I have always hated this worlds horrid weather...one second warm and caressing and the next having a nip of frost to the bone...It does not help having people throw their reserves around like a ball, throwing the ball may crush a colony of ants but I have never heard of a child learning magic missile ONLY destroying a ant hill now have you? That is what I thought now then let's return to these false heroes with gusto as they travel through the forests that vial history and gnomish traps of old only to spring on these unexpected intruders of this lost place.
The colossal trees were eerily quiet, all except the slight sound echoing through the shrubs, off the bark, one of familiar tones hummed in the air. Willabaar still leading his pack with smiles and vigour, further back we see Orelia and Otto looking like heated puppies, behind them was Wilt, Mountain and Kyu in a triangular formation watching from all sides, eyes ready lurking through the bushes and debris seeing everything cracking as a potential enemy, Otto smears and whispers to the young Elven girl next to him,
''You notice it yet to?''
Her eyes seemed to squint, her mind began rattling off ideas of what he could mean,
''Uhmm..you mean how that angel is one of the most oblivious clerics I've ever meet?''
''No...well yes but no.''
''Ah you mean how that little goblin is a terrible Alchemist right?''
''Again...yes but not what i was thinking...Willabaar has a reserve...and a Ki well inside him...explains his power we saw''
''Oh...''
Her eyes rolled seemingly not interested in the conversation,
''What of it? Not like we can do anything about it?''
''He sings amazing don't he?''
Orelia's eyes widened at this revelation, looking at the swaying half-mix, still smiling and bellowing out beautiful sounds, still both confused, Otto nodded at her as she raised her hand slight and with ease,
''Willabaar D. Price...reveal to my priestess your true nature.''
Otto grabbed at his hip expecting this man to instantly know what was happening only to find seconds went by with no change, he looked down at the girl confused and now gawking at the man before hearing Wilt shout back,
''GET DOWN!!''
Otto grabbed the girl and hit the floor shielding her as she closed her eyes from the impact only to hear a loud thud either side of where she was on her back,
''Its nothing jus-''
the battle hardened goliath felt something from above as he kicked the small elven girl across the ground into a tree's sturdy trunk, hopping back his feet with a slamming into the ground as he topples backwards narrowly avoiding halberd shaped weapons that were plummeting to the forest floor.
Hitting nothing but rock and dirt with the sound of the executioner's blade cleaving into a scoundrel's neck, a sound all too familiar to Otto.
The melodies of Willabaar's songs were stopped by the sounds of weapons hitting the ground, as Otto looked back towards the group, only Orelia and Wilt looked towards him, Mountain could not help himself but to burst out in laughter seconds before the confused Azamaar joined in sounding like a homunculus being programmed with humour.
Willabaar stop singing but continue smiling and swing his sight back to the seemingly scared giant,
''Why are you all worried? Otto is a big strong goliath that kills ya all in a fist fight, except me of course I'd bet fifty Dragons on myself haha!!''
The half-mix continued on his way, not waiting for the rest who looked at Otto now standing, giving the nod to continue,
''This place is bad...we need to keep sharp so enough of the songs.''
Otto said looking around for any wires, oddly placed rocks or bent trees making sure the path was clear. Willabaar rolled his eyes and tutted,
''I'm not singing just for fun you know it does keep you sharp you don't question a proper wizard if they do incantations so don't interrupt me.''
Continuing his song without so much of a loss of tone in his voice, going over his melody once more while the others continued on humming along to his tunes.
Otto was almost convinced at this point, if he had not seen the combat ability, it would be guaranteed in his mind, he did not know much but he knew what type fighter a man is but with this one, was he a Monk? A caster? Is that why he lost and is now in servitude? All these thoughts circled the experienced mind, making the anger in his mind begin flaring as his pride began to fade away as he skills had been shown up for.
Coming up to a bend in the path with strings that broke the area that was usable and led into the sky passed the brush. Bee looked up and wordlessly smacked the tree with the force of anger. Cracking the great oaks vertically,
''Bee what the hell you can see the trap?!'''
Bee turned, placing his hammer on his side,
''Someone had to set them so they are still here...Probably!'''
The small demon screamed as he ran away leaving the group in shock, a loud cry of wood melding out of shape was heard. The pack looked around trying to find it before a blur jumped from the centre of them, looking down and then up they saw it was Willabaar with blades seemingly from his ever growing shadow, a regal flick of dexterous fluidity was seen, sending them flying into the mist above them. Not even time to blink after the javelins of pure black disappeared into the clouds do we hear thuds of wood being pierced four times.
Willabaar now landing to the ground looks to Kyu and Mountain then they nods in unison, Kyu begun to soar up towards the sound while Mountain ran towards the tree, starting to climb it, burning the bark of the tree with every small stride making his way up shouting up to the Azamaar,
''Oi! I bet ya two Dragons I will make it to that thing first!''
Kyu looked down and only smiled before spiralling up preparing his blade slicing into the clouds before a sound of splintering shot through the area.
Kyu descended from the now falling wreckage of what turned out to be a large fallen tree that once housed Gnomes by the looks of the holes carved in. Now burnt and broken, he past Mountain, holding himself in the tree with his serrated blade pierced in looking disgruntled,
''Would you like a easy way dow-''
Mountain without pause removed his blade and fell to the floor thirty feet down, landing in a perfect stance kicking at the rising dust from the landing, Willabaar smiles and puts out his hand,
''What?''
Bee snaps at him,
''Well I got there first''
Pointing towards the falling debris as Orelia pulls a sphere of gold and silver around them, screaming something in panicked tones towards the bickering group as Kyu lands between them,
''Bee...Willabaar's blades of unholy black were the final straw.''
Saddened by looking at the half-mix any longer he threw the dragons begrudgingly to Willabaar before they walked down the path
''We need to make a plan and why exactly are we leaving your brother-''
Bee says as the shockwave of steam and mist approached with the speed like a hawk, overtaking the adventures then before anything could happen as the forest cleared and the disappeared leaving little bits of vapor, The group raises their respective weapons only for the silence of the world to greet them, no birds, no wind or any sense of life.
The trees descend on them like a bundle of sticks, joining together and closing around them in a cluster of thorns and webs. The group darted in different directions, trying to find a space to hide from the trap that was moving in, Mountain hid on the other side of the tall tree as Willabaar, scanning the area, hearing faint sounds of footsteps in their thousands crawling slowly tapping agents wood, bark and rustling through the leaves making Bee look over at the half-mix who's stare was cold and unbreakable staring up at the looking tree line.
Hammers gripped tight he prepared for another battle, pushing the pain and trauma of the last few out of his mind before hearing something new, a squelch sounding like water mixed with meat being meaded and churned over and over, Bee looked up to great pleasure releasing a smile and tapping Willabaar on the shoulder,
''Oi...Look up''
The half-mix kept his sights on the location he had been staring at and replied
''I know...Some cool contraptions some gods can make right? You can handle this. I will try and support you''
Willabaar Spoke then clicking he turned into a shadow melding with the floor before darting around like a snake, Bee looked up once more ready to strike at what he saw.
Up in the tree line a massive creature it's beady white eyes stared into bees unflinching ones.
It's limbs stretched across the arms of the trees breeding the bark and ripping into the creatures skin releasing what looked like a cloud of spores that gripped to the air like snow.
It's large abdomen sections off by a chitinous array of plates that broke its body into separate sections. Bee grips his hammers as the abomination snapped the tree's arms and threw them at the Demonic entity with the force of a raging orc.
Bee reacts by slamming his hammers, flames ripping from the ground into the descending logs of death, colliding as the bark shatters, releasing its charred pieces around the battlefield, covering the area with chippings and spores. The resulting after effects of the spores released, starting to float around the air like flies, irritating anyone they came in contact
Then a bellowing shout was heard by Otto,
''MY GOD DOES NOT ACCEPT THESE CONDITIONS OF WARFARE, CLEAN THE SLATE FRESH SO I MAY DESTROY THIS VILE SPAWN IN YOU NAME!!''
Proceeding to clap his mighty hands, sending a blood red shockwave from his fingertips hitting the spores, turning them the same red before they started evaporating away like the first spray of a wound after a deep gash,
"Though the blood of my kind bolster my comrade Otto of the Gaar-Eek to slay this monster."
The oak made a sound of kindling hitting flame with the tree bent and contorted out. Creating a sack of liquid that descended towards Otto covering I'm in a liquidy sap, now reinvigorated by the new power he smiled a sadistic smirk while cackling like a mad man, seemingly with a secondary voice underlying his with a high pitch before speeding towards the tree, hammer in one hand and his other a closed fist as he jumped into the air towards his target.
The creatures long limbs stretched violently towards him planning on meeting him mid-air, one came within inches of the goliath's chest before he vanished from sight, a second later the limb to fly past where he was, being sent to the ground with a almighty crash, broken and shattered unable to move and barely able to twitch it, It's eyes darting in multiple directions looking for it's pray that had gotten very defensive over it's death before hearing the thud of wood being bent almost directly behind it, Otto stood on a outstretching branch above the creature putting his hammer away and pulling a serrated sword from his back still smiling looking at Orelia
''Had to borrow this kid...no time to smash, only time to slice AHAHAHA!!''
The remaining limbs moved in continuous blurs of violence striking only to be severed by the motion of the blade moving too fast to keep up with all of them falling one by one hitting the tree as it goes leaving small lights of spores clinging to the overhanging bark before they hit the grass below. The creature now was visible through the smoke and blood risen by the meeting showing only its armoured body now still and dead to the look in a pool of its own blood, Orelia let out a sigh of relief before looking towards her comrade with a joyful smile being given back by the still twitching goliath who's look off pride still shining out through the stress, the happiness was broken soon by the sound of cracking wood hitting bladed bone. Otto turned in sure disbelief seeing this abomination was still trying to move towards him only to struggle letting out a gurgling sound close to that of Shitto when his jaw was ripped off, he felt relief again, laughing at the creature when Kyu landed to his side also looking at the seemingly organic mass still clinging to life by fine threads.
The fallen one looked over the goliath's still shaking body and placed a hand on his head, looking up perplexed Kyu turns and says,
''I swear Yoru most casters don't really care what they do...I will save you comrade''
Not a second past before the dark aura that surrounded Otto when first gaining this strength was peeled from his very soul, making him pass out while Kyu stood, now holding an almost perfect sphere of black and grey, dots floating through like shooting stars on a clear night in the mountains. Orelia tried to let out a scream for her friend but her voice had deserted her as her surroundings turned to black, her own voice seemingly trying to sway her judgment,
''Every. Fucking. Time...Why do you even try anymore?''
The voice matched hers with near perfect precision only difference being it sounded as if a double with a much deeper base was layered over it,
''This is the second time today alone Otto had to save you''
''Wrong! He didn't just have to save me! I gave him the power to fig-''
You gave him a clockwork bomb.''
Orelia did not know how to respond to this.
''You placed the unknown reserves of a entity that's sole purpose seemed to be that of what?''
The young elf had finally realised it, she was rash even if her comrade willed it, he did not know what could of been the outcome unlike her as the voice continued to mock her
''Ah...You see it now? That angel is the only reason he is not dead already...Have you not learned yet that magic is no play thing? This is why you surrender the use of normal magic only becau-''
''YOUR WRONG JUST WRO-!''
Orelia's scream broke through the darkness and the voice was no more only the faces of Wilt and Mountain looking at her confused before both grabbing her shaken hands and speaking in calm tones to her,
''We need us all at full strength, both mental an-''
Mountain interrupted the goblin to bark in the girl's face dragging her down to his level,
''Oi...What do you think you are playing at?!''
Proceeding to put his forehead forcefully into hers, making her head shake back before the dwarf tilted her back to his sight and continuing,
''I've seen you take out groups on your own without using ya name game magic''
Orelia released a small smile that Bee followed and kept speaking
''Now...Why don't you stop this, your falling behind in the numbers ya know''
Wilt looking between both of them seemed out of the loop before Orelia laughed softly
''Really? How bad?''
''Well that was one for Otto and his first, I've got two from both times with Shit face but Kyu and Willabaar are flying away at this point, Willabaar has four but the fallen one is on six...Who would've guessed for the cler-''
He was interrupted by a blur going past him, looking down and seeing Wilt pointing towards the moving object with a face full of confusion but also seemingly acceptance, Orelia ran low to the ground and hands behind her reaching into her cloak eyes burning, scaling the tall trees, jumping up at the last second pulling out a curved dagger, royal in design adorned with moon diamonds, a rare and precious gem not found in the Badlands, preparing to lower it into this creatures opening before it turns to nothing before her very eyes all the crew seemed confused as Mountain and Wilt ushered every to their spot. Everyone was shocked, Orelia was healing Otto while Mountain and Kyu were deep in thought wondering what that was but then Wilt broke the silence,
''Guys...Where is Willabaar??''
The crew started scanning but noticed no signs of the half-mix until Mountain's eyes gaped, starting to laugh louder and louder,
''The hell are you doing?! It could come back!''
Orelia said looking at the seemingly snapped psych of the demon. He responded by pointing his finger to behind the tree they were on moments prior, they all look up to see Willabaar and a old man they did not now, in a blink they had made it the spot the group stood at as we could now see the man Willabaar was with, A wood elf that once may have had great height to him but now his back had bent as his spine now dropped closer to the ground, Hair a receding black slowly fading into a cloudy silver, still flowing where it did drop dressed in garbs made of bark and moss with a staff of Elder Elven wood, even greater in quality and age that Willabaar's with a scroll wrapped around both edges incomprehensible to our eyes seemingly written a language lost to our era's eyes and voice.
Unbeknownst to the group behind the two was one of the tallest elvan men they had ever laid eyes on, standing proud arms crossed with golden and white hair that seemed to give of a radiance that showed the deep wrinkles on his elven brow, the man looked as if he had risen from a long contemplative thought, his eyes pierced passed the group into the very being of eternity as he spoke,
''What ye be doing in these fair parts draggin ya pollatics i hope not. Ya do best to leave that at the gate yee won't be needing it...Oh name's Treevoar in case ya was wonderin ''
These words first shocked the group for some of them could not get past the thick accent. The only one seeming to understand being kyu as he accepts the term and walks passed into the Elvan conclave before Willabaar spoke confusing the part even more
''Aye no worries there pal, good lotta guys 'ere, an most can swing a blade''
The three erupted in laughter before a symphony of it could be heard from all directions of the forest before the small elder finally spoke
''Name's Reev..Come…''
The group looked as he smacked his staff on the ground, turned and left as his tall follower came right behind before the party turned to Willabaar still with his usual smile before Mountain finally asked,
''What...did you even do? You left me with that weird looking bug..lucky the thing wasn't black and yellow with a stinger or you'd be hearing a lot more about this''
''Mark another point for me guys..and by the way it was called a Centerspider, they are these guys...free security i guess you could say, need to look into it more myself aha! All I can tell for now is that Ores was the only one who seemed to have the balls to fight the thing without a boast aha! You call yourself a front line kinda guy as well Bee it is to rich haha my sides!''
Mountain looked even more confused even with the anger rises but the party seems to do as they normally in this situation thus far as the half-mix followed the elders feet before turning back to the party who follow annoyed as usual
''Sometimes my genius...is almost frightening''
Ah elven cities...well town...nah village is a quaint little place filled with giddy wood elves that could swindle the gold of a dragon given enough time...Wait that was just the one? Oh I see...please i know the hatred for that one can be huge in scale from not just your eyes but the world, that is how a reputation is born and grown you know that surely? One must make unusual plays to try and pry open their collective opponents heads or even just become the puppet of 'Justice' eh...These are the ones to fall first i would say but these well that is a different story