Thorn's Examination (B -> A)

Notes:

~Words: Post until you meet a total of 4000 words. However, you may not reach the center of the forest without hitting the 2000 word mark(unless you make one single post... which if you make 1 single post, you may reach the center when ever)

~Plants here are not of our 'world' have ties to them are weaker. Plants are like strangers to you here, they wont just listen or work with you like you would expect. In fact, a lot of the plants will tell you false information, or try to hurt you if you try to rely on them.

~No outside help. Savage skull, allies, even Thorn's lover will not be allowed to help in this examination apart from if you fail, then help will be there.

~Have fun and good luck. The rest is up to you. Show progress/plot and be able to demonstrate you can work effectively even when the environment is not on your side.








Shinku, a planet that dark mages commonly escape death to. However, this planet is a cruel and unforgiving place. Most who escape to this planet will end up dying trying to get out of the planet. Those that do not die here, commonly make it their home. However, there is another reason mages come here. That reason is to train. Its not an uncommon thing for those dipped in darkness to seek their dark magic aid here, to cause their work to bare fruit to say the least. However, even those that train here can find it hard to survive. Depending on where you are, the planet can chew you up, spit you out, and stomp on you. Other spots, its cursed, and the dark magic only worsens the situation.

Today however, Thorn would be given her exam. It wasn't long since the position of Ace was switched to another whom had thought long and hard about how to test the mettle of the queen of the forests. How would such a queen exist in a land of cursed family? The trees, the bushes, even the grass and roses were strangers to each other. None cried for another, and only laughed when one died. To be family here meant to watch each other suffer. It was a cruel test that the test giver knew would mentally hurt Thorn. That was the point. Can she survive a task given to her while put in this situation? This was easily one of the calmest places on the Shinku Planet. Yet... to those that cared deeply for plants, it would be hell. This hell was not the test either, but rather it was just the background to the test. True, part of the test was to actually... take the test within these woods, but at the same time, the forest would only suffice as a simple testing ground.

Really the test though was fairly 'cruel' and unforgiving. Raiza's intentions were to force Thorn to survive in the forest in which hated itself, with creatures that roamed these woulds being mutated versions of any wild life. Some big, some small,with all one thing in common....to eat you.  

"Thorn. Your task is to get to the center. I have left an important object there. You must fetch it and bring it back to me on the outside of these woods. Do not get lost. Getting lost can mean serious injury. Only if you are in dire need, and wish to stop the exam may you call for my aid. I will be able to come for you only if you wish to fail this exam. The forest is massive. Getting to the center and back here should take no less than a week to a week and a half. The woods are all filled with magical beasts. I have scouted out these woods many times and here are the details I'll tell you. Most creatures are stronger than C-rank, but  not as strong as a B-rank. However, there are exceptions. There are A-class alpha werwolves running around however... they are very few. Be mindful.  If you are ever ready to fail the exam. You may activate this ring. It will teleport you to me, and the exam is considdered a fail. Understand? If you are ready. Then, you may begin."

In Raiza's hand, was a single ring with a green gem. "To activate. you must just push magical energy into the ring, think of me, and think of teleporting to me."

Thorn smiled a wicked smile her eyes looking at the serene unfermilier surroundings even now she could tell this place was different she did not feel as strong as she normally did around plants. Thorn at that moment in time had no idea how familiar she would become with this forest and how twisted it would make her and how much she would become distrustful to even her own plants. The one thing Thorn did know is that after this she would be more powerful maybe even enough to make Raiza think she was on par with him or atleast able to last in a fight against him longer than a few minuets.  "I am sorry Raiza but will not be taking that ring with me, I will either succeed or I will die this is the way it must be, I am not quitting this one not even if it means never seeing you or my family again" she stated sharply. Thorn hated the fact that Raiza thought her weak or at least not able to take as much damage as he was even though she had  been gaining greater magic power and becoming stronger with every passing day that passed, turning away from Raiza thorn knew it was probably for the last time if she failed.

Taking a deep breath Thorn smelled the air it was rancid and odd it smelled of rotting and fish that had been left out for days maybe even weeks, so unlike the forest she was so use to unlike the forests that she sore as her family. Thorn wrinkled her nose to the smell and new from that moment thorn new that she would have to breath through her mouth witch in all honestly did not make it any better. She knew that it was not the smell her family normally gave out. It was almost alien and instantly Thorn closed her mind to the surrounding plants and tree's protecting herself for now that is. Thorn did not like the thought of being disconnected from what she thought as her family but the odd feeling never left her that something was very wrong with this place. All Thorn wished to do was cure whatever was wrong but even she knew this was not in her power, not yet anyway.

Her eyes wondered slowly over the terrain as she started on her way she had no clue where the center of the forest was but decided she needed to make a move before the sun started to set.  Looking at the position of the golden orb Thorn figured she had at least five good hours of sun light left that would give her a good start to the day at least she thought it would. Thorn had felt like she had only walked for a few hours, two at the most but the terrain had not changed it looked the exact same, except that Raiza was not there any more,  and the sun was now ready to set. She was worried, everything about this place was odd and different to anywhere she had been previously.

Thorn cursed softly under her breath no wonder why Raiza thought the trek would take a week maybe a week and a half. "Need to find a safe place to rest, the ground is to open but these trees they don't seem right but i suppose beggars can't be choosers!" Thorn whispered what seemed to be to herself but really it was the staff on her back the only friend that she new was in the aria.

Thorn looked up at the tree she was closest to even though it sent shivers down her back she began to climb making it high as she felt safe and tool her bag off her back and took the rope out tying herself to the tree. Not Thorn's smartest idea perhaps, but she did not wish to fall from this height. That could be fatal, even for mage's much stronger than her. Maybe Sinali would of survived, but she'd of been broken quite a fair bit.  Thorn watched thoughtfully as the sun set and thought of how she was going to accomplish this task with things that were not even what she could class as plants.  Gradually thorn closed her eyes becoming relaxed enough to fall into a sleep.

This sleep was unlike any Thorn had known in the past. Voices started to echo the words came a demon voice saying them and her mind went to a strange place dark plants black liquid dripped from there leaves as the forest in thorns head shriveled up and died the poison spread through the plants like a sickness and was coming for her with every moment that past it got closer to her thorn some how new if it touched her she would not awaken again. "Go, go where the song is sung, where the song is sung, come on thorn you have to join us, join us here in this land of fun, where you can rest forever in this forever sleep!" the noise of the voices consumed Thorn as her sleep deepened, her skin glistening with warm sweat.

The voices continued to echo and Thorn could feel the dead reaching for her. Startling awake Thorn looked about it was still dark her hair was wet from the sweat. Her breathing hard she had never been scared of a forest before but this one was not normal. No, this forest was far and beyond from what even Thorn, someone who had lived in the infamous Spooky Forest, classed as normal.  Once Thorn's eyes had adjusted that's when she realized she had moved. No, the tree had moved taking her with it. Her surroundings looked familiar. To her annoyance, she was back at the start "Ow come on!" Thorn let the words slip loudly from her lips. This was a mistake thorn had not thought of the creatures that dwelled in this forest now all the ones close to thorn new she was there and they had a meal waiting for them.

Vulnerable and weak this is how the creatures saw Thorn something that she should be use to by now. Knew and probably delicious, they knew the area like the back of their paws or what ever they had. Stalking towards Thorn was easy, getting to her in the tree...well that was the hard part. Waiting, lurking in the over growth was a danger Thorn had not seen before and one she had no idea was in wait for her to start moving again.

Hours passed and Thorn grew tired and hazy but she had stayed awake for the night, she sighed softly as she saw the first sign of light filled the horizon it was a dark beautiful red and orange it was almost mesmerizing Thorn sat there for a while just watching the sun rise. It was the first normal thing she had seen since entering this strange pace. It almost made the place bearable, almost normal it was so strange to think something was normal even in Thorn's standards.

Smiling softly Thorn jumped down from the tree branches landing almost perfectly on the ground beneath. That's when the stalking thing decided to pounce. Black fur that's all Thorn saw as it struck her in the side making her collide with the tree pretty hard knocking the air out of her lungs. As she gasped for breath Thorn looked at the thing and saw something she had never thought was possible it looked fox like but huge like a wolf and muscular enough that it could probably take a bear on.

Thorn brought up her arms and tried to bring a root from one of the trees around her up and into this creature but for some reason it did not work. Thorn had to think and act fast. Pushing the creature off her she maneuvered herself to her feet and started to run though the forest following a path she had not noticed previously hoping against hope that it would lead her to the centre of this god forsaken place. Moving fast Thorn weaved as she moved knowing that the creature was not that far behind and with her magic not really working well she had no choice but to run and even that would end her under this strange creature.

"What the hell is going on?" she hissed to herself it was frustrating to feel the uselessness she had right now Thorn even wondered if any other spell in her arsenal would work and she attempted a few with no success she was powerless and only had what was on her and her hands for defense sighing softly thorn shoke her head in disappointment .

Thorn ran for as long as possible not stopping even for essential things like water. Her throat constricted to a point she was struggling to catch enough breath to continue her movement. Slowing Thorn was now walking her hand in the bag she had managed to grab just before leaving. That's the advantage in the guild her plants had a hidden stash of supplies everywhere and if she needed it they would just hand it over no questions no arguing no back chat. Oh how she missed those plants so friendly her one true family.

Taking a flask out Thorn drunk only a few sips and noticed that it started getting dark but this time Thorn was not stopping for rest the creature would not rest so she could not.  As she started to walk again Thorn tried sticking to the path. She did dot want to get lost in this place. That would be a sure way to die and the forest seemed to know it. "Die die you're going to die we will make you die! We shall laugh and you shall cry!" Thorn span when she heard the voices her mind block was still up. Where were these taunting voices coming from? "Oh how we love to play with willing walkers in our forest! They are so much fun" Thorn stopped for a moment closing her eyes. this was far from her first choice but Thorn had to figure out what was going on and she knew moments later her mind had cracks. Where from she had no clue, maybe the detachment from her normal environment, but if she did not fix this she may just turn mad from these plants around her.

"She looks like the one we swallowed, the one in the ground. In hell it went now we must do the same to her. Her magic is not natural. No it controls our cousins it controls our kin she is not kin to us. No kin of ours" the voices carried through her head Thorn tried to shake it off how can she continue with this going one. Trying to get a grip Thorn opened her eyes. It was a moment of dizziness flowed over her but she had to keep moving she had to find the center of this damned place.

Day started to turn into the night. The further she went into this foreet the darker and more dense it became. Direction was hard to tell, how long she had been here was harder to tell. Her stomach rumbled with hunger. She knew she had to rest and eat soon or she would have her energy start sapping away to faster than she would be able to get it back from these strange plants. Even then she had no clue if they would give her energy or sap it away but by the way they spoke she doubted they would help with anything even to make a fire.

"Die die we are all going to die we will take this thing with us when we die we will take her to hell to be with the one that looks like her!" the voices continued. Thorn's eyes watered slightly how could her kin think like this towards her. How was she going to trust again? If the closest thing to her could betray her how was she to trust people?"Raiza!" Thorn whispered softly  smiling at just the name but just confused why would he put her in a place that would want to course her harm. She knew it was a test but in truth she felt it was a very cruel one and if she passed this she would have to test Raiza with something similar or even worse. Yes, she would have her pay back.

After eating a few bits of the food rations in her bag Thorn began to walk again she needed to find the centre she had lost all sense of time and direction. "How long have i been here?" she asked the deserted area her rations dwindling she had brought enough for two weeks and yet there was hardly anything left.

Her eyes drifted closed as Thorn walked having to shake her self back awake. It was becoming painfully obvious she needed sleep and soon. Otherwise she would die from exhaustion. shaking her head once more thorn tried to shake the tiredness off making one foot go infrount of the other dazed and sapped pf strength the days must of passed so quickly.

the clearing came so quickly out of no where the forest opened up into a large almost normal looking green land flowers that bloomed here was beautiful lush with colour and the fragrance that came from them was almost plesent. thorn made a small laugh as she realized her quest was half way through looking up into the sky she sore the day was half done and with plenty of light left thorn started to look around for the thing she had been sent for, thinking back she was never told what exactly she was looking for how was she meant to find it if she had no clue what it was, with a large sigh thorn scowered the floor thorn picked random items up examining them to see if there was any distinction on them, a pebble, a rock, a shel even things thorn thought did not belong here and she even kept a ring a bracelet a head band it was odd but she had no clue if she had picked up the thing Raiza had left.

Thorn spent a few days and nights surching the clearing fighting strange animals that came near for food and using her kills as food thorn smiled softly as she ate one night thinking of what she had so far been through and even now she had no clue if she had found her item placed here by Raiza. it was frustrating how much stuff was here droped by people taken by these plants her hand picked one thing up at a time looking at them with intensity she even smelled them and tried sensing any magic residue left behind by Raiza but her strength  was all but depleated and thorn despreatly needed sleep. thinking for a moment thorn desided to resist and got to her feet taking one more look around for this item then she sore it a flower desgn ring beautifly cut it looked like one of hers back at the guild how was it possible? thorn looked about her eyes scaned where she found it and could of swor she had looked there at lease three time how could she have missed it, it was not hidden at all it was in full vuew right under her noise.

thorn could not help but laugh softly her mind had twisted with the plants torturing her with there words how could she have missed this thing so happy at that moment thorn laid on the ground looking at the ring as the sun beeted fown on her dirt covered face.  thorn was covered head to toe in dirt her dress worn and tor from being cought on thorns for once the suroundings where against her and she finally understod how her magic could be used to her best protental it was fasinating what it could be used for the ideas just kept coming to her she even wondered if it would be possible to asses the esental portions in the plant world to acheve what she hoped.

one moment thorn was looking up at the stars in the night sky the next her eyes had shut and she fell into a deep sleep, her mind now open to the plant life she hurd them laughing whispering "you are ours now for ever in this slumber, for ever in our grasp!" and may more teribal things to her. what thorn did not realize though was that what they plants planed, they had started to curl there thick round roots around her the roots making an almost caccon around her. thorns life was now in danger but from lack of air mot the strange creatures that romed this place and yet she had no clue.

Thorn slept for a while infarct if light could come trough the roots the light would of informed the plants she slept for two days they was not chore why this was happening, most plants make oxygen these make carbon this is the thing that would of killed a normal person but thorn was different she did not breath oxygen but thorn did breath carbon they where substaining her life for now anyway. Thorn eventually opened her eyes thinking it must of turned to night as she slept she swore lightly cursing herself for sleeping for so long she could not beleave that she had let it happen.

Taking a deep breath thorn looked left and right in every direction she could expecting to see the shadow of a large tree or should i say several trees to be prominent in the background of her dark surroundings that was just looming over her. all thorn sore though was blackness the same kind of blackness the hole way round it was like there was nothing around could she have been moved again, this concerned her for a moment thorns hand moved to the newly required ring that she had put aside sighing knowing it was safe and where she left it.  thorn went to stretch her arms feeling rather stiff after her sleep she moved her hands up into the air only able to get half way through the stretch thorns elbows still bent as her hands hit a roof had someone moved her to a very low bed or something simmiler? thorn moved her hands following the roof trying to find its end or even a way out, the realization that it had no end, that thorn was traped did not come to her until she felt her own sides with both hands.

panic was quickly raising through thorn's sap filled body, she had to think quickly with every passing moment more and more carbon was now being turned into oxygen the one thing she could not breath like humans, of the air that she needed to breath was getting less and less even now thorn found herself catching her breath finding it hard to get the full amount she truly needed.  Honestly thorn new what she needed fire but that was the one thing she did not possess it was the one thing she knew she would never possess.  thorn toke a deep breath trying to figure out he next move only one thing came to mind but she doughted speaking to these plants would work with her, thorn thought more this made her realize she still had friend how could she have forgotten, hitting her head with the palm of her hand as if that would help her remember next time. moving about to get friend off her back was difficult more than she thought it would be, finally her hand clasped her staff and she brought if round to infrount of herself.  Closing her eyes thorn hoped with all her being that this would work that this would have her escape "ow my dear old friend please help me in this time of need!" she whispered softly her magic flowed through her fingertips into the staff, branches extended a face made of wood appeared and it just kept growing the space was getting tight and the thing had not finished the roots around them started to creak light streamed through the cracks that where now forming but thorn was a bit to snug unable to breath strugalling against passing out freind knew what was happening and lashed out wanting to get his misstriss to safty and able to breath once more.

it was all to late thorn ended up blacking out just as the roots snapped under the strain of friends rapid growth, this left thorn in the arms of her truest and oldest friend that one thing that made her path clear ant the thing that helped her when she first stumbled through a forest years ago now this is what thorn was dreaming of what once a simpler life, friend would make shore thorn was safe and would not be attacked again like that at least untill she was contuse once more.  Lifting thorn into its arms it moved through the forist as a plant it new its way around freind had a internal cumpas it would be hours untill thorn woke and freind had made it further in one day than thorn had done in almost three days from getting lost and the plants not helping in this insessive place.

sturing slowly awake thorn winsed in pain even the slightest movement had her gasping having to take sharp breaths where not helping the situation slightly thorn had broken ribs and a broken wrist [color=violet]"ow not the brightest idea of mine but i am glade it worked. being put to her feet thorn winced more the pain was overwelming it brought tears to her eyes, ripping the bottom of her dress thorn mad a sling from the fabric it was hard tieing the sling but once thorn had it done and her injered hand was in the sling the pain lessoned her ribs where now the main problem she was not shore if they had penetrated her lungs but breathing was difficult and the pain was intense smiling softly thorn started to make her way to the meeting point thorn new it was at least two days travel and that was for a healthy person with the injerys she had sustained thorn dread to think how long it would take her or even if she would be able to make it.

grunting as she moved thorn started on her way friend was back in the form of her staff and she now used it as support on her way the ground did not make the treck easy she had not noticed how rocky or how may plant roots protruded through the ground corsing thorn to almost trip every so often, thorn cursed every time the pain shot through her body. the day quickly turned to night thorn had to stop every ten minutes to catch her breath and to ease the throbing pain. taking days to get to the place she was told to go when she sore the fermilier face she smiled lightly falling to her knees "ow, it is good to see you Raiza I beleave this if the item at least i hope it is!" she said pulling the flower ring from the hiding place her eyes looked at it and smiled "it looks like one of my plants it beautiful!" she said softly holding it out to Raiza her power drained both magical and physically "well that one was interesting challenge!" she stated thankful it was all over and that she could now go home get cured and see how much stronger she had truly became

ooc: Okay you've passed. very nice Thorn & excellent thread to read.