Alastor vs Essence of Darkness

[16:27] {NARRATION} The maplegrove was an extremely vast region, known for its diversity in fauna and flora, abundant in alchemical reagents; deeper within, some sections could still be found that weren't fully explored or even understood. It was through one of such sections that the group would be getting into, in pursuit of the energy source for their project - a magical tree.

The deeper they explored, the stranger the forest seemed to be. Like there was an invisible presence watching them, with the uncomfortable feeling of eyes staring at the back of their head - like the winds carried whispers through them and, at times, the feeling that even the plants or what little tracks could be found shifted in place, if only to annoy them. The vegetation only seemed to grow more dense, the trees looking older, with deep roots, growing higher at every minute they spent going further.

With an untamed jungle ahead of them, they'd have to cut through the vegetation and deal with annoying insects flying over the dark- despite the fact that it was still the middle of the day, sunlight didn't reach where they currently stood, with the leaves above blocking it entirely. Whatever light sources they'd have would need to come from their own magic, with the exception of the occasional firefly in the distance.

In here, the trees themselves were even more of an oddity; strangely linear, as if shaping hallways, some of them even having eyes carved over their bark, though irregularly so; not a carving made by the tools of men, but like the trees had naturally grown like that.

Their way forward, shaped almost intentionally by the trees, was a small swamp area; they could feel a chilling presence stemming from the water ahead, as if its presence alone was poking at their mana, hungry for it- sapping it even with the proximity. Directly touching the water would certainly be problematic, and yet, it was the only way forward.
[16:35] Stepping forwards through the trees, the scarlet clad lady patted her stomach while quietly walking through the vegetation. Bugs...She hated burgs. With in an instance, a wave of fire scorched their tiny bodies and allowed for the magi to walk fairly unbothered. The other two would have to put up with it.

What a brat.

As they continued to walk, the forest took on a more monstrous look. Something was...Watching them. Frowning as they made it to the edge of the swamp, Josephine glanced at the others. "...You guys think there is leaches in this water? I hate leaches..." Then a glance at Vedran. "...Unless they're 6'5 of pure muscle. Eehehehe…"

Smirking, the woman turned back to the water with a hum. "Kind of cold, huh? You guys mind if I warm things up a little?"
(Josephine Dusk)
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[16:43] Violently shaking the amber-hued potion, the vampire illuminated the immediate area with the fresh-brewed torchlight potion. Having only ventured into the Maplegrove's vast depths once before; Vedran soundlessly floated after Josephine-- Unable to suppress the expression of utter amazement at the surrounding flora and encroaching darkness!

It was like a playground for vampire! Especially the familiar, yet chill that resonated with him . . .

"..Ah! I feel at home here, I don't know why anyone would complain about this place!" wistfully without a hint of sarcasm-.. what an odd vampire.

Admittedly! Dangerous fauna could've lurked beneath the water-.. "I expect murderous sea-life or something, at the very least.. Leeches could be the least of their worries; shooting her a quick glance and a faint smile..

Looking away briefly, behaving was necessary with Alastor about-.. Vedran waving away her concern.

"I don't see why not! Won't harm me."

Or so he hoped..


(Vedran Ivanovich)
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[16:44] "Actually-.. what if we start a forest fire?"

The vampire quickly added.
(Vedran Ivanovich)
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[16:49] Alastor simply stared into the water. It was trying to poach its Rieka, causing the Oscuri to squint slightly, almost as if examining his possibilities in this. Rieka still shone around him, perhaps for the worst; He was the one that depended the most of his own circuits in this situation, and while the others were certainly going to have a problem out of this later on, he wasn't about to have any of that.

"I think... Maybe it's either a forest fire, so we can go through it, or... We push the trees down. A certain, very strong big leech that floats above the surface could just shoot the trees over it. I think if we don't touch the water..." Alastor continues, before simply deciding to take his own shot at it. One hand rose, pointing at a tree that wasn't really that close, or that far;

Somewhere that he couldn't be hit by any ripples of the water, to say the least. And then, shot a single, massive burst of Rieka towards it, likely trying to tear the wood down so it would give him the answer to two questions.

One, if the Rieka actually managed to hit there with its predicted strength... It meant not touching the water directly was a safe passage for them.

Second, if the tree didn't die immediately, they could pass by staying over the water.
(Alastor G. Vishkar)
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[16:55] {NARRATION} Judging by Alastor's burst of raw rieka towards one of the trees, they were just trees- and as expected from a regular tree, the region hit by the raw energy would immediately shatter into splinters flying everywhere, over the water and beyond, though it was thick enough not to immediately fall with a single burst from afar. Surely a few more of those would knock it over, however-

At that time, a loud, high-pitched, ear piercing shriek echoed through this entire section of the maplegrove. It wasn't anything even remotely human, and as much as a shrieking of the sort can sound like anything, it sounded angry. Lingering over and around for a few seconds, it eventually faded back to silence- as did the rest of the forest.

Everything was now eerily silence. The winds died down, there was no sign of bugs to bother Vedran or Alastor - or be burned by Josephine. Not even crickets. A complete, nearly oppressive silence filled the area.
[16:55] Josephine Dusk exclaims, "Not fucking job Alastor, you made that tree cry!"
[16:57] Alastor G. Vishkar says, "Aren't we seeking a magical tree? Maybe it's linked to the other ones, dummy."
[17:03] Direct and to the point! That's one of the few qualities that the vampire admired about Alastor-.. watching gleefully as the tree splinter off, yet the exact plan was a failure-- It was enough to set off that unsettling wail; was that normal?

"So! That wasn't any animal or human that I know-.. preparation may be necessary in case you've awoken something." Did Alastor poke a metaphorical bear?

Those beady-scarlet orbs bounced around the immediate area; how did it became empty so quickly? Did everything just flee upon the shriek? If so-.. what was so terrifying that it caused an entire forest to flee in fear?

An ominious red glow overtaking the vampire, rendering his breathing shallow as he waited-..

Perhaps it was nothing! Right? Right.
(Vedran Ivanovich)
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[17:13]
{LOAD GAME}

[17:27] Looking towards the Eternal, she squints....Only to raise her hands slowly. Sparks of fire and Chaos dance at her fingertips, the young woman taking a deep breath to prepare for what would likely be one hell of a firestorm.

"WELL! Since Alastor already upset it? No shame in pissing it off!" With a twisted smile, Josephine let her form flicker and snap, corrupted flames soon dancing about her like angry demons around a fire pit. Howling out in a deafening hiss of steam the heat being pushed out was immense.

"Get behind me boys, unless you want to be part of the casualties.." A burning wave of fire shot out from the young woman, devouring everything in sight. If that were not enough? Seven large rifts tore open, distorting the area around them and firing off enormous rounds of explosive mana. Aiming at the trees and swamp alike, a destructive force raged; Setting the forest on fire was not a worry-- In fact, she seemed almost determined to destroy anything standing before her. Moss, grass, brushes and trees. Burned and blasted to bits, a crazed laugh escapes the Paladin.

It seems someone was enjoying themselves.

If that didn't make WHATEVER screamed wake up? Nothing would! The aim of course was to clear a safe path for them to walk but-- Well, the Pyromaniac went a little over board.
(Josephine Dusk)
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[17:32] "Maybe Vedran should float and see--" And then, Josephine seems to be a bit more straightforward than even he was. There was something that he wanted to do, but this wasn't moving them forward. Of course, he wasn't going to stand in the middle of the fire, but simply retreat behind and speaking to the vampire.

"We're not really moving forward with this." He spoke, before analyzing if this meant another path was going to be open. After all, a wildfire was good, but... The vampire was vulnerable to the flames, and it wasn't exactly nice for him to do.

"MAYBE, Vedran should see if he can float and carry us through the water. Or you could, y'know. Rift us past it. That kind of thing. We just... Have to avoid the water."
(Alastor G. Vishkar)
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[17:41] {NARRATION} Fire sprouted from Josephine's magic- and being that they were amidst the jungle, everything was extremely flammable. The trees and vegetation around rapidly caught on fire, as did the leaves; while her magic would go far and wide, enough for it not to be a problem to them at first, it rapidly began to spread, with how close the trees were and how dense the vegetation was.

Sure enough, this would eventually destroy the entire forest and tear it to ash; in the meantime, however, it just meant that they had a lot of fire spreading all around them and beyond, at an uncontrollable rate, getting progressively worse.
The ear piercing, high-pitched shriek echoed once more, only growing higher, more desperate and angry, coming from somewhere much deeper within the forest to their right - and through the flames; at that point, the water started to bubble, as if boiling - though Josephine's fire surely wouldn't be enough to boil so much water at once. Not this fast, anyway.

The eyes carved over the various trees shaping the odd hallway - now on fire! - spat out a strange goo-like substance. It wasn't exactly a liquid, as it floated over the air without much of a pattern, but it didn't look entirely like a gas, with the slightly shiny surface it had. It shaped some sort of blob in front of them, with glowing red eyes, staring at them; its own body parts seemed to be part gas, or shadow, shifting and warping about the creature - if it could be called that - though it also slid, like a slime of sorts.

And as it set its red eyes upon them, it hissed, its entire body beginning to bubble up, like an animal whose instinct raged it to attack.
[17:48] Hastily scrambling to evade the oncoming waves of blazing devasation, Vedran was in love with an arsonist-.. shielding himself from the dreadful flame; After all, the vampire could've easily burnt to ash if Josephine wasn't careful. Glancing between Josephine and the Eternal-- "Well! This wasn't the most subtle or sound plan, so what's next! Got the strength to lift both of you but-.."

Everything before them was engulfed in a sea of fire, he'd be tugging at his collar-.. if the vampire's shirt didn't display the maximum amount of skin in the first place. "Too much flame, I feel like I'll bake like Sirenian just being around it.." That ominous body of water remained-- would it affect someone without mana?

A question to ponder while blackened smog lingered, eliciting a cough or two from the vampire. Until the banshee-like wail returned, echoing forth even stronger.. until luminous-crimson eyes peered at the trio; rage seething in it's gaze.

Swiftly clapping his hands together, before his own sights started to glow-- Combat seemed like an inevitability at this point; still sputtering given the unpleasant smoke.

"Well! I guess we have an entirely different plan now; excellent method, Josephine." It was a shot in the dark -- but the form-shifting creature was ultimately drawn out..

Heavy plates of armor shifted as the vampire's blade was directed at the creature-.. keeping his gaze centered.
(Vedran Ivanovich)
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[17:55] "Huh." Alastor spoke, as the slime finally started to take some form. Apparently, it was finally becoming something that was worth it, in the end. It was finally becoming what he truly wanted to see in that.

Burning the whole forest was, in fact, giving them something to work on. It was giving him so much more than previously thought, because honestly? After the wildfire, he expected nothing to be left. Truth be told, he expected to have lost something in this, which caused a slight scowl in his face.

"I don't understand why burning the whole maple grove was a good idea, but." Alastor sighs, before taking the arcanium blade out of its sheath. A brief nod towards the couple that accompanied him in this situation was given.

"So, let's update the plan. We kill... Whatever that ugly fucker is. And then, we search to see if we can find something that wasn't burned in this. Probably everything, but-- I have hope?" He shrugged some, before sliding into the usual smirk.

One foot in front of the other, breathing... Rieka expanded outwards, almost aggressively so. Obviously, he didn't like the situation that he was put in. But...

They had to fight with what weapons they were given, after all.
(Alastor G. Vishkar)
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[17:59] Heaving a heavy sigh, a smile still remains plastered over her face. "For nine months I've been cooped up and not allowed to have ANY fun. Trust me...This needed to be done, I was two seconds from SNAPPING!"

Pulling the rifle off her shoulder, burning orbs set their sights on the blob. "Ew, that's kind of unsightly, huh...? Also, sorry about the heat Vedran. I'll make it up to you later, for now? Freeze that slime ball! It looks a little warm."
(Josephine Dusk)
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[18:03] ** Alastor G. Vishkar has inflicted an injury upon Shadow Essence. ("Temporary Injury", "Temporary Injury", "Temporary", "Duration: Medium (4 days)") **
[18:10] Alastor continued with every daft movement. Rieka shielded him, along with holy magic; It all coalesced into protective energies to stop harm from coming onto him, but it all seemed to be fiercely calculated. Every single blow was responded with another, amplified by a thousand fold.

The Oscuri's strength was growing by the second, each time forcing his own Rieka to amplify itself further and, more than that, put itself against the slime. It could likely replicate or do worse; Alastor had to make sure it would not do neither.

Every blow was stronger than the last, a flurry that never ended, always imprinting that dreadful reminder of Rieka onto the slime. After all, Rieka was more potent mana. If he had to do any wounds to it... That would be the thing.

Alastor's strikes were not only getting stronger, but they were getting faster. The blade pierced through, but finally, at the myriad of strikes, he decided to take a few steps back; Hopefully, it wouldn't explode.
(Alastor G. Vishkar)
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[18:23] {NARRATION} The shadowy creature seemed to only fade into shadows and regrow back at every strike, as if it was made of no substance at all; flames seemed to dissipate it, only for it to reappear again. It was a very strange creature - and yet, everytime it did so, shifting and warping itself to go back to its original form, it seemed to grow smaller, weaker in its attacks, hissing and shrieking everytime it had to reshape itself between the three combatants.

It was, however, a very slow thing. A battle that seemed like it could be dragged forever - until Alastor's rieka infused itself within the creature, and that seemed to do the trick. Josephine's shadowflame burned right through nearly half of the creature, who seemed to be unable to reshape itself.

The crature couldn't exactly run, either; the entire forest was now set on fire. Between the shadowflames expanding, a raging oscuri and a vicious vampire, the creature was only able to let out a final shriek; it was low, however, and definitely not the one they'd hear before-

-and then the creature exploded, sending residue of that gooey, black substance everywhere, just missing Alastor, who had been the closest, by a few inches. The substance evapored into a thin, mist-like shadow no more than a couple of seconds later, leaving no traces of its existence.

Another shriek echoed through the forest; between this fight and Josephine's previous flames expanding, nearly everything around them was now ash, and the entire section of the maplegrove was left unimpeded for them to explore as they saw fit, including simply going around the mana-sapping water. There was only a single part of the forest that wasn't completely burned.

It was square shaped, too perfect to be natural; the flames, as they'd approach the trees in there, would be sucked into a vortex in the middle of said square. They couldn't exactly see what's inside, but the way through was unimpeded. Everything else was either laid to waste, or still burning.