The village was lively, the sounds of celebration reaching out across the snow swept fields between itself the guardhouse and the forest beyond. Colored streamers hung from the arching gateways and fresh flowers were set out on windows to entice the forest fae of myths to the festival. The central portion of the market had been cleared, the usual stall owners making room for the main attractions. Games of all kinds from ring tosses to dagger throwing for any manner of prizes. Contests as well, a row of skilled mages displaying their feats in skill before a group of possibly inebriated judges and even a snow-elf building contest for the children. Though currently most of the attention was on the partial circle of wagons that had taken over the center of the market square.
"As you can see, with careful study and the proper tools we can discover more of the world around us." Avaros stood next to one of the more showy pieces of equipment they had taken. A series of primal stones embedded into wrought iron spokes with a small flat portion raised from its central axis. Currently it was vibrating and humming along its spokes in accordance to whatever arcanum he was supplying the device with, altering the pleasant tones along each spoke creating an odd ambient natural music.
A bit more magic to create a bit of sparks and a slight glow and the younger ones in the crowd oohed and ahhed appropriately in time with the smoke and mirrors he was creating. "Now imagine what might happen if we found something that could power all of these at once? What music might that create?" Usually he focused his methods of subterfuge on a less broad focus, but still he was more than capable of entrapping such a audience with gilded words and a bit of light show.
Inwardly Avaros applauded himself on finding such a clever use for the seemingly defunct device. It would react to the primary arcanum of whatever was placed on its central dais, while not exactly designed as such that's just all it had wound up doing. No more convenient than a regular primal stone, it had been intended to serve as a more capable version of the sunfires solar forge. A portable generator of magical power, just that the fuel needed was intended to be derived from a more accessible ambient source than even the sun: the magic of the world around them.
Today hopefully he would begin taking the first steps toward finding such a power and bringing it into the world. There was an obvious issue with the current operations of magic, the conflicts that arose when combining particular arcanums limited the potential reach of elven magic. As each arcanum drew from the same well the conflict surely could be avoided by simplifying the equation. Individually each arcanum's magic was distilled and formed from the ethereal ambient magic in the world around it. Evidence both empirical and second-hand rumors all pointed toward another pre-arcanum form of magical energy that should serve for any spell of any kind. Possibly even those with no base in arcanums what-so-ever.
"So The Spire has provided the tools!" Peripsis clapped her hands together once bringing the crowds attentions away from the devices and back toward the overall presentation. "Together with the Dragon Guard's Arch-mages and your very own Forest Guard division we now have the elf power."
Kercia stood proudly with the best of his hand picked Patrol Scouts, each of them dressed in their individual gear to promote the diversity of the Forest Guards abilities while all donning the uniform cloaks of their post. Janai stood with one hand on her hip, resting a bit after doing what she could to work the crowd. The less worldly elves or yet to be educated children admiring the dark metallic armor particular to sunfire smiths. Explaining how even though the sunfires could heat the metal the armor was actually cold forged, formed and shaped by the pure strength of the elf making it.
Vigne was doing his best, always a bit shy for a tideborn. Quick to answer any questions but hanging back a bit as the Sonora was much more of a social elf than he. Still Kercia was glad to have heard Vigne covering some of the more in-depth questions Sonora was unable to field simply due to the number of elves asking much simpler questions.
There was really only one that hadn't performed as the Guardhouse's commander expected: Rayla. Kercia knew the moonshadow wouldn't be one for putting on a show, he had really only requested her presence to mirror her adoptive fathers. Strong, silent, and watching from in the shadows. To look the role of an Elite Patrol Scout, not that such a thing existed but if it did she certainly could look the part. Leather armor waxed, cloak brushed and cinched properly across her shoulder barely revealing the handles of the daggers tucked behind the small of her back.
She hadn't done anything wrong, she just hadn't acted as Kercia had expected instead countering the role of her father. Instead of standing close to the wagon and looking like, well a Rayla that had been dragged out to patrol. She had actually gone a mingled with the crowd, even pausing attentively taking in Avaros' presentation and quietly translating some of the more complex parts for the younger members of the audience. As her commander Kercia was actually quite pleased to find the moonshadow wasn't as anti-social as some had said; though he certainly would be making note of her capabilities in understanding magic, if not using it so herself.
"Correct, and with the abilities of the elves here, the support we have from The Spire and even villages such as this one. Each branch working together with the people of Xadia we will use our strengths to forge a clear path to finding the answers." Kercia stepped up as Avaros nodded toward him, laying out the loosely laid plans to create a forward post of sorts within the confines of the forest. Either through brute force or clever utilization of the Forest Patrols skills the plan for creating at least semi-permanent base of sorts had been laid out.
Avaros turned allowing Kercia to take the focus of attention while several of the other Forest Guards set to loading the devices back onto the wagons. Expecting to finding a stern looking Runaan already directing several of the guards on where to stack and how to place several of the instruments.
"Finally a bit excited?" Avaros risked poking a bit at the prickly moonshadow, finding instead of the usual gruff instructor a hawkeyed and distracted father. "Runaan?"
"Apologies Avaros." Runaan broke from his instinctive parade rest and made to assist before finding that much of what needed doing was already being attended to.
"No need. It's understandable, festivities and family of course." Avaros gave a nod, it wasn't like Runaan had been the only one paying close attention to Rayla. The young woman not only looked capable but had also explained in simple terms the complex interplay of magics that came before the arcanums. "She seems to be enjoying herself, perhaps you should as well?"
"We've a mission ahead of us." Runaan brushed aside Avaros's suggestion as he considered how Rayla might feel now about her father shadowing her during her job.
"The Dragon Guard has a mission, and the Forest Guard is sending an entire platoon. I don't wish to sound the too wise startouched Runaan, but I feel we are both dutiful enough I can speak this freely at least." Giving a shrug and a soft chuckle Avaros considered the mission ahead, perfectly casting himself in a selfless light as he nudged the two together. "Don't waste chances to be with family its already become rare enough."
Runaan paused at the odd heartfelt advice from the usually task oriented and nearly obsessive bookish elf. Taking a moment before turning away from the wagons to find his daughter, even if it was just a few spare moments perhaps Avaros was right; it was a festival after all. Besides Avaros was right, between the many hands on task already a missing pair or two would go unnoticed. They would be departing for the forest soon enough why idle the seconds away considering one elf's odd behavior now, Runaan had better things to contemplate.
Watching Rayla as she freed herself from the crowd, as her father, Runaan felt was an almost melancholy happiness. Everything about her had shifted subtly, she had always been capable not though that capability had solidified into something more. His little girl, and yes Runaan would hold that title for Rayla precious to his heart no matter how big she had become, was now half bowed talking to child no older than she herself had been when first welcomed into Ethari and his household and hearts.
Patiently he watched simply admiring how his daughter was now: strong and independent, somehow even finding that unplaceable something else. Brushing aside her silver wreathed braid as she excitedly explained some detail or or showed some scratch upon her leather armor. Probably a much safer alternative than the daggers the youths had originally been asking about. Standing tall again before looking out through the crowd and over the children, her eyes finally finding his own.
"We're headin soon." Rayla already knew their departure was planned just before the majority of the contests and larger festivities, judging by her fathers approach they would departing with haste. The absence of the wagons would leave the large central area open to be repurposed now that the two branches had done their grandstanding and the normal festivities would resume.
"In a few minutes or so yes." Runaan felt a bit of that joy at his daughters growth fade as he watched her genuine expression fall, darkly glaring at the wagons once more before considering the merchants waiting with their tents with a softer eye. She had either developed a distaste for the banner or something was particularly irksome about their current mission. "Is something wrong?"
"I-No. I'm just on edge." Rayla tried to place the uncomfortable feeling she had, it wasn't really the first time a large incursion had taken place in the forest. It was just more personal this time and surely that was why she felt a foreboding dark cloud building over her heart. "A lot of elves." As well the meaning of her comment slipping by her father as he to looked at the merchants in waiting.
"There more than I expected for a village this size." Runaan nodded hoping it all summed up to Rayla simply feeling anxious from dealing with the crowd during the festival. Large gatherings and in particular being the focus of attention had never been her favorite. "I didn't think the town could hold this many."
"Can't. There's more than a few traveling merchants and performers that like to stop by for the festivities." Rayla gave a half shrug as she considered the number of tents bundled next to small stove pipes on top of the small push carts. Several for each merchant and just a few large canvas awnings for the larger attractions. "They're really seeing ta out do themselves this year."
"Then I'd lucked into a fine year to surprise you. I'm glad to see you, truly letters alone are not enough to appreciate how you've grown here." Runaan smiled softly trying to lighten his daughters mood and brighten her day with honest words. Giving his daughter an rough glance toe to horn he nodded once, "I'm proud of you."
"Pfft an ye've grow'n daft. Old and soft." Rayla scoffed as she tried to play off her usually strict fathers words. Unsure of how to handle the unfocused praise being more used to compliments on her dagger-work or stealth than her life in general, let alone her level a maturity. Finally crossing her arms and smiling in a playful challenge. "Nah, ye've been daft just like mom and dads have said. Now ye've started goin soft after old age crept up on you."
"I think you'll find the snow rather cold today if you wanted to test those words." Runaan smiled broadly, the two's rival banter having grown into a teasing way of accepting words of love after the years. His broad smile dimming to a half smirk as he considered her response, his Rayla was still there too. The same bright purple eyes that flashed with excitement when he had first asked if she wanted to try sparring him so long ago. She hadn't out grown her family in becoming whatever she was here, "but thats sometimes what happens to fathers help raise fine young women." Runaan doubled down on the advantage his fatherly embarrassment was causing her, it was still a note of pride to watch her ears perk childishly at his praise.
"Thanks Da-" Rayla began before duty interrupted their family as it so often had.
"It's time!" A Patrol Scout called from the wagons, as delicate as the instruments were the process of unloading and loading the magic-studying devices had been done many times by this point. Avaros had been right in not idling their time, it was short indeed. " Scouts form up!"
"During the patrol if anything happens..." The assassin instructor paused as his once pupil passed by him, whispering for only his trained ears to hear. A request asked with the eyes of a Scout, one who was leaving to take her own position one she had earned after years of work. "Just get to me OK. Please."
Avaros was actually honestly intrigued at this point, nearly at the edge of actually enjoying himself. Yes topics involving the forest had been sorely lacking the in library and that had been a bit of a bother. More irritating then anything and he had been perfectly willing to spend his time solving what had seeming to be a simple riddle on paper.
Now that they were here though? Peripsis may have actually been on to something, the air withing the confines of the massively thick gnarled trees that had still been draped with green snow covered moss and leaves was thick. The density of the air he was breathing just felt different, as if it held an ethereal something else the rest of the world was lacking. Even the scouts seemed to sense something, commenting constantly on how different and grown the forest had become.
The Boundary could be described as a explosive magic that had torn the world, the Midnight Desert was a smoldering ember eternally soaking and burning with the heat of the sun. The forest was a quagmire, not creating any actual heat or humidity but still the air felt swampy and muddied with an old almost timeless magic. If the magics the elves used was primal, this was older a magic that still felt cocooned in its own unformed state. As if it was still changing but constant in its state all at once. Yes indeed there was possibly that something they sought here, a place like this could soak anything with magic and leave it permeated for who knows how long, lifetimes perhaps.
"Apologies again about the wagons sir." A Scout quickening his pace to have a word with the startouched Dragon Guard. Avaros quickly checking his memory, the Commander had said his name at one point. Not to waste his time observing with mere idle conversation Avaros both brushed the scout aside and pushed him toward making a point all at once.
"No need Liaison Kasef." Avaros kept his attention focus on the forest around them, more interested in gathering further information now that this place had drawn his attention so. If the elf had some reason for speaking up he would make it known or fall back so Avaros could study.
"It's like the forest knew, I've seen it dense before but never with trees this size." Kasef continued anyway, even though he also felt the apology wasn't needed. Who could have expected the usual forest to have changed itself so suddenly, certainly the forest had its ways and they expected a bit of hassle. But this had become entirely different terrain all together, the usual underbrush replaced by massive coiling roots the size of the usual trees, and the trees? Massive beyond reason, Kasef had managed to stick his hand between a split in the bark.
"So as a Scout this was truly unexpected," Avaros addressed Kasef again instead as a Scout this time wanting to gain an understanding on how they might handle such issues later on. If this was going to be a common thing the arch-mage certainly wasn't above getting creative or destructive to find a solution. "But not actually surprising?" Turning he wanted to appraise the scouts response interrupting any quick off-hand answers.
"It's different yes. The forest moves, as we've already noted the suns moving north now according to our compass bearings. Here in a bit it might go west or really any other direction. Time is constant location not so much." Kasef nodded wanting to explain what they had expected and what the forest had actually welcomed them with that day now that he had Avaros's full attention.
"Usually we can clear a decent path in a day with flames and a few axes alone. Even then it can fill in the blink of an eye even once the main path is cleared. There's no burning this safely and clearing a path with axes would mean spending days, let alone one fit for wheeled wagons with roots like boulders." Stepping aside to let Avaros pass by as the Scouts Liaison's point was driven home physically by the press of massive trees and coiled roots. "We could sled them over stumps but that still leaves the issue of trees this size coming back in seconds."
"Flight would be simpler at this point," Avaros passed over any thoughts of the Forest Guard offering a decent solution, not out of insult them, they simply lacked the capabilities and resources. A convenient excuse making for an actual honest assessment at the end. Indeed it was looking like the forest was a seemingly simple but truly foreboding puzzle. The lack of information was beginning to make some sense as what could you write to fill a scholarly book about a place that defied simple reason and actively resisted observation let alone scholarly methods. "At least timber will be plentiful for any outpost, though supplies and transportation will be tough. Those combined becomes the next issue along with loc-"
"Sun's moving again?" Peripsis interrupted the conversation and Avaros's thoughts as she noticed the shadows shifting. The sight giving her a slight motion sickness as the darkness cast on the snow covered greens seemed to swim momentarily. Directing the entire point positions party to look upwards as they tried to track any rotation of the celestial body.
"No, that was something else." Avaros breaking into a smile as he looked down once more, the dense foliage he had seen before now clearing in the far distance. There was a break in the treeline further ahead, the shifting appearing to not have happened above but below. The forest was still actively changing so close, perhaps even with them inside of it. "There's a clearing ahead now, a large one."
"As described, pretty typical but that did feel rather big." Kasef tried to play off his unease as he had never actually felt the forest move in such a fashion, as if they had been walking on a lazy susan and suddenly they were spinning the other direction. "That's why we use a Fair-"
"Runaan. I'm sorry to pull on familial strings but your daughter. Bring her to the front of the patrol please." Avaros tensed inwardly as he finally began to pull on the various strands he had found tied to the mysterious forest up to this point. Gathering information on who he might be able to leverage before the actual expedition had been no small task and it had all mostly circled back to one solid piece of evidence. So it would undoubtedly be best to start with its owner and the messenger who had brought it.
"I don't think a fresh third year should be running point Avaros." Kercia tried to voice his opinions on bringing the moonshadow to the front of the line, finding his words lost as Runaan was already making his way toward to middle of the unit. Kercia had the utmost faith in Rayla to perform her duties, it was another to test her attitude after being dragged out on the group patrol.
"She's a 1st class scout correct? There should be no issues." Runaan disregarded Rayla's commanders concerns turning to go find his daughter as Avaros began to counter Kercia's excuses. Runaan wincing inwardly as he tried not to snort out loud after Kercia's words. What kind of excuse was the commander trying to use anyway: a fresh third year? If by your third year serving at the post you were still considered 'fresh' then there was certainly a reason to have such a joint expedition.
Making his way down the line though Runaan did begin to notice a bit of unease in the Forest Guard's scouts. Each was outfitted properly, armed in leather, metal, or a combination of the two. Weapons, tents, foodstuffs, hell even dry timber for burning in the middle of the woods; there was an entire platoon of scouts set on edge by the state of a few trees. Eye's scanning their surroundings closely as their fellow guards covered them, holding some level of nerve but obviously unsure of a location they supposedly patrolled regularly.
"Scout Rayla." Runaan was a bit more pleased to see his daughter wasn't quite as unnerved as the other elves, certainly her head was on a swivel but she seemed more curious and attentive as she played with something in the air. Even she seemed to be holding a buried seed of worry at the forests current state as she jumped slightly at his approach, "Have you found something?"
"No Sir just examining some of the local wildlife." Rayla wanted to roll her eyes, of course her father would come at the perfect time to find her idly examining the fauna. It wasn't the first time Rayla had seen these trees, it was the first time this particular part of the woods hadn't immediately spit her back out though. "Trees are a bit different, and there's webs."
"Spider webs?" Runaan surmised as he walked closer, waving his hand out slowly feeling the near invisible strands cast on the wintery backdrop before they caught both his fingers and the light that slipped through the trees. A slight bit surprised to find the webs still holding even in the snowy conditions, though it did hold with the rest of the merely snow-covered still green forest.
"No spiders though." Rayla replied though it was mostly to herself as she considered the possible implications of the common orb weavers having abandoned their homes. Though now wasn't the best time to wander off looking for telltale alarm strands of their larger more dangerous cousins, and her father had just destroyed the original web that would have connected them anyway.
"Its winter, they've died out or found a place to hibernate." Runaan glossed over his daughter's observation quickly, it was something she should have noticed herself after so long even in Silvergrove. Every year the tiny things invaded their home to find warmth during the colder seasons abandoning the outdoors for more civilized conditions.
"Come, I think you're taking point." Runaan wiped the web on his armor, nodding toward the lead position of the patrolling formation. Only assuming that Avaros wanted a less superstitious elf to use as lead, talk of fairy paths and fae wands had obviously been the end of Kasef's usefulness to the scholar.
"Sir." Rayla threw her arm over her chest in a quick salute before falling in line following as they made their way to the front. She wasn't going to question the luck, at least if she was on point she could try and keep them from stumbling upon anything too fae, tree-stump spider signs aside.
Runaan and Rayla both felt their own unease grow as they approached the front of the formation as the expedition had continued without waiting on its new point guard. The scouts beside them beginning to push ahead before the two had even made it half way back to the lead.
Double timing to a near sprint Rayla tried to catch the lead as she noticed the forest clearing away, hearing her father break out into a matching speed as they began to use the roots as steps and the thick bark as handholds flying over the forest floor running along the trees themselves. Her haste was a mistake, Rayla soon finding her boots sliding with little purchase once she had cleared the tree line skidding in the snow.
"What the feck." Rayla stared out over the snowy clearing which looked like a garden of horrors frozen in place as she continued her slide. A display of grotesque statues and some frozen geysers until she realized the were also the same single limned shapes frozen in the ice as well. Trying to discern the odd figures as they were covered in ice, singular limbed turned to a dark gray stone about a stream. The ice over the water shattered and similarly frozen too quickly in place.
"ABOVE!" Less shocked by the unnatural stonework display Runaan was the first to see the shadow pass as he watched over his daughters back. Passing over her to the ground ahead, opening to define two massive spread wings split by a massive blackness. "TAKE COVER!" The size and speed of the passing shade against the sun telling the group that the tree line was too far. Whatever it was had taken a course sloped to dive low, its wake brushing the treeline causing a massive flurry of debris. Knocking free snow and some small limbs from the tree tops that was carried in its own passing wind.
Runaan quickly stopped trying to slow his approach, instead falling into his growing slide colliding into Rayla's side from behind as they both tried to turn away. Wrapping her in his arms to try and protect them both, they fell to avoid the incoming tidal wave of snow and forest. Rayla tried to peek from between her arms as she fell to the floor in the clearing, watching as something fell from the shadow and collided with the largest mass of statues collapsing all of them in an absurd explosion of stone and wood that for a brief instant lifted a large portion of the snow around the area and misted the air around it.
Silence and snow falling over the group as whatever it was that had just attempted to dive bomb the patrol escaped view through the treeline. The entire group looking around, those in the clearing shocked at the amount of debris their winged adversary had sent trailing them from the forest. Those in the forest quietly checking one another for injury while waiting for their command to assess the situation.
"Was that one of the wagons?" Peripsis asked dumbly, watching as a single wagon wheel spun circles for a moment before collapsing on the freshly lifted and powdered snow.
"It was banking, beast is coming back." Rayla called out. Her training taking over after feeling the world tumble, feeling a familiar hand grab her arm helping her from the ground. "We need to leave, there's not many clearings for something that size to land."
"I doubt it was aiming at us," Avaros narrowed his eyes as he considered their position. A large platoon traveling under dense cover, that and less that a handful had cleared the tree line. If they had been the target the attack had been a failure with not even a single injury to show. The frozen statues in the stream however had been completely obliterated along with a single wagon, who's ownership was unknown, that attack had been somewhat successful. "and I certainly pray that wasn't one of our wagons."
"No it wasn't aiming at you, shame it missed though." Rayla's blood ran cold as a familiar voice called out.
"I'm sorry Scout?" Avaros turned quickly toward the owner of the voice, who was staring toward the direction she had heard herself: the far side of the clearing.
"That's not me." Rayla drew her daggers trying to discern just where the copy-cat was as it echoed back.
"That's not me"
"That's not me." Avaros now turning back again as it was now his own voice calling back to him.
Casting Peripsis a warning glance the two Dragon Guard reached into the wealth of knowledge and magic they had beginning to form some strategy for defense. Each as well attempting to quietly pull at the various arcanums silently not wanting to openly inscribe runes in the air or be heard summoning energies to their spells with words.
"Are you all going to play the game too or is it just that half crowned shadow-song?" The thing taking yet another voice, Runaan's blades coming out as it was his voice that was chosen this time.
"How about you show yourself first then we can talk." Avaros called back before turning to the other arch-mage in the patrol, finding her looking similarly frustrated. Their spells gathering but just as the connections were formed and even for the lesser complex single arcanum spells they simple fell out of existence before igniting with magic, or rather the right magic.
"I'm not talking to you little elf-thing." Peripsis snorted trying to act unimpressed while her own voice taunted her superior. She shook her head at Avaros hoping that was enough to confirm his warning glance. Every attempt at casting, even the runes she had attempted behind her back had collapsed. The power pulled falling into another state, like they were trying to pull something through water and having it finally break free. When the spell ignited the sensation of magic fell away unrestricted and their hand came up empty.
"It's small." Runaan whispered to his daughter, each tracking the depths of the shadows as they tried to find the source of the ever changing voice.
"Mocking bird or maybe Song-weasel?" Trying to quickly go through the list of animals capable of mimicking a voice so well, the former seeming the most likely. The range of voices, let alone the speed and various heights the voice taunted them from while constantly moving its positions.
"If you keep talking you won't get to not play for very long!" The sound of shattering glass followed a mocking-Rayla's voice, a sinister shudder crossing through the treeline as the snow covered limbs flash froze. The clumps of snow over the green leaves dusting as the limbs below them split open loudly and violently from the change in temperatures.
"What game are w-" The group tensed as a time limit was seemingly placed on their ability to chose
"Do you speak for everyone?" This time the mysterious voice took on no other qualities, a sharp feminine voice called to them. A cold but lilted voice that hinted both at the owners excitement and the buried warning in her words, "Can you speak for them all?"
"Absolutely not." Rayla interjected, Avaros glaring at her for a moment before pausing and giving a tilted nod as if reconsidering her position in speaking over the arch-mage from The Spire. Let him throw a fit she grimaced, finally being forced into voicing her own choices in the matter. If that winged green blur was who she thought it was she most certainly would not be allowing her or her father to be spoken for when dealing with something it had tried to kill.
"Kercia a structured magical defense is going to be an issue." Avaros turned to his next best hand to play in the unforeseen circumstances. At first worried they had lost an opportunity to discern the nature of their foe and its ability to reduce their powers to something so close to pre-primal raw magic. Reconsidering though as he evaluated the moonshadows disregard for him and her commanders, instead immediately refocusing herself. Standing between the opposing side of the clearing and her father, the scout wasn't impressed and had only been shocked by the first impact. Now instead guarded it seemed against an opponent she was not unfamiliar with?
"No, now that wouldn't be fair." That same unfamiliar female voice called back as Kercia and Kasef both dove back under the treeline. Their forms dissappearing quickly past the massive trunks as they made to form up and advance the platoon. "You can't just start moving pieces unless you play."
"Alternatives Kercia. We need options." Ignoring the voices protests, if what Avaros considered easily accessible magic wasn't available he still had an entire platoon of armed and armored elves. Even if they they'd been caught unawares by now even those lightly wounded behind the treeline would have been tended at least some, those not waylaid by falling debris hopefully had the sense to realize something was wrong. "Kercia? Kasef?!"
"Your pawns were swallowed up maybe?" The pause before speaking was no doubt intentional, giving the group of elves a few moments to worry and fret in the silence. "I suppose we'll all find out later."
"Its time to sing, dance, and play." The handful of elves bristling as the voice lost its touch of unnerving nature, becoming something more corporeal and threatening. Each checking their distances to another as they confirmed what they were seeing was real, barefoot and pale clothed in a simple silvered gown. Its cloth plated in the some similarly silvered metal framing an attractive form, thin and smaller than an elves a shattered and smashed frostbitten circlet in her five fingered hands. "Oh but nearly all of our pawns are in pieces now."
Calmly walking up to one of the few remaining statues that had been further from the impact and only been knocked over not destroyed Rayla locked eyes with the unknown fae as she knelt in her gown next to the twisted half bodied creature. The light behind the eyes was a familiar sign of magic the manic piercing stare however gave filled her with dread. With snapping sounds of branch breaking when its weight was to much, as the fae knelt over the figure with its stone cracking apart, she realized their position was about to get far worse.
"Dad come here." Rayla half turned to her father, already mentally preparing an image of the small wishing spot nearest to Willow, the small copse of trees and its winding half hidden deer trails. "We-" She stopped catching a blur from her side.
"Incoming." Peripsis's warning came a second to late, but luckily Rayla was already familiar with the cloud of mist swirling toward her father. A trick of Callum's she knew from training, using his shape-shifting while already moving to gain speed with a smaller mass the brief view of a pair of fluttering wings was the motion she had seen. Turning to shove a surprised Runaan backwards in time to narrowly avoid the albino shadow-paw that erupted from the second deceiving cloud.
"Is that a new kind of darkling?!" Runaan called unsure if he should focus on the new now feline opponent or its unpetrified unidentified ally. Taking his daughters push with practiced grace he had thrown himself with her push landing and rolling quickly to get his eyes back on the two situations. Backing a pace before reversing his grip on his daggers, slamming the hilt together and willing his arcanum to flow through the hilts to form a moonshadow bow.
Avaros as well quickly began trying to re-inscribe runes as the pale female's control over the area of magic lifted slightly as it shifted shapes, apparently too focused on holding its own close advantage on the dagger wielding scout. Constantly evaporating from a physical form to avoid the constant flurry of cuts. Turning his attentions back now to his own battle and forming the correct draconic for a massive conflagration of flames. The creature before them offering one final crunching shudder before sighing content to be returned to the living. Supporting itself with one arm and opening its single eye as it pivoted with an unnatural grace to face its new opponents.
"twotwotwo TWO ALL TWO!" With a animalistic cry the beast thumped the ground with its one thick arm that protruded from the center of its mass, taming its anger only to focus it on the elves. Glaring at them accusingly while its clutched futilely at the air, "Fachan are always with one." Its growing rage quickly had Runaan deciding where to send his first arrow, trusting his daughter to handle the large cat he tried to take aim.
"Crush you and break all the elves." The thing apparently called a Fachan took a off-set step toward them as it talked itself into its own attack. "Must chain you and drag you like the dragon." The way its leg and arm jointed to rotated around its central mass supporting a garish head and glaring eye made its movements hard to predict.
"Cirignem Accaeuram Intutforis" Peripsis no slouch of an arch-mage in her own right quickly combine her own two arcanum spell, hoping to weave a wind driven shell of fire that would keep the thing, or Fachan as it called itself, immobilized while Avaros finished his own casting. The flames igniting around hot enough to light it hair on fire even if they were only in a perimeter sphere around it. Serving only to further berserk the Fachan who was only further enraged by the elves boastfully showing their magic in front of it.
Driven by one singular emotion: rage. The Fachan drove this powerful emotion into all of their being, it drove their jealousy, fueled their strength, and most importantly it helped them ignore pain. The elvish fire numbed by its anger as they flaunted their gifts; always lesser even than the highborn that had placed its filthy two eyed face so close to when it had woken. Ignoring the flames that clung to its fur and the harsh rolling push that came with it the Fachan crashed through the first spell. "Crunching you and feasting on you like the fae!"
With surprising agility it slid low clutching at the ground before rising again, using its own peculiar body flipping itself as it hurled a large stone chunk from a previous statue. Runaan's response was immediate launching his own ranged weapon at a more constant target as soon as it was presented. A testament to his skill the arrow he released was perfect, just far too little to actually offset the trajectory of the hurled stone, pushing Avaros to abandon his spell for something far less complex. With a silent wave he released the far too basic but quickly aimed and accurate fulmis instead which vaporized the incoming stone with the amassed power from the more complex spell.
The air being torn apart drowning out Rayla's yell as she finally scored a hit, whatever feline the fae had chosen was much smaller than a shadow-paw, and wasn't actually completely white. Several smaller slightly darker patches which were ringed with brown fur, more rounded ears, and much more agile do to its slightly skinnier frame. The cat had made a difficult opponent to hit but its strikes were predictable, lacking any of Callum's creativity he had developed from training. Swipe, dodge or turn into a cloud, swipe again; the basic attacks finally gave Rayla a perfect counter.
The other elves to busy to hear her satisfied cry, instead turning as they heard the screeching yowl of a snow leopard with a dagger through its paw. Avaros watching on for a moment longer as Runaan turned to fire again at the Fachan, the scholar slightly impressed and more than slightly intrigued as Rayla slid behind the now controlled paw to drive home a second blade. Instead finding only clouded air as her opponent shifted shapes once more as soon its paw was free, the dagger having worked free during its owners turn. Instead of losing balance from the sudden lack of an opponent to balance her weighted strike the scout simply turned again using her momentum to send a dagger chasing her fleeing enemy. She knew what to expect, not only having gained the upper-hand in her own fight but enough to know the shape-shifters next move would be to flee.
The scout was fairing much better in her own battle than the three of them against this Fachan. Each of them stunned by how fast the creature was for one limb each. Runaan's further shots though true were easily dodged as its center was so small seeming to move its mass and rotate around any axis it pleased. Rayla tensing and adjusting her weight constantly as the Fachan sprinted in a zig-zag toward them, intent on protecting the units bow elf though now unable to press any advantage with only one weapon against an unusual adversary.
Peripsis's defense though stout seemed ineffective as the Fachan was constantly dousing her flames as it rolled and dodged in the snow, finally taking a leap for the only spot it knew wouldn't slip. Landing in the patch of broken ice and free flowing water on the elvish side of the stream its approach was immediately halted. The enraged cry turning into silence as its lungs stopped breathing, the entire creature turning to stone with a wrenching grinding noise once again. Continuing forward still with its previous momentum and new found weight the elves silently watched as it collapsed and broke apart on the streams edge closest to them.
"Stay out of the water." Runaan suggested lamely, breaking the silence that had spread to long as each member of the party was still trying to control their battle fueled adrenaline. That brief moment of levity destroyed as several more large sounds came from the far side of the clearing.
"Stay out of the forest would be a better answer elf." A deep rumble echoing out as the trees parted to let a massive green scaled head through. Groaning and snapping the trees fell allowing the rest of the arch-dragon through making even the experienced Dragon Guards took a step back. The tree trunk thick talons digging furrows into the dirt while thick green plated scales dragged along moss and snow. If they considered the dragons at the Spire to be these incredibly powerful but still graceful things then this arch-dragon sat in barbaric opposition. The constant trickle of flames from between massive fangs and sharp golden eyes portrayed a untamed hunger of an unrivaled predator whose rumbling words relayed a simple warning. "The forest is no place for troublesome elves, so I'd ask that you now leave."
It was odd however, even with all the magical power he was still gathering against the threatening dragon, even if those golden eyes were piercing his own it just didn't feel like the dragon had addressed him.