Raze ~23!

~ Twenty-three ~

‘’Alright, shall we go over what we did wrong during the last trip?” Joe looked around, getting confusion in reply. It appeared that his attempt to emulate Tiona hadn't been as successful as he had hoped it would be. “Basically, I am looking for us to discuss our weak points and how we can improve after what happened last time.”

“Ah think yer gonna haveta take the lead on this one.” Bard shook his head at Joe’s insistence on talking whenever there was silence. “Nah gon’ display mah faults for all yah ta pick at.”

“That’s not at all what I…” Joe scratched at his neck as he tried to explain. “Fine, look. Here is what I failed at. I didn't have proper spells for what we faced, and I didn't adapt as quickly as I should have to the situation. I was negligent at night, too used to everything in the area being weaker than us, and it led to me dying. I am trying to fix that by using a new spell, and will be far more wary.”

“So, you just want us to talk about little things like that?” Jaxon cocked his head to the side and grinned. “That's easy! I plan to get hit less and hit other things more often!”

“You aren't-” Joe started to complain.

Alexis joined in, “Same here! More damage out, less coming in.”

Joe was sputtering, and he fumbled his words a few times before noticing that his friends were chuckling and holding back full laughter. “Oh, ha ha, make fun of the guy trying to help you improve!”

“At this point we can see the forest, Joe.” Poppy wiped his eyes, “Ah, needed that. Anyway! I think we all tried to figure out a way to do better, let's just go ahead and assume we are all adults and don't need to be spoon-fed? Sound good? I like it. Let’s make like those trees and kill anything that comes too close.”

Bard shook his head, “Ah feel sad tha’ idioms are changing so much.”

“Let’s make like a tree and bark?” Jaxon tried, getting an eye roll from the Skald.

“Nah. Trying ta force it… is jus’ sad.”

The group walked into the forest, and stuttered to a stop. Joe looked around, trying to figure out why he felt so out of place. He could tell that the others were feeling the same way. “Are we… did we come in at the same place as last time?”

“We definitely did.” Alexis confirmed. “At least, we entered the forest at the same place. Unless this place had some drastic growth, this isn't the same area.”

There were trees and rocks that had fungus, moss, and all sorts of different colors and plants in the understory. It was obvious that they were in a different part of the forest than the last time they had been here, but the question was how? Alexis ventured a guess, “You think that is going to be a recurring theme? That each time we enter here we get a new location as our starting point?”

“It’d make sense.” Bard rumbled, stroking his burgeoning beard. “A defense mechanism for the forest? Make it so tha people with no reason ta be here get turned about, make em wanna leave?”

“Make them want to leaf?” Jaxon watched the Bard in anticipation of a good reaction.

Bard cupped his face in his hands. “I shoulda jus’ left well enough alone, huh?”

“That may be the root of the problem, yes.”

“Either way, we don't know if the monsters in the area are going to be the same as the last time that we entered, so keep a close eye on your surroundings.” Joe cut in to the conversation. They all went silent as a crash echoed through the area, though they started moving a little faster. “Let’s try and find some… shelter. Crud.”

A strange, sinister sound came from in front of them as what Joe had thought was a flowering bush stood up and turned to look at them. It was some kind of… animal? It was green, and had all sorts of vines and leaves woven on it, like a new kind of fur. There were roses dotting the entire creature, which looked like a cross between a wolf, tiger, and compost pile. It smelled like a compost pile as well, which they noticed as the wind shifted.

“Joe, you have a new spell, you said?” Alexis quietly asked, trying not to draw too much attention. “Wanna show us how it works?”

“Not gonna be too useful on this.” Joe’s words seemed to be the catalyst for change, and the creature lunged at them. Its acceleration was far faster than a creature the size of a car should be able to manage, and the group didn't have time to scatter. Joe reflexively dual cast shadow spike, and the beast rammed into the spikes at full speed, stopping it from slamming into the humans. A deep rumble sounded, and the beast twisted off the spikes. A clear fluid poured out of the disconcertingly shallow wounds, likely this creature’s blood. 

The melee members of the group took advantage of the six-legged creature’s forcible pause, darting in and landing blows that would have ended the fight against creatures they were used to fighting. Sadly. All they managed was to enrage the creature, which reared back on its hind legs and lashed out with the front four. Jaxon dodged one, only to be hit by the slightly-varied angle of the next. The other two fighters took their hits, grunted as they were forced back, and charged in to retaliate.

“Hits like a train!” Poppy called as he slashed twice to the side, leapt back, and activated a skill. “Fuori misura!”

The distance he had created was crossed in a blur, his body darting forward without him taking a step. The move seemed to fully ignore physics. Poppy plunged his rapier into the creature’s shoulder, grabbing and squeezing a ball near his rapier’s pommel. He took another hit and rolled with it, using the momentum to get away. “Joe, need healing! I took a hundred and seventy-four damage each hit!”

“Gah!” Joe washed a Mend at him, then his teammates for good measure. He cast another at the Duelist, wincing as he lost nearly a third of his maximum mana by using that spell four times. Luckily his spell efficiency allowed him fifty-five percent off the mana cost, or he’d be half drained already, and combat had just started! 

“Did you use that poison I gave you?” Alexis called at Poppy even as twin bolts thudded into the huge creature. She worked to reload as she got an answer. 

“Yeah, sorry to say I used most of it with that attack!” Poppy dodged a swipe that nearly took his head off, and returned with a deep stab into the creature’s head. “This is more plant than beast, looks like no brain! Gonna need to hack it to pieces!”

A powerful chop severed a leg, and Bard grunted. “Way ahead o’ yah. He~e~ere we go again, double speed for moves again!”

The melee attackers were suddenly moving at a much faster pace, and easily dodged the next few attacks while landing their own far easier. Joe cast Wither at one of the roses on the creature, and after two seconds the flower fell off the beast. The creature staggered around drunkenly for a moment, then howled and redoubled its ferocious attacks at the group. Joe decided it was time to lead. “Weak spot found! Take out the roses!”

“On it!” Jaxon flipped over a thorn-coated paw, then jammed his finger into the center of a rose. A long spike stabbed out of his glove, and the flower started to bleed like a normal human would. “Seems effective! One… two seconds and the flower died after being stabbed!”

Alexis called, “Creature seems to be moving slower!”

“Can confirm!” Poppy slashed with his rapier, and two flowerheads drifted sadly to the ground.

The Beast snarled and pounced at Alexis, pinning the startled ranged fighter and taking her to the ground. It tore into her, and the others mercilessly assaulted the beast as Alexis screamed in pain. Just as the beast finally died, Alexis did as well; brutally torn open even though they had done all they could to prevent it. 

Exp gained: 777 (777 * Rosebeast x1)

Bard pushed the huge mass of rotting vegetation off Alexis, and shakily reached down to touch her mangled face. “Tha’s a nasty way ta go.”

“I got this, Bard.” Joe took a deep breath and started circulating mana. He went through the motions and pushed a palm at Alexis. As he cast resurrection, a portal appeared above her body. Alexis stepped out of it as her corpse melted like snow on a hot day.

“Ugh.” She shook herself as she looked at the mess she had come back to. “That sucked. Also, do you guys have any idea how bad you smell right now? Joe, Cleanse them. I think they are coated in some kind of lure. We won't get fifty feet if they go into the forest smelling like that. It's… pheromones of some kind. Stupid Rosebeast. I died to an angry flower.”

“I’m glad you were able to get clover your death, Alexis. You really rose above it.” Joe grinned as he cast Cleanse on the people that had been in close proximity to the Rosebeast. “You’re so impressive. You grow, girl!”

“I’ll shoot you.” Alexis warned him.

“Sorry, you’re just my best bud. But you’re right, Alexis. Let’s get going. Petal to the metal.” Joe flinched as a bolt bounced off his Exquisite Shell. “Oopsie daisy. Peony for your thoughts?”

“How do you have all these ready?” Alexis narrowed her eyes fractionally. “Did you waste time thinking up puns when we were all getting ready for this?” 

“Totally not!” Joe denied, possibly too quickly. He decided to leaf the forest puns alone for now as well. “Shall we continue?”

The group started moving again, keeping an eye on the verdant and deadly area. First angry trees, now murderous shrubbery? There was no telling what would attack them next. They defeated a few small, mutated foxes soon after, but in total they only gained six hundred experience by the time they were forced to stop for the night. Unlike Joe, the others had standard vision at night, and it was too dangerous to continue.

As Joe lay on his new bedroll, he looked over his stats to see what had changed. To his disgruntlement, his progress had slowed dramatically. 

Name: Joe ‘Tatum’s Chosen Legend’ Class: Mage (Actual: Rituarchitect)

Profession: Tenured Scholar (Actual: Arcanologist)

Character Level: 15 Exp: 124,813 Exp to next level: 11,187

Rituarchitect Level: 2 Exp: 2,390 Exp to next level: 610

Hit Points: 250/250

Mana: 937.5/937.5

Mana regen: 27.5/sec (Base 25.01/sec increased by gear)

Stamina: 225/225

Stamina regen: 5.64/sec

Characteristic: Raw score (Modifier)

Strength: 25 (1.25)

Dexterity: 34 (1.34)

Constitution: 30 (1.30)

Intelligence: 75 (2.25)

Wisdom: 69 (2.19)

Charisma: 26 (1.26)

Perception: 54 (2.04)

Luck: 30 (1.30)

Karmic Luck: +6

“That death set me way back.” He muttered almost too quietly for himself to hear. “At least I only lose experience, and not stats. Ick. I lost all the progress from clearing the entire salt mine. Stats are looking good though…”

“Joe, I think something is coming.” Bard called in a low tone. Instantly, the group grabbed their weapons and prepared themselves. A silhouette stepped out of the forest slowly, and resolved into a huge Wolfman Warrior.

“Peace offered. Conversation requested.”

Jaxon stepped forward and snarled what sounded like a garbled threat. The others tightened their grips on weapons, knowing that this wouldn't end well. To their utter shock, the Wolfman’s ears perked up and his tail shifted in a soft ‘happy wag’. “Pain power man! Ha! The O’Baba will be pleased! Come, come. You stay here, you die to the spores.”

Jaxon convinced the others to follow, so the Wolfman waited for them to break camp, and the confused humans followed after him into the darkness.