Open Chronicles Felling the Forest

[Elise Virak]

Northern Falwood

Elise sat perched in a small, although extremely comfortable, chair. A man stood besides her holding an almost comically oversized fan, softly waving it as a guard against the heat which surrounded them.

A yawn passed from her lips as her eyes slowly drifted over the camp around her, lips thinning with disgust as she watched men and women milling about and working, Most of them were doing one thing or another, slowly crafting buildings, setting up walk-ways, carrying large loads of tools. Some even dragged carts loaded with the wood that was building the palisade around town.

Just beyond the view of her balcony, though not far beyond, lay the Falwood.

A hundred men were working there, each of them wielding and ax and carefully beginning to cut down the Forest. Dreadlords guarded them, and a contingent of the Virak Soldiers she had taken with her. "How goes things, Jerem?"

The smallish man near the edge of the balcony perked up at the call of his name.

"Well, madame. We have formed a perimeter and the encampment has set many of it's foundations. The palisade is nearly completely, and several of the buildings will be done b-"​

Her hand waved dismissively. Jerem had a habit of talking a bit too much. All Elise had cared about was that things were still going well and no new problems had arisen. This encampment was only the first stage. Once it was built they could head further into the Falwood to where Anirian Scouts had recorded a deposit of Thellin Ore. That was what she was really after. The ore was crucial to her plans.

She just needed the knife-ears to remain quiet.

 

[Fauna]

The edges of the Falwood continued to recede, and Fauna could feel it. The birds were the first to leave, then the quick-footed creatures. Those too slow to run, or too simple to see their doom, perished in droves.

Their journey had started as a curiosity, and desire to learn how and why the people had begun to attack the world so aggressively... but their goals had changed. They had learned what they needed to learn: People were taking for the sake of taking. They were growing for the sake of growing. Left unchecked, they would destroy everything. Even themselves.

The spirit charged through the underbrush, following the scent of smoke. Heavy footfalls preceeded their arrival, and deep claw-gauged tracks followed it. Massive eyes focused ahead, feathers bristled, and a snarl rumbled within.

The owlbear broke into the clearing with a screech. It swatted aside the nearest axe-wielder, and raked its claws at several others that just barely dove out of the way. It reared back in defiance of those brave enough to approach, standing twice as tall as the men before it on its hind legs.

Those within thirty feet would hear a voice from within their own minds. |Leave this place forever|

Grrr​

 

[Volos the Verdant]

The Falwood was far from Ixchel, but to Volos there was no distance not worth travelling to save Mother Arethil from the greed of the civilized. All forests were extensions of Her and, while he cared little for the elves that made their home within, he felt the rage and pain of the world as her lands were destroyed. This crime against Arethil would not go unpunished.

While the druids of the Primordial Path were relatively few in number, Volos remained confident. After all, not only was he the world's own voice, but an avatar of the very fury of the beasts of the world accompanied them now. The archdruid watched in smug satisfaction as Fauna, in the form of an owlbear, pummeled one of the axe toting men.

"You are far more merciful than me, Honored Spirit..." Volos boomed, stepping forth from the brush and leaving a wake of new growth behind him. His azure eyes blazed in barely contained fury, Arethil's overwhelming mana making itself manifest. "I would not have bothered with a warning before cutting these men down, as they have the forest."

Even as he spoke, thorned vines began to quickly creep past him towards the workers as other druids stepped out from the forest behind him.

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

Horrible breath echoed.

The slow dragging feet of a dead elf in its ugly paw.

The iron grating the earth from its heavy blade.

It heard voices. One familiar. All loud. So loud. Too loud. Unfathomably loud. The Angel felt naught towards nature or man and yet it always found itself caught in the toil of both. It wandered its somber way to the sound of conversation and deforestation. The forest would not see an unlikely ally this day.

As it arrived on scene it tossed the corpse of the elf in between the opposing sides and then with one foul push uprooted the closest tree and watched it fall with a horrible thud upon the corpse, red staining the dirt beneath.

"Must... You be... So loud..?"

It stuck its blade deep into the ground, being the third in a triangle of ill-boding.

 

[Elise Virak]

"Ma'am!"

Elise was sitting in her small throne like chair, a small book being held by a servant in front of her. Eyes were half lidded as she read, clearly somewhat disinterested in whatever the subject matter was. When the call went out her head slowly turned.

There was no answer, but she raised an eyebrow.

"There is trouble at the wood. Spirits...something...we're not sure."

The Baroness looked at the man with a small amount of confusion. Why was he coming to tell her? Surely there the answer was rather plain. A breath filled her lungs and she waved her hand dismissively towards the man. "We brought Dreadlords for a reason, Reginald. Send them."

For a second there was hesitation, and then a curt quick nod.

A call went out, and Elise's orders were followed. As the odd amalgamation of creatures came from the forest, the world of men sent their mages. Two Dreadlords, one older and the other younger stepping towards the creatures.

The younger one gave no warning, a ball of fire bursting to life in his palm as he tossed it towards the crawling vines.

They burst apart into flames, giving the workers a chance to run away.

 

[Xzaar Vixneel]

Hold... calm yourself.

They mined.

Breathe.

And hammered.

Aim.

Chopped, shouted and constructed.

The runes on his bow activated, increasing the arrow speed.

Good riddance, Dreadlord.
​

Days of scouting, silencing guards and meticulous planning had led up to this fateful moment. The deforestation has raised alarm within several creatures in Falwood, not that the perpetrators give a damn. They've been doing this for years; diminishing the forest of it's resources and causing wildlife to either die or retreat further into Falwood, disrupting several habitats and killing the place Elves call home. If Elves did that to Vel Anir, it could be all out war or their deaths. What happens if they fell most of the trees? They don't care.

Eliminating Elise Virak herself must deal a detrimental blow to the surrounding camps. and House Virak. There she is, sitting on her wooden throne like several other narcissistic, cynical, bigoted Dreadlord that plague that god forsaken city... Vel anir.

Perched atop a tree, using the magic of mimicry to change his appearance and match the color of leaves, bow loaded with an arrow and aimed at Elise's head, is Xzaar Vixneel, and he's Had Enough of Dreadlords. He cleared a few guards to secure this position and he's held out on firing for about an hour. He doesn't want to waste his shot until he's sure the time is right.

Waiting for the perfect shot only incensed him; Her aura was sickening and it irritated every muscle in his body, beckoning him to release the arrow and berid of her. The Xenophobia, cruelty and complete disregard for Elven life practically radiated off her, tainting the grass she walk on... the bed she lay in... every aspect of her he despises. He...

Hold.. the fucking.. arrow Xzaar.. Breathe...

He is seething.

His grip on the arrow began to falter.

Then something extraordinary happened.

An... Owlbear...
​

Frankly, he doesn't know what the absolute fuck that is. A person? Vengeful spirit? Well it appeared to be on the right side of things, threatening the dreadlords to cease their construction. He can't... sense the spirits aura... Neutral? He doesn't know, but it's on the side of the forest and that's good enough for him. Xzaar, however, feels that they've long exceeded their warnings, so he fixated his arrow back over to Elise when another spirit? a dwarf? Emerged from the forest.

"You are far more merciful than me, Honored Spirit..." Volos boomed, stepping forth from the brush and leaving a wake of new growth behind him. His azure eyes blazed in barely contained fury, Arethil's overwhelming mana making itself manifest. "I would not have bothered with a warning before cutting these men down, as they have the forest."

He bit his lip to hide a smirk. He won't allow himself to grow arrogant, but he took great satisfaction in these new arrivals. How badly do you have to fuck up and piss off the spirits of the forest??? This is gold! He might not have to even interfere. Then, another... he has no idea, barreled through the forest- Carrying an Elf!

Oh, Gods...

It pushed a tree like it was nothing.

He lessened the arrow on the bow string in trepidation.
​

Elise was just as spoiled as the rest, dismissing this as a threat and continuing to arrogantly watch from afar. It's infuriating. Two more dreadlords... a young Pyromancer while the other's remain unknown. Xzaar could maybe shoot him..

No. I'll see how this plays out. The spirits are more than capable. ​

 

[Fauna]

Some of the workers fled, and they were wise to do so. The vines claimed many, and those nearest to Fauna who did not find themselves entangled were met with powerful strikes that broke their bones and sent them crumpling to the ground.

Another tree fell, and a familiar, pained voice rang out. Fauna hesitated, turning large, orange eyes to the Thousand Eyed Angel. What was this beast doing here? Would they aid in the destruction of the invaders, or would they continue to fell the trees?

An explosion brought their eyes forwards once again, and a roaring screech left their break as the vines shriveled and burned. The human had brought their magics, and the owlbear locked on to the pyromancer at once. Fauna moved as best they could in their current, bulky form, stomping over twisting vines and bodies alike. They hoped the druids could muster some defense, or enable them to get closer.

|Quench the flames| they spoke, or commanded, however the forest protectors chose to interpret it. Hoping that their message would be heeded, they started to lumber towards the dreadlords.

 

[Volos the Verdant]

The advent of the abomination lumbering forth from the brush raised silent alarms in Volos' brain. Every fiber of his being told him that the monstrosity was an affront to nature, a dangerous, mad beast that needed putting down. Alas, the Primordial Path was already putting themselves up against a challenging foe; they hadn't the time or bodies to pay the creature attention.

Several of the lesser druids looked to Volos for his word as Fauna ordered them. The dwarf held his hateful glare at the Dreadlords now approaching them.
"Do it. Do it! You needn't my permission to stop Mother Arethil from burning!" He shouted as he marched forward. Many of them quickly began summoning water in whatever way they could to contain the flames.

There would be no peace and quiet this day. Not for the Angel, not for anyone. Volos let loose a terrible howl as Arethil's mana flared from his eyes and horns. Thick bark erupted from the ground around Fauna as the spirit barreled forth, slabs of protective wood six inches thick and tall enough to cover their advance. Simultaneously, bushes in the undergrowth began to rapidly expand. Large vines stretched skyward and produced unearthly seed pods, which themselves quickly grew and exploded, showering seeds like bullets across the clearing at the Dreadlords and workers.

"Flee with your lives or stay and perish! That is the fate of the civilized!" He howled as a final warning.

 

[Wulfric]

While House Virak had brought two of their dreadlords in case the knife-ears brought resistance, they were not the only mages brought today. Wulfric, and some other apprentices, had also been called upon to serve. Several promising young mages saw this opportunity as an audition, and had hoped for some level of carnage to prove themselves worthy of joining house Virak. It seemed their wishes had been granted.

While the two senior dreadlords began a volley of fire, Wulfric and the others went to their sides, giving them ample room to fire forward yet covering their flanks.

"Attack the druids!" The order rang out, though Wulfric knew not where from. Blasts of magic, shards of ice, rays of light flew from the dreadlords-to-be, assaulting the now fire-fighting dwarfs. Wulfric was not gifted in such long-range attack, and continued to rush forward before meeting his foe.

The tree-lover took his club, a mere sharpened stone tied to a stick, and swung it at Wulfric's shoulder. His offhand rose, blocking the strike with his shield. Wulfric brought his sword horizontally to counter, but the druid was quick to parry with his club, now shrouded in magical binding. The druid didn't see Wulfric's trick however, and the metal of his shield contorted and rushed out into a spike, going through the elf's gut. The steel softened and flexed, becoming as another blade and bisecting the man at his torso before returning to it's normal form as a shield.

"One down." Wulfric said quietly to himself, and turned to find his next target.

 

[Xzaar Vixneel]

Shit.
Looks like backup has arrived.​

The advancing Dreadlord trainees are bothersome, but they're only an inconvenience. They can't possibly survive against seasoned opponents. He struggled to keep up; the undergrowth expanding, the seed pods exploding and the arrival of a new Dreadlord is overwhelming. He took a deep breath to soothe his troubled mind, pulling back on the arrow and locking eyes on Elise. He released the arrow and it darted at her head. He was relieved to have finally fired it, it felt as if his hatred for her had been temporarily lifted, but he isn't done yet.

Directly after firing thst arrow, he reached back to grab another as the runes on his bow glowed brown. Energy of the same color flowed into the tip, surging throughout it. He fired that one directly onto the ground; the runes effect took place, cracking the earth in the shape of the rune where the arrow hit.

The spell caused a small, ten second earth quake that shook some of the apprentices off balance and halting their magical bombardment so the spirits can recover. With them stumbling, he rapidly fired seven consecutive arrows, all striking six dreadlords in their heads or necks. The seventh arrow was aimed at the back of Wulfric.

His position was spotted by one of them, and he threw shards of ice at Xzaar. He leapt from the tree before it struck, loading an arrow as he made his descent and firing it as he touched the ground, finding it's target and embedding itself within his foes chest. "The time for warnings has long ended. They've had years to cease this destruction. Now the die."

Retrieving three seeds from his satchel, he dropped them onto the ground as they glowed upon contact, digging themselves within the ground. These weren't just any seeds. They were the seeds of the Dionaea muscipula, or Venus Flytrap. Glowing green, the seed sprouted abnormally fast, changing into a fully formed plant in five seconds. Although, it didn't stop growing. They continued until they were well above Xzaars head, standing at seventy feet tall, and they were hungry. Needless to say they won't be eating flies. The three plants darted towards some of the Dreadlords, snapping away and eating at them, one at a time or in groups.

"You're so quick to disrespect the forest... you take pride in it. Well.. now it's fighting back."​

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

The battle begun. Their unending moral squabbles of what they considered to be of importance. All it was to the Angel was a never ending ringing in its shredded ears. It hated it. It hated them all. Though there existed one voice it knew. It never encountered a familiarity. All died before it.

Fauna and their mental conversation flooded into its head. The one who helped it deal with one of Yalgori's other creations. Oh how he would pay one day. It remembered how they defended the forest that same day, all the way in the other one. It could not recall its name.

"All... of you..." The fight raged on. Magic flew from both sides as did arrows and the uprising of the woods itself.

"...Are so loud." It rose its blade from beneath the dirt.

"CEASE YOUR MEANINGLESS SQUABBLING, MAGGOT FLESH."

It swung its terrifying blade horizontally, cutting four trees to its right. The trees fell and crushed several humans and elves alike.

"MAGGOT FLESH BLOCKS THE SUNSHINE. THE FOREST BLOCKS THE SUNSHINE. ALL SHALL BURN. YOU ALL WILL KNOW THE HATRED I KNOW."

It continued on with an indecipherable and piercing scream of agony as blood began to spew from its back. Ugly, rotten, decaying black wings jutted from its shoulder blades. They flapped as they fully formed and its yell did not cease.

In a flash, the creature was flying at unfathomable speeds towards the fight.

Who it was aiming for was unknown.

 

[Elise Virak]

As the arrow breached the edge of the village it suddenly burst into ash. The wooden half peeled itself apart, stripped down layer by layer by some unseen magics until it was nothing but cinders.

Elise sat on he porch still, taking a sip from her drink as odd black flecks floated across her golden eyes. She shifted, watching for a moment as the chaos just beyond the wooden palisade of the camp erupted even further. A small sigh escaped her, and slowly she stood. "If it is to be done right..."

The Dreadlords on the Front line, at least the real Dreadlords that had come, acted quickly.

Seeds burst apart, arrows flew, and the two men who had thrown fire quickly warped the air. Lines of fire erupted within the air, bursting into a sphere just above them and burning away some of the projectiles that flew towards them.

Many still passed, catching soldiers and workers alike as the pieces of the felled forest quickly became a wash in the blood of men.

The flames twisted and then burst forward towards the plants that had just grown, incinerating them as the two actual Dreadlords on the field covered one another. Their magics flared as Apprentices and soldiers died, the older one stepping forward as the earth began to shift and rumble.

There was a snap, and then a crack within the earth as it raised to protect the two men from the lashes of vines. The younger Dreadlord continued to let fire bloom across the battlefield, incinerating some of the workers as his magics eradicated some of the growing plants.

 

[Fauna]

The charge was exhilarating. The owlbear's thunderous heart surged within the sheer bulk of muscle, feather, and claw. The vibrations of the earth were haphazard as it cracked apart from all sides, and Fauna's sensitive ears were battered to a dull ringing by the explosive seeds and crackling magic. That was alright, they did not need to hear, they just needed to see.

Volos' armor could not have come at a better time as it took arrows and flames. The heavy bark burned, some of it splintered, and Fauna felt a hot current run down their side. The pain had been dulled by adrenaline, but the wound was not severe, although a plume of feather did fall from their side.

They were so close now, eyeing the fire thrower through the rippling air. The swirling inferno that erupted above was painful, and Fauna could smell their own feathers singeing in the heat, the fluffed horns being burnt back to skin.

A soldier here and there was battered aside by the creature on its charge. Thirty yards. Twenty. Ten. And then the earth erupted.

A solid wall of stone shot up in front of Fauna, too close and too quickly. They could not stop their charge, and though they did their best to rear up and break the impact with powerful arms, they collided heavily. Once again Volos' protection prevented the worst of the damage, and bones stayed unbroken, but the world was spinning.

More flames cut past, the Angel's screams cut the din. Only a hail of well-placed arrows protected Fauna as they rose to their feet. They could not scale this wall, could not endure the flames so close. The spirit was ancient and powerful... but its body was naught but flesh.

There was a rush of wind and the owlbear's figure blurred and shuddered. In its place a moment later was a swallow, and it took to the air amidst the chaos. Being small, swift, and light, Fauna flitted to the forest's edge and took roost amidst the highest branches, hidded from view by the leaves.

A new strategy was needed, and they cast their thoughts across the web of life that had given them birth. A new form, a powerful form, that was what they had to find. As if guided by lightning, the proper creature revealed itself. The swallow fluffed its feathers... this would not be easy.

Fauna sent their message to Volos specifically this time, projecting a message for only the druid to hear.

|Hold out. I require time.|

And the spirit began to concentrate.

 

[Irithiel]

"How's the situation so far?"

Irethril gripped his Falwood oak bow known for its durability and it was easy to weave in magic due to the Falwood oak one of the few trees composed of pure magic. The one eyed Elf received word from command a day ago of Dreadlord activity in Falwood. They were chopping valuable trees in Elven territory and that that there was already an Elf facing them. When Irethril first read the letter, he frowned where were the reinforcement when you needed them? Then again, Irethril was infamous in Vel Anir for killing many Dreadlords including an Archon.

Of course command had to summon one of the Elven army's finest to attack the Vel Anirians. Cedric the Pug ran towards the One Eyed Elf frowning, Irethril magically summoned the Pug to scout out ahead. It would at least give him something to do rather than laze around like an lard filled human on a hot day. "Dreadlords have been reinforced by a Knight that looks like out of a nightmare and a forest beast of some kind. There's also a forest spirit as well and a Venus Fly trap attacking the Dreadlords."

"One born of magic I presume," Irethril began to leap from branch to branch as quick as a Lemur with Cedric. "These hairless apes have know idea what they're walking into."

A forest where magic thrums in the air, it was something that the Elves sought to protect and what these Vel Anirians seek to take It's in their nature as humans. In a few minutes the two have arrived at the battlefield which was full of chaos. "Where are the reinforcement when you need them?" Irethril said. "In about 15 minutes tops," Cedric replied. "You really need to ready your orders."

The one eyed Elf grunted as he began to fire his arrow towards one of the Dreadlord trainees.

"An i beautui -o Falwood!" (For the beauty of Falwood!) Irethril shouted as Cedric ran beside him and leapt into the air forming a large, circular flame inside his mouth. With a snort Cedric launched the large fireball towards any enemies with the Dreadlord trainees vicinity.

Xzaar Vixneel

 

[Wulfric]

The earth underneath Wulfric began to shake. An exotic attack. Wulfric made a split-second decision on whether the attack was meant to disorient, or simply open the earth and swallow the other dreadlords. He chose the former.

"To me!" Wulfric screamed, then knelt and thrust his shield into the ground. Two other apprentices came to his flank and followed his motion. Wulfric bent the shields to envelop the trio, forming a metal bubble around them. Three distinctive clinks were heard as the arrows attacked the metal. Three lives, or at the very least injuries saved. The metal returned to the trio of shields, and Wulfric began to stand.

"Archers! Flush them out!" Wulfric ordered. It was funny, he had never desired command, but when his life was on the line . . . well, something had to be done. The four other apprentices around him had fallen, each shot through the neck or the head. Someone, or someones, with quite a bit of skill.

"Wulf, over there!" Wulfric saw the immediate growth of enormous carnivorous plants, and the elf who seemed to have shot them. He began to run towards the plans, sword and shield in had, as the two apprentices to his side gave him cover fire.

He would make that knife-ear Xzaar Vixneel pay.

 

[Drederick]

Twisted, blackened steel carved the earth. A great circle, and then another lesser one within. Between them, side by side, intricate runes were drawn - and diligently he persisted. He'd begun only a short time ago, and would need time to complete his task. But given that time he would surely put an end to this interruption. He had little patience for these disturbances, as they hindered his own plans and schemes which seemed to grow in number by the day. But, truthfully, it was almost humourous. He'd intended these spells to be used only to expediate their harvesting, not to also reap death. And of course, which was his way whether he consciously realized it or not, there was a level of irony in what he intended to achieve.

It would seem he was well aware, given the slight twitching of his lip, hinting at a grin.

But he was far too focused, and hidden behind a paltry veil of tents he was sure to be spotted eventually, if not already. So he needed to be quick if he was to complete the ritual, and as of yet he was still only working on the perimeter. There was much left to be done.

With each rune he drew, a red gemstone in the gnarled dagger's pommel glowed red, and for those with a keen eye it would seem his own essence itself poured down into the runes, drawn out in his very breath. It taxed him, but it was a slow and subtle drain as of yet.

​

 

[Volos the Verdant]

Volos rage flared as he watched the Dreadlords command their elemental magics. Blasphemy, that's what it was. For the civilized to steal from Mother Arethil and tarnish her lands, that was bad enough, but these wretches now bent her energies to their will? Unacceptable.

"Vile, all of you, vile! Those magics are not for you to use!" He shouted across the field. Meanwhile, the situation was growing rapidly more chaotic. Elves of the Falwood arrived to defend their home; more Dreadlords and Anirian soldiers seemed to materialize from nowhere to back up their kin; and a titan of flesh and metal was rampaging indiscriminately.

|Hold out. I require time.|

As if the archdruid needed the guidance. Still, Fauna was without a doubt the Path's greatest ally. If the spirit needed time, time would be bought in excess. He gave the spirit a mental affirmation and went to work.
"FEEL THE WRATH OF MOTHER ARETHIL!" The druid howled as nature's mana became volatile around him.

Volos slammed his palms to the ground and roared as loudly as his dwarven lungs would let him. A cocoon of resilient plant and fungal life wrapped around Fauna's present form, a shell easily ripped from the inside but near impregnable from without. Then, from the druid's feet outwards, the chaos of nature ripped forth. Thorned vines, coiled around each other like ropes, split the earth in every direction like a swarm of serpent. Each coil was tipped like a spear, deadly sharp and wickedly spiked down the sides, strong enough to pierce stone. Perhaps most wickedly, Volos had ensured that their rapid growth had included a sickly, viscous coating: a natural fire retardant.

The thorny coils would seek out the Anirian forces and the Angel specifically, though it took much restraint not to attempt to slaughter the Falwood elves as well.

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

The hulking abomination ended its flight not long after it had begun. Its giant metal grieves finding respite upon an unwary Anirian soldiers head, leaving him nothing but a bloody skid mark beneath its mighty feet. Its disgusting wings flaking skin as it landed in the midst of the conflict.

The Thousand Eyed Angel swung its blade with fury once more, cleaving the heads of Vel Anir's finest as it attempted to reach the young Dreadlord spewing flames. It rose its slab of jagged metal to bifurcate him, but.

That's when the vines showed up. Three spined weapons of Arethil's bosom pierced the chest, neck and leg of The Angel, and prevented the Dreadlords demise by holding the abomination in place. It roared in steering pain as its head snapped, with a crackling sound, towards Volos the Verdant.

"Mud... flesh..."

The creature whispered in anger. Its hand reaching to its neck and snapping the vine sticking through it in half. Snapping the other two thorns following. It stuck its talons deep in another tree and clenched, lifting it straight out of it's roots.

"MUD AND MAGGOTS ALIKE PERISH BENEATH THE SUNSHINE."

The monster hurled the tall tree in a straight line at Volos' head. It skewered several elves in it's trajectory, but did not slow for a second.

 

[Fauna]

Volos' cocoon crept around the tiny songbird, growing around Fauna until it shut out the light, noise, and even the vibrations of the battle beyond. Here, in isolation, the spirit could focus.

Arethil's natural world was under an attack heretofore unseen. The civilized had always made use of the land: they took wood to build their homes, they took ore to make their tools, and they took plants and animals as their food. This was not, in and of itself, a bad thing. All beings required shelter and food, and for eons there had been a balance. They would take from the wilds but leave enough that there could be recovery.

In recent ages that balance had faltered. The civilized now took more than could be recovered. A natural predator would face starvation if their numbers swelled too great, and the balance would be restored, but the People were adaptable, and when one resource dwindled they simply moved on to the next. External intervention was required. A cull was necessary.

Fauna's form began to flicker and shift as they gathered their energy. The creature they sought to mimic was large, and building such a body was difficult. Cell by cell, the blueprints came together. Within the formless mind embryo grew to juvenile grew to adult over and over again, each pass a lesson and a mental practice for the act itself.

Volos' cocoon seemed to sense the change in its inhabitant, and the organic matter began to grow, attempting to accommodate as best it could. Thick sinews lashed out and anchored onto the tree's larger branches and trunk whilst smaller twigs were snapped aside.

The animals had taken note. For miles in all directions, the beasts of the forest paused and looked.

 

[Xzaar Vixneel]

He's been involved in skirmishes before, but this one is quickly becoming a war. Preoccupied with the large fire ball that was hurled at the plants, He hadn't even noticed the... fire spitting Pug in the air or the arrival of Irithiel. He threw his arns over his head to shield his face from the searing heat of their flames.

Gods.. he hates Pyromancers. They're always so destructive and short fused. When Wulfric charged towards his plants, which have been burned from the dreadlords attacks, he readied his bow and aimed to shoot him down, only for the Dreadlords to fire on him as cover. Shit.

The Empathy mage tapped into the stored Emotion of Joy, temporary increasing his speed to dodge, leap and duck under the incoming projectiles. He loaded an arrow as the runes on his sword turned blue, firing it into the shoulder of one of the apprentices. Ice rapidly crept from the arrows tip, encasing his entire arm in ice in seconds. Luckily for him, he's only immobilized and it's excruciatingly painful. Unlike his partner, which suffered the same Icy shot to the head.

After devouring a Dreadlord, the three fly traps sought aim at Wulfric, simultaneously diving down to scoop him up. To minimize resistance so he could be eaten, Xzaar pulled back another arrow while the runes glowed silver, firing it near his feet. A miss? No. The tip of that arrow crackled with electricity, and since Wulfric is near it with metal objects, it'd hopefully make his muscles convulse violently.

So much shit was happening. The Angel went berserk, momentarily aiding in their cause by striking down a few dreadlords in its rage. This was short lived as Volos ensnared it in a furious assault on anyone nearby. Xzaar may be able to manipulate plants in a similar way, but this primordial, advanced magic that far exceeds his current limits. He was almost swept up in the attack, forced to leap back to avoid it.

This... creature turned it's rage on Volos, uprooting an entire tree and hurling it at Volos head. Shit. Shit- He doesn't know if Volos is actually an ally, but he they do have an enemy in common. Instinct and concern combined with fear, his body acted quicker than he could think; with his palms parallel to the ground as he slightly crouched, he drew both of them inward, standing up as the Dirt, clumps of rocks and plant matter fused before him in a large boulder while he centered his arms at his chest.

He shot both arms in the direction of the tree, sending the boulder crashing into it. He couldn't slow it's forward momentum, but he did knock it off its intended target.

 

[Irithiel]

A chaotic battle wasn't anything new to Irethril he spent most of his life on the battlefield. It was almost like he was at home compared to the shack he lived in Fal'addas. The problem in this situation though trying to separate friend from foe. The Dreadlords were obviously Irethril's enemies, his wanted poster was probably plastered over every single inch of Vel Anir's large walls considering how many times he single handily disrupted Vel Anirian's activities. On the other hand there was the forest spirit whom Irethril sensed was gathering energy.

Perhaps if could prove that the Elves were defending the forest then maybe they can gain a powerful ally. "Hey Irthriel!" Cedric yelled through the mayhem. "Take a look at this joker."

Still gripping his bow, Irethril saw of all things a Dwarven druid casting nature spells at anyone he saw. Druids were bound by nature and would attack anyone who would threaten their forests even the Elves who often do their best to preserve trees and plants as much as they can. "A Dwarven druid," Irethril grunted dodging his attacks. "Now I've seen everything."

"Hah you haven't been out of the ass end of a Hill Giant! I remember when I got eaten during a mission and and was quickly shat out!" Cedric chuckled blowing a gust of ice, freezing one of the thorny vines that leapt out from the ground. Quick as a Cat, Irethril retreated to the top of the tree and cast a spell on his bow. It began to glow a light blue causing the arrows to thrum with an electrical current. With three shots arrows left Irethril's bow in half a second shattering the frozen vine.

"I actually have been shat out by a Hill Giant!" Irethril yelled. "It's a long story and it involved a spurned lover!"

Cedric paused and winced wondering who Irethril pissed off for him to end up as Hill Giant shit. Irethril then saw the nailed knight of some sorts heading to the Dwarven druid. Perhaps if he could help in some way he they could gain another ally. Well anything to hold out until Elven reinforcements arrive. Cedric climbed up the tree with Irethril and saw what he was going to do.

"I know what you're thinking," Cedric sighed. "And you're crazy."

"My mother said likewise," the one eyed Elf replied placing his arrow on his bow. "Well here's the thing," the Pug chuckled nervously. "I'm addicted to crazy."

Irethril leapt from the tree branch his arrow aiming at the nail filled armored knight. He was calm and collected shutting everything out. There were no Dreadlords or forest spirits it was just he and this..... beast.

Xzaar Vixneel The Thousand Eyed Angel

 

[Elise Virak]

Elise strode onto the battlefield with all the bearing of a Queen moving to take her throne. She never seemed to shift at all, her gait remaining steady even as she stepped through a throng of fleeing workers. Some avoided her with the same fear that they had the battle, though others hardly seemed to notice the Baroness.

She made her way towards the two Dreadlords, soldiers surrounding her out of paranoia as they spotted her. One caught an arrow...or perhaps a vine, it was difficult to tell within the middle of the battlefield.

The two Dreadlords were still doing their works. Fire bloomed among the vines as they crawled, earth shifted and heaved to try and break up some of the druids still doing their best to bring them low. They had spotted the cocoon, but among the chaos there was little that could be done.

"My Lady! You shouldn't be here."​

It was the elder of the two Dreadlords that spoke, his voice hasty as he reached up and drew a wall of rock before the three of them. Elise glanced at him for a moment, then towards the battlefield.

She took it all in. The vines, the cocoon, the Apprentices quickly falling. Her eyes narrowed and then she looked to the pyromancer. "Burn it."

The Pyrmoancer blinked.

"T-The forest? But Ma'am, we need it fo-"​

"BURN IT!" Her voice echoed as she shouted, hand reaching out to grasp the boys shoulder. Odd black flecks floated over Elise's gold eyes, and then an odd look came over the boys face. His eyes glazed over, his features growing impassive, and his body going limp.

Without a single word he turned away from Elise and raised his hands. There was a brief moment of something, every vein within the boys body suddenly popping out from his skin, and then a burst consumed the air.

A white hot wave of fire rose not on the battlefield, not in the fight. It did not rush towards the druids, the cocoon, or even the elves. It rolled forward towards the forest itself, burning and catching within the Falwood itself to begin an inferno.

 

[Nebulus]

The ruckus had woken him a long way since back, but he had tried to sleep through it, dismissing it as a common human confrontation. But then he smelled smoke, a lot of it. And his eyes opened. Peeking out of his little wing cocoon he saw the fire rising from the forest. Damn humans, such destructive, corrupt little monsters, they were a plague upon the planet, a parasitical race. But he had understood their sentience made them worth saving, so he had no intention of slaughtering them, his only intention would be to save this forest, his new home, from them.

He swung with his tail and twisting as he released the tree he spread his wings Andy took to the air. His massive wings beat with ferocity, and the resulting wind shook the immediate trees, and he shot forward with great speed. He saw the fire, and knew that it would get out of control before long, best to make sure that those who were fighting for the forest hadn’t time to get it under control, and once that was taken care of, it wouldn’t be prudent to find and kill the Pyromancer responsible.

So he brought his wings in for a dive, and he spat red lightning that split the air, and incinerated one of the lesser dreadlords. Then he pulled up and spat a second bolt, which cut through the earth on the human’s side, a warning. He returned to higher altitude just to put himself on the break between the dreadlords and the foresters. He spat another bolt or red lighting, which boomed with the sound of thunder as it landed directly in front of another dreadlord. He hovered there, out of arrow range, but close enough to be a clear threat.

 

[Wulfric]

Wulfric continued to march towards the giant carnivorous plants, his shield molding and shifting to protect not only himself, but the two apprentices at his sides from archer fire. Truth be told, he had little clue as to how he would deal with the plants when he got to them, but Wulfric kept faith he'd figure something out. His muscle-memory kept him and his friends alive, as his mind whirred with ideas, but his muscle-memory was not alert to every threat. He missed the electric arrow aimed a few scant feet before him. If he was aware enough to think of the missed arrow as a threat, quick enough to diagnose it as an electrical issue, and smart enough to understand the physics of a Faraday Cage, perhaps he could have avoided the threat entirely.

Sadly, Wulfric had missed on all three criteria.

Instead Wulfric looked at the giant plant, pondering a way to slice through it's wide exterior. The arrow erupted with electrical discharge, and Wulfric's march was stopped, replaced with an errant convulsion. The giant plant rushed forward and in a simple chomp, scooped Wulfric into his mouth.

The plant was not kind enough to simply swallow Wulfric whole. Instead it intended to chew. The fangs . . . thorns? of it's mouth pierced into Wulfric's armor, and in the leather below. It wasn't the thorns that troubled Wulfric however, it was the violent acid of it's saliva. It fought with his metal and melted through his leather, before bringing excruciating pain to Wulfric's chest. He would have to be quick if he wanted to survive.

If he were some great hero, Wulfric would have removed the head from the inside of the plant. Wulfric instead was a well-trained but ill-experienced apprentice, and his first thought was survival. He didn't have any room to move his sword, but he used his magic to reshape it to stab through the underside of the beast's mouth. Magically his sword reformed itself, slicing until a hole was formed. Wulfric then, unceremoniously, fell out of it.

He landed on the ground with an aggressive thud. His back was bruised, if not a couple ribs broken, but Wulfric had the piece of mind to take his shield and form a small cocoon around himself as he took a minute to breath. His instructors were right. War is hell.

 

[Adagium]

Adagium was actually napping in a tree when the combat began and then it caught fire. The vampire wakes up in a gasp and tumbles out of the tree and sees it in fire with white fire. “Whaaaa!?” He yelps as he tumbles to the earth landing with a thud. Grumbling he rubs his back for a second before standing up and looking at the wild fire.

It was not a natural fire, but a magical one. Normal fire was usually orange but this was white. This saddened the vampire deeply. He loved the forest and its people. Thise who caused this would be a great snack.

But he was not about to leave the forest like this, he was a scholar after all! And a scholar had many tricks up their sleeves! He was not much for combat really but he could support in any way he saw fit. With buffs or healing usually, along with the occasional offensive attack.

Reaching into his backpack he takes out his leather bound book. In the book was a page of paper written in runes and glyphs. Ripping out the page he takes out a vial of water and drips a few drops in the center of the paper. Whispering a few words a giant serpent made of water leaps out from the page and entwines the burning forest with its watery body. A loud deep hiss comes from it if someone tries to attack it was it doused the flames with its own magical body.

“Okay, now where art thou...” Adagium mutters as he runs quickly towards the scene of battle.