[center][h3]Tora & Poppi[/h3]
[b]Level 5 Tora[/b] - (17/50) EXP and [b]Level 4 Poppi[/b] - (15/40) EXP 
[b]Location:[/b] Hamlet, the Land of Adventure
[b]Word Count:[/b] 489
[@DracoLunaris][@Stekkmen][/center]

Instead of responding to the stranger's question verbally, Bowser started rooting around for the quest card and some valuables. It made for an awkward silence, and since the group was in fact intruding into someone's room, Tora rushed to pick up the slack. “Uh, hello! Sorry to barge in, meh. Is just, we have super-urgent problem and Tora hear you just the ticket. We need...”

At that point Bowser interjected, having produced payment he thought appropriate for the job, and in succinct if overbearing terms explained his proposal. The dubious expression on the woman's face said exactly what she was feeling, but after a moment, she seemed to change her mind. “Well...I guess you lot seem harmless enough.” Had the Centurion accompanied the others inside the inn, Tora ruminated, she might not be singing the same tune. Ever since his change, he'd been a lot more menacing and forceful, and not exactly conducive to negotiations. “I also need gold to buy my items,” she explained by way of justification, assuming the others knew what she referred to. “I'll join you for an hour or two.  So long...” The Eagle leaped forward, snatched up Bowser's jewels, and returned to her. “As you pay in advance.”

Since the deal meant no skin off Tora's back, the Nopon was all smiles. “Yay! Good to work with you, miss!”

“Quinn.” The archeress pocketed the gems, then gave her bird a stroke. “This is Valor. We're warriors of Demacia now, rather than hunters, but its a good skill to keep sharp. And you are?”

“Am Tora!”

“Poppi is Poppi!”

Following the others' introductions, Quinn got straight to business. The no-nonsense woman took the lead with a fearsome powerwalk, forcing the stubby-legged Tora to hustle just to keep up. In a few moments, the party was bound northwest for the woods where Bowser's crew needed to hunt for ingredients. It promised to be a good walk, out of the Hamlet and across both plain and field, so Tora got tired of the silence quickly. “Miss Quinn mention Demacia. Sounds like place. If talk about it with no provocation, must be proud.”

The huntress nodded. “Indeed. We are honored to be of service.”

Her assurance hung in the air for a moment, quickly making it clear that she wasn't the talkative type. Instead, Poppi saved the day by addressing Bowser. “So, if Poppi remember right, Bowserypon says is big villain. But while you are kind of mean, and always act like boss when never do any leading, Bowser never actually do bad stuff. Only good. Seem more like villain from kids' story.”

Tora scratched his head. “Now that Poppi mention it, that true. Good thing, too,” he chuckled to himself, closing his eyes. “Tora and friends are big heroes. Always end up fighting baddypons.” While he couldn't see it, Quinn rolled her eyes.

Nodding, Poppi continued. “So Poppi wonders. What most villain thing Bowser has done?”

[center][h3]Pelagic Lake[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Land of Adventure
[@Gentlemanvaultboy] [@Stern Algorithm] [@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN] [@TruthHurts22][/center]

Though exhausted, those present couldn't help but to feel elated. Gran and Euden shared in Linkle's joy of accomplishment, with the latter in particular chuckling when she declared the land saved. “Heh. We sure did.” Of course, he didn't know what she meant by 'Hyrule', but now wasn't the time for specifics. He found his happiness draining away when he turned his attention back to Gran, however. Everyone took a few hits from the vicious pelagics, but Gran -an ordinary young fighter by all accounts- got it the worst. It was hard to feel good with an ally so hurt. If only Cleo were here—the dutiful Sylvan would be able to patch him up in a second. None of these people, unfortunately, looking like healers. 

As such, when Linkle came over with talk of aid on her lips, Euden found himself surprised. His confusion only increased when the girl revealed her healing tonic of choice: milk. Yet, as he watched an equally stupefied Gran begin to drink it, he saw it magicking his injuries away. “What? There's healing power in mere food?” He almost didn't notice as Linkle manifested a friend heart and delivered it to Gran before he fully recovered. Euden didn't notice any effects, so he could only assume the heart to be some sort of symbol of affection. Despite himself, the young hero couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. Though unusually short for her age, Linkle was pretty cute in a tomboyish sort of way. Shaking his head, Euden dismissed the thoughts as he extended a hand. “Wow. I can hardly thank you enough. All of you.” He echoed the gratitude offered by Fyer and Falbi. “Without your arrival, we would have been dead for sure.” Rubbing his neck in embarrassment, he smiled. “That Hilda girl made the right choice staying behind, I guess. Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, the reward is yours. We should get back to town to get everyone fixed up.”

Once everyone was ready to go, the group began the return journey to Lumbridge. The ride operators waved farewell, one enthusiastic but both sincere. After a little hesitation, Euden headed over to walk by Linkle. “Er,” he began. “I've been looking for other people from my world for some time now, but found only a couple. I thought for sure you were a Sylvan,” he glanced at her ears. “But...after you mentioned 'Hyrule' I wasn't sure. You aren't from Alberia, are you?”

[center][h3]Coral Highlands[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Land of Adventure
[@ProPro] [@Yankee][/center]

A quick, well-aimed cut to the Tzitzi-Ya-Ku's face from the Cadet's blade convinced it to let go, but it had no idea what was waiting for it. Having hypered himself up through the use of Rushing Water, the Courier emptied his revolver into the beast. Six blasts escaped its chambers in a few blinks of an eye, staggering the bird wyvern before it could jump at the Cadet again. For a brief moment there lay an opening for the monster hunter to sink his sword in deep, but the Tzitzi-Ya-Ku had other plans. It dismissively lashed out with a leg, sweeping backward to catch the Cadet's shield or ribcage with a talon and tumble him away. Then it rushed at 6, flashing teeth bound for his unprotected face, completely ignorant of the Pokemon careening his way.

The Donphan hit like a truck, and the monster gave way. It bowled over with a loud, chicken-like squawk, allowing Ivories to roll right over it. As it sped on, the Pokemon's path carried it onto the spongy, tarplike top of a plate coral, into which it promptly stuck halfway in thanks to its speed and weight. Writhing where it fell on the ground, meanwhile, the Tzitzi-Ya-Ku looked rattled. Broken bones from the impact and white scars in its beautiful scales from bullets were telling it that these wouldn't be easy pickings.

[center][h3]Charnel Lane[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Dead Zone
[@Archmage MC] [@DracoLunaris] [@ProPro] [@Dawnrider] [@Simple Unicycle] [@Genon][/center]


[hider=For Blazermate][center]Sparking spirit absorbed:
[url=https://wiki.teamfortress.com/w/images/thumb/b/be/Medicbot_blu.png/600px-Medicbot_blu.png][b]Medic Bot[/b][/url]
Fusing with this spirit has yielded a vital part: the Uberheart. On Blazermate's back is a sort of clunky gray mechanical pack, with systems that extend into her upper torso. The heartlight on her chest is now rounded and steel-gray, with no light. She also appears to be wearing metal glasses now. Prominent on her pack is a large handle, defaulted in the upright position. The Uberheart grants the Power [b]Ubercharge[/b], which allows her to push down the handle and extend a beam to an ally that covers the target's body in a protective shell of sapphire energy. The beam lasts ten seconds, and it can be swapped between targets for the duration. While protected, an ally is impervious to damage but not force or certain status effects. In order to use Ubercharge, it must be built up by healing, and the charge resets after a minute of disuse. The Uberheart also grants the Weakness [b]Antiquated Machinery[/b], giving Blazermate a weak spot on her back, and making her susceptible to rusting.[/center][/hider]

The swarm of Rot Warts emerged to a slaughter. Several heroes worked to keep the organic gas bombs from sneaking up on anyone, detonating them before they could get into range. With half of the heroes in the air or on the move, they zeroed in on Jak and Daxter, Banjo and Kazooie, Gene, and the Engineer. Kamek and the sentry's combined bullets burst the Rot Warts one after another, but Blazermate could feel the exact moment feel when Dell -lazing in that recliner of his- disappeared, his time able to assist her at an end. Just a couple seconds later, the minigun attached to the Magikoopa's broomstick started giving out [i]clicks[/i] instead of bullets, and soon the sentry gun followed suit. That left the wizard with just his wand. The supply of Rot Warts, however, remained plentiful. Those killed left behind thick clouds of Root Rot, infectious with just a single breath. The battlefield was quickly becoming a checkerboard of hazards for grounded fighters.

Meanwhile, Donnie and Gene visited Nero one after another, first cleansing him from the infection and then from Galeem's touch, before joining the assault on the Ent. Together the entire group hammered the Ent's weak point. Donnie delivered a rain of blows to the warmly glowing heartwood, and when Gene joined him a moment later, the two pummeled away together in a brutal flurry. Rosy miasma welled up from the wood, but while Donnie bailed Gene stuck around to keep the onslaught going. The God Hand let him press his advantage even while another salvo of rot rounds blasted up to fall like meteorites on the scattered heroes. From a distance, evading the organic mortar fire, Jak lent more than a hand with a yellow eco barrage. The Ent, hurting tremendously, let out another rumble. Banjo and Kazooie's Beak Barge, though not hitting a weak point, proved to be the final straw.

[i]”NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG!”[/i]

Just as Gene jumped away, the wood on the Ent's upper back closed like a vice to block the vulnerability, and the monster slammed itself into the from of the cathedral. A tremendous crash signaled the destruction of its whole facade, stone and glass alike, in the monster's bid to get the pests off. Leaning into the broken building, it remained still for a moment. It did not think, but it could feel. It was a Root, part of the inexorable eldritch race that brought entropy to worlds beyond measure. Its foes were many, small, hard to hit with waves or minions on the ground. The Ent could sense that this wasn't working, but more than that, it could sense its enemies. It had no eyes, but it could see them still, possessed of the stink of wholeness. Of complacence. Like fireflies they buzzed around, near its legs, in the air...

[i]There.[/i]

The Ent moved. It slammed its elbows into the building it had been appearing to slump against, propelling itself forward in a shower of dust and gas. Its right arm flew up and around in a colossal right hook, the momentum of its whole body behind the blow. Thousands and thousands of pounds of cursed wood hurtled into the way of Donnie's flight path to swat the annoying gnat from the sky. The force carried it forward, and a moment later its foot came down with an earth-shaking [i]CRONCH[/i] on a group of Blazermate's undead. From the impact point rumbled a reddened shockwave, which sent ruptured shards of earth flying in every direction, including toward Banjo and Kazooie. It continued to expand outward, ultimately reaching and destroying the unattended sentry. The Ent's back, faced toward Jak, opened back up with a surge of Root Rot. Instead of shooting straight up to fall down, a number of rot-blobs cannoned straight toward Jak in quick succession. Finally, the treant clotheslined the remaining upper portion of the cathedral front, and a gigantic shower of rubble filled the sky.

[center]-=-=-[/center]

A ways off, three pairs of eyes watched from the shelter of a side alley among the roots. Two of them watched the action with anticipation, but they looked to the owner of the third. For his part, the least of the three seemed more concerned with the book in his hand than the fight unfolding before him.

After the Ent's last attack sent debris flying, chunks of masonry were scattered across the plaza. One, the upper half of a statue depicting some saint, came a little too close; it blew straight through the storefront immediately to the trio's left, causing one of them to squawk in alarm. “Hey! Don'tcha think it's getting' a little heated in there champ? Wanna bail them out?”

The man whose shoulder the bird rested on gave a slight smile. “Great things are done when men and mountains meet.” A rogue hollow drew too close, and the man flicked his cane in its direction. His shadow moved, sliding across the ground like flowing black sand. It rose like a buzzsaw, neatly slicing the rotund plant in half, before returning in a flash. “Still, it would behoove us to show some consideration for our friends. Once I see how they answer this, we'll go.”