Team Nippon [@VitaVitaAR][@PKMNB0Y][@Crimson Paladin] [hr] Nobunaga surged forwards, katana poised to strike at the creature's soft underbelly by slipping under its scale armor. The blade cut the underside of the creatures flesh, the large creature hissing in pain as it whipped around, slamming one of its forearms into Nobunaga and sending her reeling backwards from the impact. Blood seeped from the wound and onto the ground, but the beast didn’t seem to care or notice as it charged right for Nobbu. Novak watched with rapt attention the way Nobunaga moved. The way she tensed her muscles. The way her wrist moved when striking with her blade. The way her body reacted to getting hit. Almost as if his mind was overanalyzing and hyper aware of every little minute muscle detail she was making. For a moment, he might think he could easily replicate her moves himself. “But its so floofy...” Lazhira visibly pouted a bit as Misaki moved away, but at least did seem to not attempt to do so again. “Ehe, sorry, I just really wanna know how soft it is. It looks even softer than Kyrnith’s fur-er, not that...I know that aha.” That was an obvious lie. “Aha, really? Only a little while? You guys couldn’t have come from very far, then! You couldn’t have made it here from the north unless you fought your way up the canyon! And a pretty mean Elder Beast lives there, at least, that’s what I’ve heard from Lady Mie’s stories when she visits. And south is this reeeeallly big mountain, with a bunch of mean giants that live on it. You should have saw it from that cliff earlier.” It was obvious she was holding back trying to ask about everything where they come from. “Er, right, sorry.” She glanced to the side, face reddening in slight embarrassment from talking too much again. “I mentioned the Kyrnith, right? Its one of the four Elder Beasts that protect this land...well, they’re supposed too, anyways.” Lazhira said with a sigh. “Kyrnith specifically is the guardian of that forest. Normally it doesn’t go anywhere near us and leaves us alone, while making sure the forest thrives even in this cold...but...something really made it mad recently, and that something has turned the forest into a dangerous place. Most just want to kill it, and it'd solve it but...” She glanced towards the fight currently taking place. She lowered her voice, getting a bit closer though this time to not be heard. “I...I think its a curse, but I can’t really talk about it here.” The Roma Mob [@ERode][@Pyromania99][@Guy0fV4lor] [hr] Isiodre took lead, having only stopped momentarily to take a glance at what had happened behind. Nick had been separated from them, by a wall of thick vines. Hesitation had led to missing opportunity, but perhaps another would open for Nick, yet they would likely never know for quite some time. Octavia tugged lightly on the leash, attempting to get the group to move faster towards the flower. Augusta contented herself to attempt making a small light for them, focusing the energy in her fingertips, causing it to coalesce into a visible energy of small, blue bright light. Similar to that missile spell she used earlier, except static as it hovered over her hand. The closer they got to the plant, however, the more those things moving in the garden took note of them. Several of the humanoid figures seemed to immediately take note of their presence, Isidore would be the first to see them. The three closest immediately began moving towards them, and the closer they got the clearer they became. One seemed to be a similar experiment like they had seen above - the only difference was its head. No longer was it sporting that thin mouth, eyes sunken into its head. It had been replaced with a large, blackened flower. Its arms were covered in thorns, roots extending down its neck and into its flesh, with blacked tar leaking from various holes on its body Its hands had been morphed to mimic some sort of rough, firm plant foliage taking the shape of sharp blades. Curiously, a few amongst seemed almost [i]too[/i] human. Rather than being grotesque experiments, they seemed to have once been normal and some were still even dressed in ragged remains of clothing under the mutations the plants seemed to have given them. [hider=Goddess Note] Classification: Garden Thrall Physical Attributes: Similar to you Magic Attributes: Weaker than you Weakness: Burns easily Abilities: Black Blooded A demon related to the --------- clan. Its blood is toxic and extremely caustic, causes severe burns and can even cause humans to mutate. Flesh shaper A skill related to the --------- demon clan. Limited shape-shifting ability, often taking various forms of flora. Special attributes: Thrall of The Lost Garden - Has the ability to call upon the ancient garden to aid it, no matter how weakly the connection. A being of questionable intelligence that was caught by the garden through some means. Smarter and stronger than one may expect, and capable of limited learning capabilities, but still easily outwitted as long as you do not prolong the battle with it. The plants on its body are its main weapons, as they are sharp enough to cut flesh and deliver small doses of their own blood into their victim, thus propagating the garden. It is also able to spew a glob of toxic venom at will. Can communicate with others in the garden in a limited capacity. [/hider] With uncanny swiftness, one ran towards Isidore, one of those plant-like protrusions growing from its hands aimed to slice into his flesh. Another hung back, its body twitching repulsively as the flower on its head closed, beginning to expand and bloat whilst the last made a swift beeline towards Augusta. They sought to circumvent the garden itself, but the garden already knew they were there. [hr] The Lonely Pixie [hr] [@1charak2] “Congratulate me?” The cloaked figure laughed, voice rumbling. “How far can you miss the mark, Pixie? I do not desire such things from any but my liege, which you are not.” He began walking, turning his back to Alice as he continued on. “Your eyes see, but you do not care. Perhaps you seek to ingratiate me to yourself? How humorous. My loyalty belongs to another...but perhaps I ask too much, from one such as yourself.” By now the hallway had ended, leading to a large, stone room with a ceiling that seemed to be almost too high. Upon the back wall was large, steel beams leading from the floor to the ceiling with various arms at three intervals creating some sort of framework. Large wires fell across several of the ‘arms’, and a ruined scaffolding had fallen in several places leaving access to the top nearly impossible. Most notably, however, hung tangled upon the chords were the remnants of a stone structure that seemed suspiciously similar to the forearm of the stone giant above. Upon the floor lay various, old scrap of papers, desks and chairs littered the floor alongside them. Tubes and what could possibly only be described as wires hung from the ceiling. What exactly was this place? Some sort of workshop? “I do not recall saying we were working together. Merely that you could follow me so long as you do not get in my way. You are an unknown. Unknowns are best dealt with by death or curiosity in missions like mine. Whatever it is with that book of yours...you need to find yourself-” He paused, pulling up his bow. A low gurgle from the left of the room. “And that I will not be babysitting you if you get attacked by those pitiable cursed ones.” He quickly knocked an arrow, barely even looking in that direction before pivoting, the projectile was loosed, planting itself firmly in the skull of a nearby creature. It stumbled backwards, falling onto its back with a growl. Several more seemed to have heard their entrance and had seemed to have woken from whatever stupor or slumber they were in. [hr] [@Click This][@Cu Chulainn][@Crusader Lord] [hr] Swiftly, Leannah made to climb the colossus. She leaped from one of its feet to the other as the one she was on slammed into the earthen wall it had made. The impact shattered the stone wall, breaking it and causing most of it to crumble to pieces, sending a pretty large chunk flying north and wedging itself between the cliff and the wall of the building. This, also in turn, made Narkissa’s climb [i]much[/i] easier. The stone wall was destroyed to a fraction of the size it had been. In fact, if Leannah wanted to she could likely disengage and flee alongside the rest of them. The book she was carrying and the sword in her hand dropped over the edge, the book conveniently boinking Malphas right in the face as it fell. Leannah however, would find climbing to be doable, but extremely difficult. As she grabbed onto the other foot, she’d find one of her hands missing its mark and causing her to slip, wasting precious seconds while the giant was recoiling from the kick and recollecting itself. Leannah would leap upwards, body feeling incredibly light despite the mild exhaustion. However, the giant reached down with an empty hand mid as she made a climb, intent on grabbing the feline. [@PaulHaynek] The Traveler [hr] Nick dashed back up the stairs, intent on leaving that foul place behind, the only encouragement he had was Don’s last words. Was it a good idea? Only time would tell, in the end. For now he had other problems to worry about, it seemed. He’d only have a fraction of a second to react as something seemed to spike in his danger sense. His gut was telling him something was at the top of the stairs that would pose an immediate threat to his life. Once he would arrive at the top of the staircase, he’d note all the creatures that had been slumbering before had woken, but he’d have mere seconds to come to terms with the creatures between him and his exit destination as one swung a sharp, plant like blade right at his neck.