Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
----Random Tip----

----------------------

North Valentis: Winter | South Valentis: Summer
Welcome to Mythwood. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features.

Username:   Password:
Clean Slate
Topic Started: Oct 1 2013, 02:45 PM (500 Views)
Ronin

The morning air was crisp. Dew still covered the ground sparkling from the sunrise. A calm breeze blew occasionally, bringing a comfortably warm wind. With this, the trees would rustle as if so many little hands were clapping in applause. Kallon loved this place, so much so that he was trying to retain the memory within a piece of parchment and charcoal.

It was perfect, well almost perfect. He easily sketched out the clearing, showing it in almost inhuman detail. He showed his skill through his shading, making the scene on the paper look as if you could step right into the black and white world. However, there was one thing missing from it, and that was sound.

If he could draw the noise of this place, it would make his drawing perfect. But how are you suppose to do that? Kallon had yet to figure that out and master the technique. So for now, he just accepted his inability and postponed the completion of his piece, knowing that it wouldn't be finished until the beautiful music of the place was put into the sketch.

Kallon had thousands of pictures not unlike this one. Drawings of the oceans, missing the sound of the waves, sketches of golden fields missing the clicking of the insects that inhabited it, and paintings of mountains missing the howling of the wind that their great heights attributed to. Portraits of laughing children, mourning widows and roaring battlefields were also without the essential component of noise to bring their colors to life.

The Nurn let out a deep sigh. The inner conflict of his ineptitude as an artist was constantly troubling him. He was a good Limner, but he wasn't the best and he knew that. So he sat there, off to the side of the road, with his large furry friend still snoozing the morning away.
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Inishar
Member Avatar

The rather large bat was enjoying the crisp morning air as he flew lazily through the trees on silent wings. It was almost as if it was impossible for something so large to fly so quietly but the bat had already passed several large species of owls on the evening. One in particular, a large white snow owl, had followed him for a bit and even tried to take a few bites. After a nice silent aerial display by the two it had become tired and parted ways.

The bat came upon the nurn as he was finishing up his charcoal drawing. So it glided over and sat down upon the ground in front of him folding it's wings into the body. Slowly the bats form began to ripple and shift as it turned into the ashen grey skinned being who he was. Alexander Kirito, who normally went by Kirito looked at his companion and smiled as he stood up to his full height. "You do so enjoy your art don't you my friend?"

He looked down at the art from the top, the image upside down. Even still it never stopped impressing the shifter how good this man's art truly was. It was as if one could get lost in the simple black and white world this man sketched and painted. Turning his attention out to the image before him he looked into the distance and the horizon. "So where do we intend to go next Kallon? Maybe a town or city this time?" Kirito waited for his friends response not sure where they would be heading this time. Though he hoped it would lead to more people and a bit of fun.
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Ronin

He ignored his friend's questions and started to pack his supplies away. He made sure to cover his drawing properly so it wouldn't smear during their travels, and placed it in the bag that was specifically for his charcoal drawings. After he finished up, he slung the pack over his shoulder, stood up, and turned his face towards his friend.

"Did you happen to find anything for breakfast while you were on your early morning 'stroll'?" Kallon asked with a smirk on his face. "And don't tell me bacon, you know how I feel about eating pork in front of Task." At the mention of his name, the huge lump of a creature started to stir.

Alexander may have been taller than him, but that didn't stop Kallon at all. He was a kind man at heart, and Kallon knew that, that is why he liked the man. However, when he drew his two blades, Kirito became a whole new person altogether. It didn't take long for the Nurn to learn to get out of his way whenever he got like that.

"Anyways, how many times must you ask where we are going? We go where the wind blows. And right now it's blowin' thataway!" He pointed up the road towards a thick bamboo forest.

What he didn't tell the man, was that in the direction was a little place called the Village of the Red Leaves. It was suppose to be a quaint village, that was legendary for it's beautiful scenery. Not only that, but the High Priestess of the shrine there was suppose to be the fairest lady of the land. What kind of man... (I mean limner)... would give up an opportunity like that?
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Inishar
Member Avatar

He chuckled at the shorter man's response it was always the same when he asked his question. He shook his head at the man's question in regards to dinner though. "Doesn't seem like much to eat out there....at least not big enough for a meal for the likes of us."

Kirito then looked in the direction Kallon had indicated and at Task. He liked the boar very much he was a nice companion for the nurn and in turn a good companion to him. Picking up his own pack he slung it over his shoulder after taking out a small wrapped object. He then tossed it to his friend. "Looks like we will be eating our rations for breakfast this morning. Though I noticed some fruit trees and a few berry bushes in that direction."

The reason he had was he had already helped himself to his morning meal. Usually did on his morning flight nothing more relaxing to him then a good stretch of the wings and grazing as he went. He then reached down to the side of his pack and lifted up his water skin taking a long draw from it.

He then rested a hand on the hilt at his hip looking towards the bamboo forest. He had spotted it during his flight and was curious about what lay beyond. He would forgo his usual practice routine this morning as it seemed his friend was already getting ready to travel. He may have preferred to not have to draw his blades, but no reason to let himself get rusty. So he tried to practice at least once a day, either in the morning while Kallon was drawing or cooking, or at night after the nurn had gone to sleep.

Letting the thought slip from his mind he wore his customary toothy smile and nodded in the direction of the forest. "To where the wind blows." He then began at a nice lazy pace whistling a sweet little tune as he went. It was a wonderful day for travel and even better still in the company of good friends.
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Ronin

Seeing Kirito lead the way, Kallon scrambled to get everything back onto Task. He didn't know what was with the man, but he always seemed to like to lead the way. Not that Kallon really cared at all. Locating the fruit trees that Alexander had mentioned, the Nurn picked some apples and pears to supplement the meal he was already eating on the run.

It was a good thing that Kirito was walking at a leisurely pace, otherwise Kallon would have to jog in order to catch up. He could have ridden on Tasks back, but he didn't feel like overworking his animal friend.

Their walk to the village was pretty uneventful. Passing by hundreds and thousands of stalks of green bamboo that grew to heights immeasurable. The leaves blew in the wind, swirling about in little twisters. The leaves themselves were still green however, so Kallon was beginning to get confused why the place ahead was called the Village of Red Leaves.

He had started to think that he was miss informed when he heard a strange jingling noise. It echoed through the forest in a constant and timed manner. Continuing on their path, the source of the sound, they started near a group of people kneeling in front a statue. Between the group and the statue was a figured all dressed up in flowing white robes covered in bells and a red mask, dancing in a way that seemed practiced and calculated.

Kallon wasn't sure what was going on, but he really wanted to record the image. Taking out his pocket sketchbook, he opened it up and pulled out a piece of sharpened graphite. Without saying anything, he stopped at the edge of the road and started to draw out the scene, his hand moving swiftly across the paper.
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Inishar
Member Avatar

Kirito always loved a nice leisurely walk and loved it even more when it was peaceful. The surrounding area was so beautiful and serene, it had a very calming effect on one's mind. As the companions traveled through the bamboo forest he began to stretch and exercise his mind. He began to take the leaves that were falling from the endless stalks and turn them into little twisters that seemed to dance around them.

Kirito continued to exercise his mental prowess until he heard a strange rhythmic sound coming from up ahead. At first his senses made him think it was the sound of metal clashing, but as he listened it dawned on him it was bells. The area they came across with the people kneeling as if in some kind of ceremony was beautiful. He could see several rows of cultivated trees arranged in various shapes. It then dawned on him those were cherry trees and was a bit saddened by the fact they were not in bloom.

One of his favorite times of the year back in the village he was born in was when the cherry trees blossomed. The red and pink leaves would coat the trees for awhile before falling in a lovely shower. It had actually been an inspiration for some of his fighting techniques. His mind snapped from it's flashback to find his companion already hard at work trying to capture the essence of the sight before them.


Kallon was good, he had captured many a image that would make you feel as if you were there, but this.....This was so beautiful and hypnotic that he doubted even his friend's considerable talent would do the sight justice. The dancer's fluid and practiced movements with the swirling robes made him think of some of his own fights. He loved the fluidity of it....it was living art hard to pin down in an image. He almost felt as if he needed to remove his weapons to keep from defiling the serenity of it all.
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Ronin

The kneeling figures started to chant and bow their heads in rhythm to the bells. It was all very hypnotic. Kallon continued drawing what he saw before him, trying to make it as realistic as possible. He was doing a good job of it too, capturing the spinning of the masked figure and the bobbing of the group of people on the ground.

He was just getting to the features of the statue when he noticed a strange smell in the air. It was a sweet smell, as of a pungent perfume filling the vicinity. It was a very pleasant scent, even though it was on the edge of overwhelming.

Kallon found it hard to concentrate on his sketch, so he closed the book, stoop up and started to put it and his graphite away. As he was doing this, he began to stumble towards the group of people still in the middle of their ritual.

He didn't know why, but Kallon had the sudden urge to get closer. He didn't find it strange in the least that the cherry trees had suddenly blossomed and that their flowers were a deep crimson red. He didn't even find it weird when the trees surrounding the statue began to creak and groan as their trunks throbbed and their branches shivered.

Now that Kallon was closer, he could see the curves on the body of the robe figure. He wasn't able to notice before, but now he could tell quite clearly that it was a woman who was dancing, and a shapely one at that. Even though the trees were starting to make noise with their rattling leaves, the chanting become even louder almost as if trying to drown them out.

Suddenly a root ripped itself out of the ground and one of the trees tipped over slightly. A wave of the fragrance came billowing towards Kallon, filling his lungs with the smell. The tree pulled out another root, and then another, until it was completely out of the ground. Still shivering, it started to crawl towards the dancing woman.

As it was doing that, a crack formed horizontally from the trunk of the gnarled tree. A keening sound rang through the air, adding to the chant and the bells. Then the crack widened into a massive maw, with sappy drool and sharp splinters of wood surrounding the opening. With its claw-like branches reaching for the woman, it continued to groan and keen, all the while the people did as they were doing before, chanting and bowing their heads.
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Inishar
Member Avatar

In an instant the thought of removing his weapons was gone and the shifter was a blur of motion. He shot forward in one powerful push of his legs arms out at his sides. The blades he carried on his body and a moment ago thought of discarded seemed to almost appear in his hands like magic. His target was the now "living" cherry tree that was bearing down on the dancer whom still seemed lost in her trance like dance.

Suddenly six small blades embedded themselves in the side of the tree with enough force to sink in a good three to four inches each. The second strike came just as the creature was turning to face the new threat, in the process loosing one of the claw like branches that had been reaching for the women. Kirito had brought both the weapons that were out at his sides into a upward cross slash that removed the first branch, which he then reversed the strike.

The pair of swords descended with a blur of motion scoring two deep gouges in the trunk of the tree near the gaping maw. This caused the creature to stagger just a bit as it recoiled from the lose of an arm like branch and the other injuries which seemed to be oozing sap like blood. Kirito then pushed back a bit after his initial assault to put a bit of distance between him and the assailant. "Get them out of here Kallon while I handle this thing."

As he spoke he heard several more groaning snapping sounds as several of the other trees began to awaken and come to life. "Greet I was just thinking to myself I needed a good work out." As he said this a devilish grin crossed his face and a murderous gaze was in his eyes. Time to dance with the devil.....
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Ronin

Hearing his friend call out to him, he finally shook out of his daze. He was startled to find the trees all around to be moving all on their own. Even stranger yet, the people weren't even phased by all of this, all they did was chant away. Even the woman continued dancing, as if nothing else existed around her.

"Task! Use the abstracts!"

Without wasting a heartbeat, the large boar turned his head to the pack on his back and pulled out several pieces of paper. He proceeded to step on each one, causing a bluish glow to illuminate from them. Shapes started appearing from the glow, two had wings, four stood on two legs, and the rest stood on four legs. None of them had any definable features about them, and they ranged in all sorts of colors.

"Get these people out of here!" Kallon commanded his minions.

They all moved as one going towards the chanting crowd. The quadrupeds arrived first, scooping up as many people as they could and then dashing away from the battle. Then the winged ones were next, picking up individual people with their crooked talons and dropping them off into safety. Then the humanoids approached the rest, making a barrier with their bodies between the monstrous trees and the people.

A tall and stick-like summon swung its lanky arm towards the dancer and grabbed her with his thin fingers. Pulling her towards itself, the woman finally took notice of what was going on around her and started to scream.

The tree closest to the woman shook as she screamed. Not even caring about its injuries, the tree took one of its biggest branches and launched it at the stick-like arm. With a loud WHOMP, the arm broke and the poor minion was sent flying back towards Kallon.

As that was happening, more trees were moving in, surrounding Kirito. As they drew close, roots shot up out of the ground, trying to tie up the Shifter. At the same time the trees leaned forward, smashing all of their branches towards the blade wielding man.
Edited by Ronin, Dec 3 2013, 11:00 PM.
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Inishar
Member Avatar

The trance was beginning to set in as he began to work his blades in tandem. The whirling dance began with just the two blades in his hand but soon as the number of assailants increased so to did the number of blades. The ones that had been embedded in the first target were ripped free causing more liquid to run from the holes, while the blades returned to Kirito.

He was a small whirlwind of steel and red sap as his blades swirled and whipped around him. The trees had thought to try and grab the shifter with roots and hold him down but that was not going to work, every time roots shoot up out of the ground they were cut back like an unruly bush. His mind was starting to tax a bit as he wasn't to much on the offense though several of the large trees now had multiple branch like limbs missing from where they had tried to grab at him.

He was lost in the trance at this point listening to the sonata in his mind that only he could hear. The music was nice and steady in it's tempo but it was beginning to build as his movements with the blades in his hands went from simply blocking and parrying to taking swipes at the tree like creatures. More then a few now had nice large gashes in the trunks that were pouring sap like blood. So lost in the dance was he that he wasn't paying much mind to the handful of small scrapes and gashes he himself had gotten from his numerous attackers.
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
Ronin

Kallon watched in amazement as his companion danced his way through all of the tangled pulp. Seeing the tree blood spray all around him in swirls, the Nurn had the urge to grab his canvas and paints. But there was no time for that now, he would just have to leave the picture in his mind for later use.

So instead, Kallon decided to make himself useful. While all of the trees were concentrating on Alexander, the limner took the chance to charge in under all of the mayhem and grabbed at the still squirming woman.

"Come on lady, how about we get out of here while we can."

Ignoring her screams, Kallon wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her over his shoulder and dash out of the battle. He may not be very tall, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to use his leverage on those taller than himself.

All the while, more moving trees came into the scene, adding to the carnage that was already building within the bamboo forest. It was a wonder where all of them were coming from.

Now that most of the people were moved away, the conjurations started fights of their own, the flyers tearing at the branches from above, and the rest clawed at the roots and trunks from below. The stick-like summon had already grew another arm in place of the one it lost and used it in its fight against the plants.

The trees fighting Kirito were learning quickly that his blades were dangerous to handle, so they turned to a new strategy. Instead of using their roots to grab at the shifter, they used them to tear at the ground, making holes and mounds in random spot that made the terrain hazardous to the unwary. They also hurled large rocks and boulders that they dug out in the swordsman's direction, trying anything they could to take him out.
Offline Profile Quote ^^^
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Siciny · Next Topic »

Misty Woods created by Helena & Cory of ZNR