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 Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:41 pm
 The destroyed city of Kioku was a secret valley hidden deep inside this dense, overgrown forest until it was discovered by whatever malicious force sought its ruin. One way or another, this forest is the only way out of that place, which is bad luck to say the least. At the best of times, this forest had been dangerous, inhabited by large, wild predators always on the hunt. But now all of those comparatively harmless creatures are dead, replaced by unnatural abominations that stalk these woods from the time the sun falls over the horizon until it peeks out at the lands again in the morning. In that time, nothing escapes the notice of these inhumanly skillful hunters. If you are caught here at night, then you don't think for a second you could even sneak through this place. You would be lucky to get out alive. Then there are the rumors. It is said that after the first memory plagued Kioku, more spread like wildfire through this forest, filling it with the pain and misery felt by the people those memories contained, being displayed for any who happen by to see. The creatures of this forest, however, seem to feel no remorse.
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Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 11:01 pm
Somewhere in the forest, in a small moss-covered clearing along the traveler's fated path sat Kabibona'kan. He was sitting with his legs crossed, meditating. One arm's elbow rested on a knee while the hand carefully gripped the sides of a tomahawk's blade. It was apparently a peacepipe too, since the butt-end was in his mouth and smoke was gently rolling from the other. Kabi's icy hair pooled around him quite a ways as it would just kiss his ankles should he stand. A small tree sat in the ground not a foot from him, and it was clearly not normal. It repelled the miasma, forming a bubble a good meter or so in diameter. Ever so slowly it grew as Kabi kept his focus.
Most of the creatures that now occupied the forest seemed to shy away from the bubble, but now and then a brave (or more likely stupid) one would try a lunge for Kabi. Just as it entered the bubble thorny, thick roots ripped out of the ground to wrap around it, then swallow it back down. It looked as if nothing happened, as the moss-covered ground sat back down perfectly.
Nothing did happened when the next creature stepped through... Instead Kabibona'kan just grinned, allowing his wolf fangs to peek out a little.
"Greetings, Noir... Everything taken into consideration, it's still good to see you."
As soon as Noir's foot stepped inside the bubble the moss around it died. His evil, miasma-like aura was made even more visible as the tiny tree pushed it out of the bubble.
"Same for you, Kabibona'kan... But..."
Though when his foot left as he took another step, the moss quickly regrew, thanks to the tree.
"I'd think you'd have more to do then sit and smoke... Then again that IS what lazy hippies do..."
Kabi's ears perked a little, but he never opened his eyes and held his grin.
"You'd think... Brother's coming soon, though. I figured I'd start something before tagging along... And I thought you'd have more to do then pester people?"
Noir smirked and turned.
"You're right. I'll see you both again... Until then, have fun."
And with that he disappeared into the woods. The creatures would shy away from his as well, only for somewhat different reasons. Instead of getting swallowed by the 'earth', Noir would devour them whole.
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 9:05 pm
Kurai could feel the oppressive closeness of every tree as she walked forward, the hair on her neck standing on end. And yet she was too afraid of losing yet more face to turn back around. Instead she trudged on through the forest, ignoring the impending sense of doom coming from the near-night atmosphere. How long would it take for those hungry demons to catch their scent? How fast could they get to their prey? How many would there be?
She thought about the only other time she had entered this forest and shudered. But she wasn't alone this time, she reminded herself, it wouldn't be the same.
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 9:19 pm
Nex quickly caught up to Kurai. He was completely silent, and hoped he wouldn't scare her when he spoke. Not like she was easily frightened, just everyone was on edge. And for a good reason.
"Hey, Kurai. Any idea on how big this forest is?"
However, Nex looked and sounded pretty calm. Though one would notice he always kept a hand resting on a hilt...
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 4:47 pm
"Not really," she answered tensely, "I've only been here once before and I... Well, I didn't make it all the way through. As far as I know, this place goes on forever."
Was it just her or had she caught a pair of glowing eyes out of the corner of her eyes? They were gone no if they had existed at all, but she didn't feel much better about it.
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 6:28 pm
Nex kept behind Kurai... Not for reasons one would expect, but things tended to attack people's backs instead of head-on.
"Oh splendid... When I was on top of the building with that creepy screen thing, I swear I could have seen it end somewhere... But we won't make it through before nightfall, as it's already pretty much started..."
A ways down their path, or path of travel anyway, he sensed something familiar. He looked up to the darkening sky, but his ears twitched a little and his hand never left a hilt.
"At least to brother..."
Nex mumbled while closing his eyes.
"There will be a small 'sanctuary', if you will, in a few kilometers... We could wait there till the sun comes back..."
He opened his eyes again and kept glancing about, thinking he heard something.
"Just have to get there..."
Kabibona'kan smiled again as he felt his brother's presence get closer. The small sapling was already about a meter high and the protected zone had a couple meter in radius from it.
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 6:52 pm
"You sure that's wise?" Kurai shot Nex a skeptical glance, "They swarm the city at night. What makes you think this 'safe zone' will be any better?"
Her gaze fell to the rapidly darkening forest floor, and something came over her. Something familiar. What was it? Not fear, not desperation...
"But yeah," she added in a weak, quiet voice, "If it was safe then yes... Just anywhere we could rest..."
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 8:30 pm
Nex put an arm around Kurai's shoulder as they walked and gave her a little shake, like a brother or something.
"You alright?"
His other hand still rested on the hilt... And his mind ran probabilities of which ways enemies would attack, and how to defend/react, but his voice stayed calm and almost arrogant.
"Well... Obviously given the situation, but your look is a little different?"
His grey eyes looked ahead, the black circles within turning a little. They were getting close... A bit less than a kilometer.
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 9:28 pm
Celia mainly kept to herself, her eyes glowing blood red thanks to their surroundings, warnings going off in her head to turn tail the other way, but Celia kept placing one foot in front of the other, her determination not faltering despite her trembling, petite frame.
'I just have to keep calm...'
She eyes the area around them, the darkness making her wary. She keeps her hands clutched to one another in front of her chest, her silver hair sometimes getting caught on reaching branches. After awhile, she sighs and pulls it into a braid, making sure to keep it tight and close to her body.
"How much further Nex?"
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 9:03 pm
Kurai shook a little when she felt Nex's arm, but did her best not to jump. In spite of herself she still gave an instinctual glance behind to see what it was. It lasted only a split second, but she could tell her movement was noticeable.
"I'm fine, really," she lied. She could tell at once how weak a facade it was. Her voice was shaky and there was almost a hint of unsureness about it.
"I'm really tired, though," she added, "the sooner we can rest, the better for all of us. Using magic like I did back there is really... draining."
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 9:41 pm
Nex stuck out his tongue a bit between his black fangs.
"I know, same for me... I just have different things to give me emergency boosts when I need it. Though, the side effects are pretty horrible if not dealt with."
His eyes glanced back to Celia and his mouth opened as he was about to answer, but suddenly his ears twitched. A monster popped out seemingly from nowhere, from Kuria's side. Nex pushed her down, not to the floor but just enough so he could draw his left blade with the left hand. It was reverse style so he could immediately swipe across, over Kurai, and cut through the monster's head. It had it's mouth open as it was aiming to bite Kurai, had Nex not severed it's jaw muscles. He placed his other hand on the hilt, since it was close now, and brought the blade back just as another monster popped out on Nex's side. Thankfully with two hands it made his strike fast enough to stab downwards into the lunging monster's skull, and then into the ground. He turned his right hand back to forward-style and brought the blade back up with it, ripping the monster roughly in half while striking upwards at yet another one. This one expected it, and blocked, though the strike sent it's clawed hands up. It gave Nex the opportunity to draw his other blade and disembowel the creature, then decapitate in a brutal combo.
The scene only lasted seconds, and Nex's ears lowered as the fatigue from the last battle hit him. The monsters probably focused on Nex and Kuri since they looked the weakest, as the kind gesture was taken as helping each other walk.
Even still, one could hear rustling. It was close.
Nex pointed in a direction, with a little focus one could see the dim light of Kabi's tree, since they had gotten quite close.
"Run to the light! I'll catch up in a second..."
He dropped one of his swords and fell to his knees as his aura dimmed... It would appear Nex was very weak, but in truth this was just to draw the monsters to the easier prey and allow the others to make it safely.
Though he was technically a Messiah, Nex was no martyr. He had a plan... His free hand pulled a syringe out of his coat, which he put to his neck and would wait for the last moment until pressing the button to inject it...
Kabibona'kan gave a quiet laugh as he heard the commotion.
"Brother's stealing all the fun, I'm afraid..."
He sighed a little, smiling, but never opening his eyes.
"Probably will come running back to drink my blood..."
A couple monsters ran into the bubble Kabi formed on their way to the commotion, but were again instantly devoured into the ground by the thorny roots. Kabi smelt "Nex's" crew, and they would be able to enter safely.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 6:01 pm
Celia had almost screamed at the sight of the creatures attacking Kurai and Nex, her eyes widening in shock as she instinctively took a step back. She started to move forward a bit, unsure of what to do when something grabbed at her skirt. She slices it through, beginning to run like Nex suggested, grabbing Kurai's arm in the process, sending energy into her body.
'Kurai...we have to hurry...'
She looks around warily, her sword appearing, ready to swing if need be despite her shaking body.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 7:43 pm
At first Kurai tried to fight back, but tired as she was the flames she formed in her palms were tiny, barely singing the hides of the vicious beasts swarming the small group. As Nex made it clear he meant to be a scapegoat, Kurai tried to protest but then felt Celia's hand on her arm.
As the energy flooded through her body like adrenaline, her panic was fully realized. Too scared to think she turned from the scene and ran as quickly as she could, breaking free of Celia's grip and fleeing aimlessly. It was several moments before she remembered Nex's instructions about the light. But there was no light up ahead. Hesitantly, she stopped and turned about. It was to her left and she shot toward it the moment she realized. But she could feel something grabbing at her leg. The panic returning stronger than before she shot a blast of indiscriminate black flame behind her and bolted toward what she hoped was safety.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 10:30 pm
The radius of clarity from the small luminescent tree was now at least 3 meters or more. When one of the adventures would come in, they would feel a sudden burst of fresh miasma-less air. A general feeling of safety or secureness as well, in Mother Nature's loving grasp.
Kabibona'kan chuckled softly as he listened to the others run around.
"You'd think they never saw a monsters before..."
The next sound caused his ears to perk, however.
It was Nex roaring as he injected the syringe straight into his bloodstream. His claws and fangs grew dramatically, his eyes widened, his whole features turning unnaturally feral...
A small explosion of gray flame came from Nex, stunning the oncoming creatures for a second. Apparently, with this drug a second was enough as right when it died down one would see blood spraying, heads exploding, and bowels bursting. Also apparent was the drugs quick effects. Although they boosted his speed amazingly, it wouldn't even last a minute... And the side-effects would be horrible, but Nex had a plan for that as well.
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 10:09 am
When Kurai broke free of her grasps, Celia's body stilled, only able to watch as she disappeared from sight. She tried sensing her aura but the miasma was blocking and blurring everything for her 'sight'. She runs a bit toward the light, knowing that Kurai is going to head that way as well. She begins trudging, only to move faster after awhile when her body senses several dark presences heading her way. Her carelessness to her surroundings however causes her to trip into an array of dead branches, before rolling down a small hill. She yelps her back hits a trunk, her hair and clothes worse for wear. She looks up, scanning everything.
'I can't....see....anything...'
She slowly rises to her feet, blood streaming from several gashes, her silver hair surrounding her like a dim halo.
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