Chapter 8x: Beware the Forest's Mushrooms
Rain looks at you, worriedly. "Something wrong, June?"
"No, I... I just thought I saw someone in the woods... I've got a bad feeling, I'm going to take a team to check it out. You head on the fort, we'll catch up. Bud, keep an eye on Marth for me, I'll move faster without him off the trail."
You grab Walt, Alyssa, and Ferris and head towards the spot you saw the figure. When you get close, you see clear signs of disturbance where someone quickly ducked behind a tree. Whoever made it left in a hurry, and didn't bother covering their tracks; dead leaves are strewn out of a path that you believe belongs to a human. With your experience and Alyssa's keen sight, you have no trouble following the tracks, until they dead-end at a bush. You cautiously push some branches aside with your axe, but no one appears to be inside. You circle around to the back, but can find no more tracks, none that don't seem to have been made by passing wildlife, anyway.
You decide that whatever was following you must not be much of a threat if it's running away, and turn to head back. As you start to walk, however, Alyssa suddenly whirls around, yelling. "Hold it!"
A startled cry comes from behind you, and you turn in time to see a young, blond girl in a dark robe with a ridiculously pointy hat. You take a step towards her. "Are you los-" she runs before you can finish.
"Halt!" Walt yells and starts running after her.
"Don't scare her!" you call, and start chasing Walt.
Alyssa and Ferris look at each other, sigh, and join in the parade. You catch up to Walt, and continue pursuing the girl. She constantly ducks under low branches, darts through bushes. You can't help be think it feels like chasing a fox or a rabbit. Finally, she breaks through into a clearing. On the level ground, you, Walt, Ferris, and Alyssa have no trouble running her down.
She turns, backing up to a tree as you slowly approach. "Four against one isn't very sporting..." she snarls.
"No, we're not going to hurt you, we just-"
"How about I EVEN THE ODDS!" She covers her face with her sleeve, and kicks a strangely-colored mushroom at her feet. You try to jump back, but a large cloud of spores covers your group. You stagger backwards, coughing and rubbing your eyes. The sound of coughing next to you tells you you weren't the only one affected. Everything starts to become dim...
When you open your eyes, the girl is gone. The sun has moved a bit, but only an hour has passed, at the most. You feel terrible. A growl beside you snaps you to your senses, and you leap to your feet. Beside you, a Risen slowly rises, as you back away. It's wearing the same armor that Walt was... What exactly was that mushroom!? Beside him, Alyssa and Ferris struggle to their feet, before looking up at you. Their eyes shine bright red, and they let loose a low snarl as they look between each other...
(A) Attack
(B) Defend
(C) Flee
Something doesn't seem right. You draw your axe, but slowly back away instead of attacking, waiting for the others to make a move. Ferris and Walt eye you carefully, not willing to turn their backs on the others. Suddenly, Alyssa draws a knife and lunges at Walt. She strikes the back of his head as he starts to turn. He falls, and Ferris leaps back as he draws his sword. Alyssa is roaring now, standing, pointing her knife at Walt's body, then Ferris, then you and flailing her other arm wildly. It almost sounds like she's trying to say something...
Ferris lunges at Alyssa, and she barely jumps back in time. She keeps backing away as Ferris retreats into a guarded position, keeping you both in front of him. Alyssa keeps backing away, then drops her knife. Ferris hesitates for a moment as if confused, and you take this moment to dash forward. You strike his sword; be parries, but loses his balance as he trips over Walt's fallen lance. You take the opportunity to tackle him, grabbing his sword arm. He struggles under your weight, and for a moment it looks like he's going to get free, but Alyssa runs over and somehow pries his sword free.
You stand up, and slowly back away, slipping your axe back into your belt. Ferris hesitates for a second, and his hand drifts towards his second blade. He seems to think better of it, and he stands. You hear a groaning noise coming from Walt. He stirs, but doesn't rise. You take his spear anyway, then turn to see Alyssa scribbling in a patch of dirt. You read her message: "YOU OK?" You shake your head, then sit down and rub your eyes for a bit. After a few minutes, Alyssa starts looking more like herself, though still a bit different. Her snarls have become somewhat audible words, though you notice everything still seems a bit... twisted, blurry.
Ferris leans against a tree and lies down. Walt slowly rises to his feet. He jumps when he sees you, but then shakes his head and squints. He sits up. Alyssa leans against a tree crossing her arms. No one seems willing to break the silence. However, the giant spider that slowly stalks out of the forest doesn't seem to have any qualms, as it begins clicking its mandibles and making an odd, almost squealing noise. Three more appear behind it, slowly advancing. You look to Alyssa, and she draws her knife and steps forward. It appears these ones are real.
You take out your bow and fire an arrow while Ferris and Walt unsteadily move into defensive positions beside Alyssa. Your shot goes far wide, and you realize your vision is causing trouble.
(A) Attempt to compensate, and keep using the bow
(B) Switch to throwing axes, let the others take point
(C) Charge in with your brave axe
(D) Leave the others to die and flee
You ready your brave axe, thinking there's no way you could possibly miss from point-blank range. You charge forward through Ferris and Alyssa. Ferris laughs, and follows you. Alyssa sighs, and Walt just joins in the charge. You aim to pick off the leading spider before the others join in. You bring your axe to the side, raising it in an arc and driving it upward between the spider's fangs. You miss, but quickly recover and slash again. The spider stabs at you with a leg, your blows connecting. Walt dashes by, stabbing. He impacts the spider, but the thrust glances off the thick exoskeleton. The spider brings another leg up toward you, but manages to catch it with his sword. Alyssa springs over you, driving her dagger into the spider's head.
The spider manages to jerk back at the last second, but she still impacts its eye. It hisses in pain and backs up into line with the others. You notice that the now-half-blind spider is larger and redder than the others, the tips of its claws a bright purple. The four of you form into a line. You dare not risk someone getting double-teamed by two of these. "Split up. Everyone take one, I've got the big guy. Play it safe, we don't have back-up..." Silently, your partners move into position.
Ferris slowly walks around his dance partner, occasionally lashing out with his sword. Eventually, he manages to score a good hit on one of the spider's legs. A pale liquid spurts out, and the leg dangles uselessly. The spider roars in pain, attempting to compensate for its sudden shift in balance. Ferris presses his advantage, clearly taking the upper hand.
Walt seems to be having more trouble. He takes advantage of his spear's range, but he's not used to fighting off horseback; his thrusts, though quick and surprisingly accurate, lack the power to penetrate the spider's armor. The spider doesn't seem to realize this, though, staying on the defensive, occasionally lashing out with a claw when Walt gets in to close, but unable to score a good hit.
Alyssa weaves in and out of the spider's attacks, her dagger bouncing off the spider's shell. The spider lands a lucky hit, and she gets knocked to the ground. The spider moves to impale her, but she rolls forward under the spider. It scuttles around, but she manages to stay under it. Its hisses tell you she's found the underside to be a bit softer.
You struggle to keep the elder at bay, lashing out with your brave axe. The giant manages to evade most of your attacks, but the loss of its eye seems to be causing it trouble as well. Neither of you can see correctly, and neither of you can score a solid hit. He manages to nick you repeatedly, but most of his attacks bounce harmlessly off your armor, until one manages to barely penetrate it. You feel a burning sensation where it impacted. You take out your old axe, and roar as you begin slashing at the beast with both your old axe and your brave axe.
A rustling in the bushes behind the spiders catches your attention. You're a bit too distracted to investigate, but the creature reveals itself. Out comes...
(A) That mean little girl from earlier
(B) The forest guardian himself
(C) A harmless forest critter
(D) Another bloody spider
Out comes that mean little girl from earlier... If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be in this mess! Or maybe you should blame Walt for chasing after her, or yourself for-
Your thoughts are interrupted by the GIANT SPIDER still attempting to kill you. It suddenly rushes forward, slamming into you. You're knocked onto the ground, and it slams its claws down on your arms. You stare at its face, one of its eyes bloody and oozing. It lets out a triumphant hiss... Its dripping fangs flay out... it rears its head back...
And a ball of shadow seems to burst from beneath you. It slams into the monster, who releases you as it staggers backwards. You swing one of your axes as it retreats, and manage to catch it in the mouth. It leaps back, blood oozing from its face. It turns to face the girl, and you take the chance to attack. You cut through one of its legs, and drive your other axe into its back as it staggers.
You hear the girl chanting as the spider tries to turn around to face you again. Six dark spheres begin orbiting the beast. It struggles to jump out of the way, but you quickly grab your poleaxe, and hook one of its legs. It falls to the ground as the orbs converge, slamming into the creature. A large sphere of darkness envelops the monstrosity, and you raise your weapon before it can recover, bringing it down directly into its skull. Its legs flail randomly for a moment, before becoming still.
Before you can act, the girl turns to Ferris' new friend and starts chanting again. He was holding his own well enough, but the spider's becoming more aggressive, and he seems to be struggling to keep up with its movements.
Alyssa's given up staying under the spider. It screeches in rage as it lunges at her. She manages to leap out of the way, but its claw stabs through her cloak, and she's jerked back like a dog on a leash.
Walt lunges at the spider with his spear. The spider leans back, barely dodging the blow, then biting into the head of the spear. Walt yells in confusion, attempting to wrench his spear free.
(A) Help Ferris - can't be too careful
(B) Help Alyssa
(C) Help Walt (tie)
You decide Alyssa has the greater need, but you can't leave Walt to die! A plan springs into your mind as Walt draws back the broken shaft of a spear. "It broke... It broke my lance!" he yells.
You throw your poleaxe towards Walt. "It's not a lance, but it handles pretty similarly!"
He catches it. "My thanks!" He raises the axe toward the spider.
Without breaking strike, you draw your axe, and cleave through Alyssa's cloak. She rolls to the side, and the two of you surround the spider. It tries to back away, but you cut it off. It turns to face you, and Alyssa slashes one of its legs. When it turns to her, you take another one. It panics, and lunges at you, but you deflect its clumsy strike, and bring your axe down into its head. By the time your axe is free, Alyssa's already running to help Walt.
Walt's spider seems to realize how badly the tide has turned, and begins to run. Alyssa leaps onto its back, and it rears, trying to throw her as she searches desperately for a chink in the armor. Walt takes advantage of the confusion and drives the tip of the axe into the creature's underbelly. It screeches, the force of the blow rolling it onto its back. Alyssa jumps clear, and Walt swings the axe over his head. "On my honor, you shall fall!" He brings the axe head down, crushing the spider's thorax.
You turn your attention to Ferris' spider, only to find him casually wiping blood from his sword. "Well, that was fun. Let's never do it again."
You turn to the girl. "Er... Thanks, I guess." Now that you get a better look at her, you estimate she's older than you thought, but still a year or so younger than you.
She grins. "Well, I couldn't just let you get killed! Even if you jerks chased me through the forest earlier. I mean, it was one thing when you were going to kill each other, but I'll be damned before I let a bunch of filthy bael do you in..."
"Bael? Oh, the... spiders... Um... Sorry about chasing you. It's just, we're on a secret mission, and we were worried you were an enemy spy, or worse..."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You were watching us when we were stopped for lunch? We followed your trail until that bush, then we happened to see you..."
"Oh? Ehehe..." She smiles knowingly. "I'm afraid that wasn't me you were chasing. You see- Um... Are you all right?"
Come to think of it, everything seems to be spinning worse. You realize your shoulder is burning where the elder bael managed to pierce your armor. "I... I think I'm..." Everything starts growing dark. You feel yourself falling, hear a cacophony of people calling to you as you lose consciousness.
Everything is dark... So dark... You see your mother standing in front of you, wearing her favorite blue dress. Her long, brown hair flows, though you feel no wind... You try to run to her, but she seems to be moving further and further away... Suddenly, you feel yourself moving, and you realize you're being carried away. Two powerful arms are wrapped around your waist, but you can't... Not with her so close... You struggle, flail, fight with everything you have, call out. Slowly, your mother turns... And stares at you, her eyes glowing red. She smiles widely as her skin begins to rot before your eyes, transforming her into a brown sack of jelly, the smile never fading...
You bolt upright, sweating profusely. A woman sitting in front of you gives a small yelp of surprise, before placing a hand on your shoulder. "It's okay, you're safe... Lay back down, sweetie." You slowly comply, looking the mysterious woman up and down. She wears a simple green tunic, which is matched by a green kerchief tied around her head. Short, silvery-white hair pokes out from beneath, but what catches your attention is her golden eyes. Something's not quite right about her face; you know it's something obvious, but you can't quite put your finger on it. "My name is Fumiko."
"Well, it's about time you woke up!" That girl from the forest, the one who wielded dark magic, enters the room. "How long's she been asleep for? Two days now?"
"T-Two days!? No, Fort... Rain... Carcina... Everyone... Got to..." You leap out of bed, a searing pain shooting up your shoulder. You wince, but stand up.
"Easy, easy..." The woman gives you a hand, helping you keep your balance. "You should be fine in a moment or two, you've been in and out for quite a while... You're just lucky Mary got you to me in time. Elder bael venom is... quite potent. Don't worry about your friends, deary."
"That one with the dark hair and the headband - Ferris, was it? - was so worried about you. It was kind of touching... But that girl and the walking tin can were going on about how the others would get slaughtered this, we need to get back to them that..."
"My husband took them to the fort personally, don't worry about them. He's probably tearing down the gates for them as we speak."
This is quite a bit to take in. You let yourself sit back on the edge of the bed. "Um... So, you've been taking care of me?" The woman nods. "Thanks, so much... And... Mary, I'm sorry if we scared you the other day. We just wanted to make sure you were OK."
Mary waves her hand dismissively. "It's in the past. Besides, we're going to be friends now!" She wraps an arm around your shoulder, and you wince slightly.
"Ah... I should explain. My husband, he takes it on himself to protect the humans from the... things in this forest. Normally, he just kills any that get too close to the borders, but lately, their numbers are increasing, they're becoming more aggressive... He's had to resort to keeping humans out, as well. He can't keep this up, so he's going to go find the source and smash it - that's his answer for most things, you know. Anyway, when your friends started talking about these Risen, he thought following you may be best for everyone."
"And since Dad's training me to become the next forest guardian, I'm going with him! Besides, I need to get out among normal humans from time to time. Mom thinks so anyway."
"Er... Wait, forest guardian? But I thought the guardian was that giant bear..."
Mary and Fumiko exchange glances, then burst out laughing. Fumiko, a small, polite chuckle, with her hand over her mouth; Mary, a boisterous guffaw. "Yes, I suppose... My husband is quite a bear of a man..."
Eventually, the two regain their composure. Fumiko slides her kerchief back, revealing a pair of white, pointed ears. "He's a laguz, dear, and so am I. He can transform into a bear, though he hardly needs to with muscles like his." Laguz... Half-human, half-beast... You'd heard stories about them, but you thought them little more than a bedtime myth until now.
You look at Mary expectantly. "Don't look at me. I'm just a normal human... Beorc, as Dad says."
"Laguz... and Beorc... Wow... I never thought I'd meet someone who can become an animal, and I've never met a user of dark magic, either." This really is too much to take in at once. You start to feel a bit groggy.
Fumiko clears her throat. "If you're not feeling well, dear, we can wait until morning to set out." Mary huffs impatiently; Fumiko ignores her and continues. "The forest's a bit dangerous at night. I mean, Mary and I know it like the backs of our hands, so getting lost isn't a concern, and we should be able to deal with most of the creatures, but if we were to get horribly unlucky, we may run into something... dangerous."
"But what about her friends? Surely she's anxious to get back to them, especially if they're fighting!"
(A) Time to go
(B) Best wait for morning
(C) DEMONIC SUB-HUMAN SCUM MUST DIE!
New Character!
Mary
Class: Shaman
Skills: Tomebreaker, Purge
HP: *****
Str: ***
Mag: *******
Skill: ****
Speed: *******
Def: ***
Res: ****
Luck: ****
New Character!
Fumiko
Class: Fox laguz
Skills: Demosoille, Darksight, Sentry
HP: ******
Str: *****
Mag: **
Skill: ******
Speed: *******
Def: *****
Res: ****
Luck: *****
"I want to get there as soon as I can. The thought of my friends being hurt because I wasn't there..."
Mary pumps her fist excitedly. Fumiko gives her a stern look, then sighs. "All right, let me gather a few things. Your armor and weapons are right over there, just come on out when you're ready, sweetie."
While dressing yourself, you realize the room is horribly cluttered with papers, bottles of mysterious liquids, herbs, and books. You manage to wade out of the room, into a sparsely decorated, immaculately clean central room. You look over your shoulder to make sure you're in the same room. "I apologize for my daughter's messy room. I simply can't abide filth, but I've learned to choose my battles with Mary." Mary, standing impatiently by the door, rolls her eyes. Fumiko hands you a torch. "I'll lead. You two stay close." She opens the door, and almost as an afterthought turns back. "If anything happens, take Mary and run. Oh, don't make that face, it might stick like that. I'm sure everything will be fine."
As you leave, you realize you were staying at a simple cottage tucked away into a clearing. The thick line of trees around the outskirts all but hide it from view as you've move away. "It'll only be about an hour's hike... If our new friend can keep up, of course." Mary winks at you.
At first you're uneasy in the tenebrous forest, but after a few minutes, you begin to let your guard down. Even in the late night, the forest is alive, with all manner of insects flitting beside your torch, and the constant noise of scurrying animals in the underbrush. You even hear a few birds, ignoring the darkness to serenade the night sky. Fumiko proves to be a capable guide, leading you between trails, across fallen logs, and through bushes. You're surprised to see Mary moving with as much grace as her mother, seeming to barely graze obstacles. You, on the other hand, do find yourself struggling to keep pace, and are constantly bombarded by the sound of wood scraping across your steel armor.
As your torch begins to dim, Fumiko suddenly stops. She sighs. "And we were so close, too..." Mary reaches for a tome.
"What is it?" you ask. The sound of a distant howl, and then another, answers your question. "Wolves?"
"Oh, I wish," Mary begins. "I like wolves. Think of these as... the Risen equivalent of the wolves you know. Come to think of it, they may just be... Well, they're called Mauthe Doogs. Mean as snakes, and smart. They move in packs, isolate their foes, surround them, pick them off one at a time. Nasty business. How bad is it, Mom?"
Fumiko loosens her kerchief, ears erect. "5... maybe 6. But I think one may be a Gwyllgi..."
When you look confused, Mary explains. "Their big brothers. Three headed beasts. Honestly, aside from being bigger, they aren't that much more of a threat."
Fumiko slips a stone out of her pocket. "Well then, Mary, take June and go on. I'll catch up." She starts stretching.
"Mom, you know they've gotten stronger lately, and you're not getting any younger." Fumiko freezes, and you think you hear a slight growling noise. "I mean... sure, you could have handled a dozen a year ago, but now..."
"Mary. You listen to your mother, dear, and go on. I can't fight and protect the two of you." Mary huffs.
(A) Grab Mary and run
(B) Stand and fight
(C) Force Fumiko to flee with you
"You said these things fight by isolating their prey and picking them off one at a time? Then splitting up is exactly what they want! I can't protect Mary while fleeing... Mary, get your back to that tree, and stay behind me. Fumiko, I'll protect your daughter, you just worry about fighting."
Fumiko hesitates for a second, then resumes stretching. As she approaches the end of her stretching routine, a snowy tail pokes out from her tunic. "Fine, then. But just know that if anything happens to Mary, I'll be eating your liver for breakfast." Before you can reply, she leaps into the air, tucking into a tight ball. When she lands, she has transformed into a white fox. She adopts a defensive stance while you take up position in front of Mary.
Everything becomes completely still. No more skittering just outside the torch light, no more bird sounds. Even the wind seems to stop. Suddenly, Fumiko seems to snap to attention, then she leaps to the side as several purple rings appear where she had been standing. A deep voice cries out, "June, Mary, be careful! There are mogalls among them."
Mary curses under her breath. "Floating... eyeball looking things. Dark magic users. You can't hear the damn things com-" Something bursts from a bush; it appears to be a green wolf with a flaming, yellow mane. It dashes for Fumiko, but a dark hole seems to open in front of it. It breaks its charge, but flames of pure darkness erupt from the hole, surrounding the beast before slamming into it. It roars in pain, then falls over. It begins to disappear.
Suddenly, five more burst from the tree cover, followed by one very large purple hound with three heads. Fumiko easily weaves through their initial charge, leaping onto the final doog with a slash, then bouncing to stand in front of the gwyllgi, her fur bristling. The doog yelps in pain, but turns to face her, along with two of its compatriots. The other two move to block you from helping Fumiko. A pair of eyeballs appear behind the gwyllgi...
Who should June target?
(A) Mauthe doogs directly in front (brave axe)
(B) Mauthe doogs near Fumiko (hand axe)
(C) Mauthe doogs near Fumiko (brave axe, charge them)
(D) Mogalls (hand axe)
Who should Mary target?
(1) Mauthe doogs directly in front
(2) Mauthe doogs near Fumiko
(3) Gwyllgi
(4) Mogalls
You pull out a handaxe. "Mary, hit the Gwyl... Gywl... the big one!" With a flick of your wrist, you send a handaxe hurtling at one of the mogalls. The mogall, who was preparing to cast a spell, turns just in time for the axe to hit it square in the... body. It falls to the ground.
Mary begins chanting, and a ball of shadow appears before you. It sinks into the ground, and suddenly erupts underneath the Gwyllgi. The beast is knocked off balance, and Fumiko takes the opening to dash forward. She bites down onto one of its three throats. With a twist, she tears it open; the other two heads howl in pain. Fumiko makes a move to keep attacking, but one of the Mauthe Doogs grabs Fumiko by the tail and hurls her backward. You barely miss her with your second axe, which strikes the second Mogall.
Fumiko struggles to her feet while three of the Doogs circle her. One rushes her, and you realize she was feinting when she quickly rolls to the side, then leaps into a counterattack. The Gwyllgi begins to recover, and moves to attack. A large glyph appears before it, and balls of shadowfire pour out of it."Shadows take you!" The monster dashes forward, but can't evade in time. It falls to the ground and begins to dissipate.
Before you can draw another handaxe, a Mauthe Doog tackles you. It snaps at your face, but you manage to throw up a gauntlet. It latches on, and you manage to roll over onto the Doog. With your wrist still in its mouth, you manage to rip out your hatchet and bury it in the creature's neck. You quickly spin around and strike the second Doog as it lunges. Mary hits it with a ball of darkness. By the time you finish the pair off, Fumiko has the last pinned on its back. With a deft twist, she rips out its throat. Her snow-white fur is speckled with blood. She shakes herself, then reverts to her human form, blood splattered across her tunic. She adjusts her kerchief, tucks her tail away, and walks over to Mary. She envelops her in a tender hug and whispers something to her. Mary beams with pride.
End of Chapter 8x