The Dead Forest (Increased Orc activity due to skirmish)

[Ho Shin]

Shin materialized in the Shadow realm. Its inverted colors flooded his eyes. His breathe was cold, the realm was cold, he shivered slightly. His eyes were black as he gazed into the depths of the realm.

He crossed his arms and waited for her. He hoped she hurried, being in the Shadow realm for to long was not to good. All he could do was wait though, he estimated her point of arrival to be in front of him. So he simply stayed still and watched her inverted image in front of him.  

[Moonduster]

Several long moments passed Reaper finally started to inter the Shadow Realm. Slowly bit by bit still struggling to stay completely focused. Once there she simply stood her head hanging. Man...her head was beginning to hurt. Her eyes stared downwards at her shoes..it looked like she had four feet. Whoa...since when did she have two pairs of the same shoes?

A bit afraid to move her eyes at the moment afraid the world would suddenly go spinning off like crazy. Trying to focus on her shoes wiggling her toes inside them to keep her blood flowing correctly. Then she realized it was cold. Really cold to the point where she was beginning to shiver a bit. Not ever her own breath was warm which was quit unusual. Usually your breath was warm because the inside of your body was warm. But..she felt cold every where. Even on the inside.  

[Ho Shin]

A flicker, only a flicker. Was she really having that much difficulty? He sure hoped she hurried though, getting out would be harder.

"Feh..."

His breathe was still frigid. But he had travelled her so much, it didn't bother him. He hoped she hurried...  

[Moonduster]

"..I heard that.." She groaned in annoyance as she finally fully entered the realm.

Reaper was right. Shin wasn't one that had patience hopefully he wasn't one of those that had a temper too. She hated people who had trantums because of being inpatience it always drove her insane.  

[Ho Shin]

So what if she heard him... She needed to get here so that they could get back.

"You see... The air of the Shadow realm is poisonous there lovley. If we don't get back soon, you could die."

He said it withought to much emotion, even though he didn't want her to die.

"It does not affect me all to much because for one, I don't stay here to long and for two, I have been here so many times. But you have only been here once, we need to get you back. You only have a little bit longer before symptoms show up. Take a good look around, cause returning will take alot more concentration, and skill. Exspecially with the poison."  

[Moonduster]

Reaper sighed and forced herself to stand upright. Bringing her head back up her eyes slowly looking over the new place they were at. The air did feel rather thick. Making it hard to breath in perfectly without causing herself to choke.

She didn't believe she would be able to practice for the rest of the day though. It took alot of energy to just get in...but he said getting out is harder didn't he? Man..she just hoped she doesn't faint by that time. Reaching up she adjusted her headband to make sure it was covering her left blind eye.  

[Ho Shin]

He nodded his head and smiled. Getting out was going to be tricky for her.

"...well then, here we..."

He was cut short by a sound. It was a low hissing sound at first but grew louder, like it was approaching. Great, this is why he didn't stay here for long. Shadow Creatures... and ton's of them. He turned to her quickly to note her exspression, giving her his own. She wasn't prepared to leave here so quickly.

s**t...

Yeah, they had to fight there way to get out. And if that wasn't enough, if they didn't get out of here soon they would die of poison, her before him. Delema's...delema's. They came closer and closer. He could not see the creatures, but he really didn't want to. The hideous Shadow creatures with their bottomless eyes. Just the thought of them gave him chills. So, they would have to fight their way out, and fast. He woulden't, a coulden't let her be killed.

He stood in ready position, taking on a defensive stance.

"Ready your self, we have company... and we need to hurry. I have to get you out of here alive. It looks like we have to fight our way out."  

[Moonduster]

Reaper paused in studing the area hearing the low hissing as well. Slowly she stood at her full height her eyes scanning the area carefully trying to find the source as it continued to grow louder and louder. Finding it rather difficult since she could barely see anything in the Shadow Realm to begin with.

Hands dived into the dragon gauntlets locking inside them. Letting the metal extand and the spikes come out as she got down in a defensive position. Why did she choose those instead of her sword? At the moment..she thought that if she used her sword that she would lose her hold of it fairly quickly. With these she couldn't lose them unless someone chop her arms off.

"..Do we go out the same way we came in?" Reaper asked tiredly.  

[Ho Shin]

He eyed her briefly before responding.

"...No. Unfortunately the exit is different from the entery. Pray that we survive this encounter to even get out first."

The hissing stopped. Sweat ran down the side of his face and he gritted his teeth. They stopped there noise...that meant that....

No...

Thick black tenderals rose up from the ground like someone yanking on a whip. He saw it only briefly as it materialized in front of his face. He reared back, letting out a groan as the tenderal struck. It struck out at him like a cobra. He got hit, hard...and that wasn't even the beast.

Shin flew backwards as if someone had yanked his body back from behind. He hit the ground and skidded backwards, digging up rock and debris. An imprint of his body could be seen as his own corpse dug a canal that he hoped would not be his grave.

He was better than this. He needed to do something about it. During his time spent sliding accross the ground he thought this, and now it was time to act. Shin lifted his head up and gritted his teeth more, glaring at the tenderal. Shin put his hands down on the ground and pushed. Shin backflipped his body up and over, landing a little bit unstable as he skidded to a stop.

Shin clenched his fist shut, blood dropping to the ground. The blood was not its usual color, but black instead. It drenched the ground, quenching its thirst. He spat to the side, also spitting out the dark, black liquid.

"Is that all you got!" He screamed and dashed forward torward the vine-like attacker. He reached his left hand back and gripped the hilt of his short sword that lay slung horizontally accross his waist. He moved speedily torwards his foe and prepared to attack.  

[Moonduster]

Reaper eyes widen feeling the ground beneath her tremble and roar with hatred. Having to focus and shift her balance from one foot to another to remain standing. Her eye drawn towards the ground being ripped apart rocks being flung high into the sky and then came crashing down like meteors.

Having to make Reaper swing to the right and left to dodge a few massive size chunks of the ground. In the corner of the eye she caught sight of Shin being thrown back. Whipping herself around watching while his body imprinted itself its very own grave.

"Shin!" Reaper called.

That was when Reape realized she made one of her greatest mistakes ever. She turned her back to the enemy. NEVER!!! Ever no matter what turn your back to the enemy. By the time she spun herself around to catch sight of the enemy it was far too late. All she saw was a rather thick black whip like shadow come at her full speed.

Striking her dead on feeling her the ground leave her feet as she was thrown back. Considering she was rather light weight she got really thrown back. The air screaming in her ears as she headed like a lightining bolt. Then crashing hard into the ground straight upon her back. The force caused her body to roll over and kept on rolling head over heels.

Till her back came in contact with something solid and hard knocking all the air out of her lungs. Eyes widening, mouth opening, and lungs fighting to regain its lost air. Coughing and wheezing hard stun for several moments as she sat there with her back pressed tightly against the solid object.

Reaper's time to regain her breath didn't last long her eye lowered catching sight of something moving. Then it widen even more as a shadow came out of the ground and started to wipe around her ankle creating thorn like objects upon itself. Then another rose up and started the same with the other leg. Flexing the claws of her dragon gauntlets she brought them down slashing wildly at the shadows.  

[Ho Shin]

With a yell, Shin unsheathed his sword and rushed it forward with blinding speed. One of his most favorite techniques, Iaido, the art of sword-drawing. Shin slashed forward. Although the satisfying sound of flesh tearing was not heard in his hears, it had the same effect. The tenderal squeled like its head had been torn off...which was not far from the truth. The majority of the vine-like creature was severed, a wisp of smoke for blood, dampining the air. The tenderal shattered with a soft wooshing sound.

But there would be more. More monsters, more injuries....they needed more time! The poison was getting worse for him, making it difficult to breathe. He coughed...coughed up blood. If it was this hard for him than that meant...

Reaper...

He turned to look in the direction he had left her, only to find her missing and instead several feet back, engaged with the enemy. He didn't think, didn't have to. He ran over torwards her. He woulden't get to her in time, he hoped she could hold on. Not that she wasn't capable of defending herself, its just that these were hard creatures, and the longer you fought them, the tougher they got.

He hoped she held on. They needed to defeat the few monsters that came and get the hell out of here before the reinforcements came. Reinforcements was not something they needed. They were stronger. He hurried to her side.

Hold on...  

[Moonduster]

Whoa..Reaper thought as she continued to claw at the monster that was wrapping further up her legs. Every time she slashed it would like she struck ten times at the same time with ten hands. Feeling herself get weighed down further with every passing second.

The coughing growing much worse to the point that her body would go into a fit and even stop from movement. Tasting the salt of her own blood gurgling up her throat and squirting out of her mouth. Spraying onto her clothing and the monster.

With every cough that made her stop her attack it gave the monster more time to get a better hold of her. Vision started to get blurry now slashing weakly at the monster. It wrapped up around her legs and waist further up her back and torso.

Another monster or was it the same one? Either way came up from behind the solid object and wrapped around her left arm holding it firmly back making it completely useless. Her other slashed even wilder feeling her right foot suddenly sink downwards. As if the ground was beginning to eat her up.

Her head threw back and she scream feeling dozens of dagger like objects sink into the flesh of her calf while it got pulled down further the rest of her body following. Another shadow like tenticle came up and went around her face stuffling her scream.

Gauntlet came up digging into the shadow seeing the smoke rise of it as her own metal claws sank into it. Blood started to sprinkle out of her nose puddling against the shadow. The blood building up in her throat threatening to make her drown in her own blood. The colors suddenly started to fade from the realm around her. Her movements slowly greatly to the point where she only moved when something cause her further pain.  

[Ho Shin]

"Get away from her!"

Shin had watched the whole attack. The poison was getting to her, her attacks seemed useless against the beast. He raced up to her, the beast giving no notion to his charge. The words escaped his mouth as he ran to her. He screamed for the beast to leave but it did not move. He jumped forward and grabbed hold of her, pulling her strongly from monsters grip. He dived forward with her in his arms and langed on the ground, rolling carefully so that he did not harm her.

He let go of her gently when the roll came to a stop. He stood up quickly and faced the monster. He put his hands outward in front of him, palms up. He flicked his fingers forward. Flames erupted forth from his palms and covered the shadow beast. The beast writhed in pain and shattered much like the first.

"Don't EVER touch her!" Shin yelled. When he finally stopped his assualt with a quick closing of his hands, there was nothing left. He was breathing heavily. The last attack took alot out of him and the poison wasn't making things much better.

Reaper...

He turned to look at her on the ground. She was breathing hard. Blood seeped out of her mouth and she had cuts all over. No, if only he hadn't brought her here. If only... Shin bent down and picked her up, once again carrying her bridal style. She hung limply from his arms. At least she was still alive though. True, getting out would be tricky. True, he had never attempted to get to bodies out before. But he was determined to do whatever it took to get her out. The shadow form and physical form were different enough, if he could get her out of here than she would be in good enough condition, only weak...thats all.

He looked upwards torwards the dark sky and focused his energy. In order to get out, Shin had to seperate his soul, and hers. A tearing feeling came from within him and her. A flash of light shone bright as the shadow realm rushed from underneath their feet, bringing them quickly to the real world. There wounds were healed, but they were still weak. He knelt slowly to the ground and set her down, leaning over her. He brushed the hair from her face and looked into her eyes.

He had been so careless, if anything would have happened to her he would never have forgiven himself. He slowly bent forward torwards her face. He closed his eyes and leaned his face into her's.

"Im sorry..."

He still had his eyes closed, he could not see her. He moved in slowly, getting his first real scent of her. He could taste her breath he was close. At the last moment he leaned in and took her lips in his. Her lips were moist and so soft. He gently caressed her lips with his in a deep pationate kiss.  

[Moonduster]

Everything was nothing but a massive blur to Reaper. No longer feeling the thorn or dagger like objects that were peircing her. The metal claws sliding out of their grip upon the shadow and falling down to her side. Hearing something..someone yelling? She couldn't be so sure anymore as the monster continued to wrap and cut through her.

Her entire body going numb like by now. Feeling a very sight tingle from something else grabbing hold of her. The thorns and dagger like objects being ripped out of her body. It hurt too much...everything hurt too much to even cry out in pain. All she could simply do was lay there completely limp unable to do anything else.

Breathing growing worse and harder nearly chocking her. The blood that had been forced to be kept in her throat came all out at once causing a small puddle before her face. Feeling something pick her up from the ground and hold onto her. At least it didn't bring any pain..that was good. She had a good enough experience with pain to last her a life time.

The bright light forcing her to close her eye as it came down upon her and the figure holding her. There came that gripping tearing feeling once more that made her wince but not scream. Suddenly feeling every wound inside and out be held as the real world was once more around them. Reaper would cough and wheeze gaining clear and pure air for once. Her breathing more shaky rather then heavy.

The colors coming back her eyes focusing better. Just enough to know that the figure holding her was Shin. Feeling herself being lowered again set down upon the lush green grass. oh man it felt like heavan. Her breathing slowly started to calm down but not her nerves. She defiently look at Shadow Magic the same ever again.

Strands of her thick hair being brushed out of her face. Her eye looking up into his. Locking onto them till his eyes closed. Watching as his face lowered to her till he became a blurr because of such nearness. Shin was so close to her now. Feeling his warm hot breath come onto her creamy complexion of skin. He smelled of sweat because of the battle that had nearly escaped alive from.

His voice resonated through her when he spoke apologizing to her. Before she could utter a response she felt his lips come against hers. Her nerves went haywire again but not in a negative way. Slowly her eyes closed like his did. The kissing driving and any other thought from her mind as she got caught in the moment. Her lips partly slightly against his sliding against his lips returning the passionate kiss.  

[Lucind Varhetel]

When she finally woke up again, laying on her back with eyes still closed, nothing had really changed as she could judge by the same noise outside. Lucind's ears twitched slightly, there was yet another sound.

Turning her head, Lucind saw that one of the book-cafe's waitresses had fallen asleep next to her: sitting in front of the cot, half laying on top of it.

Lucind carefully sat up, mentally checking her physical and psychical state. The nap did her good, though it would still last some time until she was her old self.

She touched the waitress' shoulder, gently waking her up. The girl sniffled and squinted, then raised her head. "Miss Lucind! I'm sorry, I didn't want to...was just exhausted after fleeing from the merchant's ring." Her voice faded into a mere whisper. "All those people, trying to get out...screaming and crying...they...pushed and dragged...even trampled onto the fallen..." Tears filled her eyes.

Lucind listened silently, then simply asked.
What about the others? Are they okay?

"Anna broke her arm, she was pushed from a panic-stricken man... But they're all out of the stadium." She was near crying now. "Miss Lucind, the cafe...what are we going to do now??"

Don't worry about the cafe now. Fortunately, I brought all precious volumes and notebooks to the Greenhood family last week. - I fear you've got to find yourself a new job, though. Irrespective of whatever may happen from now on, the stadium won't be a safe place for a long time...

Lucind smiled at her.
But now we'll first make sure that you get out of this area.
She stood up and stifled a yawn.

"And you, Miss Lucind, are you going to stay?"

Hn. Maybe I can help here in the camp.

"...take care, please. We were so scared when you didn't follow us and instead returned to the merchant's ring...," the young waitress sobbed.

Ah, I'm sorry. Lucind gently wiped the girl's tears away with her thumbs. But another friend needed help to get out of there...

The girl tried to smile, then blinked and turned around to grip a jacket laying on another cot, handing it towards Lucind. "I took it with me."

Thank you! Already thought I lost this expensive rag. Slightly grinning Lucind put on her jacket and guided the girl out of the tent.