RP:Healing the Druid's Eternal Tree

Part of the The God of Undeath Arc

Part of the Dissonance Theory Arc

Part of the Home Sweet Home Arc

Part of the Time Heals All Wounds Arc

Part of the You Must Have Been Human Arc

This is a Necromancer's Guild RP.

This is a Healer's Guild RP.

This is a Warrior's Guild RP.

Summary: A group of six women work together to heal the Druid’s Eternal Tree from the poison that has plagued it. In the process, they also unwittingly manage to rid Sage Forest of a sickness that was left untreated for far too long.

Druid's Eternal Tree

Kailani :: Notes were dispersed around Lithrydel, delivered personally via messengers that the Warrior’s Guild made available. The assumption is that most people can read but on the off chance that someone cannot, their messenger will be kind enough to read the letter to them. It was of the utmost importance, see. ‘It has been determined by Kasyr, Quintessa, Khitti and a number of other individuals that in order to defeat the threat of Xioctl, we must first heal the Druid’s Eternal tree. The findings have been that nature-based magic seems to be most effective against it’s thralls and thus presumably Xioctl itself. However, since the tree has been compromised, we need to heal it so that our assault will be effective and this current threat can be eliminated. If you are receiving this note, you have either expressed an interest directly in helping to repair the tree or it is believed that your skills will be of great help in our current task.” This explains how Kanna and Orange should know to show up to this little shindig, hopefully, as Quintessa likely made sure that this letter arrived to the both of them as well. The letter goes on, asking the recipients of the letter to please meet at the Druid’s Tree on this very date, just as the sun is beginning to set. Kailani had the intention of being the first present, but when she arrives on the back of a griffon, she is quite surprised to see that Kanna is present. Pleasantly surprised. The druid dismounts her companion and greets the vaguely familiar bardic woman with a soft, “Hello.” As the rest arrive, they will find that the half-elf, who is dressed primarily in black and has a ranseur strapped across her back, is slowly circling the tree to try and take in all of its details and assess how challenging of a task the group will have. A short distance away from Kailani is a full-grown griffon who is both a protective companion and also her means of transportation for today. While Grimclaw may be laying in the earth, he is still very much on guard and watches each person as they arrive. While Kai is normally reclusive by nature, the blue-haired woman forces herself to at the very least greet all of the individuals with a faint smile and a polite wave as they arrive.

Quintessa is busy speaking to the elven guardians of the Sage at first, a tense conversation as the changeling tries to convince them that she was here with allies gathered from around Lithrydel to repair the damage that has been done. If not for the current company Quintessa is keeping at the moment the guardians would probably not let her pass, her identity as the one who orchestrated the attack on the Eternal Tree known to them. Since the warlock had been actively paying reparations and trying to undo the damage however, they reluctantly allowed the changeling to pass with the others. Moving forward to examine the Holy Tree, Quintessa observes the cursed energy from the God of Undeath still seeping from the point of entry from months ago, a sickening blackish discoloration spreading up the trunk like spidery veins infected by some potent venom. Satisfied with what she saw she steps away and turns to those gathered here, a slight sigh escaping her before she parts her lips to address them. “Well, I’m glad you all showed up- it’s as bad as I feared it would be. So I’ll just get down to brass tacks; the Eternal Tree is fighting off a very potent subsistence created by Caluss, the God of Undeath, The Great Insectoid That Dwells Between Worlds. It is my assumption that It means to turn the tree undead, corrupting the flow of natural magic and collapsing the ecosystem in which we all exist. Obviously we cannot allow that to happen, but I personally lack nature’s healing touch so I need your help.” She turns to face the Eternal Tree once more. “The poison is deep inside the tree by now, from deepest root to highest branch…” Quintessa points upward at the leaves of the Holy Tree, the foliage turning a wicked grey color instead of the brilliant reds and oranges typical of this time of year. “Even the leaves are tainted…” Quintessa’s finger curls slowly as a wave of guilt flows over her. This had been her doing. She was the one who did this. With her back turned to the group, Quintessa slips into silent despair, letting the others process what she just told them before she moves on to tell them her plans for fixing all this.

Kanna is one of the first to arrive to the druid's tree, having excused herself from House Dragana the moment Quintessa made available the note to both herself and Leralynn Thorn. In the light of the setting sun, the old chapel that housed the tree seems otherworldly. Auburn leaves from the ivy surrounding the chapel walls litter the ground for just a moment, only to be quickly carried away by the fae druids that care for the ailing tree in it's withered state. Once the undead bard had shown she was unarmed, she was allowed to approach the Holy Tree and harvest the parasites from it's exterior. Her role in why the Holy Tree was in this condition to begin with was unknown, but that did not stop the guilt she had felt ever since she had regained her humanity. The flat-topped mushrooms, iridescently striped from the concentrated mana being siphoned from within. The colorful fungi are a stark contrast to the sickly bark and bare branches. With each, she murmurs a prayer to whatever god will listen, an apology for the harm she had done in her misguided attempt to reverse her condition. She turns to Kailani, a basket full of the unholy fungus under her arm. The ghoul is dressed simply in a lace-trimmed peasant's dress. There is no bardic cantrip upon her form for this solemn event, and the setting sun only serves to accentuate her sallow skin. Taking in the druid and her griffon, she bows her head in greeting. "You must be Kailani. Quintessa told me I might run into you first." Once the others trickle in and Quintessa gives her announcement, Kanna nods her head, her expression lacking it's usual mirth. "I can only assist in healing or exposing the innermost core of the tree, but not both. Even in this condition, the tree is still rebelling against all touch."

Penelope got the memo, and on the day of gathering, she appeared because this was a priority against Xioctl. The healer was dedicated to whatever she can do to help the guild even if she was not really warrior-esc. The trek was easy considering the woman lived in Kelay-Sage. Penelope comes into the clearing while the sun sets to seek the others. Some familiar… some not. Moss eyes automatically link to blue waves. Kailani. The Ardelian approaches and gives a wave and a small smile before recognizing the damage to the tree. That line on her face folds as she observes the discoloration. This was bad and there was a sinking feeling that came with her observations. The God of Undeath. The tree was tainted and the twisted withering shows. As Quintessa begins the speech, the freckled woman nods slowly, and there are faint nerves that shiver through her for a moment as she stares at the tree. Nel was beckoned, yes, but was she as strong with nature’s touch like the others? Every little bit counted, she guessed before shaking off the silly “what-ifs”. Today was to get down and… naturey?

Leralynn arrives on the scene shortly after Quintessa does. After catching wind of this gathering to heal one of The Holy Trees she had a hand in poisoning, the half-elf necromancer has been staying in Kelay at a purposely undisclosed location for the last couple days in preparation for today. A satchel is slung across her body filled with magical components and other useful necromancy tools. Her signature shovel is conspicuously absent, but digging and/or bashing aren’t really on the agenda today, so it must have been left at Castle Dragana. Blonde hair, part of which has been put into a braid on the right side of her head flows out from under an offwhite knit hat that’s been enchanted to make the girl give off a mildly warming arua in her immediate proximity. She is all business when being ushered in by those guarding the area, partially because of the shame she thinks she is supposed to carry for her part in the attack on The Druid’s Tree, and partially because she is unsure of whether her status as a well known entity carries any weight out here in Kelay (either through her father, The Blue Demon, or her own standing in Vailkrin and The Necromancers Guild). The Orange Witch gives a wave in return to Kailani, but remains silent while Quintessa speaks, taking up a spot nearby to Kanna, perhaps to share in her guilt for what they did here. Notedly, she won’t look at the tree or the pool surrounding it just yet lest she see the ghosts of the elves that fell by her hand defending this place.

Khitti took the short walk from the Devout’s Guild’s headquarters, just down the road, to where the Druid’s Eternal Tree could be found. It’d been some time since she’d been there--when she unfortunately crossed paths with that silver-haired, katana-wielding jerkface, Krice, and somehow thought it wise to have a philosophical conversation with him. He seemed to think people were born evil. She had not agreed with him, believing that people were sometimes forced into their predicaments by fate, and sometimes had no other choice than to embrace what they were given. The argument had ended awkwardly, as all of their “conversations” did and she was grateful that he wouldn’t be there now. The redhead stopped, somewhere in between the Sanctum of the Divine and the Tree, and peered up at the heavens. As the sun lowered itself into the horizon, the stars began to peek out of their hiding places. She wondered, yet again, if she even belonged in such a place as the tree’s sanctuary. With a shake of her head, she sighed and continued on, gripping her satchel to her closely, making sure she’d indeed brought her planisphere with her. The tarot deck she’d found with it had not given her reassurance that she should come, but she chalked it up to her own worried energy messing with the energy of the cards. This too was kept close in her bag as she carried on, eventually arriving at the druid sanctuary. Kailani received a nod, but no smile, and the rest of those gathered as well, though Khitti’s mind focused elsewhere, though she was somewhat aware of that gryphon’s attention on her as she passed through the building. She would listen to her adopted daughter speak, though she knew of what had happened already, and as Quintessa started to despair, Khitti frowned. “I have brought the implements needed to help heal with my light magic, but I’m wary about using that magic in front of Quintessa and Kanna.” While she’d yet to officially meet the undead bard, she was well aware of her thanks to the Necromancer’s Guild. “I can protect the two of you to the best of my ability with my shadows however.” Her frown deepened at this thought, but she pushed forward, finishing what she had to say. “I am somewhat worried that… neither of my magicks will have any effect.” Khitti seemed somewhat lacking in that usual fire of hers, but if asked, she would not divulge why.

Kailani answers Kanna with a gentle nod of confirmation, “It is nice to meet you.” Kailani turns her back to the group and places the palm of her hand against the trunk of the tree, picking a spot that specifically seems to be less affected by death and poison. As her hand makes contact, her blue eyes turn luminous while she tries to channel her druidic energy so that she might commune with the tree. “Ask as I might, I can get no clear answers from the tree as to who might have done this.” What hippy, tree-hugging mambo jumbo is Kai on about? “As Quintessa has pointed out, the poison has a strong hold on the tree. It is teetering on the brink of life and death, I can only hear whispered fragments that are nearly impossible for me to discern.” Kai removes her hand from the trunk of the tree to turn back to the party. “I still have hope that we can do something, with our combined talents. We have those who can channel divine energy, who can tap into healing magics, who can breathe life into that which is dead, and someone who has a deep connection with the element of earth.” While the druid normally is not one to speak in depth, she is forcing herself to step outside of her comfort zone in this moment, if only because it was a matter of urgency. This task has been neglected for far too long. “Each of the three Holy Trees channels one of the three types of magic that can be found in the lands. The Divine. The Arcane. The Natural. While they may focus different magical energies, they are all connected. So it is my hope that having a representation of all three magical types, trying to focus those energies into restoring and repairing will allow for us to bring the Druid’s Eternal Tree back to a healthy state. However, because of the urgency of this task and the fact that we may only get one chance to heal it...If anyone has any ideas on how we should accomplish it? Please share. If we fail today, we could cause further damage and guarantee its death.” A look is sent toward Kanna, “My sentiments are that you should help expose the core, I believe we have other healers outside of myself present.” Or in Nel’s case, those who are connected to the element of earth. Kai knew that the druidic witch always had her doubts in her own abilities, yet the blue-haired druid had nothing but faith in Penelope. A look is sent toward Khitti, who expressed her own doubts, doubts that caused Kailani to frown if only because they fed into the druid’s own worries that they would not be successful.

Quintessa brings a finger to her bottom lip, formulating a plan of action. Mismatched eyes flicker over to Kanna first, noting her ability to break through the tree’s natural defenses. “Yes, we might want to have you incise the infected area where the needle penetrated first, open up the trunk and let the others step in next…” She looks to Kailani, Penelope, Larelynn, and Khitti, wondering what they could do next. “Kailani, once Kanna has opened up the trunk do you think you could draw all the affected moisture from the core of the tree and force it into a pool? That way perhaps we can try to purify it somehow, hmm…” Quintessa pauses in her brainstorming, not entirely sure how to achieve something so far from her skillset. And how would her student Orange help? A fellow necromancer? “Larelynn,” the warlock turns to her, “Do you remember any of the advanced anti-hexing I briefly went over? Once the unholy liquid has been extracted you and I could try to manually weaken the curse before the re-hallowed water is pushed back inside.” With a heavy sigh Quintessa shakes her head, the knowledge that she was out of her expertise a stressful situation for her. “But there’s no promise this plan will even work; I don’t have a working hypothesis on natural magic beyond manifestation. This is…” The changeling shrugs, unable to come up with a word to describe it beyond- “Advanced.” She turns to Penelope and Khitti, a question on the tip of her tongue. “Do you think you can purify the Eternal Tree’s cursed essence if Kailani is able to draw it out?”

Kanna holds out the basket in the direction of two fae, who carefully grip it with their tiny hands and loft it to a safe distance away from the Tree. Addressing Quintessa’s order, she remarks, “My power may not be as strong as it was before, but this is the least I can do.” The ghoul clasps her hands together and bows her head in prayer. "Sagaribana, if you still reside within me, hear my plea. I abused the gift you bestowed upon me, and took more lives than what an eternity of Hell can reparate. I know not if the dissipation of this power is your anger, or the will of Caluss upon the Holy Tree, but please lend me your power one more time." As the waning light reflects upon the shimmering pool, some might see for just a flicker of a second a dryad in Kanna's place as she rests her hands upon the tree. The Druid's Tree seems to tremble under her touch as her magic begins to flow. Branches swaying in the wind nearly sound like that of an elder groaning in pain as they creak and twist in upon themselves. The bark peels upward and into itself from where the needle had pierced its core so many moons ago, revealing a sickly black ichor oozing freely from the spiderlike veins. Kanna is at first expressionless as the magic works, but her brows furrow as a strange sensation presses back against her hands. “Hurt… It hurts?” She drops to one knee, but keeps her hands on the core to prevent the bark snapping back. The skin of her hands begins to blacken as well, the veins of the self-proclaimed God of Undeath’s poison rebelling and taking root in the ghoul as punishment. “Don’t touch me, don’t touch the tree directly, but please, please start soon!”

Penelope only glances at Kailani when she mentions the druid who is linked to earth. Earth and fire. Not that fire would really help a tree in this instance. Would it? A hand tucks a strand of frizz behind her ear before she inhales. The nerves are shaken and grace has fallen over the novice druidic witch. “Right.” She finally breathes. The woman walks up to the tree to size the trunk up and down and she plucks a few pests that somehow manage to crawl around the bark as she listens to the others. Quintessa addresses her and Khitti, and Penelope shifts her gaze to the red-head in hesitance. This was only the third time that someone really truly depended on her magic. The world of nature was still something she had to grasp. “Purify it? Is the corruption coming from the ground into the tree because--” she is cut off from asking questions because Kanna is already calling on whoever she does to give her the strength where the bark groans and lifts. Panic almost arises, but the adrenaline kicks in and the healer is on the case because… that was what a clinical instinct was. Thank the Gods for her profession because there was no more time to think. Just do. “Khitti, if you have a way to purify it, you tell me and I’ll give it my best shot. I don't know what this poison is exactly.” Kailani was right in her mental state. It was time for Nel to just believe in herself with all the rainbows and butterflies and smiles. Okay, maybe no smiles. “Otherwise, if there is a spot of life can’t I just extract it to grow more? I don’t know if it’s too late or not?”

Shishi :: Leralynn puffs out her cheeks and considers her role in Quintessa’s plan of attack. She lifts her head, finally looking towards her teacher and The Tree itself. Finally that pang of guilt shows up in her heart, looking at the pool surrounding the landmark, but she doesn’t see any spirits, thankfully. Oceanic blue eyes adopt a determined look and she nods, “Aye, I remember. I can do that with you. Or…” The shyness on display now is uncharacteristic of the normally monstrously confident young lady, but she manages to get her own suggestion out, “...if we are worried about the strain of this all being too much to the point that we might lose the tree, I can keep that from happening. Stop Him from taking it if it comes to that. Bargain for some extra time.” The reverence she puts into the word should make it clear that Vakmatharas is the Him she’s referring to. Regardless of her role, the preparation for her magic is the same. Orange unhooks the half melted candle and candle holder from her hip and ignites the wick with a snap of her finger after her first two snaps fail to produce a flame (Xalious Tree poisoning side effects). Kanna begins to open up the bark of the tree and the necromancer gasps, moving to the edge of the pool and setting the lit candle on the ground, kneeling beside it and clasping her hands together, closing her eyes and mouthing a silent prayer. If Quintessa needs her help to weaken the curse once it is extracted, the blonde witch can always change lanes, but for now a dreadful aura expands out from the girl, encompassing the expanse of this holy place as she begins her communion with The God of Death.

Khitti || Crimson brows furrowed somewhat the blue-haired half elf’s frown, Khitti choosing to keep her mouth shut for now, and to keep her worries to herself, her attention shifting back towards Quintessa once she and Penelope were addressed. The Dhavislaavian looked to the Ardelian, seeing that Penelope’s own worries were practically written all over her face. Khitti all but face-palmed herself. What was she doing? Why was she acting like this? Ugh. Why was now the time that Khitti was struggling with her self-confidence? She tried recalling the things Lanara had told her about nature, how everything was connected--especially the light and darkness. She nodded, both at Quintessa and Penelope, then held out her hand to Penelope. A warm, glittery bit of light magic trailed from her fingertips, a spell she’d used in the past to calm her sister, Meri, and others. “Take my hand. It’ll calm you. Talk to its essence. Channel your earth magic into it to help keep it grounded. It knows Kailani. Let it know you too.” Her free hand reached into her satchel and withdrew the Silverlight planisphere, lifting it into the air to allow it to float freely near her. The rings that made up the celestial-reading device’s rings spread apart, both spinning in the opposite direction of its twin. Tiny dots of light appeared in another ring around the outside of the planisphere, radiating the same energy as Khitti’s light magic.

Kailani :: Quintessa reveals her plan and Kanna just sort of goes with it, before the rest of the group even commits to their parts in all of it. This has Kailani going wide-eyed for just a brief moment. The druid was already seating herself onto the earth, sitting cross-legged with a hand upon each of her knees. Of course to effectively do this, she would first have to remove her ranseur from its resting place across her back. It is placed directly behind her, within easy reach should she for some reason need to suddenly defend herself. Khitti’s pep talk toward Nel is met with a firm nod of agreement. Knowing that Penelope has always lacked confidence in her abilities, the half-elf reminds the younger druid, “Just remember...we are able to influence the elements through the spirit, it is all connected on a single energy. You may only feel connection to a certain element now, but if you open yourself to the spirit than will be able to do more than you even believe is possible right now.” Not wanting to waste more time, especially since Kanna seemed to be expressing that her current act of opening up the tree’s core was causing her pain…? Kailani sets about her task of drawing the toxic essence out of the tree. It was a tricky endeavor, yet the blue-haired half-elf has always had a way with the element of water. Her influence over it came very naturally to her, ever since birth. Much like when the druid placed her hand upon the trunk of the dying tree, her blue eyes take on a soft glow to them. Pulling the essence out was not an instantaneous act, it would take far longer than Kanna would like given the pain she seemed to be in. Yet Kailani would manage to complete her task until a pool of dark liquid floated in the air just before the tree. Kailani ignored the rest of the party now, knowing that she needed to maintain her concentration to keep the moisture suspended for purification. All the while, Grimclaw seemed to be growing restless where he was laying. The griffon wanted to distance himself from all of the magics that were being cast in the area, yet he did not because he knew better than to abandon his companion. Orion had charged the griffon with keeping the druid safe while they were out and about, afterall.

Quintessa is a little shocked when she hears Kanna cry out, not expecting the tree to fight back so viciously. In an instant all of the shame and anxiety the warlock was feeling evaporated, replaced by determination. Looking from Kanna down to her other student she nods her head, her pale lips pulled into a straight line. “Considering Valmatharas is in direct opposition of Caluss, he might find it prudent to aid us now rather than later.” Unlike Orange, Quintessa speaks with apathy when referencing the God of Death, such reverence perhaps more easily found in Khitti than her changeling daughter. “Let us begin then.” Moving with the younger necromancer, Quintessa stands next to Kanna, making sure not to touch her or the tree but also positioning herself closer in case she needs to aid the bard. With both hands held out to her sides, slightly upturned, the warlock begins to chant in Aklo, the chosen language of her dark spells. “Torri'r felltith hon a dychwelyd y goeden hon yn fyw… Torri'r felltith hon a dychwelyd y goeden hon yn fyw… Torri'r felltith hon a dychwelyd y goeden hon yn fyw…” With a slight torrent of wind forming around her, Quintessa lifts her hands and begins making a motion as if she was pulling something from the tree, over in over in rhythmic pattern. Slowly the unhallowed aura the Eternal Tree had taken on begins to slowly break up and incorporate into the changeling’s own aura, staining the swirling wind around her black with the Undead God’s quintessence. Slowly it builds and builds as the others continue their work, all of them together combating the Curse of Caluss in their own ways.

Kanna sets her jaw tight as the painful sensations she thought had died with the rest of her body courses through her. Poisoned sap seeps freely from the tree, having had ample time to take the entirety of the Holy Tree for itself. It terrified her, not knowing what this pain meant.

Penelope felt like she was a chicken running around with her head chopped off. Why was the healer so confident in anatomy and the “old-fashioned” way of things, but not magic? Khitti reaching for the Ardelian’s hand has a flush of coolness that washes over the girl as she grabs it. The grasp washes away the anxiety of it all. This was a big task to do. It was the Druidic Tree for Pete’s sake! Perhaps that was why the freckled druid was getting in her head. Talk to the essence? Kailani chimes in which makes Penelope finally give a firm nod. Do what you have learned, Nel. It was time. The woman had no time to think because it was time to settle down across from Kailani in that peaceful position, close her eyes, and gather herself. The novice druidic witch pictures herself in a world of black except for a faint glow of an orb in the abyss. Lanara always taught her to imagine something comforting to connect her way through. The Ardelian imagines herself walking up to the faint glow and touching it, connecting herself to the fifth element. Eyes open and instead of moss, they are a mix of hazel from the magic that pulses through her. She watches as the toxins are extracted from the tree, and she dips her head low and whispers to the essence as if she is embracing it and introducing herself to it. The balance. Kailani had taught her balance before. Every element connected to each other somehow, but right now, the main focus was earth. She focuses on the essence as well as connecting to her newly spiritual ways--in the back of her mind, she imagines the spiritual nature of roots holding her steady to keep hold on the essence. The woman finds a hold on the black and she is able to keep the essence stable. For now. Not for long if they do not hurry up. “I think I have… a hold...” She trembles, for this was also a hard task to do due to the toxicity of it all.

Shishi :: Leralynn hadn’t considered Quintessa’s point about the ongoing struggle between the two mirrored gods of death, so when her prayer begins she’s even more confident that she can convince The Spooky Skeleton God to spare the life of The Tree these women are currently ripping open. The Orange Witch starts her ritual with some anguish on her face from hearing Kanna’s pained cries, but those sounds of agony quickly fade away and the blonde half-elf finds herself in a serene state within this aura of death she has conjured. Everyone here is likely preoccupied with their own tasks, but if any of them managed to spare a glance Orange’s way they’d catch her with a slight smile on her face. She’s in her element, borrowing time for The Druid Tree from The Lord of Death. Her conversation with Vakmatharas conveys the goals of this group clearly and so her dark prayer is answered in the form of the deathly aura supporting the tasks of the other two Living Dead Girls. The Tree can absorb more pain without perishing, possibly tipping the scales of agony back away from Kanna. Meanwhile the defiled lifeblood of The Tree extracted by Quintessa has the hexes and curses imbued inside of it dampened by The God of Death himself, lessening the difficulty slightly of Quintessa’s counter hexing endeavor. The dual dark maelstroms conjured by teacher and student intermingle and whip and roar, but near the center is the blonde girl grinning, eyes closed, having the time of her life…

Khitti eyed everyone as they set to work doing their part to heal the tree, from Kanna’s pain to the absolute focus of Kailani, Penelope, Quintessa as they channeled their magic to Leralynn’s show of faith in the God of Death. Khitti drew in a breath and let it out slowly, trying to release whatever worries she had left. She too asked Vakmatharas for aid, as well as Delisha and Cyris. From Vakmatharas she pleaded to exact his vengeance on the Insect he created. From Delisha, she sought the chance to heal the tree, to provoke Caluss, so that she might show the demi-god her rage for causing Quintessa, and others, to serve him. And from Cyris, she asked to help the Tree be free of the stranglehold the poison had on it. With a wave of her hand, the planisphere floated over to where Kailani was and had the Tree’s essence. The tiny stars from around the device faded from view and reappeared around the essence. Carefully, as the stars orbited around it, they pulsed their divine magic into the essence, slowly increasing in strength over time.

Kailani :: Through the combined efforts of everyone, it seems to be that they are so far managing to complete their goal of restoring the Holy Tree back to its former glory. Everyone had their part to play, from necromancer to healer. The moisture that Kailani held suspended in the air before the tree begins to shift in color as Penelope and Khitti attempt to purify it, changing from an inky black to a translucent shade of green. Some might associate green with poison and toxicity, but Kai sees this as a good sign as she felt that green was a color that was also related to the earth and trees. It told her that it was time to push the purified moisture back into the tree. Replacing the moisture back within the tree was a task that went more quickly than drawing it out did, for the wood of the eternal tree seemed eager to soak up the presumably healthy liquid. As soon as the last of the liquid is absorbed, Kanna could presumably close the core of the plant back up and then would no longer be in pain. At least, that is what Kai hoped, that the ghoul would be able to swiftly recover once the job was done. Signs up life were not quick to return to the dying tree, both the leaves and the bark of the tree remain discolored, still that same withered gray. Did this mean that they were not successful? Or did it still need a bit of nudging? Perhaps from Penelope’s earth magic and Khitti’s light magic? Kai was not certain at this moment, all she knew was that she needed a moment to breath after having channeled such energy for an extended period of time. Only time would tell if they were successful...

Quintessa || Taking the essence of Caluss into herself was proving to be too much for the changeling as she is slowly brought down to one knee during her chanting, trying her best to remain focused on the anti-curse magic she was performing. It was suffocating, but Quintessa held frame against the tide of darkness, her resolve strong despite her physical frame beginning to suffer. Once Kailani had replaced the water back into the tree Quintessa knew this was time, lifting her head up to address the necro-botanist at her side. “Kanna… now… close it…” The warlock’s voice is labored beneath the wicked aura she was holding onto, the only reason she was still able to keep it contained was Larelynn’s efforts to weaken it. The Eternal Tree’s lifeblood had been cleansed, but as Kailani suspected it needed that final push- that divine spark of earth and holy magic intertwined. Once that took place Quintessa was certain this ordeal would be over- it had it to be. “Penelope- reach deep, stimulate the roots with everything you’ve got, and Khitti- don’t hold back either. Kanna and I knew what we were getting into, don’t worry about us- just do it!”

Kanna manages to open her eyes and look around as all of Quintessa's and Kailani's comrades work together to save this Holy Tree. Identifying what it was everyone else is doing is all she can do to keep from crying out as the blackened veins crawl up her forearms. Each millimeter of nerves the poison destroyed was agony, moreso than the faded cattle brand from her past life, more than the agony of her having failed to repay her life debt from Frostmaw, more than the recurring memory of lunging at her sister as if she were food the first time they met. The tree regaining it's moisture could not come a moment sooner; once the pale green orb disappears, Kanna gives another stifled cry, the bones where fleshy hands used to be cracking off at the wrist. The ghoul shakes involuntarily from the pain as she holds up the stumps where her hands should be. It would take time, but with the cursed magic that fueled her undeath, her hands would grow back. "Any longer and we might have failed..." She rasps out as the Druid's Tree closes back up. Though it remains it's sickly color, there is the faintest difference visible from the entry point that had been peeled back moments before: A healthy deep green border to the edges of the bark.

Penelope tried her best to breathe through the hold. She was still for the most part. Grounded. Like the earth. Like the tree before them. The liquid begins to turn green, and in Nel’s view, this also feels right. Green like the leaves of Sage in the late spring and summer. It is only then when the tree absorbs the green liquid. Penelope feels as if now she can let go and suck in air from exhaustion. The girl leans back on a hand and looks out of breath up at the tree. The foliage does not change. The bark is still dead and withered. Quintessa addresses the woman to push further to stimulate the roots. To give them the divine push they need. The small Ardelian slowly slinks up onto her feet and drags herself to the tree to place a hand on part of the trunk. To feel something. Something inside. Just a little more, Nel. Brownish-green eyes swirl like the earth they were trying to fix as she touches the wood to feel the roots. The woman does a small whimper with the last bit of energy she had. A soft grunt to push through like Quintessa told her to. Nails drag down where slivers dig into her fingers, but there is a soft glow from that hand and hazel eyes swirl. The Ardelian reaches with her might to tap into those roots. She can feel the energy pulse through the roots for the final push of request, and once Penelope cannot take anymore reach of her druidic abilities, she breaks off. Did she get the job done? Was the tree going to heal? “Time heals all wounds. It might need time to just… grow back anew. Patience..." She breathes out.

Shishi ’s daughter’s eyes open in wonder as she watches the closing steps of this beautifully complex process. They are through the worst of it where her prayer was needed to keep The Tree from passing the threshold into the realm of death and now the energy she’s summoned almost acts on its own, independent of The Orange Witch, its strings being pulled here and there by the rest of the group wherever aid is most needed. Lives were taken here the night The Tree was attacked and the veil of those deaths still lingered. It is possible that those who gave their lives to protect The Holy Tree accomplished exactly that here tonight by leaving behind the power needed to help restore it. Tears well up in the girl’s oceanic eyes as the whole scene evokes memories of her first necromancy lessons focusing on this very same pushing and pulling between life and death. If the conflicts here and in Xalious in pursuit of poisoning The Holy Trees had harmed her love for the practice of this magic, then what they’ve all accomplished today has ignited it again. The tree closes up, all of its color is not yet restored, but Leralynn seems like she couldn’t care less. After the last of the essence was pushed back into the tree, the dreadful aura surrounding The Orange Witch begins to fade and she pushes herself up onto her feet, turning towards Kanna and rushing to the ghoul’s side, kicking over her candle and extinguishing the flame in the process. Half-elven hands close around her friend’s wrists, the bard’s hands not there to hold onto. “You’re alright… We did it…” She doesn’t know for sure if that’s true, but she says it all the same.

Khitti ’s attention shifted away from the essence and over to Quintessa as the changeling told both her and Penelope to up the magical power they were putting out. “But--!” Not after the last time. Not after she had to hurt Quintessa to get her to stop, in Xalious. It was something Khitti had not gotten past yet. She was so hesitant to use the magic around her daughter and anyone else it might affect--people that she didn’t even know!--because it seemed as though it could harm more than heal, sometimes. It was almost funny to think about that fact, that her light magic could do more harm than her shadows. Khitti probably wouldn’t even have cared, had she not gone through it herself with Ralinde, back when the redhead was a vampire. She -knew- that pain. The searing agony that the holy magic sent her through, even after the light show Ralinde had put on in that battle in Venturil had faded. But… there was that saying ‘The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.’ This was definitely one of those situations. The Warrior’s Guild needed the Druid Tree to return to normal, to stop Xicotl, and it would eventually be needed to stop Caluss. Khitti let out a frustrated growl, releasing Penelope’s hand finally to outstretch both of her hands towards the planisphere. Rainbowy tendrils, not unlike those shadowy ones she was fond of using, seeped from Khitti’s fingertips, spark-like bits of magic sprinkling from the tendrils, as they channeled into the device. The stars that surrounded the essence continued their pulsating, growing and growing in strength until they finally exploded, sending a wave of healing magic through the area. And when it was done and over with, the spark-like bits showered over the entire room, before dissipating into nothingness on the ground. Khitti just stood there, nearly holding her breath, afraid to look over at Tessa and Kanna as her bottom lip quivered a little. What a strange sight she must be for Kailani, after the druid had seen her rip out a woman’s heart over a year ago.

Kailani does not move from her cross-legged position on the earth even if it seems like they had completed their task, not at first. Perhaps this is because Kailani was drained from the strain of their efforts, perhaps because she was trying to understand what that wave of energy that rippled through Sage forest meant for the rest of the lands. Was that a good sign? It had to be. Those blue eyes study the hints of that healthy green around the entry point that Kanna had created. Kai’s gaze does not linger there for long, soon shifting to the bard herself to observe her state, thankfully she has a friend who comes to her aid and provides comfort. The druid would normally offer aid, being that she is a healer, yet...she can sense that perhaps any magical assistance she might offer to the ghoul would perhaps do more harm than good. Kailani might have smiled if this task had not taken such a toll on everyone, finally pushing up from the earth, her attention swiveling to each face present. “Thank you for coming, thank you for helping. I think everyone can go home, everyone needs to rest and recover.” Kanna especially. “I will stay for just a bit longer to continue to monitor its health and urge it’s regrowth, just to make sure that our efforts do not go to waste.” Her gaze focuses on Quintessa, “Can you notify Kasyr that this task was completed?” This question was more rhetorical than anything else, evidenced by the fact that Kailani shifted her stare to Khitti shortly after finishing it. Was the red head going to cry? It was an odd sight indeed, but Kailani would not draw attention to this observation so publicly for she knew that Khitti was a proud woman. Instead the druid moved toward Grimclaw, pressing her forehead against the griffon’s own head. “Fly home to Orion and tell him where I will be so that he does not worry that we have not returned for the night.” More of that hippy-mumbo jumbo. Earlier she was trying to say that the trees could not to her, now apparently the griffon.

Quintessa winces as she prepares for impact, the waves of holy magic building up to a crescendo of colorful energy. Finching against the prysm light the changeling girl is surprised when it doesn’t hurt, but rather lifts the burden of the God of Death’s horrible magic and purifies it completely, adding to the ambient holiness that perforated the entire area once more. Then it explodes and purifies the warlock proper, the stinging pain she was expecting earlier not letting her down as it robbed Quintessa of her dark mana, and thus temporally left her without use of her magic. Physically, however, the changeling was unharmed, standing up to snap her fingers a few times to test if she was magicless again. “Elazul’s Bite…” she says in annoyance, looking over at Kai with a slight smile. “Oh, yes, of course I’ll let Kasyr know the mission was a success… As soon as I take a few notes on the results.” Her smile becomes a bit more sheepish. “Y’know, for my research.” Everything was always an opportunity to learn for Quintessa. Turning to address everyone else she bows her head in respect. “Thank you all for helping today. It was horrible this happened in the first place but now we are at least one step closer to setting things right.” Once she had said this she gave everyone their goodbyes and headed back to the tree with her notepad in hand, already scribbling down the notes of what took place for her report.

Kanna staggers to the feet, the pain subsiding back to her seemingly perpetual state of numbness. So long as Caluss was free to roam Hollow, the only sensations aside from hunger she would ever be able to feel again is pain. Distracting herself with parting conversation, Kanna looks to Kailani. "Quintessa tells me your druidic magic is some of the best she's observed in the field. I think the Holy Tree will be just fine if it's you watching over it." The ghoul instead wills the ivy dangling freely to move on her behalf. The foliage lifts the basket of unholy mushrooms and wraps itself around her torso to serve as a makeshift bag of sorts. Kanna gives a weak smile, raising her stumps to shake Leralynn's hands. "We did it." Looking over to the freckled burnette, the ghoul gives a softer smile. "You were very brave today." A swish of her handless-hand, and the ivy gently drops on Penelope's head, blooming with soft golden flowers that catch the waning light of dusk like a flower crown. To Khitti, Kanna nods, having known well of her work. "Both of you were. It was an honor to see your craft in person." There is a sudden growl that echoes through the holy site, and Kanna gasps. "Has it been that long already? C'mon Orange, let's grab a snack with Tessie." With a smile bright enough to mask the fear and questions racing through her mind, the women one by one exit the area to leave the Holy Tree to begin it's healing.

Penelope breaks back from the trunk after the explosion of healing magic protrudes from the red-head beside her. She stumbles, and hazel eyes that begin to dim back to juniper stare at the tree before turning to look at the others for reassurance. The young blonde’s aura fades and she is holding the girl who opened the tree’s core, though there were no hands for the ghoul. Penelope looks breathless and wild at the image she is trying to process. A hand runs through her hair as she stares. But… the question was... Was it over? Did they do it? Was their plan resolved despite everything that went into healing? Penelope did not know what happened here a time ago when the tree inherited the plague. The sting in her fingers are forgotten as she is in a blur of what had just happened. She looks at Khitti and then Kailani. “I hope we did it… And, um… Thank you… I-I just thank you.” For putting the trust and reassurance in her despite the frantic state she had put herself in. The tree looks green where Kanna had torn the tree, and the ghoul with no hands is addressing her. Despite the weary look the freckled one has, she gives a lazy smile. “You’re telling me. You just… we couldn’t have done it without you,” she responds to Kanna as the flower crown poofs onto the Ardelian’s head. There is a comfort to those gold blooming petals. Earthly home. Fitting for the druidic witch. That lazy smile still stands. “Let’s hope healing the tree was more than worth it, if it takes,” she looks to Kai and Tessa before glazing over. With a turning, tired mind, the woman drags herself away on impulse with barely a goodbye because… the woman would be collapsing at any moment, and it was clear she needed to get back to the closest safe place. The healing hut.

Shishi :: Leralynn closes one eye when the brilliant pulse of healing energy bursts from the Holy Tree and washes over The Sage Forest. Silently, the girl studies Quintessa’s reaction for a moment before looking back to the rest of the group. Kailani gets a prideful grin and a sweet, “Any time.” The girl then watches the crown of flowers flop onto Penelope’s head and mutters, “Pretty…” under her breath. Kanna seems to read Orange’s mind in regards to getting something to eat, “Gwah~! I know just the place.” She quickly points to Khitti and Penelope and asks them both respectively, “Pancakes? Pancakes?” before going to retrieve her candle, leaving a note with Quintessa about where they’re heading off to in case she wants to meet up with them after her note-taking session, and strolling off with the handless necrobotanist. Of course the druidic witch and the redhead could be forgiven if they declined the invitation in favor of peaceful rest, but breakfast foods and Kanna sounds like the perfect rest activity to the teenage necromancer…

Khitti cringed somewhat as Quintessa swore, eventually looking over at the girl to find her entirely unharmed. Well, mostly. It wasn’t long before she realized that the changeling’s magic had left her again and it was something that Khitti was quick to start the process of remedying that issue. With a wave of one hand, the planisphere returned to the redhead as she stuffed it into her bag, then dug around for something else. Random things rattled away in the satchel until she finally found two empty vials, remnants of what had been used during the Mage’s Tower battle. Uncorking both, she channeled coalesced shadows into them, then re-corked the vials, and handed them over to Tessa. “Sorry.” That was about all she could muster right now when it came to Quintessa’s predicament. Her attention shifted to Kanna then, a frown surfacing as Khitti eyed the undead’s lack of hands. “You and I have not met formally, but… I can help you, if you wish. If you do not take the alternate route of finding new hands elsewhere.” She meant stealing them from someone else of course. “I built a new hand for Emilia, the leader of the Healer’s Guild, with my shadow magic… and I could do the same for you as well.” Leaving the thought lingering in Kanna’s mind as she headed off to get food, Khitti finally nodded to Kailani and Penelope, in return for both of the druids’ thanks, booted feet bringing her closer to the tree. She was careful to stay out of the druid and Quintessa’s way, however. “I… think I need to go speak to Valrae,” she said at length to no one in particular, before setting off for Cenril. Well… she had intended to go home, until it occurred to her that Leralynn offered for her to go with them and get pancakes. Her family and her much needed rest could wait--there was a huge stack of blueberry pancakes with butter, syrup, and whipped cream waiting for her somewhere!