Steve
Being the first to enter the forest, Gaige would be granted a headstart, allowing him to acclimate himself to his new surroundings. The forest was dark, damp, and filled with forest flora — yet scarce a sign of fauna; there was only the vague silhouettes of elk-like, horned, quadrupedal creatures some distance from him, and they scurried upon the sight and sound of the approaching man. The dense, musty trees served to dominate the atmosphere with their pungent scent akin to mildew or moss, and their dense foliage served to blot out the faint green skies above. Combined with the slight haze of fog that rolled across the floor of the forest environment, it would be an environment naturally drowning to the senses — sight, smell, and sound, all hindered by the unfavorable terrain.
_ _

_ _
Yet, within the fog, something **Blue** Shined. Something which Gaige had already taken to following: the familiar sight of the blue root which he had once seen before, in the subterranean caves beneath the Embrace of Sol, as well as growing about the greattower off in the distance. The root seemed almost omnipresent within the First Floor of the *Vektet,* Growing wherever it pleased, ignoring environmental conditions, entirely. From subterranean circumstances, to forested circumstances, to even above-surface and about human structures, it grew, and grew, and grew, ever-prevalent, and yet with an unknown purpose. Further, it seemed to be naturally poisonous upon ingestion, corrupting those who consumed it with horrid, body and mind-altering effects. It was, by itself, one of the many mysteries of the Vektet, and quite a big one, to those ends.

At least it gave him a guide to follow.

The blue root started subtly, as only slight protrusions peeking from the slightly ashy dirt of the ground beneath him. Its formations were no greater than that of the average tree-vine's — about 3cm in diameter — and extending like tree roots throughout the dirt, poking up and down from its surface. However, as he followed further, the **Vines would only grow thicker, longer, and more effulgently blue.** The forest around the blue root seemed to subtly alter in increasing observability as it grew larger and larger, their brown bark turning to that of a **Pale, greyish-blue hue.**

The forest flora grew more and more alien as he followed the root... And, perhaps the same was true for the fauna, but the latter could not be confirmed — for, as he approached the denser growth of the blue root, the fauna strangely seemed to **Disappear.** The elklike creatures further back within the forest had distinctly disappeared, and there were little-to-no signs of movement, beyond that of the altered trees' leaves flowing in the wind.

_ _


***`CREAK.`***



*Something sounds from within the forest.*

...He'd ought to keep his guard up.


_ _

— —

Tabby, who had entered the forest much later than Gaige, would be left quite some distance behind his trail. She, too, would be met with the sense-dampening environment of the dense forest, the **Thick, musty, mildew-y scent** Of the wetted trees sprouting along the riverbank of the rusty brooks serving to be some obstruction to her trail. She would be positioned a long-way's distance from Gaige, who had already travelled far into his expedition within the darkened woods. Considering her unfamiliarity with the environment and the unsurity of Gaige's exact position, she may very well be whole minutes behind him, and that number would only grow the further Gaige trekked through the forest.

Though, within the fog, she can see a **Blue glow.**

Once acclimated to the strange, alien alteration of the deep forest, Gaige, who had just heard the noise from even *Deeper* Within the forest, would be met with a sharp chill that descended his spine. Within the darkness, and beyond his sight, ***Something crept.*** Its presence was not even as much as a silhouette; rather, Gaige could only feel its presence due to the subtle unease within his body, as if he could *Feel* It move from afar. Someone, or something, was crawling through the blue-root-ridden forest, its motions unseen and barely heard from afar, as it stalked him on his continuance through the forest. 

The ground grew more rugged, and the fog grew even thicker. The scent of mildew is replaced with that of a hollow, metallic scent, and the air feels as though it has begun to chill, ever-so-slightly. 

***TAPTAP...***

*—From above. The tall tree to his two-o-clock.*

***SCURRY***

—To his right. Dead on three, behind the tree to his right-face.

***`thump, thump`***

A more harsh and audible sound of footsteps. *Something heavy. Something big. And something **Close.*** To his five, quickly approaching from behind.

***`THUMP, THUMP`***

—It's close. Very close. It approached before he could even turn, directly at his six-o-clock—



***`"Keeeeeeeeek..."`***




*__It's here.__*








_ _

_ _

***`"Keeek..."`***

The creature briefly vocalizes, and, just as Gaige is given time to turn around, ***It strikes.*** A wicked, elongated right hand, constructed not out of wood, flesh, bone, or any typical tissue seen on an animal, but **Wood,** Tears through the hushed atmosphere of the deep forest, aiming to kill Gaige in a single blow. Its body was construed of a material akin to the strange, rootlike wood that Gaige had once seen corrupt the entirety of the so-called traitor, Vaarektaak.

Reminiscence and comparisons on its form to a former individual he had seen before would have to wait, however — *Dodging its strike* Would have to come first. **The right hand of the creature flies towards Gaige, seeking to grasp him in its clawlike right hand.** Its fingers were long enough to wrap about his entire body — and, the attack would most likely *Mutilate* Him, were he to be struck. However, there were open profiles to **Dodge to the left, right, backwards, or even below the grab.**
Yoshiko
His speed did not let up as the fauna began to decrease in number. His speed did not let up as the trees began to become infected by the blue root. _His speed did not let up as the woods began to creak around him._ Although, abruptly—just as the beast's claw reached out to him—his momentum instantly shifted to the left, the hand whizzing by the hero. "_Okaarum,_ return." The man calmly spoke the words which called _Okaarum,_ the bone pillar manifesting just above the large creature. With tremendous force, the pillar slammed down on the creature, likely causing the beast to collapse instantly. Of course—he expected the creature to still live, using the opportunity he had created to continue his rush through the dense forest.

As with his past fight with Kaaze, the hero showed no fear nor panic at the sight of this unsightly beast. A stray beast cannot possibly withhold more power than the Knight of Sol he had felled. Gaige's sprint did not let up, _Okaarum_ eventually being recalled; the broken blade still followed to the left of him, the man dashing between trees to hopefully slow down the beast which chased him. Such a beast would prove frivolous to the hero, but he had no intentions of combating the cat who still chased him—the sound of her voice echoing throughout the forest; unfortunately for her, such a scream would be likely to attract the denizens of this forest which trailed him.

With the way things were currently going, his best option to defeating the singular beast that trailed him would be attrition. Abuse its mindless qualities, attacking every so often whilst running throughout the forest. Eventually, the beast would fall, him continuing to build distance in the forest from the feral cat.
Noel
Any second spent not running is a second spent where Tabby advances ever so slightly, refusing to let up even after all this time.

She realizes that, perhaps, she should probably be carrying her crossbow as she runs, fishing into the weapons bag and grabbing it out, attaching it to a grip on her back as she runs. Certainly not the most elegant solution, but she has her dagger to keep things busy.

Noticing the large root, Tabby *Doesn't stop to look at it*, instead jumping over and leaping off of each individual root that dared to get in her way, only respecting trees and bushes enough to move around in her conquest against Gaige. He may not want it, but she sure does.

Noticing that shouting would be inefficient now, she instead chooses to remain quiet, *Thaumaturgy* Failing as a result as she keeps a steady pace, refusing to be beaten. Thankfully, her ability of *Rocky Road* Aids her in her sprint, causing each root, tree or bush to be quite trivial to dodge or hop over.
Steve
Tabby's pursuit would be met now with a major hindrance, as she continued to follow and walk upon the form of the **Blue root.** The further she followed it, the stranger the forest grew, its trees' brown bark turning a strange, cold, bluish-grey color, with an almost ashy exterior texture. The blue root actively seemed to be corrupting the forest as it grew thicker and thicker, and the aura about Tabby became strangely chilled, the hollow scent of metal dominating the atmosphere about herself.

...Considering all the noise she had made earlier, it would come as no surprise that *Something had heard her.* Rustling can be heard from multiple directions — left and right, then behind, and infront, from beyond the figures of the trees. Something was matching her speed; something was *Stalking her,* Even in her rapid pace. Its creeping motions remained unseen and unsensed by the naked eye as it followed the hunter's trail. 

***`SCURRY... SCURRY... RUSTLE.`***

The sound of footsteps, twofold. They approached from her five- and seven-o-clock, respectively, and, apparently, they were travelling above and beyond her own sprint speed — for they were getting *Closer,* And quick. The declarative noise she had made upon her entry to the forest now only served to betray her, for it attracted *Multiple predators, all at once.* They grow closer and closer, yet the form of the creatures from which they originate remained unseen, creeping stealthily yet speedily through the darkness of the twisted forest as she continued along and atop the blue root.

***`THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.`***


_ _

_ _
The footsteps were closer. Much closer, and now gathered solely to her six-o-clock. And, as suddenly as she could hear their closened footsteps, the creatures emerged from their stealth within the brush once they had crossed enough distance to appear **Directly behind her, within the effective range of their gnarled, wooden claws.** Two they were, and with only two eyes between the two of them; yet they were *Massive, and certainly an immediate threat to her own safety.* **The creature behind and to her right extends its elongated, left claw-like hand with explosive force to grasp her, seeking to restrain and mutilate her, were its grab to connect.** However, given her sense of Alert, she could likely dodge to the **Left or right, or even below the grab entirely.** The second root-beast would have to be taken into account for, as well: it had not yet made a move, yet it may very well aim for her life in the moment that she dodges.

_ _




— —




_ _

***The creature, struck head-on by the force of the monumental pillar that was Okaarum's raw form, recoils, its pursuing, stalking sprint broken and turned into a skidding tumble.*** While pursuing him from behind at matching speeds to his own sprint, the impact fully halted the entirety of its momentum, the creature tumbling into the ashy dirt and undergrowth of the alien forest floor. The creature remained pinned for several seconds, incapable of moving, yet eventually manages to break free from Okaarum's downward weight by *Shedding a part of its own body.* Wood roots unravel from its center mass, falling loosely to the ground, as the creature's body is freed, and it **Continues its sprint, even faster, pursuing Gaige.**

And, indeed, despite his incredible speed, this creature, in its lightened form, surpassing even Gaige's own velocity. While it had lost a significant amount of distance between itself and its target, the creature pursued hot on his trail, its wicked, thorny maw wide open, and its singular eye affixed upon Gaige himself. It approached and approached, yet still remained some distance behind Gaige — enough for him to comfortably maintain his lead for some time.



***`RUSTLE.`***


...Clearly, several meters ahead of Gaige, he could see something *Move.* **Something in the trees, some distance beyond him within the forest, perched atop an elevated branch.** While whizzing forwards with extreme speed, its silhouette — much smaller than the creature behind him, and more humanoid — would remain within his sightlines for several seconds. A peering, blue glow emanated from the upper 'head' of the silhouette, and it appeared to be facing and watching Gaige as he sprinted through the forest.
_ _

Yet, as he passed under the silhouette, it would not move, nor pursue him, instead remaining positioned within that same tree.

...Or so he thought.
The silhouette, mere moments later, manifested directly ahead of Gaige, perched atop a branch, yet again. It was not merely a similar silhouette, but an identical one — the figure that he had clearly passed somehow managed to appear several meters ahead of him without a trace of motion. Was it merely an illusion? Incredible speed? Or *Teleportation?*

```ini
[ ₕₘₘₘ... ]```


*`Creak...`*

The branch shifts slightly. Within the darkness, it's hard to make out, but the silhouette is *Drawing back a bow.*

```ini
[ ᵃ ˡⁱᵗᵗˡᵉ ᵇⁱᵗ ᶜˡᵒˢᵉʳ... ]```

***`—Fft!`***

—The nocked arrow is released, silently whistling through the air. The silhouette's target initially appeared to be Gaige, himself, yet as the arrow was leased, it cleanly flew above and beyond him. Its target was not him, but rather, the **Root-beast pursuing him.** The strange, helix-spiral wooden arrow strikes the beast in one of the rootlike appendages it used to travel at high-speeds, **Instantaneously causing it to tumble to the ground,** Despite the arrow's notable lack of raw impact force. It was a strange reaction to such a weak attack; it was as if the creature had been **Poisoned,** If such a thing was even possible.

The silhouette stands, allowing Gaige to pass beneath and beyond itself, yet seems to continue overlooking him as he sprints through the forest. 







...Yet, as Gaige clears significant distance—
Santos
```ini
[ "Hello!" ]```

—and sped past a particular tree, *He spotted him.* The same silhouette of the man within the treetops, yet clearer — now positioned at eye-level with Gaige. Yet again, his apparent position had shifted in an instant — from atop a tree, several-dozen meters behind Gaige, to now directly ahead of him. While he wouldn't actively reach out to stop him, the man would hope for Gaige to stop in his sprint for but a moment.

```ini
[ "Might I bother you one moment? You seem quite preoccupied, but if you'd just stop and listen..." ]```

The man requested. He was clearly humanoid, and very clearly intelligent; however, the man had a most strange visage... Or, well, a lack of one, for that matter. Rather, where his eyes should have been, **Blue root was positioned instead,** Seemingly growing from the inside of his head. It was as if his face had fused with the blue root, itself, yet not in such a destructive manner as Gaige had seen two times before — no, rather, the root retained its effulgent blue luster, and the man's skin retained its clearly human traits. 

That did not eliminate the potential that he could still be a threat to Gaige, however.
Whether he would trust the man to stop and speak for a moment was up to him; he very well could have had hostile intent, despite his amiable tone of voice.
Noel
Thinking quickly, Tabby weighs her options, glancing at the Bags of Holding on her waist as she springs into action, turning around and choosing to make use of a slide that make a professional baseball player jealous. Maybe. Probably not.

She slides under the beast's grab, slipping up her dagger — magic energy pulsing from it as she strengthens the humming glow through *Searing Smite* Using her *Bonus Action* First and foremost, causing it to explode with white-hot flames as she attempts to stick it into the creature's forearm, assuming that perhaps the forest-looking thing is horrifically weak to fire. She casts it at _**4th Level**_, her first-of-two spell slots being burned up in the process, unwilling to let even the slightest chance of a retaliation from this... *Thing* Trying to kill her. 

*Hopefully this persuades the welcoming committee to put their tail between their legs and run.* She thinks, still wary of whatever attack that might come flying at her as she hisses and stifles an angry howl; probably not the best idea to let one loose given the circumstances.

Regardless, with her Steel Defender still in the bag, Tabby is forced to *End her Turn*, just praying that the thing runs the hell away.
Yoshiko
His 50 mph sprint does not let up, but the hero was shocked as the thundering footsteps of the beast began trailing him again—_closer_. `Back again, huh...?` Dashing between trees, Gaige's evasive maneuvers likely were slowing the beast. There was no need to throw an attack at it yet, the beast still following far behind him. During all this, Gaige did not let up on following the blue root from a safe distance, likely nearing the origin with how the area around him had begun to shift. _Something else was stalking him though._

His pupils glanced up at the shadow which disturbed the foliage of the trees with its movement. `Mmmm...?!` He sorted out options within his mind to combat the figure in the trees, eventually noticing the _blue glow_ radiating off the head of it. The blue glow showcased undeniable similarities to that of the blue root which he had been speeding alongside. Not to mention the same blue root which infested Okot and the dead mercenary. Seeing as the silhouette made no offensive actions towards Gaige or the beast, he blew by underneath the shadow. _Or so he thought._

Another silhouette revealed itself a distance ahead of himself: _the same silhouette._ What were the intentions of this being? Was it after him? The beast? Or perhaps was it just _watching...?_ He had no time to decipher the means to which the silhouette moved throughout the trees at such a speed. Eventually though—_the silhouette began to move_. Gaige's eyes squinted as the figure had started to move, before his eyelids parted in an instant—his sprint descending into a slide.

_ _
His precautionary slide proved meaningless as the arrow flew well above him, transfixing itself directly into the beast which pursued him. The hero's movement halted as he watched the beast collapse with but one arrow. No normal arrow could down a beast of that size—one capable of surviving a hit from _Okaarum._ Disregarding the strange nature of the arrows, his sprint returned—blowing past the silhouette once again before _yet again,_ they had appeared in front of him. Was he their next target? He prepared to call upon the dragon-bone pillar to combat the threat, but was not met with hostility. It was in Gaige's nature to establish relations with those he encounters; violence acted as more of a last resort to the hero. Despite the possibility of more beasts being on his tail, he **Halted his sprint.** If more beasts were approaching, he had no doubt in the hunter's abilities to slay them just as he did with the first.

His gaze affixed upon the man who communicated with him from the sanctity of the treetops. "It'd be wonderful to listen in on what you have to say, but some _mercenary_ is pursuing me. Dunno why really, but I have no intention of fighting them." He responded to the archer's friendly request, hoping they would assist him if they wished to speak with him. "If you wanna have a chat, that'll need to be dealt with first." He stood his ground, awaiting a response from the root-infested archer. Of course, he had his questions regarding the blue root which plagued the archer's body, but he'd need to circumvent his pursuer first.
Violette
Josh and Shade arrive at the forest, searching for any signs of Tabby or the others.
Steve
The searing spell imbued into her blade, Tabby slid and stabbed into the form of the first of the two root-monsters, the flames of her blade coursing through its wooden flesh and setting them ablaze. The arcane sparked off of its living-wood, and the white flame engulfed its arm and upper body; yet, the creature did not give so much as a howl or scream, instead remaining completely silent as it had up until this point. It appeared that the creature was either entirely mindless or entirely unfeeling of pain — most likely the latter, considering its intellect in stalking, and the likelihood that, withwhat *Being construed of roots* Would entail, it probably had no nervous system to begin with.

That is to say that her attack is effective, neutralizing the threat of its right arm in the same motion that she dodged, the flames consuming the moving, rotary portions of the creature's fleshless 'shoulder', rendering it incapable of moving its right arm. Consumed in a blaze, the creature's upper body was likely soon to follow, yet until it had fully been consumed, it was **Still a threat.** Clearly still capable of moving the rootlike appendages that served to be its legs, the large creature twisting its lower-body in a motion such to enable it to **Swing its left arm towards Tabby, now prone,** Slashing towards her chest. As was for the last attack, allowing it to hit certainly would not be pretty, whatsoever.

The second beast, unfavorably positioned to attack Tabby — seeing as she is positioned almost under the first beast now — does not yet attack, instead strafing about her, and entrapping her from **Behind.**




— —




_ _
Santos
The lower half of the strange man's rootgrown face — his mouth, which was still clearly human — gave a slight smile, the man nodding as he had convinced Gaige to stop in his sprint forwards. However, his pleased demeanor shifted to that of slight concern as Gaige continued, tilting his head as he took in the latter portions of his statement.

```ini
[ "Pursued, hm...? I suppose that would be the source of that awfully loud noise that stirred up the Desecrated." ]
[ "They're quite sensitive to sound, you know, and they haven't seen their choice type of feed for many-a-year; that is, flesh and meat. It's a terribly scary thing to see so many of them roused at once." ]```

The bow-wielding man briefly explained, before staring over Gaige's shoulder, further behind him, where he sensed the presence of another. With an understanding nod, he seems to confirm some sort of initial judgment, softly placing his left hand atop a quiver fastened about his belt. Withdrawing two more of the helix-spiral wooden arrows that Gaige had seen strike down the first root-beast — the so-called Desecrated, as delineated and titled by the archer himself — he hones his senses, deeper focusing on the sound of the conflict, far-off in the distance.

 ```ini
[ "I understand you may dispute with this mercenary you speak of, but it is not of my nature to leave a fellow soul to die within this forest. Especially not by the hands of the Desecrated, who know not their own sins." ]```

The man steps past Gaige, nocking a single of the two arrows within his left hand's grip, sharply focusing his senses. As he motionless felt through the terrain and form of forest from afar, he could sense that there were many trees between him and his target.

...However, with some `assistance`, spatial boundaries would be no issue for the archer.
_ _

```ini
[ "O' Veirok..." ]
[ "...Grant me might..." ]```

***`Fft!`***

—he spoke a short prayer, as the helixed wooden arrow began to glow a familiar, effulgent blue. Leasing the arrow from the bow, it travelled some distance, before **Disappearing in a blue flash, vanishing from sight entirely.**

***`...Fft!`***

Swiftly nocking a second arrow, it likewise was engulfed in the blue glow, and he fired it off just as quickly as the first. Identically, it disappeared in a blue trail, unnaturally vanishing from the eye's sight, as if it had been **Transported elsewhere.**

```ini
[ "That should take care of that." ]```

__**Tabby**__, still in her conflict with the two rootbeasts, would notice the figure of **Two arrows,** Manifesting from a blue glow, striking the creature that had flanked behind her in its back, twice. The creature staggers as the arrows collide with its wooden flesh, before abruptly **Collapsing, dead.**

```ini
[ "I do not know why you are being pursued," He spoke, returning to face Gaige, "But, as an arbiter of the forest, it is in my nature to assist virtuous souls who follow the secret of the Divine Root." ]

The man stared at the floating, shattered sword that floated alongside Gaige.

[ "...Though, so as by the sword you wield, it appears more that you are a seeker of purity." ]

...He seemed slightly distraught upon initially sensing the presence of the enchanted blade alongside Gaige, yet a sense of understanding overcame such an initial notion.

[ "If you follow the Divine Root, you certainly seek answers as to its nature. As its humble servant, I am obliged to assist you in this endeavor." ]

[ < 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦... 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴... ] ```
_ _

He whispered the latter half, pacing beyond Gaige, briefly staring about the forest around himself. Holstering his bow, he placed his hands to his mouth, forming them into a familiar shape — a cupped, hand-whistling formation. Blowing harshly between each hand, the whistling sound of his breath echoed throughout the forest, calling out to the deepest of its depths. *`And it responded.`*

A blue glow manifests some distance ahead of the strange man's form, *As a creature manifests from nothingness, loyally responding to the archer's call.*

_ _
A strange, quadrupedal creature, with a massive stature — standing about 185-cm off the ground — appeared. Its strange form would be entirely alien to Gaige, yet its motifs seemed to be akin to the blue root, itself, with small signs of the blue growth covering its strangely-textured skin. A saddle was positioned atop its back, enough for two to mount the creature simultaneously.

The archer mounts the beast, motioning towards Gaige—

```ini
[ "Seeker of secrets, come with me! I will bring us to a place more suitable for conversation." ]```

—Were Gaige to oblige, and place himself atop the saddle, the creature would lift its head, acknowledging its master's call, before dashingin the same direction as Gaige's initial sprint. Soon after it began its wolven sprint through the forest, the creature encased itself in a dense aura of **Magical energy, the world about the two flashing into a bright blue glow.** Strangely similar in nature to the glow that Gaige had recently experienced — upon his entry to the Vektet — the glow would grow and grow, consuming the two, before **Transporting them entirely elsewhere.**
Noel
Seeing that the creature wasn't fully enveloped in flame was quite shocking to the technomancer, seeing as... Well, back home, *Searing Smite* Seemed to just always do that. But this isn't Ten-Towns, is it?

And then, of course, there's the more immediate issue. _There's a left-arm swing coming right for her, yes, armored body, but also **Exposed**_ to the might of the swing. Armor or no armor, *This is going to hurt*. 

How coincidental that the same phrase crossed her mind in this exact instance, as her gauntlet falls to her side, dropping the dagger as she reaches for her belt, grabbing hold of the soft-yet-sturdy fiber used to make her trusty *Trinket* Bag of Holding, preparing to go practically *Nuclear*.

*Better to chance it with the big guys instead of dying right here.* She mentally quips, practically accepting her fate at this current moment in time, before...

*THUNK. THUNK,* Followed by a bunch of noises which could only be assumed to be something quite mighty falling to the ground, dead. For the first time in what feels like forever, Tabby is certainly surprised, yet instead of following through with the absolute worst case scenario, she quickly grabs her *Weapon* Bag of Holding, taking the *Use an Object* Action to pull forth from the bag, her *Steel Defender*, ready to trade the Desecrated's blow with one of its own, practically shielding Tabby under its mechanical forearm, arm in motion.
Violette
Josh and Shade kept searching the forest, trying not to make *Too* Much noise in case anything else was in with them. After a while of searching, Josh and Shade sat down, unable to find anything.

"Damn, I haven't seen any signs of anyone... Hey, Shade, did you place those markers like I told you to?"
Homer
"What markers?" Shade asked, confused.
Violette
"You're... Joking right? I mean the markers I told you to set so that we could find our way back.."
Homer
"OOOOOhhhh, those... Yea about those-" Shade began to say
Violette
Josh extended his arm backwards, then shaping it into a gigantic fist, proceeding to pummel Shade into the ground. "I TOLD YOU TO PLACE THOSE SO WE COULD FIND OUR WAY BACK YOU BRAIN-LACKING BLOB OF SHIT!"
Homer
"OW- OW- OW" Shade kept repeating, until eventually Josh stopped.
Violette
"*Sigh..* It's fine. I didn't want to use up my DT so quickly but it looks like we'll have to." Josh said, changing his body over a period of time to match the shape and internal mechanisms of a car.

"This is going to drain a lot of DT, Shade. Which means we'll have to plop a lot of those pills to replenish. Once we run out of those, we're dead, remember that." Josh said, driving off in a random direction with Shade.
Yoshiko
The hero keeps his guard up as the stranger drops from his elevated position. "The Desecrated?" He inquired, soon realizing the archer referred to the root-infested beasts that roamed the forest. His eyesight followed the archer as they moved past him, Gaige turning to observe his archery. With where the man seemed to be aiming, his intuition that the cat's vociferation had brought beasts to her proved true. He was tempted to stop the man from assisting her, but did not. He did not wish harm upon any of the mercenaries—even the unpleasant ones. Though, how would this archer shoot a target that far off? The timber blocked his line of sight, and if he were to loose an arrow, it'd no doubt strike a tree.

His question would be answered with the man's recital. Similar to the hero, the archer was utilizing _prayers._ Useful information for the hero to digest, showcasing that more types of prayers existed outside of Unity and Disparity. The main form of magic in this world thus was assumedly a form of borrowed power from greater entities.

***`...Fft!`***

The arrow was let loose, yet the hero—despite his combat prowess—could not even see the arrow, let alone even **Sense** It as it vanished from reality itself it seemed.

_`"That should take care of that."`_

_ _
He reflected upon those words; was this man really that confident in his aim? If those arrows did strike true, this archer would prove to be of unmatched skill. Gaige himself had experience with archery—his usage of the _Prophetic Bow_—but he was no where near the skill that this man possessed. Luckily for him, it would seem they did not seek combat. It was a relief to encounter a denizen of this land who was willing to chat, unlike the knight Kaaze. The hero listened as the archer referred to him as a seeker of purity. Gaige glanced towards the sword which hovered near him and back to the archer. In truth, he did not know exactly what possessing this sword meant. He knew of it as the former blade of Aazkue—the brother who sought disparity—and nothing more. Hopefully, a conversation with this archer would grant him insight to the lore of this world.

_ _
The archer would be right; the hero had an immense curiosity as to what exactly the so-called 'divine root' was. To him, it was a danger—a poison. To this man though, it seemed to emanate divinity. His questions would be answered according to this man, so he too, was obliged to cooperate with the archer. An eyebrow of the hero raised at the archer's whispering. It seemed that Gaige did not hear the whisper of the man.

As the archer moved past the hero, he couldn't help but display a smile of relief. He too, would enjoy a casual conversation. His short-lived chat with the _elf_ was enjoyable despite his haste to leave the cavern. His reminiscence was suddenly interrupted by the whistle let out by the archer. The hero's attention immediately refocused upon the archer, witnessing the humongous beast as it manifested before his very eyes. He analyzed its alien form, taking note of the similarity it possessed to the root. The archer had mounted the beast, requesting that Gaige follow suit. For a moment, he glanced back towards where the arrows were fired. Shaking his head, he turned to the root-infested man.

"Very well." He accepted the man's request, slightly struggling to get atop the beast, but eventually he seated himself upon it. With his right hand, he grasped ahold of the archer's shoulder. Soon after, the beast took off in a burst of speed, before the magical energy began to converge upon it. _He recognized this feeling. It mimicked that of the teleportation the Odysseus Corporation used._ Just what was it that they were up to...? He vanished along with the archer and the beast, arriving in a new, alien landscape.