"Huff, Huff, I can't let it catch up..."
Leo was sprinting, bruised, and wheezing for air as he clung to the Ivy trees towering over him. He saw no exit or opening for miles ahead. The view was thick to the brim with enormous trunks and abnormal vines raining down the land.
It didn't help that a dense fog layered the air. Light couldn't penetrate through the leafy sky – only some distant plants glowed in the dark, sending forth a faint heat to the surrounding.
A few moments later, a pained howl bounced through the corners of the forest, not a regular one by any means - screaming out with a blood curling twitch in its tone.
But he anticipated this. After all, nobody was foolish enough to enter the Preceptors Forest, except the biggest fool of them all – himself, of course.
He knew what would happen. He knew the dangers. He knew what it meant to tread this sacrilegious land, yet he went anyway.
'Wait for me, Luna!'
It was all for his sister, the only blood of his left in the world, losing her would be like losing a piece of his soul, not that he had much of one anyway ‐being the talentless wretch he was to begin with.
'I can't have second doubts now... the poison ivy blends itself perfectly in the surroundings, and with 'it' chasing me-'
He let out a heavy wheeze before continuing his thoughts:
'I can't afford to rest.'
As it stood, Leo was no better than a rotten slab of meat, though that would still be the best food anyone like him would get to experience.
'I've already lost my way through, even if I find it I'll never make it out of this forest!'
After a series of unfortunate encounters , Luna was afflicted with an uncurable disease, the worst of them all – the Architects Smoke. Almost instantly, she was bedridden, plummeting the two from what little they'd achieved back to square zero.
The thought alone enraged him, failing here was just not an option for someone like him.
'I need to keep moving...'
It was hard to enjoy a moments rest when his teeth spewed shrapnel around his mouth, but nonetheless his visceral screamed out to him – it was time to hit the ground running, because it was approaching – and fast.
It walked on two legs – each coated in a thick onyx wool, boasting the eyes of an eagle and the ears of a serpent. It wasn't like any regular monster you'd see on your daily hunt, a creature so damned and vile not even the depths of Iad would welcome it's abominable soul.
Now was not the time to think too hard about it though. Running was the only option out here in the blasted woods. Only a holy warrior could hope to whistand the nefarious pressure exuding from its core.
Leo bolted off the ground, snagging the handmade pouch he carried on a vine nearby; several dusted bottles and leaves that hed scavenged so hard for burst right out, filled with various resources he needed.
As much as his eyes curled at the thought of going back and retrieving everything, the rustling green in sight would not permit it.
It was here, and so was Leo.
'I'm fucked!'
Leo was spot on!
From behind the bushes a wicked creature stuck its head around the leaves, swinging the head of a disgruntled werewolf from its neck, from the top a large worm-like parasite wriggled, shooting out screeching winds from the wounds in its body.
It seemed like a huge struggle between host and soul took place by its appearance, its neck barely hanging on, the wounds inflicted on it were far too complex to call nature. It wouldn't be far to say it was some crazies failed experiment.
It wrapped its arms around the bushes infront, ripping everything from the root and pushing it aside with absurd strength.
Leo could only look back in fear as he stomped on the thick wires layed out infront of him, it was like trying to run under water. To the beast it was no problem at all, it would just power through, but for frail little Leo, the story was not quite the same.
The worm pounced, sending forth a flurry of strikes and sending Leo crashing through the air into a nearby tree – dyeing the cold stone a crimson red.
The vines around twisted and contorted around his body as he landed on the hard wood surface, grasping at his delicate golden ash hair, almost pinning him down in preparation of another strike.
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Lethargy hit his body as he realised it was futile, it was a feeling many prey experienced in the presence of an overwhelming opponent, at a point where the only thing left to do was make your final peace with defeat – it was somewhat melancholy, like basking in the solar radiance all while laying on a field of thistle.
Calming but dangerous at the same time.
Still, he couldn't help but feel the guilt and burden he'd now leave on his sister, not only would she now be all alone, but who would take care of her in his absence?
The little town he lived in was not rich enough to warrant kindness from the others, apart from the few officials and high ranking army men, the whole place was practically a slum!
In fact, it was exactly just that.
'It doesn't matter anymore... I tried and thats all that matters, right? Im sorry Luna...'
A small tear ran down his cheek while his eyelids grew heavy with emotion. Simultaneously, a numbing sorrow surged through every corner of his body as it prepared him for another strike, in hopes of reducing his secondary pain.
It was no wonder why this place was so forbidden, even the outskirts – the least dangerous of the forests circles – had hosted such abysmall beasts.
They didn't have the counciousnes to taunt their prey or even scout them out; they simply attacked on pure instinct, there was no reasoning with them, just fighting. Perhaps violence was their language, but Leo could speak none of it.
The beast sprung forward onto the towering bark, digging its claws deep in and slinging itself across the enviroment, powering through every branch as it bounced from tree to tree – gaining altitude until it was face to face with Leo and finally, it released its signature move – a heavy flury of attacks.
'I wonder what it would feel like —'
It's fists connected with every part of his body, the vines held Leo tight in place, though it was nowhere near enough as he was slingshoted through the air in the next second, this time reaching out above skies and basking in the sun-kissed rays that followed.
Perhaps it wasnt such a bad way to go out. Is what he was trying to tell himself, but this was far from over.
The beast continued its pursuit despite the first hit practically ending the hunt on the spot. It jumped to the top of the forest, holding tight to the grand branches of the forest.
'How absurd, why is something like that allowed to walk the earth?'
He just scoffed at the thought.
Free falling Leo looked towards the menacing horizon, he couldn't help but cry. His sister had done so much for him, effectively becoming the only mother figure he'd ever come to know, from teaching him how to speak, to making sure they had some kind of food on the table.
Yet he'd been useless - there has yet to be anything he would do for her.
'And now look at me, I've abandoned her...'
He could feel it through his bones, the grotesque beast had nearly caught up again, all he wanted to do was close his eyes, hope for the nightmare to come to an end, but he didn't feel worthy of such a privilege, not when Lunas sacrifice was on the line.
At the moment Leo was about to re enter the forests shield, a group of crows swarmed a large area around him, flying away in a rush.
An etheral light impaled the forest roof from beneath, pulsing vigorously just as the beast was ready to grab him with its claws. What followed was nothing short of a miracle sent down by the heavens.
The light progressed all the way into the skies, it wasnt possible to see where the top ended, nor where it started for that matter. Its otherworldly walls spilling over the edge of the canopy, pushing every branch and every tree out its way.
His movements were slowing down, the breeze pummeling his face was slowing down, the whole world slowed down.
Everything was suspended in time!
Within the boundary of its walls nothing could move, nothing could see, and nothing could hear. Strangely tough, he could feel it, he could feel but one thing, the sharp point of a claw grazing his neck.
'What?'
His sharpened awareness was worrying, he could feel everything and nothing at the same time. To his right a small bee flapped it's wings at an intense rate.
[700,589,199,735]
Written in cryptic runes a large number floated through his eyes. To his left, an eagle-like creature soared.
[4,314,786,091]
A new number popped up, infront of him he'd sensed the werewolf, but what he saw did not help him in any way.
[Puppet Master]
[311,920,027 -> 260,000,023]
'They appear when I focus on something.'
He tried hard to focus on himself, but nothing happened, the azure tinge floating around the runes remained – but nothing showed up.
Instead, a small stream of light pierced through the space, flowing into his eye as the colour from the world drained. Rejuvenating his body with some sort of
golden life-force, keeping his heart well and pumping as his senses slowly returned to him.
Slowly but surely he regained autonomy of his body, though still suspended in the air without a way to move, perhaps for the best as a fall would certainly mean death for someone so hopeless.
The forest held many unexplainable phenomena, some documented, some yet to be discovered, some were even outlawed for use. Whether it was weird animals or distorted weathers or even contradicting elements, the forest held it all; this was strange for a different reason though, this was magic.
Looking around the surroundings, the werewolf was dangerously close, its breath stunk and its grotesque appearance made his skin crawl. He didn't know what to think, there was no pain, no fatigue, just some unexplainable emptiness floating through his body.
To his left an even more revolting beast flew, the eagle not only missed its head, but it held it in its own claws. The view from beneath didn't make it any more soothing.
The trees varied, some grand and green, while others jagged and petrified, he couldn't see it, but he was sure an array of beasts layed dead in the spikes of those stone pillars, he could feel every single detail through the air.
Despite his wish to throw up in the moment, he did not get even a moments peace before the earth shook – the cosmic walls were collapsing within themselves, radiating a blank canvas in all directions – followed up by a flaming ashen spiral holding him by the legs.
^^^
"Ow!"
Leo landed head first on the floor. And before looking up to inspect what really went down he asked himself in a low voice:
"What the hell just happened?"
The room he landed in was dimly lit - reminiscent of an unkept temple. The only other thing in the room was a pedestal holding an altar, and a door infront.
He could feel the dust clogging up his lungs, though it wasnt as unbearable as the slums he'd lived in all his life. And before he could pick himself up, the runes danced across his retinas once again.
[Preceptors Ruin: Chamber of Flame]