Purging the Virus, Plague Questline ~ 3/5

When told to go to the scientist to keep watch i just simply nod my. Just doing as i am told since their is always a reason for what i am told to. Be it for safety of myself or in this case others most likely. To make sure the nice lady stays alive since their is no guarantee if their will be another one of those people trying to come and kill her since the first has now been locked up.I walk on over to her and smiles when she offers breakfast as i just eagerly nod and goes to one of the chairs in the kitchen and just watches her make breakfast. Finding myself marveling at what is such a complex way of cooking that could just as well be cooked with a simple fire in my mind.

I think to the situation at hand while she is cooking this nice meal pulling myself away from just watching her cook. They were in a village where their were lot of plants that have some type of magic in them, but they don't move it into nature if what Verus says is how things are meant to go. That means obviously that people are behind this, and that the stalker is just more proof their is a group of some type behind these events that are happening. However, it is just a wild weed so it could be handled if done correctly, and with the correct procedures that are done. Nothing a little bit of a week or possibly a year depending on how fast they reproduce can't handle.

As i hear footsteps i see Verus enter as i give a wave with a smile on my face as i look towards you. Did you see anything interesting while being outside Verus? I ask curiously as i look towards you wondering if their are any chances that have occurred in the little bit of time that we have been staying within the village.

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Oras listened to Amora's question, asking him if he had seen anything of interest while he was outside. Oras shook his head no. "Other than that the weeds are growing more swiftly, nothing." Still, it did concern him as to how these plants acted. Like a network. The weeds themselves were the siphon, but the roots also could absorb the mana and stamina from others who touched them. Underneath the ground was a massive network of roots that were slowly spreading, creating a giant net. It reminded Oras of a fisher's net, ready to rise up and ensnare them all. But the question was how this started? Was there a plant sealed? Was it an experiment gone wrong? Or was this somehow connected to some organization? Perhaps terrorists? The cloaked man was involved somehow, one way or another. He pulled out the coin and fingered it, observing both ends several times. On one side the skull. On the other, a hand. Heads and tails. Each side had runes engraved in it, forming words or a symbol or two, but there was a symbol on the skull that meant something of great importance. The unfortunate part was that they had no means of figuring out what the markings read.

And there was something else that bothered him... The cloaked man had stated that he was just as useful inside the prison cell as he was outside. How would that be possible? He could clearly detect no magic essence on the man. Even if he did have magic power it wasn't enough to do anything whatsoever. He was useful at that point. He had already checked all of the guards and determined them trustworthy, so there was no use in bribing them. In addition none of them would betray the law, so the cloaked individual couldn't use them to do anything. He had watched the prison all night and saw no means of communication. He would check each night just to be sure, but the chances of him communicating with someone else were, if he was honest, fifty fifty chance. There was something he was missing... Something to this puzzle that could connect all the pieces, all the dots. He was reaching for the very tip of the iceberg this entire time, not yet gaining any ground. How long would this last.

Amaline brought the food over to the table, smiling and inviting them to sit down and eat. When Oras didn't budge she took the hint, biting her lip a little before nodding. "Right, I have to erm. Fetch some water. No doubt it will run out quickly with the three of us eating right? I'll be back momentarily." She moved towards the door and only once she was out the door and seen moving towards the well at the edge of town, did Oras move to sit and eat. When he sat, he angled the chair around so that Amora would still be unable to see his face. "What are your thoughts on the plants and the cloaked individual."

Word count: 509
Total Count: 809

Hearing the weeds grow swiftly i find some irritation building in me of that fact. That these weeds are apparently moving faster, or maybe just very quickly i find myself unsure. I do figure myself leaning towards faster because of the use of swiftly when i could imagine you using some other words for a increase at a constant rate. I then see you just standing and knows you are observing or thinking at this moment since that seems to be the usual for you. Always taking in information and trying to put it into use. I just nod my head idly at that figuring it makes sense to do so for this situation since this is dangerous and rather strange in every manner.

I look towards the nice lady that is cooking, and from what i can see she is starting to get finished up with everything. I grin happily at that, but quickly focus on the matter at hand. How to try and stop these roots from growing and spreading how they are currently. Hey Verus? Do we even know where these have began? Like was it just appeared one day, or is their a clear pattern to where they have come from? I'm still curious if they just messed with a plant using some kind of magic. Cause if the point of where these plants came from wasn't around here and they actually started somewhere else. Couldn't we just go towards their and try to find the source? I ask curiously figuring that would make sense, but from how we have been traveling i know this is most likely not the case since the plants only started to show up when we approached this town.

My eyes move towards you messing with the coin that i can see as you flip it has a skull, and hand. My mind can only think of death in some manner when i see a skull as it is natural for it to do so. The skull of things always meaning death since that is of a corpse when it is at the final stage of being a skeleton, and is commonly used in other manners to be death usually in a story of some type. I do find myself curious though why a hand would be on the other side. As i don't know the meaning of a hand, or why it would have any sort of significance in anyway.

I smile happily when the food gets set down as i begin to eat happily already having myself seated at the table. I do notice the lady moving and you then sitting down easily putting the two events together to know you sat down because of her leaving. The plants and the cloaked individual are tied together in some manner obviously. I say with lots of confidence. It just leaves to know why they put plants here of all places, or why they turned plants here of all places. I then pause as i think on that. Why the placement of such things as i think for a moment and asks. Is this place significant to this land as a whole? Cause if it isn't couldn't this be like a testing area for something much bigger and deadlier? I ask curiously. Finding myself not all that bothered by asking such things since from what you have said this is natural for people to do this. With that i find myself rather easy to talk about people dying since i view it from the perspective of animal nature. Of that people seek violence so this is normal. Not seeing that much difference between humans and animals in ways they behave. Just that their is more variety among this one species then animals.

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Total: 969

The first thing Amora said and asked was directed to the plants and where they had originated.  Asking if they had any idea where they had come from.  This was a question Oras had been asking himself and had no clear answer yet.  Even with the information they had collected from their research on the mysterious purple plants and their roots, there was no way to determine the origin and/or source, nor was there a way to determine how it was engineered.  He had theories for every scenario, each more unlikely than the previous, save for a few.  One of these scenarios he would share with Amora when he replied, but before that he would let her finish.  She stated how she was wondering if they used some sort of magic to start all this, and if it was even possible for them to follow the growth all the way to the source.  No to the first one he thought to himself.  Or at least, partial no.  If these plants were directly involved with magic, then they would be emanating magic energy like any spell.  No, he was assuming magic had a part in this, but that was all.  As for heading to the source there were problems with that as well.

"I do not think we can travel to the source for a multitude of reasons.  For one, the source is undoubtedly covered in these plants, possibly more.  These plants drain one of magic and physical energy.  Unless you would rather be completely covered in fortifications, I suggest we don't head there.  Not yet at least.  As for their origins, I think magic had some part in it's creation, but not fully.  You know how it doesn't emanate magic like other things do?  That is the first sign that it is not magical in itself.  Of course there are ways to block this sense, but I have already tested all these methods.  My guess is that these plants were being genetically engineered, but the process could not be finished without the help of magic."  It was some of his theories, but not all of them.  Those theories would arise when she spoke up again.  Before she did Oras had some time to take a bite or two of his food.

She shared her thoughts on how the two known subjects:  The cloaked individual and the plants were most assuredly connected with one another.  She was certainly confident in her belief, and Oras wasn't sure whether that was a good thing for her to develop or not.  It was good to be confident in yourself and your skills, but it was so very easily to be overconfident as well.  He would need to add a period of time to their schedule, time for them to separate from the world entirely, select a topic, and discuss, meditate, and debate the topic for long periods of time, so that she would develop in understanding, wisdom, and maturity.  Yes, that would be the best option.  She continued, stating how it leaves the question of how.  How would people like this cloaked individual, as well as why, place the plant here.  Of all places in Fiore.  She asked if this place was of any significance as a whole, and if it wasn't if it could be a testing site.  He smiled while his back was turned and put his mask on, abandoning his meal.  This 'apprentice' he had taken on wasn't as knowledgeable as he was, or most people for that matter.  But she certainly learned fast, and she could put two and two together.  He turned his seat around and placed his elbows on the table, his hands folding together in front of the hooded mask.  "And that is one of the right questions.  To get your first statement out of the way, whether this man is connected indirectly or directly is uncertain, but he is connected regardless.  If he is directly connected, I am unsure as to why.  It is possible that he's connected indirectly as well, possibly having supplied whoever made these plants with the necessary materials to.  Perhaps the experiment went wrong and another party is looking to either keep it quiet, or find a way to either destroy, or control the plant to their needs.  If they are directly connected, then we arrive at your second question: Either this is a test zone they have chosen, they were experimenting nearby when it went awry and came loose...  Or there is something else, something that we cannot yet see and or determine."

Word Count:  762
Total Count:  1,571

I nod my head as i just listen to you speak understanding most of it expect when the mentions of genetics are said. I just get confused as i try to know if that word has ever come up before and shakes my head mentally knowing that it hasn't. The rest of what has been said makes sense to me except for that one point. Not being the end all be all of nature and definitely not in any form science. As i think on it a bit more i do remember seeing that word once or twice in the books i had managed to sneak off some of the merchants. I tap my finger against the table in slight frustration as i try to remember the exact definition of the word, or at least what i had picked up from reading it. Yeah i know the plant doesn't emanate magic when you had told me that it does, and i then learned how to check that. What is genetic engineering though? Is that when they do some force cross pollinating between other plants? I ask that being the best guess of what i have for what that means from what i have read since the book didn't come with definitions for the words it uses.

I quickly finish up my food not wanting it to go to waste since the nice lady had spent time making it for us as i see you don't finish your food as i look to you. Deciding not to say anything since i am sure you have your reasons, and from what i know of you it is most likely going to involve searching for things involving this plant. Well why don't we just go out into the forest and try to figure out what we can from just viewing how these plants interact? I mean watching nature always helps to understand it better. I say simply with a nod of my head. We've seen what it has been doing to humans but what about creatures like birds, or rabbits. What happens when they touch these plants? I ask to you curiously wondering if either you or this research lady has looked into that yet. Have either you or she looked at that? Or are you really just not worried about how this affects nature that much since people prioritize other humans? I ask to you with curious, and almost innocent gaze from not knowing much about people. I know the most likely answer but i would prefer to be wrong in this case. Hoping that humans at least have some sort of care for the nature that they make their homes and towns around.

Actually if these plants are common and we haven't seen any animals wouldn't they just be like humans if they are meant to have the same affect? We would've seen prone and animals just lying around if that was the case. Wouldn't we? I say to you as i start to move anxiously around slightly not liking the idea of animals being put in danger. Knowing that is just how the circle of life goes, but i do deem their lives precious since they are a source of food for me. To have that source tainted in some manner could be dangerous if the plants can somehow use these animals, or if these people can taint more then just plant life with whatever genetic engineering is.

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Oras was rather concerned that she would hear something that she had never heard again. It was the one downside to talking with Amora. While she was rather intelligent, fast to catch on, and had unique perspectives on life, people, and culture thanks to her upbringing. To be specific, growing up in the wilderness with nothing but her mind and magic, as well as fear of humans. The one downfall to having a conversation with her, was in fact her lack of vocabulary. While she was indeed a fast learner, there were many thousands of words, terms and phrases that she would undoubtedly not understand, and therefore request for him to explain them to her. This was rather irritating for Oras as it meant having to stop his train of thought in order to catch her up to where he was. Despite the fact that it was so time consuming to have to do this every single time she hit a word she didn't understand, it was important that she learned. Very important, as it would speed up their training. He was still concerned with her being here, he didn't trust her fully. When he had fully trained her, taught her how the world worked as well as trained her how to fight. What was keeping her from turning on him? Nothing. He wasn't sure. How could he? Even if one could see into the future, the future was never a full certainty. They would only see one out of many possible futures. "Genetics simply put, is the genetic properties or features of an organism, characteristic, etc. Engineering means to design, build, and or modify. Genetic Engineering is by taking organisms and modifying, altering it on a genetic level. Therefore altering how it would look, feel, smell, act, etc."

She then asked him if they should head out and observe the plants together. Watch them carefully as you learn things by observing nature. Oras already knew this of course, and had already observed the plants before. Not to a long extent of course, but he did know the importance of it. When you remained in one place long enough, unmoving and silent, you were able to see things that most wouldn't. Nature tended to want to remain hidden, unseen. The only way you could see the unseen, was if you became invisible as everything else was. This of course, was very easy for Oras to do. She suggested watching in the hopes that they would be able to see, or at least confirm, what happened when the animals of nature came into contact with one of the weeds. His first thought on the matter was that the animals would die. When humans touched them they were sent to the hospital. However animals had a far smaller body and thus the effects would be far greater on them. Of course there could be more side effects to which he agreed that they should check for. Then she asked a question, sounding so innocent as she asked it. He looked at her when she did ask it, a silence lasting for a while. When he spoke, there was no emotion in his voice, his dull factual personality standing strong.

"Yes and no. I put myself first because I seek to live. If all of mankind is in danger then that will include you and I. If animals are endangered it will effect the world. There is no balance, there is no permanent life, however extermination can and will form a very deadly impact on the world. I look on the world in a very black and white perspective Amora. I care about others and things, because of cause and effect."

Word Count: 618
Total Count: 2,189

I listen to the definition and nods my head taking all of that and understanding it enough where i can fill the gaps of things i wouldn't understand, and i then repeat what i have been told. So genetic engineering is taking anything you want to change, and then change anything about it to fit your needs of what you wish for it to be. Be it the taste of something, or i guess in this case how deadly the plant is towards other people. I say as i look at you still trying to guess where your eyes are underneath that mask that you like to wear so much.

As i wait for my answer the silence is definitely the most unnerving part as i wait for an answer to my question as i just look towards you. I look around rather nervously almost hoping that by now the lady would come in to break the silence finding it rather unnerving after having started to get use to the almost constant noise of something. For their to be silence in terms of just a bit louder then being in my cave is strange to say the least unless it is night time since that seems to be the time where everyone goes to sleep. Myself fine with that since i am use to that having been the same, but i still find myself restless at such times do to the fact a small part of me wishes to leave wherever i am sleeping to hunt a animal or such creature thinking i need to do so to continue to survive.

When i receive my answer the tone of it, and just the lack of emotion makes me feel a bit uneasy. Not use to what i view as a rather detached sort of way of speaking and caring about the things around you that could impact you quiet severely if left to play to its own instruments. Cause and effect? I say softly as i put the two terms together and nods my head quickly understanding them. Why not try to view the world in a grey sort of spectrum then? I mean not everything is as black and white as it can seem Verus. I mean you've told me not to steal while in town, so that means that is against your laws. To your law i am a criminal for stealing things that belonged to others. However, if you look at it from my perspective i stole to survive as best as i was able to do so. What wins out then? Your laws and practices you humans have put, or the very essence and need of survival from stealing from others. I ask you. What is more important the life of another human being who would die otherwise when they have done no wrong, or the laws you have put to punish others? If you didn't know me Verus you would most likely call me a petty thief or criminals, but since you do know you haven't thrown me in a jail cell. If everything is black and white isn't a crime a crime and should be punished as such? I ask you.

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She repeated his words back to him, most likely so that she would remember what the words meant in the future, and be less likely to forget it.  When she repeated it however, she had missed a part, namely that individuals could build with genetic structure as well, creating a completely different species.  He noted that when she said this, she was straining to look into his eyes, wherever they might be underneath his mask.  Why she'd try looking for his eyes while he was wearing the mask was beyond him.  "You can also build genetic structures rather than modifying them as well.  If you're intelligent enough and know how to do so."

She seemed rather uneasy upon his reply, and seemed confused for a moment when she said cause and effect.  When she spoke again he nearly sighed as she wasn't getting what he meant of that.  When she finished he would speak.  "You misunderstand what I mean by it.  I live in a world of either or.  Just because something seems like one result, doesn't mean it's not actually another result.  That's why I research, I investigate.  However the more I investigate the more I find an either or situation.  Either you steal for a selfish reason such as greed, spite, revenge.  Or you steal for positive benefit, such as survival, other's survival, or other reasons along this spectrum.  In the same sense murder can also fall into an either or scenario.  Whether you kill out of revenge, enjoyment, or personal gain, or you kill out of self defense, defending someone else, or an entire country.  When it comes to lying, it could be to gain an advantage, defend yourself, or it could be to protect someone else from a tyrant, from death.  When you dig down to the deepest roots Amora, you will always encounter an either or scenario.  The black and white perspective.  There will never be a both and.  To have anything at all, you must make a sacrifice of some kind.  If someone gives you something for free, that individual had to sacrifice their time and effort to prepare it.  Wherever you go, there is sacrifice.  There is either or.

"Whether you think it should be this way or not doesn't really matter.  Laws are in place to prevent a large mass of crimes, but cannot stop them all.  Sometimes laws can be used in a darker way, allowing criminals to place plans and disguises, being criminals under the protection of the law.  People like the government, the magic council, are perfect positions to do such a thing.  So in regards to the law-"  He stopped speaking when he heard something going on outside.  He focused on the sound, hearing the voice of Amaline in the distance.  As she got louder he could hear the terror in her voice, but there was another sound that was beginning to overcast hers.  He used his magic to dampen the second sound and made out a few words.  "Help!  The animals!"  Oras stopped blocking the second sound and confirmed it was the sound of a stampede.  He shot to his feet and drew his blades, dashing for the doorway and forcing it open.  He turned to see what the danger was.

Word Count:  544
Total Count:  2,733

Rolling for Mobs

The member 'Oras Auro' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Monster Dice' :

I nod my head hearing that and wonders what more people are capable of if they put the time into doing things. Wondering how much they could modify animals, and change them if they could build these building blocks of life to have completely different things of life. To be used for completely different purposes all because one person had the idea to change one little thing or to use what was once just a innocent part of life for something far more evil.

You then proceed to correct my thoughts as i chuckle a little bit at the end not realizing how far off i was in my understanding of what you were tying to stay. I look around a little bit wondering if this misunderstanding was from my general lack of understanding when it comes to things here and their, or if the misunderstanding was from the wording that anyone could've had troubles interpreting to what he had actually meant the words to be. I then hear more of your perspective as i nod my head idly as i listen along as i find out that it is a rather interesting way of seeing that instead of the broad reasons of how black or white could be used. That you use it to boil down to reasons of the person doing it for this or that instead of how i was thinking of it to be good or bad. I then tilt my head a little bit as i get why you say black and white for when it comes to that since a person couldn't have the motives that are good and evil. Since when it comes to motives their is usually only one strong driving force that then forms smaller reasons as it goes along, but keeps that singular original force somewhere in it.

So instead of looking things as good and evil you instead look at the reasons why do things. Do they do the crime under the idea that it was for a selfish reason, or did they do the crime or action for a reason that is selfish, or anything other non good reason like revenge. I say with a nod of my head and then hears a few terms i make sure to remember since they sound important from the context they were used in and the terms sounding rather important sounding also. Particularly only one phrase really this magic council sparking my interest wondering what purpose they have, and how could something as vast and chaotic as magic can be from the fact that what i've been told by Verus has infinite possibilities. How could anything like that be put onto a ruling or something if the council is anything like a town council.

I hear something happening outside, but i ignore it not knowing that it is something unusual. Just thinking it is people doing whatever they do for fun in these towns since they are rather loud anyway normally why would this be any different? That idea gets thrown out the window the second i see you get up and makes your way towards the door as i follow you as i quickly use the metal i have on hand to form a one handed short sword ready to fight unlike last time. As the door opens i look what lies beyond it in curiosity of what is happening.

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Total: 2663

He could hear Amora shift the metal on her belt into a weapon, specifically a dagger.  While Oras was certain that the weapon she had found in the book, the one she decided to work on and master would serve better in combat, Oras would not allow her to use it as of now.  It was far more dangerous and deadly to herself than her foes when she didn't understand how to use it properly.  The design of the weapon could very easily kill herself while she attempted to fight another.  The weapon was rather delicate as well, or at least the design was.  It acted as both a bow, and a double bladed weapon.  The bow itself didn't bend, but it had wheels and cable that created the bend required for the bow part of the weapon to function.  It was complicated for beginners which was why she had to study the weapon to death before even thinking about making it.  The wrong mistake could hurt her, damage the mechanism, or cause it to malfunction or not work in the first place.  Any flaw could make it fragile, or lose much of it's potency, which was not needed in battle.

When Oras was outside he could hear Amora coming to him, following with a slight lag.  Oras saw the opponent and knew this wasn't going to be fun.  It was an easy fight, but it wasn't going to be fun at all.  Amaline was being chased by a bear.  This however was no ordinary bear in the slightest.  This bear was at least seven feet tall and it's brown fur was coated with something.  The closer it got the more clearly Oras was able to discern what it was.  It appeared to be some form of purple algae, mass, nearly all over it's body.  Purple mushrooms were growing all over it's back, and even coming out of one of it's eyes.  The creature had a slight limp to it but over all it seemed very functioning.  The creature neared Amaline and roared, causing her to stumble for a second.  It stood on it's hind legs, some of the purple mass falling onto the grass.  When it stood up it stilled a moment, allowing Oras to see that the mass was almost, pulsing.  He narrowed his eyes before six illusions appeared on either side of him, each charging at the bear at once.

Amaline screamed and ran for cover while the guards approached.  Oras' illusions threw daggers that landed in front of the guards, causing them to halt their position.  "We have this don't get in our way!"  One of his non physical illusions called out.  This would undoubtedly confuse Amora if she had been making an attempt to keep track of the real Oras, as it had come from one of the outer illusions.  The bear glanced at all the targets and roared as it threw itself down, causing a minor shake in the ground when it's feet landed.  Despite the guard's stumbling from this, Oras was able to maintain his balance as he ran.  His false illusions were the first to attack, the bear swinging at them, but phasing completely through them.  One of these was the one that spoke.  The next came the physical illusions, which slashed at the soft areas of it's fur that seemed the least coated in the mass.  Oras was the last and he made sure he was a good ways away from the rest of them so that the bear would spot him quickly.  The creature swung it's claw at him and he activated Universal Echo.  The bear's claw was flung back, causing it to stumble and fall over.

By this point, all of his illusions had surrounded the bear.  He and his physical illusions began throwing daggers at the bear, his illusions dealing far more than his stereotypical blades, and finished off by charging across the beast in an X like pattern.  The bear roared again and began to get up but suddenly froze. While Oras and his physical illusions were attacking, the other three illusions had placed down the Impetus triangle spell, creating a trap that immobilized the bear completely.  Oras nodded to Amora who would be able to attack the bear without fear of being harmed.

Word Count: 717
Total Count: 3,450

As i exited the home i see the threat and my eyes narrow as i see purple mass over the bear as i instantly grip my short sword just seeing it as a bigger dagger in my mind. I quickly run through my options of what i can do, but that is halted by seeing you move into action of how to deal with the enemy. I watch as you summon forth illusions as i don't bother to keep track of where the real one is since it would just be a waste of my mental effort in that fact. Not caring which one is real since my goal isn't to harm any of the variations of Verus, so their is no need to keep track of which is the real one since when the fight is all said and done the real one will be the only one left.

I look closer and see the purple mushrooms, and this algae material over it pulse and seemingly is very much alive as my mind instantly moves into thinking of how such a thing can happen. My mind instantly moving to a magical reason being involved since this is not normal by any means. Now their is only the matter in the end to decide this is magical control of some type, or a more unnatural occurrence of a creature being brought back. I think quickly and nods my head deciding that just trapping it would be for the best if the materials along its body could be harvested off of it to inspect to see if it could be studied by the lady that studied the plants. However, it seems you have different plans as you attack and then trap the beast. I just sigh softly and moves forward while holding the short sword as i look to the bear. May nature take you back into its embrace when your parts are used for something. I say in a gentle tone of voice respecting the once proud beast of the forest as i use my sword to cut along the bear from its hip towards its shoulder with my blade. I then glide my foot along the ground and then apply a bit of pressure as i summon some earth spikes to stab through the bear at different parts of it body going straight up to make sure to not harm any illusions or the real you. I look to the bear to see if it is alive by any means at this point as i can only hope that it is dead.

I turn my head towards the authorities wondering how well this is going to go over, and if this will cause the whispers and looks to stop by seeing us in a positive light. Thinking that since the people saw us openly help a person live that they would be fine, and stop the looks knowing we only mean to protect the people that are here. How does it look Verus? Is the former noble beast dead? Can we start working on trying to see if we can find anything from this creature? I ask in a gentle voice as i look down towards the bear with a pitying look. This creature doesn't deserve whatever is happening to it. I say in a soft voice before focusing on the matter. This is either another new fungus or some similar thing that the creator of the plants have made that can effect animals. That or we're seeing the effects of a animal being exposed to these plants for to long. I say putting my own thoughts out their from what we have currently.

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Total:3282

Oras watched as she moved forward to end the bear, clearly distressed and troubled by the action she was about to make. Living with nature and wilderness long enough, the length of time she had. Particularly her time in the wilderness being nearly her entire childhood meant that she had a rather strong connection to it, and it's inhabitants. Slaying this animal would certainly not be on one of her top priorities. More than likely she would have tried to think of ways of which she could perhaps trap, or save the animal rather then ending it. However ending it was truly the only other way. This creature had died (metaphorically) quite a long while ago. An animal infected by a purple mass, seemingly because of mushrooms, that Oras deduced was directly connected with the purple weeds that spread through and absorbed magic energy and physical stamina. When she stood over the bear, that roared in her face, it's only eye wild with crazed madness, she spoke, her words almost like a prayer one would make at a funeral. Then she slashed it, creating a long cut, then summoned earthen spears that skewed it's wound. The bear went limp.

The guards stared in silence before muttering to themselves, whispering about what happened. Oras and Amora were too far away to hear exactly what they were saying. The villagers were all out and looked horrified, scared to death of what they were witnessing here. Amaline was in her house by now, but the guards knew they needed to keep the rest of the villagers out of the way as well. They began moving them away from the scene while Amora came to Oras and asked him if the creature was in fact dead. Oras nodded slowly but didn't say or do anything else. There wasn't any need to until they discussed the matter further. Which they would most certainly do when they returned indoors where Amaline would most certainly need help calming down. She spoke again, mentioning how it didn't deserve what happened to it. He looked at the bear before speaking up. "Who are we to determine whether anyone, whether man or beast, mortal or immortal, demon or god, deserves anything?"

Oras listened to what she had to say about the infection that was increasingly slowing down it's pulse down to a cease. Oras listened to her words for a while before he spoke up again. He gestured for her to follow him and walked over back into Amaline's home. Only then did two guards move over to handle the bear. "Take a torch to it and don't touch it!" Oras demanded.

Word Count: 442
Total Count: 3,842

I look around with a solemn look towards the villagers that look scared and frightened still. I don't know what it is to at this point whether these people fear a bear that has been put down, or if they're just that more scared of myself and Verus. I don't know the answer to this question, but i would prefer it being the bear since we have proven that Verus and i know what we are doing at this point at least to some degree when dealing with this. I look towards the bear and bows my head slightly to it wishing the bear safe passage to whatever next life their could be awaiting it. I then look along its body and sighs softly realizing their is nothing of use in this bear. It's pelt and meat being contaminated and i can't even bury it to provide soil for the ground in fear that it will contaminate the soil it would be buried in.

I then hear your question and thinks of that a bit running my finger gently through my jacket as i think on that question. Who decides what deserves what when it comes to their fate. Everyone decides the fate of the other Verus. Whatever this is doesn't deserve to happen to people. I can only assume some effects from what we have seen. One clear one i can say is that nobody deserves to have their mind destroyed absolutely. Not even the worst humans, and demons deserve such things. To have the mind destroyed means destroying everything that person once was. To make them a mindless killing machine is not a fate people should live through. I say softly to you doing so for a mix of keeping our conversations quiet since the rest of the public doesn't need to hear, and my mood is a bit hampered down by seeing what i deem as a noble creature reduced to that below the worms in the dirt.

I watch guards move in to try and move it and i shake my head at the stupidity of such a idea. Even if the pulsing of this mass of purple is stopping doesn't mean it is dead. It can simple mean it is going into a dormant state do to not having enough of a source to feed off of. Verus is it possible to try and move the body for study if a person is examining with heavy safety equipment? Cause if they can i can use my magic to move the body over to her lab for study if that is the best course in all of this. I say to you as i look to my blade that does have a bit of the purple substance on it as i keep the sword as is since if anything the small bit of what we have on this blade could be used for study if need be.

Count: 492
Total:3774

Oras listens to Amora as she answers his rhetorical question and he can't help but wonder if he should teach her how to determine whether a question is literal or rhetorical, or if he should in fact let her answer each of his questions, rhetorical or not. He smiled under his mask as he realized he did in fact enjoy philosophical discussions, and nobody would stick around long enough to actually listen to him, let alone debate with him. He was beginning to see some use of having her as an apprentice after all. Oras let her finish, hearing her first explain that everyone had the choice to determine one's fate and whether or not he, she, or it, had deserved it. While this was true it was also a concept that easily backfired upon itself. She continued, explaining how she believed that nobody deserves their minds to be broken the way this bear's had. To lose any and all thought process and become nothing more than a mindless killing machine. He used his magic to block their sound so that no one would hear their conversation. "Tell me then. What about the serial killers who prefer to torture their victims slowly and painfully, enjoying every scream as they carve their life inch by inch, in the most painful ways? Do you think they do not deserve the same fate? What of the many married women who are treated horribly of their husbands, in very gruesome ways? Do you believe they would not wish this fate on them? Your first sentence was correct, Amora, and that is the problem. A man who commits massacre, or the slaughter of hundreds, perhaps thousands, may in fact believe he is doing the right thing, for many number of reasons. A serial killer could be religious, thinking that he's freeing mankind from the wretched prison we call life. They are all just as right as you are, if what you had said. Is true.

"There are two major beliefs Amora. That there is no god, and that there is. You're version is if there is no god, or at least no god that cares. If there is a god out there, then he, she or it writes the rules. They decide who's good and who's evil, who lives forever and who spends their eternal life in damnation. It no longer matters what we think is good or evil at this point. We would have an almighty being who would show us the path to salvation. Before you ask, I do not have any religion as of yet. There are many deities that are believed to exist out there, and I have not seen proof of any as of now. Back to what I had said earlier Amora, there is always. Always, an either or scenario. You must choose which belief you would rather follow the rest of your life, or live in the truth as I do. And that truth is that nothing, and no one, ever remains the same."

Amora asked him if they could move the body for study and he shook his head while summoning an illusion beside it. The illusion began to cut off some of the bear's back, ensuring it gathered the spores and mass, and would carry it with them. "No, it's far to heavy. Bear's tend to be that way, and the mass and fungi growing on it's body wouldn't help either. The guard's will burn the rest away so the town shouldn't be in too much of a threat there. Come along Amora, we must have a discussion with Amaline."

Word Count: 604
Total Count: 4,496

They deserve to be punished by whatever law you have set up, but if that law involves destroying the mind into pieces that could never be pieced back together. Or if it can be pieced back together to remember every gruesome moment knowing you were nothing but a puppet. Then no not even they deserve to this fate. They deserve to be punished, and try to conform them back to whatever your society calls normal. Banish them to some island where they couldn't harm others, to some other world that isn't this which i can assume is possible since everything is possible with magic. That is more humane then voluntarily destroying their minds through some thing that was created to do so. I say with a shrug of my shoulders. However, in the end not even the worse of criminals deserve to have their minds totally destroyed since even killing them would be more humane then allowing them to live.... I look to the bear and then back towards you. Like that. To do that is cruel and destroys whatever humanity they could have left that might be able to restore. Even if that chance is absolutely so insignificantly minuscule. That chance if you arrest them i believe that guard said like they did with that man you captured and sent to the jail. That is better then destroying his mind forever. I then nod my head as i notice that this has looped back slightly to the previous conversation. The one of the either or scenario. To figure out what is the cause of all of this for what a person does.

Either or whether a man did this for good or bad intentions. To me their is no good that can come from this. To destroy beings minds is just cruel in every fashion. Also for the whole god thing. I have not been given a reason, or shown a reason to believe their ia god of any kind out their listening to us, or ignoring us. Since if having a god means everything is predertimed then their is no meaning to life. The idea of that means a person is born and their fate is already written when that is false. People choose their own path and life and they live with the success and failures they make along the way. However, i do hope their is something after this life to get back to the ones who have died. That would be nice to face my family once more. I say in a gentle tone of voice at the end.

I then see you cut a piece off from the bear as i just nod my head guessing it is better then for everything to just burn. May you find safety when you may one day return to the ground. I say softly and makes my way back towards the lady named Ameline with you not even realizing that my way of respecting animals could be viewed as somewhat religious.

Count: 509
Total:4283

Right, wrong.  Humane, inhumane.  Torture, mercy.  There was always an either or, and unless there was some god out there, and he wondered if Amora did in fact believe in a god what with the way she spoke to the animal when she finished it off.  There was no right or wrong.  It was all up to perspective.  And perspective was utterly different with each and every individual human, demon, etc.  Not to mention that there were billions of intelligent minds on this world, and quite possibly many other worlds as well.  Therefore there was no one set way of right and wrong.  If one was to survive, they had to understand this.  Oras did agree with Amora that said people should be punished, and that this was not the way to go about it.  However she had to remember that not everyone would share her belief, and she may not be able to sway everyone.  Especially if they did not want to be swayed.  When she reached the part about it being better than destroying the mind forever Oras shook his head.  "This is the way of the world Amora.  While you believe strongly in this, and I would agree with you on this specific matter, there are many who would disagree.  If there is an organization and one of their men are captured, they could very well rather let him suffer death, torture, or even a fate like this, if it meant keeping the information said man knows about the organization, a secret.  Serial killers may prefer the method of driving their victims insane before finishing them off.  Whether you or I like it or not, approve of it or not.  Our say is not the final say.  In the end it is as you have said prior to this.  Everyone has the chance and choice, to determine whether something is deserved or not.  Let this be a lesson for you Amora.  The cruelty of the sinful nature of man knows no bounds.  We can be saints at times...  While others put the devil to shame."

He walked into the house of Amaline who seemed to have caught her breathing at this point and was taking care of the dishes, though her hands still had a steady shake to them.  Oras walked over to the wall and leaned against it, turning to Amora waiting for her to get into a position.  "So what do you think of what we just saw?  I'd like to get first impressions out of the way before getting to analytical discussions."

Word Count: 428
Total Count: 4,924

I just listen to what you say as i nod slowly and reluctantly not wanting to agree, but knowing you are right from what you have told. However, i won't let that stop me from doing what i think is the right thing since as a person it is my right to do what i think is right. With my decision being that this shouldn't be something that is deserved, so i will do my best to punish those that do such actions. I hear the words saints and devil as i have no idea what those mean, but from context i understand enough they are meant to be complete opposites of good and evil. I look around once more at all of the people as i then quickly make my way inside the of the home of this ameline deciding to just focus on this matter, and to avoid getting sidetracked for the moment. Not wishing to put more creatures like the bear outside under this side effect of either a new magic experiment gone right or wrong, or for more animals to suffer the side effect of being near these plants.

I enter the home and sees you go over to the wall as i move closer towards the woman known as Ameline encase she needs comfort of some kind.Not being right up close to her more so close enough to keep her in sight, and within distance for fast movement to stop her from doing anything possibly. Having picked up on the shaky hands as well, and knows from personal experience that is not a good sign in terms of being completely calm. What do i think? Well you heard a lot of what i thought on our way here. I do think this is either a new experiment gone right or wrong, or this is a side effect of those plants harming the animals. With as you said earlier if the animals get hurt all of the planet gets hurt since it disrupts the order of things. I say as i look to you. So obviously we must determine if this is side effects of those plants that we have been seeing, or if this is another experiment by those death hand people. I say just giving a name to the group since the coin we got had a skull, and a hand on it.

Count: 400
Total: 4683

He listened to Amora as she talked about how she agreed with him on the hypothesis that either this purple weed that was spreading swiftly was an experiment that had gone horribly wrong, or that it was a side effect of the plants harming the animals. He nodded slightly, as that seemed to be one of the stronger theories... However something wasn't adding up. If this was an experiment, what was the original intention? Why go through so much trouble to create this weed? A biological weapon of some sorts? It was a possibility but from what he had seen unlikely. From what he saw from the cloaked man, and what he had just seen now, he believed that it wasn't a failed experiment after all. Something was going on, but he lacked vital information to complete this theory. She brought up what he had said about the delicacy of life and how if animals are removed from the equation, so do the humans. He gave a slight chuckle when she called the unknown organization the death hand. A rather simplistic way of naming them, but he would roll with it for now. "Alright then. Amaline, what are your thou-" He stopped when the woman had dropped one of the plates she was putting away, the glass shattering. He was silent for a moment and she didn't look up to either of them. "I'm... Going to go lie down for a bit.." She quickly walked out of the room and headed to her bedroom, locking the door behind her. Oras turned to Amora. "Shock. She was after all, nearly brutally murdered by a bear driven mad by the purple mass."

He moved forward to the table just as his illusion appeared, placing the corrupted flesh in the center. Oras took a plant he had brought in, still alive and well, and placed it against one of the mushrooms. The effect was just as he had expected. The plant shriveled up swiftly, while at the same time the purple mass pulsed once. He watched as the plant turned into ash and fell on to the diseased fur before looking up to Amora. "This was no accident. The only accident there may have been is if this was either released too soon, or spread farther than they expected. The weeds, the roots, they absorb magic energy as well as physical stamina. However we have seen the roots burrow through anything and raise a new weed elsewhere. My theory as to what these mushrooms are, is that the roots attached to animals in their sleep, and not only absorbed their stamina, but also sprouted up the chemical reaction for the weeds. However it effects living beings differently, hence the spores. When it woke up the spores reacted in a way that gave it the urge to find more energy, more strength. Which it could find in other life forms. Therefore the spores hunt and collect using it's prey."

Word Count: 495
Total Count: 5,419

I just watch her move to go to her room as you claim it is something called shock. I don't bother questioning what it is for now just passing it off as something that happens when something really bad happens to people, and can cause said people to be a bit unreasonable to some things. I do wonder though what would she keep in her room, and even do in their? It just seems a bit like a waste of time to be doing whatever she is doing instead of trying to solve the problem to try and prevent it from happening again. People are very strange creatures when presented with these things, but i have a feeling i would be like that if i didn't have to fight for my life so many times already that i have grown use to the probability of death. Not being frightened by it, but weary of its possible happening since i deem myself unfit for death since i wish to accomplish something in this world.

I watch you put a plant onto the purple moss like thing on the pelt as it shrivels and turns into ash quickly upon contact as i tilt my head. As i look at this i focus on that aspect of a thing that is a by product of the plant killing another for nutrients. If it does that to plants how would they even genetically modify plants to survive that? How do they prevent the plants from killing themselves? I say softly as i go through what i know of these things. Maybe that is why we sense magic from them something they added to allow these plants from killing themselves? I say as i think a little bit as i then listen to what you say. Doesn't that mean if allowed to these roots could affect humans also Verus? I know that when people touched them they get sent to the hospital, but if allowed enough time do you think this could happen to the people in this town? Maybe even wizards? I say throwing ideas of how this could be used more against other people as i look at this strange thing that defies all my knowledge of how the world works, but strangely enough i have a feeling it'll only get weirder the longer this continues. What is the point of this though. What do they hope to gain from all of this? I say softly knowing that is the the question that we have to answer.

Word: 428
Total:5111

Oras could see the confusion in Amora's eyes as she watched Amaline walk into her bedroom but said nothing to her. She was still learning the ways of the world, and while Amora had survived in the wilderness all her childhood, Amaline had been inside a building studying to become a scientist, which unless you practiced wild and risky experiments, was far from life threatening. While Amaline was more knowledgeable and intelligent than Amora, his apprentice was a quick learner, and had combat experience. While it still felt uncomfortable to refer to Amora as his apprentice, whether mentally or not, he could detect a bond of sorts beginning to form between them. He couldn't help but wonder... If he had been spending this much time with Ruvel, would it have turned out the same way? Would they have been creating a similar bond? Or would they drive each other away? He couldn't be sure which, only that he needed to be careful to not become attached to Amora in any way. He still didn't trust her fully, even through all of this...

Her first words in reaction was a rather intelligent question and response. How indeed would the plants survive their own destructive capabilities? What was preventing them from killing themselves? "There are a great number of ways this could be done. Perhaps there is a certain element the draining properties cannot effect in any way. If this is the case then the plant would most certainly have that element in it's genetic structure. Or perhaps the drain is something that activates because the plant itself has nothing. If your hair came in contact with water, it would absorb the water into it. However if your hair was already wet then it wouldn't, and couldn't, absorb more. Perhaps the reason these plants are not affected, is because they are empty of energy. All energy absorbed is used to expand the roots outwards, and the fungi act as a sort of storehouse for that energy."

Her next question: could they affect humans. Asking him if given enough time, the plants could do the same thing they were doing to the bear they had just fought and killed. To shatter the mind of the individual, forcing it to seek out more energy and strength, to feed more. Oras nodded without hesitating. "They most certainly can effect humanoids. That's why I demanded the guards not to touch the bear. If they're smart, it's being incinerated this very moment. I would assume that Wizards would have more resistance to them as their storehouse of magic energy would take longer to drain. However it can be done. Nothing is impossible remember? We must always assume worst case scenario and work from there. Only then can we be prepared for whatever approaches." And finally, her last question. What was the point of all of this? He gave a soft sigh and leaned against the wall. "That, Amora, is the question. This is a puzzle and we have not all the pieces. To answer that question, we will need to answer others first..."

Word Count: 516
Total Count: 5,934

If all the energy is used to expand the roots outwards that would make sense on why plants wouldn't have this on them since the energy is being spent on something, but with carriers like the bear energy would build up... I pause realizing something if that is the case. How many had that bear harmed to have any of that fungi on it. I say softly as i look at the pelt. I just hope that is from its own energy instead of others. Of course we wouldn't know unless we watched the process happened in front of us to try and figure out how much of the creatures own energy is used in creating what we saw. I say as i look at the pelt. I can only feel a bit anxious wanting and needing to see the end result of these effects. Wanting to see what these plants do themselves, and to try and find a way to end them or slow them down in some fashion. Not liking the fact these plants could easily turn a town into a rampaging army of mindlessness given the right amount of time.

I sigh softly as i try to think of something to do from here, but i am not entirely sure what we can do since i have a feeling neither of us are professionals at this. With our only professional seemingly going through something that will probably hinder her ability to be useful. I just look to the ground tapping my foot somewhat out of built up nerves which gives the feeling of pent up energy as i try to spend it on doing something. I don't know what to do from here. i admit out loud being unsure if observing them is useful since all the work of these plants seem to happen underground. A area where we can't observe what is happening at all. Which leaves me rather stumped on how to even proceed from here. I do look out the window of the home hoping to see where we had killed the bear to see if the guards are burning the bear as i think on what the person in the cell said now. Just as useful in a cell somehow. Maybe that person we locked up can be used as a beginning place for the plants to spread? Like having him turn into a carrier and then infect from the inside out? Maybe something else depending on if these plants have anything else they can do. I say thinking out loud on possibilities not thinking anything magical being done since you said he hadn't any talent for such things.

Amora began to think about what Oras had said regarding how the plants had worked, and mentioned how it made sense overall, however she seemed concern as to how many the bear may have harmed while under the control of the fungi, and that she hoped the growth was from the bear's own energy storage and not that of someone else's.  He nodded solemnly.  The question may never be answered, but what was indeed certain was that this plant would never cease.  There was magic energy in the very air itself though it wasn't obtainable through normal means.  These plants would be able to continue to absorb energy and grow further and further out...  Unless of course it wasn't.  Whether or not it was designed to stop at a certain point, or if it was to be cut or trimmed along the way, he doubted that it was designed to go on forever and ever.  It was bound to stop at one point or another.  At worst case scenario he could see the entire continent covered but no more.  Even then, what would be the point?  Something was going on and he would certainly get to the bottom of it.

However it seemed that Amora was beginning to lose her nerves, seeming to freak out a little.  She was unsure of what to do next and suggested the cloaked individual may have spread the plague but Oras shook his head no.  He held up a hand to stop her.  Once she stopped moving and was silent he would speak.  "Amora, calm yourself.  Get some rest.  We're skipping our daily spar tonight..  I need some time to think.  If you are this concerned, I would speak with Amaline.  Help comfort her...  I'm heading out for a bit.  I doubt we'll be attacked by anything anytime soon."  With that he pushed off toward the door and opened it, ignoring the burning bear and the wretched aroma that spread through the air.  Ignoring the guards glancing at him.  Ignoring the scared faces of the villagers.  He headed in the opposite direction of the bear, towards the woods that was not yet tainted by these weeds.  Even then however..  It was dark, and foreboding as he entered the darkness.