Witchers of Nifelheim - Part 2

Rain stops and shakes her head. The woman turns on her heels, "we are doing this for our kids, were you not one to be horrified to find out your children are gone Twilight? While I agree with Rogue on his points I have my own. Find my friends children, stop some unknown horrors from tearing apart my country and protect my family. The thought process doesn't need to be any more complicated then that." She streightens her armor and places her red barret back on her head, she tightens her scarf and walks past Twilight stopping next to her shoulder, "Dont call me one of your, "Children" again... if anything your the one overthinking things. Your children are still missing so if you ask me your underreacting. Could be dead for all you know." She shrugs and moves to Ursula, "mabye before trying to stumble your way around morality, we are all here for the same reason so domt try to take your place at the top purple." She scoffs.

Rain stops when she hears the disgust in twilights voice, "Twilight... do you not see us as a team?"

She slowly stops the preperations, as she's looking for the words.

"Rain, I said children not as my offspring, but as a general term. You're right, I am supressing my worries. But that's because I would get myself killed for them. I love them, I'm only here for their sake. If it wasn't for them, I would've gotten someone else to go."

She then gives Rain a look. It seems hollow. "Team... Rain, what do we know of eachother?"

"I know you were once the princess of equestria, and probably a more self absorbed high and mighty unicorn then most because of your upbringing. I know you have saved the world on a multitide of occasions within your frilly little castle in equestria walled off from the rest of the worlds issues. I read news articals about you, you made a book at some point which I read. Mabye you have the means to tell me what happened or do I already know?" She pauses, "You left Equestria with the best intentions Twilight, you left your friends, your family, and your mentor behind to go solve some other countrys problems and now because you have seen the outside of equestrias gated politics its made you bitter." She steps up her gray eyes staring twilight down, "I dont know you because you grew up and became someone else completely, once someone who could pull a team together now seeks to put herself above above her team." She gives Twilight a disgusted look, "What? You think you could come in here by yourself?" She turns away, "know what... forget it, next time your pinned beneath one of those things dont expect help from me. Know why? Because we aren't a "Team" and that doesn't make us "Friends" i'll just leave you for dead next time." She makes her way next to her and places her hands on the cart, "Now shut up and push."

Radiance steps up to help start pushing the cart

"Rain, you idiot!" he sighs "That is exactly what you keep to yourself. Threatening someone in a world where your mental state is more important than your own physical well being is by far the most intelligent thing you could have done.

This isn't Adelheid where we all can go our separate ways. We are for better or worse stuck together for an entire year. This infighting between all of us that keeps happening. It needs to stop. Or our quest is going to end up going down the drain real fast."

He looks to Twilight "You asked why I take the path of the shallow grave? I'm never thinking about myself in these situations. It's always about the bigger picture. Right now, every action I take is to ensure my family, and team, either live to see another day or completes the bigger goal at hand.

I've come close to death more times than I care to count. Maybe it's made me foolish but after I was saved from the Digital Waltz facility, I've stopped fearing death. I only fear, that in my final moments I didn't do everything in my own ability to make the world a better place."

After Rain's tirade came over her, she mutters a few words. "That's what, not why."

When Radiance gives his answer, she seems to think about it. Then she slowly answers. "I see. So it's about stopping the threat of now. To make sure the damage doesn't spread. I suppose that's one job. But it might just be I'm not cut out for that job, even if I'm pushed there far too often."

She goes to push the cart alongside the others. "Perhaps we all should get some rest, then talk it out peacefully. Really hear why we do things, instead of judging eachother on the surface."

Silent Mist/Moon Dusts wrote:”You’re doing great Laylah. How are you feeling?”

"Thank you, I'm doing much better" Laylah gently replied. She sounds like she's smiling:
"I.. haven't actually eaten anything, since I was born.. two days ago... I wasn't sure I was ever going to. I'm not.. I'm not the best suited for combat.."

Behind her gentle voice, you could hear the faint sounds of a river. Soft splashing could be heard, from time to time. It sounds like Laylah is gently touching the waves with her palm:



"I.. prefer to create things.. not destroy them.." she released a small laugh:

"..you could say, I'm not very good at being a parasite. I didn't plan to attack or kill anyone. That's what I decided, when I became self conscious.
I always knew I would drift through life, until fate would send a Witcher or another parasite my way, to end my life. I probably wouldn't have fought back.. I.. wouldn't want to."


Laylah released a sad sigh and audibly smiled: "And until then, I decided I would.. create..
Paintings, sculptures.. from whatever I can, until fate finally catches up to me...


And then you came..." Laylah quietly said with a smile: "...you... saved me...
Now, you're protecting me...
I guess I wanted to say... Thank you" Laylah audibly smiled from ear to ear. Her voice slightly shaking.

Rain wrote:Rain grips her ribcage tring to take a few deep breaths, "The... witchers weapon took one more even after his death. May he rest in honor." She slowly pulls herself up, looking for any remaining pieces, "I could at least make a handle out of whats left." She pauses taking whatever she can find of the old weapon, "Alright! Lets get this thing out. Ursula im trusting you have a flare to send off to get backup in here." She stretches herself out as she begins moving towards the mine cart.

Your wounds began to regenerate, although much slower that expected. It seems the injuries were severe and Squiggles was working overtime to keep you alive. Subconsciously you note that a regular person would have died from these wounds.


Ursula looked down for a moment, collecting her hands and closing her eyes:
"..I'm sure the owner of this weapon would have appreciated greatly, that his blade served to protect this land, even after his passing. Thank you. You greatly honored the Witchers' Order today"


As you look for the remains of the old Witcher weapon, you saw that it had crumbled to dust. Violent contact with a parasite must have put a massive strain on it and the already unstable metal, had crumbled away and scattered along the cave.


"I sent out a Parasite Warning flare, just before we entered the mines" Ursula nodded to Rain: "Backup will arrive in a few hours to mop up any parasite stragglers. There's no need for us to wait for their arrival, we can freely take the precious metals and head back to the stronghold"







Ursula, Kaylee and Johan began moving towards the mine cart as well and after some effort, began slowly pushing it along the rails, toward the cave exit.

The three have distributed their stats in the following way:

Ursula
------
Health: 14
Sanity: 14
Mana: 30


Kaylee
------
Health: 11
Sanity: 10
Mana: 11


Johan
------
Health: 11
Sanity: 11
Mana: 10








For a long while, Johan, Kaylee and Ursula listened to the conversation. Johan and Kaylee had their ears pressed down, in worry.
Ursula quietly listened with an odd, neutral expression. It wasn't sad or grim per-se, it seemed more as if, she heard similar discussions, many many times during her work as a Witcher.


After a natural pause in the conversation, Ursula quietly spoke:




"...Combat.. isn't safe. There is no safety there. Its very nature is dangerous.


If we retreated, the lizard would have probably fallen behind, prepared a Level 2 spell, chased us down and fired it at our backs.

In the long stretching tunnels, we would have no cover and no shield would protect us.
At least one of us would have perished for sure.
In that sense, I believed a retreat would be more dangerous. And a head on attack, had less risks." Ursula sighed:




"Sometimes, we have look death in the eyes and charge right at it, to survive. Sometimes a seemingly suicidal run is the only chance of survival.

You will understand this.. with time.. the longer you spend on this planet"




She looked down: "I don't enjoy fighting. I hate it.
But I do it, because I must. Because every violent parasite killed, equals a human life saved.

And.. I also fight.. because..." Ursula heavily swallowed, looking at you:



"...there are things, worse than death..." She closed her eyes tight, pushing through some invisible barrier with sheer willpower:



"I saw my mom die." Ursula suddenly said: "The woman who raised me, since I was a newborn. The woman who cared for me, nursed me to health and held my tiny hand, every time I was sick.

I loved her, and when she was murdered, right in front of me, there was nothing I could do. No way to repay her kindness, when it matter the most"


A stream of tears began to appear in her eyes. She didn't bother to wipe them:


"What makes me choose the path of a possible shallow grave? I don't want to see someone I love, die again, right in front of me. I don't want to see people die, period.
Because having to watch that again... for me... is a fate worse than death..."


Ursula looked down, suppressing a sob: "We live in Nifelheim. Where humans are hunted down and killed every day. Those of us who aren't Witchers... are targets... cattle, to be cut down by the parasites.

In Nifelheim, a life of fighting offers Survival. Your own, and the people around you.
That's why I fight. That's why, I do not fear death.


I fear seeing someone close to me die" Ursula went quiet, trying to calm herself and wiping her face.




"I.. um.." Johan quietly called: "..I fight for atonement...
I've done things, I'm not proud of. Whether I did them because I suffered from a mental illness, or not... it doesn't help me feel any better.

I'm living on borrowed time. I should be dead, but I'm not. So I want to spend every waking moment, trying to help someone around me. And if I die, doing that... I'm okay with that... I'll be at peace with that" he sighed, looked down.




Kaylee released a sad smile: "I feel guilt. Regret. Things that I should have done differently, or, found a better solution to. My choices affect numerous lives and when I make a bad choice.. someone else dies... other than me...

It is an awful feeling to have" she nervously sighed: "I'm okay at charging towards death, head on, because I am pushed forward by guilt. I want to make up for the bad choices I made, mistakes I have done.

Because.. maybe.. if I try really hard and save someone... help someone... maybe one day..
I'll be able to look at myself in the mirror again" she released a sad smile.




"We need to be aware when to step forward and when to step back, you're absolutely correct" Ursula said after a moment:
"We must also band together and work as a team. Any Witcher will tell you, he would rather have a partner at his back, then face a parasite alone. And if he fights in a group, even better.


The number of spells we can carry is limited. Each Witcher specializes in a different field, a different spell, a different weapon.

Amplifying each others strengths, while covering each others weaknesses, it is the basis of all Witcher combat.



To be effective, we must work as a team. A well oiled machine, a single unit, working with one mind and one goal.
It won't happen immediately, or in a day. Its something we must work on together. Striving towards the same goal. We must want it.


Listen to each other, support each other and help each other along. Only then, will we have any hope of survival" Ursula quietly said and released a small smile.

Radiance wrote:I'm suggesting we spend at least a week to train and prepare. Get a base level of understanding of the language and customs of this place before we set out."

"I agree" Ursula nodded: "The blacksmith will need time to forge your new weapons. We would be wise to utilize that time to the max"


She seems to have suddenly remembered something and said:
"Oh, Rogue, you still haven't distributed your points" she called after a moment: "You should do it asap, it will give you an edge in combat. We never know when an enemy will show up"

"We've been thrown together for years now, and we still bicker constantly" Radiance gives a soft chuckle

"I'm curious about something. Our sanity level, how is that number compared against something like a fear spell?"

Rain pushes staying silent for a long moment, "I fight for..." she hesitates unsure if she wants to open up in front of everyone, she takes a deep breath, "I fight because there Is nothing else for me. I fight for my family, my wife, my daughter. I push on in my sisters honor I strike with full force because it feels like fighting is all I have left. You... all of you can tell me otherwise like many others have, 'oh rain but your the commander of a country, you have a beautiful wife, a wonderful daughter, you have reached the peak. Why aren't you happy." She falls silent for a long moment, "I fight because It brings me something, its exhilarating, its something other then sitting behind a chair and simply commanding someone to fight for me. I'd much rather be behind a ships gun with Kaylee as a spotter, watching a hostile ship go down and respecting their fight then sitting back, oblivious of whos out there dying for my cause. I fight to make people better then myself, to stride away from the bitter, insulting woman I already am. For my friends who have surrounded me through thick and thin, the ones who have trusted me to have their backs when I know they have mine." She falls silent her gray eyes locked ahead, "...and as much as I might insult them, as much as I may bicker and argue that they are wrong. I know that no matter what I say, I protect who I can."

She looks to Twilight, "I talk to you the way I do because I see me in you... that bitter, uncaring attitude. You say things carelessly without thought and let me tell you this is not a road you want to travel Twilight. It leads to agression, its hard for me to make friends. You probably wont know anything about me because I constantly keep my emotions locked and gated and the only ones with the key are insults and anger."

Merry Christmas everyone!!!          

//Hey guys ^^ I made an additional thread on teh forum for a quick reference of how magic works in the rp and an example of how our character sheets can look like

Hopefully it can help out during future combat encounters etc, lemme know if you have any questions and if the magic table is easy to use etc.


And once again, Merry Christmas!



https://ultimate.forumotion.com/t40-character-sheets-magic-mechanics

Kaylee Brown wrote:


She seems to have suddenly remembered something and said:
"Oh, Rogue, you still haven't distributed your points" she called after a moment: "You should do it asap, it will give you an edge in combat. We never know when an enemy will show up"

"Oh yes, sorry" Rogue apologies, before assigning one point each to Sanity and Mana.

Health: 10
Sanity: 11
Mana: 11

"I asked earlier, but how long can a symbiote go without eating, if it came to it? Could they starve if we don't kill any for them to eat?" he asks Ursula.

// Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all!

Kaylee Brown wrote://Hey guys ^^ I made an additional thread on teh forum for a quick reference of how magic works in the rp and an example of how our character sheets can look like

Hopefully it can help out during future combat encounters etc, lemme know if you have any questions and if the magic table is easy to use etc.


And once again, Merry Christmas!  



https://ultimate.forumotion.com/t40-character-sheets-magic-mechanics

// Just checking over that, does Rolo not have a title like the others?

//Rolo was born a blank slate so he asked you to give him a name when you first met. You can give him a title as well if you want



"Oh, right" Ursula slightly nodded. Judging by her expression, the topic wasn't easy for her:

"...a parasite can last a month without eating. Any longer than that and.. he will starve.. and perish..." Ursula shuffled her feet, looking away: "...and you will perish with him."

After a moment, she noted the rapidly growing horror on Johan's face and quickly added:

"Uh, you don't actually have to kill something, once a month. You've probably seen it before, but parasites can also consume flora as well. Grass, trees, plants, anything living really."



"Hey... yeah..." Kaylee said, thinking and taking hold of her chin: "...when we first arrived in Nifelheim, we saw grass and trees die out in waves, as if an invisible force was moving through them... and everything in their path... died..."


"A parasite horde.. yes" Ursula heavily nodded: "That's what they do in great numbers. Destroy everything in their path, leaving behind a barren husk of a planet.
A single parasite doesn't need nearly as much food to function. A small patch of grass can sustain one for days."



With some effort, the mining cart had finally reached the caves exit. The blue foxes were waiting nearby, wearily stomping the ground and emitting sharp howls from time to time. Without wasting any more time, Ursula distributed the metal from the mining cart, into 8 large backpacks and fastened them to the foxes.

"Hop on" she called, climbing into the seat of her fox: "We shouldn't stay here longer than needed"


She emitted a small clicking sound with her tongue and her fox broke into a light gallop, right into the thick of the forest line. You faintly recall coming here from a different direction entirely.


Kaylee and Johan followed suit, clumsily climbing atop their own foxes and nervously watching as their giant companions followed Ursula without any need for command.

"..aren't we going back to the stronghold?" Kaylee asked, after several moments ticked by and Ursula kept leading the foxes deeper and deeper into the winter forest.



"No" Ursula called, slightly turning her head back, as her fox galloped in the lead:
"Our destination is a Spirit Village, hidden deep in the forest. It is a fragile place of balance and tranquility. A blacksmith master lives there. Weary and tired of the unforgiving life on Nifelheim, he left and found peace among the Spirits.

We will ask him a favor, to craft Witcher weapons for you" she said turning her head and once again staring ahead. The cold wind harshly ruffled her hair, until the knot on the back of her head came loose and her long hair fell loose on her back, flowing behind her in waves.

Rain rides alongside Ursula, "Have you never concidered a mass extermination of these things!" Rain calls, "im talking witcher weapon lines, cheap and easy to forge spikes along your front lines, your regular villagers may be blind but that doesn't make them completely useless as longbow archers to rain arrows apon the hords of beasts." She leans forward relaxing on the galloping beast and giving it a pat on the neck, "You could have killed hundreds if not thousands. Im sure many of the folk living here would love to protect their familys even if it costs them their lives. Forgive me if I sound heartless but dont you think it would be best to take them up on that offer?" She pauses taking a long monent to think, make sure her reasoning is solid, "...Its understood that those parasites aren't harmed by normal means but as I just learned even If i shove a nugget of that metal into that beasts maw it would do constant damage! So why not utilize it and start making an army to combat these things?"

Kaylee Brown wrote:
"Oh, right" Ursula slightly nodded. Judging by her expression, the topic wasn't easy for her:

"...a parasite can last a month without eating. Any longer than that and.. he will starve.. and perish..." Ursula shuffled her feet, looking away: "...and you will perish with him."

After a moment, she noted the rapidly growing horror on Johan's face and quickly added:

"Uh, you don't actually have to kill something, once a month. You've probably seen it before, but parasites can also consume flora as well. Grass, trees, plants, anything living really."

Upon hearing that, Twilight lets out a sigh. "Well that sadly means we have to keep Glysteria for slaughter. Anyone up for Glysteria farming? Because letting them grow naturally, well... You see the results."

Kaylee Brown wrote://Rolo was born a blank slate so he asked you to give him a name when you first met. You can give him a title as well if you want



"Oh, right" Ursula slightly nodded. Judging by her expression, the topic wasn't easy for her:

"...a parasite can last a month without eating. Any longer than that and.. he will starve.. and perish..." Ursula shuffled her feet, looking away: "...and you will perish with him."

After a moment, she noted the rapidly growing horror on Johan's face and quickly added:

"Uh, you don't actually have to kill something, once a month. You've probably seen it before, but parasites can also consume flora as well. Grass, trees, plants, anything living really."



"Hey... yeah..." Kaylee said, thinking and taking hold of her chin: "...when we first arrived in Nifelheim, we saw grass and trees die out in waves, as if an invisible force was moving through them... and everything in their path... died..."


"A parasite horde.. yes" Ursula heavily nodded: "That's what they do in great numbers. Destroy everything in their path, leaving behind a barren husk of a planet.
A single parasite doesn't need nearly as much food to function. A small patch of grass can sustain one for days."



With some effort, the mining cart had finally reached the caves exit. The blue foxes were waiting nearby, wearily stomping the ground and emitting sharp howls from time to time. Without wasting any more time, Ursula distributed the metal from the mining cart, into 8 large backpacks and fastened them to the foxes.

"Hop on" she called, climbing into the seat of her fox: "We shouldn't stay here longer than needed"


She emitted a small clicking sound with her tongue and her fox broke into a light gallop, right into the thick of the forest line. You faintly recall coming here from a different direction entirely.


Kaylee and Johan followed suit, clumsily climbing atop their own foxes and nervously watching as their giant companions followed Ursula without any need for command.

"..aren't we going back to the stronghold?" Kaylee asked, after several moments ticked by and Ursula kept leading the foxes deeper and deeper into the winter forest.



"No" Ursula called, slightly turning her head back, as her fox galloped in the lead:
"Our destination is a Spirit Village, hidden deep in the forest. It is a fragile place of balance and tranquility. A blacksmith master lives there. Weary and tired of the unforgiving life on Nifelheim, he left and found peace among the Spirits.

We will ask him a favor, to craft Witcher weapons for you" she said turning her head and once again staring ahead. The cold wind harshly ruffled her hair, until the knot on the back of her head came loose and her long hair fell loose on her back, flowing behind her in waves.

"How long will it take to forge the weapons?" Rogue asks Ursula, "One isolated outpost has already been attacked today, if he lives alone in the woods then that could leave us all dangerously vulnerable just sitting there waiting whilst he's making them..."

“Are you poking around in my memories of the seaside? I don’t mind, I’m just curious.”

“What will the weapon’s look like? I get that it’s probably a sword, but what sort? Or do we get to choose when it comes to that?” Mist asked. “I guess once we get back home, I could feed Laylah from the Everfree plants. It’s not like there’s any shortage of animals and plants there.”

Rain wrote:Rain rides alongside Ursula, "Have you never concidered a mass extermination of these things!" Rain calls, "im talking witcher weapon lines, cheap and easy to forge spikes along your front lines

"We tried to utilize this strategy once, but it wasn't viable in the end" Ursula said with a level of sadness:
"The metal we use for our Witcher weapons, is very rare. It became more effective to forge personal weapons for each Witcher, attuned to their soul. This way, the weapons can be used infinitely, or until the owner dies.

But as you've seen in battle, if left unrefined or un-attuned to anyone's soul, the metal crumbles to dust, upon first contact with Glystaria.
Not only that but we simply don't have enough metal, to afford making countless arrows and barricades from it.

Whatever little we have, is best utilized to forge personal weapons for unlimited use"



Ursula bit her lower lip, as the foxes ran through the thick winter forest, dodging branches and massive tree roots without need for command. The trees slowly grew more and more numerous, their leaves beginning to block the sun and the sky, enveloping the area in a never ending, thick shadow.


"After our people had firmly settled on Nifelheim, recognized the parasite threat and mastered the Glasgow Synergy, our leaders proposed a battle plan, to rid the planet of every Glystaria."

Ursula slowly began:


"In the Year 564, counting from the Great Exile, the elders proclaimed the 'Age of War and Darkness'.
Every able body was thrown into harsh training, prepared and initiated into the Witcher ranks. We raised a colossal army, and designed a battle plan. A plan to retake the planet.

We fought long, we fought hard. For every inch, every meter of this planet. The parasites held their ground firm and made us pay dearly for every victory.
For centuries we fought a war of attrition, but in the end, the parasites broke us. The enemy numbers were simply too great, they multiplied too fast.


In the Year 1110 the war with the parasites was lost irreversibly and 'The Age of Migration' was proclaimed.
Unable to eradicate the parasite threat, we decided to regroup and bunker down. Construct 9 Castle Cities and use them as safe haves, in preparation for our return to the Machine World.

It is our only chance of survival.


I know a regular citizen is more than eager to help, but he simply cannot see the parasites and cannot use any conventional weapon to fight.
For better or worse, the Witchers are the first and only line of defense. To take such a role upon one self, knowing the risks, living a life of constant war and proudly carrying the Dance of the Swallow, it is considered a great honor among our people."

Ursula quietly said and emitted a sharp battle cry. Her fox responded immediately increasing pace and sprinting across the thickening forest.

Twilight wrote:"Well that sadly means we have to keep Glysteria for slaughter. Anyone up for Glysteria farming? Because letting them grow naturally, well... You see the results."

"..Glystaria farming?" Alyx broke into a small laugh: "Do you intend to grow us like potatoes in a garden? I'm fine with eating grass you know. Plenty to go around.
Unless you enter the Blast Lands of course... though, if some madness drags us there, food will be the least of our worries.

Rogue wrote:"How long will it take to forge the weapons?" Rogue asks Ursula, "One isolated outpost has already been attacked today, if he lives alone in the woods then that could leave us all dangerously vulnerable just sitting there waiting whilst he's making them..."

Ursula thought for a moment: "...there's seven of you guys so.. about a week I think.
A Witcher contingent will arrive at the mines soon. After they're done clearing the caves, a group of them will split off and head for the hidden village.

Its high time we prepared it for evacuation anyhow. In a few weeks, we'll be taking every living soul on this island and crossing into the continent. The parasite horde is on the move and we need to send people to the nearest Caste City, before the Great Migration begins."

Mist wrote:“Are you poking around in my memories of the seaside? I don’t mind, I’m just curious.”

"Oh, no no, I was just imagining something of my own" Laylah shyly replied: "A warm, green plane and a crystal clear river.. oo maybe some fishes too.." she added, falling in thought:
"I like to imagine new places.. draw them later.. its.. calming" Laylah said with an audible smile.

Mist wrote:“What will the weapon’s look like? I get that it’s probably a sword, but what sort? Or do we get to choose when it comes to that?” Mist asked.

"You can ask the blacksmith to make any weapon you want. We have plenty material, for something as small as a rapier, to a massive war hammer. He can forge pretty much anything."









The wild ride dragged on and on. The foxes kept leaping left and right, dodging the ancient tree roots that stuck out of the ground. The trees grew so tall and so thick here, their majestic branches had fully blocked out the sun, coating the area in darkness.

Here and there, you would hear woodland creatures, quietly squeaking in alarm, watching you from the bushes with round glowing eyes, as your foxes races passed them, moving further and further into the depths, where no man had seemingly stepped before.


You're not sure how much time had passed, when the foxes gently slowed down and came to a stop.
At first, you only saw a small clearing, not too different from the rest of the forest. Only on closer inspection, you suddenly realized that what you mistook for natural tree formations, were actually tiny, wooden houses, built no more than a meter above ground.


They looked like something you'd see in a toy shop, so small, gentle and meticulous made, each house not much bigger than a basketball. Tiny curved doors, tiny round windows, small ladders and intricate guard rails around the circular balconies that spanned the entire perimeter of the house.


Two intricate, metal street lights - candles, encased in glass, hung before you, seemingly marking the village entrance. A small road began there and curved, running along the trees and the houses built on the tree's surface.


The candles didn't burn and no lights were visible anywhere in the village. No signs of life were present either.

Such a gentle quiet hung over the area that Kaylee subconsciously held her breath.



Ursula slowly hopped off her fox and took a few steps forward. You still don't see anyone in the area.

Rain glances around, "By the looks of it everyone in this world is more then likely insane... respectable, but insane none the less." She gives her daughter a small push, "Yes even you." She chuckles and steps forward drawing her bow, she steps up to one of the houses and gets down on her hands and knees trying to take a peak inside.

As you peek through the tiny window, you are met with a pair of clear, teal colored eyes, staring at you.

Ursula released a small smile: "They call themselves, the Istachi. Very humble and gentle woodland creatures. We made quite a bit of noise when we galloped here, the racket must have scared them.
If we stay really still and quiet for a few moments, they'll understand we're not a threat and begin to emerge" she smiled.
















From behind the tiny house that Rain was looking at, a transparent, teal colored figure began to emerge. Slowly and carefully, looking at you with its big, round eyes. It reminded you of a cat for some reason, its transparent ears moving a bit, catching every sound in the vicinity.


One by one, the spirits began to emerge across the village, wearily peaking their heads around houses and trees. Tiny paws, taking hold of the trees surface for protection.
After a few silent moments, they began to spread in kindhearted smiles. More than a few moved forward and floated toward you, hovering about a meter above ground.

Their bodies were very long, ending in something akin to a burning, teal fire. Some began floating around you, surrounding each person and staring at him with fascination and smiling.

A few emitted a happy, kindhearted sound and gently took hold of your arm, lifting it and pointing it toward the village. It seems they're encouraging you to enter, lacking the strength to actually tug at your arm, but gently pulling at your sleeves, in the direction of the village.

"Do these guys have any fear of Glystaria?" Rogue asks Ursula.

"I guess the plan does need to be viewed over a few times, to make sure it's safe" Twilight mentally replied to Alyx. "But yes, I want to create a way to farm Glysteria, since apparently we'd have to slay others of your kind at least once a month, or we die. If we go back there, how will all the witchers who are planning to cross to the machine world sustain themselves in a world devoid of glysteria? It's something to think about. Unless you have a better solution for everyone, including those that don't want the witcher life."

She looks at the teal creatures flying around, observing them. "Strange, they look transparent, but they are able to interact with us. Also, any loud noise will startle them? Any other things that will make them scatter?"

Taking a step forward Radiance moves to enter the village. Keeping in mind his footing so he doesn't accidentally kick a window in or damage one of the buildings.

"They are adorable... but... ehhhhh?" She lets them take the lead walking into the village, "im not entirely comfortable with these things."

“What are they? Are they dangerous? Ursula, do you know what these are?” Mist asked hurriedly, pulling her hands away from the strange creatures. The whole ‘cute’ look didn’t really affect her, and she was pretty sure that something awful was going to happen. It’s wasnt like bad things didn’t happen to her, especially deceptive things.