Fantasy T͓̽h͓̽e͓̽ ͓̽S͓̽e͓̽v͓̽e͓̽n͓̽ ͓̽E͓̽n͓̽v͓̽o͓̽y͓̽s͓̽ (IC)

[606]

Shadow Envoy

Itzal

Gluttony

Meeting --> The captial

Interactions: All present at the meeting
Mentions: bleh
Tags: NiftyNat lucenti Table Guppy Franz Bloody_Death
Outfit: [x]

They turned their attention to the demon beside Valdi, glancing them up and down as they stepped away from the shadow they were in, their shadowy mass of an umbrella withering and moving as it was in a constant battle with the light above but showing no sign of being weakened, and some shadows slithering into the high collar of their neck, allowing Itzal to consume from the hidden mouth but able to speak with the one on their face.

“And Itzal, this is Norio. He’ll be joining us today. He’s been somewhat helpful to me. Perhaps we might need him for our future endeavors as well.”

“Oreo got it. Another fellow who prefers the dark such as myself, we’ll get along fine enough,” they said, chucking as Valdi mentioned the blindness and to hold off, which Itzal was never one to listen if the dark comment wasn’t telling enough.

He’s sightless, so hold the blind puns… for now.

No promises starlight

“Pleaseure to meet you, Itzal.” The other demon would comment and Itzal noticed them showing a different form of respect, winds appearing when there was none, causing the outwardly aloof creature to inhale deeply as the low growl from his neck would grow louder, they seemed to grow just a touch taller, their skin darkening, threatening to turn into something horrendous, the spot which Itzal stood turning into a void, all with a goofy smile, causing any initial presentation of themselves to become slightly more intimating that at first.

“Pleasure is all mine,” they said, with an echo of it coming out more like a growl as in a blink of an eye, they returned to normal looking back to the ruins.

"What are we waiting for? If we already have a designated meeting place, we might as well go to it instead of loitering in front of it."

Itzal made no more comment of this and would turn and follow behind Valdi, where he often did stand noticing Valdi attention often somewhere else as they found themselves among the others. And from another shadow with in the ruins, the grinding of teeth could be heard as Itzal faithful companion appeared from the shadow, dashing to exist under the same umbrella as Itzal, climbing up onto their should.

“Disposal! Out hunting again?” they commented softly to the uncat-like cat, scratching their chin as Valdi took Yukari off to the side catching his eye for a moment yet they remained - neutral, at least for now.

Nearly everyone was here, and Itzal, not wanting to be out in the light any longer than needed would take a step forward towards the center of the room, looking ready to say words before - a loud explosion in repetiion would go off, the shadow envoy head snapping to look towards the capital. This wasn’t their doing, not did it give off the look of true demon chaos.

“Now that’s unusual - I’m going to scout and see what it is, someone watch Disposal for me,” they said, looking around and stepping into Norio’s shadow.

“Forgive me for the intrusion,” they said, chuckling as they simply - vanished. For the brief moment that Itzal was in Norio’s shadow, they would hear an annoying intrusive-like thoughts, egging them on to consume whatever they desired the most, power, food, money, whatever was in their hearts before it disappeared, a sign that Itzal was there and now not.

And Itzal was on the run. They can move the fastest through the shadows, a place where many cannot go as well making it a truly safe space for them. Meanwhile, they would begin to consume, while before it was more like constant snacking, now it was like trying to eat everything a feast, grabbing heaps of shadow and shoving it in their mouth as they sprinted to towards the general direction of the capital.

Every now and then, they would stop and peer out from the shadow of a building, their eyes could be seen for a moment but amongst the chaos no one really noticed other than perhaps a dog barking, and this pattern continued as they got closer, and closer, and closer, until they reached the scene, seeing authorities arrive on scene and seeing hooded figures fleeing but one, one stood to talk and there Itzal would stay in the shadow, moving to get a view of this figure on top of the rubble to heard what they would have to say, and perhaps, have some fun while they were at it.

Code by Serobliss

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Marcia Cliffheart

Nothingness animegirl20 Beann Daylight Fantasy animegirl20​

---

Marcia jotted a few notes in a small book as the meeting went on. It's mostly filled with the meeting's verbatim but occasionally she would wrote her thought about the other envoys or clan leaders as well. Having followed both her grandfather as the clan's head and her brother as the Cliffheart Corp's CEO, Marca oftenly took the role of the secretary and made written reports for them to analyze afterward. She nodded approvingly at Yinyue and Aureliana for expressing their willingness to join her. Definitely less number than what she wished and she also didn't expect Yumeno clan head's view but now she understand better of why her grandfather was persistent about his proposal. It seemed the meeting was starting to heat up, but it was soon interrupted as a loud booming explosion shaken the city.

"W-WHAT HAPPENED!!" Having quickly recover from the shock, Marlone immediately ran towards one of the corner of the room where several shelves and cabinets filled with seemingly random trinkets were displayed. The tremor knocked some of the items off the shelves but he ignored them and picked up the phone to call someone.

Meanwhile at the round table, Marcia seemed irritated at the fact that the tremor had accidentally made her draw a massive ugly line across her notebook. It's also spilled some tea on the table, and knocked some of her carefully-placed decorations off from their supposed place.

"Based on our report, there appear to be a group of terrorist who just blew up the statues of the first envoy. The city guards is currently trying to subdue them. Although it might take some time for that." Marlone announced the news after he put back the phone. He sat back on his seat and briefly closed his eyes, pondering the best action he should take.

"Terrorist! Oh, our poor civilians might be in danger! Please allow me to handle this, grandfather."

Marlone raised his eyebrow at Marcia's request. An envoy showing concerns and willingness to protect the innocents was an ideal thing on paper, but Marlone knew his granddaughter very well. She's obedient, but she barely cares about what happen to people in general. Normally she would just shrug it off and continue sipping her tea. Her being actively altruistic like this wasn't something that he expect, unless she had something else in mind, or maybe she's simply trying to give good impressions to their guests here. Whatever her motive was, they might not have much choice at the moment before more chaos ensue.

"You have my blessing, but do try to catch the culprits alive. We might need to ask them some question." Marlone sighed as he gave Marcia his approval. The woman smiled and bowed before she casually walked out. As she stepped out of the building, a platform made of rock and soil arise beneath her. Acting as a very unusual vehicle, the platform carried Marcia towards what remains of the destroyed statues.​

 

[Lucem]

CODE BY SEROBLISS

Soma

The Envoy of Air

Many members of the Zora clan were unaccustomed to the hustle and bustle of larger cities, especially ones as grand as Erindal. The dense populations and heavy industrial presence contrasted strongly with their way of life, and the latter caused a plethora of issues due to the resulting pollution. For those who never ventured out of the clan's homeland, such sights could be considered otherworldly. Soma, however, was in his element.

Figuratively and literally bumping shoulders with locals and fellow tourists, Soma worked his way through the sea of lively market-goers. Towering above a great deal of the crowd, he had a perfect view of his surroundings as he walked through the square. There was hardly an empty space in sight, all openings filled by stalls and their owners. Each one varied in wares, ranging from produce to jewelry.

Humming a jovial tune, Soma looked over each shop with a glint in his eye, eager to see anything and everything. The alluring scent of well-seasoned, succulent meats pulled him in all directions, mixing with the smell of the distant ocean that still lingered in his nostrils. Beautiful, hand-crafted works of wood and metal begged to be poked, rubbed, and worn. For a moment, he swore he even saw a parrot for sale. So colorful!

Feeling torn apart by indecision, he squeezed his arm, pressing three already overflowing bags closer to his chest. So many choices, so little time. "What do you think we should look at next?" Unable to come to a decision, he looked toward his companion for guidance.

Right on cue, a short, elderly woman pulled up to his side, the rapid tapping of her walking stick reflecting just how much she struggled to keep up. "I think you've seen more than enough. And so have I..." Even as she tried to catch her breath, exasperation was clear in her voice.

"C'mon, don't be like that. It's not often you come to the big city, Granny."

In an instant, energy shot through the elder's body. With the speed and accuracy of a skilled swordswoman, she tightened her grip around her wooden weapon and quickly smacked it against Soma's shin. Holding in a yelp, the big man dropped to one knee, still managing to hover over his superior.

"I told you not to call me that! During this meeting, you are to refer to me as Elder Haba! The meeting we happen to be very late for, by the way!"

As he straightened himself, the pain in Soma's leg quickly vanished when Haba reminded him of the meeting. The whole reason they came to the city. "Ah, that's right! I almost forgot!"

In addition to the meeting, Soma also remembered his original purpose for visiting the market. He had planned on buying some snacks and gifts for the other attendees, hoping it would raise some spirits and help keep things lighthearted during the event. This would be his second time participating as an Envoy, so he was aware that discussions could potentially get heated. And while he definitely succeeded in picking up some emergency tension cutters, there was a slight possibility he got carried away and lost track of time.

"Don't worry, I'll have us there in a flash! Just let me take one last look at that parrot and-"

In a fraction of a second, the air grew heavier, a thunderous boom sucking all life and joy from the area. Chatter and laughter were replaced by screams and smoke as people went running in all directions. A perfect day had been ruined.

Eyes narrowing, Soma quickly shoved his bags into Haba's arms, nearly knocking the elder over. "Sorry, Granny! Meeting will have to wait! Look after those for me, will ya?" Before Haba could even get a word out, Soma took to the air, gathering wind to act as his invisible wings.

He shot upward, flying until he had a perfect view of the chaos below. Unfortunately, the thick smoke still obscured much of his vision, giving him the first of many problems to deal with. Surely the others would forgive him for being late with a problem like this, right? All he had to do was avoid mentioning the shopping trip.

Clasping his hands together, Soma focused on spreading strong currents of wind through the areas filled with smoke. The gusts caused the blinding plumes to disperse, clearing paths and giving him a better look at what was going on below. As expected, it wasn't a pretty sight.

Before addressing the hooded men and the roaring fires, he chose to focus on evacuating civilians. Manipulating the winds, he carried the fallen and the slow to a safer distance, not wanting them near what could potentially evolve into a much larger issue. Only when he was satisfied with their safety did he finally descend.

The hooded figure approaching the rubble appeared to be the leader of the operation, but the others engaging with the local authorities were more important at the moment. Not wanting to risk anyone losing their life, he sped toward the ongoing conflict.

 

[Bloody_Death]

scroll

Sin of Envy

Levi.

Interactions

Guppy Franz (Argin) | NiftyNat (Valdi) | lucenti (Norio)

Mentions

Other Dark Envoys + anyone near the city

location

Human Capital City

The Envoy gave a huff at the other, disappointed that Argin didn't seem more annoyed at his teasing. Deciding to challenge him more, he made a water throne and sat right in front of Argin. Petting Yapper like he was an evil villain stroking a cat. "Whether it's easy or not, I'm still going to come out on top! And that's what really matters, right?" Levi laughed out before slumping down in his chair. "Yeah yeah. I wouldn't kill anyone unless they were asking for it anyway." He gave a nonchalant shrug. Sticking his tongue out at the other he looked at him slyly. He knew how to behave himself in human society! He was among the most beloved idols, after all~ Or at least that's how he views himself.

He heard Valdi's voice ringing in his head and knew they would finally do something! "Ohh? Another demon?" He hummed allowed, looking at the entrance as he waited for the incoming demons to enter. There was the usual pair, Itzal and Valdi, plus Yukari. And then the new demon. "Finally! Were you trying to make us die of boredom, Val-Val!?" He huffed before his eyes turned to the new guy. A very concerning glint sparkled in them as he waltzed up to the normie demon!

Glancing him over before nodding in approval. "Awww~ Look at this little guy. I guess he can hang with us. Yapper needs someone to keep him busy besides me!" He laughed, holding out the little shark that was very obviously trying to take a bite out of someone. Though Levi made sure to hold him just far enough away to make sure he wouldn't be biting any fingers off. "Very cute babysitter you brought along. A pleasure to meet you." He gave Norio a well-deserved pat like he was a pet to play with before glancing over at Val and Yukari. Those two were always arguing about something it seems. "Why don't we give those two some privacy." He spoke with a sigh. Spinning around on one of his heels as he walked back to his chair of water.

However, that all came to a stop when a loud boom and faint shaking came from the direction of the human capital. Levi's eyes immediately lit up in mischief as he turned heel to face the others. He watched as Itzal had a similar idea to see what was up before pouting. He was going to beat him to all the fun! "Well! This was a lovely chat we had, but it seems there's something far more interesting happening~" His eyes would peek over to Val's before a small smirk spread on his face.

"Who knows, maybe these crazy people will have an idea about our lost child." This could be true, but it was more of a bait for Valdi and some of the other demons to come along. "Let's get moving you pest!" He tossed Yapper down and began running towards the exit of the ruins. Not even listening to any of the calls that may be coming behind him. Once he was out, he made a little bubble just for Yapper. Which acted like a liquid hamster ball he could keep up in as Levi used bursts of water from his feet to propel himself through the forest at fast speeds. He might not be as fast as Itzal, but he sure wasn't going to let him too far ahead and steal the show!

He soon arrived. Pulling Yapper out of the bubble and making it disperse as he gave a low whistle at the state of the city. "Sheeshhh....quite the bit of damage, huh, Yapper?" He kept the shark under his arm, coating the being in a thin layer of water to disguise the animal as a normal dog, and began walking against the chaos. Noticing authorities and hoodied figures fighting each other. He didn't really pay them any mind. His eyes more focused on the abandoned stalls and goods just lying around, though he did have at least a little self-awareness as he noticed the supposed leader climbing up on some of the piles of rubble.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Stern LuLuLu]

Zay-To Luna
Dr.Z



Zay was having the time of her life at the winery, savoring the taste of multiple wines she had brought with her. The two servers attending to her seemed a bit stressed when they noticed she had gone through more than a couple of bottles. But Zay, being the confident wine lover that she was, waved off their concerns with a smile. "I can handle this much, no problem," she said, knowing her limits like the back of her hand. It was one of her many strengths, and she enjoyed showing it off.

Zay was enjoying her time in the city, having already sampled and purchased some of the best-tasting treats she had come across. As she sat sipping her drink, she couldn't help but admire the glass it was in. Suddenly, a violent force shook her, grabbing her attention. It was an explosion, a large one at that. Her wine spilled all over the table, and the servers were thrown to the ground, dropping the bottle they were holding. Zay felt saddened at the mess and headed towards the servers to check if they were okay. Thankfully, they seemed to be only shaken up and not seriously injured. After ensuring that they were alright, she left payment on the table for everything she had enjoyed and took the bottle she had bought. She then ran towards the scene of the explosion, eager to see what had happened and if anyone needed help. Even though she knew that the people in charge of the city could probably take care of it. It's always nice to have another helping hand.

Upon arriving at the site of the explosion, Zay noticed that the original statues of the envoys were no longer present and the area was filled with smoke. “Well, that’s a bummer “.While it was disappointing to see the statues gone, Zay didn't dwell on it as her priority was to help those in need. The authorities of the city were already present and investigating the cause of the explosion, and Zay made sure to introduce herself as a traveling doctor who wanted to assist in any way possible. She even suggested that the authorities could escort her to ensure that she didn't cause any trouble. Once granted permission, Zay quickly sprang into action, clearing out some of the smoke and attending to the injured and hurt. Luckily, some random guy had also got rid of some of the smoke. She wasted no time in gathering them in a secure area, where she began treating them with the supplies she had on hand, as well as any additional resources she could acquire. Sometimes, she even had to use some of her newly bought wine, despite the pain it caused her. But for Zay, it was important to help the people in need. She knew she could make a profit off of it later, somehow. "Whoever did this chose the worst time, And I hope they can pay me back for my wine," she thought to herself as she headed out to find more people to help.

 

[Table]

-Yukari Kobayakawa-
​

Mentions: NiftyNat Lucem

-×-
​

Yukari was about to greet the newcomer when Valdi requested a separate attendance from the group. She kind of expected this as they weren't really friendly toward each other, and followed him after excusing herself to everyone else in the room.

Safe to say, he had a mouthful toward her.

It's not like Yukari doesn't understand his ire toward her. Insensitive she might be, Valdi made his points clear enough for even her to catch it. Out of every dark Envoy currently holding the title, he perhaps has the wellbeing of every demons in his interest especially those under his banner. That being said, it's clear as daylight to her that there is a difference in how they experienced the world. He had a whole lot of subjects under his law, while she had only friends who followed her footsteps despite her refusal. She had all the time to see the best and worst of both sides, while he was shackled in his place by his status to see from every perspectives. That, or he just decided to turn a blind eye for his fellow demons. Yukari wasn't sure which one she'd prefer.

Although, he does have a point on one thing.

"...I must admit, I have been uncharacteristically hostile toward you this whole time. It was not my intention to sour our relationship in any way, whether professionally or as a fellow demon."

As Yukari finished her sentence, she bowed her head down toward the Envoy of Wrath.

"I know this is unbecoming as an Envoy of Pride, but allow me to humbly apologize."

After that, Yukari raised her head once again, this time her violet locked into his ember with resolve and certainty.

"That being said, allow me to take offense on one thing. You spoke ill of my allegiance, as if I would betray my own kin for some strangers I barely know. Tell me. What have I done to deserve such enmity?" Yukari asked, trying her best to not raise her tone, "I took the demons who lived in the slum and taught them various life skills just so that they can fill their stomach with more than just leftover junks, negotiated a living space for them just so that they could walk around without the presumptuous gaze of some dissidents, and even bought some chunks of land, with my own pocket money that I've saved up for years mind you, just so that the dead has a proper burial instead of decaying down the slum where they shouldn't be. All I've done to you was berating you for your reckless action. How was that any basis for suspicion of treachery?"

Yukari let out a heavy sigh as she closed her eyes out of dizziness. There is so much more she wanted to say on the matter. However, she decided to stop before the dam fully broke down within her.

"Short answer is, I still have enough conscience not to sell out my own kin."

Just as she was about to continue, her ears picked the sound of explosion from the capital. The first one opened her eyes as her head turned toward the general direction of the voice with a rather curious gaze. Explosion is not something unexpected to occur in the capital. Sometimes the people there used explosives to demolish an unused building.

Before she gets to deduce further, however, the second explosion occured. And then the third. And so forth until the seventh. It was when the sound of explosion subdued that the realization hits her.

The Erindal standard explosive for demolition purpose should've not been heard all the way to the ruin.

Yukari noticed the Envoy of Gluttony merged into the shadow before she was suddenly struck with intense hunger. Her mind was clouded with the craving of human flesh. For the first time in over a century of her lifetime, the primal instinct of her oni lineage awakened. And just as quickly as the thought overtook her mind, it suddenly vanished.

As her mind cleared, her first thought was concerning the demons she picked under her wings. While she was certain they'll be alright as long as they stayed in the downtown or slum, Yukari could not help but consider the worst case scenario and have someone get caught by the security, or worse yet, an Envoy clan member.

"Unfortunately, we have to continue this discussion for another time," said Yukari toward Valdi before she lifted herself toward the sky with her wind power and launched toward the capital city.

-×-

A strong wind graced the southern downtown of Erindal as Yukari landed on the tallest nearby landmark. While the area was completely untouched, Yukari noticed a cloud of dust from the area where the statues of the first human Envoys were erected.

Yukari's mind immediately recalled the rumor she heard from one of the tavern in which someone told her of a group of terrorist who planned to wreck havoc among the humans and demons. When it was first brought up, she dismissed the rumor due to its rather questionable source, but she didn't expect the rumor to hold weight after all. Before she got to do anything else, Yukari noticed the cloud of smoke was cleared in a rather unnatural manner. There was a strong wind power user, mayhaps even an Envoy, and it sent her into excitement.

Before she continued, Yukari decided to make a brief stop at her house. Taking a white cloak from her wardrobe, Yukari glanced at it with a sense of nostalgia. It reminded her of the first time she entered the capital when she barely knew how things worked in the city. It's been almost twenty years since then, yet those twenty years felt almost instantaneous now that she had the chance to look back at it.

Regardless, Yukari wore the cloak before she headed outside and jumped across the rooftops toward her destination.

As she stopped near the area where the statues were once stood, Yukari watched as the people below scrambled around in panic. Among them, she noticed several other of her fellow Dark Envoys. However, the one who particularly caught her interest is a certain purple haired man who used his wind power to help the people around the vicinity.

"He looked pretty strong," Yukari whispered to herself, actually impressed at the display of finesse by the purple haired man, "I'd like to fight him someday."

As the apparent mastermind of the terrorism climbed atop the rubble of the statues, Yukari almost chuckled at the absurdity of the sight. At this range, it'd be really easy for her to just snipe them with a wind slash. However, their visage was so laughably defenseless she decided to simply observe.

 

[Beann]

CODE BY SEROBLISS

Aureliana Solari

The Envoy of Fire

A wave of relief washed over Hyperion as the Li Clan’s leader shared the same opinion on the matter of the price increase. He intended to have a more civil discussion about it to not get on Gongyi’s bad side but it would seem that Li Guangzhi spared no consideration. At the very least, everything was out in the open and the young man simply nodded his head in agreement. Before their discussion could continue though, a distant explosive sound followed by a tremor interrupted the meeting entirely.

“Interrogating the demon prisoner will have to wait,” Aureliana mused, watching as both the envoys of water and earth took off immediately to address the sudden threat. She glanced back at the Solari clan leader and his grandson, considering the possibility of this event being a distraction to leave the clan heads vulnerable. The fire envoy did not doubt that they each were capable in their own right but she still held on to her reservations.

“Go,” Matthias had a way of reading her near expressionless face, permitting her to leave her post. “This body may be old but my flames still burn bright,” he reassured her with a wrinkled smile.

Nodding her head, she rushed out of the meeting room, barely sparing a glance at Yinyue. Once outside in the courtyard, Aureliana took note of the smoke rising in the distance, in the exact direction of the capital. Without hesitation, her skin began to illuminate in an orange glow and flames engulfed her entire body in a fiery display. Out of the inferno, a phoenix took to the skies, soaring at a rapid speed towards the city.

---

Aureliana circled above the city, surveying the main area that had been hit. The cries of citizens filled the air and flames licked at the nearby buildings. Spotting a familiar figure in the chaos of it all, she descended, her body shifting back to its regular human form as her legs carried her to catch up with the only one who had not shown up to the meeting. “You are late.” That was all she said to Soma before turning her attention to the nearby buildings on fire. Her hands stretched out towards them, gracefully reeling in her arms repeatably as she coaxed the flames out and away from the walls and rooftops before shooting them up into the sky to disperse safely.

Nothingness Spoiled Bread Nano Lucem

 

[Nano]

Post #003

Yinyue

Humility

Location

Cliffheart Estate

Mentions

Masao animegirl20 | Levi Bloody_Death

Masao’s offer to lend his aid regarding the teahouse incident only drew out another exasperated huff from Old Man Li.

“Thank you kindly for the offer, but we do not require your assistance on that matter. We’ve already dealt with them, as I mentioned before. Though your hunters are praiseworthy, it’s truly a blessed thing that your clan specializes in slaughter and not information gathering given how-”

Before the head of the Li Clan could finish the rest of his spite-filled words, a tremor ripped through the city, shaking even the foundations of the building they were residing in. Li Guangzhi felt his back press up against what felt like a metal pole, stabilizing him without requiring him to make an effort on his own. Behind him, the envoy of humility stood tall with their umbrella propped up against their clan head’s body and their eyes closed, and a rare seriousness settled upon their usually nonchalant expression.

“Someone blew up the statues of the Seven Envoys. They have yet to capture any hostages from what we’ve seen, but our vision of the city square is limited.”

Purple eyes fluttered back open, yet neither concern nor stoicism accompanied their report. They leaned the handle of the umbrella away from Li Guangzhi, allowing a glass figurine made in the likeness of an elephant to swing freely from its tether. Then, a sigh.

Li Guangzhi twitched, all too knowing of Yinyue’s habits and eccentricities.

“This is soooooooooooooooooo distressing. How could we possibly head into battle while carrying our dear friend’s gift?”

Only silence met the metal envoy’s not-so-subtly worded plea.

“It would bring us much relief if someone were to keep it safe for us.”

A coquettish wink. More silence.

“If the glass elephant broke, we would be so devastated that we’d go into seclusion for three months!”

Undeterred by the ice cold reception, the purple-haired woman crossed her arms and shook her head, as if they were truly despairing over their predicament.

“Give it here already, you dastardly thing! What envoy acts like this?”

Finally, the Li Clan head had enough of the envoy’s antics and snatched the elephant off of the umbrella’s handle. Though he moaned and grumbled about the little request that was forced upon him, he nonetheless tucked the trinket safely into his sleeve, all too knowing that dealing with the aftermath of accidentally breaking it would be more troublesome than taking care of it until they arrived back at the Li Clan estate.

“Praise be!”

Yinyue dramatically clasped their hands together, as if praying to Li Guangzhi.

“Verily, thy benevolent soul warms this weary warrior’s h-”

“Scram.”

Yinyue didn’t need to be told twice. Their illusion quickly dissolved, leaving behind only a metal umbrella that hurtled through the Cliffheart estate and towards the city square. This guise of theirs would only rematerialise upon arrival at their intended destination, just in time to settle themselves within the audience of the bold terrorist who dared to make a speech in broad daylight.

A faint click sounded by their side as Yinyue unlatched the umbrella from the sword hidden within. As much as they’d love to hear what demands the terrorists had after setting off explosives in the heart of a busy city, it wouldn’t do if their words incited more chaos among the common people. They poised themselves to send their sword flying straight at the leader of the terrorists should the hooded figure say or do one thing wrong.

Suddenly, the image of a man with hair the color of cyan and magenta cast itself upon their blade, and Yinyue paused to study the raccoon slinking towards the unsupervised goods strewn about the streets amongst the rubble.

“You with the odd sense of fashion!”

Yinyue called out to the would-be thief,

“Cease your foolish intentions and evacuate, or lend your aid to any who are injured if you’re so capable.”

Taking advantage of the chaos to filch goods from the poor vendors was one thing, yet Yinyue couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more to the odd compulsion to address the man. It was almost as if they’d seen him somewhere before. But was someone with hair like that so easy to forget?

 

[Lost Echo]

Things were so strange here. They’d asked a young oak to join them on their walk through their forest, wanting to know the stories this wood held, but the trees was confused. No matter how hard they prodded, it would not move. With their own energy, they could raise a tree up, but the roots resisted. The Oak had protested! Apparently these trees just stayed in one place all the time. They were as embedded in the soil. They still spoke to one another, but in a chain, one gathering the information then passing it to their neighbor.

What if you wanted to speak to your friend from far away? Ptelai had already realized these trees had enough sunlight to not need a wood demon to its warmth to them. It stood to reason they would not feed in other ways either. But surely friends?

They had a mother tree, often their own sire, who provided nutrients through the distance, its roots weaving throughout the forest, but mostly the trees seemed to just interact with those directly around them. Wood truly was the epitome of Sloth here.

Veðrfölnir encouraged them on. He could see their newfound curiosity was starting to spread from the demon child’s scale to catch on the dry tinders of these new experiences. Ptelai didn’t talk to fauna often, but the hawk’s voice seemed to carry the wisdom of Mother herself. They could not disobey.

They were startled to find a path of ugly stones in the forest Ratatoskr led them to. The steps shined in the dimming light, strangely new in the old growth. They were about to encourage the nearby roots to grow through the rock--ignoring Veðrfölnir’s sigh: this was important! These trees lacked a caretaker to keep it safe!--when the whispers of the trees registered.

They’re back…Again…Gathered…Demons…FIRE…Another...

The messages were garbled as they were not intended for them. But the flash of fear fire caused all wooded beings, Ptelai’s head jerked up. They wanted to flee. These trees, with their stagnant lives, were not under their protection. But they were likely under Mother’s… It was only that the alert did not continue that fear did not overcome their curiosity and drive to serve Mother. Still, they were careful as they made their way forward. Particles of smoke were absorbed into their bark as the winds shifted suddenly. Fear struck their heart once more, the knowledge of how the fun air could easily spread flames tight in their throat.

But the fire was gone when they came upon its ashes. The trees surrounding the scorched spot were safe, though they spoke of a tavern, full of noise and a demon coming, and silencing it. They spoke of another who scrounged through the ashes, like a squirrel looking for its stash, but they knew not for what.

Was it the Envoys? Or were there other fire demons nearby? The trees directed them in the same direction as Ratatoskr, so they assumed the former. How strange: Mother had impressed upon her that the meeting place was secret.

There was a roar and the Earth rumbled beneath their feet. Were the Envoys fighting? What could have caused such a thing?

They started forward again. They could sense the ultimate power of the Envoys. As they neared, Veðrfölnir landed on their antlers and Ratatoskr twirled around their ankles. If they were not used to vines reaching for them, they would have tripped. Coming into the clearing, they were pleased to see that the ruins Mother spoke of were nearly overcome by nature. Ptelai hoped it would dissolve all trace.

They realized they could not bow with the hawk upon their antlers, so they merely bent their knees, in a half curtsey, though they did not know the term. “Greetings Envoys, I come to represent Mother, the Envoy of Wood.” They looked around, realizing some of the Envoys were disappearing--or running in the direction of the roars. Should they follow?

NiftyNat (Valdi), Guppy Franz (Argin) lucenti (Norio)

 

[animegirl20]

Masao's chair suddenly fell backwards when there was a sudden tremor. Masao was now on the groaning, while Honoka sat perfectly still didn't seemed like she moved an inch at all nor did she react to what had just happen. Though in her mind her thoughts were wondering what had just happened. Masao sat up and rubbed his head. "Ow man....ugh what was that?" Masao stood up then fixed his chair and sat down again.

"Based on our report, there appear to be a group of terrorist who just blew up the statues of the first envoy. The city guards is currently trying to subdue them. Although it might take some time for that."

Other Enoys began to leave and go check out what was happening and take care of the issue. Honoka looked over at Masao waiting for an order. Masao sighed and rubbed the back of his head which was slightly sore. "Go check it out might be demons involved. If it's not don't bother wasting your energy and come straight back." Honoka eyes widen just slightly, "You don't want me to help with the terrorist problem if they aren't demons?" Masao glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow. "It's not our problem nor are we getting paid. So if it's not demons let the others handle it." Though Masao's smile was friendly and care free his eyes were anything but. "That's not problem is it?" Honoka's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. "Of course not." And with in a blink of an eye she was gone disappearing into the shadows.