|
Post by Stage on Jan 17, 2020 6:01:47 GMT
Maria's voice came out tiny and frightened. "What?"
|
|
|
Post by Executus Gira on Jan 17, 2020 6:13:16 GMT
"Please wait." Asphagel spoke out, especially to the scared girl. "This forest is indeed a labyrinth one can be trapped within for decades with no way out. However, I have been in here and out several times before, not because I want to, but for other reasons. I know of a way out of here, and I've marked the path I've taken again and again as such."
"Yes... you marked the roots and trunks, so your scent should still be on them, however faint." Laeptus looked over at Sya and tapped two of his metallic claws together.
The molten girl moved to Asphagel, and sniffed him. Sya turned and immediately bolted, rushing through the undergrowth.
"She's found your scent. If all of us want to escape this forest, then follow her." Laeptus said.
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jan 17, 2020 7:16:38 GMT
Tarik opened his mouth to protest. They didn't understand that this wasn't a simple matter of getting lost – that space and time was twisted by the mountain-sized trees that surrounded them. But the old man's silver eyes fell to the scared teenage girl, and he felt a heavy weight sink in his chest. He didn't want to be the one to dash the poor child's hopes.
Instead, the old man took a few reluctant steps after Sya, motioning to Maria to follow them. With the nanosteel tip of his spear he carved a marking of his own into the thick bark of a nearby tree-root – at least he would be able to lead these people back to the village once they realized their predicament.
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jan 18, 2020 5:33:53 GMT
As the group began to move, Asphagel felt a small, warm hand wrap around the tip of one of his claws. Though Maria, who followed close by the side, kept her head down, her eyes turned to the ground, it was clear what she was thinking.
I hope you're right.
|
|
|
Post by Executus Gira on Jan 20, 2020 2:43:32 GMT
The weight on Asphagel's shoulders doubled from Maria's terrified eyes and silent plea. He already had one life hanging in the balance, and to allow another to perish in this forest... he would never allow for that to happen. He was right, he HAD to be.
Up ahead, Sya stopped. She stood next to a root five times taller than her, and her hand ran across the coarse brown bark. There was a marking on it, a pair of gouges from large claws. It was worn and covered in moss, but it was unmistakable to Asphagel as he drew near.
"Yes, we're on the right track." Asphagel said.
"Do not give me false hope..." Laeptus coldly stated, yet there was an edge of uncertainty in the mechanical voice. " Not until we truly are out of these forests."
Once more, Sya rocketed off through the undergrowth, a trail of steam left in her wake from the molten parts of her body.
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jan 22, 2020 5:52:42 GMT
The old man followed behind at his own pace, but he kept his gaze upwards, surveying the ceiling of undergrowth that twisted and curved far overhead and – miles further beyond – the shadows of vast branches supporting the forest's distant canopy that disappeared into the clouds. Every so often the shapes of giant arboreal creatures crawled into view, rendered deceptively small by the vast distance between them and the tiny humanoids that hurried along the forest floor like ants.
Tarik kept his ears open too, listening for the sounds of footfalls presented by the terataurs of the forest floor. Most of the wildlife here was too large to take any interest in human beings, but the risk of being accidentally trampled was ever present in the back of his mind.
So preoccupied with surveying his surroundings for signs of danger that Tarik almost failed to notice the shadows beneath the roots give way to warm sunlight. He paused, startled.
The forest was beginning to thin. Although they were still surrounded by massive trees, ferns, flowers, and plants that scientists didn't even have names for, there was an opening in the dark horizon where the trees parted, a thin line that stretched from the ground all the way to the highest point in the sky, from which shone a blinding white light.
With each step forward the opening widened, like a hole torn into a canvas revealing another world behind the painting. Tarik could see empty golden hills underneath an ocean of blue. High above shone the source of the light: a sphere so bright that it hurt to stare at it directly. The old man was forced to shift his eyes away.
He stared down at his feet as the light became overwhelming and found with a start that the dark wet soil had been replaced with something dry and golden brown – the same color as the vast hills before them. It reminded him of powder or sugar, but as he knelt down and scooped some of the powder onto his fingers and brought it to his lips, Tarik found it had a decidedly unpleasant taste, like rock. Looking closer, he realized the strange material was grains of tiny, crystallized minerals.
Using his spear to help himself to his feet, Tarik hurried after the others. His heart began to pound as he watched the forest seemingly unwrap itself around the horizon. The trees that were once miles in front of him were now miles to his left and right, and they continued to be pushed further behind him as the golden hills and bright blue sky came to surround them. The mysterious orb in the sky was now bathing them in more light than Tarik had ever seen in his life, and he squinted, one hand over his brow as he turned to face his new companions.
"What is this place?"
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jan 22, 2020 6:06:52 GMT
Maria released Asphagel's claw to wipe her damp, reddening eyes before answering. Her voice came out thick. "I- um... I think it's a desert."
|
|
|
Post by Executus Gira on Jan 22, 2020 6:23:32 GMT
The sun... it had seemed so long for Laeptus to see the sun so bright. In that forest where light was swallowed by the trees, such an intense heat and brightness were almost alien to him. And yet, it was also the most beautiful thing he had seen in a very long time.
Asphagel had been right. They were indeed free of the endless jungle.
"I promised you we would get you out of there," Asphagel told Maria. "and a promise is something I will always keep."
To Tarik, he responded, "This is the desert outside of the jungle. I live here, as few other things do."
"Smell burnt flesh nearby. Something cooked?" Sya asked. Her vestigal eyes were locked over one particular dune, where a cloud of smoke rose up.
"That would be my house, and where we are heading. It's a safe place, and Serene would be glad to have you all as guests."
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jan 22, 2020 6:53:10 GMT
Tarik's knees began to wobble, and the old man used his spear to carefully sit himself down on the sand. He gazed back, where an enormous wall of trees stretching into the clouds stood just a few hundred feet away.
"This isn't possible..."
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jan 25, 2020 0:11:41 GMT
Maria, eyes dry but extremely red, nearly matching her silky hair, looked up at Asphagel. "W- Where is this? How do I get home?"
|
|
|
Post by Executus Gira on Jan 27, 2020 5:56:54 GMT
Asphagel looked down at the dry eyed form of Maria. "This isn't the place to discuss this, not in this desert. What I can tell you is that you are most likely not in the world you knew anymore..." He wanted to tell her in a way that didn't make her mental state worse, yet lying would only complicate matters in the long run. "Once we're under some shade and safe, then perhaps-"
"I see your house up ahead." Laeptus cut him off. Sure enough, the cottage was now visible. a small quaint building more at home in an old medieval town than something fit for the desert. "Are you sure the Whisper Demon has what is needed to help maintain my body?"
"Yes, Serene can help you." Asphagel grumbled. "I'll explain everything once we are inside."
"Then inside, we should go." Sya hissed as she walked up to the front door. She felt the surface with her hand, until she felt the different wood used for the door from the brick and stone for the house itself. She knocked, and only a few moments later the door opened, and the slender grey haired form of Serene stepped out.
"Welcome back Aspha-" She stopped herself at the sight of Sya, and especially the mechanical frame of Laeptus. "A-aaah... I see we have guests... guests both new and familiar."
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jan 27, 2020 7:17:19 GMT
Far behind the others, Tarik remained sitting, dumbfound, in the sand. His silver eyes seemed almost glazed over as he stared into the vast distance of the desert.
"So there is a way out after all..."
Tarik knew he had to return. He had to find the two women and their predatory animal. He had to find his husband. He had to tell them all.
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jan 27, 2020 7:38:44 GMT
Maria lingered behind the others as they were greeted at the house, looking anxiously back at Tarik.
Tentatively, she backtracked, approaching the old man with gentle footsteps.
"U- Um... are you okay?"
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jan 27, 2020 7:49:48 GMT
Maria's words broke Tarik from his trance. He looked up towards the girl, and Maria could see a glimmer of wetness in his silver eyes.
"I know... friends who have been trapped in the forest for many long years. I am not sure how I will be able to tell them about this."
Tarik stuck the end of his spear into the sand and used it to help himself up, shaking, to his feet.
"I will rejoin you and your friends later, with the others. I must go back and find them."
|
|
|
Post by Executus Gira on Jan 28, 2020 1:22:01 GMT
"If you must, then be careful." Asphagel told Tarik. "We will be here."
"We always have room here for more guests." Serene looked over the group that was present. "Even if I wasn't expecting you to bring back guests from there. You were only gone for like five minutes."
"Time flows at its own pace in that forest." Asphagel sighs. "Every time I go in, I feel like I age a year or two. I did return with the herbs, though."
Laeptus stepped forward. "A pleasure to meet you, Hev-.... Serene." he corrected himself, and Serene's left eye twitched from what the figure said. "It has been a very long time, and I come to you not as an enemy, but as an ally, a refugee from Sheol. I and Sya."
"One of your experiments, I assume?" Serene looked at the molten woman, who stared with a blind gaze back at her. "But yes, come in. I can tell you're in no state to be a threat. What a merry band Asphagel brought back with him, old enemies and... a child..." She seemed to stare at Maria, as if she saw something in her that wasn't there...
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jan 29, 2020 6:27:46 GMT
Before the old man could turn away completely, Maria's hands, large and dry and hot like the desert around them, closed around one of his.
"A- Are you sure you'll be okay alone?" the girl asked Tarik, her blue eyes wide behind her silver-rimmed glasses.
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jan 29, 2020 8:21:05 GMT
Tarik's hand closed gently around Maria's. "I'll be safer in there than I would be out here. I've lived my whole life in that forest. It is home to me." The old man smiled at her. "We will be back by tomorrow morning."
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Feb 1, 2020 5:37:46 GMT
Slowly, Maria withdrew her hands, releasing the old man's.
"Okay," she nodded quietly.
|
|
|
Post by Executus Gira on Feb 19, 2020 5:42:08 GMT
As Tarik left for the great jungle, Serene gave a silent bow of her head. "I hope he knows what he's doing. I've only heard bad things of that place from Asphagel."
"It's not a place I'd want to go back into..." Asphagel looked past Serene. Philip had been watching the newcomers from behind the door, and was nervously staring at them. "Philip, take these herbs to the injured man, and tend to his wounds. He needs them."
Philip took the herbs from Asphagel's hands, and quickly made for the guest room. Once the door closed, he moved further into the house and gestured over to a small dining room by the kitchen, where a table with several wooden chairs sat. "Please, make yourselves welcome in this oasis in the desert."
Sya carefully walked into the house behind Laeptus. Her vestigial eyes gazed past Serene, and toward the door where Philip had run through. She turned her attention back to the table, and took a seat. Despite the heat that radiated off of her, no smoke came up from the chair, nor did it burn.
"I'll stand. I'm afraid your chairs wouldn't be able to support my weight." Laeptus looked down at them.
"I made them myself. THey can handle me just fine, so they can handle you." Asphagel snorted. "They won't bite."
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Feb 27, 2020 1:52:39 GMT
Blue eyes looked curiously at Serene as Maria finally entered the cottage, having at last torn herself away from the old man she had taken a liking to.
"Um, hi," she greeted timidly. "Who are you?"
|
|