28 - The Hungry Forest (Final Battle)

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: At the heart of the mysterious forest lies a magical trap.
When: Nov 14, evening
Where: Within the forest
Summary: Working together, and with the (reluctant) help of some menaced cultists, the rescuers have pierced the wooden wall into the heart of the forest.






The sky is clearly visible here, but it’s an evening one – it’s taken the day to work their way through this far. Those with some astronomy knowledge will also be able to tell it’s a sky on Earth, and anyone who can climb up above the treeline will see a vast, mountainous and wooded area, with the lights of roads, train tracks and small towns glittering here and there. They're clearly not in the Heavens anymore. Somehow, in their journey through the forest, the rescuers have emerged onto the Near Shore.

An icy breeze is blowing, and although the vegetation is unseasonably green and lush in this clearing, there are patches of snow visible at the foot of some of the trees, hinting that they're fairly far up the mountain.

Rescues

The clearing here at the heart of the forest is vast, and five colossal sigils are etched into the earth, each one holding an incredible amount of power. It’s on these sigils, North, South, East, West, and Center, that the trapped gods and shinki can be found. Those unlucky enough to be at the Center sigil are bound by hypnosis, each staring at a firefly spirit that hovers before their unblinking eyes. These victims are still and unresponsive, and the spirits will need to be destroyed to free them. The firefly spirits can be harmed by both physical and magical attack, though they likely won’t stay still to let themselves be easily extinguished.

The captives trapped on each of the other sigils are around the edges of the clearing, entangled in vines, brambles or whatever other limbs the trees could provide to bind them to this place. Some may also be under the effects of the hypnotic fireflies if they’ve been particularly troublesome, while others who have fought less might have only those bindings needed to prevent them fleeing. Regardless of how tightly they're restrained, all of the kidnapped gods and shinki on all of the sigils look drained, the severity depending on how long they’ve been there. Some are merely tired-looking, whereas others are barely clinging to consciousness. Whether their power is being used to feed the spell or being stored for something else to come, one thing is clear – those trapped need to be freed before anything more can be done.

Sigils

Those sigils beneath each group of trapped gods and shinki are powerful constructs, brimming with energy and meticulously maintained by the cultists up to now. It’s the same power as what blankets the entire forest, but it's focused on each of those five points. They must be the source of the spell that's caused all of this.

If the spell is to be broken, the sigils need to be broken as well, but it’s going to take more than just scuffing out the etched lines to break the magic. Attacking with shinki in their vessel forms or using blessed water to wash away the magic will be most effective, but for those who didn't bring blessed water or don't have the energy left to transform, there's one other option. The clearing is lit by traditional paper lanterns hanging from the trees all around, and any object set aflame with these lanterns can be used to burn the spell out of the ground bit by bit.

The trees and any remaining soulless shinki are still furiously opposing the rescue efforts, the surviving cultists are continuing to work on maintaining the spell, and it will take time to fully destroy the sigils. However, as the sigils deteriorate, the effects of the spell will begin to fade, and characters will find it easier to access their supernatural powers to speed the process along. Gods' and shinki's powers (that is to say, the special power they gained as a god or shinki, rather than canon powers) will be as effective as a shinki or blessed water against the sigils.

But be careful. As each sigil breaks, some of the magic escapes, but some is captured by the remaining sigils. For the spell to fully disappear, all five must be destroyed – and quickly, because there’s only a matter of time before this power becomes unstable.

Comments

[mithrarin]

[Maria isn't the only one coming to rescue Elfnein, having picked up a stray along the way. As she charges in, Dust advances at a more cautious place, making sure nothing is coming to take advantage of her haste, and when he catches up he turns to put his back to hers, guarding the rear while she works.]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako had turned towards Maria as soon as she heard the other girl call Elfnein's name. Having helped Lann get free from his own trap, she leaves him in the care of Suou and Suzako for a moment as she shifts around the sigil towards where her friend Elfnein is trapped. ]

Don't be scared, Elfnein! We'll get you out of there.

[alchemists]

[ There's a small sigh of relief when she sees the familiar faces that are trying to cut her free from the vines. ]

Maria and Nanako?

You all really came to save me.

[ The tears start to roll down her face. ]

[declamando]

[Though the vines are making some effort to keep Elfnein there, Maria's quick strokes of the sword are too much for them to keep up with, and she quickly reaches out to pull Elfnein away from them as soon as she's fought them back enough for her to move.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Maria smiles somewhat fiercely.]

Of course. Leaving you here was never an option. [Nor leaving anyone else behind, but thankfully just about everyone seems to have rescuers coming for them.]

[mithrarin]

We're in the clear so far. [Dust sticks to business, letting them tend to the emotional part of this reunion. Both are important, but he can only help with the one.] No promises on how long that'll last. The pressure here feels like it's lifting a little, though.

I can keep the path safe, though.

[welcome_home]

Elfnein!

[ She hadn't been able to help much with the vines, but she does step close when Maria finally pulls the other girl free, throwing her arms around her from behind in a tight squeeze. ]

Of course we did! That's what best friends do, right? [ She gives her a warm smile as she pats her back before pulling away and looking serious again. ] Are you hurt anywhere?

[ She's relieved someone is keeping an eye out around them, though, because this forest is still a scary place and she' hasn't been much good for fighting anything, with how this place has been making it hard to use any of her god abilities. ]

[alchemists]

I'm just very tired, the vines didn't hurt so there shouldn't be a mark.

[ Elfnein returns the hug and tries to give a smile to show she's ok. ]

We need to get out of here quickly. [ Standing up is a bit hard, her legs aren't properly working after being tied up. ]

[ Being a burden right now is only making her feel horrible, everyone did their best to come save her even though the forest was dangerous and scary. ]

[declamando]

[Maria purses her lips slightly at that, glancing around at the area, even as she steps close to Elfnein to make sure she can support her if her legs give out.]

I'm not sure that's going to be an option until we get rid of these sigils. With how hard it was to get here, I don't think they're going to let us leave any more easily.

[If their intent was to capture gods and shinki...well, there's plenty of them here now. The only way to guarantee everyone's safe escape is to wipe out the source of the magic that's contaminating the forest.]

[mithrarin]

More to the point, if we leave all this here we'll just see a repeat. [Dust understands perfectly how frustrating it is to leave the people they've come to rescue in danger for a second longer than necessary... but frustration doesn't change the fact.]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako lets her hand rest against Elfnein's back as she stands beside her, but her gaze drifts from between Maria to Dust, a frown on her lips. ]

Do you know how we can destroy the sigils?

[alchemists]

Would freeing everyone cause an opening?

[ If they want to capture gods then freeing people would cause some sort of reaction. ]

[declamando]

I'd say it's probably wiser to free everyone before we start going for the sigils, otherwise there's a chance they'd be retaliated against.

[It's a lot easier to take things out on someone who's already trapped than the people raging against your plan.]

[mithrarin]

[Dust doesn't remember Ahrah. If he would, he might sympathize with the sword at this moment.]

I don't think we have time to go to each different sigil. Free everyone here, yes, but the more running around we do the more likely it is they'll finish what they're doing.

[And there is no small amount of irony in his next statement.]

We need to trust the others, and do our part here and now.

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako glances around the sigil before lifting her chin with determination. ]

I'll help get the others free, too, so you can destroy the sigil. I don't think I can help break them very well, but I can help people who are hurt and need healed.

[alchemists]

I want to help as well, the others here are suffering like I was before you all came to save me.

[ It's really not fair for just her to be freed, the other people tied up deserve freedom as well. ]

[declamando]

[Maria nods a little in agreement with the decision they seem to have come to around the circle now.]

So you can help free the others, and we can start trying to destroy this sigil. If we work together, we should be able to do both easily.

[She offers them a somewhat reassuring smile.]

[mithrarin]

Maria, you're probably the best-suited to destroy the sigil, since you actually have a shinki here. I can help cut people free. [What with actually having a weapon and being able to use it effectively right now.]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako glances over at Dust, looking uncertain for a moment. ]

I can help with the vines, too, but the fireflies... can you kill them, too? Without getting hurt?

[ Because this, of course, is the only acceptable way to deal with the fireflies, in her opinion. There's enough people hurt in the clearing already without adding more. And her without a real weapon at the moment is leaving her at a disadvantage when it comes to any sort of fighting. Her god powers can't do her much good in here. ]

Then if Maria destroys the sigil, we should be able to take care of everything at once.

[alchemists]

Maria can you use your gear?

[ That would be the quickest way for Maria to take on the sigils. ]

Me and Nanako can handle the non-fighting part of the plan.

[declamando]

With the spell still in effect, I don't think my Gear is the best option - there's a good chance it'll end up taking me out in just a few minutes.

[The energy drain is going to make using her Gear much harder, while also limiting her ability to heal herself from the Gear discord as she goes. It's not a good combination for what's probably going to be a lengthy bit of work.]

Dust's right, I can use Uta, or Natsuru's vessel if I have to. And she should work against the fireflies as well. [She twirls the blade in her hand.]

[mithrarin]

Save the combined strength for the sigils. I can handle the fireflies, but probably not that, unless hitting them with a sword a lot counts for much. Do either of you have any magic?

[The smaller girls might not have weapons, but that doesn't mean he should assume they're helpless.]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako frowns a little, glancing down at the sigil below them. ]

Yeah, I do, but... [ She pauses before giving a quiet sigh. ] It's really hard to use it in here. There's something wrong with this place and anytime I've tried to use it... it's never felt that hard before.

[alchemists]

It's not really suited for combat.

[ Elfnein had tried to use her power to leave behind a glowing trail of notes when she was captured but the energy drain was too much. ]

When I tried to leave behind a trail before I couldn't, I felt like passing out when I used my power.

[declamando]

[Maria nods a little at the remarks from Nanako and Elfnein.] I tried using my healing powers earlier, and even a tiny wound took far too much energy out of me. We can't rely too much on magic, especially not Elfnein when she's already been drained.

[Maria considers the sigils for a moment before pulling out the bottle of blessed water she's been keeping strapped against her thigh. It's a negative influence and possibly a curse of some kind, so...] Let me try something.

[She uncaps the bottle, and pours a little bit out onto one of the sigil lines. Where it lands, the sigil sparks slightly, and the line starts to break up a little.]

[mithrarin]

Right, but two things -- the more of those paper markings we destroyed, the easier it became to... [Exist, for him, but he doesn't think any of these girls have quite that same problem. So he settles for waving a hand generally, trusting they'll understand.] If the sigils are the same, that'll help. And I can amplify magic.

[Of course that amplification will cost Dust as well, but mentioning that seems pointless and redundant.]

Not saying we have to, but we should know all our options.