Private Tales Chasing Shadows

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
Olyssa spent the following days whilst they waited tormenting the castle staff. It had become a game of sorts amongst the servants to try and avoid the sidhe at all costs without making it appear as though they did so deliberately. The simple maids and cooks faired better, but it was the poor gardeners, stable hands and master of the hounds who suffered the most. She made a habit of pointing out how wrongly they planted new bulbs, or the pitfalls in their approach to breaking in young horses.

It was a relief to everyone when news of the darkness being discovered arrived.

The stable lad had the two horses tacked up in record time.

Olyssa patted Patience's neck whilst trying to hang on to her horses namesake as she waited for the King.
 
For all of the complaints that Nairth had received about Grovehaven's esteemed guest in those following days, San'Seya insisted upon taking her intrusions in a positive light. Many of the criticisms she'd levied against the methods of his subjects were valid, and rather than simply belittle them, she at least made an attempt to show them how to better their work.

Plus, The King could certainly think of worse ways that a bored Beast Keeper could keep herself occupied. That she busied herself with productive activities was something to be thankful for. Eventually, the time came when his scouts returned with news of the Parasite. They'd spotted it to the west of Grovehaven, headed in the direction of Fal'Addas and the Falwood Stone.

Troubling. Nairth doubted the filth would dare mount an offensive against an entire city in it's weakened state, but the idea that it could hitch a ride and move through the Portal Stone...

They needed to nip this in the bud before things grew any more problematic. Nairth did not keep Olyssa waiting long, quickly making his way outside wearing clothes far more suited for travel and much less elaborate and extravagant for the sake of being dramatic. Hoisting himself up onto his horse, he tied back his hair and cast a glance to Olyssa.

"Two hours due west. We must be careful, we'll be skirting mortal grounds." Nairth didn't need to tell her how non-fae could complicate things, especially if they ended up in a fight with the prey they pair of them sought.

Olyssa
 
"Bah! Mice are easily dealt with," Olyssa waved away his note of caution like she had waved away those before. Non-fae would clearly not be something the sidhe would allow to get in the way. Mortals were easily exterminated and whilst the elves were more problematic, fae magic was older. They possessed magic many ancient elves dismissed as myth.

"Come on," with a much more caring ask for Patience, the pair set off at a brisk trot. Both horses knew of the urgency of their quest and carried their riders as swiftly as was safely possible.

Despite Olyssa's grumblings they did skirt as many populated towns as they could and when they were forced to draw closer the sidhe wove a glamour intricate in its making to pass them off as elven travellers, perhaps a sign that she too would rather not deal with non-fae if it could be helped.
 
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Nairth's eyes narrowed at Olyssa's brazen disregard for the lives of Falwood's mortals. Perhaps Autumn had not instilled the respect in her that Spring championed, but to kill a mortal for any reason other than a last resort was a direct affront to Spring Tenants, and San'Seya could only hope she would keep her brashness in check, lest their partnership come to an unfortunate conclusion.

"Discretion is the better part of valor, Olyssa. Let us avoid, rather than confront." It was the most pragmatic warning he could concoct in the moment, a gentle reminder of where she was, and on whose authority. Aggression towards those in his land would not be tolerated, Erlking be damned.

Thankfully, she seemed to take note of his words, even if she did not show it outwardly. The pair was able to avoid crossing through densely populated areas, and when they did encounter mortal life, Olyssa was quick to work up glamours for them. With only a slight delay in their timetable they soon rode upon the stretch of road that his Scouts had mentioned, leading up to the Falwood portal stone from Fal'Addas.

It was obvious that something was amiss. This path was well traveled, and yet there was an ominous silence in the air-- Even the birds did not sing above their heads, and the sun, while shining, almost seemed muted in its vibrance.

"Do you feel that?" He brought his horse to a stop and looked over at Olyssa, his face terse and wary. "Perhaps we should plant our feet here, attempt to lure him in with our gift. What say you?"

Olyssa
 
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Olyssa seemed troubled too in her usual odd way. She had stopped talking a few miles back when the first strange silence had become obvious and she had withdrawn more into herself the deeper on she went. Her eyes flickered between the trees and grasses, plotting.

"There is little other choice," Olyssa agreed and swung her leg over Patience then slid to the forest floor. The young mare wickered uneasily, eyes rolling and front leg stomping.

I know girl, be at ease. No harm shall come to you, the horse nuzzled into her hair and huffed. Olyssa scratched at her neck to comfort her.

"Perhaps we should let the horses go," she did not know whether the darkness might attempt to latch onto an easier body to use as a host first.
 
The King was not fond of the vulnerable position that they would be placing themselves in either, but as Olyssa herself had said, they were short of options. Only one thing had been proven to attract the darkness easily, and it was not likely they'd find it otherwise.

"Yes, It's best they're not here. I've seen what the vile thing can do to animals. It's abhorrent."

Dismounting, Nairth placed his palm upon his steed's snout, leaning forward and placing his forehead briefly against the horse's neck before sending it away with a point and a command. The stallion reared before taking off back the way they'd came, and San'Seya watched it for a time before looking back to Olyssa.

"We should prepare first. I will lay down a few wards along the road to prevent us being interrupted. If you can find a position where we will not likely be snuck up on, we can ward that as well, to alert us when the filth draws near."

Olyssa
 
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"I think if the creature wishes to sneak up on us, it will," Olyssa said in that soft absent-minded manner. She had turned from where Patience had faded into the trees and was now inspecting the rest of the clearing. From what they had learnt about the parasite, it could use almost anything as a vessel. Even a shadow. She doubted it would come directly down a path and meet them head on. But then... maybe it would. She had the feeling it somehow enjoyed the chase almost as much as the possession itself.

"Perhaps we should make something in the Old Ways," she mused and picked up a small rock. "A faerie ring," they were said to protect and the old ones still did scattered as they were throughout the world. But she wondered if the creation of such an old piece of magic might also draw the creature near. "You said your son had to take refuge in one but it stayed outside, hunting."
 
A faerie ring? Nairth's gaze lingered on Olyssa for a moment, impressed by her initiative. San'Seya had thought her to be rough around the edges at first, but over the last few days she'd proven the Erlking's faith in her was far from misplaced.

"That's an excellent idea." Nairth agreed, glancing down at the stones littering the ground around them. "I'm not sure I'd have thought of it myself. Come, let's work quickly, before it arrives and catches us vulnerable." It had been some time since he'd practiced any of the Old Magic, preferring the use of more potent wards and glamours to ward off the unwelcome.

He assisted Olyssa in placing stones in a circle that would block the road itself either way from travel, at least for something so foul as their intended foe. True, it could simply circumvent the barrier if it wished, but The King doubted it would look past such a potent source of the old power it craved so.

"We must be wary." Nairth warned, placing his final stone. "While it did eventually shy away from Tharu, I believe the arrival of Lady Maeve's companion played a part in that. Should the parasite have a strong enough host, we may not be able to stop it long enough to prepare."

Olyssa
 
Whilst the King of Spring worked upon the rocks, Olyssa summoned some of the older magick at her disposal to conjure the ancient red toadstools with their signature white spots to sit between them in various sizes. They were a favourite of the fae not for the malicious reasons most mortals thought but because they were the favourite of fae-animals like the unicorns. It felt appropriate to use them now when they were paying such homage to the Old Ways and trying to catch a creature drawn to such things.

"I suppose we will have to wait and see," Olyssa commented and stood back to examine their work. Even newly formed she could feel the odd pulse of magic that was commonplace in the faerie rings, no doubt made more powerful by the fact a King had taken part in its making. She hoped that would be enough to draw it out to them.

Content they had done all they could, the sidhe flopped onto the grass to do exactly as she had said they would have to do; wait.

Minutes and then hours began to pass. The sun was beginning its descent back into the horizon when the pungent smell of death drifted towards them.
 
Wait and see they would. While the barrier Tharu had concealed himself in had struggled, Nairth and Olyssa had the benefit of being two significantly more powerful Fae, who would be more capable of maintaining their defenses for as long as need be.

It felt rather nice, to practice old magic again, after so long. There had been some of the old way involved in the erection of Grovehaven, but that had been mixed with Nairth's own might and control over nature. He'd not made a stone circle in many years.

It was simple and beautiful. A soft and gentle reminder of what Spring had been founded upon, of what Nairth fought to protect.

When it was complete, San'Seya sat cross-legged in the center of the barrier, his hands resting on his knees and his eyes tightly closed. His energy spread through the ground like the roots of a massive tree, reaching out far beyond the dome protecting them, heightening his awareness of the surrounding forest for miles. For hours, there was nothing. Occasionally the pinprick of a mortal wandering too close would cause the hairs on the back of the King's neck to stand, but inevitably they would pass, none the wiser, and again silence would take hold.

Until it ended, all at once.

A sharp stab of pain rang through Nairth's back, causing his body to arch and his mind to break from its meditation as a distant crash carried through the evening air. San'Seya reached around his body, attempting to claw at the throbbing pain, fruitlessly as his lips parted in a pained gasp.

"Ngh! It's coming! And it brought some muscle...!"

Olyssa
 
Olyssa had been content to listen to the birds chatter as they waited. Birds had the most curious of gossip. She found out all sorts of things from their songs, for who thought not to speak in front of them? Only the insane. Or the incredibly smart. She was listening to a particularly tale from the Day Court, an interesting tale of some rebel Puca's when suddenly the scent of death wafted over them and the King cried out almost at exactly the same time. Olyssa jumped to her feet, her eyes casting about for some sight of the creature.

"They must not have wanted to lose such a prize," the King was strong and the darkness would no doubt have felt it. Salivated over it. It wouldn't come without some hope it could take him down. "Did it touch your mind?" she frowned, looking at the spot on his back where he clawed and seeing no mark, much to her relief. The barriers too seemed in tact.
 
"Something's trampling through the woods." Nairth explained through gritted teeth, rising from his seated position and shivering at the last pinpricks of pain left his body. Indeed, as he spoke the crashing sounds grew louder, with the earth underneath them beginning to shake ever so slightly with the impact of something great, something mighty. "I was using them to survey the area. I'm fine, it's just... I felt their pain, for a moment."

He'd more or less expected it, but that didn't make it any more pleasing to his senses. Whatever approached, San'Seya didn't wager this barrier would hold up against it for long. Any impact would put a strain on the magic, and between the two of them, they only had so much to offer.

Perhaps it was best they not expend too much stamina maintaining their shield?

"We should prepare, as best we can. This will be a fight, Olyssa." The soft, intentionally gentle tone in his voice had totally vanished, leaving The King to sound almost ordinary with how serious his words were as he looked over to her. "Assuming it's inhabited something, we'll need to drive it out before confronting it. That means either killing the host or presenting a more desirable option. Regardless, once we're ready to implement a plan, we have to move quickly."

A snarl accompanied the next crash, this time close enough to send ripples across the barrier surrounding them. San'Seya turned his head, just in time to see the swipe of a massive, black paw across the surface of their shield.

"It's here!"

Olyssa
 
A Sabakuu. The large black cats were a legend amongst mortal and fae alike due to their illusive natures. It was said their skin had magical properties and centuries ago humans had hunted them to near extinction to harness it, turning them into war drums that with one beat could destroy entire battalions of an opposing army. Olyssa's heart clenched to see one such noble creature reduced to... this. Its side was torn where it had clearly fought off another predator - perhaps even the Dark's old host - and it looked as though it were slowly infecting the creature. Of course that could have been the parasite too.

"I don't think it can be saved," she said mournfully. Was she mistaking the look of pleading in the things black eyes when it looked in their direction as it prowled around the carefully made shield. It took another swipe, testing the boundaries and Olyssa felt the slow sap of her strength as her magic helped rebuff it.

"The cut will be its main weakness, we aim for that," she took a breath to steady her racing thoughts and pulse then drew upon the Earth magic her line was so famous for. The beast was too busy trying to claw its way through it didn't see Olyssa's first swipe of vines.
 
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The pain at seeing such a revered and respected creature, one Nairth hadn't witnessed firsthand in so many years, reduced to a tortured host for something so dark and so foul brought a bitter anger to the King's tongue. There had always been something to be said about this Dark foe's tenacity; its ability to withstand and survive through time itself, if the talking corpse beneath the castle was to be believed.

It was the disrespect towards life that San'Seya couldn't stomach, the disregard for nature, twisting and subjugating it to its will. The sight made Nairth both want to vomit and breathe vengeful fire at the same time. Too prideful for the first and incapable of the second, placing the poor Sabakuu out of its misery would have to suffice for recompense.

"Yes." He offered a somber agreement to Olyssa as the beast took another swipe at the barrier, it's claws repelled as their magic held strong, for now. "It's likely where the Dark will exit once the creature is slain, so beware." Olyssa had already begun her offensive, using her connection with the Earth to lash out at the Sabakuu with furious vines, lashing against the beast's flesh.

The single-minded abomination focused only on the barrier, delivering another blow which Nairth felt rattle his core. Their magic would not withstand much more of an onslaught at this level; they needed to divert the Sabakuu's attention quickly.

Nairth too focused his magic, calling to the trees surrounding them, vying for their aide, pleading for their strength. He felt them speak, their voices stalwart even in the chaos amongst them, a monotone reassurance in the dark to ease his woes. The branches heeded his call, extending outwards to wrap around the Sabakuu's body like wooden tentacles, specifically targeting the arm that continued to crash down upon the barrier.

Olyssa
 
The once-was Sabakuu screeched its rage in Nairth's direction as the branches lashed out at its injured flesh.

Olyssa added her own vines and thorns to the mix of attacking vegetation. Combined, the vines, branches and thorns crossed over one another and all but seemed to bury the creature beneath it. The screeching grew muffled and quieter and for a moment Olyssa hoped that that was it. It was hope that turned out to be misplaced.

Suddenly a darkness exploded out from the pairs attack throwing the earth off of its host. Every bit the darkness touched withered and died, crying in agony as it did so. Olyssa tried to shut her ears to the tortured scream of life wilting away and focused her anguish on the creature before them. The host looked torn and blood, black pus oozing from a dozen or so scratches and it appeared to have lost an eye for its struggle.

With a snarl, the creature loosed the next wave of darkness in their direction.
 
The Sabakuu was an even mightier host than the one who'd nearly bested Nairth some time prior, and he'd only barely escaped that encounter with his skin. Were it not for Olyssa's might combining with his, those thorny fines sprouting forth to support the efforts of Nairth's restraints, this battle would likely have been over before it even began.

The King would remind himself to pay her a proper thanks later, scoff though she certainly would, if her reaction to his previous token of appreciation was anything to go by.

He would need worry about that later though, as even though their combined attack slowly wrestled the beast down, encapsulating and smothering it in a twisted prison of wood, vine and thorn, San'Seya felt all too clearly the pulsing, wicked heartbeat of evil still thrumming within. It pumped the sickness through the Sabakuu's living, rotting corpse, feeding the muscles, strengthening the sinew and bone that would otherwise turn to dust.

Panic danced across his face as he took a step back, heel digging against the dirt as he opened his mouth to call for Olyssa to take cover. He hadn't the time to speak a word before the tendrils of nature binding the foul thing was rended and blasted away almost instantaneously in a furious storm of putrid shadow, withering bits of vine and bark launched in every direction, colliding and stinging against his flesh.

Waves of evil poured fourth, as if the Darkness had been hiding an unending font. only to watch their despair as it ran like tar over the land around them. Land that could not heed their call from through the viscous plague.

"It's trying to take away our only means of offense...!" Nairth breathed, looking over at the similarly struggling Olyssa. "I... I don't..."

No, there was something.

"H-Help me lure him! I have an idea! Use the voice to keep him on our trail!"

Olyssa
 
Olyssa threw herself behind a large boulder as the darkness exploded outwards turning what it touched to withered husks. She had still not pieced together how the thing infected the host, whether it needed to have a large wound or just a slight cut to enter by or if it could pour itself down a persons mouth, or enter through any other orifice. She had no intentions of finding out first hand. It was all she could do to keep up enough of the roots to keep it from attacking her on her escape.

"You better not get yourself killed doing this," Olyssa gritted out then rallied her magic and stepped back out from behind the boulder. The creatures attention turned back to her and eased from the King, giving him enough time to move. She gave him a heads start before taking off after him, making sure to send back tendrils of enticing magic woven with the Voice as she went.
 
Was far more concerned about the lives of Olyssa and the rest of those in his court than he was about himself. If he was unable to rid the Realm of this ancient plague and ensure that the Summer could not use it against them in the looming conflict, he was not fit to be a King in the first place. Once Olyssa had renewed her offensive, Nairth began to retreat, firing off similar weak but enticing volleys of magic to draw the savage thing toward him as he moved.

This was a gambit, without a shadow of a doubt. Becoming King had cut Nairth's free time into thirds, and he'd no way of knowing whether the last grasp of hope he led them towards was even there any longer. He'd certainly had no time to maintain it properly. Still, watching the Sabakuu thunder towards them with a ripping cry of raw hatred as it tore across the path and into the brush Nairth fled towards, he knew not how else they could garner an advantage.

But, for a while, it seemed in vain. All that baiting the twisted Sabakuu around accomplished was destroying and warping more and more of Spring's lands with it's darkness, seeping out of the monstrosity's black pores and coating everything it touched.

Nairth did his best not to look, to focus on reaching the small clearing by the river, to that patch of bright purple flowers, that glittered like gemstones in the sun. Certainly, they must be near now? His magic was nearly exhausted, and the Sabbaku grew more aggresive and pursuant with every passing second.

Then, a sharp cry from the beast. Nairth turned, releasing the breath he'd been holding. A massive arm of stone had reached out from the clearing, colliding with the Sabbaku's head in a gargantuan punch, sending the thing reeling back with a howl of agony.

It was still here.

A golem, one rivalling their foe in size, thundered through the thick wall of trees ahead of them, stepping forward with a rumbling growl. He'd fashioned it to defend a particularly defenseless patch of gerrin violets, but hadn't the chance to return and dispel the thing. It was a wonder the magic was still holding together, though chips and moss definitely showed that it was worse for wear.

"Behind it!" He called. "Recover while you can!"

Olyssa
 
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