Forest Dweller
"Hmm mmm mmm..." Elos says, stepping back.
"Come and try me." With that, you look on in horror as he peels his face off slowly. As he finishes, he throws it to the ground and stomps on it, squishing an eyeball. Underneath is what looks like a devil- his eyes are gone, and a deep fire burns where the iris should be. The color of his face is what looks like a mix of purple and red. It looks disformed for a human, but perfect for a devil like him.
He isn't human, you think.
"How do you like it? If my men saw this they would all have run off years ago. It's what I am."
"So, you're no more than a devil." You say, keeping your eyes on him lest he make any sudden movements. The air around both of you seems a bit less clear than before, but you set it aside as your imagination playing tricks on you. However, it's best to be on guard.
"So, you're a devil."
"Correct. But I must admit, I love the pleasures humans have so I decided to live as one for a while." He moves towards you, his long tongue darting out and whipping across your face, cutting your forehead in a long line.
"I love pain and suffering. I love it when things die. The forest carries many things. All of them, dead... wonderful. Beautiful."
"Sicko." You mutter, wiping off the blood from your forehead. It's not a big cut, only a small flesh wound. With that speed, you know this thing is toying with you. He could have made it much more severe. You'll have to be careful.
He pulls back his arms.
"Now, DIE... for me, won't you?" He giggles and his nails fly out, revealing sharp claws underneath. You dodge the nails, but they turn around and pierce into your skull. You fall to the ground, dead. It is over. Ayla flashes before your eyes. A single tear falls down your cheek before you hit the dirt, not feeling anything. Darkness engulfs you, and you know your mission has failed.
Get up.
Get up!
You going to let this moron kill the forest? I'm disappointed in you, boy.
The village elder? So... are you alive?
It's impossible! You felt the claws go into your brain, severing any chance of living at all!
You forget, you are no ordinary human. Now wake. Wake, and fight. Wake, and defend us. We are counting on you.
Your eyes open to the sound of maniacal laughter. You feel a powerful tingling in your head and feel the claws pop out of your skull, falling to the dirty ground. Your brain somehow heals, and you are more alert than ever. Your eyes begin to shimmer blue, though you do not realize it. You do realize, however, that you feel a much stronger grasp of your energy. You get to your feet, smiling. The laughter stops.
"Impossible! I killed you! You can't be alive! You... you're not human, are you?"
"Of course I am. Humans are a lot tougher than you think." You say softly, feeling light flow out of your shoulders to create two, magnificent wings the length of your arm. They glitter beautifully as they take form, then split to reveal two more. They hang almost to the ground, but are incredibly light. Your hair shimmers green, and you feel vines grow out of your head. You feel them inside your skull, as well, but they are very soothing- not painful at all. Your body has adjusted enough that it feels even better than before. You now have hair that you can control, hair that can grow on command. You realize that the vines come from the center of your brain, their source. Your brain... it has been upgraded, in a sense. It now has a healing power, hence the reason the wounded portion was able to grow back so easily. In the face of death, your body adjusted to save you. You are now truly the forest.
"Humans can't do that. The forest powered you-"
"I AM the forest, Elos." You say calmly.
"W-what?!"
"Elos. You forgot one thing when you tried to kill the forest. Forests are a part of the earth, and even if you think you've destroyed one, as long as there is a single bud in the world to produce a seed they can regrow. Even if you burned down this forest, it would become even stronger after a time. Your plan can never work, Elos. Give up."
"NEVER!" Elos shouts, leaping forward and slashing into your arm. You are taken off guard by his speed, falling back as the blood flows over your fingers. Before you hit the ground, however, vines wrap tightly around the wound, protecting any more blood from escaping. Then, slowly, they begin to glow. You feel the wound closing.
"It's over, Elos. Give up."
"Damn you!" Elos shouts from his twisted mouth, his black horns shining as he leaps forward again. This time you are aware of his speed, and as he dives down on you you lift your hand, feeling your flesh change temporarily, becoming half-plant. Your plant hand wraps vines around your arm, securing everything. It also shoots a lone vine at Elos, hitting him square in the forehead. You roll to the side as he tumbles to the ground, holding his head. You missed on purpose. This time, you are toying with HIM. And it feels good.
"Don't... PLAY WITH ME KID!" Elos stands and leaps at you again, brandishing his sword as a dark energy runs through it. With a quick slash, he cuts through the air. You defend yourself just in time, your blue wings growing and wrapping around your body as you feel the explosion begin around you. The warmth spreads over you, but does not hurt. It feels... nice. When the explosion ends and the smoke clears, Elos is panting on one knee.
"What?!"
"It's over." You repeat, smiling. He smiles back, grinning.
"Oh boy, it's just beginning. You want to know what happens when this body dies? My true form will be released. Then, then you will truly be sorry you ever laid eyes on me." With that he raises his sword, and although you send a slew of vines to stop it you are too late. It goes into his heart and he falls to the ground, dead.
There is silence. Then, suddenly, his body begins to glow black. The flesh dissolves and he slowly stands, a writhing form of black threads that seem to shift the very air around them. When he speaks, there is no arrogance in his voice.
"Who dares awaken my slumber?" You brace yourself.
"I created that host so I could rest. And YOU have awakened me. I am VERY displeased." With that, he lifts his arms and you watch as they stretch, growing and engulfing you. The power is too much and you retreat, flapping your wings hard as you fly out of the black shape that threatens to eat you alive. You turn and land, looking at him warily.
"I haven't had enough time to rest, human. I think I will kill you, then take it out on this planet. Space is a much better resting place... don't you agree?" No emotion. Just cold, hard facts. He has no eyes. Threads, writhing threads. And wings. Wings out of his squirming back, twice as long as yours. He stomps on the ground and you leap off just in time, the ground splitting down the middle as he hovers in a hole which glows with a dark energy you KNOW is not of this world. You've only used a portion of the forest's energy, but against this- you need all of the energy you can get. Hopefully the forests of the world are with you, not just the one nearby.
You hold out your hand, feeling a shimmering sword appear. There is an emblem of a leaf on the handle. You swing it and a blast of green energy is released, flowing across the land and creating green, glorious plants and lush grass. The beam starts over the hole and hits the being in the chest, and to your amazement he seems slightly hurt.
"I bring... death. How dare you try and give me life?! I'll split you apart and devour your soul!" You rise into the air and he does as well. You are no longer just fighting for the village. If you don't stop this thing, the forests of the earth and maybe even the earth itself is in danger.
"Let's begin, human."
* * * * * * *
Ayla looked up at the sky, sensing a storm. But this one seemed... unnatural.
"Elder, what is-"
"Ayla! Get the villagers to safety! Start the chants to protect the village! That thing... the same thing I locked up years ago, it's loose again."
"Locked up?" Ayla asked.
"Yes... he came to the earth seeking death, and I planned on giving it to him. However, he was too powerful and I only succeeded in wearing him out. He decided to sleep inside a human form... so he created Elos."
"Adam is out there... I have to go-"
"AYLA! Adam is the woods now. Your Adam is long gone. If he survives this, he will return. If you go to him, you will only make his emotions ruin his new body."
"New... body?"
"He has become the forest, Ayla. We must be patient and pray for his success."
"Come and try me." With that, you look on in horror as he peels his face off slowly. As he finishes, he throws it to the ground and stomps on it, squishing an eyeball. Underneath is what looks like a devil- his eyes are gone, and a deep fire burns where the iris should be. The color of his face is what looks like a mix of purple and red. It looks disformed for a human, but perfect for a devil like him.
He isn't human, you think.
"How do you like it? If my men saw this they would all have run off years ago. It's what I am."
"So, you're no more than a devil." You say, keeping your eyes on him lest he make any sudden movements. The air around both of you seems a bit less clear than before, but you set it aside as your imagination playing tricks on you. However, it's best to be on guard.
"So, you're a devil."
"Correct. But I must admit, I love the pleasures humans have so I decided to live as one for a while." He moves towards you, his long tongue darting out and whipping across your face, cutting your forehead in a long line.
"I love pain and suffering. I love it when things die. The forest carries many things. All of them, dead... wonderful. Beautiful."
"Sicko." You mutter, wiping off the blood from your forehead. It's not a big cut, only a small flesh wound. With that speed, you know this thing is toying with you. He could have made it much more severe. You'll have to be careful.
He pulls back his arms.
"Now, DIE... for me, won't you?" He giggles and his nails fly out, revealing sharp claws underneath. You dodge the nails, but they turn around and pierce into your skull. You fall to the ground, dead. It is over. Ayla flashes before your eyes. A single tear falls down your cheek before you hit the dirt, not feeling anything. Darkness engulfs you, and you know your mission has failed.
Get up.
Get up!
You going to let this moron kill the forest? I'm disappointed in you, boy.
The village elder? So... are you alive?
It's impossible! You felt the claws go into your brain, severing any chance of living at all!
You forget, you are no ordinary human. Now wake. Wake, and fight. Wake, and defend us. We are counting on you.
Your eyes open to the sound of maniacal laughter. You feel a powerful tingling in your head and feel the claws pop out of your skull, falling to the dirty ground. Your brain somehow heals, and you are more alert than ever. Your eyes begin to shimmer blue, though you do not realize it. You do realize, however, that you feel a much stronger grasp of your energy. You get to your feet, smiling. The laughter stops.
"Impossible! I killed you! You can't be alive! You... you're not human, are you?"
"Of course I am. Humans are a lot tougher than you think." You say softly, feeling light flow out of your shoulders to create two, magnificent wings the length of your arm. They glitter beautifully as they take form, then split to reveal two more. They hang almost to the ground, but are incredibly light. Your hair shimmers green, and you feel vines grow out of your head. You feel them inside your skull, as well, but they are very soothing- not painful at all. Your body has adjusted enough that it feels even better than before. You now have hair that you can control, hair that can grow on command. You realize that the vines come from the center of your brain, their source. Your brain... it has been upgraded, in a sense. It now has a healing power, hence the reason the wounded portion was able to grow back so easily. In the face of death, your body adjusted to save you. You are now truly the forest.
"Humans can't do that. The forest powered you-"
"I AM the forest, Elos." You say calmly.
"W-what?!"
"Elos. You forgot one thing when you tried to kill the forest. Forests are a part of the earth, and even if you think you've destroyed one, as long as there is a single bud in the world to produce a seed they can regrow. Even if you burned down this forest, it would become even stronger after a time. Your plan can never work, Elos. Give up."
"NEVER!" Elos shouts, leaping forward and slashing into your arm. You are taken off guard by his speed, falling back as the blood flows over your fingers. Before you hit the ground, however, vines wrap tightly around the wound, protecting any more blood from escaping. Then, slowly, they begin to glow. You feel the wound closing.
"It's over, Elos. Give up."
"Damn you!" Elos shouts from his twisted mouth, his black horns shining as he leaps forward again. This time you are aware of his speed, and as he dives down on you you lift your hand, feeling your flesh change temporarily, becoming half-plant. Your plant hand wraps vines around your arm, securing everything. It also shoots a lone vine at Elos, hitting him square in the forehead. You roll to the side as he tumbles to the ground, holding his head. You missed on purpose. This time, you are toying with HIM. And it feels good.
"Don't... PLAY WITH ME KID!" Elos stands and leaps at you again, brandishing his sword as a dark energy runs through it. With a quick slash, he cuts through the air. You defend yourself just in time, your blue wings growing and wrapping around your body as you feel the explosion begin around you. The warmth spreads over you, but does not hurt. It feels... nice. When the explosion ends and the smoke clears, Elos is panting on one knee.
"What?!"
"It's over." You repeat, smiling. He smiles back, grinning.
"Oh boy, it's just beginning. You want to know what happens when this body dies? My true form will be released. Then, then you will truly be sorry you ever laid eyes on me." With that he raises his sword, and although you send a slew of vines to stop it you are too late. It goes into his heart and he falls to the ground, dead.
There is silence. Then, suddenly, his body begins to glow black. The flesh dissolves and he slowly stands, a writhing form of black threads that seem to shift the very air around them. When he speaks, there is no arrogance in his voice.
"Who dares awaken my slumber?" You brace yourself.
"I created that host so I could rest. And YOU have awakened me. I am VERY displeased." With that, he lifts his arms and you watch as they stretch, growing and engulfing you. The power is too much and you retreat, flapping your wings hard as you fly out of the black shape that threatens to eat you alive. You turn and land, looking at him warily.
"I haven't had enough time to rest, human. I think I will kill you, then take it out on this planet. Space is a much better resting place... don't you agree?" No emotion. Just cold, hard facts. He has no eyes. Threads, writhing threads. And wings. Wings out of his squirming back, twice as long as yours. He stomps on the ground and you leap off just in time, the ground splitting down the middle as he hovers in a hole which glows with a dark energy you KNOW is not of this world. You've only used a portion of the forest's energy, but against this- you need all of the energy you can get. Hopefully the forests of the world are with you, not just the one nearby.
You hold out your hand, feeling a shimmering sword appear. There is an emblem of a leaf on the handle. You swing it and a blast of green energy is released, flowing across the land and creating green, glorious plants and lush grass. The beam starts over the hole and hits the being in the chest, and to your amazement he seems slightly hurt.
"I bring... death. How dare you try and give me life?! I'll split you apart and devour your soul!" You rise into the air and he does as well. You are no longer just fighting for the village. If you don't stop this thing, the forests of the earth and maybe even the earth itself is in danger.
"Let's begin, human."
* * * * * * *
Ayla looked up at the sky, sensing a storm. But this one seemed... unnatural.
"Elder, what is-"
"Ayla! Get the villagers to safety! Start the chants to protect the village! That thing... the same thing I locked up years ago, it's loose again."
"Locked up?" Ayla asked.
"Yes... he came to the earth seeking death, and I planned on giving it to him. However, he was too powerful and I only succeeded in wearing him out. He decided to sleep inside a human form... so he created Elos."
"Adam is out there... I have to go-"
"AYLA! Adam is the woods now. Your Adam is long gone. If he survives this, he will return. If you go to him, you will only make his emotions ruin his new body."
"New... body?"
"He has become the forest, Ayla. We must be patient and pray for his success."