Roleplay on Dolor with Rodrick, Hikaru and Ruby regarding History and the Shadow Realm #2

Ruby looks over at Rodrick, her hands fiddling with nervous energy. "So... About the shadow realm then?"

Rodrick, busy at his workbench, grabs a sandwich and tries in vain to brush the dirt off it before taking a bite. "What about it?"

She mumbles, shaking her head. "What about it... Pft. You playing up your age again?" She smirks. "You know what I asked."

Hikaru mumbles, "I still think that might be a bad idea.. I tend to avoid danger if I can help it."

"I don't wanna put you in an uncomfortable place, Karu. You don't have to come? It is... different... to ask for this, I know."

Rodrick sighs. "Well... I know a little is all..."

Hikaru looks resolute. "No I'll come if you go."

She nods. "I know you said... Rhys might not even let me. I just... want to ask." She trails off.

She talks quietly. "When people get scared, they fight. Or they run." She looks between the two of you. "Or they freeze. I... I'm tired of freezing. I did with the wolves, and I..." She clenches her fist, making the fresh scars tug uncomfortably. "I almost died because of it. Again. And I put Rhys in danger because of my failings."

"There's even more to it than that, but..." She gets a haunted look in her eyes, something fresh and raw. But she shakes it away.

Hikaru looks at her. "It may be important to go then."

"...Balgor showed me things. We... scryed. I didn't really understand, but I wanted to. I wanted to see my family." She blinks. "I saw Luther. He's alive... if you can call it living."

"I'll be damned, I thought he was dead."

Ruby nods, remaining silent for a time.

"I saw a lot of things that were... precious... to him." She strains the word, hearing Balgor's voice echoing in her ears, like a scratching whisper. "Are you sure you're okay being his... patron, Hikaru?"

He looks up with a very serious face. "He has what I been Miss Ruby."

"He..." Her eyes waver, looking at Hikaru imploringly. "After what I'd seen.. I couldn't imagine you doin' all the things he.. did. He showed. I saw a lot of slaughter..."

She blinks, and looks over at the still form of Firelord in the corner of the hold. She stares at it for a long moment, and shivers.

Rodrick looks over. "Well, if it's important then I'm sure Rhys will see the purpose."

Hikaru thinks deeply but tries to stay resolute

"Anyway..." she shakes her head again. "What can I do?" She looks back at Rodrick.

Rodrick gnaws on his sandwich, thinking absentmindedly. "Well, when do we want to go, and who do we want to bring with us?"

"Can we go....now?" She looks eager.

Hikaru splutters over his coffee and coughs. He clears his throat. "now?"

"Yes..?" Ruby hesitates. "Is there a more opportune time? We might be leaving Dolor soon. I just... want to be ready for what we face when we return home."

"Well I guess I don't have anything else I'm doing…” He trails off.

Rodrick bites his sandwich again, staring at the table holding Rhys's books. "Hmm... well, let me go get the right guy." He stands up and throws his sandwich out the window before walking to a closet and stepping inside.

Ruby looks at Hikaru, "Do you have all your gear you'd need? If we do go...?"

"I've got my rifle and my two revolvers. So I've got what I need."

"You are pretty handy with them." She chuckles. "Your revolvers are heavy..."

"They're not too terrible. There are bigger ones believe it or not."

"Really?" She looks surprised, and pulls out her pistol. It looks so small in comparison.

"Darn straight. There are revolvers bigger than Rod's head!"

Ruby's eyes widen. "Woah..."

Rhys chimes in as he walks around the corner, a long glaive in his hand, his bow slung over his shoulder. "Just ask Ragnar next time you see him, he has a few..."

"A gun shouldn't hurt to shoot."

Ruby shifts uncomfortably, trying to work up the courage to actually ask Rhys in person. "That's a really neat weapon, what is it?" She motions to the glaive you're carrying.

"It's called a glaive."

She nods, chewing on her lip. "I see... well.. did--could you hear the conversation we had with Rodrick? Earlier?"

Rhys smiles slightly. "Perhaps, but only parts."

Hikaru motions encouragement to her.

Ruby takes a breath. "I want to go to try fighting a monster. I want to go to the Shadow Realm."

Rhys's smile drops. He leans on his glaive. "I could take you... and you could learn to fight them... but... a word of caution. It is not a place you want to linger."

Hikaru opens up the cylinder in one of his revolvers and loads a round into each chamber, then snaps it shut and holsters it.

Ruby studies Rhys. "Would we become like... them? Like the creature you said chased us out when we were there before?"

"I believe so, yes... my theory is creatures or spirits that stay in the shadow realm too long become corrupted and taken over, they become shadow beasts themselves..."

Hikaru peers over at Ruby concerned.

Ruby is quiet for a moment, contemplating that. "Do you feel corruption when you visit there?"

Rhys sits down at his table, picking up the bottle of strange ink. "I feel the urge to.... stay there..." he moves the bottle of ink closer to the lamp, the light dimming as the shadows get absorbed by the strange and unique ink. "Much like the light is being drawn to this ink, I am drawn to the dark. The shadows on the realm."

"Doesn't that make it more dangerous for you Rhys?"

"Quite right, Hikaru... but I've ventured there before. I have... reasons... for coming back."

"Well... Do you think we can handle it? Together?" Ruby comes over and leans against the desk. "If so we can make sure make it back, just as much as you would help us."

Rhys looks deeply into the bottle of ink, as if trying to see something inside it. He stays silent for a time. Finally, looking up at first Ruby, then to Hikaru. "Well... if we're going to go, make sure you have everything..."

Ruby gives Rhys a long searching look. She turns to check her pistol to make sure it has all 7 rounds loaded, like Hikaru did. She loads a capsule into her hummingbird. "I think I have everything else I need..."

Hikaru stands up. "I'm ready. Let's hope this works."

Rhys stands up and walks over to a chest of drawers, opening it and pulling out bottles containing a strange, clear liquid. He tosses one to each of you. Upon closer examination, you see that each bottle has a metal ring around the top and a long leather strap tied to the ring. "Rolland made these. They can help while we're there. Just go ahead and put it around your neck."

Trusting it wholeheartedly, Ruby strings the bottle around her neck. She gives it a tug to make sure it stays in place.

Hikaru takes it and places is around his neck.

"Well then... let's get going." Rhys gestures for Hikaru to come over near him and Ruby.

Rhys places a hand on both Hikaru and Ruby's shoulder. "Now remember... whatever you see there... whatever they tell you... think first. They will say and do anything to try to get you to stay..." Rhys takes a step backward, his foot passing through his shadow and into it's realm, pulling you with him. As you pass through the shadow, you feel a strange sensation of falling, but at the same time feeling like you are flying. Heavy, yet weightless.

 

You feel your feet touch down on solid earth, almost as suddenly as the sensation started, but it feels different. Your eyes seem to be taking forever to adjust. You can barely see your hands in front of your face, but you can easily make out the golden glow of Rhys's eyes. He comes to each of you, pulling the stopper from the bottles. As the strange fumes coming from inside reach your nostrils, your vision begins to flood with light.

Your vision seems to stop out after a hundred yards or so, meeting a wall of billowing shadow. Everything appears to be dark, but not black. Colorwise, it's all towards the dark side of the color spectrum, but colors do exist. You see massive trees covered in large needle-like spines, some oozing and dripping a black liquid. As the liquid drops to the ground, it sizzles and bubbles.

The tall grass seems to shift from a breeze you can't feel, giving a strange and somewhat unsettling feeling within you.

Rhys looks at you, his tattoos shifting in his skin, his eyes glowing. "We are here."

Hikaru unslings his rifle and stands ready. His ears turn back and he looks like he's ready to bolt, but he stands firm.

Ruby adjusts her satchel. She holds her pistol tightly, trying to keep her hands from shaking. She peers into the rolling blackness ahead.

Rhys wanders over to one of the trees, his glaive held in one hand and resting in the crook of his arm. "Be very careful around these trees, their sap is.... quite painful..." He walks back to Hikaru and Ruby. "It appears this area seems to be a little safer than other parts at the moment. We can look around a bit and I can answer some questions, if you would like."

Hikaru looks over. "What is this place for Rhys?"

"Well, it was often used as a means of travel... you see, the shadow realm lies just below the material plane. Travel here is... different. A day's travel in the material plane can be covered in mere minutes here, depending on how fast you move."

Ruby listens as she looks between you both. Still on edge, she keeps glancing behind her. "So does this place represent where Dolor is in the material plane?"

"More or less. When I step between the realms, I can direct where exactly I want to end up. I chose this clearing because it is a fairly safe place." He smiles, turning to face Ruby. "I guess to answer your question more directly, yes."

She nods, turning to look around again with anxious excitement. "What is it that is dripping from the trees? It looks... Very dark and caustic."

"It's actually an essence of this realm. It is concentrated shadow... it's also the liquid that was in that bottle back on my desk... and the ink that used to do my tattoos."

She looks slightly horrified at that realization. "But.. You just said to avoid it because it was..."

Rhys grins. "True, but you see... It doesn't harm creatures of this realm... and Nerezza... well... He is the God of this realm." Rhys walks over and picks up a small droplet from the end of a needle, it sizzling as it contacts his skin. He grits his teeth and grimaces before wiping it off in the grass, gritting his teeth. "My mother... however... was not from here. Hence why it still hurts."

Her brow furrows. "I've heard you--Rodrick--talk about your mother before. In hell, right? Where we are going soon?" She looks at Hikaru. "If we are there anyway, can we rescue her, too?"

"That situation is a bit cumbersome... while we grew up calling her our mother, she did not actually give birth to us. Nerezza said our birth mother died during labor..."

"So is she your mother in the same way that Rod... you are my father?"

Rhys looks at Hikaru, a sincere smile on his face. "Quite right."

Hikaru looks a little embarrassed by the statement of fact.

Ruby looks between the two of them, sensing something...kind, despite the usual dislike. "If that's the case, we can still rescue her... Birth mother or not. Couldn't we?"

"We'd be in the area anyway Rhys."

"That's our plan, even if the rest of the group decided not to help..." Rhys looks between the two of them, a very determined and steeled look on his face.

Ruby nods, feeling like she still doesn't grasp the complete depth and imminent danger coming. She tries to push the thoughts back down. *This is family now.  I've gone through hell for family before... I can do it again.*

"How long has this place existed, Rhys? Was Nerezza born from it when it was created? Is he...that old?"

"He's always called it his first home, so I would assume so..."

"So is he... A shadow being from here? Like the things we will fight? Or something else?"

"Nerezza is the original being from this realm... or at least that's my assumption."

A shiver goes up her spine, thinking about something as strong as Rhys or Nerezza here. She tightens her grip on her pistol.

"So does he try to get you to stay here too?"

"No. Nerezza can come and go freely. He feels no draw to stay here, nor does he have to deal with the shadow beasts trying to get him to stay... Its almost as if they fear him..."

"You said they will try to get us to stay... What do they try to do?" She glances around, still antsy. "And what do you do to keep your wits?"

"Well, they can just try to incapacitate you... some are more clever and will try to convince or trick you to stay... To keep your wits is quite easy, really... just remember that this place is a realm of shadow. A place of darkness. The ones that try to trick you will play with your mind, trying to elude you into believing you are somewhere else. Just remember that you are here, and not where they try to take you."

Ruby considers that, looking up at the dripping, spiny trees towering over them. "I feel it will be hard for me to think of this place otherwise..."

Rhys's voice echoes in both of your heads, all the colors seeming to lighten and become more... natural. "This is but a taste of their power. Remember this place for its true nature!"

Stumbling back, Ruby's eyes widen. She looks at her friends, taking in the more peaceful, brighter colors.

"Are you... Physically changing this place?" She asks out loud, not sure if you could actually hear her thoughts as well as you can speak to her through them. "Or are you just manipulating our minds?"

Hikaru looks about and steps back startled.

Again the voice speaks in your head. "The world around you has not changed... just your perception of it has."

She tries to commit to memory exactly what you both look like, unsure if the creatures coming will try to look...similar.

Hikaru cycles a round into the chamber.

Ruby turns slowly around in a circle, watching for any movement through the grass and trees. Holding her gun tighter, she tries to breathe in the smell of Rolland's bottled concoction to relax.

Rhys lets the illusion slip from your mind, the world around you returning to normal. He walks over to Ruby. "You see, maintaining a separation from true reality and their fantasy is as easy as remembering what the world around you looks like..."

"Alright Rhys." Hikaru is unnerved.

"Okay Ruby... Hikaru... what's your plan?" Rhys plants the blade of his glaive in a stump and leans on the shaft, shifting his glance between the two of you.

She glances at Hikaru. "Well..." She feels a bit silly. "I brought things to cast light. I wasn't sure how well I could see, so..." Ruby pats her bag. "I have a lantern, some starter, candles, oil..." she wrinkles her nose. "I thought if I had to I could break one of my canisters of oil on the ground and ignite it."

Hikaru looks at Ruby. "This is your venture I'm here as muscle."

"I had Rodrick make me more explosive rounds... I have some daggers if bullets don't work, and they're too close." She shuffles. "Although I'm not the best with them, I practice sometimes."

Rhys smiles. "Thinking smart, I see. Asked the right questions about your target. You know they're weaker in light... now, do you plan to attack or defend? Do you want to ambush one or fight it head on?"

He looks at Hikaru. "These are questions you could probably explain better, as you used to do bounty work..."

Hikaru says, "Ambush would be safer so long as they don't know we're there. We don't want them springing a trap if they know we're there. We should know the habits of the creature we're hunting and we don't want to hunt something better than we're able to handle."

Rhys nods at Hikaru's advisement. "Learn your target if at all possible. Good advice..."

Ruby considers all of his points, thinking.

Rhys chimes in again. "While they have been known to lay in wait with traps, that's not common for them... they're more... brutish... that that."

Ruby shifts uncomfortably. "Attacking first and defending second sounds like the best idea... I'd rather than not get too close if that's the case."

Hikaru adds, "Much safer to stay at a distance generally with bestial creatures. That way they can't hurt you. At least you hope."

"Alright. That sounds good." She flexes her cramping fingers. "Should one of us be hidden, to ambush?"

Rhys says, "Well, the term beast is used quite loosely when referring to shadow beasts. Some are humanoid, others are quite, in fact, bestial. It all depends on what variety we decide to fight, or what kind find us first."

"Oh..." She shuffles between feet. "I guess I didn't consider their shape, much. So it's like different creatures back on terra then? Just... Aggressive and shadowy?"

"Quite..." Rhys looks up, then around him, checking his surroundings. "Luckily most of them aren't too intelligent and tend to not wander too far."

"That's good."

After a moment’s pause, she adds, "Is it usually this...quiet?"

"Usually, yes. There's not much here for small wildlife, and that's what makes most of your ambient noise."

"It does make for an… uneasy feeling. I'm used to noise. It feels like something's near."

Hikaru looks over. "I don't like it."

"The unease settles after a while... here, it's when you hear noise that you get nervous."

Ruby looks around again. "Are there other...places here? Or is it mostly plains and forests?"

"There's mountain areas, deserts, and even oceans... the shadow realm is almost a mirror image of the realm you know..."

"Wow... I can't imagine how deep and threatening the oceans sound..." She chuckles uncomfortably. "When you step here, can you choose where you end up? If you can't, what if you end up over ocean?" She raises an eyebrow. "Do you just fly?"

"Sorry..." Ruby suddenly looks embarrassed. "I just... This place gives me more questions than answers to think about."

"Well, I can somewhat choose where I step through to... I still have to be within the distance of my initial point of step..."

"As for the ocean, when and if I ever venture to it, I'll let you know." He says with a smile.

"Sounds like a good story." She smiles back.

Hikaru says, "So long as it's only a story and I ain't part of it. Deep ocean sounds terrifying enough."

"Nerezza has told me on countless occasions to avoid the oceans here. He said there are creatures in the deep that will dwarf anything I've ever faced before."

Ruby gulps, looking concerned at that.

Hikaru looks over. "Not like a giant serpent though right?"

Rhys simply shrugs.

Hikaru seems troubled by the answer

Rhys pulls his glaive out of the stump. "We'll just make sure to avoid the oceans, and we will be fine."

"That's a good idea. Well Miss Ruby? What shall we hunt?"

"Whatever we come to first. Or whatever comes to us." She smiles.

Rhys smiles and nods his head. "Well... which way? Hikaru, you're a hunter... perhaps you'd like to lead the way?"

"We're gonna want to walk carefully and slowly, examining until we find a game trail. All creatures follow consistent habits.”

"That's a good idea." Rhys smiles. "It's true, shadow beasts do follow habitual patterns..."

"Alright let's go then."

Ruby nods, following after Hikaru. "What would a game trail look like?"

Rhys begins to follow Ruby, taking the last position in line. "A small pathway, really. Nothing more than tromped down grass and broken twigs to the untrained eye."

She chuckles. "I must admit I haven't hunted much before. My kind of investigating is usually with...people."

"Well, I know this place. I could take you right to the beasts... but I prefer to teach by allowing you to do it yourself."

"You seem like that kind of person, I'll admit..." She looks back at you with a smirk.

Rhys smiles and chuckles to himself. "Don't get too discouraged, things are different here."

"I'll try," Ruby chuckles. "You're quite encouraging, Rhys."

They walk for some time. However time actually works here... it's hard to tell. After about what seems like an hour, Ruby asks, "Karu? Anything yet?"

“I think so actually. Look here on the ground.”

Ruby stoops to get a closer look. "Oh... The grass here is a little tramped down, isn't it?" She looks back and forth, trying to follow the path it goes. "Which direction should we try?"

"This direction, see how it moves?"

"Oooh..." she furrows her brow, looking at the way the blades bend down. "It would make sense it's going that way. How big is it?"

"The area it's tramping is pretty good sized so it's probably large."

"Alright. Well let's follow it, then. I'm... Antsy bein' here too long. How long have we been here, Rhys?"

"Half an hour at the longest... Time passes slower here."

"Oh...really, only that much?" She rubs her arm. "Magic, and all this new stuff is... Interesting."

Hikaru looks over. "Alright let's move. Remember low and quietly. And against the wind if we can help it."

"Sounds good." Ruby falls in pace behind Hikaru, glad for his tracking abilities. "You're really good at this."

"I usually use it to snare humanoids. I've also had to hunt to survive. It's part of the trade. It's honestly the reason Mr. Luther hired me. That and I could procure things."

"Absolutely. He always seemed a good judge of people, for the most part... Better than I ever was, back then." She seems melancholy thinking about him and his predicament.

Rhys follows in silence.

"We're getting close." Speaking in hushed tones, Hikaru motions to them both. "We're going to want to stay mostly silent unless we absolutely need to speak."

Ruby keeps quiet, her heart beating quicker.

We follow the trail a bit more, it moving up a small rise. As we crest the top, in the distance you can see something moving in and among the trees... something big.

Hikaru stops and points it out to ruby to make sure she's seen it. "So Rhys what is it, and do you know the best way to kill it?" He whispers.

Rhys creeps up next to Hikaru, getting a better look. "Ah, it's an Umbris. Kind of like a shadow canine. A fairly worthy opponent!"

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7d/af/79/7daf79a461895bb23036627d8beb6b03.jpg

"Alright Miss Ruby how do we proceed?"

She chews on her lip in thought. "Would it be good to ambush from two sides? Not exactly straight... Don't want to shoot one another. The third could circle around to the back." She looks at you both. "I could make something to draw its attention first, so we can flank it."

"That might not be a bad idea so long as it doesn't notice us. We don't want something that size catching us on our own.”

"Absolutely..." she glances back over the creature in the distance, then quickly starts pulling out supplies from her bag. She withdraws a ball of string and a bullseye lantern.

"I'm going to slink off to the right side. Rhys can you go left? If we flank on three sides we might just hit it hard."

Keeping the doors tightly closed on the lantern, she pulls out a small, squeezable metal striking plate. Sticking it up inside the lantern from the bottom, she clicks it a few times to light the wick and oil. She ties the string to the door and sets it on the grass, in a clearer area, using sticks to keep it upright.

"I'll follow you, Karu. I'll keep going and come around from behind." She slips her pistol away and pulls out her hummingbird. Keeping the string in one hand, she starts off.

Rhys nods, and just walks unnervingly quiet in the direction Hikaru told him to go.

Ruby circles around, keeping low. Every so often she pulls out a piton and sticks it in the ground, threading the twine around the side. Once she gets into position, she takes a breath and gives the string a little tug.

The string goes taut and a small metal chink can be heard in the silence. A sliver of light floods the area where they once were, aimed directly at the large creature.

Ruby watches the large Umbris turn toward the sudden ray of light. A guttural growl rumbles through the trees, red eyes flashing. It approaches carefully, avoiding the direct beam across the ground. Its head turns to and fro, searching for prey.

Hikaru lays low in the grass peering through the scope.

Ruby slinks out behind it as it moves away, aiming her hummingbird gun at the rippling shadowy back. Her eyes narrow and her breathing slows. She tries not to think about how big this beast is...how much she doesn't want to have it tear into her or her friends.

She pulls the trigger. A barely audible noise registers as it fires, but on impact... KABOOM. Rodrick's exploding round lights up the forest like a rend of noonday. Fire ripples across its back and the beast lets out an unearthly screech, monstrous ferocity unleashed.

Hikaru fires into the explosion trying to take advantage of the bloom of light.

The blast from the rifle tears through the Umbris, taking it completely by surprise. It whips around in fury and pain, foaming dark ichor from its maw. Snapping its jaws, it charges through the shadow brush towards where the shot from Ruby originated.

Ruby backs up, snatching her pistol while it is distracted from the bullet across its back. She fires a shot at it, ripping through its shoulder. Dark wisps curl and twist as it tries to reconstitute. It roars, energy blasting off from it through the trees, splattering concentrated shadow across the ground.

Rhys catapults himself into the air using his glaive to gain height, bringing the blade down with a heavy impact, his eyes flashing bright gold as he lands. "Now, now Umbris... where's the challenge in attacking unknowing creatures?"

The beast turns to snap at you on its back, venomous eyes rolling in its skull.

"That's more like it!" Rhys growls back at the beast.

Hikaru continues to take potshots at it with his bolt action.

Now directly under the creature towering above her, Ruby dodges away from the thrashing claws and flying dirt. She fires again right up at its head. Careful to avoid Rhys, the bullet lances through the jaw, ichor showering outward and upward.

Rhys leans forward and attempts to loop his glaive under the creature's neck, but the creature throws its head back and smashes into Rhys's forehead, dazing him and throwing him from its back.

"Rhys!!" Ruby cries out automatically, then scrambles to the string on the ground. She gives it a sharp snap and the lantern light floods into the clearing, a bright, blinding cone enveloping the monster.

Hikaru continues to lay out suppressive fire.

Rhys rolls up to his knees, the right half of his face sizzling as he landed in concentrated shadow. 

His eyes flash brightly, letting out a visible light before everything begins to dim. He grits his teeth and stands, obviously fighting something down within himself. "No, this is Ruby and Hikaru's fight... not yet..."

Ruby scrambles back to her feet, slipping in the dirt. She fires two shots as the beast snaps around at Rhys in the blinding light. One flies wide and ricochets off a tree, the second ripping off a shadowy ear.

When Rhys rolls over Hikaru smells the burnt flesh and has to suppress an involuntary growl rising up his throat. He feels lightning crackle down his body and smells the burnt ozone but stays sane. "Blasted... If they keep getting stuck I ain't gonna be able to hold back."

The Umbris charges at Rhys, knocking him backwards under a tree. It turns and begins toward Hikaru, his bullet lancing through its eye, spreading ichor across the field.

Hikaru scrambles back from his rifle, trying to retrieve his revolvers from their holsters but the beast is upon him in seconds.

Ruby rushes out into the clearing to get in front of Rhys, shooting two more shots. Another misses, then one smashes through the beast’s ankle.

Shadows begin to contort, being pulled and drawn to the tree Rhys is under. A low, guttural growl emitting from the dark, dripping shadow underneath. Rhys's golden eyes flash, but there's something different about them... something Ruby has seen once before.

 

He emerges from under the tree, but not the Rhys Hikaru knows. Instead, a winged figure with large devil-like horns and long, protruding black claws are extending from each hand. He yells at the Umbris. "HEY! I'm not done with you yet..."

Ruby's neck prickles as a severe chill runs down her spine. She turns her head to see Rhys behind her, stepping out into the open... Shadows twisting up into his vicious form.

Hikaru struggles to get his revolvers up in a panic and fires both full cylinders up into its body.

It bites down at him, barely missing as it gets a mouthful of dirt. His bullets fly wide from his guns, but before the Umbris can bite again, it stumbles in pain and loses its balance from Ruby’ bullet in the leg.

Hikaru takes advantage of the distraction and whips out his family katana striking into the beast over and over.

Ruby suppresses her surprise, tumbling out of Rhys' warpath. "Hikaru, we're coming!" She calls, aiming a shot at the limping, foaming monster.

Suddenly, a new shadow, almost as large as the first lunges across the clearing, right toward Ruby. She yelps as she fires, the shot flying wide having been intended for the other monster. The feline-esque form, a Felpid, bears down on her, but overshoots and lands behind. Ruby, knocked down, scrambles to turn over and focus on the new threat.

Hikaru feels the blood in him boil and decides to let go this time. Lightning crackles up and down and he emerges as the nine tailed fox, throwing the Umbril wide. He pounces on the feline creature and tears it off Ruby lightning lancing out of his jaws.

Rhys launches himself at the Umbris, drawing shadow to him as he moves across the field, forming and melding them into a large broadsword. As he meets the creature, he slams the shadowy blade up to the crossguard down it's throat, lifting it off the ground and roars triumphantly, spreading his large wings.

Ruby tries to fire again into the new shadowy monster tussling with Hikaru, but... click click click. It takes her a moment to register she shot her last bullet. Wide eyed, she hurries toward the nearest tree, slipping in ichor. She slides, grimacing at the touch, and fishes out more ammo from her bag.

Rhys drops the sword and beast both, turning his attention to the Felpid. "Sneaky... conniving... skulking... cowardly... Bastard of a creature!" Rhys yells, throwing a needle with each word.

The nine tails continues to claw the Felpid, his jaws latched to the it growling deep and rumbly.

Having loaded her gun, Ruby looks at her friends, distraught. She doesn't want to hit Hikaru in the wild gnashing of teeth, claws, blinding light and shadow. She quickly looks around, taking in the field. Seeing the lantern, she runs to it, whining, "Oooooh!! How I'm glad they're on my side.....!!"

Snatching it up she turns hurriedly, rushing back toward the fray. She pants heavily, hardly any breath left. With the last of her adrenaline, she grits her teeth, (18) ripping the door and top off the lantern. Light floods out across the feline.

As the light bathes over the Felpid, it shrieks in pain, and attempts to throw Hikaru from it. It begins to run away, trying to escape the painful light, it's skin appearing burnt; bubbling and dripping.

Sinking down to her knees in the brackish muck and mire, Ruby shivers with sweat. She gasps for breath, eyes looking up. She sees Rhys above her, his huge wingspan shadowing him even more, eyes gold and glinting. She sees Hikaru’s towering form, tendrils of electricity crackling across his jaws, fur prickling with the fever of battle.

Hikaru begins to chase after the Felpid blind to anyone else.

Rhys reaches out with his mind, tearing through the rage and battle drunk emotions of the nine tails. "Hikaru... it's over. Come back, Ruby and I need you!"

The fox stops and turns. It tilts is head questioningly.

Ruby gives a weak wave with her arm, smiling.

It slinks forward silently, cautiously and sniffs her, then turns and sniffs Rhys. It lies down, curling is tail around them and falls asleep. Then it shifts into Hikaru.

Ruby feels the breath of his nose as he sniffs her, and keeps her gaze steady. When he lays down and returns to normal, she stumbles up again. She walks over to Rhys. "Shall we go back now? I think that went alright..."

Hikaru lies asleep on the ground.

Rhys kneels down, returning to normal. "That went better than expected, to be honest..."

She sighs heavily, exhausted. "Yeah... I'm sure there are many worse things to face. That was a good... good practice."

Looking over at Rhys, she adds, "Thank you for agreeing to this."

"Just so long as we are all okay..." He kneels down touching Hikaru's shoulder, and steps back through the shadows, and into the Temple on Dolor.

Stumbling back into the room after shadow stepping, Ruby squeezes her eyes shut. The lamplight in the room seems blinding. She shakes her head free of the stars blinking in her vision.

She takes a seat, grabbing a cloak from a chair nearby and covering Hikaru.