Forest Bay

Raija held her hands upwards as the bartender walked away. "You serious? What a loser...." She looked at the remainder of the group as they pitched their ideas. Pulling her sword from her sheath, she nodded. "Of course I can fight! Ya don't see this sword? Is everyone going to stop hiding now?" She clapped her hands in excitement. "Let's see what we can all do! I'll go ahead and recon. Good luck!" She ran ahead of the two and scoped the area ahead. Merging with the shadows when she was out of sight of the other two, she ended up on top of a high building. "Not much. They're really all running away... Oh well. The mayor's abode should be easy to reach."

Meanwhile inside the Halos Cabin, the family and guest had gathered around the table with warm herbal tea and Mathoss had just finished getting dry and warmed up when he heard a low growling sound.

"huh?" Mathoss muttered as his ears twitched

Estella's father looked at him "what is it Mathoss?"

"thought I heard something growling."

"sure it's not your stomach..." Estella teased

Mathoss snickered at the joke but frowned when he heard it again and light scratching against the walls. "no... that's not my stomach." He blinked "hey Mr. H, what type of defensive magic have you placed around your house."

"With the aid of our gardens we have numerous sensors and sentries," Mr. H muttered "barriers against teleportation and other physical attacks, and our plant magic gives our house regenerative walls that quickly repair damage after it's dealt, why."

Mathoss hummed "so nothing can get in here if you don't want it to right."

"unless they manage to dispel all our magic which mind you is possible but very hard to do, no one can get in my house if I don't want them in." He turned serious "are you hearing something we aren't."

"yeah... it's growling and scratching along the walls." He looked in a direction. "It's over there, on the other side of the wall

Mr. H frowned "odd, normally if something was out there in range of our house, I would be notified about it." He muttered as he went over to the wall

Mathoss quickly turned as he heard more growls and scratching on the other side near where the kitchen was. "huh." He then caught movement in the window for just a second. "uh Mr. H, can your house lock itself."

Mr. H hummed "I can seal the doors yes..." cracking was heard as plant material grew between the doors and walls to seal them together "is there something out there..."

Mathoss hummed "yeah... I can hear it."

Estella moaned in fright

Mrs. H looked at her husband, "why aren't the plants reacting?"

Mr. H hummed "I don't know but I'm going to make sure they do." He hummed "Plants of the house, rise up and stand, protect me, my family and our friends, repel or restrain all who dare intrude on our land."

A rope like sound was heard then a loud crack of a whip was heard followed by a pained howl.

Mr. H smirked slightly "got something." He stated

"A Wolf?" Estella asked "maybe it's hungry?"

Mr. H hummed "a wolf would not hunt in a storm, my daughter. Anything animal caught in it would often seek shelter until it passes and only great hunger would make them seek food and wolves are usually smart enough to get a meal before the storm hits."

Mathoss hummed "and if it was a wolf or any other canine I would be able to tell... I've got a knack for telling what animals are where... No what I'm hearing isn't an animal."

A deeper growl that even the family could hear was heard, and a second rope whip cracking was heard but then a crunch sound was heard followed fighting growls and rope pulling was heard then in a flash of lightning in the window a silhouette of something limber and thin on two legs with a large muzzle was seen pulling at something with it's muzzle that looked like a rope.

Estella made a noise of fright. "Father..."

"stay calm my daughter." Mr. H commanded

A ripping sound was heard then more growls were heard claws went against the kitchen window then the claws raked across the glass causing a noise that make Mathoss flinch because he had sensitive hearing. "OY!" He shouted "cut that out!" He exclaimed

A excited growl was heard followed by more rapid clawing but then a thunk was heard followed by another pained howl. A flash of lightning occurred and a wooden stake had extended itself out from the house and impaled the creature through the chest and had it grow so that it was up into the air. The creature struggled to move but it's movement only pushed the stake through it further. Cracking ropes were heard as vines lashed out and bound the creature's thin legs and arms pulling them outword so that it was unable to move. A cracking sound was heard as a houseplant grew a vine to touch Mr. H

Mr. H hummed as he held the vine and received information. "The plants report they have successfully disabled a persistent intruder however they report it is alive in a manner of speaking."

"alive?" Estella moaned

Mr. H hummed "I'm going to see what dared to attack my home."

"eh mind if I come with you Mr. H..." Mathoss stated "buddy system?"

Mr. H hummed "my wife, my daughter stay inside, we will only be gone a minute or two."

Estella hummed "be careful... both of you"

"aye..." Her father replied as he and Mathoss went outside

~~~

When Mr. H and Mathoss went outside, plants extended a leaf like covering shielding them from the rain.

Mr. H approached the creature that was bound, it's low growls followed by it's head turning tracked their movements. Mr. H grew a ball of light in his hand and illuminated a Wendigo.

Mathoss blinked "Mr. H what is that?"

Mr. H hummed "judging by the thin body and limbs, I think this one is a Wendigo."

Mathoss blinked as he moved closer "a Wendigo."

Mr. H held him back "careful lad, they are vicious creatures with a liking for mortal flesh,"

A growl followed by a strained pull and snap of jaws confirmed Mr. H's statement. The Wendigo was hungry and it didn't care who it ate

Mathoss growled in fear as his feral form triggered then he hissed at the creature with his claws out, cat threatening it to back off

The hiss and stance did nothing to stop the creature and only more vines grew to keep the fiend restrained

"sheesh," Mathoss muttered as he relaxed the stance "it's not afraid of anything." He wrinkled his nose "and it's got bad breath too."

Mr. H hummed "indeed, most things don't faze it, and that smell you have in your nose is rotting flesh not bad breath."

"Yuck." Mathoss hissed then huffed out his nose to try and clear it. "tell me you're not gonna keep it around."

Mr. H hummed "I am not however there is only one thing that can deal with this creature."

"yeah, what's that." Mathoss asked

Mr. H hummed "incideno, infernus."

Fire engulfed the Wendigo causing it's main body to be turned to burned remains. The vines that had bound it's limbs released them allowed them to go into the fire were also quickly consumed. However the rain put out the small blaze.

Mathoss whistled at the burned creature "what's cooking Wendigo Steak or Wendigo Bacon."

Mr. H hummed "trust me son, you do not want anything of a Wendigo. Come let us get back inside, I fear if there is one there may be more and I should let your mother know not to let anyone in her house that she doesn't know." He hummed as he turned tense and looked in a direction. "there it goes again..." He exhaled "whoever is triggering it, either must not realize that they are calling to all mythical and magic creatures, or..."

"or what?" Mathoss muttered

"they are doing it on purpose." Mr. H muttered "to bring them all here, or ensuring that all forms of trouble will appear as well."

Mathoss blinked "who in their right mind would want to attract trouble."

"that my boy is the right question..." Mr. H stated "come, my garden shall bury the remains so that nothing else is touched by that cursed creature."

Mathoss whistled "glad only one came around I would have hate to have seen more then one. Eh think I can spend the night? I'm gonna wait until daybreak to go home."

"I don't blame you lad but I fear that day may never come for Forest Bay again."

"uh hate to impose if that happens..." Matt muttered "but seriously Mr. H day won't come again... why has that beacon triggered everlasting nightfall."

"more like an everlasting nightmare." Mr. H muttered

"Ah, the imprint." Vendetta spoke softly. "A beautiful display of magical might, the beacon."

She looked around at the madmen who had joined her on her trip to the beacon, wondering for a response. one picked at his teeth with a knife. Another picked his nose. She exhaled sharply through her nose in annoyance.

"Beautiful." She commented, and she was right.

Two glowing mages,mid battle, made up the gleaming beacon. It radiated otherworldliness and might.

"But it could stand to be...improved."

She flung her arm forward impatiently, making a grabbing gesture. Black vapour pored from her, delicately rolling from her forearm and hands, curling towards the floor, cracking and corrupting the floor.

The black tendrils of vapour rolled upwards, into the beacon, distorting the image. The mages imprint flashed once, then became corrupted, jumbled, two arms where the face should be, tentacles instead of legs, before shattering completely.

Vendetta inhaled sharply as her eyes closed the same golden hue as the beacon, momentarily.

She blinked once, and her inky black eyes returned. She gave a throaty laugh.

"How very, very interesting. We won't be alone. An eclipse, black flames, and death."

One of her madmen stumbled forward. The others were still a little dazed- the beacon had been quite bright.

"What....what does that mean, V?"

She turned to him, and breathed in. He shuddered as he felt a little of his life force feed into the widow.

"It means that playtime is going to be extra, extra fun, my sweet."

_------------------_

"So, fire. Okay." Alana spoke softly, to herself. How was he going to do this without completely revealing herself? Something making her feel entirely safe.

Before she could do anything else, two suspicious looking men barrelled into the street, one removing a baby faced porcelain mask to fling himself mouth first onto a wendigo, biting down hard.

Alana gasped. "What the..."

The other set off the awful roaring of his chainsaw. These were not villagers she recognised.

"Out of towners? They got here this quickly?"

Ozuhus took the appearance of a deathly pale and skinny chimp dressed in white robes and gold jewelry. He hung against a wall, amidst the darkness. The only visible part on him were the bright blue gleam in his eye, his pearly white smile fixed into a crooked grin and his many gold chains dangling around his neck. “You want what?” Ozuhus repeated incredulously.

A sleek black limo was parked in front of the evil Djinn. A hand stretched out of the window holding an 8’x 11’ family photo copy. “The target is the white-haired male. For his death, I offer you nine human souls and one witch soul.”

Ozuhus’ crooked grin spread from ear to ear. “Upon his death, you want an eclipse you say?” The man in the limo nodded. “Do you understand what powers you are dabbling with?” Ozuhus asked, cackling loudly. His cackles sounded closer to a demonic chimp than a person. “No matter. Hold out your hand,” He ordered.

The man in the limo hesitantly outstretched his hand, to which Ozuhus quickly grabbed it and wrapped his simian fingers around the man’s wrist. Ozuhus’ touch burned him, something the Djinn seemed to take pleasure in. After what the man in the limo would describe as several moments too long, Ozuhus removed his grip and shimmered back into the shadows as a mist of smoke. “The contract is formed. Upon his death, an eclipse shall set over land.”

~~~~~~~~

Bazyl watched the two men curiously. He sighed as his eyes darted around looking for Raija. He wanted to tell her not to reveal herself in case these two prove dissident. A surprise attack should help. He met the gaze of Alana and began whispering, “That guy bit a wendigo.. something tells me they aren’t regular ‘out of towners'." Slowly, he walked toward the duo clutching the hilt of his blade. “State your names and your reasoning for being here,” Bazyl ordered in a strong voice. They really didn’t train him for these situations back at the base, he was used to regular human defense work not Wendingo attacks.

As the other began making their way to the mayors and as the Wendigo incident occurred at the dinner party Saleme had waltzed his way down to the hospital and then the wing that was currently under construction.

Saleme remained in the shadows watching the beacon practically be destroyed by this lady who had a very odd sense in fashion. “Well that means I cannot study it anymore…” He muttered to himself as he gazed at the woman and her minions. Saleme would pull out his phone and begin texting.
“Shadow magic…” Saleme thought his eyes watered slightly causing him to rub them figuring he needed to make his exit Saleme would begin focusing causing several blue fire like wisps to hover around the air.

Saleme figured a fox demon is much rarer than a witch so it would be a suitable distraction for the strangers as he began making his exit granted an expert would have been able to tell the difference between witch and fox fire. “Shame she could have saved me a trip to France” he muttered as he begun making his exit hoping the fire would keep the lot distracted.

Raija looked as the huge beam in the sky turned from light to dark and eventually vanish. Cocking her head to the side, she felt an odd chill go through her. This is probably much worse than she imagined it'd be. Scaling down the wall she took extra caution not to be seen or heard by any wendigos. Some fanatical and deranged people also started to show up, looking more foe than friend. Taking to the shadows, she eventually reached back to Alana and Bazyl, already confronted by two fanatics. She hid in the shadows, waiting for any sign of hostility, she would easily slice them down if she was unnoticed.

Back at the Halos Cabin, Mathoss and Estella's father came back in

Mathoss whistled as he closed the door, "just when you thought you saw it all."

Estella hummed "what was out there Mathoss?"

Mathoss hummed "what you call it Mr. H, A wendigo?"

Estella's mother gasped lightly as she looked at her husband "A wendigo? Here? In Forest Bay?"

"Aye, my wife." Estella's Father stated "it seems Forest Bay is becoming a gathering ground for all things of mystery both evil and benign. The place where I had hoped to live out my years with my family is quickly becoming..." He paused as what felt like a chill seemed to cut through the air freezing all.

"unsuitable." Mr. H muttered as he looked back in the direction of where he had sensed the beacon.

Mathoss growled as his hair spiked up "hey is it just me, or did another something bad just happen, because I just felt a chill go through my body."

Estella hummmed "it wasn't just you Matt..." She stated "I felt it too..."

"as did I." Mrs. H stated then looked at her husband "are we going to leave Forest Bay."

Mr. H inhaled and exhaled "I do not know my wife. Our house and the house of the Silverfurs is protected by very strong magic however I fear that magic may not be enough against what could come and I fear that if we do not leave, we risk losing our lives." He hummed as he looked at Estella "However if we leave Forest Bay we risk encountering other clans of witches who may not be so open to what I have allowed and they might seek to destroy us all or we may encounter other humans who will show us hatred and may also do us harm."

Mathoss growled uneasily "sounds like a damned if you do, damned if your don't scenario."

"Aye Mathoss it is." Mr. H muttered "Tomorrow I am going into town and assessing the situation." He looked at Mathoss "I'll most likely be talking with your father, Mathoss and see what he thinks."

Mathoss hummed "sounds like a plan."

"anyhow, Mathoss has decided to spend the night here and I've allowed it because it is dangerous to be outside. If you and my daughter desires it Mathoss you two may stay in the same room and my wife and I will give you two your space in case you two decide to couple."

Estella blushed "Dad..." She whined

Mathoss chuckled at Estella's whine "I don't think we're that far yet Mr. H but thank you."

Mr. H chuckled then turned serious "rest up depending on what I assess we might make plans for moving and learning more extensive magic until I can find us another place to call home."

"right." Estella stated

Alana hung back, not sure about whether or not to engage the newcomers. To fight would be to reveal herself, to fight at her full strength.

Porcelain, the man who had bit the wendigo, was returning the China dolls mask over his face. Wendigo blood ran down his chin, and the wendigo he had bitten lay face down in the street, howling pitifully as it bled out. Porcelain had clearly bitten a wendigo before, and he had found an artery.

Alana's face twisted in disgust. Wendigo were dangerous creatures, but they also had her pity. A wendigo had no choice, and deserved a quick painless death, in her opinion. This....was cruel and unusual torture.

Porcelain looked at the two of them, chewing as he assessed the situation. Chainsaw, a little green in the face from what he had seen, went forward to put the wendigo out of its misery. Porcelain held up a hand to stop him.

"Like I said, it's best fresh. You kill it now, and I'll wont eat better."

He looked back to the group.

"I'm just a travelling man, kid. A tourist. And you got a delicacy I like. Why, you wanna be friends with the wendigo? Think you wanna drop those a line?"

He drawled, waving his arm towards a nearby house, where two wendigo had climbed the side, their eyes reflecting the light from the street lamps.

"If you wanna save these wendigo, then we'll have a problem, son. Or, you can let me feed. my table manners aint so great though."

At this, Alana snorted derisively.

____________________

Hearing a slight rustle, Vendetta turned to her men.

"We have a guest, gentlemen. I can smell his magic. Why don't you acquaint yourselves?"

One or two of the madmen shuddered. "I see blue flame. I don't wanna piss off no Yokai."

Vendetta smiled softly, and walked over to the man who had spoken. She caressed his face with her hand. At first, he grinned stupidly at the attention from his leader, but this grin soon slid off his face as her fingers burned an inky black scar into his face. He roared in agony.

"Tell us who you'd rather piss off more. A Yokai, or me."

She stared at him a moment, the other madmen sneering at his cowardice and laziness.

"After the magic user! Now!" She called, as 9 madmen ran into the forest after the blue flames, whooping and shrieking, pulling out axes and knives,followed closely by Scar face, whos face burned with anger.