[center][h3] Chapter o.7: A Floral Field[/h3][/center] [hr] A soft hum emitted from a cluster of glowing blue crystals placed near the entryway of the gate. Itsb energies pouring out from its form creating a transparent barrier overlapping the first area of the city. The mentioned distortions were clear and apparent, beyond the border was the sky already bending unnaturally like broken water or waves created by a passing boat. From the ripples within the sky time was diluted, the light was dominant but within Gabaras some areas beyond the protection of the crystal were covered in greedy darkness. You're general, or A'shtolen was a weak-willed man. Paired with a clear lover, he was intent on keeping her safe but as he arrived within the limits of Gabaras his fear overtook him. The man could remember the last party of scouts and soldiers that had passed into Gabaras... they were all gone. He shook, hitched breaths lapping out of his mouth as he stared straight forward his eyes following a long path that stretched to the castle. His thoughts were interrupted by a human-looking mage. [i]"We're not going to hurt those people are we?[/i] A moment of silence passed, grunting at the thought before his companion, Maria nudged his shoulder urging him for a response. [i]"Yes! Of course. "[/i] the general was clearly unsure of what he was doing. His answer unsatisfactory to his companion and looked away to observe the distortions outside. [i]"Sorry... let's get moving. "[/i] The general muttered, his sentence loud and clear hopefully reaching the ears of his teammates. You're led by the general, A'shtolen through the leftwards path that lines the walls of Gabaras. The pathway was shaded and the sun was nowhere in sight. You pass by stone and brick buildings, poles every few hundred feet holding thick black strings unknown to you. As you continued on your path the destruction became clearer signs of continuous battles. Slashes against brick dried blood prevalent on the pathway but there were no bodies. Groups began to separate into their respective paths, walking towards aimless streets and alleyways that derived from the leftward path. Eventually, you too would be led down a certain street, the signs of hostility and battle became less active as you followed this path. Though it was clear that the barrier was at its capacity by the heavy movement from the distortions above. [i]"We're here. "[/i] Your general says, his voice piercing through the silence or possible silence from the group. He trekked ahead, his sword drawn pointed outward as if to expect something. And expect something he did, his sword lightly tapped against the edge of the entryway's barrier. It was lighter in color compared to the dark blues from the entryway. It was extremely clear but its form made the outside world blurry. From what you could make out, past the barrier was a regular street but dawned with large houses and fenced areas. [i]"Remember the plan. Stick close, protect Maria, and don't fuck up. "[/i] The general's voice was clear and deeper than usual, he puffed out a breath of air his sword wiggling against the barrier before making his move through. A'shtolen was the first to pass and as he walked through the blurry nothingness in front of him he disappeared and his body couldn't be seen past the barrier. Maria smiled looking back towards you, she gave a reassuring smile and beckoned to follow and so too did her body disappear past the barrier. You hesitate before following Maria and A'shtolen. Passing the barrier was easy, but now you were in distortion zones. The image from the barrier you just left betrayed you, in front of you were indeed large houses and fenced areas but outside they were destroyed, overgrown with flora and fauna. But from this destruction, parts of buildings and houses were still existing and untouched by the destruction surrounding them. The most prevalent appearance of distortions were the fields of wildflowers that actively covered the ground beneath you. And above was the passing daylight and night sky, originally you saw what looked like rippling waves of water but now the sky was bending and ripping like paper, and from those rips was the greed of darkness enveloping areas of Gabaras. Luckily A'shtolen and Maria moved fast and just as they had left the barrier they were already on their way to the first crystal point. You would be lead down the fragmented street, within those fragments were flowers or untouched brick as if fresh out of a sculptor's hands. You'd most likely expect a distortion to come crashing down on you but you notice Maria with her hands already placed on a crystal, passively forming a protective barrier as she followed A'shtolen. Within her minuscule barrier, the distortions of destruction and flowers would return to regular street and unbroken bricks but as soon as they passed the distortions would return. Finally, you would reach a plaza of sorts a cardinal pathway that met at the middle. Maria prepared herself, grabbing a crystal's rugged form as she knelt at the center and focused her thoughts and magical energies on it. A wave of magical energy would escape the crystal and begin enveloping the area in a heavy barrier of magicks, strings attached to the insides of the barrier that based themselves at the crystals form. Like electricity, it would rapidly touch the surface of the inside barrier and zap at the nearby distortions, removing them from existence as the area around you would begin to reform. Wildflowers disappeared, ruins of houses returned into untouched buildings, and so on. The reconstruction of the area brought a strange beauty back into Gabaras but also a heavy feeling of another force... [I]"Get ready-- I expect trouble to come." [/i] The general says, his eyes darting between the surrounding buildings. His eyes looked past windows and walls as he attempts to seek out a possible enemy. His hand laid calmly over the hilt of his sword but the sweat protruding from his leather gloves said otherwise. Maria worked at the crystal, tendrils that acted like electricity slowly phased away distortions until there were no more and retracted back to the crystal. All that was left was to increase the size and strength of the barrier and as minutes passed the teal hue of the barrier shifted into a deep blue. And what followed after was a thick silence that blanketed the air. [i]"I think I'm done!"[/i] Maria giggled, a sigh lapsing from her mouth as she jumps in a cheer. She goes to wipe the sweat off her brow and forehead and for a moment you could see A'shtolen lighten his features and move his glance towards the blonde mage. But her cheer was cut short as a woman tackled the mage to the ground, she sported a torn bright red and dark brown dress and enthralled herself at the mage. Before the general could yell a halting command his foot had already connected with the assailant's head. The strange woman flew to the side, her body lifelessly flailing across the pavement as she moans, [I]"Urghh...Ahh...[/i]" [i]"STOP! WE ARE THE KOGANI- "[/i] Before the commander could finish his sentence the woman screamed, blood splattering out from her throat as she launched herself onto the man. But before she could land, A'shtolen sliced the hostile stranger in two. The woman's body falling abruptly to the ground as blood and innards leaked from the slice. The general gasped in a hitched breath before a dozen of citizens began appearing out of thin air, dressed in noble wear. They all looked normal, lacking any sign of possession or even any sort of infection that would lead to this sort of reaction. Noblemen and women launched themselves at the group in a crazed sweep. Arms lifelessly swinging at the team. The crazed citizens would grab and bite at any unguarded part of the group. They moved like feral dogs, but some on the other hand took a more 'human' approach. Specifically, a group of ten nobles stood from afar, a few feet from the group as they watched with a cold and meaningful gaze. They would only move after the feral citizens were eliminated. After the first wave of feral citizens was dealt with the nobles began their attack, walking towards the group in a prepared stance, unlike the feral that had just attacked. Four dashed from the group, bearing swords and shields. One threw their sword with strange strength, a sound whipping into the air as it spun towards Maria but just as it was about to strike the general deflected the projectile. [i]"They're targeting Maria!"[/i] A'shtolen calls out, he stands close to his companion as he clashes with one of the weapon-bearing noblemen. The rest began their advance to overwhelm the general, it was obvious that their goal was to eliminate the mage that cultivated the barrier. Clashes of magic and steel erupted from within the barrier, the weaponless crazed would follow behind, striking with unarmed attacks and punching whenever a member of the group was distracted by a strike from another. The battle would continue for the next few minutes before the final member of the crazed would be slashed by the general. At the fight's end, the street would be covered in blood, limbs scattered about the cobblestone path as the general shook in disgust and awe. It wasn't his first time in a battle like this but it was different. These were unknowing citizens. The general fell to his knees, dropping into a puddle of blood as his head arches forward. A dreaded feeling sprouts through his veins, shaky breathing escaping from his mouth as he sits in disbelief. Where these real innocents? Was this a cruel joke? A'shtolen thought. His memory playing over the countless crazed he had killed, his arcane eye passively working at the innards of the crazed civilians. There was no infection, there were no traces of possession, could distortions even do this? He asked himself before a calming hand came over his shoulders. It was Maria and her gentle hands kneaded at his shoulders as she whispered for him to stand. She takes the general's gloves and wipes the blood off their leathery surface before putting them back on the man. [i]"There is a reason for everything, Myora... We have to keep going. "[/i] [hr] A string of battles would continue, the process would repeat. Maria would set down a crystal, focusing her energies into its rugged form while a wave of feral citizens followed by weapon-bearing citizens. There was a strange repeat of scenarios as if it was on purpose. Feral and then the knowledgeable, feral, and then the knowledgeable. There was definitely something afoot but A'shtolen couldn't put his mind to it neither could Maria as they were both focused on the task at hand. Soon enough the final crystal was placed at the end of the street that leads back to the wall of Gabaras. This time the final crystal was placed with no following battle. And Maria let out a gasp, followed by laughter. She smiled happily, With the passing minutes the final barrier would be completed and the surrounding distortions throughout the residential district would completely disappear. [i]"We-... we did it! "[/i] The blonde mage claps as she went in to hug the elven general, he responded with a light pat on her back as he looked towards the team. His gaze calmer compared to the start of the mission. He looked to his wrist, equipped with some sort of device that ticked quietly but went unnoticeable until now. [i]"Aye. It is time to head back, we'll follow the wall and return to the gate. About three hours have passed. We'll probably take on one more district until we can re- "[/i] The general would suddenly stop speaking and Maria would look at him with a worried glance and before she could touch him she stopped in her tracks. Her body fell to the ground as she suddenly started screaming in pain. Her eyes brimming with tears as a foamy substance began to release from her mouth, her body violently shook against the ground as she wreathed in pain. Her veins bulging out from her skin as blood began to leak from her nose and eyes. Her hand went out to A'shtolen, the man still unmoving and silent. She attempted to call for help but was muffled by a substance that escaped her mouth. She continued her spasms until she went silent but unlike the general she was dead, her body strangely cold as the foamy substance continued to escape her body. Tears released from the general's unmoving body. He fell back, his body still in the same position, and as he fell you would notice that an arrow had pierced the form of the final crystal. Already cracks would begin to form along the barrier, its shape moving unnaturally. It seized and then expanded rapidly until it made it a great [i]pop![/i] sound like a balloon. Instantly would the distortions fill the area. A booming sound filled the chaos, a rip had appeared and stolen the light from the area. Blades of sunlight danced through the darkness and you could see the buildings growing and actively changing but at the same time foliage grew at brick and stone. Buildings around you would collapse and then suddenly become anew while the ground you stood at was filled with wildflowers that seemed to grow around your feet. If you released your foot from the ground you could see the ground under for a split second as dirt but then was filled with flowers. This cycle continued before a rippling wave of bending reality came over each member of the group, swallowed by distortions until eventually, A'shtolen was the only one left. [hr] [hider=Notes!] Welcome to freeform battle! In these types of combat posts, you can freely attack as you want and can control the hostile-npcs! Please message me if you want to do something grand but ultimately it's up to you how you want to handle these scenarios. As specified there are two groups of 'hostile' citizens attacking the group. That being the feral and the knowledgeable. The knowledgeable are practically like normal fighters, and it may even strike as odd as the only people attacking in this district are specifically noble people who don't seem or look like fighters. And then the rest are feral citizens that attack like dogs! I stress try not to do anything too 'grand' but it's always a possibility. Thank you all for patiently waiting and I hope we all stay interested! Myora = My love. [/hider]