Wild Encounters
Daylight began to wane, replaced by the encroaching shadows of dusk. Gray and deepening blue shades tinged the vibrant forest foliage, while shadows stretched among the trees, their fingers reaching out like long, thin tendrils. Each crunch of twigs and leaves under their passage made Suzerain's ears twitch as they walked through the forest. Caniara's footsteps occasionally broke the natural silence.
"Are we there yet?" Caniara asked for the nth time.
Their elemental guide responded with a series of muffled sounds, and Caniara let out a small huff of impatience.
"Don't worry, Miss Caniara," Suzerain reassured her. "Junior says we're making good progress."
"That is going to take forever! F-O-R-E-V-E-R!!!" she exclaimed.
"It's the only way since neither of us knows where that village is," Suzerain replied.
"Well, of course, it is beneath me. Why waste my precious time on such matters?" Caniara added, her tone playfully teasing.
"You wouldn't like it there anyway. The simplicity of it all would bring you to tears," she continued, her purple eyes glinting mischievously in the fading light.
Suzerain nodded, her initial resignation abruptly overtaken by a rustling sound between the trees, accompanied by a sharp, shrill cry. Caniara's pupils expanded, her steadfast grin still plastered on her face. Junior, the air elemental, spiraled into the sky, reacting to the disturbance with insistence, as its master pivoted and aligned herself shoulder-to-shoulder with Caniara.
"Uh oh, trouble."
"Oh, how exciting! Don't they ever learn? Come now, Suzy, get ready."
"Learn what?"
"Simply that, they're doomed."
"Right, Miss Caniara. Right..."
It sounded like a dog barking in the distance. The noise echoed through the forest, growing louder and more insistent. But as the growling persisted, it transformed into a ruckus chorus of yips and howls, too varied and numerous to distinguish. Amid the cacophony, one ear-rattling noise rose above the rest—a low baritone groan that seemed to reverberate through the very air itself. This ominous sound then shifted, morphing into a blood-curdling screech.
ELE;(ELEC)
SPEAR;(ELE)
The shadows beyond them appeared to come alive with faint, flickering lights. Gradually, teal specks built up, revealing the form of a feline creature unhinging its jaw, a glowing beam forming within. With an explosive surge of power, a swirling torrent of unstable energy launched itself forward in a blinding instant.
SHLD;(ELE)
It ricocheted, veering off course and colliding with a nearby tree trunk. Wood splintered and branches snapped off as it collided with a tree trunk. The impact point imploded, sending debris flying in all directions, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and dust. Amidst this, the air carried the fragrance of burning wood and the gentle crackle of fleeting jolts.
"Aww look at the kitty, thinking it's people."
DASH (2X)
Two more of these beasts lunged out of the darkness, each with six legs, laden with razor-sharp claws. A pair of sinuous tails swayed behind them, both graceful and predatory. Their jaws were wide open, displaying large fangs and jagged teeth. Amber eyes gleamed with feral intensity as they locked onto their chosen quarry.
ESS;(ATK) +KIAI
"Ha-chah! Ahahaha!"
Caniara's attack was swift and precise, her skeletal hands slashing through the air. Scarlet liquid erupted in a continous spray, its droplets propelled in all directions as her claws raked across their spines. The yelps of pain were soon followed by the tumultuous crash of bodies hitting the ground, lifeless. Suddenly, specks of burgeoning blue light shattered the immediate twilight. It was a pride of displacer beasts.
DASH (2x)
ELE;(AIR)
The group dispersed, its members divided between preparing searing beams and closing in on Suzerain and Caniara. From above, Junior unleashed gusts of air, kicking up dust devils and debris from the forest floor. The swirling cloudlet enveloped the charging displacer beasts, blinding them momentarily.
AGL+
WWIND
Seizing the advantage, Caniara's form blurred into motion as she charged into the fray. There was no finesse in her strikes—just a reckless torrent of giddy aggression, as if a tornado was tearing through a village. Fur was cut and matted, sinew exposed, and surprised heads rolled where her bony talons had slashed.
ELE(SPEAR) (3x)
A symphony of malevolent light cut through the woods. The remaining displacer beasts, disoriented but not defeated, roared with a coordinated assault. Electric beams sizzled and shimmered in the air. Caniara's pivot in direction came a moment too late.
SONG;(ELE)
With a frantic exhale, Suzerain brought the flute to her lips, a raw and urgent melody spilling forth. The notes were sharp and unrefined, yet they swiftly fell into a pulsating rhythm.
ELE;(/)
Just as the elemental spears were about to connect, their energy faltered, dimming and flickering. They appeared to fray at the edges before vanishing completely.
However, sundered Mana has consequences. A violent shockwave erupted from the point of disruption, its force rippling through the very air. Trees shuddered, their branches cleared of leaves, and the ground itself trembled for a second.
In the sea of falling green, the advance of the last two displacer beasts was now tempered by a palpable sense of uncertainty. One of them, its eyes darting around, emitted an apprehensive yowl through the clearing. The other released a low growl—a mixture of defiance and doubt. But the losses were impossible to ignore, and they turned tail and fled, melting back into the densely packed forest.
"That.. that was a-" (close one) Suzerain told herself.
"Good fight? Oh, absolutely. But that, was a neat trick. Well done."
"Couldn't have done it without you. Honest."
"I do like to lead by example." Caniara gloated.
The air elemental issued a warning to Suzerain, a subtle wind brushing against her cheek. She turned, her attention drawn to the largest of the displacer beasts moving stealthily through the underbrush. Caniara's keen vision followed Suzerain's, her focus zeroing in on the straggler.
FLASH
In a fraction of a second, before anyone could react, the hulking form of the alpha displacer beast burst forth from the shadows. Its massive paw swiped down at Suzerain, the sheer force of its attack propelling her to the ground. The impact was jarring, pain radiating through her body as she recoiled onto the forest floor.
ESS;(DEF)
Caniara lunged forward, her skeletal hands reaching out with a ferocity born of instinct. But the attack was too swift, too sudden. The displacer beast's strike hit its mark before her counter could land. Junior, the air elemental, dive-bombed in a desperate attempt to defend its master, but its intervention was belated.
Suzerain's breath caught in her throat as the world seemed to spin around her again. She felt a searing pain in her shoulder where the beast's claws had made contact, the force of the impact leaving her momentarily dazed. Blood welled from the wound, staining her clothes and mingling with the dirt beneath her.
Caniara's reflexes kicked in. Her form moved with an agility that defied her appearance. With a powerful surge of energy, she launched herself into the air, her feet connecting with the displacer beast's side. The force of her drop-kick was unexpected and punishing, causing the beast to stagger and veer off course.
ESS;(ATK)
Time seemed to slow as the alpha displacer beast, thrown off balance by the unexpected blow, lost its grip on Suzerain. The sharp pain in her shoulder began to recede, replaced by a surge of adrenaline as she scrambled to her feet.
With a final, furious lunge, Caniara seized the alpha displacer beast by its throat. Thin crimson fingers tightened around its windpipe, her grip unyielding as she wrestled the creature to the ground. The beast struggled and thrashed, its amber eyes wide with shock and desperation.
Still recovering from the impact, Suzerain blinked up at the barren canopy overhead. Her shoulder throbbed with pain, and she instinctively clutched the wound. But the sight before her quelled her growing panic. As she slowly sat up, she saw that it was over. Caniara's scowl morphed into something resembling relief upon sharing eye contact.
"Suzy!!! Suzerain, are you alright? Your arm, it's bleeding."
"Nothing's broken, but I'll manage, Miss Caniara. Thank you."
"I just need to stand... Ow. Ow. Ouch. Owww." Suzerain stuttered in an attempt to push herself up
"Come here, Junior." she asked the elemental.
"□□-□?" It chimed apprehensively.
"I still haven't paid you yet. Drink up, just don't wring me dry."
B-PACT
She carefully extended her injured arm towards Junior, who hovered near her shoulder. With a gentle touch, the elemental made contact with the wound using its ethereal form, delicately siphoning a small amount of blood. Suzerain winced slightly at the sensation as the blood flowed into Junior's form.
"What are you doing?" asked Caniara
"Blood makes spirits stronger. It's like food for something that doesn't have to eat."
"Interesting. Well I am bit hungry myself. Ready to hit the road?"
"Hai. Hai."
Caniara offered a steady hand to Suzerains, her touch was surprisingly gentle if not a little cold.