Quest Log: JUNE 2021

[faileas]

Quest Log: June, 2021

CITY-WIDE QUESTS Quest #1 - Part-timers Wanted! (Aefenglom) - The following places are looking for part-timers for the month. Duties vary by shop, though all are paying 500-cunes per hour, five days a week. In a Jam! - It's berry-picking season! One of Aefenglom's most well-loved confectioners is famous for their prized fruit preserves, but those berries need to be picked fast to be at peak freshness and the owner can't do it all herself. She's looking for volunteers to fill up baskets of raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, cherries and blackcurrants from the expansive groves on her estate in the Aristocratic district. Earn cunes and tasty treats all at the same time! Millie's Millinery - Millie, a cheerful Harpy with an eye for design, is looking for assistance getting some supplies. This summer, feathered hats are all the rage! Bird feathers, Harpy feathers, Chimera feathers... as long as they're ethically sourced, she'll buy them off you for a good price. Picnic Serenades - With summer around the corner once again and the Cwyld cleared out in the forests just outside the Wall, picnicking has never been more in. This seasonal pop-up business is once again hiring entertainers to go out on request to sing little ditties or play instruments for ritzy private picnics! The songs and moods depend on the individual customers, who may be requesting romantic music for a date, entertainment for kids, or anything else. The more jobs you go on, the more you'll get paid -- and tips are a possibility for excellent performances. Quest #2 - Red and Blue (Aefenglom) - It seems the recent crisis caused by the Cwyldheart has instilled in the younger part of the population the need to act out. No sooner than the city has returned to more or less normal after all the excitement, reports started to trickle in about a new nuisance to the public peace. There seems to be a rise in popularity of two color-coded youngster gangs: The Reds and The Blues. Both groups are surprisingly egalitarian, taking in anybody: rich or poor, native-born or Mirrorbound, as long as they are younger than 25 years old. The rivalry takes mostly harmless if annoying forms. From simple graffiti on the walls to elaborate flower arrangements, woven, embroidered or crocheted blankets or flags heralding the utter wretchedness of the rival gang. However, the mutual badmouthing is not enough for the more hot-blooded gang members, so from time to time fights break out between groups from opposing sides. Miraculously, they always happen on some deserted property and should anyone report the brawl to the City Guard both groups disperse long before the wardens arrive. It’s painfully obvious they must have an insider or informant to be able to elude the law enforcement so skillfully. The plea for help directed at the Mirrorbound community takes different forms, from less to more risky but all belonging to one of three categories of aid: - Stopping the gang members from vandalizing private and public property - Discretely reporting the brawls to the City Guards - And the riskiest of them all: infiltrating the rival gangs to find out how they get their information so fast and so accurately. It might take some time to build their trust (and you might have to pull some pranks of your own to prove yourself!) but eventually, keen investigators can discover who the leak really was: the daughter of the Head Guard himself, one Rebecca Duncan. She's sixteen, sharp as a tack, and hates the fact her dad won't let her be a guard. Instead, she's decided to be a thorn in the guards' sides. That'll teach 'em. (Submitted by Ran.) Quest #3 - Phylax Fun (Aefenglom) - With the arrival of the newcomers from Diasteros and their unique magical knowledge, new classes are available at the Coven! More of Aefenglom's Witches are embracing the trend of summoning Phylaxes. Classes are available to learn the summoning ritual and bring out your own Phylax, and then after that, a variety of smaller group seminars -- some of them led by Witches from Diasteros -- teach Witches how to best rely on their new spirit companions. It just takes a little patience, a bit of trust, and a spark of creativity! Instructors place students in pairs (or groups of three, in the case of uneven numbers), and direct Witches with new Phylaxes to practice with one another. First, you'll need to introduce yourself if you haven't already, and then introduce your Phylax. After that, you might be tasked with one of several exercises in friendly competition with your partner. In one class, Phylaxes need to fetch items for a scavenger hunt all throughout the Coven grounds and Haven. In another, your Phylaxes will help you through a magical obstacle course that might involve simple teleportation, elemental spells, minor transfiguration or other basic spells meant to test your versatility. Still another hosts a simple race, with competitors trying to get their Phylaxes to get in one another's way. If there's something else you want to try, most instructors are also open to suggestions. Go out there and make some friends! 🌶️ Quest #4 - Risqué Business (Aefenglom) - The enchanted powders being used in the Red Light district over Eostre proved to be so popular that a small group of entrepreneurial Witches have decided to make a business out of mixing and selling these powders as potions. A Drop of Love, as they're calling their shop (physical location still pending) had some great success with trials they gave away during Boaltinn as well, and now they're looking to expand. They need help advertising are looking for people (adults only, please!) to distribute samples through some establishments in the Entertainment District. Instead of using eggs, though, the samples are stored in delicate glass vials with little droppers with which to take the mixture of powder and some sort of sweet liquid it's been mixed in. The bottles are tiny works of art all on their own, but unfortunately, some of them are... lacking in structural integrity. The stoppers are usually made to look like large flowers or animals, and hence have a tendency to sort of. Break off. If you accidentally get some of the liquid on you, don't worry -- effects only last a maximum of four hours! For those who are looking for something a bit more hands-on, A Drop of Love also needs help documenting the effects; rooms are provided, and you can report back the results for cune payment. Possible effects include but are not limited to: an excess of desire; certain embarrassing physical reactions; an increase in pleasure in others from your touch, or vice versa; the feeling of being tied up, ranging from just tugging sensations to full body restriction of movement; growing or shrinking of certain body parts; spontaneously vibrating fingers; the urge to confess your feelings for another person; and many more. Taking more than one potion at a time isn't dangerous; it's even encouraged! Stack the effects as much as you like. Don't be shy!

WILDE QUESTS Quest #1 - Helping Hands (Aefenglom) - Progress continues to be made in the slums outside the Bright Wall after the outpouring of assistance provided now that the Cwyldheart has been destroyed, and the land outside the city begins to heal. Still, there's lots of work that needs done. A committee of Coven Witches puts together parties of volunteers to assist the citizens of the slums and sends out healers trained in handling minor Cwyld infections. For those out beyond the Wall who are too infected to be treated on the spot, Parliament has recently approved the funds to build a temporary treatment center -- but it will also need to be built and stocked. Volunteer duties include but are not limited to: - Medical aid: taking care of someone, healing, administering medicine in syrup, pill, or shot form, etc. - Building & Supplies: the temporary hospital needs to be built out in the slums; anyone with building experience is welcome, as are all sorts of building supplies and helping hands - Entertainment: singing, dancing, acting, story-telling, playing an instrument, otherwise helping to bring cheer to those in need - Guards & Fighters: there are still some infected creatures roaming near or even in the slums, or occasionally individuals out of their right minds who might present a danger to themselves and others. The goal is always to get them help, so please be careful if someone needs to be restrained. - Donations: even if you can't go in person, you can always donate medicine, books, toys, cunes, supplies, etc. - Activism: anyone who has more influence with Parliament is also encouraged to participate on the political and activist side, putting pressure on Parliament where possible. Calling attention to the cause is also encouraged. This is the first time in years there's a reach chance to make a lasting difference outside the Bright Wall! Quest #2 - Moss Management (The Underground) - With the help of the data collected from Mirrorbound being studied over the last few months (thanks to all those who participated in the trials!), the Coven is making good progress on advancing their arsenal of tools against the Cwyld. Now that relations with the Underground have also vastly improved, the researchers see a new opportunity to take further strides: official study of the moss that apparently destroys Cwyld that comes into contact with it. Since Mirrorbound are still more welcome in the Underground despite improving relations, the Coven asks any volunteers who are willing to go into the caves and tunnels of the Underground to collect samples of the moss. There are just a few things to keep in mind. It can only thrive in dark, cool and damp conditions, and there's no tried and true method yet of transporting it. Some sort of portable habitat is recommended, like a magically light- and climate-controlled terrarium box, but while the Coven is happy to provide cunes and basic supplies, the Mirrorbound will have to figure the rest out on their own. Any ideas on how to transport the moss safely and effectively is greatly appreciated! The gathering of the moss itself is also tricky. It grows on thick, leathery sheets that fall like curtains over the entrances to the Underground city and is used by the Underground people to make sure no Cwyld infection reaches them. Now that this is less of a risk, they're willing to allow some of the moss to be carefully collected, but harvesting it will be long and laborious work. Use a sharp knife to scrape samples into your chosen container, but be careful not to stay in direct contact with it too long. Lately, with the sudden absence of Cwyld, the moss doesn't seem to know how to react, and its property of attacking infection seems to have been ramped up - it releases puffs of spores at small provocations. Even if you aren't carrying the Cwyld, the overactive spores can have a harsh effect on bare skin, causing raw, red rashes, itchy eyes, and even difficulty breathing. Also, please remain on the lookout for wild animals! Even if chances of infection are much lower these days, the tunnels are still crawling with albino rats the size of dogs, aggressive bats, and burrowing pincer-bugs. The insects especially will take care to avoid: they like to come out of the ground and walls at their prey, and they're absolutely big enough to take your finger off if you're not careful!

HIGH RISK QUESTS ☆ Quest #1 - Fish Out of Water (Aefenglom; Ocean) - Over the last few weeks, a sour and anxious mood has been spreading all throughout Aefenglom's Harbor District and starting to make its way inland. Restaurants are out of stock on seafood dishes, a staple in the coastal city. Stores are selling only dried fish, or fresh fish at exorbitantly high prices. Fishermen are filling up the taverns, drinking extra and grumbling even more. It's a bad omen, they say. Ever since that big storm at the beginning of last month, fish have been coming up in their nets sick and small, fins rotting, some even already dead. Their blood is black and stinking, clearly inedible. What started out as a handful of bad fish out of a hundred for some fisherfolks has lately become their everyday: there are few fish to catch, and fewer still of quality to sell. As the problem spreads and the fish shortage begins to affect the city's food economy, the Coven finally gets involved. Samples of the fish show what some might have suspected already: signs of the Cwyld. But the ocean is vast, and it's impossible to tell where it's coming from for now, say the experts at the Coven. The fishermen will just have to sail farther out, even if the waters are more dangerous. Dozens of boats are looking for helpers and protectors: Witches and Monsters willing to go out to sea for several days at a time in search of better fishing. Many of the Diasterans, a society dependent on the sea themselves, are eager to volunteer, but some of the more superstitious fishermen of Aefenglom blame the storm and the newcomers for their plight and will only take Mirrorbound assistants. Some, less picky, take both. A few boats are even Diasteran-only, newcomers trying to build their new lives here. Whatever the case, the ocean is full of danger and those who wish to join the fishing expeditions may be faced with large, aggressive sea beasts; the food shortage isn't only affecting Aefenglom, and the sharks, eels and giant squids are hungry. Some of them, with tell-tale signs of black rot on their fins or tentacles, are also clearly infected and all the more aggressive for it, trying to lurch onto ships and pull in anyone within reach. Each expedition only lasts three to seven days, but they're bound to be harrowing ones. Good luck out there! Quest #2 - A Whole New Wilde (Aefenglom) - With the Cwyldheart cleansed, the worst of the infection in the Silent Forest and the stretches of Wilde between Aefenglom and the Northern Outpost is also on the retreat. Despite significant progress being made last month, there are still pockets of it clinging to trees, plants, and animals even though the earth beneath them has been cleared out from below. The Wilders and the Coven are calling for volunteers to help track down pockets of infection and work on hunting and eliminating remaining Cwyldtid, especially those closest to the outskirts of Aefenglom. The goal is to expand the safe area of land as far as possible outside the Bright Wall, protect the people who live there, and eventually be able to cultivate more farmland. Volunteers are asked to help with several tasks. Those equipped and confident enough to fight the infected beasts out in the forest will find plenty to hunt, and are encouraged to look for nests or groups of Cwyldtid. It is imperative to remove as many of them as possible to slow or halt the further spread of infection from the creatures interacting with other animals in the woods. The same can be said for the plant life. Controlled fires need to be set throughout the forest, so Witches specializing in that type of evocation magic (and those Monsters with a more elemental affinity) are sought after, as well as those proficient in water magic and barriers. They must take care to burn only the infected portions and keep the fire from spreading. This is a task likely to take some time as there’s a lot of ground to cover, but little by little, with everyone’s help, new plants may blossom after this Wilde winter.

Welcome to June's Quest Log! Here, you can thread OR post links to your own catch-all logs. There are no limited quests this month, so no sign-ups are needed.

To keep everything in one place, we ask that you bring your quest-related questions to this thread, and you're welcome to use this header to plot among yourselves! You can link your CR Meme comment as well, if you like! Please note that this is not the month's event -- check out the Calendar for those dates!

Comments

[adventageous]

[Similarly, Alice feels no hesitation in following Zack out into the unknown. He's kind and capable--she's seen that first hand when he helped her down in the Underground. She knows she's in good hands and is looking forward to being an equal contributor this time.]

I agree. You can count on me.

[Per her promise, Alice does remain close behind Zack as he moves through the Wilde and keeps on alert. His senses far outpace hers, but that's no excuse for her to be careless and depend entirely upon them. She needs to be able to react quickly to whatever comes.

The stench of decay hits her first, making her hair stand on end, and she's sure he can smell it too. It's not long after when they find a blackened patch of forest, the dusting of snow doing little to cover the way in which the trees and underbrush twist and ooze.

The Shades they're hunting can't be far.]

Do you want me to start cleansing the nest, or wait until we've cleared out any potential threats first?

[exsoldier]

[ The smell is definitely the first thing that Zack picks up on, and it's thick enough that a few times as they walk he places his hand over his nose. It's not like he's a stranger to this smell at this point, but that doesn't make it any less overwhelming to his enhanced senses. He won't let it distract him when he's in the middle of a fight, and the longer they're in the area, the easier it becomes to ignore.

It isn't hard to guess why the odor is so cloying when they reach the affected area. The trees are slick with that black, tar-like substance, and the ground is soaked with it. Zack wonders if this might be more than one Witch could hope to cleanse on their own, but Alice isn't deterred for a moment.

He turns back toward her and shakes his head. ]

Let's see if we can clear out the Shades first. There's bound to be some around here, and I don't want you to have to worry about us getting ambushed while you're trying to concentrate.

[ He shoots a glance to one of the nearby trees. As much as he doesn't like the idea of getting too close, he has a plan. ]

I think I'll climb one of these to see if I can get a better sense of the area and how many Shades are around. Can you keep a lookout while I'm up there? Shouldn't take long.

[adventageous]

[The sight of it all is daunting, absolutely, but Alice is confident that she can cleanse it. For the nest to be enough that it's caught the attention of the Northern Outpost almost guaranteed that the pocket of infection would be significant, so she's had time to mentally prepare herself for it.

She nods in response to Zack's answer, looking up at the nearest tree as he speaks of climbing it.]

I agree with getting a better vantage point, but... [She frowns, considering the level of infection before fully giving her blessing to the plan. It's not the worst she's seen, even excluding the sheer amount of it when they were in the Underground, but it's certainly nothing to take lightly either.] Here, let me add a bit of magical protection before you climb up. Just in case.

[She takes a half step back and closes her eyes to cast the barrier spell. It's similar to what she provided him back in the tunnels together, although without as much struggle and with a slightly different magical blueprint so it's better suited against the Cwyld.]

There. I'll keep a lookout down here while you survey the area. Good luck.

[exsoldier]

[ Zack certainly isn't going to say no to some extra protection, and it's yet another reminder of why it was a good idea to have a Witch along. He stays as still as he can while Alice casts the spell, feeling just a slight tingle of the magical energy as it envelops him before it's done.

He nods, then reaches to remove his sword from his back and lean it up against the trunk of the tree. As much as he'd rather not go anywhere without it, climbing a tree with it on his back isn't likely to work in his favor. ]

If anything happens down here, give a shout, all right?

[ Though with any luck, he'll see approaching threats. Zack stands beneath the tree and leaps up, kicking off of the trunk so that he can propel himself up and grab for the lowest branch that will actually hold his weight. From there, he's able to pull himself up and then move up, branch by branch, until he's high enough to have a good view.

He might be getting some sticky Cwyld discharge on him in the process, but he's got gloves and a mask and not much in the way of exposed skin. He definitely plans to take a bath once this is all over with, too. It should be fine. In fact, he wonders if he's more resistant to the Cwyld after his previous infection. Would be handy, if so.

Once he's high enough, he takes in as much as he can, mapping out the general size and scope of the Cwyld's hold here. Eventually he spots some movement further north, which he assumes has to be a group of Shades. Thankfully, they're still about a mile out.

With that information gathered, Zack decides that his trip down can be a lot quicker than the climb up. He sucks in a breath, then takes a leap from the branch, using a few well-timed flaps of his wings to slow his fall until he crashes to the forest floor in a crouch. Such a hard landing might have broken his legs if he wasn't enhanced by mako, his resilient chimera body, and Alice's spell, but with all of those things on his side, he's fine.

He stands and straightens, shaking out his wings and tail before he gives Alice a reassuring grin. ]

All right! I know where to go. We'll get the jump on those Shades, no problem.

[adventageous]

[Alice keeps up her due diligence as Zack leaps up into the tree and begins his climb, keeping her attention on their surroundings for any sign of danger. Luckily, her vigil is only met with the eerie silence of the infection--not even the breeze seems to move the dead air here. How the Cwyld appears to the healthy is very different than how it's experienced by those unlucky enough to catch it, she now knows, but it's no less uncomfortable to be around.

He eventually comes down with a superhero landing solid sound, the loudest she's heard by far since they've arrived into this part of the forest. His smile is as reassuring as he intends, and Alice nods in response.]

Sounds good. Hopefully that advantage will make this quick and easy.

[Or, at least, quicker and easier than it would be otherwise. She'll settle for that.]

[exsoldier]

[ While the noise caused by Zack's landing should have disturbed some animals from the nearby trees, it remains still and quiet here. Anything that wasn't already infected has left this place long ago, and those that are infected aren't in the immediate area. Still, it is eerie for any part of the woods to be this lifeless.

If anything, it's further proof that they need to clear this area out in hopes that it can return to how it once was, with enough time. Zack grabs for his sword again, swinging it around to slot in against his back between his wings. It had been a little uncomfortable for him at first, but now his wings are used to spreading out slightly to accommodate his wide blade.

Because, well, carrying a sword this big at the hip isn't really an option. ]

Yeah, let's hope! That spell you put on me should work against the Shades too, right?

[ As he walks, he leads them in the direction where he'd mapped the Shades. They're far enough away that they don't have to worry about being quiet just yet, but Zack will signal Alice as soon as that becomes the case. ]

[adventageous]

[As unsettling as the silence is, it seems as Zack isn't going to let being bothered by it slow him down. Alice has no intentions of doing so, either. She gives him a firm nod in response to his question, so much so that her shoulders practically bob as well.]

Yes, it will. It should hold for the next hour or so, and I can re-cast if we take longer than that.

[The pair begins to move through the area, and despite their best efforts there's no avoiding making contact with the occassional falling branch or other obstacle covered in infection. Alice takes a moment to cast the same protection spell on herself, just to be on the safe side. It would be rather careless to pay such attention to watching after Zack that she doesn't look out for herself, after all.

The more they continue, the more sunlight is blotted out by the way the trees twist together. Alice keeps her voice quiet.]

Do you require light? Or can you see?

[Alice has no idea if his chimera abilities include nightvision or not. Ideally, it would be better not to create a beacon to draw the Shades to them before they're ready to engage. But if Zack isn't able to navigate the darkness, they may not have a choice.]

[exsoldier]

[ The way that the trees are making this part of the woods so dark is something Zack probably should have considered before they got this far. There's likely a reason that this area hasn't been cleared out yet, and that's because it's one of the more dangerous parts of the Wilde for the rangers to travel.

While his vision has been enhanced in many ways as his eyes have taken on the attributes of an eagle, that mainly helps him during the day. Eagles are diurnal predators and don't do as well in low light. Zack's willing to push through despite that, figuring that his eyes will adjust eventually (and he's got Alice as another set of eyes to look out for the Shades), but when she offers to help with this little problem, he pauses and turns back to her. ]

Hmm...

[ He taps his index finger against the scar on his cheek for a few moments. It would be a risk for Alice to create a light source for them, as it might make it easier for the Shades to find them. On the other hand, isn't that exactly what they want? It might be helpful to draw them out. ]

Not as well as I'd like, honestly. If there's something you can do to help with that, go for it. The worst that happens is that this fight starts a little earlier.

[ With that in mind, Zack draws his sword again, wanting to have it at the ready in case they're ambushed. ]

[adventageous]

[Well, that answers that question. It can't be helped--going in blindly is not a viable option. If they're ready for the Shades to ambush then it should be all right. The way Zack draws his sword doesn't escape her notice, so it seems he's of the same mind.]

I can. Be on your guard.

[Alice casts her spell, and a small globe begins to hover above her outstretched hand as it illuminates a few yards in a circle around them. She starts looking out around the edges as they continue moving slowly, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of movement.

It isn't long before something rustles to their left. Alice quickly shifts her position in relation to Zack, moving to his right so that he can attack without her in the way.]

[exsoldier]

[ There's no way that the light hasn't painted a target on them, but Zack adds that to his calculations. He keeps in mind where he saw the Shades congregating from his perch on the tree, considers how far they might have moved in the meantime, how the light might draw them close, and —

There.

Alice picks up on it too, instantly giving him a clear line of attack to the Shade that's come to investigate. He'll have to thank her for that quick thinking later; she seems to understand well how to work alongside a melee fighter like him.

Even now, the light only allows him to see so much, but he can pick out a four-legged shape in the darkness that's now fast-approaching. He leaps forward, swinging with his sword first and foremost. It hits true, slicing partway into the body of the Shade and sending viscous black blood splattering to the floor. Now that he's this close, Zack can see that the Shade used to be a deer. Its large crown of antlers has blackened and twisted with decay, and its eyes are cloudy and lifeless.

Of course, it's not just this one Shade. Now that he's made the first move, he can hear more of them moving behind the trees. ]

There's more where this one came from! Careful!

[ With that, he jerks his blade free from the deer's chest cavity and leaps back, preparing another thrust. He knows these things won't go down that easily. ]

[adventageous]

[All the time Alice has spent fighting alongside Yuri is being put to good use here. It's good to know she hasn't lost her instincts despite it having been awhile since she's gone out and engaged in combat like this. Zack's keen instincts and clear competence make it easier still--so far, they make as good a team as they had expected.

Alice doesn't remain idle as Zack charges, focusing her magic into her orb of light to move it upward and have it shine brighter. This way, they can see better and have a clearer sense of the field--Alice especially, who is only depending on human senses to navigate. For her trouble, she sees that Zack has gotten a hit on what was once a stag.

Really, even seeing the mutated form is familiar in its own way. What the Cwyld does to animals isn't much different than what Malice can do.

There's more movement, and Alice sees two more creatures start running toward Zack. They resemble the first, but are smaller and without antlers--formerly does, then.]

Behind you--I've got them!

[Before they can get too close, Alice raises her hand and shoots a beam of light toward them. It catches the leading Shade in the shoulder, doing enough damage for it to flail and stop the forward progression of both.]

[exsoldier]

[ Now that they've been found and the fight has begun in earnest, there's really no reason to try and be sneaky, so the expansion of the light around them is a welcome change. It means they'll know what they're getting into as more Shades are drawn here by all the commotion.

Zack's thrust allows the tip of his blade to force itself into the stag's bulk, and he hears rotted bones snapping and cracking under the pressure. The Shade collapses onto its front legs, allowing Zack a clear view of the two reinforcements approaching, along with how Alice's attack throws them off. ]

Got it!

[ He bends his knees and then leaps up, giving an expansive flap of his wings to propel him up and forward in his jump. It allows him to sail clear over the stag and then come down on one of the does, landing practically on top of it as he cleaves his sword straight through its neck.

The longer he fights, the more energy seems to fill him as he gets into the flow of battle and realizes just how much his monster enhancements can help him. Zack ducks into a roll to dodge the other doe, who's now trying to charge him, but leaps back to his feet in moments. For as animated as Zack is in a normal situation, it's in the midst of a fight like this that he appears the most alive.

He taunts, ] Come on! At least give me a challenge!

[adventageous]

[To call Zack's fighting ability "impressive" seems like an understatement, watching him move with such ease and energy. The way he comes alive during the fight reminds her of Yuri, especially since Zack himself isn't human in form. And especially once he starts taunting. It's easy to fall into old patterns alongside him, which is to their benefit in a fight like this. They should have started working together like this sooner.

(She'll take the time to miss Yuri in response to this reminder of him later, when she can do so safely.)

Zack has the three former-deer under control, so Alice turns her attention on the rustle she hears behind her. She hardly has time to ready a spell when out comes a hulking, bloated creature that she thinks may have once been a bear. Larger and more dangerous, but also much more slowed down by the infection that's causing it to rot apart.

Alice takes a few steps back and looses the spell, an explosion of light whose epicenter she focuses at the bear's feet. It roars--as much as it can with half-corroded vocal chords--and falls to the ground in a grotesque pool of its own ichor, some of which splatters onto Alice. Unfazed, she quickly follows the explosion up with a more targeted spell (the same she used on the doe) through its skull to ensure it doesn't get up.]

[exsoldier]

[ As much as it might look like they're outnumbered, Zack isn't worried. He's cut down groups of monsters like this more times than he could count back home, and while these ones do run the risk of infecting them, they've already taken precautions against that. He really does come alive in moments like this, his massive sword somehow seeming like it's more an extension of himself than even his new wings and tail.

Thankfully, he's started to get used to those added appendages, and so they're not throwing him off-balance at all as he darts from Shade to Shade with stabs, thrusts, and cleaves. If anything, the tail helps him balance better, which he didn't realize was possible until he had one.

He hears the commotion behind him and as soon as it's safe, turns around to make sure Alice is all right. He's seen Shades like this before, knows that it must have been a bear once in its life which means it's dangerous, and he's just about ready to jump to Alice's aid when she handles it all like a pro. Because, as they've discussed, she is. ]

Hey, nice one!

[ With all the Shades seemingly down for the count, it's suddenly become very quiet all over again. Zack frowns, taking a look around the immediate area. ]

Wonder if that was all of them...

[ He hadn't even see the bear in his initial scan, which means there could be more out there. ]

[adventageous]

[As Alice dispatches the bear, Zack makes quick work of the deer. Her assumption that he had that part of the situation under control had been a correct one. Eerie silence returns to the forest after the last of the Shades goes down.

The compliment gets a smile out of her despite their surroundings.]

Thank you. You as well.

[Just because they have a moment of respite doesn't mean they can let down their guard, however. She scans the expanse of forest that's visible under the light, finding nothing but stillness there.]

I don't see or hear anything. Do you?

[exsoldier]

[ Zack takes a moment, closing his eyes and focusing to see if he hears anything approaching in the distance. His senses, enhanced both by mako treatments and his monster changes, don't pick up on anything.

After that pause, his golden eyes flick open and he shakes his head. ]

I think we're in the clear, at least for now. We shouldn't waste any time. You should start cleansing the area and I'll be on lookout duty, just in case.

[ True to his word about not wasting time, Zack approaches a nearby tree and uses his wings and strength to get him up onto a low-hanging branch. He doesn't go nearly as high as he did the first time, but he does want a decent vantage point on the off chance that more Shades come looking for them. ]

[adventageous]

[Alice nods in response to his confirmation of the silence, and she doesn't hesitate in preparing for the cleansing ritual. Zack's right--any dawdling can be the difference between success and being interrupted. There's no feasible way that the entirety of this nest of Shades consists of only three creatures.

She kneels in the middle of the small clearing they're in, setting her hands flat onto the ground and closing her eyes to concentrate on her magic as she pushes it out of herself and into the infected earth below them. It's similar in practice to cleansing the Cwyldheart, although on a much smaller and less traumatic scale, so the process isn't anything new or unusual for her.

It does, however, leave her vulnerable to attack. If it weren't for Zack's presence, she'd be anxious about that. Luckily, her partner is trustworthy, and she is therefore free to ignore the way in which some of the underbrush begins to shuffle.]

[exsoldier]

[ While Zack's seen witches do this kind of thing before, that had mainly been in the context of the Underground. He's curious to see how it'll work here in the Wilde, and if the change will be immediately noticeable or more subtle.

Of course, he can't focus too much on what Alice is doing because he needs to make sure that he's a good bodyguard. The plan hadn't been to use her as bait or anything like that, but it makes sense that some of the Shades might sense the magic and come to investigate, threatened by this encroachment on their territory.

When infected, if it's bad enough, all you want to do is spread the Cwyld, and anything that goes against that effort would be worth hunting down.

So, it isn't much surprise when Zack hears something coming. He immediately puts himself between Alice and the shuffling noise, and as soon as the Shade shows a single paw, he leaps toward it with his sword at the ready.

This one may have been a wolf, once, but it doesn't matter. In the space of a few seconds, it's dead, Zack's sword having pierced straight through it. ]

[adventageous]

[Alice, for her part, doesn't break concentration as Zack fights back the Shade. The only indication she gives that she's aware of the attack at all is a flinch in the shoulders--a reflex more than anything. With the thread put down quickly, Alice continues her work unabated.

There's no saving this part of the forest that's been so deeply ravaged by the infection, but their surroundings soon resemble the scorch of wildfire more than the swampy blackness of the Cwyld. But scorched earth can heal and regrow, so they've accomplished what they've needed to with this excursion.

Alice sits back on her heels and lets out a heavy sigh that betrays how drained she feels from the effort.]

That should do it. Thank you for watching my back.

[exsoldier]

[ Zack's almost surprised that more Shades don't come, but maybe they've got enough logic left in their infected brains to realize when they'd be walking into a death trap. Or maybe maybe this area really is cleared out now. It'll take additional patrols from the Wilders to be sure of that.

As soon as Alice indicates that she's done what needs to be done, Zack turns back to her. His sword remains out, held at his side in one hand while he extends the other down to her to help her to her feet.

Even now, he keeps his eyes and ears peeled for any last attacks, but the immediate area seems to be completely clean, at least for now. It doesn't look good as new, but it's still a stark contrast from just a few moments ago. ]

Of course. Man, you're really something. This place looks way better.

[ He smiles at her, gripping her shoulder for a moment before he turns back in the direction of the Outpost. It will be a hike back there, but hopefully Alice isn't so drained that she can't make the trip. And if she is? He's already proved he's capable of carrying her. ]

Let's head back. Then I'll do one last sweep of the area to make sure there's no other Shades hanging around.

wrapping!

[adventageous]

[Alice waves off the compliment as she gets to her feet.]

I've only done what I've been trained to do. It would have been impossible without your help.

[She's exhausted, but not to a degree where there's any concern that she'll keel over between here and the Outpost. A hike will be tiring, certainly, but it'll be worth it to get back to somewhere where she can bathe, have something to eat, and crash.]

Yes, let's go.

[They head back together, their mission accomplished.]