Chapter 1

---

Day 4
09:18 PM
Land of Twilight, 310km away from the East Gate


You were awake, wide, alert. The ride had been smooth and uneventful, but something told you, this would be it.

You had been in the Land of Twilight for several days now, Four to be exact, a rookie number because you could still count it, God knew what the monotony of seeing green and brown every day could do to your sanity. On the bright side, you have been assured that the locals exaggerated the rumor about the region, and the one who said that was none other than another local. This local was the man that steered your carriage; a seemingly grizzled elf who claimed that nothing in this Land of Twilight would scare him.

In his defense, you all have been through this relatively unscathed, for now, so that was kinda believable.

You looked at your companions. There were five of you. Some might have embarked on this journey with goals that were different than yours, but four days of getting-to-know-each-other had assured you that they all had what it takes.

You felt that your carriage was gradually slowing. Curious, you tried to peek from the window. The wind was unusually quiet tonight, yet when you looked at the rows of treelines, it seemed as if many things that were neither living nor dead were watching back at you from the darkness.

As you started to ponder, the coachman yelled and whipped the twin horses that had been carrying you this far, slightly jolting you as the vehicle accelerated again at a steady speed. Were we getting close? You and your friends might have a similar question. The arrangement for this quest was strange. It turned out Your true employer had departed a few days ahead of you, and you are scheduled to catch up with him today. Unusual would be an understatement, but you had been paid 150 gold coins in advance. Quite a hefty sum of money to just sit and enjoy the ride. After all, what can a single coachman do against four of you?

You leaned yourself again toward the window, eager to ask the coachman, but your eyes instead caught a glimpse of light far ahead in the distance. You felt assured, that should be the boss, Vesemir you had heard so much about. Time to work, adventure awaits, and then get paid.

Suddenly you felt your carriage decelerate again to a painful halt. A faint roaring sound could be heard in the distance, sending chills into your bones. You didn't know what was that, you did not have time to comprehend the sign of the first real threat; your luggage had been swiftly thrown away from the carriage.

"Get out! get out!" the coachman commanded, and the sheer trepidation in his voice was so apparent almost as if he would flip this carriage down if you didn't get yourself out in an instant.

"That's Vesemir! Do whatever he says and protect him!"

"What about you?" you asked.

"What? Oh! I will get my sword first."

"Go now!" he said again, pointing out at the group of people roughly a hundred meters away from you. You only noticed his reluctance, while the rest of The Coachman's next deeds would be lost from your observation in the middle of the unfolding chaos.

Squinting, you saw five people fending off several dark entities the size of adult wolves. Two mercenaries were seen engaging the dark thing at the front. They were accompanied by a middle-aged elf carrying a bright lantern and a cane. Behind them were two elven women. One was shooting the monsters with a bow, while the other incantates a light-based spell.

Without thinking you grabbed your gear and headed toward them. Mutated beasts? Nothing you could not handle. You were so sure of that until you heard that roar again, and witnessed something enormous emerge from the moonless sky. The object circled above the first party like a vulture. Its appearance resembled a winged reptilian shrouded in dark blue fire featuring two fiery horns jutted out on the place where the eyes should be, and a tail and four legs that looked almost skeletal.

Streaks of bluish patterns glowed on its body before it breathed down a misty vapor.

Even from this distance, you could smell the rancid stench, wrecking you as if a burning twig had been inserted into your nose. You started to doubt if it was safe to approach them. Dutiful as you might be, you did not fancy dying for nothing. When doubt started to overwhelm, you saw the middle-aged elf raised his lantern, and the light cleared out the mist almost instantly.

For just a moment, you glanced back and noticed that the carriage had been driven away. What a damn coward!

You heard an explosion, and your attention returned to the combat zone. The sky was currently clear and the dragon was nowhere to be seen, but you know that thing might come back any time now. The first party still endured and managed to slay several monsters, but their defense could only last for so long. It was a matter of time until they would succumb to the relentless onslaught. No doubt, you have noticed some signs of exhaustion from their defenders, and the archer too.

______

A mysterious young woman decided to make a move. Exiting the carriage and readying her gear. She performed a hand sign and split herself into three figures of her and then started to rush to the first group. With a spearhead formation, one figure stayed on the elven healer; it seems that she wanted to guard her, and the two rushed further. One figure passed the giant shuriken then she gave her a boosted jump on the one wielding the giant shuriken. The one with the giant shuriken made a momentum in midair and hurled the giant shuriken towards the closest of the mercenaries.

The giant shuriken will deal heavy damage and may bounce off multiple enemies.

The one who boosted the one who hurled the shuriken followed her as she landed next to mercenaries. The two both joined the frontline mercenaries and readied their ninjatos.

"Akari, Sanjou." said the three figures in synchronization.

After somehow bumbling herself to be hired as a guard, Verdant was saved the hassle of sneaking through the elves to explore the supposedly cursed land. Which was pretty neat, since the uptight bunch seemed to have some sixth sense to find and capture unwanted intruders. Well, probably magic. The serpent never really understood the theory behind it even if she had some supposedly innate capability. But regardless, that's one hurdle passed.

The next hurdle, however, was boredom. And then unease. It went from what felt like a regular untouched woods, to some inexplicable sense of dread pressing in from all over. A distraction would be great, but she's not supposed to wander off and with how noisy their ride was there's nothing that wander to their direction either. Bummer. Ditching the group was an option... but the payment was too good. It could trade for a lot of tasty things. Wasn't that one core of living well? Good meal, new experience, and generally have lots of fun. Simple enough - she had it aaaaall figured out.

Thankfully, a distraction presented itself before Verdant went completely stir-crazy. With the manic urgency of a toddler on sugar rush, in a single motion she sprung with her bag in tow even before the coachman asked. The carriage shook mildly from her departure, the force propelling her up to the nearest tree in a single leap. Her eyes shifted, regaining its serpentine slit as the world lost color yet gained clarity under the night.

People ahead, attacked by unknown thingies. Then there's a giant lizard swooping down, Verdant instinctually flinching from the roar of the beast. She lost track of it in the short moment, now wary over the prospect of getting snatched for a late night snack.

Nope. She'll need to pay extra attention up.

The bag was hooked on a broken branch before Verdant's figure shrunk, shifting into a small green-black serpent that coiled atop the tree. From there she explosively sprung forth, her form undulating and slightly flaring as she rapidly glided her way to the battle. Hopefully unnoticed in the darkness. As she arrived she'd revert into her human form, falling onto the rearmost creature with knife at hand, the weapon whipping forward to cut open its throat with a disturbingly practiced ease.

Rezello

---

A man garbed in green and black wandered the empty streets of an abandoned city, the sound of footsteps on stone roads echoing in the unnatural silence of the pristine ruins. Cobblestones gave way to gravel, and gravel to dirt and mud as he approached a riverbank, staring across the flowing water into the darkness of a thick forest that consumed the other side, stretching endlessly in every direction.

You think you’ll find anything in there?

A pale apparition appeared at his side, a vaguely humanoid silhouette gazing into the trees beside him.

Maybe. I doubt I’ll ever have another chance to find out.

Fair enough. I hope you’re ready, then. It’s time to move out.

The forest, river, and city suddenly collapsed into void as Rezello was jolted awake by the carriage’s sudden stop. After four days of uneventful travel along what seemed to be nothing but fairly standard forested road, something had gotten the coachman worked up. Rezello shifted to look outside, spotting the light of the group in the distance. The carriage shook again as two of his fellow hires made their exit and their way towards the glimmer. Given the coachman’s urging, and the sounds coming from the direction of the light, now was no time for grogginess; forcing himself awake, Rezello pushed himself out of the vehicle, his body enveloped by a flash of silver light and his feet landing on the ground beneath with a thud as his armor manifested upon him.

Breaking into a sprint, he quickly scanned the scene before him; two armored mercenaries in the frontline, an older elven gentleman - the source of the light, and no doubt their employer - in the middle, and a pair of elven women in the rear, one an archer and the other some kind of spellcaster. Facing them, something around a dozen... monstrosities of some kind, though not like anything Rezello had encountered before. Akari and her duplicates had moved to reinforce the front and left flank, while Verdant had slipped behind the beasts, so Rezello shifted to reinforce the right, extending a hand that was soon filled with the grip of his spadone, sparks of lightning manifesting from the guard and traveling up its blade as he readied an attack.

As he approached the front line, he moved to transfer his momentum into a thrust of his blade, releasing a line of lightning focused on striking the three southernmost beasts - aimed directly at the one further back, while threading the gap between the closer two.

The Land of Twilight was a strange land, Degel decided. The place itself seemed quite fine, in his opinion. It was a bit gloomy, the trees were tall, but overall it had a quiet, relaxing atmosphere.

What he found strange was the wildlife, or the lack thereof. He hasn't seen an animal since they entered the woods, and yet he felt like they were being watched. A strange thing overall, it was the first time he'd ever felt something like this.

His musing were interrupted as an Howl pierced the silence,before the coachman itself frantically tried to get you all off his carriage.
The Shadow Hunter, Snake-Kin and Masked Knight were already in motion, and he himself followed. As his ponderous form leaved the carriage, he could see it rising slightly from the ground,and he couldn't help but think that maybe next time he should just walk.

Looking over to the commotion,you saw the creatures your Contractor was fending off. Dark figures,with far too many teeth for their mouths. Strange potrusion and exposed bone. For a moment he wondered if those tentacles on their back had actual use or were an useless mutation, but he quickly refocused, his eyes landing on the actual threat they were facing. A Wyvern, looking more dead than alive and shrouded in baleful blue fire.

He was already moving foward as the creature once again became shrouded by the woods, his lumbering frame eating the distance far faster than it's seemingly slower movements would indicate.

As he reached the Contractor, he concentrated, and a moment later he could feel the reddish ethereal wings coalesce and expand on his back, the Manifestation as true and real in the Physical as himself, ready to cover his allies in need, before addressing the group.

"I suggest a retreat. These beasts might be just a small threat with all of us here,but you five are exausthed, and the Wyvern will re-appear at any moments" He rumbled, an eye trained to the sky, before adding "Unless someone is confident they can bring it down without casualties?"

He himself was unprepared for a fight against the flying monster, as the beast could just keep in the air and bombard him with it's breath, but he would be lying if he'd say he wouldn't mind hunting and bringing down such a creature

@Soldat Elf

One figure passed the giant shuriken then she gave her a boosted jump on the one wielding the giant shuriken. The one with the giant shuriken made a momentum in midair and hurled the giant shuriken towards the closest of the mercenaries.

The oversized ninja-star --hurled with extreme prejudice-- cleaved one of the frontmost Devourers on its midsection, killing, or at least immobilizing it instantly. However, it did not bounce off its target but rather deviated a bit to the left upon hitting the hard pavement and overran its landing on the shrub at the other far side of the road.

One down, leaving two other monstrosities standing in her way. One was still lunging towards them, while the other was engaging the masked elven mercenary, who in all honestly seemed more agitated by the cutesy greeting than having a venomous beast breathing down his neck.

Masked Elven mercenary Withering poison status: 1/5

@A5G

The bag was hooked on a broken branch before Verdant's figure shrunk, shifting into a small green-black serpent that coiled atop the tree. From there she explosively sprung forth, her form undulating and slightly flaring as she rapidly glided her way to the battle. Hopefully unnoticed in the darkness. As she arrived she'd revert into her human form, falling onto the rearmost creature with knife at hand, the weapon whipping forward to cut open its throat with a disturbingly practiced ease.

The attack caught the creature off guard, its neck torn open, black blood spurted forth, irritating the hands responsible for its spilling. In a frantic attempt of self-preservation, the devourer retaliated with all it got, but the slippery youkai handily fended off the grotesque arm trying to reach her from an awkward angle. The defending move, however, allowed one of the appendages on the creature's back to coil itself around Verdan's neck undisturbed and created an opening for another tentacle to shove itself up the Yokai's mouth. It would be flaccid in roughly 10 seconds, but not before discharging a supposedly deadly dosage of poison.

The short second of wrestling between Verdant and her first prey alerted the nearby monster, but that creature suddenly had a lance of lightning striking him from the distance.

Verdant's Withering poison status: 2/5 (for now)

Rezello shifted to reinforce the right, extending a hand that was soon filled with the grip of his spadone, sparks of lightning manifesting from the guard and traveling up its blade as he readied an attack.

As he approached the front line, he moved to transfer his momentum into a thrust of his blade, releasing a line of lightning focused on striking the three southernmost beasts - aimed directly at the one further back, while threading the gap between the closer two.

The lightning zapped the first, then rebounded to the second, and the third target like a water current ran through a rocky path. The creatures were stunned momentarily, either by the blinding lightning or the paralyzing sting of electricity that charred their black flesh. The moment was not wasted by one of the mercenaries who swiftly swung his sword to separate the elongated, teethful head from its body, killing it instantly.

"Ha! That's the way you do it!"

It seems severing its spinal column was the most reliable way to kill it. They have two more charging straight ahead.

Degel was already moving foward as the creature once again became shrouded by the woods, his lumbering frame eating the distance far faster than it's seemingly slower movements would indicate.

As he reached the Contractor, he concentrated, and a moment later he could feel the reddish ethereal wings coalesce and expand on his back, the Manifestation as true and real in the Physical as himself, ready to cover his allies in need, before addressing the group.

"I suggest a retreat. These beasts might be just a small threat with all of us here,but you five are exausthed, and the Wyvern will re-appear at any moments" He rumbled, an eye trained to the sky, before adding "Unless someone is confident they can bring it down without casualties?"

The middle-aged elf looked delighted. Not only did reinforcement come just in time, but also because their presence quickly turned the advantage in their favor.

"You are right," he said, slightly lowering his lantern, the affirmation was spoken without much of a thought behind it, let alone a follow-up plan regarding where they should retreat.

The elven ranger behind them looked relieved when the reddish wing partially partitioned her from the harm in front. She allowed herself a moment to rest her hand and rearrange her breath, while her eyes scanned the battlefield like a watchful sentinel.

"Is that... your friend?" She asked, nocking an arrow to the bow as she looked in Verdant's direction. Things didn't look good from here. It seemed that Kid with skull hair ornament was being harassed by a dying Devourer.

"We have to help her!" said the other blonde elf.

And as if it wasn't a strong reason to do so as soon as possible, the dragon returned. This time it glided above their heads with a horse carcass in its maw. It circled once after reaching the treelines on the east and realigned itself so its mighty presence could be observed. And then, it landed straight below, toppling some trees in the process. It let out a subdued, guttural shriek as it chomped on its meal like one would bite a cake.

That horse looked damn familiar.

The creature ceased functioning just like any other with a brand new smile drawn over its neck, though not before one last struggle. Verdant, with an unsettling lack of concern, sawed off the tentacle and plainly swallowed the remaining length in a decidedly inhuman display of anatomy. Whatever it sprayed had a familiar tingle of toxin, one that she instinctively sensed was a new addition. Neat. Been a while since her repertoire expanded.

"...Mmm, sharp with bitter aftertaste. A bit numbing. Paralytic and necrotic? Rather weak one. Meat and blood kinda rancid." The serpent mulled, licking her lips. The taste... not a fan, but she had worse. In a short moment she'll figure out how it work and make it hers, but for now she had bigger stuff to worry about.

Like the other beast nearby, still reeling from the lightning. Viridian's ethereal form materialized over her skull-hat and lunged, the spectral serpent intent on ripping its throat before it recover.

The other issue, though. The big lizard came down nearby. Loudly. With a snack. Verdant crouched low, eyes on the massive beast, ready to spring away at the slightest hint of aggression. Alone she may not be able to take it down, but perhaps if someone could distract it...

"How do you taste like, big guy?"

Thankfully, she's facing away from the party and spared them her manic grin. It's perhaps a tad inappropriate under the circumstances.

---

Leaving was bittersweet. It always is. Fia never really thought herself tied to anywhere in particular. She always found herself staying somewhere for a day, a week, maybe even a month. Yet in recent years, she always found herself returning to this quaint troupe of traveling oddities. Merchants, doctors, rangers, scholars even. People who through mere coincidence ended up traveling across the land together, providing for each other, and forming a pseudo family. A perfect resting stop for her various endeavors, but one that she found herself returning to. Perhaps they were just acutely aware of her selfishness, and played it back at her.
Fia’s motivations were always selfish, and the people she ended up meeting with expendable, for lack of a better word. Her interests, her motivations lied in the unknown powers and striped divinity of those creatures that predated humanity, yet forgone any authority. Still, their power was tantalizing, and it was rumor of another of such power that once again had her saying her farewells to the caravan. The land of twilight, once since sealed away by the elves of Varenheim. After many years have passed that predate even most if not all of the elves at this point, those lands were open. For what reason, Fia guess were no more noble than ripping the bandage of lost history and the thrill of adventure.
It was relatively simple to join. Quests were posted, and the application simple. A quick rendezvous and the long carriage ride, they were within the twilight tree line. There was only about half of them at the start of the quest, their employer opting to depart earlier. His eagerness to run into danger proving his stupidity along with his resolve. Still, they were assured it would not take long to catch up. That was four days ago.
The trip through the forest was mundane at best. It was clear that some found the journey dull, and Fia would have been among them had it not been for one thing. Actually, two things. Fia came on the journey looking to unlock the mysteries of those entities that would hide out in the lands that has been for so long without a visitor. But by pure chance, two of her colleagues were also born out of the worldly inclination. Through one reason or another, Fia was denied any chance to question let alone study them. Urgency alone made it hard to even bring about introductions. Still, Fia held hope. They’d have to work together. There a nonzero chance the forest held something malicious or otherwise.
Now, Fia stood on the dry ground, barely pressed by recent travelers, surprisingly not overrun by vegetation. The night was clear and crisp, and was completely drowned out by the snarl of mutated beasts and the explosions from their prey. From monotony to war, the sudden change in tone was enough to stir awake even the most jet lagged of individuals. Overhead circled a winged dragon with horrific complexion. Not easily matched to the small pack of tentacled monstrosities on the ground. Its blue fire replaced the moon that hid from the sky. Without it, the only light they had was the lantern. They caught up to their employer, but under less than ideal circumstances.
Immediately, everyone went to work. From the tall to the small, the paladin, rogue, ninja, and fighter took to arms against the hideous almost skeletal monsters. At the same time, their once proud fearless coachman steered away, fleeing at only the mere sight of danger. Perhaps they should consider themselves lucky it happened as their employer was being attacked. Otherwise, the might have spent the last few days walking on foot had danger reared its head earlier in their journey.
Fia watched the dragon, but with the mist cleared away, and the dragon disappearing with it, she followed down the road along with the others. While they ran, she walked, not out of callousness, but she was better suited keeping her distance. Maybe she wouldn’t have to get involved. After all, their arrival doubled the fighting force of those elves. Not thirty seconds since arriving, they cleared half of what remained.
“Well, then. That should take care of the spawn. But one doesn’t present a musket without using it.” said Fia. The woman in the crimson dress held her right palm down with her slightly bent arm out forward. Mana condensed between her fingers as the elemental power flowed between her and a glass sphere that quickly escaped the satchel hanging off her shoulder. As if on cue, the dragon reappeared, prey in mouth circling overhead, before roosting just beyond the farther treeline. Though obscured, there was no mistaking its presence just a mere field’s length away from everyone else.
Fia was close enough now to be considered part of the group again. She raised her hand, the energy that was dancing between her fingers flying forward, circling the glass sphere only a few times before streaking over the heads of the elven advanced party and her recently met colleagues. The mana glowed white like the light of sun, though no where near as bright. It burst overhead, into four shards that darted straight down like daggers towards the monstrosities that remain standing after her colleagues’ onslaught. Her goal was to finish the underlings quickly. Though the dragon was occupied with its snack acquired from a coward, they were still close enough to be noticed. That could make running away difficult.

---

The figure of Akari remained nearby the two elven women. Keep guarding the two and keeping the safe spot for herself. Still on guard.

"Yeah. She is one of us, but I'm surprised that she can go far like that. I will let two duplicates work for it and let me keep an eye on you two. Besides, I need at least one of my duplicates to stay in a safe spot when things go bad for the other two." She said to Elven Healer Woman and Elven Ranger Woman. With an apologetic facial expression.

The nearest figure of Akari attempted to help the Masked Elven Mercenary despite the dragon's presence. She unsheathed her sword and put both of her hands on it, and a murderous aura conquered both the Devourer and the Masked Elven Mercenary. Executed nearly a clean cut upward to behead the Devourer that is currently lunging at the Masked Elven Mercenary. Akari will perform a Chiburui, splatting the blood of Devourer's blood to the ground if she succeed killing it.

The other figure of Akari decided to go to Snake Girl. Noticing something made by mana forming into a projectile above them, she prepared her kunai and went straight ahead to Snake Girl. Anticipating the attack of the remaining Devourers, Akari whirled herself and launched kunai at each Devourer that dared to lunge at her, including the one nearest to Snake Girl, so that those searing darts would also succeed in a direct hit. Thanks to her Ninja Spirit, her reaction and reflexes are similar to a cat's.

"Is that... your friend?" She asked, nocking an arrow to the bow as she looked in Verdant's direction. Things didn't look good from here. It seemed that Kid with skull hair ornament was being harassed by a dying Devourer.

"We have to help her!" said the other blonde elf.

Verdant, with an unsettling lack of concern, sawed off the tentacle and plainly swallowed the remaining length in a decidedly inhuman display of anatomy.

"She seemed a bit restless before, but it seems like she's enjoying herself more now." Looking at the scene, he couldn't help but huff out as he moved foward,putting the two mercenaries behind him as his wings flared once again with a reddish glow, renewed by his life essence. Hopefully they would be enough of a distraction that, where the Wyvern to finish his meal, he would go for them.

Giving a quick once-over to the battlefield, and seeing as how his allies were dealing with the already injured critters, he locked in to the lone creature that remained untouched still. As he put a couple steps between the mercenaries and himself, Degel stomped fowards as his long,sinous Tail Manifested, it's vicious hook darting foward to pierce the still unharmed beast.

Like the other beast nearby, still reeling from the lightning. Viridian's ethereal form materialized over her skull-hat and lunged, the spectral serpent intent on ripping its throat before it recover.

The other issue, though. The big lizard came down nearby. Loudly. With a snack. Verdant crouched low, eyes on the massive beast, ready to spring away at the slightest hint of aggression. Alone she may not be able to take it down, but perhaps if someone could distract it...

"How do you taste like, big guy?"

Thankfully, she's facing away from the party and spared them her manic grin. It's perhaps a tad inappropriate under the circumstances.

@A5G The spectral snake slithered out quickly, and either motivated by a primal urge to hunt or protect, it buried its teeth into the next Devourer, which immediately tried to rip its tangible, yet spectral form apart. As the two were wrestling to overpower each other, a shard of light came down, and luckily pierced through the Devourer's jaw, killing it instantly.

Verdant, who was now crouching low, grinning ears to ears, felt something treacherous was working inside her, and she would be right to guess that it came from things she just devoured. Suddenly her legs gave up, and her body fell. There was no pain, but that should be the least of her worries. Right now, she couldn't even move a finger.

Verdant's Withering poison status: 5/5 Paralyzed for the next 1 turn.

Fia was close enough now to be considered part of the group again. She raised her hand, the energy that was dancing between her fingers flying forward, circling the glass sphere only a few times before streaking over the heads of the elven advanced party and her recently met colleagues. The mana glowed white like the light of sun, though nowhere near as bright. It burst overhead, into four shards that darted straight down like daggers towards the monstrosities that remain standing after her colleagues’ onslaught. Her goal was to finish the underlings quickly. Though the dragon was occupied with its snack acquired from a coward, they were still close enough to be noticed. That could make running away difficult.

@Randomness

The nearest figure of Akari attempted to help the Masked Elven Mercenary despite the dragon's presence. She unsheathed her sword and put both of her hands on it, and a murderous aura conquered both the Devourer and the Masked Elven Mercenary. Executed nearly a clean cut upward to behead the Devourer that is currently lunging at the Masked Elven Mercenary. Akari will perform a Chiburui, splatting the blood of Devourer's blood to the ground if she succeed killing it.

[@Soldat Elf]
Two swordsmen work together, two swordsmen strong.

The masked elf understood the hint and quickly withdrew his blade after stabbing the nearby Devourer through its thick sternum and kicked it back, giving the ninja girl a space to do her reversed heavy slash. The katana cut the monstrosity from its armpit to its neck with a clean slash, halving the thing into two diagonally sliced dark messes.

Meanwhile, The luminous daggers rained down hard, but while one landed perfectly on one Devourer's vital spot, the others were not as fatal. Though the damage seemed relatively significant, and even with the help from the Ninja's identical clone, the shards and kunai barely slowed them down as they charged toward the frontline, now with a more glowing protrusion on their center mass.

Thankfully...

Giving a quick once-over to the battlefield, and seeing as how his allies were dealing with the already injured critters, he locked in to the lone creature that remained untouched still. As he put a couple steps between the mercenaries and himself, Degel stomped fowards as his long,sinous Tail Manifested, it's vicious hook darting foward to pierce the still standing beast.

@Deide

The materialized tail impaled the vicious monster right at the point where the heart should be and rammed the hook-end through, destroying a part of its spine. For now, the coast ahead of him was clear from all but one last enemy.

An arrow with a glowing head whistled and embedded itself in the last Devourer's head, knocking the creature down instantly and putting an end to its reckless pursuit.

The archer audibly breathed the cold night air and scanned the surroundings ahead. She saw the ninja shaking off blood from her blade.

"Do not touch your blade or even sheath it now!" She said sternly. "Their blood is very toxic."

The three elves looked at each other in silence, as if savoring the last minute of tranquility. Vesemir held his lantern in readiness, Eblana behind him, and Jazdia readied her bow. The two mercenaries backed off slowly. They all knew that running was the most logical course of action, but they too understood the futility of trying to outrun a dragon.

And then the silence was breaking at last. The flying monstrosity arose its head above the treelines. One of its front paws perched atop a very large tree that creaked under his massive weight. There the eyeless dragon sniffed the air with its burning nuzzle and then spoke.

"Well well. what do we have here." He rumbled, the voice was thunderous and intimidating, but at the same time, this terrifying creature sounded like he was trying to appear affable. "Four Malaikh. Three that have no business to be here, but the other, the ONE... MMM, THE OATHBREAKER! Here to face your reckoning I see."

The dragon shifted his muzzle slightly and grunted.

"And then Humans... and a Djall, two Djalls. Must be here for treasures. Like flies drawn to dead flesh, your greed knows no bounds! Sorry about your steeds, but you all must leave and never come back. Leave and live off the remainder of your insignificant lives. No? Shame! And here I thought we just can talk it out. So you don't find me very persuasive I see."

The downside of fast metabolism, see, all that venom was immediately distributed all over her body.

".......?"

Verdant, flopping face first like a sad sack of soup, could only make the slightest grumble from down there. So, the paralytic part of the venom was much stronger than the necrotizing part. Well, in hindsight it's not a good idea to swallow all that. And now she's stuck for a few seconds when there's a big bad lizard glaring from too-close-for-comfort.

And Viridian's baleful green gaze fell upon her with as much judgment as a nonsentient spirit could convey. Which was surprisingly a lot, Verdant sensing the gaze burning holes behind her skull without even having to see her sister's form.

"...., .... ... ......."

With an exaggerated roll of the eyes, the spectral ocular doing a perfectly perceivable 360 degree roll, the ethereal serpent picked up the humanoid one by the scruff of her neck, coiling in preparation for evasion should it be a necessity. Verdant, now no longer eating dirt, had a full view of the dragon that speak.

It speak!

"... ... ..... ....... ..... ..?

The only answer she get was a noncommittal hiss.

"O mighty Dragon!" said Vesemir, stepping forward after gathering enough courage not to appear trembling. "I am responsible for this party, and truthfully, treasures and wealth are not why we are here. I swear! It is knowledge and knowledge only that I seek."

The dragon turned.

"And for that, you are willing to die, And sacrifice your companions?" he thrummed. Fire, brighter than the rest danced around his skeletal jaw and nostrils. At the same time, his eyeless head tracked the desperate movement of hybrid-serpents below him, who were trying to crawl away like a bug escaping rampaging boots.

"Truth you say?!" The dragon rumbled with a devastating sound that shook Verdant and Viridiant to the ground. "Your kind are smart, So I heard. Look at your friend. Wise, why don't follow their example and go back to your spires, write your papers in peace rather than wasting time with incomplete truths? Hmmm? Last chance, O, brave adventurers!" The dragon said mockingly.

"This will be my last warning, though the futility of it was blatant, know that I, Viladred'sača, said the warning out of goodwill. Should you continue this foolishness, I shall not be the one who hinders you today. It's your lives to waste, and Ostianor always hungers for more souls to harvest."

Viladred'sača did keep his word. The immolated dragon crawled back, nonchalantly toppling one of the trees where his front carpus was perched. Yet as he retreated, his head lowered, and like a gentle whisperer, he breathed out another wave of poison mist and finished the deed with an ancient Word of Power.

"Qíva, ettyrar al rhovan! Sangre dakhiar, wa meren mayattya tambëhûm dethna nait letsulca!"

The dragon then leaped swiftly into the air, blowing the remaining poison mist as it whipped its mighty wings and disappeared into the dark sky.

The poison mist, slowly but surely crept out of the treelines, layers of pile tint of blue that formed like a living wall that urges whoever stood on its way to buzz off and never come back.

"Get back you two!" Cried the archeologist, there was a hint of dejection in his voice. Clearly, the dragon's words had left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Despite that, the fact that the flying monstrosity had retreated brought tremendous relief to nearly everyone else.

"That damn dragon got a roundabout way to say scram..." shrugged the human mercenary.

"That's not all," replied the masked elf. "It has something to do with crushing us with roots and feasting on them as they decompose."

"Ah, shit! That's enough ancient trickery for me in one day! Boss? Are we not going back? Retreat for today and let them lose our tracks?"

The two other elves, the archer and Vesemir answered with ominous silence. That kind of silence one would expect coming from those who were either desperate or greedy. Either way, their stance was clear; to push through.

"This one is relentless." said the masked elf. "Treents!"

Two enormous creatures arose among the trees-- no, they were the trees themselves that had come to life, adapting the form of shaggy, bipedal beings that resemble golems clad in gray and green wood bark. Their legs were a pair of limbs formed from many strong roots twined together, while the arms outstretched from the trunk like an unnaturally elongated branch that ended in six splits of claws. A single, orb-like thing glowed from the head adorned with branches and leafy twigs. For now, it only looked at the party, waiting for its brethren to fully adjust their stances, and let the poison mist initiate the attacks for them.

"Eblana."

"Yes sir!"

The blonde elf raised her hand, manifesting light on her palm, and spread it out to enchant an existing dome that already surrounded the party.

The paralyzing effect that gripped Verdant's body had waned gradually but she was still at risk of getting it again if she didn't move fast enough to escape the wave.

Verdant Necrotizing Wither status: 0/5. Times afflicted: 1

The moment the mist seeped out, Viridian sprung and all but tossed her sister into the newly formed protective dome before teansforming into a flash of light that merged with Verdant's ragdolled form, the skull snugly fitting on her head. The previously paralyzed serpent, for her part, managed to turn her freefall into a somewhat clumsy roll as her body rapidly broke down the venom within.

"Owie." She said, slowly getting up to her feet with a shudder. The dragon was much scarier after it started talking, intelligence a much greater force multiplier to a creature of such vast strength. Verdant can attest to that. She was but a snek, a long time ago. "Guesa we're not having dragon for dinner."

Her words was filled with the kind of remorse that's probably unfitting for someone that almost ended up a dinner herself, but let's not sweat the small stuff.

---

Fia stood quietly, but one look at her face would reveal the awe she had at witnessing the dragon. She was already intrigued by the dragon. And with it covering the distance between the current battle and their fleeing coachman was a clear threat to their safety with how close it chose to dine. Perhaps the trees were not as tall as they seemed from below, but to watch the dragon peer over the canopy really put its size into perspective. And furthermore, it spoke. Everything together, and Fia was enamored by the flaming winged beast. She was so much so, that she lost her words, something that rarely happens with Fia.
Despite the dragon’s words and warning, it was clear that there was still hostility within its voice. Even with the option to turn back without pursuit, the dragon wasn’t going to make whatever chosen path easy. It turned in a veil of withering mists, traversing deeper into the unknown lands of twilight. Instead having been challenged, the dragon was replaced with two trees made sentient. Another mystical creature, one that made its home among the branches and leaves of the forest. Treents made of wood and vine, divine energy coursing through its phloem. Now Fia regained her voice as her face softened. The dragon was gone, but danger still loomed. The skeletal devourer creatures were all but dealt with, so their attention could now be focused on the dragon’s newly appointed bouncers.
“My dear, Eblana.” said Fia, having caught the urgency in Vesemir’s tone of voice when he called her name. Fia walked near the elf as the dome of protective magic formed around the party. “Is this barrier permeable from within? Having such a large shield between us and danger really does lighten the need to hold back. However, I would hate to strain you by attacking through it having hardly met.”
As Fia spoke, she was again gathering her mana. Pure energy danced around her arm, hand, and fingers while the glass chromatic heart hovered nearby. The starburst within the glass sphere changed its color to a pale yellow and the mana that flowed around Fia’s hand narrowed into more sporadic paths of jagged edges. Fia’s hair started to rise as electricity jumped between her arm and body.
Fia was just as thrilled about the appearance of the treents as she was when she discovered her partners on this journey included both djinn and yokai. However, unlike the dragon, these forest folk were less chatty. If anything, their presence was meant to be imposing. They were a means to prevent further progress along with the shaky mists. It seemed like no one was intending to flee, so that meant having to deal with walking trees. The mist could be dealt with later. The elf wielding the lantern seemed capable enough of dealing with it before, so why not now? The dinky little light dealing with the treents felt less likely. Maybe if time allowed, Fia could harvest some materials off the them, assuming they stood their ground much like the party was.
“Now that our little snake has rejoined us.” said Fia. She raised her right arm, the fingers of her hand splayed forward, electrical energy quickly gathered at the finger tips before releasing all at once. The bolt traveled quickly like one would expect from the lightning in the storm. One with quick eyes could see the trail of lightning reach the dome as a single bolt before branching out into multiple iterations like that of a tree. A fitting comparison as the bolts of plasma would encompass the two treents. A wide attack, not nearly as powerful as if she attempted to hit one with a single bolt, maybe she could incapacitate them. Then again, given their size, maybe she only succeeded in giving them mild burns.

Rezello

---

The burst of lightning magic proved effective, stunning the creatures long enough for the mercenary at Rezello’s side to lop off the head of the nearest of the three. The combined effort of his allies quickly dispatched the remaining foes, a combination of magic and steel carving through cursed flesh. Now all that remained was the draconic beast that stood ahead of them. From the horse that was rapidly disappearing into its maw, it was clear that if they fled and it gave chase, there would be little chance of escape. Whatever course of action the various members of their group may have been considering, the situation took a definitive turn when the dragon began to speak, revealing an unexpected intelligence. Which, of course, made it all the more dangerous.

After Vesemir stepped forward to speak to the dragon, it launched into a brief monologue, and though its words were both mocking and threatening in tone, it seemed as if their contractor’s words managed to convince it to leave in peace, as much as leaving behind a barrier of poisonous mist instead of attacking them directly could be considered “peaceful”. Then two of the nearby trees began to move. Twisted roots tore from the earth as thick trunks warped into wooden torsos, limbs that might have once carried fruit now bent into clawed arms. For the moment one merely stood and watched as the other gained its bearings, but it was clear that a fight would soon be upon them.

While Fia charged her lightning-spell, Rezello shifted his spadone into a half-sword grip, the weapon becoming engulfed in silver light as it was replaced with his pollaxe; a far cry from a proper lumber axe, but still more suited for chopping wood than any sword. While the treents were still readying themselves, he scanned their forms, looking for anything that might indicate a weak spot or other such vulnerability - especially in the areas that the arcane storm their sorceress had just unleashed might have struck.

---

The three figures of Akari remained idle and posed no threat to the toll-gating Eyeless Drake. Let the Elven Elder with a lantern talk to the drake. The drake gave them a warning and fled. The poison mist corrupted the tree line, and two wood giants erupted from the ground. The two mercenary swordsmen backed off, and the female healer created a dome-like barrier once she and the elven elder nodded to each other. She and her people have a deep respect for nature, but only as long as it was consumed by the corruption and posed a threat to her current party. Those two Wood Giants need to be neutralized, and a fire will do to be extinguished.

Two of the Akari, the one closest to the female elven healer and the one that slew the corrupted hound, exited from the dome-like barrier. Within the blink of an eye, two figures of Akari dashed ahead from their previous spot. The remaining one switched back to the spot where the closest figure was next to the female elven healer. With a formation of two, the two figures of Akari executed hand signs in synchronization. The two take a strong inhale and followed by a blowing exhale, while hands are still together. Two figures of Akari unleash a powerful purifying bluish flame, forming into the head of the Asian Dragon. The dragon head roared and traveled to each of the giants. Exploding upon impact and creating a bluish burning area.

After executing the fire extermination, two figures of Akari faded away.

The elven ranger was standing very near to Verdant as the midget rolled about after having a hard landing. It was regrettable that nobody took the initiative to catch the yokai, really, and an archer could not afford to have her attention diverted. Besides, it was hard to catch someone with a bow and arrows at hand.

So, in order to make up for it, the elven ranger spared a moment to help Verdant back on her feet.

Can you walk? she asked and quickly deduced that she could, if wobbling her legs like a wet kitten could be considered walking. The ranger's way of communicating was curt and short. Yet her eyes gazed deep like they constantly measure and judge you.

"If you can, stay back and rest. Eblana will tend to you later."

____

“My dear, Eblana. Is this barrier permeable from within? Having such a large shield between us and danger really does lighten the need to hold back. However, I would hate to strain you by attacking through it having hardly met.”

It took Eblana a full second to adjust herself and answer the question, and she only managed to process the first half of it. "Y-yes!"

Short, but it seemed the sorceress was satisfied. She immediately did her thing and so did Eblana, who waited in anticipation for the mist to come. And like the wave against breakwaters, it came and dispersed upon hitting the enchanted barrier.

In a short moment, that circular area would be lively with all kinds of offensive spells, but it seems the Treents too had something prepared for them.

Meanwhile Rezello scanned their forms, looking for anything that might indicate a weak spot or other such vulnerability.

@Randomness@Valkon

A line of energy launched forth and split itself into a fork of lightning. It zapped the treents unhindered and shocked them with a significant surge of electricity. But despite the flashy display didn't seem to do much but gave nasty marks on their barks, nor could slow them a bit, for the treents had started to march menacingly toward the group.

If there was something that could indicate their weak spot, that should be the glowing orb on its head. But this information was dubious at best.

The spell earlier was merely an appetizer, a formal declaration to begin this brawl. As the mist faded, two duplicates of Akari charged forth and spit out some sort of fire spell that rapidly materialized themselves into the shape of the heads of whiskered dragons. The treents responded by having one of its brethren slam its hands to the ground, while the other strode ahead to shield the other ent.

This time around Akaris' clones disappeared in puffs.

Roots, hardened and sharp suddenly shot out on the ground in front of the barrier. Initially, it tried to pierce through, but now it was growing rapidly in all directions as if trying to cave the barrier in through sheer force.

The fires blasted the front treent and staggered it. Amplified by to existing electricity, flames quickly blanketed its trunk at an alarming rate, crawling up and igniting the leaves and barks alike. It used one of its limbs to keep itself from falling, yet as its entire extremities immolated, its strengths didn't seem affected much. It punched through the paving and hurled a sizable debris toward the dome, right at the section where the overgrown was trying to break through. The attack cracked the barrier momentarily and gave Wesemir a nasty jolt, yet the scholar managed to hold it together.

The vanguard treent was closing in. A hulking, burning ancient capable of limited thinking. It just learned that catapulting stones were not that effective, so it planned to get close and personal.

The ranger fired her arrow, and an explosion suddenly shattered its leg before the burning treent could finish its next step, causing it to lose balance and fall to its knees.
___

The 1st treent is on 50% of its HP, and currently under the effect of burn; loses 10% of its HP every turn, last 3 turns.

The 2nd treent is on 90% of its HP

"Naww, I'm good." The last of the venom flushed out, Verdant flexed her fingers as the numbness faded. She wasn't really hurt through it all. Some scrapes from the clumsy landing, but it'll take more than that to put her out of commission. That said, it's uncertain if it'll stay that way should she dive head on to the next fight.

For it was a pair of trees.

Biiig trees. Big angry trees. Approaching menacingly. And they've been set on fire too, to make them even less appealing to approach.

Heck.

From the chunk of packed earth one of them throw, they're way stronger than her. No nervous system, no tissue whatsoever on top. That removed most of her repertoire from the equation. What's left? The Choristers' mindbreaker venom? Did trees have mind? Prooobably not. Bloodthorn orchids? Did trees have souls? She kinda doubt it. Kadanian corpse-lilies then? The trees definitely had magic of some sort powering them. But she couldn't alchemize it in large enough quantities...

Heck again.

"I guess we'll try intercept the projectiles." Verdant claimed, strolling to the edge of the barrier as Viridian materialized out of her right arm. The full-sized ethereal serpent outscaled her about six times over, but the incorporeal form was thankfully weightless. The serpent coiled at the ready, though she likely couldn't entirely ward off another chunk of the road she damn well can greatly reduce the force behind it.

The barrier shouldn't fall. Everyone else likely wasn't resistant to poison, including the client that'll be paying for her rampage through the local restaurants later.

As the Dragon took flight, Degel couldn't help but think of the words it spoke. Definitely ominous. It seems whatever instict of his wanted him to come here was right.

He couldn't dwell on his thoughts however, as two giants of Woods and Leafs unrooted themselves to bind us, and crush us and feast upon our corpses.

His allies where faster than him, a flash of white zapping beside him, as two fireballs in the shapes of a dragon's head rushed to hit the living wood, one of the two Giants taking the hit for the others before moving towards the barrier, as the other started to commands roots and vines to enclose and encircle us, weighting and squeezing the barrier.

Degel took collection of the situation.The burning giant wasn't the real threat, but he was in the way, and frankly, he didn't have an easy way to deal with the other Living Tree without leaving the barrier.

Decision made, his wings dematerialized into motes of burnished orange as he grumbled "Could you all deal with the Roots Slinging one?" his energy coalesced in front of his face as he spoke, quickly overtaking it and Manifesting into a colossal Jaw,far bigger than a body like his should hold,the mouth leaking golden-orange energy as it snapped in a chomp towards the advancing Treant, before trying to pull back and drag it away, to offer a clear vision against the other, still mostly undamaged arboreal being