help around there dwelling and now is he standing in the doorway about to confront this 'murderer' as the situation appears to be. Why was he following the orders of this blind woman that he has never met before now. "Yeah Yurei, I guess ... I guess I can do that for you."
Simon turned towards the male under the table " Um hello there, can you tell me your name and what happened here since my friend here ~shoots a backwards glance at Yurei~ says that this is her house (Why would be say that, obviously he knows that it isn't his house and she clearly stated that it was her house, how he wishes that he could get rid of this nervousness at the moment) He put as nice a smile as he could on his face.

It was quick like a blow to the head.

An average day was soon shattered by hot, crippling pain exploding in Starbuck's skull. A piercing light flashed behind her eyes. A terrible, trembling horror ripped through her like knives of ice. Blinded, she would feel as if she were falling, falling from an impossible height, down and deep into a hungry hot chasm stretched wide to receive her like the great maw of a beast. Its damp swirling breath smelled bittersweet, like chocolate laced with a hint of cinnamon ...

She awoke at night to the creaking of crickets and the sob of an owl. The air was cool and calm on her cheek; it smelled sweet like rotting leaves and copper. She lay on a low, circular metal platform that was half-buried in the dirt and looked as if it had been there for centuries; there were markings etched into the surface, obscured by ancient moss and creeping ragged vines. The platform was cracked through the middle; sapling trees grew out of the fissure, and the rest was covered in grass and tough weeds. At one side of the platform was a palm-sized silver box with a single keyhole and no seam that could be discerned. Beside it was a small puddle of fresh blood.

Above, a thick rustle of leaves and mossy branches obscured the sky, but she was not without light: a weathered old lantern hung from a high bough of a tree, held up by a thin shimmering thread. It cast a steady, bright red glow upon the platform directly below it, and it illuminated the small clearing of weedy flowers and spines that lay between the platform and the dark towering woods. A few feet from the edge of the platform, among the weeds, was a patch of freshly turned earth.

The tree -- which rose old and twisted beside her, and whose dark gnarled branch supported the lantern that was her only light -- was huge, ancient and twisted grotesquely. There was a deep dark hole in the bark, through which a distinct, strained mechanical noise could be heard: screee chik-chak. rrrrrrrr. screee chik-chak. rrrrrr.

Deep in the dark woods, far beyond the red glow of the lantern, there was sometimes a small flash of green light. In the opposite direction, she might hear the faint echo of a voice screaming angrily. But it only lasted a moment.

Starbuck had been on her way to meet with a ship's captain to barter her way on board when the world shattered around her. Pain unimaginable, blindness, terror, a feeling of falling forever -- and then nothing.

When she regained consciousness, she wondered briefly if she had tripped and broken her neck, and fallen into some bizarre Purgatory. The red light that currently filled her vision certainly seemed to agree with her, as did a vague, annoyingly persistent feeling that she had heard someone screaming.
"What an horribly mundane way to die," she thought. She'd always imagined that she'd go out in some way more heroic and exciting.

Starbuck pushed these thoughts from her mind, and checked herself for injuries. It was an instinct at this point; she'd fallen more times than she cared to count over the course of her adventures. She curled her fingers and toes, gently wiggled her shoulders and neck, coughed a few times to rattle her chest, and gingerly fingered her skull. Thankfully, she found nothing more serious than aches that would undoubtedly turn into nasty bruises. With a sigh and a grunt, she rolled onto her front and pushed herself to her feet, the better to take in her surroundings.

It was undoubtedly very different from the sunny coastal town she had just been walking through. The gnarled, twisted branches overhead and thick plant growth surrounding her seemed ominous, the darkness oppressive, somehow, and she shivered. She spied the silver box, and the hairs on the nape of her neck raised at the sight of what was unmistakably blood next to it, its red color intensified by the light of the lantern. Her senses, already on edge, were now put on high-alert, and her heart beat just a little bit faster.

The metal plate beneath her feet made a muffled clang as her boot shuffled across a patch of exposed metal, and she looked down. She could see the faint outlines of patterns, but the overgrowth obliterated much of it. It looked old, mysterious, and interesting, and she had half a mind to pull the plants away to get a better look. She was about to crouch down to do so, when a sudden realization about the nearby tree distracted her.

It was ticking. Or, not exactly "ticking;" the sound wasn't completely regular enough to be called a "tick." Rather, it was...whirring? Grinding? Curious, Starbuck cautiously approached the tree, warily eyeing the hole in the bark, its darkness impenetrable. She reached out a hand, and oh-so gently touched her fingertips to the bark.

A throbbing pain in his head awoke Talan from his sleep. Ugh my head...what did I do last night, was the only thing going through his head before he opened his eyes. He was greeted by the sight of the trees above, this alone would not be any cause of alarm but Talan's tribe had set up camp in a plainsland. He jumped to his feet and quickly scanned the area around him. What the hell is going on!, he thought as he spun around to examine his surroundings. Besides the darkness of the forest all that accompanied him was a pale red lantern that illuminated the nearby area in a pale red light...that and a woman. He couldn't make out much of her as she was away from the lantern and closer to a tree, examining it almost. He was hesitant to approach, She can be one of two things: the very person who brought me here in which case she could be hostile, or she could be some kind of spirit...either way I'm not going to get anywhere by doing nothing"

Talan carefully approached the woman, silently creeping closer and closer making sure to be as careful as he could to not alert the woman to his presence until he was within striking distance. His heartbeat began to increase as he got closer and closer until he was right behind her. His heart was racing at this point and he was about to extend his hand to tap her on the shoulder but he stopped himself. A moment of hesitation passed as he contemplated whether this was the wisest course of action to take. [i]If she's the reason why I'm here then she must know the way out, he reasoned as he continued to move his closer and closer till he was right next to her. There was a moment of absolute silence, either the forest went quiet or Talan has blocked it all out. It didn't matter because in the next moment he had tackled the woman to the ground and pinned her down. Suddenly all the sounds around him came flooding back to him.

"Why did you bring me here!", he yelled, eyes wild as he stared her down, she was older than him, that he could tell. She wore the clothes of a traveller, her attire adorned with trinkets and other small things. Possibly valuable artifacts. So she was a thief then? A raider? Perhaps a member of another tribe?, all these thoughts ran through his head as he tried to figure out who she was.

Starbuck's heart leaped into her throat out of surprise - she thought for a second that she had triggered the attack by touching the tree, before she realized what was actually happening. She would have cried out, but the breath was knocked out of her as she was tackled to the ground. She struggled against her assailant, trying to wrestle her arms free, but as they were wrenched above her head and quite effectively pinned down by someone bigger, younger, and stronger, she had little chance of escape.
Starbuck found her breath again, looked the man who had attacked her in the eye, and hissed fiercely, "Be quiet, you fool! I'm looking for answers too, but at least I'm not attracting the attention of everything that might be in this forest while I'm doing it!" Her eyes flashed with anger as she twisted her hips and shoulders, trying again to free herself. Perhaps if she threw her weight at just the right angle, she could find some weakness...

Stupid, she thought, chastising herself. Got so wrapped up in that tree that I stopped paying attention to what was behind me. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"Let me up, damn it!" Starbuck growled. "I'm not responsible for bringing you here!"

Talan's eyes widened as he loosened his grip on the woman, only to tighten it once more. "You lie! It's only us here! You took me from my people! Why? What did I do to deserve this?!", he continued to shout on. Whoever she was he was going to get answers, he stared her down maddeningly, "I swear if you don't answer me right now you are going to regret bringing me here!" Talan glanced to his waist where he remembered having his skinning knife only to find it wasn't there. By the gods I can't kill her. Not with my bare hands..that's too much, he thought as a memory of his father's death flashed by. He looked back at the woman and realized she was probably old enough to be a mother...a mother. He quickly loosened his grip and knelt on the ground beside her. I-I can't do it. She could be someone's mother. Some child right now is missing their mother and if I killed her..., Talan began to remember the times he would spend with his mother in the fields, all those times she would tell him stories at night. He closed his eyes before speaking again in a calmer, more remorseful tone, "My apologies... how long have we been here?"

Randold said Randold spoke up, "I think it is a bad idea for me stay behind, its best to stay together. The water has helped I believe I can manage just fine, besides it would be better to use the light source so that everyone can see." Randold held the light berry high in the air.

The boy ducked and skittered backward as Randold stood up, suddenly frightened of the huge man; Randold's powerful presence was made frightful by the glow of the berry in his palm, which cast an eerie shadow on his bearded face.

"Yes, of course, of course," Tyaelaem stammered, crouched low so as not to incur Randold's wrath. "It was only an idea to leave you behind, but I'm usually full of funny ideas. Please, please, this way then. This way." He shuffled backward a little, bowing low, and grasped the princess' hand again -- not quite because it was necessary, now that Randold was with them (and Tyaelaem didn't dare to take the berry from him, so frightened was he now of approaching him), but because he simply liked holding the princess' hand.

Anise said She looked at the "nightstick". On it were runes she didn't understand, which she found disappointing as learning to read was something she had been taught at an early age. She ended up taking the boy's hand. She felt odd leading the way in a place that she was completely unfamiliar with. What happened if she got them lost? That was a silly thought considering she expected to be getting guidance from Tyaelaem. She waited for everyone to take a hand before she started walking down the only path she was aware of.

The hallway was as wide as ten people across, and twice as tall as Randold. It was a wide, arched corridor with ancient, smooth stony rivulets that shimmered in the light in Randold's hand; this hallway had been carved out long ago by centuries of running water, and seemed untouched by human hands.

As they walked away from the pool of healing water -- and away from the subtle glow of Hania's sunken rosary -- Anise's vision began to fail. First, the distance ahead faded and darkened; then, everyone around her seemed dimmer, illuminated only by the light that Randold carried. Her nightstick had stopped working, and she could only see as far as anyone else. Soon enough, the stick was just a stick. No one else who touched it would be able to make it work again.

The hallway went on through a few twists and dark turns, while precious gems shimmered in the walls and above them -- until they could hear the sound of rushing water ahead.

"We're coming near the rootwind falls," Tyaelaem whispered, and he clutched Anise's hand tightly. "Watch out for pirates."

The corridor ended, and they emerged out of the bottom of a sheer rock face and stepped out into lush grass, softly illuminated by the stars above. The thunder of falling water roared in their ears.

To their right was a rock face curled with vines and moss that reached impossibly high. Something alive was flapping and circling high above in the darkness, but it was impossible to see.

To the left was a thin path that led through a grove of thick dark trees; glowing fruit, like the one in Randold's hand, grew like mushrooms on these trees: they were nestled in the crevices of their trunks and branches, and shone brightly in small clusters.

Straight ahead was tall grass, and two more of those dark trees. Five yards ahead of the mouth of the corridor, the land ended abruptly and dropped into a bottomless chasm. This is where the sound of a waterfall was coming from.

One would have to walk to the edge of the chasm and look down in order to see the colossal waterfall surging below. The dark trees stretched their roots out into the waterfall, as if drinking from it.

Starbuck said Curious, Starbuck cautiously approached the tree, warily eyeing the hole in the bark, its darkness impenetrable. She reached out a hand, and oh-so gently touched her fingertips to the bark.

It took a few moments -- indeed, by the time a reaction presented itself, Starbuck was already under attack -- but soon the bark of the tree twitched and shuddered where her fingers had pressed against it. The shudder rippled through the tree; the branches twisted and bright green leaves fluttered down all around. The lantern swayed slightly. And then, again, beginning where her touch had been, small runic writing etched itself into the wood, as if carved out from the inside. The writing spread out, twisting along the gnarled bark, and wrapped around the trunk and the roots and the branches. The tree continued to whirr and click steadily in the light of the red lantern.

Talan said It didn't matter because in the next moment he had tackled the woman to the ground and pinned her down.

Starbuck's head hit the platform with a dull, hollow sound. With her ear so close, she might hear ticking far beneath her.

His hand -- where it was wrapped tightly around Starbuck's wrist -- grazed the metal platform beneath them. Though it was covered in moss and vines, a very small shimmer of light might be seen if one looked carefully. Further investigation might reveal that one of the runes etched into the metal, which Talan had accidentally touched, had begun to glimmer like precious stone in the light of the lantern, where it had certainly not done so before.

Talan said "Why did you bring me here!", he yelled . . .

While the two roared in argument, a rustle moved in the trees at the edge of the clearing, beyond the reach of the lantern's light. A brown owl fluttered out of the woods and flopped quietly into the grass, keeping silent and low so as not to be seen. It eased its wings closed and it shuffled forward carefully, closer and closer to the platform, between weeds and flowers and mossy stones. Its big shining eyes were set eagerly on the little silver box.

Kituo jumped back as the strange symbols on the tree emitted a vibrant glow. He was dazzled by the spectacle, caught completely by surprise. If it wasn't one thing with this weird forest it was another. Blood draining from his body, he attempted to comprehend just what was going on with the tree. A strange sound that he couldn't describe entered his ear. It was clunky and reminiscent of metal hitting together. Concurrently, he heard a ticking noise which startled him just like everything else about the crisis he found himself in.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse - and it always did - he watched as his lifeline rose out of grasp. Kituo's heart skipped a beat as the lantern lifted upwards into the forest canopy. Kituo bit his lower lip. Just how would he survive now? That lantern was what had saved his life from the rat. He needed to snag it and use it to keep himself safe. His mind raced with schemes on how to bring the lantern back down to his level. None of them were remotely possible given his present condition. He had to keep in mind that he was still bleeding. His wooziness wasn't subsiding either.

At this point he was worried no longer about the tall guy. They were both practically on their own for neither could really help the other out. Thankfully, it seemed that they both had enough strength to stand on their own - at least that was how Kituo interpreted the tall guy's condition. He judged his own health to be less than ideal but, as long as he had legs to run away with, he would probably be fine. After he was finished debating on what would be the next logical course of action, he glanced up into the canopy again to see if the lantern was still visible. It had come to a stop but it was still far from his reach.

Darn....

He had all but given up. At that moment he was seriously considering suicide as a reasonable solution to his troubles. He preferred to end his own suffering rather than allow some outside force to take his life slowly and painfully. He shook his head. How dare he backtrack already? It wasn't too long ago that he decided that he wanted to live no matter what. He didn't know why he wanted to continue living but he did and there was nothing he had gone through yet that could change his mind.

Looks like I'll have to try something else.

Snap!

Right when he looked down, something dropped and hit the metal platform at the center of the forest floor. Kituo, expecting to be confronted by another feral beast, saw that it was the lantern he desperately desired to possess. It was ironic that the object he viewed as his ward had almost ripped his head off of his shoulders. Hope streaming through him, Kituo made his way towards the lantern with the intention of picking it up. He ignored the cacophony from within the ruined tree. He didn't view it as any personal concern. He was finally going to get his hands on his ticket to survival.

Kituo stopped abruptly, the heavy breathing creeping into his ears. He looked at the tall guy. It wasn't him. It was neither of them. Kituo would've threw a tantrum if he had it in him. It was exactly what he didn't want to appear. Palms sweating and teeth gritting, he looked up to see what he thought of as the harbinger of his own demise. It was big and monstrous unlike the rat that tore his ear apart. If Kituo could barely endure the assault of a mere vermin, there was no way he stood a chance against the brute that towered above him. The wolf whined and so did he.

Oh to hell with it.

Either way...I guess I'm going to die.

Closing his eyes, Kituo dove for the lantern.

Simon said " Um hello there, can you tell me your name and what happened here since my friend here ~shoots a backwards glance at Yurei~ says that this is her house"

Yurei scrabbled her foot on the porch, and only waited a few seconds before she boldly pushed Simon out of the way. "You're too nice, boy!" she griped. "You don't play nice with the intruders! What if he's a kith? He could have your eyeballs out," she snapped her gnarled fingers in Simon's face, "like that!" She smacked him behind the head and stomped her way into the room.

She shuffled up to the edge of the table, and she stopped, her lined face going pale. She sniffed the air, and she listened. "The blood-rat . . ." she whispered in horror. "No, no, no, no!" In a flurry she rounded the table, knocked over a few pans and a half-eaten sandwich, set the jellyfish swinging from the ceiling, and she grabbed the cage with both hands. "Squeaky! Squeaky!" She rounded in a fury and smacked the table. "What happened? WHAT DID YOU DO." She kicked under the table, upsetting the lantern with a clatter. "That rat is the catalyst of every protection spell in a three-mile radius! We're about to be eaten! Get out so I can slaughter you properly before the trees do it for me!"

Outside, there was a sharp CRACK of stone breaking. Bats screeched. Something was moving under the floor. Something else was scrabbling on the roof. Yurei had picked up a frying pan and menaced Arin with it, with an expression of fearless animosity.

Kituo said The wolf whined and so did he.

Oh to hell with it.

Either way...I guess I'm going to die.

Closing his eyes, Kituo dove for the lantern.

The lantern was soon in Kituo's possession, clinking and rattling as he withdrew it from the metal platform. The glass had been chipped, but it was in fair condition, if old and a bit mossy. It was clear now that there was no flame inside the artifact: it was an egg, secured within the lantern casing, that was glowing a bright green from within. A rune was carved into the rigid shell, and it shone brighter than the rest.

The platform underneath Kituo's feet had begun to hum; it vibrated and clicked, as if something mechanical below was struggling to lift it.

Now that the lantern was closer to the ground, the reach of its light was not at all as far as it once had been. The darkness encroached all around; the silhouettes of the trees began to shift, and something skittered in the darkness just beyond Kituo's sight. There was a distinct multitude of something watching him from the shadows, but nothing made its appearance.

The great wolf stared down at him with eyes that seemed to glow yellow in the night. It panted quietly, and its ears pricked in curiosity. It sat down in the grass at the edge of the platform and whined again, watching Kituo, and made no movement that suggested it would attack at all. In fact it lowered its head, blinking and snuffling at him, not at all bothered by the light of the lantern.

CRACK

In the darkness outside the hut, the stone circle broke with a sound like lightning.

HSSSSSSSSSS

A swarm of something rushed like snakes through the grass, out of the woods, toward the hut. They darted in an ambush from all sides.

The walls of the hut trembled and crumbled. The sharp tips of tree roots pushed through the walls and snaked into the room. Bits of wood and plaster crumbled to the floor in their wake. Jars and boxes crashed to the floor. Strange liquids pooled around their feet.

"RUN!" Yurei screamed, even as she beat at the invading roots with an iron poker. One of the roots grabbed her around the waist and suddenly yanked her high into the air and out through the thatched roof, leaving a hole where she had gone. The iron poker clattered to the floor.

A long thick root, like an anaconda, swirled around Simon's feet and flung him to the ground as it wrapped tightly around his legs. It wrapped itself higher and higher over his body -- it was around his waist, his chest, up to his neck, tight and unforgiving as a hungry snake. When the spiral of root reached his chin it yanked him along the floor and pulled him, speeding through the grass, out into the dark forest air. He would hear the trickle of water pass by; the chitter and screech of an excitable night forest; something big rushing and gnashing its teeth, left behind in an instant. The root dragged Simon -- encased in living wood -- along through leaves and branches, under bushes and over rocks. Once, he might see a swarm of fireflies rush past -- but otherwise there were only sounds, and darkness, and the scrape of dried leaves and sticks in his hair as he was pulled along the ground.

And then, suddenly, the ground stopped. There was nothing to see but darkness, but there was nothing but air beneath him. He had been pulled over the edge of a high precipice. The sounds of the forest were left behind. Simon would have the distinct feeling, in the complete darkness, that there was a gaping chasm below him, hollow and deep and dark as nothingness.

The root released him, and Simon had nothing to hold onto, nothing to touch or see or hear; only empty space all around. He fell down, down . . . down, into darkness.

And then, as he fell, just in front of him in the distance there appeared a small green light.



Peryn

It was quick like a blow to the head.

Peryn's sleep was soon shattered by hot, crippling pain exploding in his skull. A piercing light flashed behind his eyes. A terrible, trembling horror ripped through him like knives of ice. Blinded, he would feel as if he were falling, falling from an impossible height, down and deep into a hungry hot chasm stretched wide to receive him like the great maw of a beast. Its damp swirling breath smelled bittersweet, like chocolate laced with a hint of cinnamon ...

He awoke at night, to the sound of two people arguing. He lay on a metal platform that was covered in roots and vines and moss, that was ticking from deep within it. Above him, a red glowing lantern hung by a thread from the bough of an ancient gnarled tree. All around him, there was a deep and dark forest. He might catch a glimpse of an owl laying its claws on a small silver box at the edge of the platform. But there wasn't time to investigate further.

Peryn & Talan

The tree roots that covered the metal platform suddenly shifted, like petrified snakes suddenly come to life.

GRRRROOOOOAAAAANNNN CRACK!

The platform creaked under the strain of the roots, and then -- quite suddenly -- there was no floor beneath Starbuck, Talan and Peryn. Only dark, empty space.

The metal platform fell out from beneath them, and in the time it took to take a breath, the red light of the lantern and the ground itself rushed away above them. They fell, deep into still, black nothingness. The spot of the lantern's light was gone high above. There was nothing but dark and empty space.

Until, in the distance to their left, they might see a small green light.



While the great wolf stared at Kituo -- and the lantern glowed green in his trembling hand -- the metal platform under his feet suddenly gave way with a tremendous, shattering CRACK. The roots that crisscrossed the broken platform had shifted, and with a great yank had further destroyed the metal and thrust it down into the deep dark abyss below. In a moment there was nothing beneath Kituo but empty, gaping darkness. He -- and the lantern gripped tightly in his hand -- fell.

The wolf's howl faded above him.

The lantern glowed bright while he fell, and fell. In its light, he might see the flash of eyes rushing past him. A jutting stone appeared in the light, and Kituo narrowly missed being gouged by its sharp point. A swarm of fluttering butterflies appeared and then disappeared in the green light. Leaves glimmered and rushed past. There seemed to be no end in sight.





And then, in midair, their fall began to slow. As if weightless, Simon, Kituo, Peryn and Talan floated down into the darkness.

Bubbles, glimmering with a golden light, rose up from the darkness below. They surrounded the travelers and swirled gently around them. The air seemed to be getting thicker, and smelled like musky incense. A warm wind swirled around them, and the three were gently falling closer and closer, until the green lantern that Kituo held illuminated them all. First Simon drifted into the light of the lantern -- then Talan and Peryn, from the opposite side, was blown closer by the warm wind. Bubbles swirled all around them, as if it were they that had slowed the fall.

The lantern light illuminated treetops, and glimmered on water far below; they heard the rush of a waterfall, and the whisper of leaves in the wind. As they descended at last toward the ground, fireflies appeared and swarmed overhead. The fireflies gathered on the boughs of the trees -- millions upon millions of them, like a star-encrusted sky -- and gave a golden light to the still forest that they now found themselves in.

Their feet touched the grass, and they were standing on the bank of a small creek that glimmered by the light of the fireflies overhead. The trees here were slightly different -- dry and cracked, but full of deep green leaves. Their branches were covered in bright glowing fireflies. There was no ticking here: no sign of human interference, or that any human had ever set foot here at all.

Each of the trees had a face peeking out from the trunk. They were not living faces, but masks: white masks that seemed to be growing out of the bark. Each tree only had one mask, and each mask represented a different animal: a wolf, a badger, a deer, a hawk, a bear. One touch might release the mask from the tree, so delicately were they attached.

The travelers were being watched. A few yards away, someone -- or something -- stood very still. It was shaped like a child, with horns like a bull -- but it was entirely ghostly white, translucent and glowing. The ghostly child flickered and turned its faceless head, looking from one traveler to the next, and its long translucent coat lifted in the breeze.

As Kituo latched his hands onto the lantern, time seemed to pass slower than a turtle walking across an empty field. He was sure that it would be the end of him. There was no way the wolf was going to leave him unharmed. He winced as he felt what he thought was the beast's hot breath scorching against the back of his neck. Summoning an ounce of determination, he grabbed a hold of the lantern and yanked it close to his chest as if it were a baby and he were its parent. For a brief, almost celebratory moment, the green light which the lantern emitted falsely delved Kituo into sanctuary. He reflected on the earlier rat attack and how the light of the lantern seemed to ward the pest away. Kituo was hoping that it would do the same for him now.

To Kituo's surprise, he hadn't been torn to shreds yet. He took his chance to inspect the lantern and become formally acquainted with his life line. He was more fascinated with the light it gave off rather than the object itself. The forest around him was dark and menacing. To Kituo the lantern was the closest thing to the sun he had seen since his arrival. However, unlike the sun which was essentiailly a giant ball of flames, the lantern was not ignited. Instead it was lit by a different means. Encased within its glass was something oval shaped. After taking note of the additional details, Kituo realized that it was an egg. This baffled him. Since when did eggs glow? Then again, since when did people wake up in the middle of random forests? He snapped himself back into focus. Now that he had the lantern he could be on his way. He looked towards the tall guy.

Finders keepers.

He would only be a liability anyway. Whatever he was going through, he would have to go through it alone. At that point Kituo's ultimate concern was none other than his own survival. Did he feel bad for what he was about to do next? Did he feel dispicable for this decision? Yes but still it made no difference. It was in Kituo's nature to perform such acts. He wasn't the knight who rescued people in need. He was the peasant who ran for cover when his town got raided. He secured the lantern only for himself and no one else. The most he was willing to do was wish the tall guy good luck in his own endeavors. Now he had to be on his way.

What was that?

Kituo's dark brown eyes zipped from side to side. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt like there was something looming around. Oh wait - there was still a big black wolf towering above him! He had gotten so involved with the lantern and his own plotting that he forgot about the immediate threat. He had to find a way to separate himself from the wolf. While he had a feeling that it wasn't as much of a threat as he perceived it to be - after all it had yet to butcher him - Kituo knew his luck was about to run out. His physical condition wasn't up to par with his ear still leaking blood and his sanity was far from intact. The way he saw it there was no good a wolf could do him given his circumstances. He took a step back and was thrust into another change.

The wolf was docile. It simply sat in the grass with its eyes locked onto Kituo. If its behavior was supposed to make him feel more at ease, it didn't. The beast's yellow eyes pierced through Kituo like the sharpest of arrows. Its gaze must have contained venom for Kituo felt his joints lock at eye contact. Kituo dragged his sight down to the lantern and pulled it back to the wolf. The lantern wasn't having any affect whatsoever. For all Kituo could register, the wolf was bathing in its radiance just as much as he was. The fear nestled back into Kituo. The lantern was able to ward away weaker troubles but apparently it was ineffective to the might of bigger foes.

I have to get out of here!

He may have been over thinking but what else could he could do? He had learned from his encounter with the rat that animals were in no way predictable. They could not be read like fortunes. The wolf may not have been indicating that it wanted to devour Kituo but he had no trust towards any creature. The wolf's mere presence was enough to beckon suspicion. It was probably scheming to chase Kituo down when he turned his back as if he were a typical deer. Perhaps he could try running backwards so he could keep his attention on it. Such a preposterous idea was bound to fail but at least he wouldn't die blind to his assailant.

SNAP!

Kituo's eyes pulsated as he felt the metal beneath him crumble and wither. He stood ontop of a void before plummeting. Physically he was going anywhere but mentally he falling further into despair. The darkness fogged his vision as if were a dust storm. His only connection to the world above besides the lantern, which he held onto tighter than ever, was the ominous draw of the wolf's howl. Kituo assumed that it was either mocking his calamity or expressing regret at saving its dinner for later. As Kituo continued to fall the wolf's voice dissipated. He was now trapped in the darkness without any formidable aid. Not even the lantern's green glow was capable of breaking the obscurity. Kituo was dead. Finally.

Okay, so he was wrong like before.

He vaguely make out shapes as he fell but he could not form any specifics. The speed at which he descended made observing next to impossible. What he did see was nothing more than speculations that would not latter matter for they quickly fell out of his reach. His heart ripped as he whisked by the edge of a protruding stone. Well, at least he still had a bit of luck remaining. That was the only factor he could give credit to for his survival. The hope that was given by the lantern and its vibrancy was merely a placebo effect - a fallacy that stemmed only from Kituo's deepest desire. It was only a light. What could it really do against the world's true horrors. He had seen monstrosities illuminated as much as they were shadowed. All the light did was make the macabre easier to see.

Swoosh! Swish!

The light made the truth clearer to Kituo - that his ordeal was not yet over. Leaves brushed against him, their blades swiping his skin as he emerged from the abyss and into another portion of the unknown.

H-huh?

The glimpse of butterflies shocked Kituo more than the giant wolf and the vicious rat. They were so gentle that their essence was almost unrealistic. Alas, like all else that inspired him, they did not stick around long for him to cherish. The speed of Kituo's shifted from that of a meteor soaring through the atmosphere to that of a floating feather. The darkness still encompassed him but it no longer was so remote. Although it might have been a delusion he conjured just to help himself adjust, Kituo felt as though he accommodated to the darkness. Now that he slowed down, he could at least rest his heart before it popped. He accepted that his fate was out of his hands for now. He spread out his arms and legs and embraced the fall.

Pop!

Kituo felt a smidgen of liquid splash his skin. This awoke him from his swift respite to a veil of bubbles cloaking him. Kituo pulled the lantern up towards his chin as the silhouettes of a familiar shape brought themselves to him. People. Two to be exact. As if it had a magnetic pull, the lantern drug the two into Kituo's orbit. Like he they also had bubbles shielding them. This brought questions into Kituo's mind. Were these people also in the forest above? Were there others where they came from? Just where were they going and would they go there together? Kituo looked at the newcomers and initially wanted to withdraw. He was reminded of the tall guy who was formerly in his company. If Kituo was here then what became of him? Would Kituo be to blame for his fate if it ended up bad? He didn't want to know.

Guuusssh! Whooom!

As they continued to hover, Kituo scanned what lay below. He was blessed with an ending to his nauseating trip. The sound of the waterfall and the breeze graced what remained of his ears. His body temperature cooled, his chest flattened, and his breath steadied. The grass massaged his feet as he reunited with the land. Never before had he felt so grateful for the ability to walk. Coating the trees was a shine that dwarfed that of the lantern's, small insects being the candles that brightened the view.

Shortly after regaining his composure, Kituo took to the adjacent creek. It was exactly what he needed. He was wounded so perhaps a bit of water would remedy some of the pain and bleeding. He splashed his face to clean off the blood, allowing some of the water to enter his mouth to quench his nagging thirst. He indulged himself with the creek until he obtained his fill of water. Standing up, he returned to his own dealings. While the scenery was different from before, he still found it to be weird. What intrigued him the most was the faces of animals embedded within the bark of the trees. They were white and static to Kituo. They weren't real but artificial which did not make them alarming.

But there was something else that was.

"W-who are you?" Kituo asked.

It was too soon. Way too soon. He had only just recollected himself when he saw the horned specter. And it definitely saw them too.

up and he was the only one to heed her knowledge and follow her. Not that it had seemed to work out for the best at the moment. Oh dear Lord Yurei !! She is blind and was left to deal with that thing that pulled her through the roof. He doesn't know why he cared so much about her, she wasn't exactly a delightful person to be with. Maybe it was because she seemed to be the only person who seemed to have any bloody answers about where they were and what was going on. Simon gave a little sigh and decided that he should open his eyes and see what kind of mess he was in now.

being. When he opened his eyes all he could see was green, green grass, green trees, and a green lantern caught the corner of his eye. He hated these lanterns, nothing decent has happened before or after seeing on of these. The last time he seen a lantern was that blue was with the rat killer that later proceeded in him being dragged away but a giant root that still had him a bit sore from the squeeze that it had put on him. Simon heard splashing a little distance away and feared the worse, like a giant octopus to drag him into the water to finish him off however it was a person who had black hair like himself and looked a few years younger than him. It didn't look him he had any weapons near him which made him feel a little bit safer, only a little bit though.

that seemed to be one with a tree across of the little creek that the boy was playing in. Back in Simons home village there is a old myth that the town was protected by the ancient spirit of Grimgolvin the Original Five god animals. Even though it was only a myth nothing bad ever entered the village, which was a good thing since there wasn't many capable of defending against any forces.

first moment that he had awakened in this ... delightful place so the girl who had used the same line, before any of this journey had begone. He had looked at the boy "Hello my name is Simon, Simon Connor. May I ask who you might be" while saying this he extended a friendly smile.

Before he could get an answer from Starbuck, the ground beneath Talan opened and he plummeted into the abyss below to what he believed to be his death. To his surprise it was not death that greeted him at the end of his fall but bubbles and a new area of the forest. He looked around to examine his surroundings and saw a green light in the distance. Following it he began to make out better what it was, to his surprise it was another lantern but in someone's hand. In addition it attracted others towards its emerald glow and gave Talan the realization that he'd need a lantern of his own if not the one present. 

It seems I'm forced to deal with this lot, last thing I want is to be on my own agai st whatever lurks in this gods forsaken place, if he was going to survive here he'd need their help as well. As much as he hated relying on others this place was not familiar to him and so the more people he she watching his back the better off he'd be. For now the plan would be to make camp and survive till daybreak then get moving for the forest's end.

He approached the holder of the lantern and said with a stern tone of voice, "Looks as if we all are stuck together. For now it would probably be best if we stay by this creek. Since its the only water source we know of we should stay nearby while some of us search for food. I'll go find us something to eat, you deal with the others. Talan wasn't going to have some fool lead them to their deaths, if anyone had experience with surviving in the wilderness it was most likely him. If someone had a better idea they were welcome to chime in but until then it looked as if he was in charge. 

Talan looked around but did not notice the horned girl as Kituo did. He only had one thing in mind and that was survival. His eyes were focused only on what he'd need to stay alive and so he picked up a nearby branch from the ground and a relatively flat rock and began whittling away at the branch to make into a spear. He was about to head on his way when he noticed the masks on the trees. There was something about the wolf mask that called to him, perhaps it's similiarity to a hound he once had as a boy or the fact that it reminded him if himself. An omega wolf was the outcast in a pack, Talan was an outcast in his tribe. The two lone warriors lived similar lives and this caused Talan to reach out ever so carefully, eyes darting in case this was a trap, and plucked the mask from the tree. 

Kituo said Shortly after regaining his composure, Kituo took to the adjacent creek. It was exactly what he needed. He was wounded so perhaps a bit of water would remedy some of the pain and bleeding. He splashed his face to clean off the blood, allowing some of the water to enter his mouth to quench his nagging thirst. He indulged himself with the creek until he obtained his fill of water.

The water was cool, sweet, and clear as glass. As it rushed over the stones in the creek bed it sparkled in the light of the fireflies. In Kituo's cupped hands, tiny flecks of gold floated in the water, catching the light. Upon drinking it, Kituo would immediately feel refreshed and alert, as if he'd had a full night's sleep. The bleeding at his ear had stopped, and the wound tingled.

Kituo said "W-who are you?" Kituo asked.

It was too soon. Way too soon. He had only just recollected himself when he saw the horned specter. And it definitely saw them too.

The ghost flickered, but there was no way to tell whether it noticed him. A soft breeze gently lifted a translucent shawl around its neck. And then, it stretched its neck a little, as if to get a better view of the taller men. Its face very certainly was turned toward Kituo, though there were no eyes nor mouth -- just a glow, reminiscent of the glitter in the water.

And then, Kituo would hear a whisper in his damaged ear; it spoke in two hollow, childlike voices, like a faint echo in a cavern: "I am the Sparrow King. Who are you?"

Only Kituo had heard the voice, spoken directly into his ear, though the spectre had never moved from where it stood.

Talan said His eyes were focused only on what he'd need to stay alive and so he picked up a nearby branch from the ground and a relatively flat rock and began whittling away at the branch to make into a spear.

As shavings fell from the branch in his hand, Talan would find that the wood was still new, pliant and alive, though the branch had been found broken in the grass. With every cut of the stone, the white wood beneath the bark seeped with tiny droplets of thick, honeylike sap. It was lavender in color and smelled like sugar and tarnished silver.

Should Kituo happen to look at the sap from the branch, he might recognize it as the same liquid that had been in the glass bottle from the skeleton's cocoon.

Talan said He was about to head on his way when he noticed the masks on the trees. There was something about the wolf mask that called to him, perhaps it's similiarity to a hound he once had as a boy or the fact that it reminded him if himself. An omega wolf was the outcast in a pack, Talan was an outcast in his tribe. The two lone warriors lived similar lives and this caused Talan to reach out ever so carefully, eyes darting in case this was a trap, and plucked the mask from the tree.

The mask was pure white and shaped out of living wood, with no chisel marks anywhere upon it, as if it had been molded instead of carved. It released from the tree easily, as if it had only been held there by the slightest resistance. The spot on the tree where the mask had been was soft, white living wood, exposed and stripped of bark. Very slowly, the wood began to ripple and grow. The tree had begun to grow a new mask.

The mask itself was slightly warm and soft to the touch. There was no physical sensation, but Talan might have the distinct feeling that the entire forest was now watching him.

The sensation struck Kituo, causing him to cringe. He felt his injured ear and widened his eyes, his jaws falling open. The bleeding had stopped. He was stunned. Unable to resist the urge to look back at the creek, Kituo noticed the golden flakes floating in the water. They had to be the source of his healing. He still had a smidgen of luck left. For the first time in awhile he smiled but not out of happiness. Kituo finally found an ounce of confidence. Only time could tell whether it would last or not. There were still mysteries afoot - the strange being before the trio being his current priority.

Kituo observed his newly acquired companions. One of them introduced himself but Kituo didn't exactly care. He wasn't interested in getting to know anyone. Survival was his only objective. Looking away from Simon to focus on the ghost, he uttered his name.

"I'm Kituo - Kituo Maji. Do you know where we are?"

He sounded apathetic towards Simon. Whether he meant to or not was not of any dire importance - at least to him. In fact, it seemed as if Kituo were talking to the ghost instead. While he hadn't expected it to respond to him, let alone answer his question, Kituo decided it would be best to prod it even further. The whisper it sent to his ear was eerie yet it had a sort of innocent vibe. Of course he was terrified but he hadn't come this far by not taking any risks. He clenched the lantern even tighter. The Sparrow King? Well, at least he had yet to attack them. While the rat and the wolf were certainly abnormalities in Kituo's eyes, the Sparrow King was by superior. It spoke to him from afar and had no visible facial features. A chill ran up Kituo's spine. Why did he have to go and speak to it? What if it tried to possess him?

The confidence he gained had already subsided within a matter of seconds, his legs starting trembling out of apprehension. He couldn't bring himself to continue looking at the Sparrow King. For some reason, he believed that it would allow the ghost to penetrate his body and override his control. Kituo's eyes took to the other individual who was in his company. He didn't too much like how he had inserted himself into a leadership position. However, Kituo didn't exactly mind taking orders as long as they were from someone capable. He watched as he made what appeared to be a spear. Kituo wasn't too familiar with weaponry but he was able to make out such a weapon for it was the standard arm of his city's guards. For now Kituo would not oppose his command. If he could use the forest around them to craft a weapon then he undoubtedly had enough wit and strength for Kituo to depend on.

Wait a second....

As the shavings from the branch dropped into the grass, Kituo noticed yet another phenomenon. He reflected on the time he spent with the tall guy and managed to recall the strange bottle he grabbed from the skeleton. At that instance Kituo didn't find the substance to be of any significance. Even now he didn't think it was much vital. However, someone else had gone through the trouble of trapping the same liquid in a bottle. Kituo was far from a genius but he was able to spot a potential resource when he saw one. But, he didn't have the guts to point out the sight. Besides, for all he knew the sap could be poisonous. He would leave it be for now.

Other than the Sparrow King, what was of more interest was the next action taken by the same man who attempted to craft a spear. He took one the masks from the tree - the one featuring the wolf to be exact. Kituo was admittedly curious about the masks as well but he didn't think investigating them was a good idea. His heat banged against his chest as a new mask started to sprout in place of the removed one. His eyes zipped back to the Sparrow King in hopes that it had not advanced. There it was again. The nauseous associated with Kituo's nervousness. He had his suspicions which he interpreted as bad baggage. So far nothing good had come from any of them. What if the masks were traps? Kituo couldn't allow himself to get caught up in the recklessness of another. He had to protest.

"H-hey are you sure t-that's a good idea? T-those masks could be evil!"

Yes the very notion of what Kituo was trying to convey may have been preposterous, but then again so was the presence of one called the Sparrow King. If he were to tell anyone at home that he met a ghost he would face ridicule and possibly be marked as insane. The amount of chances Kituo had taken so far were enough to end multiple lifetimes. If the three of them were going to be sticking together, then they should at least take each others safety into account. In preparation for a possible disaster, Kituo raised the lantern up. The confidence he could not keep within his own mind was compressed into it. He was beginning to depend on the lantern more than his own father.

As Talan chipped away at the branch he had noticed the sap from it begin to ooze out from it. Surprised he examined it closer to find that the branch was well alive despite it being severed from the tree when he found it. Perhaps it has just fallen off? No it would have shown signs of drying up already. This is not a normal forest...something strange is at work here For now he cast his curiosity aside. What the group needed now was food and a fire and it was up to him to provide one of those, both if he had to. 

This reminded him of home before the attack. Every night the tribe would get ready for the final meal of the day. Some gathered wood for the fire, others the meat and other foods. After his father and he returned from hunting Talan would play with the other children. They children would craft spears and battle each other around the fire as the adults watched or conversed among themselves. That was what he missed most about the tribe. Before the attack life was great he has everything he needed and a family that extended beyond his mother and father. Now he was an outcast, a pariah to his people and it were these thoughts that caused him to take the mask. 

Before he touched it though he heard the lantern holder speak to him, warning him not to touch it. He gave him a look of concern, he was right this was not natural none of this was. Yet he couldn't help but take it, as soon as did another began to grow in it's place and Talan immediately felt the sensation of being watched from all over. By the gods what have I done, he thought to himself as he stood there still as possible. He ever so slowly took hold of his spear in both hands and with one quick movement he got into a stance his father taught him when facing a wild animal. 

Possibly coincidence but Talan had a feeling whatever was watching him was a wolf pack. If that was the case he and his newly made friends were in big trouble if he was the only one who knew how to fight. He quickly backed towards the others with spear in hand aimed towards the darkness. His eyes darted as he scanned the surrounding area preparing for what was out there waiting to strike. His heart began to pound in his chest, not out of fear however but out of adrenaline. The hunt always gave him a rush especially if his quarry was able to turn the tables. When hunter became hunted was when Talan felt the most excitement in his life and he had great respect for anything that could do this, for a creature faced with odds stacked against them to rise above the challenge that required strength. 

However the fact still remained that it was a threat to him and his people(is that who they were now?)and it was either them or the creature and Talan favored the latter. He said to the others in a low tone yet loud and sharp enough for them to hear him, "Someone make a fire. Now!" He quickly snapped his branch in half and crudely chipped of pieces of the broken off half into a smaller spear. Tossing it in the others' general direction so as to arm themselves he switched his stance from spear to dagger wielding. Whatever was coming was going to have to fight for it's meal. 

There was never a moment to relax. Never mind that they were in the middle of an alluring forest, conflict was rearing its head and preventing them from catching their breaths. The reaction that Kituo received from the spear craftsman was not exactly what he expected. He had read the man as being hardy - which he probably was given his familiarity with the wilderness - but Kituo predicted a disparaging response to his concerns. He always did for they were usually marked off as paranoia. The look that the spear craftsman gave Kituo signaled to him that he considered the truth in his statement. At least they could all agree that masks didn't grow on trees. But alas, which was now becoming habit, there were more pressing matters that required their attention.

The Sparrow King wasn't an immediate threat. But something was. While he didn't notice any sign of impending trouble - if the phantom standing nearby didn't qualify as such - Kituo could tell by the spear craftsman's immediate reaction after he grabbed the mask that there was a new emissary a foot. Keeping up with his tradition, Kituo's teeth chattered and his knees knocked together. There was only threat worse than a visible one and that was an invisible one. Being the nervous wreck that he was, Kitou's mind went on a festival conjuring up visuals of hypothetical monsters and assassins who were waiting for their chance to spring from the shadows and tear into the trio. That was Kituo's problem. He allowed his mind to pilot itself and he seldom grabbed the reins of his thoughts. Most of the time he was really scaring himself into not taking any action. He would find a way to justify his cowardice, though. He wasn't planning on coming out of his comfort zone even if he had to.

And of course, as fate would have it, the makeshift spear that fell into his free hand messaged Kituo that his comfort zone was effectively neutralized. He looked at the spear craftsman with disdain, his jaws a gap in disbelief. Did he really expect him who was perhaps the scrawniest of the bunch to put an adequate fight? Kituo was better off lightning the fire that was ordered. His stomach fluttered as the spear craftsman shifted into a fighting stance. The leader of the trio was preparing for battle not even knowing if he could trust his "comrades" to aid him. While he was clutching a spear of his own, Kituo knew that his weapon wasn't the best for it had been forged in a matter of seconds. He marveled the lantern and its green glow. He had relied solely on it and dumb luck with roughly successful results. No use changing from a working strategy. Of course he wouldn't dare leave the company of a survivalist. He glanced at the one who introduced himself as Simon. While he didn't look like a fighter in comparison to the spear craftsman, the way he carried himself led Kituo to believe that he was at least capable of thinking his way through a tough spot. Kituo lacked the necessary confidence to do anything for himself. If an assailant were to truly emerge then he would stick close to Simon. He expected the spear craftsman to charge head on into battle and he did not want to be within a giraffe's neck's reach of the violence.

"Do you want to get started on that fire?" Kituo asked Simon. He held out his incomplete spear to Simon. "Also, you can have this if you want. I won't be needing it."

Kituo was not going to risk having another part of his body shredded. While the pain had simmered for now, he wasn't in a hurry to be reminded of how badly that rat had mangled his ear. Fathoming how horrid it would be for his eyes or nose to suffer a similar fate made Kituo's heart skip a beat. If the heat became too intense for him handle - and he was very familiar with high temperatures having grown up in the desert - he was fully prepared to run away. With the lantern nestled within his arms he could hopefully last at least a day on his own.

they have landed themselves into. Now it was this unseen threat that this spearman has made apparent since he know that he hadn't noticed anything changes or any quick changes in sound. Barking orders about fire and preparing to combat this threat so we don't get eaten. Which isn't one hundred percent accurate since it could be someone as "helpful" as Yurei.

the sort of things that had happened inside of this forest he can completely understand the concern. As all of this is running through Simons head he hears Kituo say " Do you want to get started on that fire " ... Fire yeah if it can help us survive this encounter he would do pretty much anything. When he had said that he was scanning around to see what he could use to start a fire that was when he heard Kituo slip in " Also, you can have this if you want. I won't be needing it" Simon looked at this little piece of wood, he wasn't really trained in extensive combat just basic self-defence in case anything had ever happened. Simon looked at Kituo " Why don't you hold on to that for one minute while I get that fire going"

called ' Ikaro ', how could this plant be in this place. Given the situation he really didnt have much time to think about it. He had run over to the Ikaro plant and started seperating as much as he could quickly. Now that he had the plant his heart was pounding since he didn't know how long he had until this situation escalated, which was when he noticed a nice and thick branch that was half hanging off a nearby tree. While rushing over to the tree Simon had tripped over a partially sticking out root, and when Simon got caught in the roots he had uprooted them. This gave him a idea, he could use the roots to tie the Ikaro leaves onto the tree branch! When Simon got to the branch he grabbed onto it and jumped letting all his weight to take it away from the tree that it has been attached to for a quite a length of time giving the size of the tree.

spark to get this makeshift torch alit. He sat down and rolled all of the Ikaro leaves that he had collected nice and snug around the tip of the branch until he had none left. That was when he picked up the trees roots and secured the leaves onto the branch. This was the moment of truth, to see this survival tool through to the end. He looked around to make sure that it wasn't to late, he didn't see the spearman running through the forest charging anything or didn't hear any death screams which was a step in the right direction.

Again Nothing - Strike- Simon dropped the rocks to the ground. Why wasn't he getting any sparks, his success could potentially save all of their lives. He reached to pick up the stones once more time, when his hands touched the stones his eyes rolled into the back on his head like he was possessed. This times when the stones struck is wasn't nearly as hard or frantic as the other three times but ... well ... it was perfect. There was a small amount of smoke inside of the Ikaro leaves, but Simons body wasn't doing anything to finish igniting the fire. His eyes were still rolled inside of his head. For 5 whole seconds Simons body was frozen but than like he had the live given back to him he gave out a multiple coughs. When Simon looked down he noticed that there was charred marks on the leaves and barely any smoke but a small amount was there. Simon blew into it ever so slightly, just enough that it didn't put out the little fire that was there but enough that the fire had slowly gotten bigger, and bigger, and bigger until it had completely caught the whole torch on fire. This was probably the coolest thing that Simon had ever done,the only part was that he didn't have any recollection of the actual creating of the spark.