The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Welldrinker Cult
A shadowy group is gaining power, drawing in people who are curious, vulnerable, or malicious, and turning them into Mystics. They are recruiting people into their ranks to spread the influence of magic in the world, but for what end goal?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
Posted by Calcifer on Apr 10, 2016 21:07:52 GMT -6
Haven
Asset of Haven
94
94
Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
Later, Isaac would curse himself for not remembering that the little twerp was a wolf-shifter. He should have known. He’d seen the kid in wolf form running away from him. It was the only reason the thief had managed to escape- he should have been ready for it.
But he wasn’t. His aim was too high for the changed form, and he struck ribs instead of kidneys. Startled by the saliva flying into his face from what was suddenly a canine mouth, he was caught off guard as two feral claws cut through his hoodie and tore dark red gashes in his abdomen.
^%$@!! Issac gave a sharp grunt and instinctively began to pull his arm toward his stomach and away from the wolf’s neck. It was only through sheer force of hatred that he was able to regain control of his actions in time to keep a loose hold on the creature’s neck. He was no longer pressing against the wall, though, and with the wolf’s paws in the air it quickly started to fall.
There was no stopping the momentum. Isaac was back to his fighting senses, but he didn’t have the time or positioning to force the animal back against the wall. And so he let it fall, bringing the arm around its throat down in an arc to follow its descent before throwing his entire body down on top of it.
No escape this time, ****er!
Collapsing on top of the wolf, Isaac brought his full weight down and around its legs in a punch to what was now most definitely its stomach. Feeling the blow connect, he twisted his torso to shove his shoulder up under the dog’s jaw and pin its throat to the ground.
Had Isaac been fighting a human opponent, the move would have been very effective. But he wasn’t, and instead all he achieved was his face sideways between the creature’s slavering jaws. It felt him, and it bit. HARD. Knife-like teeth ripped their way across his mouth, cheek, and ear as the jaws clamped down, and then again as Isaac pulled himself free.
The stream of words shouted from Isaac’s lungs would have made Quentin Tarantino blush. Not even getting punched by the META bots had hurt this much. Isaac reared back and, without giving thought to what he was doing, pulled the glove from his hand with his teeth. Rage blazed from his bare skin as he brought the fist down on the wolf’s chest.
It was supposed to be Spring again, but it didn’t matter; it was still freezing. It was always freezing. An eternal hell of ice. Isaac wondered how long it would take for the heat from the jailbreak to die down and he could leave this miserable city. Not yet, at least, so the thin midday air found him trudging down the frigid streets in search of the large amount of food he needed to stave off hypothermia.
Isaac’s mind was so focused on hating the cold that he didn’t bother to look around the corner as he turned, and his mood was such that he didn’t care if anyone would be in his way when he did. As it turned out, there was someone in the way. They crashed into Isaac at a sprint, knocking him to the ground and falling on top of him in a scramble of appendages.
Isaac shoved the small figure off him. “Hey! Watch where-“ Isaac stopped. It was him. The little brat that had tried to steal his food a month ago and had managed to escape without a beating. And with a steak. Isaac remembered finding his supplies short when he had gotten home and having to choose between the cold of getting more or the hunger of going without. And all while the twerp had probably laughed into his free meal.
“You!” Isaac rolled forward and grabbed the teen by his neck. No getting away. Not this time.
A low growl escaped Isaac’s throat as he hauled the thief to his feet and pushed him back into the alley, slamming him into the brick wall.
“Remember me, you little ****?” Isaac pulled down his mask with his free hand, letting red heat rise in his face. “Thought you could get away, huh? Well let’s see you squirm away this time.” Keeping firm pressure on the teen’s neck against the wall, Isaac pulled back and swung a heavy punch at the soft spot just beneath the kid’s ribs.
Posted by Calcifer on Mar 27, 2016 19:12:51 GMT -6
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Haven
Asset of Haven
94
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Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
Isaac was shocked out of his trance by the sudden grip of the lizard-man pulling him close. He stiffened instinctually against the rough embrace, then slowly relaxed as he felt the heat of the man’s body. It was so weird. This guy was a lizard. He had one eye, four arms, and a tail. He was a GUY! But he was warm, he was alive, he was… comfortable.
Concern drifted out of Isaac’s mind as the warmth melted in. He stopped worrying about his clothes melting. He stopped worrying about hurting the other guy and he just burned, letting the heat-
NO.
Isaac stiffened again. He stopped heating himself and pushed back against the man slightly.
“Wow…. Look, um… I… well…” He wasn’t going to say he was scared, but there was no way he could let himself relax with his powers. Sure, this guy was loving it, but Isaac knew this was still only a portion of what he could do. This wouldn’t even melt most metals. He could get much hotter, and nothing- NOTHING survived that kind of heat. If he really let himself go…
Burning. Screaming.
Isaac tried to push himself out of the lizard-man’s arms. “Listen, um… that was…” Incredible? Breathtaking? Something he didn’t want to stop? “…not something I’m really used to. And… you seem to really like it, but… well…”
The awkward pause was followed by a cascade of words.
“Dude, I’m holding back. This is nothing. This is a candle next to the SUN. You think you’re liking this? You can’t handle what I can do. I can melt you. I can melt this entire block. I’ll melt your slagged remains down past the subways. So don’t go hugging me and purring like we’re some kind of lovers because I will be the END of you.”
Isaac stopped, wide-eyed. Where had that come from? This was still too awkward.
“Look, man… I, uh, can tell that you like this and… well… I kind of enjoyed it too, but… you know, maybe I could just heat your arms a bit or… pet?... you? Just no hugging, okay?” There was no telling what would happen if Isaac truly let himself relax with this guy.
Posted by Calcifer on Mar 27, 2016 18:08:28 GMT -6
Haven
Asset of Haven
94
94
Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
Isaac took two steps forward then was in the air. The streetscape reeled about him as the tight grip around his torso spun him around until he landed on the lizard-creature’s back. Isaac swayed, clutching to regain his bearings, and caught just enough of a statement from the creature to know that it had said something without understanding what that something had been. And then it lurched forward.
The beast’s speed was incredible. Isaac clawed at the thing’s back before finding a grip on its shoulders, all while spewing a continuous stream of profanities.
When he finally regained his wits, Isaac’s first thought was to jump. With enough luck, the lizard wouldn’t be able to turn around fast enough and he’d be able to slip away. He looked to the side. Damn, it was fast! The brick walls were speeding past noticeably faster than Isaac could sprint. He wouldn’t be able to hit the ground at this speed without taking some damage. Well, not personally, but his coat probably wouldn’t fare to well.
****! I just got it repaired!
Isaac pulled himself against the lizard’s back. The monster was annoying, but getting his closed fixed was even worse. He probably didn’t need to jump just yet. Wherever it was going, it at least didn’t seem to like the police. Perhaps it’d just been startled and was running aimlessly out of fear. If that was the case, there would be not harm in holding on and taking advantage of its speed before it tired itself out and he could escape more easily.
Or- Isaac’s jaw clenched at the thought- it was going home. Isaac weighed his options. What kind of “home” would keep a freak like this? Not a normal one. But then, given the beast’s resources and preparedness, it probably wasn’t a dangerous one, either. The thing seemed to like warmth; maybe it was heated? Maybe.
Isaac glared ahead as the creature carrying him raced down the streets. Whatever it was, he’d figure something out.
Posted by Calcifer on Mar 26, 2016 21:49:28 GMT -6
Haven
Asset of Haven
94
94
Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
The soft thuds of Isaac’s boots drummed out a purposeful tempo down the back alleyways in what he figured to be the best direction away from the sirens. Seriously, why were the sirens even coming toward them? It wasn’t like he’d actually done anything.
Burning that hobo? Causing a scene? Isaac cast a sideways glance at the naked lizard-man nervously nudging at his back. Public indecency?
>”Quick, quick…” the beast kept repeating the words, making Isaac even more annoyed. Did this thing think he wanted to be caught? Everyone knew that, unless you were actually being chased, the worst thing you could do was run. What you wanted to do was walk briskly, but inconspicuously away, and disappear without drawing any attention to yourself.
Though….
Isaac turned and cast a quick glance at the 9-foot creature following him. Perhaps “inconspicuous” wasn’t exactly possible. At least, not while he had this thing following him. He briefly considered trying to lose the beast, but seeing how fast it had been able to pin him the first time, the idea was promptly dismissed.
>“Quick, quick…”
Isaac’s teeth ground together. He scanned the walls of the alley for some small crevice or doorway where he could lose the bulk behind him. No luck.
>“Quick, q-“
“Look!” Isaac growled at the lizard, spinning to face it. “I want to avoid the cops as much as you do. I’m doing my best. But it doesn’t do much good as long as I’ve got your giant *** right behind me. Now I don’t see you coming up with any ideas, do I? Huh? Nothing in that one-eyed brain of yours? Then either shut up or **** off!”
Spitting to the side, Isaac turned and continued trudging down the alley.
Posted by Calcifer on Feb 28, 2016 20:05:48 GMT -6
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Haven
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Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
There was no doubt about it now; this lizard man loved the heat. It seemed like he couldn’t get enough of it. Isaac stared at the scaled head pressing up against his hand and purring. The shock of someone who wasn’t harmed by his touch was still working its way through his mind when he noticed something else. Whenever he would increase the temperature of his hand, there would be a brief delay and then the man’s skin would rise to match his temperature, reflecting it back at him. He was absorbing and storing the heat!
Isaac’s mind collapsed under the realization. Here was someone who not only could survive –and loved!- the heat of Isaac, but who might not feel unbearably cold to Isaac, either. Isaac reeled. He- he had to try something. He had to see if this heat absorption was more than superficial.
“Could… could you let me go for a bit? I need to try something.” Isaac pushed his way out of the man’s arms. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the ground next to his coat and boots; for this to work, he’d need some more serious heat. Isaac turned and faced the hulking beast.
“Um… let me know if this hurts, okay?”
And then he burned.
Bright, glowing heat bloomed up his torso in a fierce red, racing past its earlier warmth as the air grew wavy around it. As the heat ran down his arms it changed from red to a piercing white, blazing its way to 1300 degrees Celsius by the time it reached his hands. Isaac took a cautious step toward the giant lizard man. If he was wrong about this… well, he just hoped he wasn’t. He raised a glowing hand and hesitantly pressed it against the man's chest. He felt the initial chill of touching a colder object. Then he felt the warmth grow in the man’s body. And then he felt… he felt…
Skin.
Five years of feeling nothing but the bite of cold, the rasp of insulation, or the crumbling of burnt things and now... he could feel skin. It was a little scaly, but it was alive. There was a slight, soft give to it and then the firmness of the muscles underneath. There was the rhythmic pressure and release of breath. There was the soft thrumming of a heartbeat. And it didn’t die. It didn’t melt or burn or give way.
Isaac trembled slightly. After a lifetime of willful solitude and years of self-imposed isolation, he didn’t know what to do or how to react. He just stood there, experiencing what it was like to feel the touch of another person.
“Finally.” Isaac pushed the creature’s arms away as it set him down. At least it had enough sense to make deals.
Turning his back on the beast, Isaac quickly picked up his outer clothes and put them on. He looked in the direction of the sirens, then the opposite way down the alley, then at the lizard man.
It’s a dog, Isaac thought, seeing it sitting on its hind legs with its tail thumping on the ground. Then, with a grimace: A dog that’s going to follow me. That was less than ideal, to say the least. Aside from the fact that he didn’t want to be tailed by anyone, he really didn’t want this thing to grab him up again on the way.
Isaac looked back toward the approaching wail of the sirens. The issue of the beast would have to wait. Right now, the important thing was to be somewhere else. Isaac turned and marched down the alley at a brisk pace. He didn’t look behind him, but he could hear from the dull thuds behind him that the lizard-dog was following.
Great.
Isaac turned a corner and continued down a crumbling back street. He didn’t really have a specific route planned out, he was just moving in a general direction of “away.” Besides, he’d done a cursory scope of the area when he first got here, and things were laid out in a general grid. Hard to get lost in square streets. All he had to do was get a comfortable distance away from the sirens then ditch the gargoyle before heading home.
Posted by Calcifer on Feb 28, 2016 14:20:15 GMT -6
Haven
Asset of Haven
94
94
Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
Isaac’s face flushed with heat and rage. Cafas was lucky Isaac wanted to use his forge or there would have been a fight right there. There may have also been a slight twinge of respect and comradery for his fellow blacksmith, but it was hard to tell. It was also fortunate that Isaac had been far enough away that he didn’t hear Cafas reading the thief his rights; Isaac and cops didn’t exactly get along.
Due to all these fortunate factors on Cafas’ behalf, Isaac managed to contain his anger at being told to back down from the thief who had ruined his clothes. HIS clothes. He glared at the taller blacksmith for a count of ten then stormed off, leaving pink-hair and green guy in the drafting room as he shed his coat and hoodie on the floor of the forge. If he couldn’t smash the thief’s head in, some random piece of metal would half to do.
As he dropped his shirt on the pile of torn clothing, Isaac turned back around and took two steps back toward Cafas. “Those were custom,” he pointed a finger at the hoodie and coat. “They were damn expensive and I wrecked them saving your bike. I am NOT letting this go.”
Fuming, Isaac turned back to the forge, looking for something he could melt and hammer into oblivion.
Posted by Calcifer on Feb 28, 2016 13:33:21 GMT -6
Haven
Asset of Haven
94
94
Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
>>”Wanna call it a night?”
Isaac let his arm fall to his side. In terms of taking a break, he was most definitely ready to call it a night. Not using his mutation had given him greater stores of energy than usual, but hammering at the anvil for several hours would tire anyone out. Now that he had paused for a bit, Isaac did feel tired. It was a good tired, but he would be much more fit for metal working after a good rest and another meal.
In terms of leaving the forge, however….
Isaac looked up at Cafas’ clock. It was the dead of night. He didn’t even want to think about how cold it would be outside or how long it would take him to walk home. Staying in the forge was a much more appealing thought, but at same time he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep working for too much longer.
“Yeah… Let’s go ahead and call it for now. When do you want to start up again?”
Before the question left his mouth, Isaac was already thinking about the walk home and how much he was going to hate it. What he really wanted to do was sleep next to the forge, but the extractor fans were far too loud and without them the forge would be filled with carbon monoxide. Isaac had spent a few nights in one of the foundries by the docks, but the furnaces there were in a much bigger space and the fans didn’t seem as loud. Even then, his sleep had been fitful.
Still… even if sleeping next to the forge while it was burning wasn’t an option, staying in the room would be better than going outside, and it wasn’t as is his place was going to be that much more comfortable than here. Isaac shifted uneasily at the request, but eventually spoke out his hatred for the cold.
“So, um…. would it be okay if I stayed here for the night? I don’t exactly like going out in the cold.” Isaac cast a look at his pile of heavily insulated clothes by the workshop door. It was unlikely that Cafas would understand just how cold this city was to Isaac, but hopefully he would get the point.
Posted by Calcifer on Feb 14, 2016 19:04:36 GMT -6
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Haven
Asset of Haven
94
94
Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
“Cold”
Isaac froze as the meaning of the word sank in. Someone else who felt cold. Someone else…
Someone else… like him?
Maybe the lizard-man was just referring to the fact that it was winter. Anyone would be cold out in this weather. But then, the bums had been cold, and they hadn’t dared to get anywhere near this close. This guy had shot straight toward him like he was the last source of warmth on earth and hadn’t stopped cuddling him, even when burning at temperatures dangerous for his specialized clothes. Even now, in his cooled state, Isaac knew he was hot enough to seriously burn anyone who touched him, but this guy had him in a bear hug and was purring.
Someone else…
Isaac forced himself to burn again. Just a little. The past five years of his life were screaming at him; this was wrong! But if there was someone else who wasn’t hurt by fire, someone else who always felt cold, he had to try. He placed his hand on one of the lizard’s bare arms and heated it as slowly as he could.
“This doesn’t hurt?” Isaac tried not to let his voice betray any concern for the guy. He wasn’t sure if he was successful.
Posted by Calcifer on Feb 14, 2016 14:46:39 GMT -6
Haven
Asset of Haven
94
94
Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
This was not how things were supposed to be going. Isaac felt the heat flow out from his hands- normal enough, but instead of jerking away from the burn the beast pressed into it, purring. It liked the heat. Not only that, but soon the red in Isaac’s hands spread along the thing’s body. It was absorbing the heat! That was… new.
It was also bad. Burning had always worked in the past; nothing could withstand Isaac’s heat for long. But now this creature was actually enjoying it. There was the possibility that it had a limit to its heat tolerance- even Isaac’s body had trouble coping at the highest temperatures he could produce- but he didn’t want to risk losing his clothes as well.
So burning a way to freedom was out. Physical attacks had also proved worthless. Isaac supposed that a big enough gun could probably put this thing down, but it wasn’t like he had any on him right now. When had he ever needed a gun? Isaac groaned and hit his head against the pavement in frustration. How long would he have to endure this?
And then he heard the sirens. Police. Panic stabbed into Isaac’s mind: He couldn’t be caught here, but he couldn’t get out from under this animal, either. Isaac looked up and saw the same fear in the lizard, its head tensed against danger. It lifted its body slightly, poised to run, and clutched Isaac tighter against its chest. It apparently planned to take him wherever it was going.
****! That’s worse than the police!
Isaac gritted his teeth in desperation. He couldn’t let himself become this thing’s trophy or prize or whatever. He hated the idea, but he’d have to resort to bargaining.
“Hey!” He punched the beat’s head to get its attention. “HEY! You like heat right? You like this?” Isaac waved his red-hot hand in the thing’s face. “Well I can give you more. Hell, I can get even hotter if you want. But you see this?” Isaac cooled his hand, the piercing red fading into nothing. “I’m not going to burn for another ****ing second until you let me go! Understand!? Now put me the **** down!”
Isaac’s fist hit the brick wall with a dull crunch. By the time he realized that he’d missed, a sharp blow to his back knocked him off balance and into the wall. Hands scrambling against the brick, Isaac stumbled upright. Breath hissed past his teeth and his arms flailed in the air for balance as he whipped around… just in time to see the thief bolt out the alley and around the corner.
Isaac gave a roar of frustration. His prey was escaping! Stumbling into a run and half-tripping over his own bag of food, he tore after the teen. Careening out of the alley, he skidded to a stop on the pavement and scanned the street in a wild frenzy.
People… people… people- Isaac’s head jerked from side to side as he sought for his prey. People… people… people….
…and NONE OF THEM HIM!!!!
“@#$%!!” Isaac shouted into the crowd before storming back into the alley. He pulled his mask up over his barred teeth and glared at the ground. Passing a dumpster, he suddenly turned and slammed his fist into the metal with all his might. When he finally reached the sack of meat, he just stood over it while the breath shot from his nostrils in heavy bursts and condensed into steam in the winter air.
He’d lost.
With a guttural curse, Isaac snatched up the bag and started home.
Isaac’s nostrils flared. This punk really needed to be taught a lesson, mouthing off like that. He rolled his shoulders and spat to the side, his spit sizzling as it hit the ground. Isaac turned his head back to the kid, glaring at him under his eyebrows as his body shifted from a stance of stiff intimidation to one coiled and ready to strike.
A single profane instruction left Isaac’s mouth, then he began to move.
The kid had dropped the stolen bag, but Isaac didn’t even look at it as he strode past. Getting his food back was no longer the goal. This was about teaching a stupid thief never to mess with him again. This was about releasing his rage. This was about all those sneering faces who thought they could get away with taking pleasure at his expense.
They’ll all pay.
With three quick strides Isaac closed on the thief and threw all his momentum into a punch at the kid’s face.
Posted by Calcifer on Jan 20, 2016 22:29:52 GMT -6
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Haven
Asset of Haven
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94
Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
Images and ideas swam through Isaac’s mind. Lizard. Heat. Pressure. Fire. Embrace. Burning.
Screaming.
He opened his eyes and forced himself to concentrate on the mundaneness of reality. The rusted color of the bricks. The dry smell of the dust. The bite of the wind. He started to breathe again.
Then there was the sound of rapid, heavy footsteps before four scaled arms wrapped around him from behind and locked him against the giant lizard’s chest. Isaac gave a sharp cry as if he were in pain, followed by a string of “No! No! No! No!” as he struggled against the creature’s grasp.
But he couldn’t get free. He writhed in the beast’s arm’s, but he was trapped. This was wrong. There would be fire. There would be burns and pain and hurt. He couldn’t get away. This was wrong!
The strength left Isaac’s legs and he sagged in the lizard man’s arms. All he could do was stare at the ground in front of him.
It was then that he noticed the purring. Deep, solid rumbling that massaged its way into his spine as the torso behind him rocked rhythmically back and forth. He noticed that the lizard’s head was wrapped down around his shoulder, gently nuzzling at his neck. And then he remembered that, even when he had been hot enough to easily burn anyone who came close, it had come to him.
Did it actually want to burn? Impossible.
But… this was a city of freaks.
Isaac turned his head to look at the creature’s face. “What is wrong with you?”
Posted by Calcifer on Jan 20, 2016 21:40:56 GMT -6
Haven
Asset of Haven
94
94
Aug 3, 2018 21:53:17 GMT -6
Curses shot from Isaac’s mouth as he hit the ground. The beast was strong. Probably strong enough to throw him through the air if it wanted to. Isaac didn’t like that thought, particularly coupled with the feeling that his earlier punches hadn’t done much against the creature’s hide.
It said something, but Isaac didn’t understand. He didn’t care to understand. All he knew was that this thing was disgusting and that he wanted it away from him NOW. He kicked. He clawed at the ground. He did everything he could to get out of the creature’s grasp but it would not let go.
Then, with a sharp tug, the arm around his leg pulled him under the beast as it heaved its bulk into the air and down directly on top on Isaac. The impact forced the air from his chest, and when it returned it did so in a stream of profanity. Isaac thrashed against the lizard like a wild animal, but it was no use. The creature’s weight alone would have been enough to keep him trapped, but it had also pinned him with two arms on either side of each of his and its hind legs and tail pressing his legs together.
“I said get off!” Isaac shouted. He was starting to feel desperate. Nothing had ever kept him contained, and as the lizard’s scales scraped his shirt against his chest, he began to forget how he had gotten here or what it was that had him trapped; all he knew was that he had to get free. He heated his hands to a piercing red and pressed them against the shoulders that held him to the ground.