[i]Many chat rooms throughout YGGDRASIL, once rife with activity, were victims of solemn silence. The emotional turmoil had come and gone for most players. Even the trolls and griefers had already migrated to other games with easier targets.

The servers were scheduled to shutdown at midnight. Everyone had known it. The tide of automated messages made it very clear about what was going to happen. Only a sentimental few remained behind to witness the lights go out. But was it really so surprising? Thousands of people dedicated countless hours of their lives to YGGDRASIL. They fought, cried, made friends, and precious memories. It seemed a crime to lose it all.

But seconds ticked by with the slow and steady precession of time.

There were no warnings. No sudden darkness after being forcibly logged out.

When midnight arrived, the world moved. And, miraculously, a rare few moved with it.

Then silently, inevitably time crept forward.

...

A thick morning fog drifted along the slopes of the mountains. There were no storms, but the air smelled like a crack of lightning had burnt it. Pale smudges of light brightened and dimmed all round. A wild aurora ripped across the sky overhead, twisting into a column as the light ascended ever upwards. If one looked closely they could see the reflection of a familiar blue planet behind the curtain of shifting hues. But just as quickly as the reflection appeared, it vanished.

With time, the fog slowly began to thin, revealing snow-capped peaks and the black abyss between them. The aurora did little to illuminate the darkness between the mountains. It made every shadow a sharp, sinister thing which writhed every time the eddy of lights ventured too close. They were like black daggers lining the jaw of some cthonic beast.

Keen eyes might spot movement along the snowy slopes. Appearing first as dark stains on the snow which melted away into a blurry mirage as it moved closer. Silhouettes darted between the plumes of monochromatic mist clinging to sheets of ice.

The dull swath of crimson on the distant horizon indicated the dawn's slow approach. The sun would rise soon, but in the fading twilight something stirred.

---

---

Like a prodigious white fang excrescent from the jaw of the world, Godsfall’s greatest peak tore through the clouds and towered into the sky. The pristine white of its glacial sheets blanketed its northern slopes and shelves of ice formed stepped terraces along its southern base. The treacherous range was cold and windy. Few people would ever travel here willingly, hoping to avoid the blizzard-ravaged mountains.

However, some were forced to eke out a living in this unforgiving winter landscape.

The cool waters of a running stream snaking down the mountain slopes cut a shallow trench through a narrow gulley. Nestled between two steep crags was a small village marked by the frost-covered wooden bridges that spanned the gap. Behind it, the Godsfall summit loomed above the horizon like a foreboding monolith. Rickety abodes seem precariously settled on natural ledges while others seem to make homes in the stone itself. A warm orange glow filtered through several of the shuttered windows. The largest of these structures, a hunting cabin, straddled the modest river. The wind smelled rich and earthy as a warm, resinous scent pervaded the air. Drifts of dark smoke forms tapered columns above the cabin’s chimney.

Dawn was approaching, but the sun was still nowhere in sight. A tired watchmen stood at his post, high on the ledges above. A wooden frame outlined the fire that kept him warm and the rabbit stew that would soon fill his belly. His languid eyes followed a rider on horseback racing away from the quiet stables at a furious pace. White plumes erupted from the steed’s snout every time it thrusts its powerful legs forward. Even at a distance, the rider seems to be in a hurry. He took the downward slope at a breakneck speed, then cut eastward along a well-kept mountain trail. His fur-trimmed coat billowed in the wind.

Just as the watchmen was about to turn his attention back to the watery soup in his pot, the rider stopped abruptly. His horse bucked wildly, obviously spooked by something. Beyond the horizon, a column of light suddenly spiraled into the night sky. Threads of radiance coiled around the pillar like ethereal serpents. The watchmen gaped in blank astonishment. The rider did too.

Neither of them would have guessed that somewhere on the other side of Norden, the wheels of Fate had begun to turn.

---

The ground was a troublesome mixture of half-thawed ice and loose dirt. It crunched and slid under Astrid's boots. With an exasperated sigh, she unsteadily pressed onward towards the cabin on the hill. The war between Huscarl Asbjorn and the elves of Black Fenn, lead by the infamous Ssaelit, was progressing well. So well, in fact, that everyone in Agnarr had fled for safety of the heartlands. The last two souls to leave Agnarr by the main road were a grizzled old man with the stature of a lumberjack and a young girl with a fair, but dirty face. The girl was either his daughter or his wife, she thought. Age had always been difficult to guess. It wasn't uncommon for older wives and tired soldiers to commission a draught of youth from the local witch.

As she came upon the cabin, she noticed a placard posted on the wall outside. It was covered in a thin sheet of rime.

"An inn?" Astrid arched an eyebrow. The cabin indeed had a second floor, but it was too small to be anything other than a modest homestead. She briefly wondered if the nicer inns littering Steinngrim would feel insulted.

"Stop lazing about and open up." She glared at the door sternly. The door, knowing better, opened.

Astrid stepped inside. She knew no one was here, but half-heartedly scanned the room and slowly let her magic seep out. It had been pent up inside her all day, impatiently nagging to be set loose. Her magic was a wild and impetuous beast. It did her bidding on occasion and annoyed her at every other moment of the day. If it was a dog, she imagined it would make a mess on the rug and whine at her innocently. Or, more likely, bite off a giant's leg and bring it to her as a gift. Today her magic was obedient and well-behaved. She thanked her ancestors for that small favor.

Not moving, the wooden rack in the corner took her coat, and the fireplace lit itself for her convenience. Simple tricks for any witch. Having made herself at home, she took the opportunity to explore the cabin with bored curiosity. After rummaging through all the rooms, drawers, and closets, she realized someone had already pilfered all the interesting trinkets.

She found a nice dress with masterful stitching and several patches. It was made for a girl much younger and smaller than her--a barmaid probably. She held it in her arms and gave it a disapproving look. Feeling intimidated, the seams and fabric shifted to suit her taste. Magic.

After a few minutes of wandering, she found herself standing behind the bar, staring at two wooden casks. The tap had been broken on one and the other had an obvious hole through the side. Both were empty and smelled of faintly of vinegar and things she didn't care to name. Astrid frowned.

The thundering of hooves rumbled in the distance.

Six riders? No. Seven. She nodded thoughtfully.

The hurried gallops slowed into a tired trod. Gruff male voices barked at one another. There was some shuffling and then one of them shouldered the door open. Astrid turned quickly and feigned a look of shock and terror. It must of been convincing too because a smug grin spread across the bastard's face. Two more stepped in behind him. The first had broad shoulders and might have been handsome once, but something decided to claw half of his face off, then set it on fire. He looked wretched.
The other two appeared much younger. One carried a bearded axe with a shoddy blade; it was notched with heavy use. She noticed a nervous twitch in his plump cheeks which undermined his rigid expression.
The third one had the same stony facade. He was thin, lanky, and his coat and furs were obviously made for someone much larger. Astrid wondered if the boy had stolen it from a dead man.

It took her awhile to realize the scar-faced one was talking in her general direction.

"-listening? Hey, I'm talking to you!" He growled. His voice sounded like it had been dragged through gravel. "Where are they hiding? We know a band of elves passed through here not an hour ago. Speak woman!"

Her stunned expression flawlessly tightened into one of mild apprehension and obvious concern. "There're no elves here. Everyone left early this morning, and I've been hiding until now. Honest!" She lied.

"So everyone else fled the town, and you stayed behind to take your chances with those mud-eating knife ears?" The skinny one stepped up and looked accusingly at her. "Strange, isn't it?"

This one had some wits. Astrid hadn't expected that. "After my father died, all I have left is the inn. I can't just leave it." Another lie, but she delivered it with such a strong sense of longing and mild defiance that she almost believed it herself.

The scarred one approached her triumphantly, as if he had won a fight that hadn't even started. He swaggered to bar and leaned toward her. "Then maybe you could pour us some drinks and offer us a nice room, while we wait for our friends?" The man's hand quietly moved to the knife on his belt. "Maybe if you're lucky, you can keep us company."

Ew. She stifled a disgusted shudder.

Given the angle, Astrid couldn't possibly have noticed it, but the smug look in his eyes betrayed him. Her hand moved too, drifting silently downward until she found the barmaid's best friend. Every bar had one and this one was particularly heavy. She gripped the handle and smiled warmly.
The realization that something was off about Astrid slowly distilled in the man's mind, and when he started to draw his knife, she clubbed him over the head with a cudgel. Her swing was lightning quick and her aim was true. The first one fell to floor with a satisfying thud. The other two drew their swords and shouted angrily.

...

Marik approached the cabin with in a tired march and noticed a pack of unattended horses leashed to a post outside. He arched an eyebrow at them. One of the horses turned and flicked its ears at him as a challenge. He shook his head and walked up the steps, dragging behind him the bloodied corpse of a Grendel. He found it sucking on the bones a some poor villager who had been turned inside out. He thought it fitting punishment to turn the Grendel inside out too. Entrails dragged along the ground behind it, leaving dark red lines in the icy mud.

He swung open the door and saw Astrid sitting at the bar, casually sipping wine from a broken bottle. Despite the container missing the bottom half, the wine still kept stayed within the confines of where the glass used to be. He rolled his eyes. Show off. Something roughly-leg shaped blocked the threshold and he almost tripped over it. He looked down to see three strong men laid out on the floor. Each of them were covered in sickening bruises and had at least one twisted limb. Luckily for them, everything but their pride appeared to be in one piece.

Astrid beamed a warm smile at him. "Glad you could join us." She gestured broadly at the broken men and then glanced at the eviscerated creature sagging against the doorway behind him. "So what did tall, dark, and furry do to deserve having its chest excavated?"

Marik nodded without saying anything, as if solemn silence was its own answer. He had a solid face, hardened to the point it only seemed capable of brooding. He was shorter than the average warrior, but his body was strapped with chords of muscle, and he had the smooth and effortless grace of a skilled swordsman.
The rugged scar on his neck wasn't some badge of honor he wanted to flaunt. It actually made it difficult for him to speak. Women often mistook his battle scars and surly disposition for "the strong, silent type". He hated it.
Astrid often joked that he should have the words "Fuck off" tattooed on his forehead. It was a compliment. He put great effort into radiating enough menace that everyone would leave him alone. Astrid was, unfortunately, immune to his misanthropic charms and also paid his wages.
He pointed his chin at the men on the floor. "So what did they do to deserve... that?"

Astrid took another drag on the wine bottle. "They patronized me." She said defiantly.

His response was a flat, impassive stare. "...Right."

Mild tremors snaked through the floor and caused one of the badly balanced stools to fall over.

Marik looked at his companion quizzically. Her expression was slack and her gaze was fixated on something behind him. He turned and saw the entire night sky was a awash with a strange scintillating light. He'd seen the seasonal auroras in the northern territories before, but this was something else entirely.

Strands of dark blue, sharp green, bright orange and crimson all flowed together and seethed in the sky. The veil of crystalline color pulsed with an eerie rhythm mimicking the ocean tides. Watching it set off every instinctual alarm inside Marik's mind. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

He turned back to Astrid, whose eyes were no longer human. The wisteria-colored irises and reptilian slits belonged to whatever spectre or demon the girl kept chained inside.
"Hey Astrid!" He shouted.

Astrid still seemed entranced by the lights. Marik grew more concerned as the whites of her eye began to fade into a pitch-black canvas reflecting the starlight of some alien sky. If this went on for much longer elves and grendels would be the least of his problems. He glanced at the broken wine bottle in Astrid's hand and cursed. With a tight squeeze, the bottle shattered. Glass shards dug into his palm and sliced Astrid's fingers. "Wake up, damnit!"

As the sharp, searing pain lanced through Astrid hand, the world around her, which had seemed distant and twisted, reoriented itself, stretching and contracting back to the normal reality she was familiar with. She winced and recovered her hand from Marik's iron grip. Drops of her black blood sizzled atop the wooden counter.

"Better?" he ventured.

Astrid nodded silently. Neat strips of puckered skin replaced her cuts as the flesh knit itself back together. The dark trails of blood quickly dried and evaporated, leaving behind modest white lines. "What is it?" Her voice quivered.

"Frankly, I don't know. But..." Marik shook his injured hand, as if slinging off water, and his seeping wounds disappeared. He stood in the doorway and squinted at the bright aurora and then at the mist-laden peaks beneath it. "...We are near the Devil's Spine. It's better for us that we don't find out." He tilted his head as if the angle would somehow give him a better view, and let out annoyed harumph. "I don't like the look of it. We should head back."

"No." Astrid muttered, strangely quiet. "Not until we find it. We'll keep moving."

A New Hunt Begins

The gently falling snow and the creak of branches laden with ice seemed unnaturally loud tonight. The howling of wolves echoed in the distance, "No prey, no threats," they said. Assured of his safety, Ulfric knelt before the bloody ground. A confused mess of broken branches, disturbed snow, and occasional claw marks covered the area. Beyond that, a meandering, blood-splattered trench had been carved through the snowbanks. The Greater Yeti he had wounded the day before had stayed ahead of him all night, but the marks were much fresher this time.
"The blood loss is starting to get to him," Ulfric concluded, "Won't be long."
He stood and rolled his shoulders. With any luck, the beast would live long enough to lead him right to its den. It wouldn't do to leave orphans; better they die tonight than spend the rest of the bitter Norden winter starving to death. He let out crude imitation of a howl, calling his pack-mates back to him. Staying human had its weaknesses, but it wouldn't do to let himself get soft by letting his superior physique do the work for him. Six distinct howls responded, so he set to following the trail. His pack-mates would catch up in their own time.
A few hours passed, the moon following his progress through the forest. Eventually, trees gave way to rock and the yawning opening of a cave. Labored breathing could be heard coming from within; the smells of blood and fear were almost sickening. Soft footfalls behind him announced the arrival of the rest of the pack. Their ears perked up and they sniffed the air curiously as they picked up on the prey's presence. Ulfric listened and smelled at the entrance for a few minutes, trying to confirm the presence of any other Greater Yetis. Sensing none besides his target, he raised the Spirit of the Hunt to his shoulder and stepped into the darkness of the cave, his pack-mates followed behind him, growling in anticipation of the feast awaiting them.
The poor beast was sprawled out on the floor in the furthest chamber of the cave. Apparently, it had barely managed to make it home and crawl into the darkest corner it could. It probably would have died in the night even without Ulfric's help. At his approach, it growled weakly, trying to bluff him into backing down. His only response was to train his rifle on the creature's forehead and fire twice. With a final groan, the Greater Yeti became still. His pack began to approach the corpse and take their share, but he warned them off with a snarl and bared teeth. He was Alpha and he had first pick at the kill.
Ulfric set the Spirit of the Hunt and his non-magical gear to the side, not willing to risk them being damaged. With a groan, his body expanded, his face shifting into a much more comfortable form as claws sprouted from his hands. As the transformation finished, he leaned back and howled properly, his pack joining in. Getting down on all fours, he proceeded to tear into the carcass, being careful to leave the head undamaged. It would be needed to collect the bounty, after all. Sated, he stepped back and allowed his pack-mates to have theirs.
Once again in human form, Ulfric took a deep breath of night air as he exited the now-empty cave, the satisfaction of a successful hunt washing over him. He looked up into the sky to get his bearings and his eyes widened at an impossible sight. A shining shaft of light pierced the moonless sky and trailed down to somewhere further into the mountains.
"What in the world...?" he murmured.

”What.......WHAAAAAAAAAAAA!?

Asuka would give out a confused scream as stream of white air would pass through her hair long raven colored hair and causing it to reach for the red tinted night sky as she came closer and closer to the white blanketed earth. Asuka tried to organize her thoughts as the black haired girl would try and flap her arms in a futile attempt to slow down her fall like a week old chick who fell out of their nest.

Asuka’s life flashed before her eyes, the loud roaring currents of air deafened her and drowned out her earlier shouts of confusion as she attempted to mentally reorganize the evens that lead up to her to take a sudden sky diving trip without a parachute.

Alright, so I logged into Yggdrasil... I did some exploring and Sis used the Tower of Babel creation spell and we used it to wait out the countdown together and after the countdown ended, there was a flash of light and now I’m falling... Wait where’s Sis!?

Ignoring the sudden jump from being near the sky in a magically created tower, to falling from the sky without a magically created tower, Asuka pulled her eyes from the eminent death by being splattered across the ground like a dropped egg, she looked around for her older sister, Miyuki. with Eyes squinted from being pushed against the rapidly moving air. Looking left and right she eventually spotted her older sister who had her arms and legs spread out and was falling far more gracefully than her younger counterpart. Though that didn’t help much considering that she was wearing a full set of heavy sliver armor and had an equal impressive large marble pillar like lance and a gem incrusted tower shield strappped to her back.

Miyuki shouted something over to the raven haired girl, though it was drowned out by the rapidly passing air currents, though Asuka managed to get what she was trying to do from the armored girl’s out stretched arm. Asuka tried to motion her way to her and Miyuki did the same causing the two sisters to meet and join hands. Just being next to her allowed the World Champion to think a bit more clearly.

Asuka grabbed at her black fur cloak trailing behind her with her other arm, catching it in her hand, she rubbed the velvety fabric between her fingers confirming that the cape was still equipped on her person. Miyuki reached behind her back though for a different reason, she caught on to the large tower shield on her back, silding her arm through the straps she leaned that arm forward and braced for impact. Asuka let go of her cloak and slashed her arm forward, attempting to access the menu, but nothing happened... She tried again, nothing. Soon she was left waving her arm, but this time for a different reason and the ground was getting too awfully close for comfort.

”Please activate, Cloak of Black Feathers!”

She gave both an internal and external shout and this time the Cloak complied. A light purple translucent veil would cover the cloak black fur cloak. The cloak would split into two and the edges would become black plumage, the cloak would segment over and under each other into feathers, causing it to become a jet black pair of wings... Though she was a bit too slow on the timing...

They didn’t have enough time to fully stop their momentum and land for anything, but a rough landing and the wings caused them to glide over into the forest and right into the trees. The pair would crash though branches, while Avalon would take the impact for them and branches would snap as soon as they met contact with the shield. Miyuki would crash into a tree and be used as a lever to send Asuka flying into the snow.

Miyuki would be up in a matter of moments, despite getting her spine rammed into a tree trunk, she didn’t feel any pain, nor had any scratches, or bruises. In fact the tree was mores damage then she was as it the dark pine splintered into two from the impact. She jumped to her feet and then spotting her sister laying in the snow, the Paladin immediately ran over shouting her name, though the shout was enough to stir Asuka from her snow nap. Asuka would roll over facing her sister.

”Aggh... I’m alright, just give me a few moments, the back pains are killing me... Asuka would pause before her face warped into a confused expression, before asking. ”This is still a game right?”

Miyuki paused and her face mimicked Asuka’s, standing dumbfounded. Asuka’s eyes widened and the World Champion jumped to her feet. Both of them frantically waved their arms around like two very enthusiastic fans at a concert, trying their best to access their menus in any possible way they could, but with no avail. They both leaned back against a tree trying to process the fact that they have just become their characters and have gotten Isekaied.

Eventually Miyuki spoke up, she was the older one, so she had to take responsibility. ”Alright, we need to calm down, let’s test things out first. Since we’re our avatars we should have the skills that they have, let’s try and see if we can use them.”

Asuka perked up at the mention of skills she looked at her older sister with a twinkle in her eyes and an unspoken ‘Can I go first’ on her lips. Miyuki simply nodded at her sister’s enthusiasm.

Asuka drew her sword, Excalibur a blacked blades weapon with bits of red butterflies like ornaments attached to it. Back when she was trying to use her Cloak of Black Feathers, she was able to active it by thought and speech, so if she had to hazard a guess...

Air Rend!

Asuka, took a swing with her sword... a translucent wave gathered around the tip of her sword as it pushed forward gathering until it gathered enough air becoming a pure white crescent. Like a tsunami, the crescent flowed over a dozen trees cutting them at the base and sending them flying upwards and the severed trees came thundering down, creating a cloud of sawdust and snow. The white crescent then quietly dissipated.

”That... Was... AWESOME!

The World Champion looked over to her sister, the gleam in her eyes had became stars, she was like a kid at Christmas, barely able to contain her excitement. Miyuki held in a laugh before walking over and patting her little sister on head. Though it was soon Asuka’s turn to chuckle as the cold finally got to the Paladin and she sneezed. Miyuki shot her sibling a annoyed look.

”Um, want to borrow my cloak?” Asuka offered, though Miyuki turned it down. ”It’s fine you keep it. We’re going to have to test out the item box anyway.

By thoughts and word Asuka explained it and Miyuki opened the item box. A hole seemed to have opened up in the world. A black void, with a purple border separating it from the rest of reality, it looked like something and evil Overlord would use and more than intermediating. Though she power through it and put her hand inside willing for an item called the Necklace of the Ice Giant. Whatever was inside the void she could feel it moving around, until something was placed in the palm of her hand. Pulling it out she was pleasantly surprised that she got was she was looking for, a pendant with three deep blue pearls embedded in a triangular formation set into a dark blue almost black circlular base. Miyuki immediately put the necklace around her neck and immediately felt the temperature becoming far more comfortable. Though.

”Hey, Asuka are you feeling ok? Miyuki asked to siblings in a concerned manner. ”Huh? What do you mean?” Asuka asked a bit confused. ”I mean what about your symptoms.” Asuka took a moment to hit the air, run around a bit, and take a few leaps. ”I feel fine, actually I feel better then I ever did!

Miyuki looked at her sibling before activating Greater Detect Aliments. Three Golden circles wrote themselves into reality before placing a stylized cross in the middle and sandwiching magical runes in between each layer. Both sisters held their breaths as the spell made a diagnosis.

”No response. You don’t have it.” Miyuki bursted out wide grin and Asuka did the same. The sisters did a silent celebration. It was blessing in disguise. They may have been sent to another world, but Asuka now had her entire life ahead of her. No more being held back by her body, no more being held back by the world. Asuka could find her own happiness and Miyuki was going to make sure it stayed that way, no matter what.

”Come on, let’s get out of here, we might have attract something with this mess.” Miyuki stated. ”Ah right, sorry...” Asuka apologized, rubbing the back of her head. Though Miyuki wasn’t really angry.

The Paladin summoned her Item box once again, pulling out a pendulum made of out of emerald with silver dragonfly wings wrapped around the base with three silver beads inscribed with vine like patterns at the end of the string. Miyuki held it between her finger before dropping it towards the ground.

”Fairy pendulum, find civilization!” Miyuki declares and the pendulum would follow her request. The pendulum would swing around side to side, sending out a small ripple every time, before doing three rotations and then suddenly stopping and as if it was manipulated by a invisible hand, the Magic item pointed at a downwards angle, pointing the pair to their intended destination, to which they followed.

Rumble

Well, this was quite the predicament.

Crash crack ksssh

Now how was she to solve this conundrum?

"You know, when I signed up to play this game, I didn't think I'd end up freezing my tentacles off in an avalanche." The mass of snow rumbled, barreling down the mountain as a certain abomination was carried along with it barely able to keep in front of it after she had landed in some freezing place. Hm. Maybe she should have put more skill into levitation? Eh, she was fine. "Ahhh, I just wanted to enjoy the end of the world quietly. Why do I always get into these situations."

Bolting down the mountain, her levitation skill keeping her just above the ground as she barely stayed ahead of the avalanche. Where even was she? She definitely wasn't in the Under Sea where she liked to stay in Yggdrasil. She had somehow been teleported above ground! High above! High enough to need flying lessons! And an avalanche! Was someone trying to kill her!? What'd she ever do to anyone?

Aside from the occasional PKs and eating people, she didn't hurt a fly!

She had logged into Yggdrasil to say goodbye. To the sea. To the people. To the game. She would've missed it all, and she had already came to terms with the fact she was never going to see anything here ever again. She had resigned herself to having it fade quietly into the nothing, yet...Just a flash of light, and she was barreling down the mountain at speeds that'd make a sports car jealous. She was still in the game right? Then why did it feel so real?

"That's a tree." Swerving to the side, Iva barely managed to miss ramming face first into the large object. Not that it'd matter, the tree completely was engulfed by the raging avalanche, engulfing it entirely. Unfortunately, she failed to register the presence of the rock right in front of her. "Annnd that was a rock." The impact sent her swerving off course, shifting her balance and causing her to slam into the ground and promptly proceed to roll down the mountain side like a snowball.

"Oh well." She silently mused. "I guess this is my life now. Ah, how I love being on the receiving end of death." She supposed she could put a little effort into getting out of this situation, but why would she when she was going to probably be fine regardless. She hated wasting effort on something anyways. A waste of time and energy. Just as the avalanche was about to fully engulf her, she felt the ground roll out from under her as she barreled over a cliff, right into a pool of freezing water. She hit the water with force, sending water splashing in all directions as the remnants of the avalanche finally settled around the large pond.

Ah, she was glad she could breathe underwater. Iva floated beneath the surface of the pond lazily, collecting her thoughts, seemingly unfazed by the previous events.

"If I think about it logically, this is far too weird. Illogical." She mused silently. To anyone that might have been looking she had already floated to the surface. Her seaweed like hair and jellyfish like head pieces were floating listlessly on top of the cold pond. "Did Yggdrasil have sensory effects as accurate as this?" The freezing water on her skin. Feeling every part of her body? She moved her tail, feeling every muscle, every part of it as it moved through the water. Aaah, maybe she should just sleep here. She was quite comfy after all. The cold was quite welcoming and she didn't feel inclined to move about.

...

Swimming over to the edge of the pond, she pulled herself out of the water, sitting at the edge and keeping her legs in the water as she held her 'hands' in front of her. Bulbous growths, bound in flexible yellow string with grotesque blue fingers for teeth. Instinctively, she opened one of the mouths revealing the flexible tongue within.

"...well that's just weird to see in reality." She commented, retracting the tongue. Yet, she didn't feel odd or perturbed at her predicament at all. If anything, she felt great. Far better than she had ever before. This couldn't just be a game any more, could it? She bought her hand to her face, running her tongue over her pale blue skin. She felt herself grin. Rows upon rows of sharp teeth as her head was almost split in half, forming a macabre visage. She didn't know how, why or but she couldn't possibly be in the game anymore. Not with this level of tactile feedback and expressiveness. The cold, the water, the snow...

Returning to a more neutral expression, Iva tapped on one of her earrings. Right, couldn't be too careful. If there was someone around here she couldn't let herself be seen or she might cause some trouble. The earrings of Hotepa could help with that, even if only slightly. It wasn't shapeshifting more than it was imposing a different 'reality' upon a place. A well crafted illusion that the world accepted to be real in favor of something else. It wasn't perfect, and times it might falter and anyone with sufficiently high perception or detection skills wouldn't be fooled, but she was confident. Looking down at her hands, she could see the transformation had been complete. Flexing her fingers, she twirled on the spot, the cold ground feeling mildly uncomfortable on her bare feet as the 'dress' she was wearing settled. How much of her powers persisted? Levitation was a go. What about...?

Suddenly several invisible 'hands' manifest from her back. They worked too, then! Ah how wonderful. Concentrating once more, she condensed the psychic energy into a single sharp blade in one of the hands, slashing downwards as the impossibly sharp mass of psychic energy cut right through a nearby rock.

Huhu. Seemed everything was working just fine, then.

Now, was there anything around her? Concentrating and expanding her minds influence, she began to feel for any sentient life around her. Sensing nothing but animals, she smiled softly. Good. Also bad.

...where was she supposed to be going now?

"Oh wonderful. Dropped into some weird world without any shoes and no direction towards civilization. Could've at least given me some food...I'll starve at this rate..." She complained lightly. At least she didn't have to walk. Levitating herself off the ground, she began moving through the forest, choosing a random direction to move in while searching for anything resembling sentient life.

John Clarke..or, Masrith sat at the height of a small hilltop. He gazed upon the artificial sunset that he had become accustomed to loving. He was not alone at the time. Another player sat with him as the gazed outward. I can't believe it's all going to end. It's been a long time since we started. His friend nodded in agreement. Masrith looked toward his friend. I understand you have a meeting early tomorrow so I understand if log out now. I'm glad you stopped by though. It was nice to have it all end here...where it all began. I hope we will meet again in another virtual world. His friend waved goodbye before logging out. Masrith was alone on the hilltop where he had first began his journey. He was glad to end it all in that same spot. Masrith watched as the timer counted down. He closed his eyes and waited with smile. Good bye YGGDRASIL. It was fun while it lasted. Those were his last words before a blinding flash of light emitted infront of him.



Masrith lifted his left hand to his eyes to help dim the bright light that flashed in his face. As the light faded, Masrith lowered his hand from his face. Why am I cold? He wondered before opening his eyes. For Masrith to find himself on top of a snowy mountain was more than surprising. What the? He mumbled to himself as he looked around. Masrith crossed his arms and huddled his posture. This feeling wasn't normal. It felt like he was actually freezing. He moved his hands around to no avail. Why can't I call the a gm? I can't get my console up. I can't even pull up a map, what the hell is going on? Masrith continued to look around in shock. He wasn't sure what was going on and had no idea on how to grasp the situation. All I know is in freezing. I need to get out of this now. With that being said, Masrith gave himself a goal to get on the right track.

Masrith began to slowly work his way to the base of the mountain. Being at the top of the mountain made the winds and snow more brutal than he desired. Masrith lifted his left hand to help shield his face from the wind. The cold winds continued to slow Masrith down. His feet dragged in the snow as he slowly made his way down. He held his robes tightly and held them close to his chest to wrap up and preserve his body heat as much as possible. His teeth began to chatter. D-D-D-Dammit. I refuse to freeze like this. Masrith ended up coming to steep side of a cliff. I have no other choice, I need to get down quick before I freeze.

Masrith to a leap of faith off the cliff and began to slide down the mountain side. He lifted his left hand and dug his dragon-like claws into the side to help control his descent. He was doing fine until he lost traction and slipped. He tumbled down until falling into a pit of snow to soften his fall. The winds weren't nearly as bad but he was still freezing. He looked around to see a on opening. I shouldn't be out in the open in this cold. I'm not going to be able to keep going at this rate. Masrith followed the base of the mountain. He eventually came across a small cave. He slowly made his way inside. He looked around but saw nothing. I can see? But there isn't any light. How is that possible? Masrith lifted his hand to see claws. He was shocked. Wait. Im..my character? He was so focused on not freezing that he hardly had time to notice.

Masrith sat down and huddled for warmth. Wait. If I'm my character then I might be able to-. he lifted his hand outward and simply hoped. Fire bolt. Fire raged from his hand and onto the cavern floor. The fire stayed there and continued to burn. Well atleast now I won't freeze to death. It was a lot to take in. The magic would have been helpful much earlier but he was so focused on survival that he hardly had time to think about it. The fires glow was bright and anyone near by would be able to see the light illuminating from the cave.

Nara was Taylor’s second character in YGGDRASIL, the first having been wiped after a few hours of playing. It was in Nara that she had the most fun, playing as a Druid who’s methods for protecting nature were never quite good. She had spent countless hours every week playing her dryad, even going so far as to stay up a few nights out of the week to grind up levels or hang out with some friends. Yet, when the last week of YGGDRASIL came there was very little time for Taylor to even log on to the game, let alone spend hours in game. Finals were coming up and she needed to study while her job had been short staffed for almost a month with vacations popping up across the board. She was determined, however, to be there in the last hours of the game even if she did nothing more than wander around.

When the day came for YGGDRASIL to close, Taylor had asked every coworker to take her night shift or to a least come in to finish the shift for her. As was always the case, there was nobody willing to take the shift for her and she was left at work till almost ten at night. Taylor didn’t even hesitate on hopping on YGGDRASIL when she got home and even ignored the fact that she hadn’t eaten yet. Nara was, in that moment, more important to her than anything in the real world.

YGGDRASIL was exactly as she expected it to be, empty with few players wandering around in the final hours of the game. Some kept logging off, presumably to work or head off to sleep since it would be getting late however Taylor had no intention on logging off. Not until she and Nara had said their final goodbye at least. Nara traveled through the forests of the map, even taking to the some of the cities to relish in the majesty of the game she once played. The time for the end was quickly approaching but the lack of sleep had been catching up to Taylor. It felt like time was passing slowly and, in the last moment, she could swear that it had struck midnight.

Yet, it was cold. Bitterly cold and the stiff air felt like it was biting at her. Had she left her window open on accident? She stood up from her sitting position and, in doing so, snapped to what felt like reality. Her legs were not cold yet, upon looking down, she noted that they were green and surrounded by soft white hair. ”No, this is one weird dream. I swear I was in the plains just a moment ago. I must have passed out and auto pathed into the mountains” She spoke out loud, mostly hoping that whatever was going on was just a figment of her imagination. None of this could truly be real.

At least, she hoped it wasn’t real. Nara walked slowly through the snow, the cold biting into her with every step and the realization slowly sinking in. VRMMO tech was good but it was nowhere near good enough to feel like this and there was no way she could actually have gotten in the mountains on her own. There was really only one way to check, to smile and see if responded. Sure enough, her face twitched and shifted to a smile as her hands felt for a reaction. ”That, that isn’t normal. But, if I’m in here then how did I get here?”

The mountains around Nara were vast and yet, when she looked behind her, she saw a mist in the distance. Below her was a lush forest and she felt a natural attraction to the place, whether this was due to her being a Dryad or simply the fact that the forest was likely warmer than the mountain was hard to tell. However she let the attraction carry her down and to the safety of the woods. The reality of her situation slowly sank in, the realization that she’d miss finals, her brother’s birthdays, even work the next day slowly seeping in. Yet she felt no anxiety from it, no worry or annoyance. Rather, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, that she was finally free to be as she wishes.

It took a while for Nara to reach the forest however, once there, she felt more at ease than ever before and embraced the cool wind blowing through the needles of the trees. Yet, something was off. She could hear a sound in the distance quite like something crashing high above. Though the direction of the sound was obscured by its echo across the area, Nara trusted in her instincts to lead her towards whatever it was that had happened. ”Cloak of Leaves, Activate.” The words slipped out of Nara’s mouth on reflex, stealthing herself and blending into the surrounding forest so as to avoid conflict with whatever or whoever caused the noise.

Yet, as Nara continued along through the forest she did not hear any recurrence of the sound nor did she hear any voices. Rather, it all felt too silent and too empty. Surely something had to be alive in the forest to cause what she heard. It wasn’t long before she spotted… a person floating through the air. Sure enough, as she grew closer Nara grew more sure that she had seen her somewhere before yet she couldn’t quite put a finger on it. At least, not until the girl’s visage seemed to flicker for a brief moment.Ah, so I’m not alone after all. Thank the Gods.

”Cloak disengage,” Nara said quietly as she faded out of stealth, ”Did you parents not teach you to fear the Woods at this time of day child? Or have you just come to greet an old friend, Iva?

@Rune_Alchemist

@Mag Lev

---

Silence.

After the encounter with the pond and avalanche, nothing but the cold silence of the forest filled her ears. There was no sound, and she could feel nothing. Not a breath of air, the cold chill of the wind, or the skittering of a rabbits foot through the cold ground. Just the cold air and the wind as she drifted through the air. Strange. A forest like this should have plenty of life, shouldn't it? Or was everything just asleep for the evening. Not even any wolves and the like seemed to be about.

It was then she picked something up. Something moving in her direction. At least, she thought she did. It was odd - her extrasensory abilities to 'feel' other minds was quite sharp, yet this one was obscured. Like it was buried under a pile of leaves. An odd feeling, actually feeling how these powers worked first hand instead of a simple simulation from a machine. Had something noticed her? Well, no matter. Whatever it was she didn't care. As long as she didn't bother it, it wouldn't bother her, at least until said person's cloak disengaged.

"You know my parents didn't teach me much, Taylor." Coming to a halt, Iva's bare feet gently touched the ground a few feet in front of the Dryad. Taking a moment to observe, she tilted her head to the side in thought. "Or would you prefer Nara now?" Despite her deadpan voice and expressionless visage, it was easy to tell Iva at least was glad to see her old friend. Something she had never exactly had many of, in game or otherwise. Nara and a few others, but aside from her all had left Yggdrasil long before the shutdown.

"Any idea where are we?" She asked. "Yggdrasil wasn't this...complex...have you seen anyone else?" She touched her hands to the edges of her lips and used her pointer fingers to turn her mouth into a smile as an example. Wasn't she accepting this a little too easily? Assuming everything else was correct so far, she had essentially become Iva, her avatar hadn't she? A special brain-eater of sorts who generally were immune to a number of mental effects. Perhaps staying calm was a side effect of that?

...the implications of that, if true, were alarming, if the racial description was any indication. Ah, she didn't want to think about it. Where was a comfy bed with a body pillow and a warm blanket when she needed it?

Vaettir awoke from his slumber in a panic. Snapping his gold crystalline eyes open. They were both fixated at his hands, held up to his face just as they had been in the dream. Although they weren't the same hands he had seen moments ago. With a sigh, he dropped them to his side. Another nightmare. Actually, a nightmare isn't the correct term. They weren't frightening they were just bad. It was a bad dream. Again, that probably wasn't the right term either. It was a very pleasant dream. A dream about himself in the past. He was there in his beautiful Emerald skin, brushing the thick coat of a Wolf who was giving birth. If it wasn't there she might not have survived and that would mean her litter wouldn't either. He watched over her, healing her if she needed it and provided some comfort in the pain to come. It was a nice memory to relive, but it only took him a few minutes to remember who he was now, looking at his perfectly crafted hands to just be awoken and reminded that it was just a desperate fantasy.

The Marble giant collected himself for a few more moments and made his way out of the cave he chose to slumber in that night. He had no control of his sleep, he just got tired when he did. No set pattern. No matter what he had done the day before or after he would sometimes go hours before resting a whole month or wander a whole month just to slumber for a few hours. It was the will of something higher than him. On this night the Moon was hidden from sight, a New Moon. As he approached the exit of the cavern he wondered how long he had been resting for. He never had a sense of time. Only learning about how long it's been by asking the date to anyone who wouldn't run from his presence and comparing it to what the last person told him. He would notice the shift of the moon or even the seasons change. It honestly made no difference to him, he didn't need to be anywhere anytime soon.

That is when he saw it. The bright beam in the sky. Swirling upwards with the look of spectral serpents dancing around its magnificent brightness. Shining so bright that all in the land who were outside would be drawn to its light. Vaettir snarled at it. Mostly for ruining the darkness the moon had provided him. It was always easier to travel in complete darkness. Although something inside him began shivering. Not of cold, but of nervousness. What did it mean? Was it a sign or just one of the Immortals displaying their might. Or coul-



Four Humans threw off their white cloaks from their body that they used to camouflage themselves in the snow. They flanked the giant in a square pattern ambush. Vaettir barley had time to turn his head before large chains crossed his body and brought him to his belly. More of the humans threw off their camouflage and began to throw even more chains across Vaettir. The chains began to anchor down by magic. Sealing them to the thick icy floor beneath the snow. They had caught him.

"Good work everyone!" "We caught him!" "Oh, the payday is gonna be so good! What are you getting with your cut?" The people began to celebrate. Cheers and laughter began to spark up. It must have taken them a while to plan this and honestly it was quite well executed. The supposed leader of the group, a tall man in full plate armor and carrying a large sword approached Vaettir to speak face to face. He put his boot on Vaettir's head and locked eyes with the primordial Demon. He had a deep voice thunderous voice, one given to a natural born leader. He lowered his head to be only a foot away from Vaettir's own.

"This is it? This is all it took!? Listen to me Demon! You have been captured by Fell Den, Orichalcum Class Adventurer, leader of the Serpent's Keel. You have claimed the life of many Men of this realm, but no longer! I-" The Man was cut off by a large growl that emanated from the shut mouth of Vaettir. Through his teeth, he uttered "You... Forgot... My tail.". Fell's eyebrows raised, but it was already too late. The bindings that held Vaettir down only wrapped across his body, arms, and legs. When he had initially fallen, he dropped his tail hard into the snow. The darkness of the night aiding in its disappearance. The hand at the end of the tail began to glow purple and raised from the snow, before turning palm down and smashing into the ground. Leaving a deep burning imprint.

Skeletons began to rise from the snow. Clad in black armor and their weapons glowing with hellfire. They completely surrounded the adventures. Matching their numbers. With ease, Vaettir moved his hand and grabbed Fell. Snapping the weak bindings. His whole hand covered the Adventures body and lifted him into the air. The adventures began to form in a defensive circle formation, abandoning their leader to his fate and preparing for the skeletons. Vaettir began to slowly stand, the chains snapping one by one as each part of his body raised higher. When he had been fully released he focused his attention on Fell, moving him just a few inches from his face. "You have the honor of being the vessel that is used against your own allies. You have three seconds to pray to whatever god you think will save your damned soul. Goodbye, Fell Den."

As promised, in a mere three seconds Fell's body was set on fire. The purple hue of it not burning him, but changing him. Fell began to twist and turn in pain as his body began to Morph into a monstrous beast. His screams were soon muffled by the snapping and churning of his Bones and muscles. In just a few seconds a Death Knight had been summoned in his place and landed on the floor. Turning his eyes on his old companions, the Death knight charged.

After the Undead Monster had finished its slaughter, it returned to its new master. With a quick slash of his wooden blade, Vaettir destroyed his creation. Sending bones flying into the air. This was the third attack in a row since he had left the Forest. The people of the land are beginning to truly hate his existence. Maybe he had to become the monster they wanted. Maybe that will be the only way they left him in peace. Vaettir had time to think about this topic, it was a long walk to the Beam that had peirced the sky.

---

---

The aurora blazing over the mountains possessed a spectral beauty that offended the senses. If you stared for too long, the coiled tendrils of light dart away. If you squinted for better focus, the aurora almost disappeared. With just one look anyone could sense how unnatural it was. As Astrid travelled ever closer to it, her instincts cried out in alarm. Even if she wasn't afraid of it, it spoke to a very primal and very terrified part of her mind. The back of her neck bristled with cold apprehension. And she knew it wasn't the weather either.

She and Marik had left the ramshackle inn and set out for the mountain trails. They weren't far and were easy enough to find. The locals had been kind enough to mark the path with skull totems, monstrous heads skewered on pikes, and other grotesque, but appropriate warning signs.

Marik didn't need to be literate to know they all meant Turn back now. Monsters ahead. Even his own children knew not to go anywhere near the Devil's Spine.

Astrid translated the inscriptions aloud, her voice strained awkwardly in parts as she struggled to interpret the symbols. "Scream and frozen howl... Fear to tread where death may die, beneath forlorn... skies?"

"Why must you read everything?" He grumbled irritably.
He rolled his eyes and open his mouth to say more, but something else caught his attention. Four dimples in the snow. His eyes narrowed suspiciously and he raked his gaze across the ground. There were faint tracks half covered by a recent snow. Wolves by the look of it. At least two of them, but probably more. He walked a few paces and followed the trail. The tracks they lead into the mountains.
"Stay alert." There was an obvious note of urgency in his voice.

Astrid turned, saw his serious expression, and followed his eyes to the tracks on the ground. She could survive a fight against hungry wolves, but wolves in a pack became suspiciously intelligent. She disliked the idea of being ambushed. Then against her will, her dark imagination conjured the gruesome image of being eaten alive. The horrible reality was she would survive it. Her stomach turned at the thought.



Several old timbers shuddered at the sound of grinding stone. A craggy boulder jutting out from a nearby hill sheared away from the ground. The boulder stood up. Patches of mottled leaves, vines, and rotted wood coalesced around its stony frame. The cracks across its chest formed the likeness of a moustached face centered atop a long, wooden nose. A troll.
It made a strange noise--part yawn, part irritated growl, part earthquake. The cracks formed jagged slits which could be thought of as small, squinted eyes, although the sockets were empty, and the ledge of moss one might call a "brow" seemed furrowed.
The creature looked at the mountain, then stared at itself for awhile, and carefully picked a few strands of grass off of its arm. It turned with some effort, slow under its own ponderous weight, and stared blankly at Nara. With timeless inevitably, it shifted bodily towards Iva, then back to Nara again. And it continued like this for the next few minutes before its lichen-covered brow cracked apart and shifted upward, mimicking a vague expression of surprise.
"Only trolls allowed 'ere. Go back to your village, hu..." The troll suddenly seemed at a loss for words. It stared at Nara pensively. A nearby swallow took this opportunity to perch itself on the troll's brow, preened its feathers a bit, and then settled down for a long nap. The sound of rocks shifting and grinding together filled the silence.
"Not human? What is you?" The troll rumbled at last.
Its words bellowed as if echoing through a cavern. and its tone indicated the kind of displeasure one would expect from an intractable old man. Mildly annoyed by the disturbance, the birds collectively ruffled their feathers and puffed their chests, but ultimately didn't move.



Streaks of bright amber and hot orange gleamed along the walls of Masrith's icy hovel. Each facet was mirror that reflected a skewed version of his lithe, reptilian form. The cavern was long and sinuous, and it snaked further down, out of sight. Even while sitting completely still, staring into the throat of the cave gave the feeling of sliding downhill, like being swallowed by some colossal serpent.

Despite the distant sounds of shifting ice, the cavern was quiet and solemn. The Devil's Spine was forsaken place and every inch of the frozen terrain echoed this grim truth.

As the firelight danced, time crawled. In the darkest depths of the earth, slick tendrils and a thousand hungry mouths skulked its way through narrow tubes and passageways. Every time the fire hissed, unnerving squelches and scratching noises responded. The sound was wrong. It didn't come from anywhere. It just pooled above or behind you like some dark cloud and crawled around the room. The silence that followed was worse. As if the air had died. It only ever lasted a moment, but Misrith's breathing, the crackle of the fire, and thumping of blood in his veins: all of it became suddenly silent.

---

---

Like shadows moving behind a curtain, dark shapes darted around beneath the snow. They rapidly approached the two sisters (@Shiyonichi) cautiously making their way down the mountain slopes only to vanish into the crags of a rock face. Slowly, silently they worked a few stones loose. Their movements small and the sounds were drowned out by the wind. Then an ominous thunder ripped through the clear sky and signaled the coming disaster. The dull roar of crumbling stone and ice--at first distant, quickly rising into a violent crescendo and--echoed intensely throughout the valley. The ground shuddered as a snowy torrent began sliding down the mountainside.

Just as the thundering cacophony of stampeding ice and snow became unbearable, a terrible wail tore through the mountains, drowning out the roar of the avalanche. The aurora above recoiled and dimmed, as if afraid. An impossible ripple spread across the mountains, warping the world as it went. It was primal and raw. It felt ancient.

Obscured behind the clouds which hugged the tallest peaks, a titanic shadow began to move. The temperature across the gray mountain reaches plummeted as a foul wind whipped itself into a growing flurry. Hundreds of distant black wings arrowed into the sky and disappeared between the stars as the fell and terrible cry trailed off into a lonely whine. The excruciating sound of it burrowed into the hollow depths of the mind and scorched the senses with phantasmal agony: searing red hooks ripping every vein and artery from the body while glass shards raked along the inside of one's own skull.

---

@Rune_Alchemist@BurningDaisies

---

”Ah my dear Iva, it truly is you,” Nara said as she gave her friend a brief hug, ”I am unsure where we are but I am sure that this forest feels… foreign. It is not one I had ever set foot in when in Yggdrasil. However I am certain that wherever we are now seems to be our reality now.” Nara noted faux smile Iva had performed with before her, chuckling a little at the implication of a creature like her smiling. She felt silence take hold of the forest once more as they stood together. ”We may be in a different world however I doubt we are alone. After all, you are here and there is probably someone out there some-”

Nara’s words were cut off by the rumbling of the ground and grinding of stone, hopping back with Iva beside her and briefly readying herself to cast a spell. From the ground rose a large creature though calling it a creature might as well have been an insult to Nature as it seemed more akin to the ground that a beast. The crunching of the being’s stone body broke the silence in its wake as it looked between the two. For whatever reason it seemed to be hesitating however it did not seem intent on fighting them at the moment. Nara relaxed her body even as it briefly spoke, catching itself as it almost called them humans.

Even as the being questioned Nara as to what she was, she couldn’t help but chuckle and smile at it. It was as funny sight to see a talking boulder let alone one that took a while to note she wasn’t human. ”Not human, no. Not quite a beast or troll like you either. I am a Dryad, a creature of the forests like you. My name is Nara,” She said with a slight bow before turning to Iva, ”And this is my friend Iva. We seem to have gotten lost and didn’t intend to travel into your lands uninvited.” Nara took a moment to take in the sight of the troll before her and assess whether the creature was likely to be a hassle to fight.

Of course, such a creature was likely no match for a Druid of her skill nor a caster as strong as Iva let alone the two of them together. However, this was sa prime chance for the pair to gain information from the troll and establish themselves in this new world. ”By chance, would you be willing to tell us where we are exactly or, at the very least, point us in the nearest direction of a town?”

The sibling weaved around the tall, green furred pine trees. The fairy pendulum hummed lowly, without it they would have to navigate by pure chance and their footsteps, which would mark where they had been. Though that wasn’t much of a consolation considering everything looked the same.

”Oh, Miyu’s god! When is the forest going to end!”

It had been a running joke between them, as due to Miyuki being more of a woman of science rather than faith. They had been walking for what Asuka thought was hours, though Miyuki seemed to have some sort of internal clock, who told the World Champion that it had only been 24.3 minutes. Now they could have flown or teleported, but they didn’t want to place themselves into the the sight of snipers and becoming either a pincushion or swiss cheese. Neither sounded like a good option and they couldn’t teleport due to not knowing the area.

”Quit complaining Aki! We be there soon, I think... As long as nothing happens. Miyuki snapped at her sister, before second guessing herself.

Asuka was about to shoot a witty comeback at her sister though as she was thinking a bolt of lightning ran through her head. It was like a new type flash. The hairs on her back stood on end, her eyes quickly shifted around until she locked on to the of the mountain. While the sword master had no idea on what happened, but when she had locked onto the mountain peak like a hawk, Asuka realized that one of her passive activated. Sense Killing Intent, which would basically activate when the user caught in aggro. Asuka put her hand on her sword, before the tidal wave of white running at them at top speed.

“You mean like that?” Asuka asked in a rather nonchalant manner and pointed to the avalanche. To which her sister would look at the wall of white. “No! I though it mean like... I don’t know, just not a freaking a avalanche!” While she was shouting over roaring tidal wave, she dropped down her shield infront of her and her sister, before activatingGrand Fortress Wall.

From the golden haired Paladin came out a golden pulse which solidified into a golden barrier, which was decorated by golden crosses and stars which was connected by lines making constellations. The golden wall and the wave of shaved ice crashed into each other like a ocean wave and a cliff side and like a cliff, the avalanche didn’t even managed to shake the barrier. The wave split into two streams and went around the circular barrier, like a Amber colored eye into the earth. The snow covered the barrier and covered most of their fields of visions and drowned out the sounds. This was a blessing in disguise, as they allowed them to plan things out in piece.

”Alright, this an attack isn’t it?” Miyuki threw out a guess. ”Right, there’s a few enemies in the mountains to our left. I don’t know what is it, but there’s a quite a few of them. Asuka explained and they planned what they were going to do.

The rumblings stopped and the golden barrier dissipated, but neither sister was in the barrier instead a half a dozen humanoid creatures looking like a set of angular armors with radiant wings and blades of flames flew out and charged at the mountain with blades ready with the exception of a two angels one who simply stood watch and another who dragged behind the other angels, but where was the sisters? They were still in the barrier area with an invisible cloak, an counter divination spell, a counter counter divination spell, and a barrier ready.

Rule number one in Yggdrasil battles, never fight a battle without any information. Both Asuka and Miyuki both pulled out scrolls of divination. Miyuki targeted the angel that was dragging behind and focused on the monsters in the mountain using the angels as bait/cannon fodder. Asuka used her scroll and targeted the angel overhead to look into the sky, so that she could keep the a look out, but she got a glance as the last of the black shadows disappeared into the skies.

”What the heck- Ow!” Asuka and Miyuki grab their heads for a moment as they activated their respective skills to fight off the Phantasmal pains, as they heard the ominous words. ”What” They both took a moment to be absolutely baffled at what just happened.

---

---

"Dryad?"
The shambling hulk lumbered a few steps toward the Nara. The dark crevices it presumably used as eyes narrowed. Rubble twisted behind its face with tremendous effort. Thinking seemed to overexert the troll. Thoughts came slowly and distilled over time like crystals forming. Fortunately, some formed faster than others.
"Don't know dryad. Only trolls allowed-" It started repeating itself when its granite jaw suddenly fell to the ground. In the confusion, a lizard scurried out of its mouth. The troll ground to halt, stooped forward, and, with the great care one typically displays for newborn children, placed the thin slab of rock back in proper jaw-like position. It straightened and began again.
"Only trolls allowed 'ere. Human village is beyond the river. Calls it Jhorm." Clumps of dirt pelted the ground as the troll's torso twisted westward. It raised a knobby arm covered in short, blue-green grass and ashen roots. It didn't have fingers to point with so it gestured vaguely according to some sense of direction.
"Humans is not supposed to be in the Devil's Spine. Bad things 'ere." It paused briefly and its eye sockets shuddered with the burden of thought. Small earthen spike grew from its other limb.
"Grendel eat humans." Another spike slowly raised through a patch of moss.
"Wolf eat humans." Then another.
"Human eat humans. Shadow eat human. Mist eat human." Each time it recounted an item on its mental list, another spike raised along its arm. The troll recalled a vast litany of things which ate humans.
"...Troll eat humans. But. This one likes dwarves better." It said at last, gesturing at itself with an arm no different than a spiked club.

With a sudden, preternatural quickness, the troll's body crumbled and violently rearranged itself. It was looking at the mountain peaks in the distance. Then a cascade of white plumes began stampeding down the mountainside. A crack of muffled thunder rush past the three bystanders. Then the world shuddered. An awful keening pierced through the tidal wave of primal noise and collided with the troll. It burst apart into loamy chunks and bits of rock and littered the ground.

After the shockwave passed, a mossy head of rock rolled loose from the root of a nearby tree. A crooked line formed along one side and then cracked open. Familiar empty sockets stared wordlessly at the mountain and the gold-winged creatures flying among them.
"The scream and frozen howl... This one knows it." It spoke without a mouth, its words trembling nervously through the ground.
"Trolls leave." The fissures of its eyes abruptly fused shut and the once animated stone head went silent.
In the foothills, the forest moved. All manner of creature were fleeing the mountains.

@Mag Lev@BurningDaisies

---

The hug was welcome, even if it wasn't entirely shown on her emotionless features. Even a brief hug would have given Nara a small coating of slime, or at least an unpleasant clammy feeling. Why? Iva couldn't fathom why she was always so nice to her. Annoying even, though in a good way. She was glad Nara was here after all. Someone to talk too, even if she never was able to say much. Someone that didn't make fun of her. Someone she could be her normal awkward self around. It didn't show on her face, but she was happy.

Shaking the thought from her head, she focused back on their predicament. It seemed as though she had quickly come to the same conclusions as she had as well about their predicament. Whether they liked it or not, they weren't in Yggdrasil or even on earth any more from the look of it but before they could theorize further the earth began to rumble. Before Iva could make her own move, Nara moved faster. She pulled her aside, taking a defensive posture and readying a spell. It seemed as though she intended to protect her as well.

Huhu.

She really was glad Nara was here.

Not far from them, a large, lumbering creature seemed to pull itself from the ground. It looked like a rock, some sort of large stone. Patches of leaves vines and putrid wood seemed to weave around the stony frame. Some sort of golem? The answer quickly became apparent. Cracks formed on its chest, giving the thing an impression of a mustached face with a long wooden nose. A troll then? How tiresome. She'd let Nara handle it. Trying to communicate with it would be tiring and headache inducing.

The way it spoke quickly reinforced that opinion. The troll spoke with a long, heavy accent using words that made her question its IQ. Trolls were notoriously stupid, but this was ridiculous. It hurt her brain even trying to understand what it was saying. She did at least gather it was telling them to get lost. She could do that. She wouldn't mind leaving. She wasn't looking for a fight, after all...though. how did troll brain taste? Probably tough and bland, just like their personalities.

As Nara spoke with the troll, Iva contended herself with with simply idly listening while keeping quiet. She cast a glance to the dark sky, the stars twinkling beautifully above. Honestly, she could care less about the troll, but if Nara could get useful information out of him she'd let her. Easier than fighting with him at least, which would be the only option she could've done successfully. So while the Troll made its reply, she lifted herself off the ground, lounging in the air as if sitting on some invisible chair.

The troll went on to list the dangers to humans. Wolves. 'Grendel' - what was this, Beowulf? And of course, trolls, but at least it gave them a direction to travel in. Beyond the river it seemed was their destination. Ah, they could've already been there had this troll not took so long to say a single sentence.

"Your voice is annoying..." Iva complained. "Your brain is slower than-"

Iva's complaining was cut short, a wail echoing trough the air, ringing and echoing off the sides of the mountain and shaking the very earth itself as the brilliant aurora retreated in fear. It was followed by a impossible event. Reality itself seemed to rend and tear, a ripple of impossibility spreading across the mountains. Iva's concentration was thrown off, her levitation ending and sending her onto the ground, landing on her butt as her attention immediately moved from Nara and the Troll, head and body turning towards the mountain she had previously descended. Whatever this was...she was certain of one thing. She and it, were of a similar nature.

The temperature began to plummet as a massive mountain moved in the distance. Uncountable black objects flew into the sky, disappearing between the stars and the terrible, foul cry trailed off into a pitiful lonely whine. The foul wind hit Iva, a blast of clearly psychic energy burrowing into her mind. The whine echoed, lingering and ringing against every neuron, every nerve and every cell in her mind. Red blurred the edges of her vision, pain ebbing and pulsing at the edges of her eye sockets.

A single, primal urge welled within her mind.

Consume.

She understood. Understood all to well. The hunger, the urge. The call, but just as quickly as the feeling came, it was gone.

Iva blinked, the pain quickly subsiding. If she had been of a lesser mind or her mental faculties had not been as strong, she might not have been able to resist. Even in her current state, she could feel it. A little urging at the back of her mind. A feeling in the pit of her stomach. An unnatural hunger. How tiring. She had just gotten involved in something extremely bad, hadn't she? Standing up, she turned to Nara and walked over.

"...are you alright?" Iva sighed, giving her friend a light nudge. She was able to ward off most of that psychic attack, but that was likely only because she was good at resisting mental interference. "Whatever that was, scared the forest."

---

The celestial caravan flew into the dark of night the air thickened. Dark clouds billowed overhead and exhaled long winter breath. Flecks of snow filled the air while the thin blanket of gray mist along the ground began to spread while the ambient mist grew and plumed erratically. Some areas experienced sporadic, spiraling bursts. Others, slow and thoughtful, evolved into a branching lattice of miserable gray shapes. Wet, vaporous tendrils twisted toward the sky, grappling viciously as if each plume of cold miasma were enthralled in a cannibalistic feeding frenzy. The rocky landscape quickly began to vanish behind a scene of unfathomable, silent carnage. Visibility was already strained with distance, but in less than a minute, it had shrunk to mere meters.

There was no sound except the high winds cutting around distant peaks. All the angelic warriors ever saw was the silhouette of a gaping maw within the fog. One moment they there, hovering elegantly with their weapons poised for action, the next moment, they were simply gone. An intense flash of dread rebounded through Miyuki's magical link as the angelic summons ceased to be. The sharp knife of killing intent cut into Asuka's senses, except it stabbed at her from every direction. The mist surrounded them menacingly.

The only guardian to remain was the flaming archangel closest to the sisters, but the wall of mist was circling ever closer. It stalked them with predatory intelligence, contemplating how best to consume them.

---

After wandering at length, Vaettir came across a small child squatting by a nearby pond and peering into the murky water. Hearing someone approach she turned with feral quickness. Bright, piercing green eyes stared at the demon. Her face was still plump and round, but the rest of her was thin and wiry. Her smock was obviously made for an older girl. She didn’t wear it as much as it just draped over her small frame.

She regarded Vaettir curiously and slowly stood up. “Can you help me?” She murmured softly, and pointed timidly at the patch of reeds. “I don’t know what to do.”

They weren’t reeds at all, but a wet mop of hair. There was a small body lying in the water, almost completely submerged. It was every inch the same as the girl standing by Vaettir, but this child was wretched and broken. Her chestnut-brown hair was matted with thick layers of blood while the rest of her strands listlessly flowed back and forth as the waters lapped the muddy shore. Something sharp and serrated had torn through her neck, ripping strips of flesh loose from the bone. The force had been enough to separate most of the shoulder from the neck. Water had washed away much of the blood, but her dress and hair were still stained. The purple tinge beneath her pale skin told him she had been dead no more than a few hours.

Vaettir saw a stunning reflection of himself in the water surrounding the tiny corpse, but quickly noticed the young girl beside him didn’t have one.

“I was trying to find papa. Some men attacked me, and I fell.” She recalled, her voice hollow. Her gaze was fixed on the familiar green of listless, dead eyes. Her eyes. She hadn’t realized what she was, but she knew she was dead.

“What do I do?”

The Archangels flames disappeared into the mist, with this world’s logic the sisters should be despairing. After all a third tier summoning was considered almost unbeatable in this world. Summoning them was a sign of strength and the angels were considered to be extremely dangerous with a resistance to physical attacks, making them a nightmare for warriors. It should have been common sense for them to be in despair after they were defeated in one strike by what seemed to be a physical attack, but both of them weren’t held to this world’s common sense.

Asuka was laughing, as the mist approached them, she was laughing. Not a psychotic despair filled what’s going on laugh, but a mocking you fools kind of laugh. They both threw off the invisiblity cloak, which crumbled into a heap at their feet. Miyuki looked at the shadows before activating a spell. ”Justice of the Weak” a magic circle appeared at her feet, before shattering. Clouds gathered up ahead and three silver cross shaped tombstones each the size of a person and bound up with chains dropped from the clouds. 8th tier Magic Justice of the Weak wasn’t a very useful spell at first glance. It was a strong binding spell on paper, being able to to ignore all but the most powerful bind resistances, but the target had to kill a positive karma entity of a lower level before it could be activated and would scale in power depending on the level difference.

Which was a fairly annoying and specific condition, which originally kept it from being used often, until one person realized that a low level summon could fulfill the condition... The three headstones burst open sending out ethereal copies of the fallen archangel of flames, who then broke into strings of pale blue light and was fired into the shadows and then acted as chains keeping them in place. The shadows had broken a main rule in Yggdrasil, never approach your enemy without knowing what cards they had up their sleeves. It was one of the reasons Asuka let out a mocking laughter. The other reason being, they were in her range.

The World Champion took her sword with both hands, causing both of the effects of her gloves to flow through her sword, making be able to bypass the physical and cut the ethereal. She wasn’t afraid or intimidated, thanks to the earlier screech, she had activated her mental defenses, so the killing intent more or less didn’t even bother her. ”Gentle Rain” Asuka swung her sword and then sheathed it. The effects of Gentle Rain would activate soon after. Green ray like slashes would fall down from the sky all around the siblings. Like raindrops, the slashes would drop down and would gently drop on the stones and the grounds, leaving it unharmed. Though when it would come into contact with a enemy, they would reveal their true forms. Causing the enemies to be slashed into small, neat pieces.

@Rune_Alchemist@BurningDaisies

---

Even as the troll answered Nara’s question, there grew a mild annoyance in the back of her mind that she had to wait for his responses. The mention of the human village, Jhorm, and that their current location was a place called Devil’s Spine simply confused her. There were no such places in Yggdrasil and it was unlikely that they had somehow changed during their shift to their new reality. However, before she could even mark notice of the foreign names or even the mention of the ‘Grendel’, Nara felt the wind shift and the forest itself emanate fear. Whatever was coming was coming quick and gave Nara no time to ready a resistance.

The very world itself seemed to shrink away as a ripple spread through her body; a crippling pain arching through her in the process. Her vision narrowed and she fell to her knees even as the horrid sound trailed off into silence. Though her existence in the land had been short, Nara could tell that her connection to Nature had already begun once again as the forest ‘spoke’ to her. Through it she felt the residual echoes of the whine; the innate fear that the creatures in the forest had felt, even the death of a couple who acted on the fear and killed each other. Nara had failed to steel her mind and the effects of it took her more than few minutes to shake off.

Even as Iva nudged her, Nara barely moved as her body felt burdened by the effects of the mental attack. ”I- I’ll be fine. That… fucking whatever caused that is not something the forest likes. I can feel the fear that it caused… several times over from the few creatures near here. We need to go,” Nara looked up at Iva and stood slowly, using her friend as a crutch in the process. Their only options were to head towards the human village, Jhorm, and hope there was some semblance of safety there. Though, Nara heavily doubted it considering the way she looked.

”We should head for Jhorm just at that troll said. Find out more about this place, about whatever the fuck caused that. More importantly I feel we should get as far away from here as possible,” Nara paused as she looked at her friend and then her own hands, ”Though I might not be welcome there considering how I am now.” It was strange that Nara had so easily come to terms with the way she was though she had a nagging feeling that it wouldn't’t quite be the same as in Yggdrasil. One couldn’t just walk into a village anymore as green creature and expect to be given a quest.

Masrith had found himself dozing off. The treck down the mountain had made him exhausted. It was in his light sleep that the noises began. Masrith tossed and turned slightly and began to mumble to himself as the noises echoed louder in his head. As he jumped up from his sleep, it was dead silent. His breathing was heavy and it felt as though his heart was ready to jump out of his chest. What the hell? Masrith glanced around unnervingly. As he stated down in it the darkness that was further into the cave he felt himself screaming internally. I guess I chose on hell of a spot to rest. Masrith stood up and found himself constantly looking toward the exit of the cave and the darkness that led further down into it. He was debating on whether or not he should leave. After what had happened during his light sleep, he felt as though the cave wouldn't let him rest.

I can't just stay here and do nothing. I should give myself a pep talk. Come on me, don't die....is that really all I got to comfort myself? I guess I'm fucked then. As Masrith began to step out of the cave, he heard a loud wail that rattled his bones. His foot stopped mid step toward the exit of the cave. Do I really want to deal with that? Either a big ass monster out there or paranoia in here. He debated his options in his head, none of them were pleasant but he had to make a desicion. Summon Angel: Archangel Flame. A flash of light further illuminated the cave as an Archangel Flame rose from the light. It certainly wasn't the most powerful angel but it was the only one he could summon that would fit in the cave. I would much rather step into the abyss then deal with whatever monstrosity is out there. Atleast I can see in complete darkness, I can't see through a blizzard. Archangel Lfame, protect me as we explore deeper into this cave.

With that said, Masrith would step deeper into the darkness that surrounded every crevice of the cave. The angel he summoned would remain close to him and every twenty steps, Masrith would place a YGGDRASIL coin on the ground so he would not get lost and hope to find his way back should he ever wish to do so. So what, they're plenty of abyss' that I walked into in YGGDRASIL, this one can't be any worse. Masrith said nervously. His descent into the darkness would be slow and cautious but he would make progress.

@Mag Lev@BurningDaisies

---

The Brain-eating Shoggoth helped the Dryad to her feet as best she could. Iva was glad Nara didn't prod her for information regarding what had just happened. Easier that way that no one else knew for now. Not until she decided what she wanted to do herself. What she did know though, was that heading for a town full of people would be the best course of action. At least for her. She could appear relatively normal with her earrings. She'd just need to make sure not to get super touchy with anyone.

"Hm..." Iva thought for a moment. "...It'll be fine. I can just eat them if they say anything." That probably wasn't a joke, judging from her deadpan voice and the fact Nara knew exactly what she was. Really, Iva was internally apprehensive about it and at the same time, there was a part of her that looked forward to it. Ha, it seemed that she really had become her Avatar. So tiring. She wondered what brain actually tasted like?

"We should go." Iva continued letting go of Nara as she took a few steps in the direction the Troll had mentioned. "I could use a good meal...and I'd like to test some things." Could she really put infant brain-eaters in peoples head, for example, and would they be the same as her? Loyal, too? Or just do their own thing? She was curious. A little too morbidly curious. As well, how well could she use her abilities to control others?

Maybe this little town of Jhorm could be a place she made home.

@BurningDaisies

---

Vaettir sighed at the realization of the small child's death. In the world before, death was just a part of nature. Life was born, lived, and died. While this still holds true to the modern day, back then there wasn't a creature that he felt sad for. Each had their time and at the end as long as they propagated they served their purpose. If they didn't find a mate, they usually became food for a predator or at least worms, still fulfilling the purpose of death. When they finally met their doom their instinct stopped them from fighting. Giving them a few moments of peace before they died. At least they helped another species thrive in one form or another. Although not Humans or Elves. They would do almost about anything to survive. Even when death was staring them in the eye, they kicked and screamed just for a few more seconds. Almost always terrified to be gone from this world. At first, Vaettir was disgusted by this concept. They served their purpose and should be proud to continue their line. It didn't take long for Vaettir to discover they weren't like any creature he had seen before. His anger eventually turned to pity for them.

"Nothing..." Vaettir replied before pausing a moment before continuing. "There is also nothing that I can do, but maybe I can find out someone who can..." Vaettir reached his hand into the pool of water to collect the corpse. The child's lifeless body curled in the palm. Her dead eye's locking onto his before he closed his hand to hide her. He knew of a nearby village less than an hour from the Forest they had occupied. From what he last remembered, the town was lead by a Woman with a great Iron Hammer. She supposedly held her position for the power she possessed. Maybe she would have the power to help the Wraith. Either move on to the next life or even revive her with her abilities.

Before saying another word, Vaettir's tail began to crack and snap as the bony fingers began to move. The hand reached to the swampy ground and pulled out a number of chains from the earth. As it raised up, six Hellhounds began to bark and growl as they appeared. Once they had been summoned, the bony hand snapped. Behind the pack of hounds two skeletons raised from the mud. They were wearing blue robes with a hood covering both of their skulls. The shadow just revealing their burning red eyes. They both kneeled in compliance, awaiting orders.

Without turning, Vaettir began to speak. "One of you find the Father. The other find the Bandits. Bring me the bodies, alive if possible...". "Yes, Lord!" The two Elder Lichs responded in unison. Their voices were spoken in a hiss as if they were serpents. They grabbed three hounds each and began to lead them down the tracks to pick up a scent and search for the two parties.

While the Lichs searched, Vaettir began to stomp away. "Come little one. We will find you some help." It took them less than an hour to reach the large hill that oversaw the Village. It had not been too long that he had seen the village known as Vascarim. At least he thought it wasn't too long. It was hard to truly keep track of time recently. Of course, he kept his distance before. Although this time he would have to approach them.

Usually, these interactions were either very civil due to the local Magic caster bowing at the mere presence of Vaettir. Warning the other's not to raise a futile finger in a defense or the Marshall assembling a group of fighters in an attempt to defend an attack that was never to come. Regardless, he needed to see if they could help. Worst case scenario he would turn the girl into a Wraith servant. At least she would serve some purpose in the afterlife instead of wandering for all eternity. Not like Vaettir.

Watery brushes of soft blue light lit up the sky in long perfect strokes. Rays of potent, binding magic cut through the white haze of snow with unerring precision, each one lashing around a hapless victim. Above the clouds, ethereal radiance exploded around dozens of winged shadows. Blue threads lanced through each, nailing them to the sky. At a distance, they seemed little more than tiny fireflies pinned starkly onto a stormy canvas. These enormous creatures were the size of mammoths. Their small eyes bulged from a horse-like head. Their skin was that of steaming tar and was stretched too tightly over their bulky frame. Darkness clung to them even while illuminated, and peeled away in noxious, black wisps.
Shantaks.
Many more of them had escaped into the night, but several dozen still lingered.

Dawn finally began to break as the sun dared to peek over the horizon. The macabre haze surrounding the sisters began to thin, but had already stayed too long. Bright motes of lethal magic rained from above, leaving hazy green streaks in their wake. Holes formed as the mist and snow recoiled, but not fast enough. Each droplet bored a path to the ground.
The Carnivorous Mist writhed silently, pantomiming a sunken face of anguish before dissipating. Within seconds, the only thing that remained of the mist was a fading chorus of disparate wails. The dark clouds disappeared were simply gone with no trace of there ever having been a storm. Horrid black chunks of scorched flesh fell from above, collateral from the sisters' displays of prowess.

The mountain slopes were pristine and white, covered in thin layers of fresh, powdery snow. Wherever the putrid flesh landed greasy, black stains smeared across the snow and rock. As the sun continued to climb, the remnants began to evaporate under the natural light.

The immediate threat was gone, cowed both by a show of power and the searing light of day. The trek down the mountain no longer had any obstacles, but something still lingered in the mountains, a silent malice that prickled the senses.


The forest was painfully quiet. No bird songs, no humming of insects, not even the creak of wind in the boughs of a tree. The plants were hardy and green, but seemed lifeless and still. Whatever majesty the forest once had siphoned away. Everything looked natural, but nothing felt natural, least of all the trees.
Loping through the dense edges of the forest, a Dryad and her disguised companion climbed hills of increasing severity before the land yielded to a sheer drop into a narrow ravine. The dulled noise of rushing water floated up to them. Some distance down, a river flowed at a nervous pace. Fed by the mountain, it cut through the hills and likely emptied into an estuary further south.

The rugged mesa on the side of the ravine was much shorter. Instead of slopes, rocky terraces offered a passage downward. Smaller steps had been cut into the formation and hewn clefts in along the walkway served as a makeshift staircase to the river. Following the switchback of stairs was easy, and led to an old cart trail which disappeared behind a barren knoll.

For Nara and Iva, the severe-looking terrain was no obstacle. After travelling at length, they found it.
Perhaps a dozen structures were spread through a loose woodland. Ancient buildings of mouldering planks were topped by shingled roofs overgrown with moss. They all surrounded a large plowed field, more than half of which laid barren and dry. A grass-bitten pile of rubble that was once a granary occupied a wide space next to the field. The entire village looked abandoned. The thin patch of loamy soil sprouting with vegetable crops and strange flowers indicated otherwise. So did the two people tending to them. A middle-aged man and younger woman both wearing the stoic expression and seemed engrossed in their work. They were so thin, they could make convincing scarecrows.

A thin wisp of a man with dark, leathery skin stepped out of one of the houses and appraised the two travelers critically. A sling of soiled bandages covered half of his face. The other half was adorned with one small, penetrating eye the color of granite, sunken deep into its sockets, which peered at them from beneath a heavy brow. His expression was both tired and somehow intense. He looked to be a man whose life was a vicious storm he was determined to weather and dark clouds were always on the horizon taunting him.

“A dryad and her mate coming to visit Jhorm, eh? Now, that’s a sight.” He boomed with a raspy, but deep voice. He didn't seem surprised by their sudden arrival. “I am Kessig. And who might you two be?”
His attention had trailed off, following their footsteps back along the path they had come, but his gaze snapped back to the girls. A hint of suspicion glinted in his eye.



The rime-coated throat of the abyss eventually yielded to a natural cavern. Masrith crept cautiously deeper into the caves. His shuffling footsteps echoed into the hollow darkness. The floor and walls glistened in the guttering fire light. Here and there, patches of translucent blue slime seem to flinch away from the light. The deeper Masrith went, the more of the strange slime clung to the walls of the narrow passage. The air was stale, but carried a sweet, earthy scent.

A particularly large bulge of blue slime clung to a nearby wall. It shuddered as the light drew near, reflecting a translucent mirror image of the flaming angel. Tempted by the new disturbance, questing feelers reached out toward the Masrith, as if sensing his presence.

The cave widened into large chamber further down. Venturing forward, Masrith noticed a crunch underfoot. Fragile pieces of bone and other ivory white fragments litter the ground, carpeting the floor of the cavern. The fragments were slick and strangely smooth like stones in a river bed. There was no telling what creatures met their in these darkest depths.