Finding a Flower (Part 2, Job)

*From Finding a Flower

On the outskirts of the forest Kyrin stopped and looked around. From the outside it looked like a normal forest, but he had heard the rumors of what dwelt inside. Needless to say he was mildly scared. It’s true he has magic, but even that was weak compared to what might dwell inside.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out he swiped his hand from right to left in front of him. A keyboard with a screen appeared before him. He couldn’t get over how neat this magic was. He typed a few commands and brought up two images on the screen. One was an overhead general view of the forest. The other showed the plant he was looking for. A Bluin flower said to enhance the reduction in swelling ointments and tonics. He studied the area the flower was found. It was deeper in the forest, but still closer to the edge than he thought. Looked like an area of many trees but not a lot of leaves.

Glancing up he noticed the sun was an hour from noon. That meant it would be almost directly overhead when he reached the area. The should give him plenty of light to search. With a nod and a reluctant sigh he swiped his hand again. The screen and keyboard disappeared, and he gave a regretful sigh. He knew where he was supposed to go and what he was looking for. He looked at the images enough while riding the train. He was just delaying the inevitable. He had to go in. With another reluctant sigh he headed into the forest.

[Word Count=270]

Monster Encounter

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'Monster Dice' :

It was almost a half hour before he reached the edge of the circle marking the location of the rare flowers. It wasn’t an easy trek, but it was far from hard. Most of the path he took was clear of low brush due to the trees overhead choking the light, but every so often he had to go around a dense overgrowth. By the time he reached the edge he was already sweating. He leaned up against a tree to catch his breath before he started his search.

That’s when he heard it. Actually it was what he didn’t hear that lifted the hairs off the back of his neck. The forest was completely silent. No birds in the trees, or animals running through the brush. It wasn’t until he thought about it that he realized he hadn’t heard anything for the last 5 minutes. Slowly he turned his head towards the right, a feeling that itched in the back of his mind. His eyes grew wide, as they slowly looked up. There stood the biggest wolf he had ever seen. Standing taller than even he stood, the wolf must have been the king of wolves. And he looked hungry.

With a start Kyrin tried to make a break from the tree. At that instant the wolf charged in for a fast kill.

[Word Count= 224]

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As Kyrin jumped to the side the giant wolf struck with a powerful swing. In a panicked moment he brought up his arm to block the giant paw. The paw hit him in such a way that the claws didn’t rip at his body. Instead it simply batted him away. Which was good, because it threw him away from the gnashing teeth that tried to take a bite out of him. He flew through the air; narrowly avoiding the tree that was in his flight path. He landed sprawling on the forest floor and coming to a stop.

Standing up he was a little disoriented, but Kyrin did his best to look ready. The giant wolf took a few cautious steps to the right, seemingly keeping its distance. Without taking his eyes off the canine; Kyrin place his palm on the earth beneath him. ”Let the bones of the earth come together, and form a protector to defend me from my enemies.”

The dirt stirred under the foliage, and then erupted in a small fountain of dirt and rock. Out of the fountain rose a large turtle made of stone and rock. With a small shake the loose dirt fell away, showing more detail of the earthen creature. Kyrin smiled a broad smile as Spike looked around puzzled. ”We are in a forest Spike. And I found a big doggie.” Spike looked over at the dire wolf, then looked up at the large animal. His eyes grew wide and turned to look at Kyrin. ”Don’t look at me. I think it’s hungry.”

Spike turned back to the circling wolf and moved to put himself between the large predator and Kyrin. While not much of a fighter, Spike was good at giving his master time to think. Kyrin took a few steps back as Spike drew the attention of the large wolf. With a growl the wolf charged once again. Spike was ready to strike once the wolf was within range.

[Word Count=316]

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The giant wolf plowed right into Spike; throwing the earth elemental and slamming him into a tree. Spike let out a little small yelp of surprise and pain, but his shell held strong. The wolf tried to rip at him with its claws, but he managed to roll out of the wolf’s grasp and back to the forest floor. Right on the wolf’s giant paw. Kyrin could only watch as the wolf jumped back in surprise and shock; letting out a growl of frustration. It began to run clockwise around the pair.

”Well this is a surprise.” Spike shook his head and stood a bit unsteady on his feet. It took him a moment to reorient himself, but he stood between Chris and the circling wolf again. The stone that made his shell cracked a little, but it still looked solid enough to take another hit.

The wolf seemed to favor the paw that wasn’t smashed, but only slightly. Didn’t look like Spike dealt enough damage to truly cripple the giant canine. With a quick pivot that shocked Kyrin, the wolf darted forward with his jaws snapping. Spike reared back on his hind legs and brought his feet hard on the ground. A dome of earth and stone surrounded him and Kyrin; blocking the vicious teeth of the approaching predator.

Spike HP: 31/63
Kyrin HP: 100/100
Kyrin MP: 90/100

[Word Count= 220]

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'Damage Dice' :

The jaws of the giant wolf clamped down around Spike; driving the spear like fangs into the elemental’s shell. Spike let out a howl of pain as the teeth sunk into his earth like flesh, even though the shield and shell protected some of the impact. With a savage toss the wolf tossed the stone turtle to the side, before turning his wicked gaze back to Kyrin.

Immediately Kyrin scrambled backwards as the wolf slowly approached. It obviously didn’t like the taste of dirt, as saliva began to drip with the bits and pieces that fell out. It was hungry, and truly ticked off that it wasn’t getting an easy meal. It leapt forward; it’s mouth open in a savage maw.

At that moment Spike hurled himself as well, attempting to drive his shell into the creature’s side in one last attempt to stop the monster. Kyrin leapt as well, trying to dive to the side to avoid the massive teeth. It looked like it was going to be a close call on all accounts.

Spike HP: 15/63
Kyrin HP: 100/100
Kyrin MP: 90/100

[Word Count= 175]

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With a desperate leap Kyrin managed to avoid the clamping jaws from skewering him. Those teeth looked like they would pierce his flesh too easily, and he was not he to provide a meal. He rolled on the ground just barely out of reach of the wolf when Spike slammed into it. The wolf seemed to brace itself for the impact at the last instant, causing Spike to bounce off and disappear in a shower of dirt and rock.

Raising his hand to the air Kyrin nearly shouted. ”Air that flows and wind that howls, come forth to my aid.” The air seemed to coalesce and take on a green tint; revealing a translucent pixie about one foot tall. She looked around a little confused, then turned her attention to the large ball of fur that turned with hateful eyes. She glanced at Kyrin.

”Don’t look at me like that. All I did was come here to pick a flower.” Breeze’s eyes grew wide and a smile appeared faintly on her lips. Kyrin scowled and made a mental note to pick one for the air elemental. Maybe come willow bark for Spike for his help as well. ”Can you keep him distracted while I try and find it?” Breeze nodded and flew towards the wolf.

The wolf focused on Kyrin, as it wasn’t easy seeing the air elemental. It released a loud growl of anger, as it slowly stalked around. A snap of air was enough to distract the overgrown puppy long enough for Kyrin to hide behind a tree. The wolf looked around in slight surprise, then turned his nose to the ground to pick up Kyrin’s scent. That was when Breeze attacked with a slap at the wolf’s nose.

Breeze HP: 45/45
Kyrin HP: 100/100
Kyrin MP: 80/100

[Word Count= 291]

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Another snap of air struck near the wolf’s nose; more than enough to cause it to jump back with a small yelp. It didn’t actually hit, but it did distract it. Kyrin used the time to bolt deeper into the wolf. The wolf turned to look towards the sound of his passing, but Breeze snapped the air more in order to distract. The wolf snapped at the sound.

Running through the trees Kyrin swiped his hand and brought up the screen of R.A.I.N.E. ”How can I help you Kyrin?” Kyrin tried to speak through his panting breath. Can you locate a nearby body of water? It has to be big enough to fil up a water skin.”[/color] He glanced over his shoulder as he ran. ”A pond. A stream. Anything!” The computer generated woman looked like she was thinking and then spoke. ”There’s a small pond 500 ft away.” ”I’ll take it. Show me where please.”

Breeze continued zipping around the giant wolf’s head and striking in quick succession. The wolf, obviously annoyed, began snapping at the air trying to get at the air elemental. For every two strikes of the elemental the wolf only manages one bite.

Breeze HP: 45/45
Kyrin HP: 100/100
Kyrin MP: 80/100

[Word Count= 198]

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The large wolf leapt away as a two snaps of air struck him in the sensitive nose and ear. It snapped at the quick wind elemental, who slipped just barely out of the wolf’s jaws. It continued to fly around like a large annoying fly, and the wolf was getting more and more pissed at the elemental. It was the king of these woods. The other wolves bowed before it, and the other animal feared it. This creature will also fear, and cower under his paws.

Breeze didn’t care. This overgrown puppy was wanting to have her master as a snack, and that was not an option. She would drive the creature away and save Kyrin. And he would shower her with praise, and hold her in his arms, and….Her daydreaming almost knocked her out as she barely zipped around a nearby tree. She used the momentum to bring her around again and strike at the snarling canine.

Kyrin ran through the woods with the screen floating before him. He moved a bit quicker than normal, the link with Breeze lending speed to his stride. He leapt over brush and darted around hedges that were too big to leap. He dodged trees and ducked branches; all the time keeping his eyes on the screen. He was getting closer to the pond.

He could still hear the wolf behind him, even at the distance he traveled. The large creature’s growls were monstrous, and echoed in the woods deeply. He knew Breeze was alright. The link between them that gave him speed also informed him of where she was. It seemed like she was losing focus, but why he could only guess. He had to get to the pond quickly before both of their luck ran out.

[Word Count= 295]

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Another snap on the wolf’s nose caused the creature to yelp and it shied away from the elemental. Breeze let out a cry of exultation that sounded like a whisper on the wind, and did another snap that missed the wolf all together. The wolf rounded on the elemental and managed to get his teeth around the sprite.

But before it could fully close the magic keeping Breeze in this world winked out, and all the wolf tasted was the wind. It’s teeth snapped shut with an audible click. The large canine shook its head as it tried to shake the rattling from its mouth. It then turned it nose to the wind, and by chance caught the scent of the first prey. At least this time it was sure this one was real.

Kyrin almost stumbled on the pond before he realized it was there. The map showed it as a generalized location and he had to make guestimates the last few feet. ”Thanks Raine.” He swiped his hand to end the session. ”You’re welcome Kyrin. Goodbye.” the screen disappeared and he kneeled before the water. He dipped his fingers into the surface and focused his attention on the waters. He needed time before Spike was strong enough to return. ” Cool waters that give all living things life, come to me and restore that which was harmed.”

The water gathered inches from his hand; coming together to form a small mermaid with two fins. A loud crashing sounded behind and Kyrin turned to see the giant wolf charging through the underbrush. His eyes grew wide as he realized Breeze was gone. He was too focused on getting to the pond to feel the connection vanish.

Before the wolf got within striking distance the small water creature released a small blast of water on the ground before the wolf. It glowed with a mysterious light, as the wolf’s paw landed right on it.The dire wolf immediately flipped tail over head as one of its front paws almost stuck to the forest floor. It tumbled heavily to the earth; forcing Kyrin to jump to the side and the elemental to dive into the pond. The ‘lord of the forest’ slid several feet before coming to a rest at the edge of the pond.

Looking at the wolf, and then to the elemental who surfaced, Kyrin gave a smile. ”Nice job Mist.” The water elemental bobbed a sense of acknowledgement. They both smiled, until they noticed the wolf rising to his feet once more. It was definitely pissed off. Mist didn’t hesitate to try and slap the wolf’s muzzle.

[Word Count= 438]

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The wolf leaped back at the sudden wet sting that struck its sensitive nose. It snarled at the diminutive walking puddle as if it didn’t believe it actually happened. A glance at Kyrin said it still wanted to eat the young wizard, but this creature was a bigger threat. With a savage growl it leapt at the water summon intent on ripping it to pieces.

Kyrin felt a familiar tug in the back of his mind when the wolf leaped back, and a slight smile came to his lips. Might as well. He placed left his hand on the earth as the wolf prepared to leap. ”Let the bones of the earth come together, and form a protector to defend me from my enemies.” With his right he touched Mist as Spike rose from the ground. A flash of light was the only warning as the two merged to form a taller creature before him. It looked like Mist, but instead was much taller at 5ft. She wore what looked to be a large shell on her back similar to what Spike usually wore, and a helmet carved to resemble Spike’s turtle like head.

Mist slammed into the giant wolf as it tried to rip her apart. Kyrin wanted to move and get out of the way, but he couldn’t. He could feel the connection to the hybrid summon, and it felt like he was the anchor that kept them in the physical world. Which meant until he dismissed them….he was sunk.

Mist/Spike
HP: 55/55
Mist Passive/Spike Active
[Word Count= 252]

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The wolf managed to get one claw into the hybrid summon, what should I call her, and make a long gash along her side. The second swipe completely missed, and the third hit nothing but shell. Unfortunately the savage attack threw off the summon’s aim as well, and the wolf just batted her away.

Kyrin watched in stunned horror as Mist/Spike flew away. Without her between him and the wolf, he was a sitting duck. His body was already feeling the strain of trying to maintain the summon, and he couldn’t even move from his spot. But the wolf seemed to pay the human no mind as it began stalking the summoned creature. It already determined that Kyrin wasn’t a threat, but these strange creatures were. And if it was ever going to get a peaceful meal then it had to get rid of the distractions.

The hybrid summon landed and rolled with the momentum along the ground. Her body seemed to knit itself back together somewhat as the slash seemed to close slowly. She rose to a crouch, turning her attention back to the giant wolf. She had to protect Kyrin no matter what, and that meant driving away this hungry predator. She charged as fast as she could, which wasn’t much with the weight of the shell on her back. The wolf saw his target coming towards him and leaped to pounce on the odd creature. Mist/Spike slammed her fist on the ground to create the familiar stone shield of Spike, and then proceeded to leap at the gaping maw.

Mist/Spike
HP: 18/55
Mist Passive/Spike Active
[Word Count= 262]

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The jaws of the large wolf closed around the strange elemental in an effort to crush the life out of her. Mist/Spike didn’t even dodge or try to avoid the attack. Instead as soon as she was in the wolf’s mouth she exerted a small effort of will and exploded. Kyrin could only watch as a burst of slimy mud filled the canine’s mouth, and could only imagine the force of the explosion forcing a large amount into the monster’s throat.

The wolf staggered and shook its head, trying to clear the sticky muck from its mouth and throat. It made a gaging noise that slowly turned into a choking one as the muck seemed to clog its throat. It ran off into the woods letting out an alternate gag and rough cough. Maybe it will think twice now when it deals with humans. Kyrin let out a long sigh as he finally relaxed on the banks of the small pond. It was a gamble to be sure, but it paid off. He closed his eyes for just a moment.

And opened them an hour later with a start. He didn’t mean to fall asleep, especially in these dangerous woods. But he couldn’t help himself. He was exhausted after that fight. It’s true that his summons did all the hard work, but the energy still came from him. And running through the woods was not really easy exercise. Still it didn’t seem like anything was amiss.

His eyes fell on a flower growing nearby his head and slowly focused on it. It had blue petals and a lime green stem. It took him a moment to realize that it was actually the flower he was looking for. ”A bluin flower.” He reached over and gingerly picked the plant. He slowly stood up and looked it over. It didn’t seem like a magical flower, but it could just be that the magic was so subtle that it couldn’t be detected. With a shrug he put it in a bag he picked up on the way. It would have to keep till he got back to Magnolia.

He almost walked out of the forest right there, but then remembered he promised Breeze a flower as well. Looking around he couldn’t find another of the bluin so he picked an ordinary looking flower instead. He never told her what flower he was looking for, so this one would do. Besides, she worked hard to distract the giant wolf. She deserved a reward. Almost all of his summons did. He turned and headed out of the forest as quickly and quietly as possible. He did not want to wait and see if there was another giant creature waiting.

*To Finding a Flower

[Word Count= 454]