[F27-PP] <<TMD: Srona>> Herb Embers

[NIGHT 0]

"Safe zone," DAY responded, immediately to Koga's query about Ylvon. Similarly, to his prompt about preparations, the construct only tilted her head. "Was there something I should've been picking up on? For the record, I know only just as much as you two do. But--"

A shared glance between the two women, and NIGHT nodded after a pause. "--Yeah. There's obviously going to be complications somewhere. Not that either of us happen to be familiar with the floor to say what it is, at least."

"That's too bad..."

Even with her words despondent, the entity carried a beam. From the ether and with a twirl, she let a metallic flash summon a spear of light back into her hand. The butt of the weapon was set to the ground, as DAY surveyed their surroundings for the said location.

"Nothing to do but head in wary, I suppose."

"Eager," NIGHT touted back unamused. With hesitant leading steps, she tried to usher the group down the grove's direction. "Here, this way."

---

The Blooming Grove might as well have been labelled the Bleeding Grove, for its entrance appeared marked as such. Through the thicket, dense woods and curtains of jagged cool-colored leaves, the party ended up at what appeared to be a wall of ivy, with the indication of an entrance different from the scatter of red flowers leading towards the grove's interior. Through the gap, it looked no different from the forest they would leave just to enter the territory. No different indeed, save for a ledge at the far end of the enclave.

Through the dark, anyone could've spotted the creature of white sat from on-high, appearance questionable to players who were suited for a different kind of realm, with species that seemed to make sense. Its elegance almost seemed like a threat in itself -- a coat of pure white and antlers, feelers of gold that gleamed and shook with dust as the breath of the wild swept through the woods. Two faces -- with the shift in perspective as the party wove towards the grove's entrance, the players could tell. The creature didn't stir at the players' arrival. It sat still, like a statue, basking in what little light could pour through into its throne.

When NIGHT first laid eyes upon it, she was perturbed.

"This is the spot," DAY commented. NIGHT wondered if it was information retrieved from the same origin, under the hood, for a flash. The frame that decorated the entrance, all scarlet and vermillion, spoke of a danger she could still not decipher.

Thorns, sharp, that seemed dull faded into the darkness of the mixed leaves, upon further inspection. So that was the narrative? The player hesitated, before taking a step through the territory.

-- And almost fell backwards when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait, look..."

Following the Gemini's finger, she turned to the statue, and what broke through once-hidden slits between its fur were cracks of red like the color of fire more than blood. Like anger incarnate more than violence. Like a warning more than the conflict itself.

DAY only lifted her grip from the player once NIGHT had noticed its observation. And carefully, the party treaded into the creature's lair.

The title of 'Grove Guardian' appeared on her screen to mark the white beast's location. And, when they'd travelled a little ways into the garden, DAY stopped, extending a hand to block the players from moving forward.

Fire in the belly of the beast. Liquid pools that shimmered to life under the low light, speckled with gold from nature's dust. The entity turned towards her party from over her shoulder. "It's probably going to come after you two if we stay too long. So focus on what you need to do. Just a handful of herbs, then we'll go. Understood?"

---

ID204992 | LD8 + 6 = 14 | CD2 - 2 = 0 | n/a.

| 0/6 ushiame gathered.
| cd: 0

[Koga 0]

Koga had to admit that he was mildly impressed when DAY conjured up a spear of light and slammed it into the ground like some kind of divine warrior. Though he appearance itself was not intimidating, Koga was curious as to what level of skill Cardinal's construct could bring to bear against any foes they might face. He might find out soon, he supposed.

With a silent nod, the man followed alongside the two women as they tread carefully into the Grove, the tightly knit trees oppressive in their presence. It would be easy for them to lose their way among the towering wood sentinels, should they stray too far from their path.

Even still, the massive glowing creature, glowing like some spectral beacon was impossible to miss. Aside from the swaying golden wreath upon it's head, and the shifting of it's fur, it was unmoving. Still as stone. "Ominous..." Koga muttered quietly as his hand drifted to the saya of his katana. Some instinctual precaution at this point.

The trio briefly paused as DAY indicated to them that the Guardian was indeed watching them, it's massive red orbs affixed to them. A chill ran up Koga's spine and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end beneath the creature's watchful gaze. Ominous indeed...

"Let's be quick then," Koga agreed before his eyes quickly swept over the ground, littered with all manner of foliage and brush. "What did this herb look like again?" Koga inquired, realizing he had no idea what they were actually looking for.

---

| 204993, CD 11, LD nat2 +3
    > cd: 11
    > 0/6 ushiame

[NIGHT 0]

Blue leaves tinged with the colours of sunset.

The description of the herbs was likely much better conveyed through sight than words, and so NIGHT turned to the plants, hoping with what little she could discern about their appearance in the dark would bear fruit, if she were to be careful. Though she stayed quiet, as though keeping the information to herself, her eyes were frantic in scanning the foliage around them. Sections in her vision were crossed out. A few steps in one direction, before she turned.

When she could spot the fade of yellow to orange, she picked one of its leaves to show. And the noise of the environment were covered up by her steps, rubber soles upon dirt to bring her friend a sample of what they needed to find. "Here," NIGHT offered, understanding she should return to pick the rest of the plant clean before moving onto a different node. "As long as it looks like this. We should pick up the pace."

Eyes shot her way certainly told her so. But as the player realized DAY wasn't looking at her but past her figure instead, she turned to look, steps hastened.

Stitch by stitch, the entrance to the grove was being blocked off. Thorns where she'd seen them came from vines that extended across the gap, threading their point into the stems of their brethren; an agitated move on behalf of the creature that called this place home.

She thought she could hear the huffs of indignation from the beast. NIGHT decided she needed to move, fast.

---

ID204994 | LD13 + 6 = 19 | CD5 - 2 = 3 | +1 ushiame.

| 1/6 ushiame gathered.
| cd: 14

[Koga 0]

Instead of answer, NIGHT began to look around her. Near frantic as he head swiveled too and fro, but controlled, as always. A couple paces, and then she knelt down and plucked something off the ground before turning and showing it to Koga. I was a pretty little leaf, he thought, though his face did little to betray the notion. Another quiet nod, and the man began to search the area himself.

Though he was careful to not lose sight of the path, nor the pale Guardian who's eyes were still fixed on them (had the eyes begun to grow more brightly?), Koga delved a bit deeper into the grove, Okami keeping close to his side as he sniffed about as well. At first, the pair found nothing. Just green, a color Koga still found amusingly hard to acclimate too. But then a small tinge of blow was spotted, trapped beneath some brush. The man knelt down, and moved the entangling twigs and leaves, revealing the telltale orange. "Got another one. That's two," he reported.

---

| 204995, CD 5, LD nat12 +3
    > cd: 19
    > 2/6 ushiame

[NIGHT 0]

A single plant decimated in a matter of seconds through quick finger work. If the individual leaves mattered more than the plant, perhaps the medicine would've saw more common use. Alas, that was not the case -- and what she did collect had to maintain its quality, too. Broken or dented parts of a plant could cause it to rot quicker, NIGHT recalled from her studies.

Once the first bundle was stored in her inventory, her next was found by a rock round a corner where she'd started. The player focused on it, trying to keep quiet, though she knew from the sear upon her back her presence was not taken kindly to, even as she hid her work from the guardian. It was only when she heard pacing of the construct, DAY stepping forward did the woman feel a sense of relief. Not enough to lose tension in her form, but just enough to focus her attention on caution rather than haste.

Closer still, the entity moved. And NIGHT only raised her head once she'd completed her second batch of ushiame. Now the beast, in all its glory, was beginning to rise. Four limbs -- lanky, precise -- kept it aloft, and for once the player could recognize it akin to a deer.

But its eyes were set on the players. On both faces, each pupil, white in the fire, was honed in on the green cursors. No other sudden movement did the guardian take from its rise.

Only in the darkness did DAY continue treading further, before coming to a stand still, just as the grove's keeper did too.

---

ID204996 | LD20 + 6 = 26 | CD4 - 2 = 2 | +1 ushiame.

| 3/6 ushiame gathered.
| cd: 21

[Koga 0]

The burning sensation of the Guardian's eyes on his back only grew more oppressive as Koga searched through the brush for more of the medicinal herb. The desire to look over his shoulder at the creature finally overcame him, and the man peered at the massive beast.

Bright red eyes. Certainly brighter than they were before. They stared at him. Boring into his body. A shiver shook through his body, unbidden as he stared back at it, unblinking.

The antennae on it's head began to warble, shifting against the soft breeze that had caused them to waver before. Almost unnoticeable.

A loud cracking sound whipped through the air as vines shot down from the canopy of trees, a startled cry erupting from Koga's lips as he felt them wrap around his arms first, then his legs and torso. "NIGHT!" the man called out on instinct, before suddenly being pulled up into the air with a shout and Okami barked after him.

The man hung there in the air, upside down, writing against the vines that constricted him, swaying back and forth some twenty feet in the air, unable to reach his weapon. "NIGHT! Get me down from here!"

---

| 204997, CD 11, LD nat14 +3
    > cd 32
    > 4/6

[NIGHT 0]

Movements barely perceptible to the human eye. And yet, at Koga's call, there was a sudden shift in the environment.

It was in that moment that DAY did spring to action, and NIGHT took off running towards her friend.

"How'd you get up there?!"

A flash of light from the altar. Strikes -- not just one, but two blinded the beast as the construct attempted to jam her spear into its form. Nothing but spectacle came of it, with the similar message players were oft given for their jabs at a sedentary object.

So there was nothing to be done about the beast. It reared backwards, almost to turn away from the sparks, but its pupils never reached far enough down to the entity's position. The guardian didn't even seem to care.

And likewise, for the players --

"Can't you just summon your weapon -- cut yourself loose?"

With Koga lifted a few feet from the air, surely it would've been plenty to have released him with NIGHT's own blade. Yet, knowing the devastating effects of her weapon on the plants, caution had to be advised. It was ever so refreshing, then, to see the vines slashed loose from a stray smear across the grove. Heavy was the weight in her hands once Koga dropped down, almost knocking over the woman's figure -- she turned immediately to the source of the strike; devastating, but accurate.

Even from the distance, she could see DAY's troubled expression. So too did she roll her friend off herself, hissing. "The distraction isn't working. Careful where you look."

---

ID205000 | LD9 + 6 = 15 | CD2 - 2 = 0 | +1 ushiame.

| 5/6 ushiame gathered.
| cd: 32

[Koga 0]

"Oh, you know, just thought I'd climb up here and fraternize with the leaves," Koga said sarcastically, tossing down a glare at the woman. "I don't fucking know, NIGHT, the vines just grabbed me! Now could you hurry up, please?" Clearly, the man was not enjoying his time being suspended in the air. Or maybe the blood was just rushing to his head a little too quickly. It didn't really matter, all he knew was that he was eager to be let down.

At NIGHT's bidding, the man tried to summon his weapon to his hand, an action he'd taken countless time but, sadly, nothing happened. "Something's blocking me. I dunno, ya got any idea-ahhhhh!" No sooner had the man finished the sentence did DAY's golden spear of light tear through the air and vines like paper, sending Koga plummeting downward face first and crashing into NIGHT's body.

Though disoriented from his rapid descent he seemed to be okay, despite NIGHT unceremoniously pushing the man off of her. He groaned a moment before standing. "So you catch Star, hundreds of feet in the air, but you drop me," the man complained as he rose to his feet, dusting his clothing off as a stray herb descended from his coat. "Nice to know where you're priorities are." The man paused as he extended a hand to help NIGHT up. "Thanks though."

---

| 204998, CD 2, LD nat17, MD 2
    > cd: 34
    > 6/6 ushiame

[NIGHT 0]

"I--"

It took her a moment to realize what Koga was talking about. Then it struck her. Hard.

Though this was no time for squabble, in Koga's defense, the man had a good point. Almost to which NIGHT did feel personally offended upon, because not only was it true that her priorities were incredibly obvious, but the sanctity of their friendship deserved an answer.

So the player thought about it, painfully so, as she shuffled backwards towards her original herb spot.

"... Look. Star was a newbie, so a fall like that would've killed her. Whereas you just dropped like maybe three meters. And you're a veteran at this game. You'd only get some scratches that'll fade with time. Don't be a baby about it."

Larger strides, now that she had passed into familiar ground. And as her stray had reached out to grab that familiar sunset hue -- "Oh, and before we forget, you also chose to dive down that hole. And as far as I know, Starla--"

Drifting dust and a crack. The vines from above her basically scooped NIGHT up from below her arms and tangled themselves up to prevent movement. Before the player could turn to look, she'd already squealed as her feet left the ground, kicking at air as she sank deeper into her tracksuit.

"--What?! Fuck -- damn you, Guardian, let me go! --DAY?!"

---

ID204999 | MD7 | LD2 | CD8 - 2 = 6 | why

| cd: 40
| 6/6 ushiame gathered.

[Koga 0]

Koga stared at NIGHT in bewilderment for a moment as she tried, quite seriously, to defend her actions, both of the past and present. Almost statuesque in stillness, as the expression froze on his face. Nothing but his eyes moved, flitting across her face trying to determine if she had taken him literally.

Of course, that mask was instantly shattered as more vines descended from the tree canopy, this time yanking NIGHT up into the air. At first, Koga was simply shocked and ran over to the spot directly beneath the woman staring up at her. But then, the irony of it all hit him. Here she'd been chastising the man on what he'd meant as a joke, not long after he'd been in the same predicament, and now she was the one that the Grove Guardian apparently decided was the transgressor.

Koga almost bent over laughing. "Hang on, I got you," he managed to squeeze out between breaths as he drew his blade. "DAY, just catch her."

Thankfully she wasn't terribly high. Koga took a short run at a tree and leaped at it, kicking off the thick bark his blade a quick flash as it cut cleanly through the vines, releasing NIGHT into freefall alongside Koga.

---

Koga releases NIGHT from the vines

Edited March 7, 2022 by Koga

[NIGHT 0]

laughter.

"well i'm glad to know at least you're having fun," she snapped back, though her heart was still hammering in her chest. and the thought of being rescued by her other in the same way as before -- "n-no! i can do this on my own--"

the condition under her status effects for negating weapon summons was apparently disregarded in night's vision. and she struggled with the vines until the slash from her friend tore her captors apart. with the amount of time koga took to wind up his stunt, day was already upon the party after a brief leap and sprint.

"on it!"

oh, heavens, not again.

as though the force of the fall wasn't enough to knock the wind out of the player, being wrapped up in the arms of the construct had done the deed enough. and night soured, face red behind her palms -- she already underscored the irony of her retaliation from earlier, she didn't need the world to fluster her even more.

"well, that's point two for me," day chirped, intimate, before skidding to a halt, her boots pushing up dirt. enough to send a slop of mud into a cluster of herbs, and the entity danced out of another set of vines lunging from above to her position. day's eyes were cast to the guardian's in vitriol, and night could've gone the entire rest of the grove without opening her eyes, how she was clung onto so tightly, so viscerally -- that her other would keep her so safe.

she could also feel the press of budding softness upon the back of her arms. it felt wrong, but night didn't want to move.

"we need to get to the exit," their leader stated, her chin raised towards the entanglement of vines blocking the grove's entrance. "the grove's prepared bees to fire at us if we stay any longer." the shift of her tone was almost immediate, from firm to gentle, as day moved in earnest towards the objective while weakening her grip on the player. "night, could you...?"

a tremble. "n-no."

"no?"

quick responses. a brief cock of day's head. night shifted in the construct's arms. "no-- don't look at me while i do it..."

"okay."

no complaints, where there might've been some under regular circumstances. and the player got on her feet, enough to stabilize herself without seeming too embarrassed while her other bolted towards the entrance of the grove. a few rustle of leaves more summoned tethers to where the entity once was; the vines grasped at air. two simple strikes across the blockade, and day had already broken through the grove's entrapment.

"hurry, this way!"

night scampered out, both objections and criticism to her party members refrained.

[Koga 0]

Well that went about according to plan. Aside from the clear flush and bluster, NIGHT was otherwise unharmed. Mental trauma aside, NIGHT was up and moving. Of course, Koga figured that was in part to the threat of swarms of flying insects that were evidently on their way.

"Oh c'mon, not the bees..." Koga groaned upon hearing the information. Honey, great. Being stung by hundred of the tiny insects? Not so much. "Lets get going," Koga said, starting to move back down the path the way they'd came, only pausing once he realized that NIGHT and DAY hadn't begun to accompany him yet. Turning back he looked over at them just in time to see NIGHT starting to run at him like a bat outta hell.

"Oi!" koga cried out as he leapt to the side to avoid the veritable bullet train that was speeding at his face. "Watch where you're going!" A flash of blonde hair then whizzed past him, a call coming over her shoulder for Koga to hurry up. "Wha- but I was- fuckin', whatever, comin'!"

---

By the time Koga had actually caught up to the other two, he would've sworn they'd already ran halfway back to the village. "Jesus, you guys might have short legs, but you can move em'," he panted as he finally managed to take a place beside them. "So, what's next, we just hand over the herbs and head to the next place?"

[NIGHT 0]

"didn't wanna get stung," night objected. and there was a beating where her lungs should've been, had it not been for their digital reality. though the duo had made it out safely, what mattered more was the state of their herbs; she wasn't going to risk entering the grove once more if only to gather more of it at a later time.

a brief glance at her inventory, and she knew they would be fine.

day appeared unhindered by the chase, but that was no surprise to the players by this point. the spear gone from her hand, she nodded to koga's suggestion. "if by next place you mean yvlon. i'm sure you two need more than just cleaning up at this point."

the motive of wanting a separate room still haunted night's thoughts.

journeying back towards the outpost only took a couple of minutes; finding percival, even less time still. the alchemist glowed upon laying eyes on the fresh reagents, the packaged herbs immediately gifted to his colleagues for their work to commence immediately.

he gave the party a deep bow.

"it'll do for now," he admitted. "our stocks should accommodate enough for the injured miners back in dagan, and treat some of the wounds our friends have sustained while the fire was burning. we'd be lucky to have any more than that, but we can look after ourselves once the crises are over."

"in addition, could i ask a favour of you two, if you are venturing through the regions? i should be in need of a missive sent to president brienne."

night knew never to speak ill of cardinal's lack of questlines after receiving her orders. the team was to travel to ordsea about the occurrence of the fire. speculated to have occurred out of malice, the perpetrators were nowhere to be found once the burn had been tended to.

so basically they were being sent to call the police. not that night was a fan of the plan, but she could hold her tongue.

a quick acceptance of the request and they parted ways. her first instinct was to turn to day, knowing that the wagons they'd arrived on were being prepared to make the journey back to the fields in the mountains once the salves were complete. "i'm guessing we're going to make it there on foot."

"we can organize for transport at yvlon," day returned, ignoring night's questioning as koga once asked, glancing over to the man. "safe zone; warm beds, a nice shower, inn rooms. one last trek before we head out to the next location." turning to the road, she gave the party a grin.

"well then, shall we?"

[Koga 0]

How a man in a wheel chair actually bowed was a little beyond Koga. It was more akin to him simply slouching and hunching forward a bit, than an actual bow, but the gesture was there, and at the very least, far more respectful than the last quest giver. It was, of course, no surprise though when the man requested their assistance with yet another errand. One that sounded pleasantly less insect related. One never knew though.

At the question of how to travel though, Koga gave NIGHT a questioning look. Had they not just taken a carriage from the last village to this one? Before Koga even had the chance to bring it up, however, DAY beat the man to the punch. A glance over at NIGHT, and Koga decided it was better not to insert him into...whatever this was. "I'm gonna let you two decide this one," he said, holding his hands up defensively. The last thing he wanted to do was piss off either woman. Both could probably make his life a living hell if they so chose, and Koga wasn't masochistic enough to want that.

[NIGHT 0]

"decide?"

night seemed more perplexed by the statement than otherwise. what was there to decide between? failing to see the choice, she turned to day with a nod. "sounds good. yvlon...? i'm assuming that's like a major city in the region."

"akin to that," the construct returned. the details weren't incredibly important in the moment. night preferred getting to see it for herself. once the players started to walk, the party was set for their destination.

a half-hour journey wasn't incredibly amazing, however, only exacerbated by the wilderness factor srona was well noted for. like an alien planet, its eco system, and just as well that it had its own set of questionable plant life and roaming creatures.

(if they'd stopped to rest partway through, night believed they might've never made it to yvlon alive.)

the city they arrived in wasn't large. hospitable, as though cardinal had meant it to be a stopping point for certain travelers if they'd made it out this far into the region. bare necessities were available, with a couple more shops for variety and local flavour. the wealth of spring water nearby also meant an outdoors bath.

and night was more focused on obtaining rooms before cleansing, just to ensure she made good on day's out-of-place request. the three rooms were set side by side -- koga's, then night's in the far corner, after day's.

(though she should've known it wouldn't matter, either way.)

come the next morning, the two would've left through a single door at the end of the inn's hallway.

[NIGHT 0]

thread summary

[total]

koga
+ 13320xp | 1665 * 8
+ 3198col | xp * 0.15 + 1200

night
+ 19980xp | 1665 * 12
+ 4147col | xp * 0.15 + 1200

Spoiler

[thread progression]

9956 words | 331 sections | 1665 base 
+ 200col/player

[quest rewards]

+ 1000xp
+ 1000col