Roan, now having determined that his summons were still functional, didn’t turn his attention back towards the object that held the others’ attentions. Though he caught pieces of the conversation, associating voices with individuals all the while, he was more focused on scanning the distant horizon and the land in between it.
“Someone could climb…” That was Cenric if he wasn’t mistaken, the man's deeper and accented voice making it easy to pick out. As he walked around the tree’s perimeter to get a full view of their surroundings he caught the voices of the others.
“... would we do without you?” The sarcasm laced voice sounded like that of Arryn, and he turned in momentarily interest as it seemed the voice originated from above him. Sure enough the young lady seemed to have climbed the tree as Cenric had suggested despite her words. Having satisfied his curiosity, he continued to examine the land around.
“... Weg muss ich dafür…” Having finally completed his round around the tree they had appeared in front of, Roan was a bit disappointed, if unsurprised. Absolutely nothing of interest or note had popped up, and scratching at the back of his neck, he cocked his head to listen. A strange chant of unknown words by the female alchemist, Luthica if he wasn’t mistaken. Interesting to hear even if he couldn’t make heads or tails of what the meaning or purpose was. Perhaps it’d be easier if he was actually facing said alchemist so he could observe what was happening.
Before he could so much as turn though...
Suddenly, a thump could be heard, resounding heavily from the crystal. Dancing in the moonlight, the emerald fire that sat at the center began to flicker, its prominence creating another source of light within the nighttime wasteland. The beating continued, quickening its pace and growing in volume, until the voices of those who stayed below the white tree was drowned out by it. The drumbeat of the crystal continued onwards for ten seconds, before just as suddenly, it stopped.
In the stillness that followed, the moon changed, the white surface peeling away like a blossoming bud, revealing the red moon that rested within.
The night sky turned magenta, as blood-light poured from the eye of the moon, casting a sinister gleam over the bone-white trees. The light was almost vaporous, descending upon the wasteland like red mist, drenching the blackened soil. The emerald flame burned ever-brighter, the ground rumbling violently as the conflagration within the crystal grew in intensity.
And then, the tree that was bent at such an awkward angle came down, its branches piercing the ground. Soil rushed up along the inner side of its branches, smothering whatever remained inside that cage. Soon, the prominence of the crystal was hidden by the many layers of tar-like soil that covered it. With a vicious, cracking sound, the trunk of the tree tore itself from the ground, revealing its roots for just a moment, before those sharp-ended tendrils collapsed onto one another, forming a singular, sharp stake. The same emerald fire could be seen dancing on its head, a ghostly will o wisp that flared in the windless night.
One by one, black-earth limbs grew out of its sides, clumps of dirt hardening and forming limbs, joints, and claws. It was a soundless beast that grew out from the ground itself, and only when it had properly form did it celebrate its revival in the light of the Bloodmoon.
A resounding drumbeat could be heard, the first of its many heartbeats.
Away from the others, it was now not the continued conversation that caused Roan to glance backwards. With the dull and barely audible thump, the Raulite turned with narrowed eyes. Staring at the piercing light the crystal gave off, he felt a beads of sweat form. “Shit.” Taking a few steps back, he stopped when the noise cut off abruptly. “Shit.” He murmured again before continuing his backpedal away from whatever was happening. When the “moon” fell away, Roan didn’t even stop his retreat this time, only continuing to mutter, “Shit.” He only stilled to keep his balance when the ground beneath his feet shifted, taking the time to glance around at the same time. As far as he could see, there were no other creatures that had been spawned by whatever triggered this. He watched from the distance as the tree came to life with a grimace. “Shit indeed,” he murmured once more before his tattoos flared a bright red once more.
