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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | Worgen Adamantia, Callyna, Merelda and Ozzy work together with Lord Cecil, his translator Wobby Cardassus, and the kaldorei druid (and Ozzy's shan'do) Imrolane to address the troubling developments in Surwich. Mitigation isn't working, and it looks like it's time to try something more drastic. ~5900 words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
The scene opens in the misty open courtyard of Surwich Village, by the horse pasture.
Merelda steps out into the center of town, eyeing the perimeter anxiously.
Ozzy snuffles the air in bear form, looking uneasy.
Adamantia is standing nearby, watching the windmill turn.
Wobby hops down off of the fence.
Callyna is standing a bit further away from the group. She's petting Finley, getting herself ready for human interactions. With people. Finley wags his tail.
Ozzy spots Callyna and briefly rears up on her hind legs to give an awkward but enthusiastic ursine wave.
"Is everyone ready for another outing?" Merelda asks, a little wearily. "I'm not sure this is helping long-term, but at least for the security of the village…"
Cecil does a little side wave close to his head, meaning 'hello'. He nods to Merelda.
"Let's get to it, then?" Merelda says, looking around at the willing.
"Where's Immy?" Ozzy says clearly, still in bear form.
Wobby picks up his staff from where it was leaning against the fence.
Merelda shades her eyes and looks around for the wild kaldorei druid.
Imrolane seems to be in conversation with Mayor Connisport. Or, at least, whatever passes for conversation.
"There she is!" Ozzy lumbers over.
The others follow.
Merelda waves at Imrolane. "Will you join us for the demon patrol today?"
Ozzy affectionately nudges Imrolane. Pretty hard.
Immy immediately breaks off the 'talk' with the Mayor and drops to her knees to wrap her arms around Oslynn in a snugglehug.
"Thero'shan!" Immy beams, nuzzling Ozzy. She looks up at Merelda and nods. "I come."
Callyna takes a deep breath and joins the group. "Hi." Her voice is barely audible.
Merelda turns to Callyna with a mild smile. "Hello, Callyna. I'm pleased you're here to join as well."
Cecil gives Callyna and Imrolane the same sideways wave, signing hello to them.
"Hello, hello," Wobby says warmly.
Callyna nods. "Me too." she sighs. "Hopefully we'll see less ghosts this time."
Ozzy lumbers back over to Cecil, and then shifts into worgen form for easier potential signing.
Cecil takes Ozzy's hand for now.
Ozzy beams at him, her ears folding a little, shyly.
Merelda nods back to Imrolane. "I'm glad. We need everyone we can get. The demons seem thicker than ever in the woods." Merelda looks over. “And is Adamantia…?"
Callyna's eyes widen. Demons. She was looking forward to no ghosts, and instead she got demons.
"This is a tough group," Ozzy says. "I fink we can 'andle some demons." She's gone Full Gilnean, possibly due to the surroundings.
Imrolane beams at those gathered, her gaze particularly affectionate toward each of the worgen.
Ada joins the group, but keeps at a slight distance.
Merelda nods to Ada, a look of approval in her eyes. "I daresay we can." She melts into worgen form, and prepares to head out.
Ozzy drops impatiently to all fours.
Imrolane does so as well, shifting into her comfortable cat form.
Callyna remains silent. She doesn't daresay they can. She doesn't dare do much, anyway.
Unlike all the other worgen, Ada keeps to her human form as they proceed. At least for now.
Cecil nods solemnly to Finley. (Dog Finley.)
Finley lets out one, short "bork" of acknowledgement at Cecil. (Human Cecil.)
Ozzy literally runs circles around Merelda.
Merelda chuckles warmly at Ozzy.
Immy nips playfully at Ozzy's heels when she passes.
Cecil uncaps a little flask at his waist and takes a sip of water. He leaves the flask open at his hip, and mist begins to flow from it.
The team heads into the southern forest.
As the local treants become aggressive, Ozzy shifts to bear form.
When a few corrupted treants attack, Imrolane restrains her instincts, sitting back to watch the young'uns in action.
"I'll protect you!" Ozzy yells.
Cecil gestures to bend the mist around the others, healing their wounds.
Merelda stands back, letting herself be protected.
Once again, it looks like Callyna isn't leading Finley in battle. She seems to follow his orders instead, firing arrows at the treants as he barks.
The treants are defeated, but there is plenty more to fight in these woods.
Ozzy-bear gently headbutts Cecil.
Immy snorfles in approval at Ozzy.
"Well done," Merelda says.
Cecil pats Ozzy's head approvingly.
Ozzy gives Finley a playful nudge as she passes the dog.
Finley nudges back, sensing the familiar scent. Bears are big and tough, though, and he's pushed back a little off the road as he does.
As they cross a bridge into the forest closest to Marl's Tree, Maldraz, demons become visible.
Imrolane growls menacingly at the sight of demons ahead.
Ada finally shifts forms into a large lupine cat, to better defend herself.
Immy sniffs at Ada, inspecting the fellow wolfcat.
Merelda considers the cats, the bear, then with a little effort, she shifts into the unfamiliar form of a moonkin.
As they approach the demons, Ozzy demonstrates that her tendency to be very annoying and loud has advantages - the demons seem to focus on her more often than not.
Merelda stays a little behind, soft and feathery, calling down beams of moonlight and starlight.
Wobby gets up in the demons' business, often using his staff to vault into the air and kick them in the back.
"Ow many ov'ese blasted fings we gotta kill anyway?" Ozzy says irritably, shaking demonic ichor from the claws of one foreleg.
"Always one more," Merelda says, with an odd hooting sound in her voice.
"All you see," Immy rumbles in a gravelly voice.
Callyna shivers at the sight of the demon ichor.
"Maybe soon we can get to the root of the problem?" Ada suggests optimistically.
Ozzy nods ferventy at Ada. "Yeah, that's wot we oughta be lookin for, for sure."
"Let's circle around the tree," Merelda says, looking in the direction worriedly. "See what we can see."
The tree, Maldraz, is as enormous as ever. Marl Wormthorn must still be meditating in his trance deep within the tree’s trunk.
"That's a proper tree," Ozzy says.
"Are you sure?" Callyna asks.
Ozzy squints at it. "Well, proper sized."
"N-no, I meant… should we be looking around the tree?" Callyna asks again.
"Why yes," Wobby says. "We want answers, don't we?"
Merelda nods firmly. "That's the center of everything. If we could only wake Marl, then maybe all of this could be cleared up."
“Don't be nervous," Ozzy says warmly.
Callyna sighs. "I'd love not to be nervous…"
As they approach the tree, they see an even thicker spread of demons. Some appear to be regarding the Tree with a kind of demonic reverence.
Merelda eyes the odd behavior of the demons. "They don't seem as though they're attacking Marl's Tree. Quite the opposite."
Ada's fur bristles the closer they get to the tree.
"I'm gonna rip up those demons good," Ozzy says excitedly. "You can just watch if you want."
"I think I'll chip in where I can," Merelda says with a hooting chuckle. "But rip them up, yes."
"Bet I could do it by myself though," Ozzy grumbles with a little glance at Merelda.
"You could," Merelda says mildly. "But you don't have to."
Ozzy sighs dramatically for no obvious reason.
"Ozzy very strong," Imrolane says. "You make pack stronger. When together."
"Yeah," Ozzy says quietly, and a little sullenly.
The team circles around the massive tree, clearing out the demons and corrupted treants.
Callyna holds her bow tightly, jumping to grab an arrow at any approaching demon. She shivers. "I don't… hear birds in that tree, not anywhere near us. You'd think a druid's tree would attract at least a few animals…"
"Oh yeah…" Ozzy says uneasily at Callyna's words. "That is right strange."
Cecil nods to Callyna.
Merelda nods at Callyna with worry. "You would think, in the ordinary way of things."
"Sick," Immy says. "Land is sick."
Ozzy seems to be listening harder now, trying to sort out the different sounds of the forest. She doesn't look encouraged by what she hears.
"Let's make a full circle and report back?" Merelda says. "It doesn't seem like the demonic presence is lessening at all."
"Feels loike tryin'a wipe up rain when it's still rainin,” Ozzy grumbles.
Cecil huffs. She's not wrong.
Ozzy gives Cecil a warm little nudge with her giant bear-nose.
Cecil idly removes a chunk of demon claw from Ozzy's fur and tosses it aside.
"It is such a shame, all this growth, and this healing, and now…" Merelda shakes her head.
"Maybe it's like war, and I should go away so you can win it," Ozzy says dryly.
"Sorry," Cecil signs to Merelda, making a fist in front of his chest and moving his hand in a circle.
"How does that win a war?" Ada asks.
Ozzy gives Ada a wry bear-grin. "It's more that I lose every war I'm in."
Merelda smiles at Cecil. "It's no one here's fault."
Callyna looks worriedly at Ozzy.
"Now, now, Miss Gravehowl," Wobby chides her. "Correlation does not imply causation."
"Indeed, and I hope she never has to join enough wars to have a statistically significant statement," Merelda nods to Wobby.
Imrolane regards Cecil curiously. "You do not talk? Or you do not like to talk? Talking hard."
"Oh yeah I forgot to tell you, Immy," says Ozzy. "He doesn't talk."
"Well he talks wif 'is 'ands," she corrects herself.
Callyna was about to do the correction, so she just nods.
"The gnome, Mr. Cardassus, 'e knows 'ow to tell us wot e's sayin'. I know some of it too."
Cecil nods, letting them answer the question. He smiles a little at Imrolane.
Immy bobs her head at Cecil. "Talk with hands. Good. I will learn."
"Immy 'as trouble talkin' too, Cecil," Ozzy says affectionately. "But 'ers is loike a brain fing."
Immy dips her head in acknowledgement.
"But she has many experiences to share," Merelda says, glancing at Imrolane. "A long history. I value the words you give us."
Cecil makes a fist with his thumb and pinky sticking out and moves it in between himself and Imrolane. The sign for 'same' means something like 'me too' in this case.
[Oslynn]: "Sometimes it 'appens to druids wot stay too long in a form. She got too wolf or somefing, roight?"
“Too much wolf," Imrolane confirms. "And…other thing."
Ozzy gives Imrolane a supportive nudge.
Callyna worriedly fires an arrow at a normal tree after Finley barked at it.
They approach Surwich Village.
Ada abruptly returns to human form.
Merelda turns back into worgen as they enter town. Maybe moonkin is too weird.
"Luckily I can talk enough for all seven of us!" Ozzy says brightly, and a bit too loudly.
"It's… reassuring to have someone who talks a lot in these situations," Callyna says, looking at the ground.
"Don't get me started," Ozzy says, and then guffaws awkwardly.
Immy regards the sign from Cecil curiously. "What is that?"
Immy resumes elven form and practices the sign Cecil showed her.
"Lord Cecil believes he has something in common with you, miss Imrolane," Wobby translates. "That gesture means the things being indicated are 'the same' or 'similar'."
Imrolane gives Cecil a broad smile with too many fangs, even for a night elf. "Yes. Same." She repeats the gesture.
Ozzy keeps an eye out to make sure nothing sneaks up behind them.
Cecil signs it back to Imrolane, flashing a grin at her.
They make it back to the village safely, and Merelda leads them straight back to Mayor Connisport. "Sir, we witnessed some odd behavior around Marl's tree. The demons seemed to… revere it."
"Oh, oi didn't notice tha'," Ozzy admits.
Mayor Connisport looks at the team, his eyes heavy with worry. "They were worshipping it?" The mayor sighs, and shares a long look with Imrolane.
"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Callyna whispers.
"It is as we feared, then," the mayor says reluctantly. "I believe that the taint of the Blasted Lands has finally exerted its influence over my friend Wormthorn."
"They demons gathered around it, looking up," Wobby says. "And Miss Callyna noted that there were no birds or wildlife nesting in its branches."
Ozzy shifts back into worgen form, which seems to have become her default.
Imrolane nods solemnly to the Mayor.
"The red land can influence people?" Ada asks sharply.
"Not us," Ozzy assures her confidently.
"Yes," the mayor nods. "Apparently. But their behavior… that shouldn't be, if the demons were fighting his healing trance. Rather, they have taken it over entirely," the mayor sighs, and brings a weary hand to his forehead. "I think we’ve got to move to your most extreme plan, Miss Palemoon."
Cecil looks worried.
Immy frowns, but nods firmly. "Shai."
"I'm good at extreme plans," Ozzy says loudly.
The mayor seems to take some strength from Imrolane's assurance. He takes a breath and says, "The tree must come down, and Wormthorn with it. The act we are about to commit must not be made known to the townspeople of Surwich. Morale is low enough as-is."
"So we're killing him?" Ada clarifies.
Wobby looks around to see if anyone heard that.
"Yeah but we gotta be quiet about it," Ozzy says loudly.
Some people probably heard that.
Imrolane takes a breath and says, "Co'sport wise to listen; Imrolane is wise. More demons come. To Maldraz. Great tree sick. Kill sick, so sick is not growing."
Ozzy does not really have an inside voice, so it's good she's a druid.
Callyna takes a deep breath. Finley gently pats her leg with his front paw.
"Yes, and… it's not as simple as just going in and taking his life," the mayor clarifies. "You'll have to first draw him out of the trance… Miss Palemoon had a plan for that."
Ada looks to Imrolane.
"Bucket of water won't do it, I take it?" Wobby chuckles, but his expression is rather grim.
"Wot 'appens if we kill 'im in 'is sleep?" Ozzy asks, as though killing a sleeping person doesn't trouble her.
Ozzy does cover a giggle at Wobby's comment.
Bad things, Ozzy. Indescribably bad things, one must assume.
Merelda turns to Imrolane attentively. "What must we do?"
Imrolane nods. "Plan. We need wake up Wormthorn. Find the way. Hmm. Wormthorm try to help land. We show him. Land very sick. Plants and animals sick. Show him. We kill sick tihngs. Take parts. Smoosh together. Very much bad power, all together. Show Worththorn. Make him see sick. Shake him awake."
"What happens if he understands what we're doing when he wakes up and decides to attack us first?" Callyna bites her claw. Callyna whispers to herself. "How are we going to make him sea sick in the forest… ?”
[Merelda]: "So we need to show him an… amalgamation of the sickness of this land," Merelda says, trying to understand. "So that he can see clearly what he's done to it?"
"So then maybe we won't 'ave to kill 'im?" Ozzy asks hopefully.
"Maybe… but Callyna may be right," Merelda bites her lip. "He may attack us."
"Maybe." Then Immy takes on a dark countenance. "But maybe we kill. Stop sick. Always stop sick."
"That I can 'andle," Ozzy assures them. "If it comes to it."
Immy nods gravely to Ozzy.
"I hope I'm not right," Callyna shakes her head.
"Me too, no offense," Ozzy says.
Wobby looks at Imrolane with a sadness in his eyes and runs his fingers over his knuckle tattoos. "Let's hop to it while Surwich can still be saved, eh?"
Ozzy absently stares at Wobby's tattoos.
Wobby's knuckle tattoos read 'GDF' and '025'.
Merelda nods. "This place was a bold experiment. Even if Marl has failed, it can still survive."
The team heads out from the village.
Imrolane drops to all fours, her body shifting once again to the wolfen cat.
Merelda firmly becomes a fluffy moonkin. She is ready for fite.
Ozzy once again becomes bear.
"Let's aim for the northern forest," Merelda says. "There's still more wildlife there, less demons."
This time Ada stalls her shapeshifting for as long as humanly possible.
Merelda glances at her curiously, but doesn't judge other people's shape-shifting hangups.
The team arrives at the far north, to a part of the forest with bears, bats and the like… though they are also tainted.
"Here," Immy says. "Animals. Kill. Get parts. Smoosh."
Callyna jumps to the ground and crawls away as a sick bear charges at her. Finley BITES.
Cecil lets other people collect the parts to smoosh. Every time a sick animal lands a scratch or a bite on anyone, Cecil guides a wash of mist over to disinfect and heal the wound.
Ada collects animal parts as instructed and attempts to smoosh them together, frowning as she does.
Ozzy focuses on the murder.
Merelda focuses on the long-distance killing, letting others do the smushing.,
"Okay, I was just gettin' used to the smell around 'ere," Ozzy says, wrinkling her bear-nose, "An' now we're crushin' all this disgusting stuff."
Callyna jumps so incredibly high as she inadvertently places a paw in a puddle.
Ozzy guffaws before she realizes it's rude.
Ada jumps at Callyna's sudden movement, then frowns at her.
Callyna looks at Ada, then immediately looks down at the ground as she notices her look.
"For a good cause," Merelda says quietly. "Do you think this place can recover, if we remove the Tree?"
"Oh cor, we gotta remove the tree? Not just the guy?" Ozzy sighs.
"Shai," says Imrolane. "Cut out sick. Heal body."
"Maybe… with fire," Merelda suggests. "I don't relish the idea of cutting down something so large."
"Such a pretty tree," Ozzy says sulkily.
"It's got rocks in it," Ada adds.
"The tree 'as rocks in it?" Ozzy repeats in confusion.
Cecil gags a little at the scent of smooshed-together sick animal parts. It's not great.
Ozzy gives the disgusted Cecil a comforting little nose-nudge.
"In a way, maybe this culling will help as well," Merelda suggests, in a tone that she hopes it will bolster people in the face of yuck.
"I can't even be a stag around 'ere," Ozzy says. "My nose is just… it's loike bein punched in the face wif a gross infected fist."
"It is… a lot," Merelda says, holding feathers in front of her nose.
"It's worse than wet bear, which I'm told is pretty bad," Ozzy says dryly.
"Wet bear very stinky," Immy confirms.
"It may be harder to tell when you're the wet bear," Merelda says, with a hoot of amusement.
"So it would seem," Ozzy says, suddenly using a very posh accent.
Cecil chuckles faintly.
A very tiny little not-scared smile appears briefly on Callyna's face.
Ozzy scoots closer to Callyna. FRIEND?
Callyna smiles again very briefly at Ozzy.
Callyna now has a dog and a bear.
Finley bumps into Ozzy again. He's knocked back a few feet again. Bears are strong.
"Is this all we need, Imrolane?" Merelda asks, gesturing to the mushed bits.
"Please say yes," Ozzy grumbles.
Imrolane sniffs at the disgusting collection of tainted animal parts.
Callyna walks around the puddle this time.
"This is the most disgusting fing oi've ever done an' oi've taken a big bite o' kraken," Ozzy says.
"Shai," she says. "Smoosh. All bad power together. So Wormthorn see. So bad."
Cecil gags again at the scent. He covers his mouth and turns his head aside, trying to breathe very little.
Ozzy shifts quickly to worgen form and pats Cecil's back gently.
Merelda nods. "We should tell Charlton before we go to the tree. Marl was his friend, he should be warned when it is happening."
"Enough of a smell to rouse the dead," Ada says. "And he's not dead probably, so it should work."
"Goodness, if he were undead in addition," Merelda's moonkin eyes widen. "Yes, let's not borrow trouble. We already have plenty."
"I ain't gotta borrow trouble," Ozzy says. "I always carry some wif me."
Callyna sniffs the air. "It's funny. The smell almost smells like… home, to me."
"Why's that?" Ozzy says curiously to Callyna.
"My mothers had plants in their glasshouse," Callyna shrugs slightly. "One of them smelt like rotten meat. So you know, reminds me of Gilneas, a little."
"Wild!" Ozzy says enthusiastically.
Merelda shifts back into worgen form as they return to town, and looks at Callyna in surprise. "A plant that smelt of rotten meat. Was it useful?"
"I… actually have no idea," Callyna's eyebrow raise a little sadly. "My mothers were florists, so they kept them as oddities, or for decorative uses, mostly."
As they approach the mayor, he eyes the smushed vessel of filth warily, and brings a sleeve in front of his nose.
"Mayor Connis… that is, Charlton, it is time," Merelda says. "We're going to bring him out, and do what must be done."
Cecil steps a little bit towards the ocean.
Charlton sighs. "When word gets out of what you’re about to do… there's no saying what the citizens of Surwich will do. They cling so closely to Wormthorn's dream… but still, it must be done. Take that thing and use it to pull Marl Wormthorn from his trance. He is my friend, but even I admit the necessity. Best of luck, my friends." He manages to lower his sleeve to give us a solemn nod.
"The Cenarion Circle will not abandon Surwich," Merelda says firmly, and looks to Imrolane for confirmation. "The village will survive."
Immy nods firmly. "We cut out sick. Then heal."
"Let's do it," Merelda says, squaring her shoulders.
Ozzy’s shoulders are naturally pretty square.
Callyna looks like she has square shoulders, but it's all her scary armor set. Under that armor, she is like that one tv show. Undressed and scared.
Now it is time for the last trip out to Maldraz, Marl Wormthorn’s tree.
Merelda shifts back into moonkin as they leave. It seems a little easier for her this time.
Ozzy signs quickly at Cecil, You good?
Cecil pinches his nose and makes a face. This sign might be universal.
Ozzy giggles.
Immy snorfles at Cecil.
Merelda smiles. She knows that one too.
The team approaches the great tree. Inside, Marl hovers in swirling green and poisonous purple energy, surrounded by demons.
"Okay yeah that looks bad," Ozzy says.
"My word," Wobby says, which means 'okay yeah that looks bad' in gentleman.
"Oh no…" Merelda raises a featherwing to her beak in shock. "Let's clear it out."
Immy whimpers at the sight of the worgen, lost in his trance.
Ozzy gives Immy a sudden clumsy hug.
"Are they… keeping him captive, or is he doing this?.." Callyna stares at Wormthorn, holding her bow close to her chest.
"Maybe if we slay the demons…" Merelda says.
"Beats me," says Ozzy. "Probably literally in a minute, wif actual beatings."
Ozzy turns into bear form to prepare.
The demons are slain, but Marl continues to hover in his trance.
"Show him!" Immy barks. "Show the smoosh!"
Adamantia approaches with the stinky smoosh, presenting it to Marl.
"Question," Ozzy says suddenly, and conversationally. "Was he called Wormthorn before 'e started 'angin' out wif demons, or-"
Ozzy is interrupted by Marl bursting out of his trance and shouting, "What are you doing? You threaten my work! The Tainted Scar's revival is all thanks to me!"
Ozzy roars and charges in.
"Can't you see it's still full of demons?" Wobby protests.
Marl turns his focus to the bear and attacks with full force. It is unclear if he sees that it’s still full of demons.
Ozzy does her best to keep his focus on her, not even flinching as his claws rake her thick hide.
Finley barks orders at Callyna, but she's frozen. Although Wormthorn is aggressive, Callyna just can't move anymore.
Seeing her thero'shan leaping into the maw of danger, Imrolane bounds after her, growling viciously at Wormthorn as summons up faerie fire, lighting up the druid in the darkness under the tree.
Wobby goes to town with his staff, dodging back as twisted vines spring from the ground to try and ensnare him.
Ada leaps around behind Marl, biting and clawing in her lupine cat form.
Soft green mist seeps from Cecil's flask as Cecil directs it to flow around Ozzy, healing her.
Marl fends off the attackers, surprisingly spry for his time in a trance. Then he gestures and roots snake up to hold Ozzy in place as he takes a step back. He spins around to aim a burst of wrath at Ada.
This really annoys Ozzy - she GROWLS to try to get his attention back.
Finley bites at his ankle, also growling to get his attention.
The growl gets his attention, and he glows with demonic power as he prepares a burst of wrath, this one swirling with purple and green. He aims it at Ozzy, her taunt takes priority over the pet taunt.
The bolt of energy smacks Ozzy square in the chest; even on all fours, the power is enough to hurl her back and topple her. She does not immediately rise.
Imrolane ROARS, "OZZY!" Seeing red, she lunges at Marl, fangs and claws forward, with every intention of tearing him into several pieces.
Marl snarls with rage and queues up another wrath, this one glowing even brighter. Merelda looks frantically from the fallen Ozzy to Marl, and leaps into the path of the energy just as it leaves his hands.
The energy strikes Merelda solidly and she falls, losing her grip on the moonkin form and crumpling to the ground as a worgen.
Callyna screams an unintelligible word in her panic. Maybe it was a name, or just a screech. It's impossible to tell.
Marl turns towards Imrolane, and redoubles his attack.
Ada begins eyeing exits just in case she needs to make a run for it, as allies collapse around her.
Ozzy regains her feet just in time to see Merelda fall. She frantically tries some heals, turning back into worgen form.
Cecil pours healing mist into Ozzy, the air filling with the scent of fresh water, his eyes wide. He splits the stream of mist into two and pours some into Imrolane as well.
"Cecil help!!" Ozzy cries when Merelda still doesn't get up.
Merelda shows no sign of taking the healing.
Wobby launches a flying kick at Marl's throat, disrupting his spellcasting.
Ozzy has completely forgotten to fight; she is just flinging pitiful, sputtering heals at Merry's limp form on the ground.
Marl staggers back, returning to claws over his demon-wrath magic.
Cecil sends a sweep of mist soaking into Merelda's fur, frowns, and goes to try and pick her body up.
Merelda is liftable, but shows no sign of waking.
Imrolane is relentless. Even as Marl's magic lashes at her, she cannot feel the pain in her savage onslaught.
Wobby uses his staff to jab at pressure points on Marl's body.
Finley barks at Marl and Callyna simultaneously, throwing himself at Wormthorn, locking his jaw on his leg. Callyna shakingly grabs an arrow and breathes heavily, firing an arrow, targeting right between Marl's eyes.
Ozzy focuses, managing to cast a full-powered heal. Still nothing. "Is she -" Her eyes widen as she looks at Cecil.
Cecil carries Merelda fully out of the tree, dropping to a crouch with her in his arms.
Ozzy takes off after Cecil. She seems to have forgotten a fight is happening.
Marl struggles against the assault from Imrolane, Wobby and Finley, and then Callyna’s arrow strikes him right in the head. The demon light around him goes out. Marl’s spirit lingers, overlaying his body for a moment longer. Long enough to recognize the gore of the smoosh, the fallen demons all around him. Marl’s eyes fill with horror, then regret and resignation.
Marl quietly says, “I only wanted to… do something… good…” Then he falls.
Ada begins to back towards the exit herself, seeing the others abandoning the fight. Fortunately, Marl dies before she can fully flee.
Imrolane doesn't stop mauling Wormthorn right away. She is utterly soaked in blood and gore by the time her frenzy subsides and she has the sense to look back and see if Ozzy is alright.
"Everybody out, out of the tree," Wobby calls, concerned that it might just rot and collapse in on them.
Outside the tree, it is becoming clear that Merelda has still not awakened.
Cecil checks for a pulse, making a noise of dismay as he finds none.
Ozzy's ears flatten. For a moment she looks starkly despairing. But then she takes a breath. "Okay I learned 'ow to do this," she says. She casts a resurrection spell. It looks pretty standard. No obvious errors. Merelda does not stir.
Okay, now Ozzy is panicking. She takes rapid, audible breaths. "SOMEONE FIX HER!" she yells.
Imrolane pads over to Ozzy and Merelda, standing upright into her elven form. "Let me see."
Cecil puts a hand on Ozzy's shoulder and takes a deep breath. "I help," he signs to her, indicating Merelda with a directional sign.
Ada stalks out of the tree, fur ruffled. "Did she have a place she wanted to be put to rest?" she asks, helpfully.
Ozzy stares at Ada like she's speaking Taurahe.
Callyna doesn't hear Wobby's call. She's in shock, looking at her arrow in Marl's head, still frozen where she was. As the group has moved outside, she slowly rejoins them, her breathing heavy, her face blank. She stares at Merelda, motionless.
"She's dead, right?" Ada sniffs at the body.
Ozzy takes deep breaths and patiently waits for the real healers to do their thing. "She just… we got healers…" Ozzy says weakly. Her eyes are wide.
Imrolane places a bloodied hand on Merelda's forehead. The savagery of mere moments ago is replaced by a quiet focus. Her hands begin to glow with green light. Letting out a long sigh, she looks up at Ozzy in dismay. "She…not here."
Ozzy tries again, a little flare of green light as she stands there looking stunned. Nothing.
Cecil breathes evenly, a pulsing green light glowing through his skin. It travels from his heart up to his throat, and he exhales a ball of green mist, which he presses to Merelda's chest.
Merelda does not stir.
"Could it be interference?" Wobby asks. "From the Fel of this place?"
"YEAH!" Ozzy says desperately. "Get 'er to town!!"
"Deer," Cecil signs to Ozzy, and then gathers Merelda up again, ready to put her on Ozzy's back.
Ozzy shifts, despite the stench.
Adamantia looks uncertain, but shrugs. "Worth a shot I guess? I've never known anyone to come back from that, though, except as undead."
Cecil climbs up with the corpse. This is the least fun version of Gilnean riding.
Once Merry is secured, Ozzy bolts in deer form toward Surwich.
"I fly," Immy says. "Tell to make bed." She leaps up, transforming into a crow and soaring ahead to Surwich.
Wobby sighs and runs after everyone. "Come, miss Callyna!" he calls.
Callyna seems absent. She just looks at Wobby, blinking. She follows, not as fast as she could.
Wobby allows himself to fall behind the others significantly so that he can make sure Callyna and Finley make it out of the forest safely.
A few lingering treants make bloody scores in Ozzy's hide as she runs by
Cecil presses healing mist into Ozzy's flanks and valiantly does not drop Merelda.
When they arrive at town, Ozzy kneels to make dismounting easier.
Ozzy tries another little green flare of light. Nothing. She gives the others a turn.
Cecil slides off and lays Merelda out on the ground, head on the grass. He kneels down next to her again.
Merelda shows no signs of reviving.
Ozzy falls on her knees beside the body. She gathers Merelda into her arms, and the green light flares again as she ugly-cries and babbles.
"Well," Ada says. "We should burn her and scatter her ashes somewhere nice."
"Please don't leave me, please!" Ozzy sobs. "I bet you left me that stupid house. I don't want it if you're not in it, Mama please, come back, I'm sorry, I love you, I'm sorry, please!"
There's a quiet sound, an intake of breath, and one of Merelda's claws twitches.
Ozzy gasps! Ozzy actually scrambles backward a bit in shock.
"Or… we can talk her back to life?" Ada squints. That works?
Cecil aborts his second attempt at a resurrection, looking at Merelda with shock and hope.
Merelda half-raises a paw, then drops it. Her eyes open. Her jaw moves for a moment before she manages to say, "…Ozzy?"
"I'm here I'm here! I did it! I SAVED YOU!" she says, as though two other people weren't chain-rezzing her also.
Cecil slumps in relief.
Ada moves closer to check for signs of zombie-ism.
There are no signs of zombie-ism. Hooray!
Ozzy goes over to hug Merelda and do some more ugly, snotty crying.
"Huh. Welcome back," Ada says.
"Lady Merelda?" Wobby peers at her.
Callyna, although she doesn't seem there right now, seems to calm down as Merelda begins moving again. Her breathing gets quieter, and she sits down on the ground.
Merelda struggles to sit up and wraps her arms around Ozzy, looking at the others. "What happened? I remember Marl was attacking Ozzy, and then… she was calling me… she called me…"
"Yeah," Ozzy says. "Yeah, I wouldn't let you leave."
Wobby motions Finley closer and sits down next to Callyna.
"Yeah, you died," Adamantia says.
Ozzy drags her arm across her eyes. Then her other forearm under her snotty wolf nose. "But now it's wotever," Ozzy says, and hugs Merelda hard enough to possibly crush her ribs and kill her again.
Finley lays down right next to Callyna, staring at Ozzy and Merelda, wagging his tail.
If only Ozzy had a tail. It would be wagging too.
"That's what that was, the lake," Merelda says, her eyes fixing on something else for a moment. Then she looks back at Ozzy. She looks like she's about to ask a question, but then instead she just holds her tight, tears shining in her eyes.
Cecil fishes out a handkerchief for Oslynn. He only has one. "Good job," he signs to her, and offers it out.
Ozzy beams at him, tears still streaming. She blows her nose into it horribly. Let's hope he never wants it back.
"Thank you," Merelda says, almost too quiet to hear. "Thank you for not letting me go."
"Miss Callyna?" Wobby prompts gently. "Lady Merelda is well. Are you with us?"
Callyna blinks slowly. She opens her mouth, looks at Wobby, then back at Merelda and Ozzy. She doesn't answer.
Wobby pats Callyna's knee. "I'll just go fetch everyone some water," he decides, and waddles off to do that.
"I'm gonna stay here wif her for a while," says Ozzy. "Maybe the rest of you can report?" Ozzy petpetpets Merelda, messing up her mane.
"I'll report," Ada says. Maybe this way people will forget her offer to burn Merelda.
"Thanks," Ozzy calls after Ada, clearly not remembering that Ada was about to put the torch to her mom a second ago.
Ozzy turns to look at Cecil. "How do you sign 'mama'," she asks him.
Cecil lifts a hand, fingers spread, and touches his thumb to his chin twice, the rest of the hand angled so that his pinky points directly outward.
Imrolane chooses the most inappropriate moment to throw her arms around Ozzy and Merelda (and she's still very bloody).
Ozzy does awkward bloody group cuddles. Then she signs Mama. Good Mama. And messes up Merry's mane some more. Petpetpet.
Merelda closes her eyes, content to simply be alive and loved.