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WHO: Magilou and Artoria
WHERE: Deep within the forest
WHEN: Mid-June, pre-event
WHAT: Magilou and Artoria go in the forest for hunting. They get more than they bargained for.
WARNINGS: Monsters and the usual spooky forest shenanigans
[ When Magilou suggested that she and Saber take a trip through the forest for hunting, it's not as though she was expecting a welcome party. This is the barrier that keeps them enclosed in their fairytale prison; to call it foreboding would be an understatement. An endless expanse of colorless trees leading only to darkness, the mysterious quests for slaying monsters deep within - it's almost sinister in its simplicity, but this isn't the first abyss that Magilou has stared down.
After they've walked past the edges and into the deep thickets of gray beyond, Magilou looks behind her, only to see an unfamiliar maze of trees. It's impossible to see if the thought affects her at all, with her usual carefree mask plastered on. If it weren't for her efforts to keep her footfalls light and her voice low - and the fact that she'd triple-checked her Guardians and strung the journal she arrived with around her waist - she'd seem almost completely unprepared for what they might face. ]
I was hoping there'd be something exciting for the main course... but it's been so silent so far. If this is meant to be a trap, they could have made it more subtle.
[ It's silent. Silent, when there were animals to hunt at the fringes before, as if it was meant to drag them deeper in. It's... strange, unnatural, and even though that means everything bad and nothing good, Magilou doesn't stop walking. They've already come this far. ]
WHERE: Deep within the forest
WHEN: Mid-June, pre-event
WHAT: Magilou and Artoria go in the forest for hunting. They get more than they bargained for.
WARNINGS: Monsters and the usual spooky forest shenanigans
[ When Magilou suggested that she and Saber take a trip through the forest for hunting, it's not as though she was expecting a welcome party. This is the barrier that keeps them enclosed in their fairytale prison; to call it foreboding would be an understatement. An endless expanse of colorless trees leading only to darkness, the mysterious quests for slaying monsters deep within - it's almost sinister in its simplicity, but this isn't the first abyss that Magilou has stared down.
After they've walked past the edges and into the deep thickets of gray beyond, Magilou looks behind her, only to see an unfamiliar maze of trees. It's impossible to see if the thought affects her at all, with her usual carefree mask plastered on. If it weren't for her efforts to keep her footfalls light and her voice low - and the fact that she'd triple-checked her Guardians and strung the journal she arrived with around her waist - she'd seem almost completely unprepared for what they might face. ]
I was hoping there'd be something exciting for the main course... but it's been so silent so far. If this is meant to be a trap, they could have made it more subtle.
[ It's silent. Silent, when there were animals to hunt at the fringes before, as if it was meant to drag them deeper in. It's... strange, unnatural, and even though that means everything bad and nothing good, Magilou doesn't stop walking. They've already come this far. ]
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Regardless, the beast is dead. Magilou hasn't broken a sweat yet, so she knows there are still tribulations to come; there's no way they'd be let off that easily. She waves to Saber from across the way with a cheery grin and a wink and trots over, eventually lunging over the Minotaur's still form. ]
Twas but a moment's effort! [ Have a cheesy bow while she's at it. ] I mean, you weren't half bad yourself. Can't deny the effectiveness of brute strength.
[ As innocent and carefree as she sounds, Magilou spares a glance to the Minotaur, scrutinizing it with a far more serious eye than she normally seems capable of. She kneels down to inspect the poor, defeated creature. ]
These monsters are different from what I'm used to. No trace of malevolence that I can tell. [ She inclines her head toward Saber, curious. ] Hey, do you have malevolence where you're from? It's kinda like the building blocks of monsters for us.
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I have heard of others here speaking of evil energy, but not so in my own world. Phantasmal beasts as I knew them were variable products of longetivity, human perception, and the will of the planet itself. A simple animal could become a beast over time if it was overtaken by a strong grudge or curse, but never were they born as irredeemable entities solely on the basis of their spiritual makeup.
[ Her gaze lowers to the fallen beast. ]
In my world, anyone would have recognized this as the Minotaur, whose true name was Asterios, born from the union between a human queen and a bull. He was not a born a monster, but was regarded as one by humanity due to the events of his life. Perhaps that is why you do not sense malevolence from him.
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[ For a moment, that's the only sound that passes Magilou's lips. A creature that wasn't truly a monster, but humanity regarded him as one. It's a sad tale, but not a surprising one - people hate what they don't understand, what they can't see.
Magilou stands up, sparing one last look at the beast at the ground. Tragic, then, that they may have been attacked by a monster who never wanted to be a monster, or at least the beast's counterpart from another world. ]
That's familiar, too. Regular rampaging monsters can exist, but often malevolence infects and spreads. And then, even normal humans can be caught under its influence, and turn into mindless beasts. The only recourse is to give them the dignity of a quick death.
[ Regular people, of course, couldn't even see humans becoming daemons until recently - their skepticism of the concept was understandable, perhaps, but no less tragic. ]
Malevolence or no, we're certainly not dealing with any ordinary monsters. They're not the daemons I'm used to, but why is a beast that you're familiar with in a place such as this? Just to torment us with the familiarity? Intriguing... and something we'll only see if we continue on, I suppose.
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[ But she agrees that a quick death would be the best solution for it. Whether it be one person infected or one thousand, swiftly eradicating the poison to save the rest of the population would be the only wise choice.
Saber is a simple being. If something fights her, she fights back, and if her opponent dies in the process, she won't let herself feel too bad about it, whatever that opponent's life circumstances may be. She takes hold of her sword and turns to start herself and Magilou back down the path without a second glance at the Minotaur.
There's only time for a bit more chatter before the next trial comes down the path: a large troll with an equally large club bent on bludgeoning Saber and Magilou very much into meat puddles. Luckily, the dense forest makes handy cover against wide swings as tend to come from oversized clubs, so after a bit of ducking and weaving followed by another sword-and-sorcery high five of death, the troll falls as neatly as the Minotaur.
Next comes a chimera. Many things happen, and then it also dies. The intrepid pair carries on.
Though they've been able to emerge from their encounters unscathed, it's been a fair amount of exertion, so Saber gives Magilou a critical eye for any signs of exhaustion as they march along. ]
How are you faring? I have plenty of water and provisions if you are in need of a break.
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And though she's not sure Saber even gets exhausted, her critical look is returned with a subtle, though not cold, glance to check for wear and tear. ]
As much fun as fighting is, a witch needs a little downtime every once in a while, you know? Stopping here would be mad, though. Let's find a good place first.
[ If they stopped along the small path they've been traveling on, there's no guarantee that they won't be immediately accosted by some other heavy, lumbering monster. Until they know they might be in a safe place, Magilou refuses to show any honest sign of exhaustion, for Saber's sake if nothing else.
Eventually, in the distance, there's what looks to be a small clearing, surrounded by trees on either side, that feels paradoxically like a void - enclosed, crushingly empty, and cold. There's something that just feels wrong about it. ]
...Maybe we won't find a good place for quite a while, huh. [ She doesn't stop, really - but she does turn to Saber quietly. ] You have water? Maybe we should prepare before we go in here.
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Satisfied with Magilou's logic and endurance, Saber is content to continue along until they come upon the clearing. Immediately, a feeling of foreboding grips her. It emanates directly from the clearing, though it appears to contain only a thick, gnarled copse. Nevertheless, Saber tenses as if glimpsing a fist about to strike her and halts, reaching out to touch Magilou's shoulder and stop her as well. Some people pay passing heed to their gut feelings, but Saber has learned to obey hers absolutely. ]
Yes, let us go no further until we are completely prepared. I do not like the feeling of what lies ahead.
[ She unties the waterskin at her side and offers it to Magilou. Hydration is important! ]
When you feel ready, allow me to go first.
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[ There's always something sinister afoot in this town, but this is something else. If Magilou didn't know better - didn't firmly believe that their kidnappers wouldn't make the source of this town's evil so easy to find, didn't believe that a battle with three successively strong monsters would be the least of their worries if they were truly heading toward the source of the malevolent infection here - she'd think that this would be where everything originates from. But as it is, she's certain they're coming across some pocket of evil not unlike the ones they've faced before, much more intense and focused.
She stops at Saber's insistence and reaches out for the waterskin, taking a light swig of it before handing it back. ]
There's enough left for you in there, if you need it. [ Do spirits even need water... ] But you think I'm just gonna fall back and let you waltz in there like a knight in shining armor? No way! You're not gonna hog all the glory. We're goin' in together.
[ A selfish front, but... whatever they're facing might be best faced with both of them at their best. ]
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She knows Magilou means the best, however she attempts to shroud her concern in bravado. If Saber were just Artoria, a normal person still susceptible to the tumult of death, she would find Magilou's spirit and camaraderie heartening. Even now, Saber admires her -- a woman who can dedicate herself to spreading joy in times of peace while bolstering herself with mettle when danger looms. Saber has nothing but the highest respect for Magilou. But still she hardens, her will becoming her voice and body. ]
Magilou, I hoped you would understand as a vessel to spirits. It is only logical for me to go first. If I am injured, I can recover quickly without fear of permanent damage. If a trap lies ahead, it is better that one of us has space to recover and react.
Frankly, I do not think we will emerge from what awaits us entirely unscathed, but that is why it is even more imperative that we act with your safety in mind.
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Spirits can still be susceptible to mortal wounds. I know you're trying to whip me into shape and all, but my current muscle is tragically not enough to pull you out of the forest on my own.
[ It's true, though. It would be better if one person stayed back and the other inspected. She doesn't necessarily want Saber to take the fall for her but she has a feeling that this is going to be something that Saber fights her tooth and nail on. So she sighs, shrugs, and takes a step back, close enough to observe whatever might happen in the copse and its gnarled trees. ]
It's your funeral. [ She's about to say try not to die, but that wouldn't really fit. Instead, her voice goes softer: ] But I mean, try not to get too injured, you hear me? I don't want you looking all battle-worn and stealing my thunder!
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If I do happen to get injured, I will be certain to heal so completely that anyone would think you conquered our foes singlehandedly.
[ Without further ado, Saber takes up her sword and makes her way toward the copse. The pressure of foreboding squeezes in on her as one might feel when slowly walking into a knife, but she carries on with focused calm. Her Instinct is sharp enough to near prediction, and if she were truly wise, she would heed that intuition and turn back, dragging Magilou back to town with her.
But Saber has never been quite wise enough. There has always been a seed of audacity buried at her core, arrogant enough to defy fate and reason. If one tries hard enough -- if one tries long enough -- if one has done everything within their power to achieve their goal, then surely they will reach it. Even if her ever-faithful Instinct tells her that misfortune lies ahead, she must believe that she'll be able to emerge from the other end of it intact, if only she struggles well enough. It's hubris, plain and simple, but it's too close to her essence for her to grow out of. ]
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The trees and their branches burst at her all at once, like shotgun pellets attached to gnarled arms. Saber's reaction is immediate. The air wrapped around her sword, so dense as to warp the vision of all who lay eyes on it, releases in a shockwave in front of her that crashes against the onslaught of branches. For a moment, it's like a whirling, whistling, invisible wall is formed in front of her, the wind ripping at bark and splitting the straining branches that roar in wooden cracks to reach her.
And her sword, released from its sheathe of wind, suddenly illuminates the clearing. Its blade shines brilliant gold, as pure in light as the sun and nearly as searing. This she raises steadily, and when her shield of air inevitably runs out, it cuts through the branches that lash out at her as easily as if they were leaves.
But it is only one sword, and the branches are endless. The tree -- and the "copse" does seem to be only one great tree -- betrays no pain and slows for nothing. The wooden fingers break against the arc of the sword, but their arms reach underneath -- and they snare one of Saber's feet, lifting her high upside-down.
Her sword falls from her grip, the blade embedding itself straight into the ground. The whorls of the tree's trunk crease and bend until a fierce face becomes apparent, and a hole in its side widens into a gaping maw. Then, almost nonchalantly, a mere seven seconds after bursting into life, the tree swings Saber into its mouth and promptly closes it.
If there's no other interference, the tree will slowly settle back into the earth frayed and chopped, half its branches on the ground, content. ]
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The trees are hacked down in one smooth motion, but in the end, the forest's relentless advance on the town is no different in the thick of it. The gray, oppressive atmosphere continues its movement, and just as it seems that Saber will be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of trees, Magilou pulls her Guardian out again, the familiar chants of her spells preparing to trill from her tongue.
But then the tree grabs Saber by her foot, and the sheer surprise of a large tree overwhelming someone normally so self-assured in battle is shocking enough to snap Magilou's eyes open. ]
Artoria -
[ And that strangled cry of her True Name is all Magilou can get out before the tree summarily swallows Saber whole, and the entire forest seems to settle down, satisfied with its hunger for hunting satiated. The din dies away, and Magilou is left standing in front of the giant tree (when had she run over?), with an almost inhuman grin on its face. She's far enough away from it that the tree can't swallow her immediately, but close enough for it to grab her if she tried to inch any further. ]
Hey, are you...
[ Her voice is quiet, strained; almost in disbelief, but wanting to trust in the small glimmer of hope she has left, knowing that Saber is as capable as she is. Magilou doesn't let herself hope often, and her unending pessimism buried deep down is the only thing standing in the way of believing the tree will reach for her as well. It would simply be too easy. ]
...You in there? Or do I have to kick this tree's gnarled butt for two?
[ Truthfully, she doesn't have the strength to. It's a paralyzing feeling: to know that the small, flittering bits of happiness she's had hanging out with Saber are as fragile as everything else.
Saber is a spirit, she said. And that means she can't die here... right? ]
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Saber has never been eaten before, but she's fairly sure this particular experience is out of the ordinary: the inner walls of the tree are predictably hard and harsh, almost like being crammed into a warped closet if the closet were also lined with thick, oozing sap. Where the sap touches her, she feels herself losing control until she's swiftly immobilized from head to toe. Curiously, her throat doesn't seem to want to work either, and she finds herself unable to raise her voice or even grunt. If she had a need to breathe, she would be panicking -- and even without, it's an unpleasant sensation, like a very prolonged suffocation.
But worse is still being able to hear. Magilou's voice comes muffled through the tree, but the quiet shock and loss in it is so unlike her that it pierces Saber to her core. Just as Saber was supposed to be able to stand her ground, Magilou was supposed to be able to handle the aftermath with aplomb -- so none of this is going as planned, really. I am fine, she wants to shout, but her body may as well not be her own.
The only evidence of her continued well-being is her dropped sword, still sheathed in the ground and glowing bright. Saber wills Magilou to notice it and take heart. It's a part of her spirit; it wouldn't be able to stay materialized without her to sustain it with magical energy. ]
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Magilou's hair falls in front of her eyes as she inspects the ground where Saber last stood, hoping there's something that will prove to her that Saber isn't gone for good. Something she might have to come back for. Something she could break out of the tree for. Maybe if she still had her sword, some way to slash out of there, there might still be hope.
Her inspection turns up only one indication that Saber even stood there, wasn't just a figment of her imagination or a reflection of happiness she was once haunted by in ever-familiar illusions: her sword, gleaming in its own ethereal glow, the brightest thing in the forest. Magilou stares at it transfixed, hoping that it tells her something. If Saber is a spirit, and her weapon is also spiritual - hence her ability to manifest it - would that mean it would disappear if she were dead?
Hope isn't something she's familiar with. Numbness is her forte, despair her ally against harsh realities and uncertain truths, and needing faith to believe Saber is still with her somewhere is hard for her. But it's all she has to cling to.
Standing next to Saber's sword, Magilou looks at the offending tree looming up above her, and speaks. ]
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[ Magilou spins, takes her Guardian out; her voice is back to its normal brightness, but the cheer is entirely gone. If Saber is in there somewhere, she's hoping that she can hear that she's bluffing. Magilou is weighing her options, but hurting Saber isn't one of them. It's a calculation between her chance of succeeding if it works; if it backfires, how much damage it might cause. ]
We can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way would be blowing you to smithereens, but I don't think you'll like that. The hard way... I'm assuming you want me to give you something. That's what all of you want for returning what you took, right? An offering. It's how these stories go.
[ If it has to be a good offering...
Well. There's a few things that she can give. One, her journal that she arrived here with. Two, she might be able to find something in the forest. Or three... A trade, between someone who has something to move on for, and a witch who doesn't.
But if it doesn't come to that, she's keeping it buried. ]
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Inside, a frustrated Saber continues to strain for movement to no avail. With a Command Spell, there would be a simple solution, but now she can only listen. Perhaps Magilou is bluffing about blowing the tree up, but Saber hopes she'll do it. Burn it, electrocute it, freeze it -- Saber is confident in her ability to survive any magical blow, even if her confidence is what got her in this situation in the first place.
An offering also seems like a feasible choice, though Saber doesn't know what Magilou has to offer. Magilou is fully capable of hunting, so perhaps wild game...? But with all the powerful beasts they encountered along the way, Saber doesn't like the idea of Magilou getting caught alone.
Whatever her choice, Saber trusts her to be wise. Wiser than Saber's been, at any rate. ]
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She knows that Saber is a different sort of spirit than a malak. She knows that the rules that govern a malak's existence might not apply to her. But she's hesitant to do anything that would hurt her. They made it through the monsters relatively unscathed, but there's nothing saying that Saber's constitution can last being swallowed whole by an evil tree. Physical strikes can hurt malaks, and magical attacks can wound them. If she sets the tree on fire, will Saber be burnt to a crisp? If she causes a flood and pushes the tree from its roots, would Saber be swept away?
There's not many options she's confident in, but for once, Magilou picks the safer one. It's not her life that's at stake. ]
How about a trade? That person you ate, for... [ And now, she unlatches one of the books hanging around her waist and holds it out to the tree, idly flipping through its pages. Only the first few pages have been filled out, in neater script than it feels Magilou should be capable of. All of the pages are dated from ages ago. Longer than she's been traveling with anyone. ] This book. Gonna assume a regular offering won't do it - you're a tree of very distinguished tastes. So I brought this thing from home. I was using it to write down my witchly escapades and daring dos, but a sentient tree must have a lot to say. The things I've written down already are just scribbles of meaningless dribble, so you could get more use out of it. What do you say?
[ If it doesn't accept that, she has a lot of other things she could try. And if it does accept and spits Saber back out, well. Hell hath no fury like a witch tired and pissed... and tired of near scrapes with losing people. ]
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The tree sways in a shudder of leaves reminiscent of a sudden gust of wind, and a branch reaches out to delicately catch Magilou's book in one of its forks. Then the crease of its mouth splits into a wide gape, and when the tree leans forward, it slides Saber onto Magilou in an unceremonious lump of sap.
Saber, for her part, can't immediately shake off her paralysis, so there's nothing for her to do but fall on Magilou with all the weight of her body and armor. And though she can't breathe yet, her heart still beats and her body is still warm... somewhere beneath all that thick, sticky sap. ]
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Satisfied that the tree is going to return Saber safe and sound, Magilou waits and Saber to come slashing out of the tree, probably with her bare fists or something, but then - ]
Whoa whoa whoa - hey!
[ Getting a very sticky, sap-coated Saber collapsing on top of her wasn't part of the plan. Magilou thrashes in surprise as the weight hits her, but she's tossed down to the ground like a domino falling over with a flick, her slight frame not enough to support Saber in full armor. She taps Saber on the shoulder to try and shake her awake, but her hand just ends up getting stuck on the sap.
This is... that's fine. It's fine. She was planning to blast the tree to high heaven once Saber was free from its clutches, but since she's stuck on the ground, that might be impossible now. She's hoping the tree doesn't disappear immediately (come on, she secretly wants Saber to see her being cool or something! she's a witch, let her perform, tree!), but since all she can do is writhe on the ground, she sighs and taps her non-stuck hand against the ground like she's tapping out of a wrestling match. ]
Saber! You in there? Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey, I'm going to - [ A whisper, in case the tree is still listening - ] set this old gnarled waste of wood ablazey!
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In the meantime, Saber is highly mortified. As the sap slowly oozes off of her, sensation begins to return to her body. Her limbs are slow to respond though, and the stickiness doesn't help at all. She stirs, and then with slothlike speed, slaps an armored hand onto the ground so that she can try and lift herself up. ]
I--ptooh.
[ Sap in her mouth -- she spits it out (not on Magilou) rather inelegantly before trying again. ]
Yes... Give me... one moment...
[ She attempts to enunciate even through her slurring as she regains the feeling of her mouth. Summoning all of her strength, she rooolllllls off of Magilou, leaving a puddle of sap in her wake. (She is so sorry.) From there she struggles to rise, only to tip over the other way in a heavy clatter of metal. She should probably wait a while longer before trying again.
... But as is the lesson today, Saber doesn't always listen to her better reason, because she'll attempt to get up a third time. If Magilou plans on torching the tree, Saber needs to be on standby in case anything (else) happens... ]
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It was harrowing, but Saber is free! So she'll take the victory proudly, putting her hands on her hips and puffing out her chest. You're welcome, she won't say, because that would be implying that she thinks she deserves any sort of thanks - which would, in turn, imply she feels any sense of attachment. She doesn't, obviously!? (She does.) Her voice drops to a soft whisper, just in case the trees can... somehow hear her. ]
Phew. You all right over there, o sticky soldier? I've got a tree to blast apart.
[ That being said, she'll give Saber time. But her Guardian is out - it has, thankfully, avoided the sapocalypse - and there's a bounce in her step nonetheless. It'll just take a quick chant of spells from her lips, and this entire clearing could go up in flames. ]
You see any indication in there that it would be opening some sort of Pandora's box to just blast this thing to high heaven? I've had enough of its maiden-stealing ways. It didn't even try and kidnap me - how rude!
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I am fine...
[ Sort of. And because she can still feel the attention of the tree emanating toward them, she too drops to a whisper. ]
I will thank you... not to refer to me as a maiden. And no, there should be no complications... with your plan.
[ She stands up a bit straighter and nods to Magilou. Saber has her back probably! ]
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Magilou gives Saber a wink and a slight nod, but once her attention is on the tree, her expression changes to something more playful, her lips quirking up in a malicious smile. Now that Saber is out of its clutches, this tree is going down, and she's going to enjoy every moment of it. It takes just a few seconds of setup - a trick of the light, almost, because when Magilou snaps her fingers, there are four larger copies of her Guardian weapon dancing around the offending tree with gleeful abandon. Magilou keeps up a rhythm with them, her feet tapping in time to the beat of the drum in her head. ]
Hey, tree - you can keep the journal, but I've got one more gift to give you, special delivery!
[ The Guardians keep up their dance, speeding up with every full rotation, until Magilou deems it fast enough - it's a good thing that her opponent is rooted to the ground, because it gives her ample time to prepare. With a twirl, a snap of her fingers and a flick of her wrist, her index finger points to the center of the tree, the point where Saber was swallowed whole by the insatiable beast. Immediately, the card floating above Magilou's finger shoots out like a bullet as the dancers converge, colliding together in a burst of magical light that blooms like a firework above them. It's a controlled explosion to keep from setting the entire forest on fire, but when compressed, the power multiplies.
When the starbursts fade, the tree is charred nearly in half: smoldering, ashen, but with just a sliver of its bark remaining attached. It's intentional: Saber's the one with a bigger bone to pick, after all. ]
Oh, dear. Seems I've accidentally left a splinter alive! I'm all for doing the deed, but if my partner would like a taste of the action - [ And here, she gives a gracious bow. ] - then I'll gladly let someone else clean up this mess.
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The explosion at the end of it lights up the forest with a fury, even the stray hair atop Saber's head blown back with the force of it before gently settling back into its usual forward droop. Saber blinks and observes the wreckage. For Magilou to have left that small bit of trunk intact on purpose -- and Saber has no doubt that she did -- is a display of control almost as dramatic as the spell itself.
This was all so needless... ]
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I would never dream of stealing the finishing act from you, and I have tasted more than my fair share. The finale is yours.
[ She bears no grudge against the tree, as embarrassing and gross as it is to be covered in sap. She was the one who invaded its territory, after all. ]
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