d had enough of people thinking they needed to protect him, like he was some incapable toddler. Like he was some fragile vase on a topsy-turvy table, threatening to fall and smash into pieces at any given moment. Not this time, no. This time, he was going to assert himself and figure out how to be the rock that people needed.

Still, that wind. The rest of his senses began to tune back in as he regained consciousness proper. It howled in his ears, whipping his hair up and about. His face stung a little as the cool air battered his skin. It was too warm for Invexe, though, so that seed of worry was quickly diminished. It was definitely too strong for the air conditioning back in the hotel as well. He knew he should crack his eyes open and have a look to find the source, but damn if he wasn’t enjoying that weightless feeling just before you wake up properly. But this was different. It quickly dawned on him that this wasn’t weightlessness because he was dreaming. Far from it.

The Earthbender managed to crack an eye open, quickly followed up by the other as his eyes widened in shock.

“Oh- oh FUCK!” Cho screamed into the surrounding sky. He was falling. The canopy below was fast approaching. This can’t be real, he attempted to reassure himself. Why would he be falling like this? There was no reason for it. It was just a dream, surely. His denial was quickly replaced.

“Tricked me into signing a two-event deal. Why the fuck wouldn’t he drop me from the fucking sky?!” He seethed, Karl Jak earning his ire for a second or two before his anger abated, brought to heel by the rapidly approaching canopy. The first few branches snapped relatively easily, making way for the earth-bound earthbender but that wouldn’t last long. The boughs thickened out pretty quickly. He extended a palm towards the ground, trying to summon up a pillar of rock to manipulate his fall into something vaguely graceful, but found himself unable. He twisted his body to account for the next, thicker lot of branches as the wind was ripped from his lungs. He felt the visceral crunch as his ribs shattered against wood. It was about the time he was going to make contact with the actual trunk of the tree that a familiar calm washed over him. Almost as though he was forced out of his body, control surrendered to an entity deep within. The mandala on his wrist flickered a pale blue and then beamed a brilliant white as the energy of the Avatar State took over, extending the glow to his eyes.

Encapsulated and protected by a whirling bubble of air, the Avatar descended to the ground at a slower pace. The roiling winds emanating from the capsule of air pushed the thick canopy away, leaving a trail of wounded and bald branches in his wake. Finally, he reached the ground. The earth cratered around him as he came to rest in a heap on the forest floor. The Avatar State diminished in a flourish of wind, dissipating into the surrounding forest harmlessly. Cho rolled on to his back, struggling for breath all the way, and nursed his aching ribs. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t have the healing hands of a waterbender or the medical know-how on ways to fix a set of broken ribs. Coupled with the exhaustion from tapping into the Avatar State, there wasn’t much to be done. Doubly so when the peripheries of his vision began to fade to black.

He barely managed an “Ah- fuck.” before consciousness left him proper, splayed out in the bottom of a crater of his own making.

1047/10000 Words, 5709 characters

"The Pulse of the Land"
Quest Giver: Newt Scamander
Quest Length: 10,000 words
Quest Location: University of New Abraxas
Quest Prerequisites: Be Cho
Quest Description:

Professor Scamander at the University of New Abraxas has been researching the unique 'geobiological' zones that are widespread across all of Kraw. He has sought out Cho specifically for his close connection to tectonic movements and vibrations, in the hopes of mapping out where possible ingress points might be...and of course, if one such mystery flesh pit is found, it simply must be studied more closely.

Repeatable? N

 

[Cho]

As the Earthbender lay there, unconscious in the depths of a crater, he was wholly unaware of the wriggling, grunting, and squeaking coming from the relatively squished backpack he laid on. In truth, he was entirely unaware of the stowaway in the pack to begin with – the Carbuncle had managed to slip into Cho’s backpack whilst he was distracted in the desert with Masahir. It squeezed its way free of the pack and into the thick scrub of the jungle. Verdant green as far as its beady little eyes can see. The Carbuncle was all but dwarfed by the vast majority of the flora in the area. Countless flowers turned their petals towards the canopy, craving whatever meager morsel of sunlight they could consume. Other flowers, just as colorful – if not moreso – as the rest, oozed sickly sweet sap in an effort to lure unsuspecting prey into their cavernous, acid-filled pitchers.

A tense silence had consumed the surrounding area; the Avatar’s crash-landing gave the Carbuncle a moment of relative reprieve as predator and prey alike fled. However, this silence was short-lived. The thrum of the jungle soon flooded the area as the fauna returned, some curious as to the source of the disturbance, others looking to take advantage of the distraction. The Carbuncle dipped low into the brush as a massive wasp-like creature buzzed overhead. Unlike the Buzzard Wasps from deep in Mesa Roja’s deserts, this creature sported a pair of conical stingers on its forearms and a third on its abdomen that dripped an angry purple liquid. Caterpillars that would have rivaled snakes in length clambered from the jungle floor up into the trees, seeking refuge. Faster than the Carbuncle’s eyes could track, a large bird of prey swooped down from the canopy, flashes of bronze reflecting the errant beams of light that shone through the canopy above. Quills of a deep, ruddy brown flew from its wings and pierced the spongy flesh of the unfortunate caterpillar. The Stymphalian bird rounded in the air, slowing its pace somewhat as it reared on its prey. Bronze talons of unparalleled sharpness sunk into the caterpillar’s body and tore it free of the quills that bound it to the tree.

And then, all of a sudden, silence once more, heralded by a distant rumble.

As quickly as it had returned, life in the jungle dissipated into nothingness. A vacuum of silence consumed the jungle floor, save for the rhythmic, thunderous footsteps of some gargantuan creature in the rapidly decreasing distance. The Carbuncle retreated a few, furtive steps, keeping itself low to the ground as the din of a nearby tree cracking and bowing drew its attention. A nearby shaded copse, not but fifteen meters away from the cowering desert creature, shuddered and gave way as a scaled maw pushed its way through. Spittle dangled from its grizzled jaw, stained black and red with dessicated carrion and coagulated blood from days prior. Rows of razor sharp, dagger-like teeth glinted in what little light made it past the creature’s considerable head. Lungfuls of air were sucked into the therapod’s nostrils, searching for any trace of a meal to be had. Scars littered the Tyrannosaurus Rex’ feather-dotted skin; trophies from hard fought battles of domination or a meal that put up a fight.

The Carbuncle daren’t move a muscle, frozen in fear as the massive brutal visage of the dinosaur turned this way and that, a deep rumbling murmur echoing from within. It considered bolting for a moment, bolting and disappearing into a tunnel of its own making. It should be so lucky. There were no tunnels or hidey-holes for it to escape into. Not this time. Well.. one, but the Avatar’s backpack was a little ways off and the Avatar was, presumably, still out for the count. But, if it could wake the man up, maybe.. Just maybe, they’d have a chance.

Thankfully, the perfect moment arose. The Tyrannosaurus turned its gargantuan head, in response to a noise a little ways off in the distance. The Carbuncle stood up on its hind legs, its long ears twitching furtively as the T-Rex thundered towards the source of the disturbance. Another quick glance in the dinosaurs direction and it was off. The Carbuncle hopped manically back to the prone Avatar and eagerly clambered into the backpack, squeaking and grunting impatiently in some effort to wake the Babylonian up. Not that it needed to. What it had failed to notice was that the Avatar was already awake. His skin has faded a few shades paler and his eyes were wrenched open about as wide as they could go. Panicked breaths scattered fallen, rotting leaf-matter away from his face. His hand had crept up underneath his torso and managed to find the yin-yang amulet Masa had given him and clamped his fingers around his, gripping so tightly that his knuckles had gone all but white.

Cho was fully acquainted with the chest pounding thrum of panic, but full blown fear was something he had only experienced a handful of times. He was frozen in place in the bottom of the shallow crater he had created, unable to wrench his eyes away from the scaled behemoth that stalked the surrounding forest. Unable to move a muscle, or fully catch his breath, the Avatar lay there, his entire body trembling until the Carbuncle had had enough. Through the backpack and Cho’s clothing, a pair of sharp claws dug into his back and then wrenched themselves free, tearing the Avatar back to the present. He winced a little in pain as he brought his knees up below himself and shakily stood to his full height for the first time since careening through the canopy above and into the ground below.

The Babylonian’s breath caught in his chest as the reverberating footsteps stole his attention. A new sense of urgency, a pace he hadn’t heard before. He could only watch on as the dinosaur burst through the treeline a little way in front of him. The creature dropped its head low and put on a turn of speed to close the distance between it and its prey, eager for a quick and easy morsel.

2050/10000 Words, 11688 characters

"The Pulse of the Land"
Quest Giver: Newt Scamander
Quest Length: 10,000 words
Quest Location: University of New Abraxas
Quest Prerequisites: Be Cho
Quest Description:

Professor Scamander at the University of New Abraxas has been researching the unique 'geobiological' zones that are widespread across all of Kraw. He has sought out Cho specifically for his close connection to tectonic movements and vibrations, in the hopes of mapping out where possible ingress points might be...and of course, if one such mystery flesh pit is found, it simply must be studied more closely.

Repeatable? N

 

[Cho]

Cho ran.

His bare feet struck against the loamy jungle floor, each step a blur between roots and puddles. The wet soil sucked at his heels, and he didn’t dare stop long enough to gauge how deep his prints were going. Behind him, the forest cracked and screamed as the T-Rex thundered its pursuit. The Avatar—a title that always felt too big for his body—didn’t dare look back. He knew what he’d see: two towering legs, muscle wrapped in prehistoric violence, closing in with every breathless second.

Branches whipped his arms. One snapped against his cheek, leaving a thin cut that bled warm down his jaw. Cho didn’t notice. He was too focused on not tripping, too focused on ducking under low-hanging vines and hurdling decayed logs. The jungle blurred past him, green and slick, filled with rot and steam.

His lungs burned.

The rumble of the dinosaur faded for a moment—maybe it took a wrong turn, maybe it hit a tree—it didn’t matter. The silence it left behind was not comfort. It was worse. It was uncertainty. He pressed forward, wheezing as adrenaline and panic jostled in his chest.

Then the trees thinned.

Cho burst through a curtain of ferns and collapsed into a wide clearing. The sky opened above him for the first time since he’d crash landed, a wash of pale afternoon light filtering down through haze. He stumbled forward and dropped to his knees, gasping. No footsteps. No crashing behind him. Just the buzz of insects and the clatter of his breath in his ears.

He turned over onto his back. The clouds overhead drifted slowly, indifferent. His shirt clung to him with sweat and humidity. Leaves stuck to his legs like plaster. The jungle had spat him out.

It took a while—five minutes, maybe ten—before his breath came easy again. When it did, Cho sat up and finally looked around. It wasn’t just a clearing. The jungle hadn’t simply ended here. Something had been built into this place long ago—something broad and stone-made and sunken with age. A set of stairs jutted from the ground a few feet away, half-buried in moss and soil. Vines draped from stone lintels, thick with time. The remains of carved walls stood behind them, broken and eroded by centuries of rain.

A ruin. Not a temple. Not anything with grandeur. Just walls and rooms and quiet.

Cho stood slowly. The Carbuncle peeked from the edge of his backpack, its large eyes blinking in sync with his own. He said nothing to it—just gave it a glance and nodded as if to say: “We’re okay.” The creature ducked back inside. Cho stepped forward, unsure of what he was looking for.

The first room was open on one side, its walls leaning inward like they’d once supported a roof that had long since collapsed. Dirt and leaves blanketed the floor, with roots curling up through cracks in the stone. Carvings—shallow, worn—lined the far wall. Nothing specific. Just patterns. Repeating spirals and waves, broken occasionally by shapes that might’ve once been faces, now eroded to soft suggestion. He reached out and touched the stone. It was cool. Damp. There was no sudden resonance. No ancient memory sparked in the back of his mind. Just rock, weathered and old.

He ducked under the hanging remnants of what may have been a doorframe and moved into another space. This one was darker, more enclosed. Light filtered in through a jagged hole in the ceiling, casting a faint glow over the stone. A pedestal sat in the center of the room, cracked down one side. Its top was bare—whatever had once rested there was long gone. Maybe looters. Maybe time.

Cho crouched next to it and traced the crack with his fingers. He wasn’t sure why. His breathing slowed. He stayed like that for a while, just existing in the space. The Carbuncle crept out of the backpack again and snuffled at the base of the pedestal, then gave a squeaky sneeze and blew moss into the air. Cho almost laughed.

Almost.

He stood and moved deeper. The ruin wasn’t vast. It wasn’t some lost civilization's crowning jewel. Just a handful of crumbling structures tied together by shaded corridors and broken courtyards. Every wall he passed was dotted with moss and time—he didn’t know enough to guess how old it was. He didn’t care. That wasn’t why he stayed.

There was a hallway near the back, partly collapsed and covered in trailing ferns. Cho slipped through sideways, brushing off cobwebs with the back of his hand. His fingers came away dusty. A low chamber waited at the end, the floor more intact here—flagstones still in place, though uneven and cracked with roots.

He sat. There was no reason not to. No goal. His legs just folded underneath him and didn’t protest. For a long time, Cho said nothing. The jungle breathed outside. Rain pattered somewhere in the canopy—distant, soft. The walls around him didn’t speak. They didn’t need to. He leaned back against a patch of stone and tilted his head up toward the faint shaft of light. It caught on the edges of his face, drying the sweat on his brow. His eyelids felt heavy. His hands lay loosely in his lap.

He tried not to think about the dinosaur, the crater he’d made crashing through the trees, or the disorienting fact that he didn’t know where he was on this planet anymore. Instead, he thought about how the moss smelled like water. Of how the stone held the day's warmth but bled it away slowly. Of how the quietness of the surroundings didn’t equate to emptiness, but rather a peaceful solitude.

He didn’t realize he was holding the yin-yang amulet in his hand until the chain tugged at his neck. He blinked and looked down at it. Still intact. Still there. Cho ran his thumb along the edge and exhaled. He let it fall against his chest. In a short moment of panic, he scrambled through his pockets to retrieve his phone and call Masa, to let her know he was still alive, just in some jungle somewhere. What he found, though, was an unusable, cracked and bent out of shape shell of a phone. No use to anyone. He exhaled. Nearby, the Carbuncle, his only companion in this strange place, was dozing, curled up near the base of the wall, nose tucked under its tail. Its ears twitched every so often, reacting to faraway sounds Cho couldn’t hear.

There wasn’t much left to explore—just a few more archways and a collapsed garden with dry terraces overtaken by vines. But Cho stayed a while longer in that back chamber, just breathing. Just being still.

Eventually, he stood. When he stepped outside, the rain had reached the clearing in earnest. It wasn’t a storm – just a steady drizzle that darkened the stones and made the air smell cleaner. He walked slowly through the rest of the ruin, taking nothing, sketching nothing, just looking and remembering. A small trough near the final exit had collected rainwater, and he paused to scoop some into his hands. It was cold and clean. He drank, wiped his face, and ran a wet hand through his hair.

It helped.

3260/10000 Words

"The Pulse of the Land"
Quest Giver: Newt Scamander
Quest Length: 10,000 words
Quest Location: University of New Abraxas
Quest Prerequisites: Be Cho
Quest Description:

Professor Scamander at the University of New Abraxas has been researching the unique 'geobiological' zones that are widespread across all of Kraw. He has sought out Cho specifically for his close connection to tectonic movements and vibrations, in the hopes of mapping out where possible ingress points might be...and of course, if one such mystery flesh pit is found, it simply must be studied more closely.

Repeatable? N