RP:Gardening in the Forest of Evil

From HollowWiki

Part of the Unforeseen Consequences Arc


Part of the Chasing Lightning Arc


Dark Forest Path

Kasyr would give Smokey the bear a conniption right now, if only because of the small pile of cigarettes that are littering the area around himself. More than one small fire has since been stamped out by the Kensai in recent times, all brought about by accidental accounts of arson spurred by Kasyr's recent bout of chainsmoking. It's only when the Kensai fails to produce a cigarette from his pocket, that he finally settles his hands into his pockets, and simply proceeds to wait in place. Occasionally, a rustle within the foliage draws his attention upwards- though never in such a way as to reveal the creatures that prowl amidst the trees.


Satosdhi appears following one of those rustlings of trees, dropping down almost soundlessly from the canopy to land lightly upon the forest floor. As the kit straightens from her crouch, the flutter of feathery wings above the trees marks the departure of Emiur, as the couatl has no desire to stick around such a dark and twisted place filled with equally dark and twisted minds. No, he tolerates carrying Satoshi to the necessary locations in Vailkrin's territory, but he never lingers for more than is necessary. It's something that draws a small scowl from Satoshi now as she glances toward the treetops a moment, listening, before looking toward Kasyr. And then pointedly down at the pile of extinguished cigarettes. "..Waiting long?"


Kasyr shrugs slightly, a look of mild amusement on his face, "Considering the relative lack of notice I gave tu? Not too long." Especially since it had only really occured to him to get in touch with her -after- he was on his way to this location. "So, how was the trip?" It's on that note that the Kensai turns towards the woods and begins to meander inside, though taking his time so as not to force Satoshi into hurrying along.


Satoshi considers answering truthfully, but something tells her complaining about listening to Emiur complain the whole way here is... slightly ironic. Instead, she opts for a simple, "Uneventful." Following after the kensai, Satoshi takes up a position just off to his right and half a pace behind him, a placement she finds allows her see their surroundings while carrying conversation. For as much as Satoshi doesn't fear the Dark Forest, she does carry a healthy wariness of its occupants. More than once have they tried to make a meal of her--but to be fair, she's eaten a number of them, or fed unfortunate people to them. Glancing over her should, the magus shifts a fraction nearer to Kasyr before saying in a voice kept low against the oppressing silence, "I met with Eboric today. And the Grey Wizard of Larket. We have more allies than we originally thought, it'd seem."



Kasyr looks genuinely interested, his gaze flickering back towards Satoshi, "Really? That es quite good to know. Though I suppose it es not exactly unexpected- given how many times this continent has been effectively razed during his prior ...campaigns." The last word rolls off his tongue, weighted with loathing. "Were they asking, or demanding, anything- or did they simply wish to let you know you had their support?" Though the Kensai continues to tread onwards, his pace does slow- at least enough that Satoshi will essentially catch up to him. From there, he simply moves to pilfer a kiss from her, before picking up speed once more- albeit with some care taken towards swerving towards a different side of the path. One that has less webbing on it - considering that he'd prefer -not- to attract some of Vailkrins arachnid population to their position.


Satoshi said to Kasyr, "Eboric wanted nothing, ju-" Kiss being pilfered comes with words being halted as the magus pauses to flash Kasyr a smirk. She doesn't miss a beat in continuing on after the fact, of course, "Just wanted me to know we're on the same side, and that he intends to kill all the Leech's pets. If Stavret doesn't beat him to it. The wizard mostly was interested in living in Frostmaw, observing some of my magic, and getting a feel for an area he is unfamiliar with. In return, we get a strong alliance with Larket, the mages he holds sway over, and a high elf with a keen eye for weaving politics." Satoshi pauses a second time to frown. Skills at weaving politics is not always a good thing. "..I'll have to keep an eye on him. I trust drow more than I trust elves. At least with drow you -know- they are going to stab you at some point."


Kasyr grins broadly at Satoshi, " That's a fairly wise choice, en fait. Though... I question Luthentius skill when it comes to politics. If he is the same grey wizard that you speak of... Well, the last time I had anything to do with him- it was finding out that the fold knew about the Syndicate. Because of him, no less." Gingerly tapping the side of his head, he simply adds, "Despite Eborics boastful and loud nature- I'd still trust his ability to keep quiet more." It's around this point that they reach one of the many crossroads in the woods- something which spurs the Kensai into taking a map out from his pocket to consult it. Or try to. It's only after the kensai conjures up a quick cantrip with a 'snap' of his fingers, that he's able to produce a small flame capable of actually reading the course he'd charted out. After all, whilst he could bumble onwards and endeavour to seek out Isens empathic imprint- that really depended on whether he was currently present. And even in the location they -needed- to be. "Speaking of politics, however- should we perhaps get in contact with our ..comrades from the Syndicate. Quite some time has passed, after all. At the very least, we ought to chit for chat with Tiphareth, non. Possibly after we murder that undead priest fellow, Elarick. Et deal with the forests unwelcome inhabitant." More quietly murmured, "And the giant tear in the sky. Always that giant, goddamn, 'portal'. All that funding, et for what."


Satoshi continues to follow Kasyr, as she doesn't know the location they're going to--just the target. "I should get in touch with the Eldermage soon. Last time we spoke was while we watched a match in Trist'oth, to give him a bit of information regarding the Sage Elves. Unless you count the occasional exchange of letters over Guild business? ...Have -you- contacted him, regarding that tear in the sky? If there's any mage I'd expect to have some understanding of... whatever that is, it'd be the Eldermage." Or perhaps Rheven, but Satoshi has only met the Archmage in passing. She's far more familiar with the Lichdrow. "For all our efforts to gather allies and resources across the lands, you're not quite tapping into them for this problem in Vailkrin, eh?" Satoshi's voice is light and mostly in jest, although she's quick to change the subject back to Luthentius. "I'll keep a close eye on the Grey Wizard. I didn't overly like his commanding tone in -my- throne room, anyway. If he's like any other elf, he only says half of what he's thinking, and half of that consists of twisted truths." She'll stick with dealing with drow. At least a knife in the back is a straightforward way of saying, 'I hate you.'


Kasyr can't help but let out a contented sound quite akin to a purr, "Good plan. Giving him little notice, for when you need him, somewhat defuses the chance he'll ramble near the wrong ears, as it were." With an emphatic nod at what his map contains, he simply folds it back up, and turns westward. "As for..er, My diplomatic decisions? ..I could say that I don't like the idea of outsourcing Vailkrins problems, because that could be interpreted as a sign of weakness by the other houses- et that would be true. I could say I don't want word of an exploitable situation reaching the leeches ears, et that would be true." The kensai pauses, before offering up a nonchalant shrug, "But truest of the answers is that I take a certain amount of pride into remedying problems myself. Which es problematic, when I meet one that cannot be talked with, nor battered into submission." ...If the tear wasn't a portal, and hadn't weathered the 'fireworks' redhale had leveled at it, he would have tried to test out the battering approach.


Satoshi pauses in her steps a moment to glance toward the trees lining the path. She could have sworn she saw something move in there, and being far too familiar with the hunting methods of the Ice Devils of Frostmaw, she's naturally put on edge when catching glimpses from the corner of her eye. But this isn't Frostmaw, she tells herself with a shake of her head, moving to catch up to Kasyr--with a careful ear twitched back to keep track of where they've been. "Not all problems can be solved by talking or battering, y'know. Sometimes you need that bit of finesse. That bit of..." Satoshi's mist cloak briefly flares bright with azure light then, a split second flash of searing arctic flame that accompanies a quiet, "Magic~." The burst of fiery light isn't purely for show, however, as the sound of pained yelping and heavy paws crashing away through the trees tells the tale of a nocturnal hunter blinded by his vulpine prey. Satoshi grins with perfect innocence.


Kasyr is gesticulating in a far-too-enthusiastic manner, which further scrutiny would reveal as the side effect of the Kensai having turned around and momentarily blinded himself. Kasyr finally manages to gather himself after a few moments spent rubbing his eyes, by which point he straightens back up and adopts what he hopes is a 'suitably composed' look. "I have magic! ...Just not so much finesse magic." Throwing a chunk of a stadium at someone, or tackling a dragon, with limbs composed of shadowy magic are definitely not 'finesse'. Or subtle. " ...But yes. I realize. Right skills for the right situation. It's why I kept contact with Redhale, et such."


Satoshi reaches up to smooth down some of the kensai's unruly hair in an attempt to help further that 'suitably composed' look. Or as a silent show of affection and apology for inadvertantly harming him with the mana flare. Whichever it is, the foxkin carries onward down the path, not desiring to loiter around and invite another of Vailkrin's predators to take a fatal gamble. She's not here to waste her time fighting with giant spiders, feral lycans, or any of the other unpleasant inhabitants, after all. And converse with her husband... in that peaceful, casual way you'd perhaps expect from a couple taking a stroll down a forest lane in Enchantment, but when you have picnics on dragon corpses and debate over the bodies of baby unicorns, a walk through a haunted, murderous woods is par for the course. "I don't know the Deadman well enough to be familiar with his skills with magic though, remember? I'm far more familiar with the Eldermage. Still, if you don't want to involve him to avoid tricky Vailkrin politics, I can always seek out information through the Guild itself. He or they might have useful tidbits your Houses don't have access to here?"


Kasyr let's out a minute sigh as he continues to venture onwards, "The gathering of further information would always be appreciated, cherie. Far be it from moi to deny that people outside of Vailkrin can be useful." With a slight offhanded gesture, the Kensai can't help but add, "And I suppose I'll see if Redhale hasn't already taken into consideration contacting the eldermage. I doubt it could -hurt- his endeavours." He lapses into silence at that, meandering onwards with an all-too-contemplative look on his face.


Satoshi leaves the contemplating to Kasyr and sets herself to keeping a watch on their surroundings. It isn't long before she takes note of the swiftly dwindling sounds of wildlife with even the rustling of trees in the breeze becoming muted, as if they've walked into an area smothered by an invisible blanket. The fur of her tails stand on end at the shift in air pressure, some instinct telling her this is a place she should not be, a dangerous, deadly location that makes the rest of the forest seem harmless. A place that should not be. Unconsciously, Satoshi draws nearer to Kasyr to take some small comfort in his presence, all the while her gaze is sent darting in every direction in search of the source that's sending unnatural chills down her frozen spine. "We're close, aren't we..?" Satoshi's voice is barely a whisper but still it seems obscenely loud in the hush.



Ya-Te-Veo's Corrupted Clearing

Kasyr can feel it too- a palpable, and oppressive energy that emanates outwards, smothering what it encompasses with a certain mindless malignance. Trees, already dark and twisted, slowly degrade into gnarled husks the further in they venture- a sort of morbid imagery that is further mirrored by the many dessicated and broken corpses which seem to litter the path. It's a peculiar sight, and one made only moreso by the first indication of life in that barren section of forest- as an unpleasent snake-like mass of fur, chitin, teeth and malformed limbs slowly begins to worm it's way out from amidst the ruins of a recently deceased creature, and slither with a surprising degree of haste towards the pair. Whilst that unpleasent creature does garner some of the Kensai's attention, the majority of it still rests further ahead- where the path they've been following becomes more and more littered with squirming bundles vaguely resembling the one approaching the pair. Apparently, the creatures from the rift had found this place as well, and were congregating here for some reason. Thankfully, the majority of them seemed small, "..Mmm-hm."


Satoshi watches the chimeric critter worm its way toward them, her ears pressed back in repulsion at the liquid hiss the thing produces from between misaligned teeth. The noise worsens as it draws closer, from a hiss to an excited, raspy pant, rising toward a shriek that's abruptly cut short when the spiked end of Asorial buries itself in the thing's back. "Ugh." Satoshi wrinkles her nose at the spurts of black blood oozing from where the creature is impaled, its squirming death throes only worsening the wound and causing more of the foul-smelling liquid to spill out. Asorial is twisted back and forth as Satoshi puts her weight into the weapon to squish the life out of the critter until it final gives a violent jerk, spits out a bright yellow, sulfur-scented sludge, and curls in on itself dead. The magus waits until the too-short, spider-like legs cease their twitching before she withdraws the scythe and props it on her shoulder with a disgusted huff. "...I really don't like these things, y'know."


Kasyr hooks his foot beneath the unpleasent critter, before abruptly kicking it off towards the side- sending it bouncing off against tree trunks before it finally comes to a crash in a bony pile of debris. "I live around these things- you think I like them anymore than tu?" With a smirk and a shake of his head, the Kensai promptly proceeds to gesture towards the carpet of writhing critters, "Anyways- If you're keen to depart, I could always race tu to the tree. Just be mindful that it's apparament hostile." And it's on that note that the Kensai's pace begins to hurry up, becoming a jog at first, and only seguing into a run if Satoshi follows suit. That being said, whether or not it officially devolves into an impromptu race- one thing is certain. The ground is quickly forsaken as a means of travel, as the trees (currently lacking foliage due to the unnatural decay this grove emanates) provide a much less...squishy venue to venture across. Sure, the Kensai is obligated to drop his coat off on one of the trees- so that the branches he travels across don't simply shatter due to the damnable things weight, but at least he isn't wading knee deep in interdimensional creepy crawlies.


Satoshi says to the sky, "The sooner we take care of this, the sooner we can get out of here..." With that, the kit hurries up into the branches of the nearest true, choosing to follow the same woodsy pathway her husband has, albeit with a slightly more roundabout method. She's obviously not trying to race, instead wanting to circle the central tree at what she perceives is a safe distance to get a feel for it. After all, she's a mage, charging headfirst into an unknown danger is something she reserves for chaotic experiments with Svilfon, not for confronting the heart-tree of a particularly powerful and evil dryad. No, she'll keep her distance for now. It's where she can best work her magic, once Kasyr manages to provoke the thing.


Kasyr continues to race along the tree limbs, that uncanny balance of his bringing him closer and closer to the center of the area- until at least he takes note of just what those unpleasent aberrations have been clustered around. Looming well and above the other trees in the grove lies a single massive black tree, it's leafless, vine-like branches having grown outwards in a tangled wreathe which has, over time, mingled itself amidst the branches of the trees adjacent to it. At a glance, it would almost be possible to mistake the thing for yet another arboreal carcass, were it not for one distinguishing factor- every so often, one of those myriad 'vines' would shudder and snake their way down towards the ground- to pluck at the carpet like mass of 'creatures' which have congregated about it's roots. It's with an uncanny alacrity that the thing promptly ensnares a mass of that extra-dimensional vermin, the branch wasting no time in constricting the 'life' out of those blackened blasphemous entities. The sickening squelch rent flesh barely has time to ring out before that mass of decimated flesh is simply drawn to the very top of the trees trunk- by which point it's shoved directly into a distinctly maw-like hollow. . . That begins chewing. "Uh. Huh. I think that explains the rat eating th-" It's only when he feels a sudden constriction about his legs that the Kensai begins to grasp just how far outwards the reach of that insidious tree goes- a thought that is promptly replaced by the sensation and sound of wood shattering against his back and head as the vile tree (a Ya-Te-Veo tree, to be precise) begins to drag him the leafless foliage of the other trees.


Satoshi, having been moving in a slower and more circular fashion than Kasyr, has actually managed to avoid getting within the tree's reach, a fact that allows her to witness the kensai's sudden predicament without becoming ensnared herself. "Hellfire, I thought those things were just myth..." In all her readings, the magus has occasionally come across mention of flesh-eating trees, but never has she actually -seen- one, always having written off the various descriptions as the common exaggerations of foolish travelers. It's enthralling, the way it moves, so precise and almost serpent like in its methods, the way it drags its prey straight to that waiting maw, the wa-... Oh, right. That's her husband the damned thing is trying to eat! "Oh no you don't~!" The objection, sung as it is, serves as a focal point to a short-trigger spell from Satoshi, arcane energies weaving into the air and seeking out the liquid that resides within the Ya-Te-Veo's vine coiled about Kasyr's legs. Frost accumulates along the tentacle followed by a sharp crack of wood and glass before the limb is broken off a short distance from where its grasp begins. Be it from reflex or the cold, that length of tree coils away to retreat against the trunk, drawn back like one would if their hand had been bitten.


Kasyr can't help the grim expression that's creeped across his face, a result of having been plowed through a third set of branches by this diabolical bit of vegetation. All his focus is mustered upon resisting the centripetal force he's currently subject to, so that he can take hold of the weapon resting sheathed at his hip, the borrowed blade Ko'tar. It's with great determination that his fingers finally enclose about the hilt of the weapon, fingers tenaciously clasping down with.. 'CRACK'. No, that wasn't his fingers cracking. Yes, that was the tendril like branch shattering into thousands of pieces of debris, sending the Kensai hurtling towards a fourth tree. "Ffffuu... Oh." It's the simple epiphany that he can access that blade, that provokes him into action, every bit of unnatural alacrity he possesses being used to draw the blade clear of it's sheathe- so that the weapon can be leveled towards the Ya-Te-Veo's branches. Invoking those electrical energies which he can innately harness, the Kensai promptly directs them into the sword- an action which promptly redirects the entirety of his momentum -through- that thicket of branches in a streak of lightning, if only for the Kensai to promptly land on the bough of another tree, and stumble to a halt upon one of it's branches. Though battered and bruised from the tree's greeting, and in the process of shaking off a bleeding, and mildly sparking left arm, the Kensai still finds it within himself to direct his attention towards his handiwork, where a burning path of devastation roughly the size of the kensai and his blade has been shorn through the thick of the ravenous trees tendrils. "...Right. Et how do you do, too."


Satoshi mutters in a sidelong fashion to Asorial, still propped on her shoulder, "Leave it to one of the Leech's shadow pets to have tree that eats people, eh? Only natural, am I right? Er, unnatural. You know what I mean." The scythe doesn't reply, as it's never been the talkative sort, although it does voice a low, grating hiss like the sound of gravel crushing into ice. It is not happy to have Ko'tar present. Not at all. Especially as the frozen sword is singing happily at having been called upon by the kensai and not for a task that requires drawing blood. Satoshi rolls her eyes, clearly annoyed at the scythe's territorial tendencies and Ko'tar's blissfully ignorant glee. "Oi~!" This is to Kasyr, naturally. "What, exactly, is the plan here?"


Kasyr is currently wrapped up in a bit of dance, though not the sort typically found in a ball room. Rather, the Kensai is busy nimbling darting and dodging along the branches of the tree he's currently residing on- doing his utmost to avoid the Ya-Te-Veo's persistant attempts at murdering him. And whilst he's certainly faring well against the branches which manage to reach him individually, Kasyr still decides to err on the side of caution when a fairly large wave of said branches promptly surge towards his position like some sort of tendril-y tsunami. "Plan? Oh. Right. Plan!" In this case, the side of caution is leaping clear from the tree he was holed up in before the Ya-Te-Veo tree obliterates it into so many woodchips. It's during his impromptu bit of tumbling that a familiar surge of darkness emanates out from him, signifying the re-emergence of his oft-unseen tenebrous aura. With a practiced degree of ease, the Kensai is swift in manifesting a lengthy black limb of shadowy energy, so that he might grab hold of an overhanging tree limb and swing himself over to the next nearest tree. With a shrug that's mirrored by that tenebrous appendage, the Kensai simply adds, "A) Kill it, B) Subdue it so that- " When the tree-borne tidal wave comes around anew, the Kensai abruptly tips out of the tree and drops into free fall, if only so that he can use that physical manifestation of his aura (Read: Caliginous and oh-so-ominous limb) to promptly shove of the trunk of his (former) hiding place. This time, however, his escape is aimed -away- from a tree, the Kensai having effectively used his 'launch' to keep himself aloft long enough for those leathery wings of his to emergy from his back. It's only after the pre-requisite burst of gore has occured, and he's safely gliding away from both the hissing, skittering carpet of critters coating the ground -and- the carniverous vines that he adds, "Well, to see if we can't either try some sort of binding rune, if tu think that's possible. Et if not? Trap her tree with a multitude of runes, so that we can kill her at our leisure. To either black-mail her with..or explode her when the Leech is having another of his 'glorious' speeches et quoi-ce-soit."


Satoshi watches Kasyr's dodging and weaving with a privately amused expression, herself unmoving and still quite out of the Ya-Te-Veo's reach--save for a few stray bits of bark shrapnel clinging to the kit where it's bashed to pulp the trees nearest to her location. Option A gets a perking of ears from Satoshi, naturally fond of the idea of killing a wraith. But option B... option B has a truly vindictive twist to it. A malicious grin crawls across Satoshi's face at the thought and a soft chuckle of cruel delight escapes her. Yes, at one time she wanted nothing more than to see all of the Leech's pets slain without a second thought. Now, however, she's begun to harbor a certain desire to see them twisted, their bonds broken, and their strengths turned against him. It's a vengeful sort of premeditation that isn't characteristic to the cryomancer, bred of the influences of Asorial and Bozrah alike, warping what was a single-minded, quick-killing predator into a calculating, insidious tormentor. Satoshi's fanged smirk is turned in Kasyr's direction, eyes alight with an amber blaze. "...I can write runes. If you'll lend me your energy to fuel them." For while Satoshi is well-learned in the arts of runes, sigils, and other arcane symbols, she doesn't possess the ability to charge or activate them herself unless they're specifically related to ice and snow. The revenant, however, harbors myriad types of magicks, even if one discounted the raw power of his very blood. "Shall we~?" And without warning, the magus launches herself from her safe perch, springing from branch to branch in a rush toward the waiting Ya-Te-Veo.


Kasyr swerves out of the way of yet another feisty branch, whilst Ko'tar is sent arcing outwards to intercept and sever the thing. Darting around like some sort of homicidal hummingbird, the Kensai's continued to whittle away at the tendrils send towards his person- with such efficacy that the Ya-Te-Veo tree has finally learned it's lesson, in the sense that it's now relying more heavily upon the devastation being wrought by the mass of vines it's directing. It's also around this time that Satoshi makes her decision, something which has the Revenant scrambling towards his wife with all due haste. Well, Haste- and a rapidly bubbling mass of obsidian energy which is rapidly pooling about Kasyrs form, loosely taking on the guise of a shadowy outline- though somewhat exaggerated size wise. Truly, the purpose is simply enough- the Kensai having determined that should contact be inevitable, he'd quite prefer to have a phantasmal limb both strong enough and -large- enough to potentially crush (or at least redirect) any imminent threat to Satoshi's person.


Satoshi, now with Kasyr as back up, picks up her pace and lets Asorial roll off her shoulder, its curved tip skittering across the branches as it's carried along. Steps nearly falter, however, when the tree goes from thrashing out at everything in a wild and random fashion to bringing its serpentine branches together in preparation for a concentrated attack. It -thinks-? It -learns-? She'd assumed the movements had been purely a defense mechanism, no real order, simply wanton destruction that may or may not crush nearby threats. Naturally Satoshi is used to dealing with a foe with a brain, but a tree with swift-acting consciousness is a new one on her. And said tree is now sending a wave of its battering-ram tendrils her way with a sling-shot speed that a plant should not be capable of. It's with a very frantic twist of arms and body that the magus brings Asorial forward and down to embed its blade into the branch just ahead of Satoshi's path, before the foxkin uses the scythe's staff as an impromptu pole vault. In the same instance that Asorial is being swung, the fog of Satoshi's cloak is splitting in half then coalescing into a pair of phantom limbs--not until Kasyr's tenebrous ones--that press down against the tree branches beneath, serving as an added boost to the magus' leap. Up and over the arboreal tentacles Satoshi sails, spine twisting with an inhuman, fluid flexibility as she squirms mid-air to evade a trailing branch, the jagged edge still managing to slice across her shoulderblades with the sound of tearing fabric and flesh. Hissing in pain, Satoshi rights herself still mid-leap while the constructed arms she's trailing expand outward and adopt the vague outline of feather wings, the mutable spell using the tiny azure wings Asorial manifests with as a sort of base. Although far to insubstantial to truly function in flight, the mist is woven closely enough together to catch the air and slow Satoshi's descent, thus allowing the magus to land with a degree of lightfootedness... on the outstretched branches of th Ya-Te-Veo. Well, she could have planned that out better if she'd thought ahead, probably.


Kasyr hasn't been idle during this time, as he's been quite literally winging it towards his wife's relative location. As it stands, the Magus is serving as an admirable distraction- given that the Ya-Te-Veo's concentrated attempts at murdering her are providing him the means of getting close in a relatively unhindered manner. Or at least, until Satoshi abruptly vaults over the brunt of that bulky branched assault. With it's former target now residing near the literal thick(et) of things, that twiggy tendril'd tidal wave is promptly redirected- surging down upon the Kensais position with such ferocity, it would appear as though the forest had simply decided to drop on top of his head. With nary a second thought, the Revenants wings begin to pump all the more furiously, sending him surging up towards that arboreal assault, even as that ominous aura about his person continues to darken and expand. The impact is all but impossible to miss, as a resounding series of 'CRACK's and 'CRUNCH's echoes through the woods, followed by a single horrific squelching noise as that concentrated assault shreds through those fleshy abberations at the base of the tree. At a glance, the Kensai's gambit might appear to be futile and yet, there's a definite method to that madness. After all, within the midst of that tangle of limbs rests a cavernous crater- a product of the Revenants unnaturally swift forward momentum, with the aid of the overly large and ever-so-solid phantasmal limbs he had called forth from his aura. Serving at once as a buffer from the initial shock of impact, and a means to cause additional damage- the Kensai is currently neatly nestled in the midst of the carnage. Not that the tree can really pick up on this fact. No, with it's current task having effectively been 'rectified' it proceeds to disengage a number of tendrils from that mass, so that it can begin to harangue and harass Satoshi, with the ultimate goal of coaxing her towards it's ravenous maw- so that it can stuff her inside.


Satoshi 's makeshift 'wings' are half spread as they try to aid the kit's balance, compromised as it is with the Ya-Te-Veo moving beneath her feet. Walking on dragonback mid-flight is one thing, but this... she'd have better luck trying to walk across a pit of angry vipers. That is, until the cryomancer coaxes a deal of frost from the soles of her boots and the waters in the branches, not quite enough to freeze her in place but certainly help keep her relatively rooted, like a frosty, two legged spider--if spiders could be this cute and fluffy, of course. Thus latched on, Satoshi can devote her attention to dodging what limbs flail her way, being slowly driven back with each swing until she's wavering on the precipice of the tree's maw. As worrisome as the moment is, Satoshi can't help a stray, wild thought of, "It has a working mouth too?" Ducking another swing incoming, the magus straightens with a loud protest, voice fueled by the fiery pain movement causes along her shoulders, "Oi! Do I look like one of those little spider rats to you?!" When two more branches come whipping toward her, Satoshi takes it as a yes and grimaces. A tree thinks she's just like one of the foul aberrations chittering away at its roots, and now wants to eat her. How insulting. ...Oh, idea. With all due haste, and even taking a few glancing blows for her lack of caution, Satoshi scrambles around the Ya-Te-Veo's mouth to the side where Kasyr is... and the bloody mess he's made. "Gods, I love you," the magus murmurs, even as the words twist to take on a lilting note and a spell is hastily woven. Cloak-slash-wings flare to life as Satoshi floods her surroundings with magic, a considerable waste of energy but necessary to see the spell through in a short span of time, as she does not have seconds nor concentration to waste on incantations and dodging branch assaults. The effect of her spell is almost immediately noticeable, the numerous bodies--or what's left of them--of the void critters Kasyr has crushed begin to stir and rise into their air of seemingly their own volition, trailing intestines, limbs, flesh, and Sven knows what else was once encased inside their little bodies. As one the mass of carcasses gather like a swarm, Satoshi's hands raised to gather them with small gestures and beckon them forward quickly on their invisible strings. Whether it's the thick stench of blood wafting off the sphere of bodies or just a large target making itself known, the Ya-Te-Veo ceases focusing on the foxkin and instead lashes out for the swarm then. Numerous critter corpses are taken and stuffed down the tree's maw with ravenous greed, but Satoshi doesn't care, in fact she encourages it, while her hands beckon the floating ball forward. As she guides it closer, the strain of pouring out magic begins to show, the kit's face gaining a pinched look beneath its concentrated set. Yet she persists and, with a final rise and fall of her arms, drops the entire mass of corpses directly atop the tree where its mouth is located. It might consider this a feast at first, but once the weight of the bodies begins to crush downward and fill in any available space, it might not be so happy. Satoshi isn't sure if a tree can choke, but she doesn't care, she just wants to block up that wretched mouth to buy themselves a few moments. "Puh. Chew on that." With a wavering groan, Satoshi detaches her boots from the tree and makes a half-slide, half-tumble down its trunk to join Kasyr.


Kasyr only becomes readily noticeable once the Ya-Te-Veo has lifted away it's various leafless limbs, the tree seemingly heedless of the mass of broken branches it leaves in it's wake as it seeks to gorge it's gore-stained gullet. That insidious black aura still clings about his form, appearing almost akin to a shadow, were such a thing capable of weaving itself around an individual and expanding to twice their size. Slowly flexing his fingers, the Kensai's arms drift down from the defensive position they had held near his face- granting him a better view of the situation. It's only when Satoshi reaches the ground, however, that he allows that ghastly construct he's 'garbed' himself with to begin to recede, that caliginous 'image' which caressed his form turning shapeless, before finally slithering into the depths of his shadow. Beneath the facade, the Kensai looks slightly more battered than he had prior to the impact, but it's hardly enough to prevent him from offering Satoshi a cheeky grin. With one hand outstretched towards the foxkit, Kasyr casually starts to meander over towards the base of the tree. "You know, I'm almost tempted to carve our names into this damn tree."



Satoshi matches Kasyr's cheeky grin with her own, albeit a bit strained between pain and flagging energy. "Oh, we will be, we will be~." Now properly facing the preoccupied tree, Satoshi peers down at her right hand, brow creased in mild concentration. By pure will, the magus reforms the ice that makes up her false limb, claws elongating until they more closely resembling knives than fingers. Flexing these alterations in private self-approval, Satoshi then turns her frown on the trunk situated before them. They won't be given much time, even with that cork of carcasses for the Ya-Te-Veo to work through, but Satoshi is not lacking in knowledge of runes, and the ones she requires now are neither complex nor lengthy. She sets to work without waste, claws tracing faint outlines onto the tree's bark as she walks a full circle around its girth: pausing to check the skies above, leaving large sigils here and there, and scraping looping lines in between each. Satoshi steps back then to survey her rough sketch a moment before glancing sidelong at Kasyr with brow arched. "I've drawn up the runes for Binding & Truth, Loyalty & Obedience, Sealing & Renewal, Ice & Death, one pair each placed on the west, east, south, and north faces of the trunk," the magus explains with a wave toward each set in turn, "All told, it's not unlike the contract we have the Coven sign. Normally, those are sealed with them signing in their blood and us doing the same, but with a dryad..? The sap of her heart tree should suffice even better than blood. Does this work for what you want?" A shudder runs through the Ya-Te-Veo then as its feast shifts further down its 'throat', the steady process of devouring causing the numbers to dwindle quicker than Satoshi would like. As soon as Kasyr gives the all-clear, the proper carving will need to start, and soon, if they hope to then charge the bindings.


Kasyr takes a sparse few moments to contemplate, before he simply nods his approval, "I can think of nothing else, mon cher. But then, this es your domain, not mine."With that said, the Kensai simply moves over towards Satoshi's position, gingerly placing a hand near the base of her neck, "Feel free to start whenever you're ready. I'll do my utmost to support vous." Specifically, the Kensai was preparing himself, so that the Magus might be able to use their connection to her advantage- to draw upon the vast reserves of knowledge that rest pooled within the Revenants being. Though less physically demanding than the murdeous misadvantures Kasyr normally gets into, this endeavour will no doubt promise to be taxing in a different manner- especially if they seek to bind an entity such as a Wraith. A Sovereign, no less.


Satoshi nods once before reaching out with her right hand to be pressed against the first pair of runes, those hellish claws curling to bury themselves into the bark deep enough to draw sap forth. As the ice of that limb blazes with light it begins to leech outward, spilling into the thin carvings like luminescent water and spiderwebbing outward to fill the crevices Satoshi has placed. No where does the light stray from its path, coursing with a determined intelligence while seeking out everywhere the ice has touched until the Ya-Te-Veo's trunk is encircled in a ring of the azure glow, illuminating the otherwise abysmally dark forest. Once this is complete, Satoshi raises her other hand to her face, sinks fangs into the palm, and rends a tear through satin and flesh alike, only a twitch of her ears marking the pain before the bloodied hand joins its twin against the tree. Satoshi begins to chant then, voice low and steady, each word chosen with care and pronounced with even moreso to avoid flaws, "By your blood and mine, I Bind you to these runes and my Will. You will speak Truth when I say to, you will not strive to betray me or mine, ever Loyal and Obedient. Until I sever this Seal, it shall persevere, Renewing eternally by the strength of your own blood. Defy it, break it, harm it, in any form, and feel your blood turned to Ice before it shreds your body into a thousand pieces, sending you to Death. So be it." As she's speaking, Kasyr will feel an ethereal tug just on the outskirts of his conscious: Satoshi taking hold of his offered energies and slowly siphoning them away, channeling from himself, through their bonds, through herself, and finally into the Ya-Te-Veo. Although she's trying to draw the energy away gently and slowly enough to not outright bowl Kasyr over with the backlash, she can't avoid the weakened sensation it leaves behind, as she's abducting a hefty degree from him to make up for her depleted reserves. Where blood, sap, and magicks meet, a blaze of gold and azure sparks erupt in a dazzling shower before the tiny specks of light begin racing through the engraved sigils to bathe the tree in further illumination. Each passing second the glow intensifies, growing toward a blinding level and then suddenly extinguishing with an almost audible pop. After images of the blaze seared into her sight go unheeded as Satoshi slumps backwards, hands falling limp on either side of her--the right restored to its proper appearance. She's drained, but, "...it's done. If the Leech or anyone but myself tries to remove it, the runes will detonate and destroy the tree from the inside out." By means of effectively transforming the Ya-Te-Veo--sap and all--into solid ice and then shattering it like so much crystal. For now, however, it simply sports a weaving, looping pattern of symbols and lines forming a ring upon its trunk, aglow with a soft blue light.


Kasyr doesn't particularily have much to do during those long moments, his focus simply resting upon maintaining his composure as his wife slowly funnels his energies into her arcane weavings. The feeling is disconcerting in a manner, best described as an almost relaxing sensation, and yet one which seems to dredge away at his core strength, bringing with it a slow sinking feeling of exhaustion. What's worse is the manner in which that congregation of malformed aberretions are slowly starting to encroach towards the pair, as though they're seeking to reclaim that patch of ground cleared out by the altercation. With a wary glance cast towards the gathered horde, the Kensai off-hand slowly moves to encircle about the Magus waist. It's only when she states that she's finished her work that Kasyr pulls her close to him, before he gives a flap of those monstrous wings, abruptly pulling them away from the carpet of creatures that had laid siege to them as she worked. An action that incidentally serves to start moving them away from the Ya-Te-Veo, just in case it's not bound in the same manner as it's child. Really, Kasyr can't afford to be careless, "Well then- On y va? With this particular..player..put in check, we can afford to depart, yes?"


Satoshi numbly nods in reply, momentarily mesmerized by the rippling carpet of critters below. It's like watching an ocean in miniature, if oceans had fur, and chitin, and so many natural parts in unnatural places. That, or Satoshi's exhaustion-drunk mind is malfunctioning slightly. The Ya-Te-Veo itself doesn't seem to care, still focused on forcing down the last of its gorging, possibly even preparing to settle down for a nap to digest. If trees sleep or digest. Hell if Satoshi knows what the damned thing is capable of doing. "I think that's it, yes. Onward and such. Somewhere I can rest." It's then that Satoshi suddenly becomes alert, straightening from her otherwise limp status in the revenant's arms. Looking around, ears perked up, the kit seems positively lost and near frantic, the anxiety emanating from her in near palpable waves--one wouldn't have to be an empath to sense it. "I should by hungry. Really, really hungry. Ravenous even. But I'm not... I'm just tired... I can't wake up the hunger at all." The despondent way Satoshi says the last bit and once more slumps in Kasyr's grip suggests she's tried numerous means of bringing on her vampiric bloodlust and to no avail whatsoever.


Kasyr can't help but offer her a concerned look, before drawing her just a touch closer, "You've probably been in Vailkrin too long, cherie. Just make sure to have meals, a breakfast, a lunch, et a supper- et you should fare fine. Trust in habit, rather than need. Currently, anyways." Really, that might be a touch on the gluttonous side, but it's a system that has worked well for the Kensai asofar, "You have been eating, oui?" Beyond that, The Kensai simply flies in silence- having used the relative lack of foliage in this unwhole grove to get -above- the forest, so that he might fly back towards the city itself in an unimpeded manner.




Much thanks to Pyoshia for giving us the go ahead to do this, and being such a wonderfully fun goodsport in the name of RP.