Hidden Grove of Zawilik Flowers

"And what of the boy?" the Wraith asked, and the Hellhound's eyes focused on Elric.

"He has other uses besides being killed. You said life for life, and blood for blood. That can be interpreted in more than one way." Helena said with a toothy smirk.

The Wraith however looked at Mai. "Do not flatter yoursssssself girl. You both have sssssseperate reassssons for being in thisssss ssssituation." The undead monster seemingly revealed that it could see thoughts. "And no... Eric. Essssscape without defeating usssss isssss no longer posssssible. Not unlessssss you can sssssummon enough power to breach the barrier."

Helena smirked again, her crimson eyes blazed. "Nobody escapes this wolf's den without her permission."

Darkstorm Zero wrote:"And what of the boy?" the Wraith asked, and the Hellhound's eyes focused on Elric.

"He has other uses besides being killed. You said life for life, and blood for blood. That can be interpreted in more than one way." Helena said with a toothy smirk.

The Wraith however looked at Mai. "Do not flatter yoursssssself girl. You both have sssssseperate reassssons for being in thisssss ssssituation." The undead monster seemingly revealed that it could see thoughts. "And no... Eric. Essssscape without defeating usssss isssss no longer posssssible. Not unlessssss you can sssssummon enough power to breach the barrier."

Helena smirked again, her crimson eyes blazed. "Nobody escapes this wolf's den without her permission."

Mai frowned slightly at the wraith who was drawn in by her thoughts, assuming she pinned the situation solely on herself. "It appears these visitors have the ability of reading thoughts... or rather, reading emotions on a higher level than most humans. They...also appear to react on a higher emotional level Elric... so its probably best not to test their patience. They may take one reply... a little more extreme than if you had asked someone else." she says with a sigh, feeling a sense of dread welling up inside herself. "There is no escape, they will simply keep chasing us, or this barrier they speak of will halt our progression. However..." she says sadly, standing up she turned to the Hellhound and Wraith. "Please...may you spare Elric? You will still hold his actions as a wayward teen, against him? I understand in your mind that a blood price or life toll needs to be paid. I will answer for his crime then. As well as give you my shard...in a matter of speaking." she says with a frown.

"However... the shard alone will not be capable of what you think it can. The cloaked one may be well versed on a level higher than my own, but being paired with the shard has given me a slight degree of understanding. Mine, is one of seven shards in existence. I do not know who are in possession of the shards, but the shards take on two forms. A solid, crystal like form which can be held easily in the palm of your hand or affixed to a piece of jewelry like a crown. The other, is when said crystal like shard fuses with the soul of an individual, like in my case. I am simply a moving vessel for the shard, and only when the other six are collected can Azula's power be fully restored... Like you said about us humans being on a smaller scale than we like to think, I've had an understanding of the concept all my life; hell I am even smaller. Used by parents, raised to study and practice the arts necessary to accept the crystal without rejection, and then to make use of Azula's will as a weapon against his enemies. Changed, and melded by Azula to become the vessel she required, as my soul was unique and innocent enough to bind with. Though I was chosen, in the end, I'm just a puppet one way or another. I'm used to the feeling... It doesn't matter if I wield my power for good or bad. At the end of the day, I'm still being strung along by creatures I can only hope to fathom, and its reasons why said creatures fascinate me." she says with another sigh, before smiling.

She took up her spear, and got into another stance. "...Puppet or not, I will defend my friend. If you are still craving to fight, then lets get on with this then."

Elric didn't like what he was hearing, and would have none of it. "Mai... don't be an idiot." he says standing up stumbling slightly before swinging the dirt from his blade in a left hand swipe. "I said I'll back you up, we're a team, remember?" he reiterated, before getting back into stance. "You shouldn't throw your life away for crimes you didn't commit, nor should you bow to others just because they appear stronger than you. There is no need to feel compliance... if what they do is morally corrupt. Look at this pristine grove? Its now corrupted..." he says with a sad face, the flowers within this barrier practically husks now. "To flaunt their power with such reckless abandon to coerce us, to weaken us..." he pants, feeling anger in his blood. "I've spoke my peace... let us get on with this trial if we truly have no choice!"

"Hmmm, You both sssstill do not undtersssstand the ssssituation you find yoursssselves in." the Wraith noted, it's hooded head bowed slightly.

"Not surprising. We havn't necessarily just told them. But that's my fault. I was eager to scare my killer over there, even of only a little bit." the Hellhound said, grinning devilishly at Eric. "Well then, I guess we gotta explain some shit before we get down to the nitty gritty eh?"

"Indeed. Mai, Natsssssume, do you know and undersssssstand why we have targeted you? Do you undersssssstand why you sssssstill draw breath insssssstead of lying dead by our bladesssss? If you where a real enemy, do you think Helena would have sssssstopped?" the etherial Wraith spoke first, while pointing it's clawed gauntelt at her, before changing it's target to Eric. "And you, Eric Ccccccinderwood, do you know why you ssssstill live, even in the pressssence of one you murdered? Do you know what sssshe really wantssss?"

Darkstorm Zero wrote:"Hmmm, You both sssstill do not undtersssstand the ssssituation you find yoursssselves in." the Wraith noted, it's hooded head bowed slightly.

"Not surprising. We havn't necessarily just told them. But that's my fault. I was eager to scare my killer over there, even of only a little bit." the Hellhound said, grinning devilishly at Eric. "Well then, I guess we gotta explain some shit before we get down to the nitty gritty eh?"

"Indeed. Mai, Natsssssume, do you know and undersssssstand why we have targeted you? Do you undersssssstand why you sssssstill draw breath insssssstead of lying dead by our bladesssss? If you where a real enemy, do you think Helena would have sssssstopped?" the etherial Wraith spoke first, while pointing it's clawed gauntelt at her, before changing it's target to Eric. "And you, Eric Ccccccinderwood, do you know why you ssssstill live, even in the pressssence of one you murdered? Do you know what sssshe really wantssss?"

She frowned slightly, but felt admiration for Elric backing her up. She turned towards the hooded one and sighed. Noting there was some of the Hellhound's blood on her spear, she did the unthinkable and licked it. Her body seemed to convulse, her body crumpling as she fell to her knees, using her spear for support as she broke out in a cold sweat entirely. "There is... something... yet nothing. It comes our way. It is darkness in its most possible form, an inky blackness that is devoid of everything, yet capable of engulfing anything. It is null, it is the Void." she says, her eyes flashing with her cryptic words. "This unease... is what it feels to be mortal. To know that your existence can be flushed away in a blink of an eye. Nothing can escape oblivion's grasp." she says standing up again. She would not speak of the beast's intentions to Elric, her powers only gave her a basic grasp of the creature's thoughts on Elric, and it was just not her place to say anyway.

"They want to recruit my shard. However... as I said, Azula's power is incomplete."

Elric stood there in silence, rather confused by interaction. He did remember hearing some bits of conversation about some other entity between the hooded figure and the former Wolf-kin, but it had been lost on him during the rising conflict. "Mai..." he says softly before turning to the pair. "Explain then!"

Helena lowered her head slightly, and her bangs overshadowed her glowing red eyes as they stared into Eric's eyes. This time her face was serious, and at the same time somewhat melancholic."Are you really so sure of that?" Then her eyes went to Mai. "You only got a taste of it. The memories, the thoughts and images, but you lack the context. That's why you don't understand. We don't intend to rip the shard from you. But, we do need to push... You may not yet realize it, but one shard is all we need. When pushed to the limit, that one shard will call the others to it, like a beacon that cannot be denied."

The Wraith again raised it's hand, and within the clawed steel gauntlet, it held a small crystal orb that flashed to life, producing an image of what Helena had said. A bright aura surrounding Mai's body as she roared out a battlecry, drawing multiple shards of rainbow light into her, one after the other as she shards were pulled from their resting places to the one who needed Azula's power the most. "Now do you ssssssee? You need to be pressssssed, you don't have enough anger, or hatred, enough presssssssure.... enough need, to do it at will. Not yet. But ssssoon, you will. One way or another," The hood again looked at Eric. "Assssss for you... Helena'ssssss deal was a persssssonal confrontation with you..."

The Hellhound stood up and smiled a wicked grin at the man. "Well then, You did take my life, and I did take your eye. Life for a life, and an eye for an eye. But, without killing you, how do you suppose we satisfy those conditions? I can think of only one way personally, but lets see if your smart." she said, before licking the claw on her index finger a little more lewidly than normal.

The orb in the Wraith's hand flashed again.

"There are reasssssons for all of thisssss to occur. None the leasssst of which issssss one that all ssssssides must fear, for the Void Dragon livessssss again."

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

The Hellhound stood up and smiled a wicked grin at the man. "Well then, You did take my life, and I did take your eye. Life for a life, and an eye for an eye. But, without killing you, how do you suppose we satisfy those conditions? I can think of only one way personally, but lets see if your smart." she said, before licking the claw on her index finger a little more lewidly than normal.

The orb in the Wraith's hand flashed again.

"There are reasssssons for all of thisssss to occur. None the leasssst of which issssss one that all ssssssides must fear, for the Void Dragon livessssss again."

Mai felt a little nervous looking at the images reflecting from the mysterious orb. She didn't want to experience that... not only did it look painful, a part of her wondered what would remain after? I've been a boy, and I've come to terms being a woman. But... would any part of me remain once I've restored Azula? Will I return to my former self? Will I stay the same? Or will I seize to exist? She wondered, frowning at the thoughts before experiencing the interaction between hound and man... and blushed vehemently. "N-NO!" she exclaimed, unsure really why she did so, standing in front of him with her arms spread. "Y-you wouldn't! Th-thats indecent!" she exclaimed, blushing and fuming as her breasts bobbed and her hair bounced. "I-its the middle of the forest for the love of Frey'd!!" She exclaimed.

Elric was puzzled. "Void Dragon..." he said out loud, blinking, taking in the visage of the twisted and malicious looking beast. Upon Mai's sudden reaction, he raised his brow, still rather oblivious to the situation at hand. "Mai, what the hell's gotten into you?" He asks, still confused on what the Hellhound meant. He noticed her acting even stranger, red in the face and seemingly embarrassed or angry about something the Hound said.

Mai Natsume wrote:Mai felt a little nervous looking at the images reflecting from the mysterious orb. She didn't want to experience that... not only did it look painful, a part of her wondered what would remain after? I've been a boy, and I've come to terms being a woman. But... would any part of me remain once I've restored Azula? Will I return to my former self? Will I stay the same? Or will I seize to exist? She wondered, frowning at the thoughts before experiencing the interaction between hound and man... and blushed vehemently. "N-NO!" she exclaimed, unsure really why she did so, standing in front of him with her arms spread. "Y-you wouldn't! Th-thats indecent!" she exclaimed, blushing and fuming as her breasts bobbed and her hair bounced. "I-its the middle of the forest for the love of Frey'd!!" She exclaimed.

The hound peered at Mai with a curious tweak if it's left ear. "Indecent? Not for it's intended purose. In fact it can only be done that way. And where else are we supposed to do it? Up a tree? In a volcano? Oh wait, you think I am a human.... Let me give you a hint, prissy princess - I. Am. A Hell. Hound. I fight where I want. I walk where I want. and I fuck where I want. To you it may be caustic, but remember, all mortals were once like that. Your ancestors once fought and fucked bare ass naked anywhere they could, anywhere they desired. So don't stick your nose too far up yourself, the wind may change and make that your permanent place to be." Helena's caustic tease was punctuated by a course chuckle at Mai's expense.

Elric Cinderwood wrote:Elric was puzzled. "Void Dragon..." he said out loud, blinking, taking in the visage of the twisted and malicious looking beast. Upon Mai's sudden reaction, he raised his brow, still rather oblivious to the situation at hand. "Mai, what the hell's gotten into you?" He asks, still confused on what the Hellhound meant. He noticed her acting even stranger, red in the face and seemingly embarrassed or angry about something the Hound said.

The Wraith notied the slight spark of growing comprehension in Eric. "Yessssss... He wassssss oncccccce one of the original beingsssssss created by the One Above All. An Original Archangel. Hisssssss name was Verial. During the dawn of all creation, as the High Heavensssss Ssssssolidified, and the Mortal Realmsssss were firssssst being formed filling the oncccccce omnipresssent darknesssss of the void with light and life for the firsssssst time, Verial travelled farther than any other Ssssssseraphim, confident in hissssss power, he ventured beyond the guiding light of the One, and became lossssst. Out there, in the abssssssolute darknesssss of non-exissssstance, he wasssss embraced by the Void. Inssssstead of consssssssuming him. It made him it'ssssssss vessssssel. Hisssssss mind all but conssssssumed by a hunger that can never be filled, and the sssssingle minded desssssire to return all to nothingnesssssss..."

Mai's eyes widened at this reaction, and for a moment she couldn't recall what she was doing. All she knew was that when the world seemed to 'resume' she was no longer near Elric, but instead her spear's shaft was against the side of the Hellhound's head-presumably from her striking the creature with her blind protective jealousy and disgust. Mai blinked, looking at the hound as she began to piece together her fragmented memory in that heated moment, of the blinding speed she had accomplished during the moment of weakness when the beast had began to laugh, of the slight smile when she struck with a blow that would have cleaved several normal mortals in two pieces, but she also knew she held back somewhat, and now instead of a dead Hellhound or severely injured one in front of her...

Mai chuckled nervously.

Elric was absorbing the information given to him when he became distracted by the former Wolf-Kin's response to Mai's odd behavior. "Wait-what?!" he exclaimed, Helena's intentions now clear. Then, Mai suddenly... flash stepped. It was like she was there then wasn't, and when he looked for her, saw that she had slammed her spear against the Hellhound's head. Elric, twitched at the sight, and it was clear that the test was going to resume shortly.

Mai Natsume wrote:Mai's eyes widened at this reaction, and for a moment she couldn't recall what she was doing. All she knew was that when the world seemed to 'resume' she was no longer near Elric, but instead her spear's shaft was against the side of the Hellhound's head-presumably from her striking the creature with her blind protective jealousy and disgust. Mai blinked, looking at the hound as she began to piece together her fragmented memory in that heated moment, of the blinding speed she had accomplished during the moment of weakness when the beast had began to laugh, of the slight smile when she struck with a blow that would have cleaved several normal mortals in two pieces, but she also knew she held back somewhat, and now instead of a dead Hellhound or severely injured one in front of her...

Mai chuckled nervously.

Helena's head tilted in slow motion, just in time to avoid the full impact of the stab as the edge of the spear's blade grazed her neck and collar. The twin gashes opened up to reveal hellfire beneath the flesh, skin and fur. A sick, twisted grin creeped over the Hellhound's features.

"Hmhmhmmmm.... Not very ladylike behaviour, especially for a Godess Vessel. Even if it's just a shard. Still though, I'm surprised. I didn't think the boy would find someone willing enough to fight for his cherry... I mean his virgin sanctity. Heheheh... HAH!" Helena drove her fist in a powerful gut punch right into Mai's lower solar plexus, lifting the woman off of her feet, and forcing her body to contort around her rising fist. Helena withdrew her fist quickly, and with a single spin, sent a straight legged thrust kick into the same spot, blasting Mai back against the rocks with the force of the kick. "Now, cease interrupting, these parts are important... You'd do well to heed them girl!" the Hellhound said as she sat ack down on the log she was sitting on, listening tot he Wraith's explanation of their most feared foe.

Elric Cinderwood wrote:Elric was absorbing the information given to him when he became distracted by the former Wolf-Kin's response to Mai's odd behavior. "Wait-what?!" he exclaimed, Helena's intentions now clear. Then, Mai suddenly... flash stepped. It was like she was there then wasn't, and when he looked for her, saw that she had slammed her spear against the Hellhound's head. Elric, twitched at the sight, and it was clear that the test was going to resume shortly.

The Wraith waited until the interruption halted. "Hmm, now, where wassss I before the interruption?"

Mai was flung back with quite the force, having doubled over the Hellhound's fist before taking flight. However, Helena must have forgotten that she was different than most mortals, and was able to recover more quickly from blows, and the spear wasn't necessary for these as she sat back up. "Filthy...mongrel..." she coughed, standing up from her knees, cradling her stomach as she leaned forward, her large breasts hanging:



Turning to the Wraith she coughed. "I...believe it was *cough, wheeze*...by a hunger that can never be filled." she says cringing before grabbing her spear. "Don't... mind... me..." she breathes, charging towards the Hellhound once more!

"Mai!" he exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing her before she could charge forth once again, using both of his arms which wrapped around her belly in a somewhat forceful embrace, keeping her from Hellhound's retaliation. He had dropped his blade in order to grab the woman quickly, and used much of that Scardian strength and speed to catch her before she could attack again, and keep her in his grasp. "Let it go, calm down... they call female dog's 'bitches' for a reason." he says in an intentional manner.

Mai Natsume wrote:Mai was flung back with quite the force, having doubled over the Hellhound's fist before taking flight. However, Helena must have forgotten that she was different than most mortals, and was able to recover more quickly from blows, and the spear wasn't necessary for these as she sat back up. "Filthy...mongrel..." she coughed, standing up from her knees, cradling her stomach as she leaned forward, her large breasts hanging:



Turning to the Wraith she coughed. "I...believe it was *cough, wheeze*...by a hunger that can never be filled." she says cringing before grabbing her spear. "Don't... mind... me..." she breathes, charging towards the Hellhound once more!

Elric Cinderwood wrote:"Mai!" he exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing her before she could charge forth once again, using both of his arms which wrapped around her belly in a somewhat forceful embrace, keeping her from Hellhound's retaliation. He had dropped his blade in order to grab the woman quickly, and used much of that Scardian strength and speed to catch her before she could attack again, and keep her in his grasp. "Let it go, calm down... they call female dog's 'bitches' for a reason." he says in an intentional manner.

Helena's grin was fangy at Mai's reactions and Eric's words. "Maybe so, but at least my intent is better than a lover scorned. My pups will help in the fight when they are ready. We need every able body we can get for a fight like this. Tell em."

The Wraith nodded. "When Verial returned... he began a purge ssssso ssssssstrong that it wiped out nearly half of all creation. Including a sssssizzzzable portion of his sssssssibling sssssseraphim and all the children they had created.... It took the combined effort of all the remaining ssssseraphim jussssst to hold the creature long enough for the one to defeat it with a blassssst of Genessssissss energy, and sssssseal him within hissssss own realm. Now... the number of Sssseraphim in exissssstancccce has been cut almossssst in half again... The losssss of the Fallen hasssss reduced the number of thosssse forcesssss who faced him before.... thossssse with the power and expereinccccce..."

Mai sensed the barrier around them had faded, and given how their enemy got carried away with their story, decided it was time to pull off a somewhat tricky Ninjutsu maneuver she learned while travelling in different Merc parties, when she wasn't with Eric. She turned to him briskly. "Hold tight..." she whispered, before slipping from her small pack a small pellet shaped object!

"HYAAAHH!!" she exclaimed, slamming it down, gripping Eric tight with her other arm. The pellet expanding as it hit the earth with tremendous force, exploding around the couple in a bright red haze of peppered smoke that would cause some issues with the Hellhound Helena's nostrils, and sense of smell. Mai clutched Eric tightly and concentrated her thoughts, thinking of another location deeper within the Amaine. Admittedly it wasn't her first time here, as there was one place she remembered where they could teleport safely for now and recuperate.

Within seconds, their silhouettes vanished.

Tysnolf sets his rifle down, taking a seat on a downed stump after traversing into the Gailden region, before a field of lovely flowers. The old man pets his long, scraggily white beard, before pulling out a traditional pipe to enjoy a moment of peace within the woods. The old Druid could feel the magic in the air... could sense such magic aided a younger man saved by an old one and a Minktail elf who looked so much like his late wife... and also turned his mind off as the lad and lass were now... caught in some intimacy. He smirked, watching a squirrel hop up beside him, and as he inhaled and exhaled plumes of smoke, blew rings. "Not much time now... till my role is achieved. Just gotta wait for it now..." he says to the squirrel.