Chronicles of The Omniverse Archived Naseni: Naseni Forest

as written by Script

"Wait," Achaeos stepped forwards, "Stop. There's something very wrong here. Look at the spirits closest to the opening."

As Achaeos gestured, some of the dancing lights closest to the boulder shifted, their shapes warping and their colour darkening intensely. The peaceful, swirling nature of their dance quickly became frantic and enraged, and if they possessed anything approximating a face, it twisted in anger.

It lasted only a moment, before they drifted away again and returned to normal.

"Do not move that boulder!" he yelled, stepping forwards.

Seiji looked over his shoulder, frowning. "But we need to!" he exclaimed, "I can feel it - I know the spirits, and I can feel the pull. They need it open!"

"I don't know what you feel, child, but you are mistaken. Stop at once."

"No!" Seiji shook his head vigorously.

"Do not force my hand!" Achaeos growled, his hand lingering near his katana.

Behind him, Nariko chuckled. "It doesn't look like they're making much progress anyway." she remarked. Indeed, despite the strength of the other two pushing the boulder, it had barely budged. It seemed something more than its own weight kept it where it was. "And are you sure you're right, Aki?" the younger looking kitsune girl stepped forwards, grinning. "Maybe you're just afraid of the unknown. It's not necessarily bad, hm?"
 
as written by ConnorTavarin

Eventually, Kinaro stopped trying to pry the boulder from its position. It was too much for just the two of them to remove "Seiji." he said, sighing deeply "If there's anything I know about spirits is that they have the potential for deception and wrongdoing...before we continue trying, it would probably be best to ask for more history. The elder back at the village probably knows what this is and why it's here. What if moving this boulder upsets everything?" he asks.

After talking to Seiji, he looks over to Achaeos, eyes blazing with fury "Drawing that blade against Seiji will be the last mistake you make. Don't test me...no one touches my friends." he said. Resorting to violence over this? Kinaro couldn't stand people who drew their swords against innocent people who may not even know what they're doing.
 
as written by Sentry

"He should be afraid of what's in front of him if he draws that sword," growled Junwei, stepping forth from the boulder alongside Kinaro, separating Archaeos and Seiji. "Why have you two followed us? How did you manage to run that far?" he asked. Never mind how he was able to make it, himself. Or little Seiji. Kinaro was an obvious answer. "What do you all see that I don't?"
 
as written by Script

"The distance is a simple matter for those that do not tire like humans, as I'm sure the both of you can attest to. As for what we see? Spirits, by the hundreds. They cloud the air here like moths drawn to a flame." Achaeos replied, removing his hand from his sword with a frustrated sigh. "I swear to you, moving that boulder will not bring anything but harm. I know not what it is, but I can sense that much. A darkness pervades this place."

Nariko rolled her eyes. "Boring as ever, Aki. It's a mystery just begging to be solved. Do you not think the assembled powers here can handle anything that lies beyond?" Her lips curled in a smile, "Or are you so out of practice you think a little dark spirit might overcome you?"

"Complacency is not the way of the wise." The long-haired man replied, scowling.

"It can't wait!" Seiji protested to Kinaro, "I don't know how I know, but I know. It's really important!"

"Listen to me, child. Whatever is speaking to you, it lies."

"And how do you know you're right?" Nariko challenged, "Could not your own senses be deceived, Aki? Or are you so arrogant you would dismiss that possibility? Tut tut." The girl chuckled.
 
as written by ConnorTavarin

Kinaro seemed a bit unsure of the entire situation. Everyone had differing opinions about what to do and he even found it hard to side with Seiji at this point. Again, he put his faith in his friend, but as far as he knew there was nothing he could do to move the boulder "Seiji, Junwei and I couldn't even make the boulder budge. I know how much you want it moved, but at this moment there's no way to do so! Please...let's think about this some more. It's all we can do right now." he said. While it pained him to disappoint Seiji, Kinaro had no idea what else they could do. He turned around to face the boulder again, trying to figure out what could possibly be on the other side. He took a careful look at the surrounding area in an attempt to find some kind of clue that could help him figure this out.
 
as written by Sentry

"All seems peaceful with the rock in place. I have no real interest in changing that," said Junwei, putting his opinion forth. He brought a glare to the bickering couple. Nariko specifically. "Your friend is right. Curiosity tends to put people in situations that we'd rather not deal with." He turned to Seiji.

"You. You will be patient!"
 
as written by Script

"You're just thinking about it the wrong way," Nariko remarked with a smirk towards Kinaro, "Why move the boulder, when removing it from the equation is far easier?"

Achaeos turned to face her with a scowl, "Do not try it, Nariko, or I will be forced to intervene."

Seiji scowled angrily, an expression that looked decidedly out of place on his ever-cheerful face. "I already told you! It can't wait!"

With that, he turned and pressed his palms against the boulder once more, shoving fruitlessly at it.

Nariko trailed her eyes from Kinaro, to Junwei, and then back to Achaeos. "It's not like you to strike the first blow, Aki," she murmured teasingly, "Growing vindictive in your old age, are you?"

Not waiting for a response, however, she moved. A single leap launched her high into the air to somersault over the heads of the trio by the cave and land atop the boulder.

"No!" Achaeos yelled, drawing his katana from its sheathe, but he couldn't move fast enough to stop the girl as she slammed her hand down atop the boulder with a flash of bright blue light. Incandescent blue fire poured from her palm, searing down around the boulder's edges with a mighty roar that shook the entire cave and sent a wave of heat washing across the clearing.

It was clear that something had happened. The spirits around the cave began to swarm with even further increased ferocity, darting closer and closer to the entrance. A slight draft of stale air, barely noticeable, trickled out from the edges of the seal.

But the boulder didn't move.

Nariko barely had time to frown at her failure before Achaeos had launched himself up after her, and she was forced backwards, drawing her own blade in a flourish to parry the long-haired man's strike. The two exchanged several blows before Nariko vaulted down from the boulder into the clearing, and their duel continued on the ground.

Swipes of their blades were interspersed with bursts of spirit-fire. It seemed that the pair were evenly matched, gaining and losing ground both in equal measure.

In the meantime, Seiji continued to press on the boulder, completely ignoring both the fight and any words from Kinaro and Junwei. His eyes were narrowed and his lips pursed with focus, but on what, it was unclear.
 
as written by ConnorTavarin

Kinaro watched as the situation escalated further and further into conflict. Seeing Seiji as determined as he was, he gave a heavy sigh and a smile to the boy before taking flight and landing between Nariko and Achaeos. Beating his wings with impressive force, strong gusts of wind flowed from them "Enough!" he shouted at the two. "No more vague answers. You both will tell me what is going on....now." his hand was over the hilt of his sword "What is being hidden away here?" he turned to Nariko "And why do you want it to be freed so much?" he then turned to Achaeous "And why do you want to prevent that from happening?" he said, expression fierce. When matters were important, Kinaro did not play around, especially when it could potentially be something worth worrying about.
 
as written by Sentry

Kinaro dealt with the two troublemakers. Junwei decided he'd had enough of Seiji's stubbornness and reached a hand out to grab his collar, then lift him from the ground. "Enough with you, as well. If Kinaro and I could not move it, you have no chance."

His eyes flashed toward Nariko and Achaeos. There was a flame behind them as he waited for them to speak. His anger, one not easily upturned, began to boil at last.
 
as written by Script

Achaeos sighed, "I don't know what it is, I can only sense its darkness," he stated. "But I know this one. She is a troublemaker, and far too often aligns herself with evil for her own petty amusements."

Nariko chuckled, "So rude, Aki. Aren't you bored? The world has been so stale, for so long. It needs a little livening up. I suppose that is why I want to move that boulder, to answer your question, stranger. Simply to see what happens."

In the meantime, Junwei would find his hand struck by a spark of dark static energy as he reached for Seiji, repelling it. Something was radiating from the small boy, and his eyes had gone dead - emotionless in their stare.

As one, the spirits overhead ceased their swarming and dove down towards him. They rushed into him from behind in a torrent of blackness that caused him to arch his back with a pained scream, before driving straight through him and into the stone.

In the next instant, the boulder was alight with ancient runic symbols arranged in a rough circle, dark energy pulsing in them for a moment before the circle shattered.

Seiji dropped to his knees, life returning to his eyes. He looked up, confused, at Junwei. "What happened?" he asked.

A moment later, a hairline crack appeared in the boulder.

"Ooh," Nariko whispered, "Exciting."
 
as written by ConnorTavarin

Flying down to check on Seiji, Kinaro observes the cracks forming in the boulder, feeling something terrible. Looking up at Nariko, he simply grinned "Such a naive, arrogant child. Times of peace are the most beautiful. If I were to guess, you don't have anyone to share that peace with, so you make the world suffer for the things you lack. That...or you're just blind to the opportunities that come with no conflicts to worry about. Whatever the case may be, you won't have your way for long." he said confidently.

He worried about Seiji, hoping that he wasn't hurt "Seiji...Seiji, are you well? You weren't acting like yourself. Do you remember anything from the past hour?" he asks, making sure he had a complete understanding of the events that were unfolding.
 
as written by Sentry

Junwei did as he normally would- he grunted at the crack in the rock, once again reaching for Seiji. He watched him suspiciously this time, however. He may have seen some impressive things in his time, and was even a feat of strangeness himself, but some things never stopped being a concern.

Children becoming possessed and harnessing great power, for instance. That never sat well with Junwei.

He turned to Nariko and kept himself between her and the boulder. There was no chance he was going to allow her to freely approach it, now that something had happened.
 
as written by Script

Nariko chuckled with amusement at Kinaro. "Or perhaps I just find one more fun, hm? It's all subjective, wanderer. How long do you expect these two will remain with you, I wonder? How long until they reject you, like all the others? Because you're not like them, are you? You don't belong."

When Kinaro spoke to him, Seiji looked up at him, blinking confusedly. "I'm okay..." he murmured, "Just a little dazed. Aiee... I remember everything, just not the last few seconds, after they started fighting."

As he spoke, an eerie violet light began to radiate from the cracks in the boulder, and the ground rumbled. The spirits' swarming became a frenzy as they battered themselves against it repeatedly. The glow intensified gradually, and something built behind it - an ominous presence that washed over the clearing like a blanket.

Achaeos' eyes widened, and he ran forwards "Get back!" he yelled, launching himself forwards towards them in the same instant that the light reached a blinding peak, and the boulder exploded.

From Achaeos' hands a bubble of blue energy expanded to wrap around the trio by the entrance, as dark energy poured outwards in an unstoppable tide. Where it touched the grass and trees they wilted and died on the spot, leaving behind rotting husks of grey. Shards of rock from the boulder embedded themselves in the ground and the trees, and the clearing was obscured from view in the unnatural glow.

As it faded, Achaeos dropped to one knee, gasping for air. Sweat rolled down his face from the exertion. Across from them, Nariko was visible staggering in the same way, having protected herself.

The cave lay open, its dark recesses looming before them.

To the perceptive, the sound of light footsteps began to echo from within.
 
as written by ConnorTavarin

"If there's anything I've learned from my time here...if people judge me for my outward appearance then they were never true friends to begin with. There will always be a place I belong. So quit the mind games, they won't work on me." he said before the explosion took place. Stretching a wing in front of Seiji to protect him alongside Junwei, he braced himself when Achaeos defended them from the blast of dark energy. Hearing the footsteps coming from within, he had a chill run down his spine. Anything that could have survived in there couldn't have had good intentions for the world if its very presence did that to the world around them.
 
as written by Sentry

Junwei had put up an arm out of reflex when the boulder exploded. Once the excitement ended, his gaze lingered on the now gaping hole in front of them. Something about that just wasn't right.

He whirled on the two dizzied casters and stormed in on Nariko. Flames built up around his body, consuming him without doing any harm to his person. "What did you do?!"
 
as written by Script

"That wasn't me, hot-stuff," Nariko gasped, barely able to rise to her feet in the wake of the blast. "Whatever that was, it was your little friend that did it... And I'd love to know how."

Seiji was only just moving his hands from in front of his face where he'd flinched away from the explosion, eyes wide with fear.

An ominous presence settled over the clearing.

From the mouth of the cave, a figure staggered into view. She was clad in rags that, upon closer inspection, looked to have once been exquisite fabrics. Jewels adorned her fingers and her neck, gold and gemstones glittering in the starlight and the light of the spirits overhead. Her steps were more like lurches, unsteady and off balance.

As she came further into the light, her otherness became more readily apparent. Her skin was white with the paleness of death, taut upon her bones as though preserved from ages past. Her black hair was stringy and thin despite being held up in an elegant bun with exquisitely decorative pins and clasps.

Her eyes quickly found those assembled before the cave, empty and hollow. "You!" she called out to them, her voice both raspy and powerful - it carried an unnatural vibe, as though sourced not wholly from her decaying vocal chords, but also some magical means. "What is the meaning of this? What is this place, why am I here?"

Beside Kinaro and Seiji, Achaeos' face had paled and his expression shifted to one of horror.

"By Kunlong's breath," he whispered, barely loud enough for the two beside him to hear, "It can't be. Nakajima..."
 
as written by ConnorTavarin

Despite his natural courage against foes, Kinaro felt the slightest tinge of fear gazing upon the horrible state of this being known as Nakajima. Standing his ground, he sheathed his sword as not to appear threatening...perhaps she can be reasoned with, but even Kinaro felt that was highly unlikely "Those are questions that many of us can't answer...I can't speak for all of us but Seiji and Junwei have nothing to do with your current situation, nor do I." he said, gesturing towards the two. Turning to Achaeos, he asked "Exactly what are we dealing with...? Why was this woman imprisoned here? I think the time for secrets has passed."

A feeling of dread washed over him, as if something unspeakable was about to occur on this island in the very near future. He clenched his fists, determined to take a stand and do his part to ensure that whatever happens, it won't without a fight. It was the least he could do for the people. For Seiji, Junwei, the mysterious old woman...there were good people on this island, and he couldn't allow anything to happen to them.
 
as written by Sentry

Junwei didn't know the fear that struck deep through the others, but that it did had him slightly perturbed. The flames he'd wrapped around himself raged, blackening the grass around his feet.

He didn't say a word to her, but he was ready for an attack. He doubted this frail woman could do anything significant to the likes of him, as he'd been rarely outdone in the past, but he knew surprises lurked in the most unlikely of them all.

Like Seiji. Like Kinaro.

The fox girl especially.
 
as written by Script

The woman that Achaeos had called Nakajima glowered at the group at their lack of an answer, turning away and blinking her eyes as thought disoriented, getting used to the light. "How long has it been..." she murmured.

"Too long," a whisper on the wind breathed. "But your time has come once again. Awake, and know what your faithful know."

The dark spirits that remained in the air had ceased their swarming after the seal was broken, hovering serenely above the clearing, but now they swept downwards in a smooth stream. They descended upon the form of the woman and rushed into her body, disappearing as they made contact.

To the side, Achaeos rose to his feet, shaking off his fatigue from the barrier as best he could and raising his blade. "Yumiko Nakajima. Thousands of years ago, she rebelled against the Emperor's rule and named herself the true Empress. She called on necromancy, dark spirits and storms to throw the Empire into chaos for the better part of a century before she was defeated. I don't know how she has returned, but we have to stop this," he said, before darting forwards.

He brought his lantern up with one hand, and gouts of blue flame poured forth in a spiralling conflagration. Seiji brought up a hand to shield his face from the heat of the fire as it tore through the air towards the stranger.

Unmoving, she lifted her head and opened her eyes. Where had been hollowness, instead light shone forth. A wave of crackling energy radiated from her, and where the flames touched it they were dispersed like nothing. With casual indifference, she lifted her hand towards Achaeos before he had crossed half the clearing, and a bolt of lightning shot from her fingers straight into his chest.

The kitsune was thrown backwards as though struck by a wrecking ball, catapulted into the treeline with a cacophony of snapping branches.

"I am returned..." she intoned, lifting off of the ground and turning her gaze on the others around her. "And all who stand in my way shall fall. The throne will be mine again."

And then in a flash of lightning, she vanished.

"What did I do..?" Seiji whispered, "This is all my fault, isn't it?"

Across the clearing, Nariko's eyes were as wide as anyone's as she stared after where Achaeos had fallen. Despite her apparent animosity towards the other kitsune, her expression seemed horrified.
 
as written by ConnorTavarin

Kinaro leaned over to place a comforting hand on Seiji's shoulder "No, no it's not. You weren't in control of your actions, Seiji. Whatever this is, we can stop it, okay?" he tried his best to smile, patting the boy on the back. He looked over to Junwei "Do me a favor, Junwei...go check on the man who got attacked and make sure he's okay. I'm going to make sure Seiji's going to be all right after this ordeal." he said, staying close to Seiji. "Come on...are you okay? Can you stand?" he asked as he thought back on what he had learned. Necromancy...the thought of that didn't sound good in the slighest. It was sickening, raising spirits that are forced to do one's bidding. Even if Nakajima's flights of fancy of being the 'true' empress were in fact correct, Kinaro could tell from her current actions that she did not deserve a throne of any kind.
 
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