Mission Within the Light Forest

[±Witchcraft±]

Durriken wore his new set of Gypsy Clothing. There was a bright red vest with sparkling gems and a deeper shade of red pants. Both made out of a think silk like fabric. There was also a head scarf made out of a courser fabric he kept tied around his head. These were much better then his old cloths since the gems of his vest would absorb light and convert it into energy. On the rope around his waist he held his card box. It was hand carved out of maple and was stained beautifully. On the front there was the symbol of the gypsies, a small cross of silver.

On his feet he actually wore socks and shoes. All the running around left his feet very sore so he had to go with sturdier shoes. He wore his Black Dragon boots, which he admitted clashed a bit with his cloths but all the rest were study and kept his feet safe, even in the fastest running with the Chariot. He also wore his #9 socks which would multiply into thousands if he through one. Lastly, he wore a chain of purple beads around his neck.

Durriken stood at the edge of the Light Forest. He gazed through the white trunks of all the trees within the forest. He could see Rowan, White Birch, and other white and silver trees. He could sense a strong aura of holy energy all around him. He was here to find a girls stolen items. The girl told them that the man was probably still in the forest so that is why they were here. Well, Durriken was here right now. He was waiting on his partner for the mission, Dain. He respected him a bit after their battle, but still didn’t trust him as far as he could throw the guy. Though he did have to thank the man for giving him a stronger connection with his cards.

[dain]

"Hmmm..this place seems...peaceful."

A tall man of nearly six feet, six inches apparated next to Durriken from a billow of complete black smoke. On his side tied to his braided dragon leather belt was a sword he had recently gotten, and treasured above all the rest of the eight of Niram'hiru. Its black sheath almost alienating Dain from everything in this forest. His clothes were quite different this time, because he wanted to match his technique with the blade of Death, Necro'yondul. A white robe stretched down to his feet where he had nice thong sandals made of regular leather. He looked unnatural, form his appearance, but, it did suit him.

"It seems we have another visitor coming, Durriken. I didn't invite him. I'm sure you didn't either."

Dain shifted for a minute then started walking on through the forest, not really caring. He motioned for Durriken to follow, because apparently, Dain wouldn't be waiting for the new member of the party. His white robe swished ont he ground and amde perfect camouflae in the forest of white birch and rowan, if they were to see the thief, he would be an easy take down.

[±Witchcraft±]

Durriken walked at a brisk walk for a short time to catch up to Dain before he slowed and matched his pace. He raised an eyebrow at the white robes. They did not go with the man. His tanned skin clashed with the white robes as well as the black heart he knew was beneath.

Who is the third member? he though to his cards. Within his mind eye he saw the card image of The Fool and smiled to himself. He knew exactly who it was, and he agreed. He didn’t need him slowing them down, and attacking any person that crossed their path.

“Yes, Crow if my cards are correct.” he said, no emotion in his voice. “Hopefully we can get further in and out of sight before he gets to the edge of the forest.” he continued, contemplating if he should cast doubles of themselves going a different direction.

[dain]

"We could always use him as bait for the Queen White Dragon in here, if he joins us. I'm all for that." Dain added in on Durriken's opinion.

As they walked through the forest, a line of closely clustered trees was soon passed by as they walked along. Dain contemplated something for only a moment as he stopped and drew Necro'yondul from its sheathe, the black blade pulsing with evil energy. He looked over to Durriken and winked.

"Don't relay this information to anyone that I can do this."

With one lift off from his foot, Dain surged upward into the air as he reached his end and kicked off from the broadside of a tree above them both, cutting downward in a diagonal fahsion as the cluster of trees they had just passed fell together to form a huge sloping wall. Enough to cover their entire bodies for quite some time, and white enough to blend in with the beginning of the forest to reveal nothing.

Dain sheathed Necro'yondul as he nodded for Durriken to move forward, as he too started walking. Though, that wasn't all the he had done with that one slash.

"It is simple geometry. Every tree is laid a different way, and when someone puts pressure on any of them, for instance; climbing; the trees will bust away from the internal pressure." Dain explained as he walked along silently, his robe swishing back and forth.

A breeze blew absently through the forest as Dain had explained what he had done to Durriken, hiding his voice from any who were afar.

[Whiteshadow]

Crow stepped out from a tree infront of Dain and smiled. "Actually, I was here before both of you. You told me once Dain you can't hide from a ninja, apparently you can, or you're not a very good one. No, I don't like either of you either, but I could use a share of this re-ward, and we will keep peace on this journey." He said waiting for the group's reaction.

[dain]

"Who said I was keeping you away from us?" Dain asked, bewildered by Crow's opinion. He had known the boy was there for quite a while, in truth, he had been rigging traps for something else. Dain reached into a pocket in his robes as he produced a black shuriken and threw it behind him, a dull grunt following soon after. If someone walked over there, they'd find a minotaur with a shuriken embedded past its skull and in its brains.

"That thing has been following us since we started walking. That wall was just to mark our way back in case of when in the heat of the moment, we get lost. It's quite noticeable from afar. For future references, you shouldn't shuffle your feet on the ground and be careful of what tree you're hiding behind. They have ears, you know." Dain explained as he stopped. He raise his hand and pointed off in an obscene direction.

"Over there is where that man is, I saw him while entering. I'm hunting for something better, mroe challenging. More rewarding. I've only walked this far so you can think you had the satisfaction of being right, and, I wanted to find something." Dain pointed down where Crow was standing.

"You're dirtying the Queen White Dragon's footstep."

Dain withdrew his hand as he decided a tactical maneuver was to be called, and he knew who could help.

Durriken, make us invisible. I think you know what else to do as well. Don't think back, jsut do it. I don't want him listening. Dain telepathically sent Durriken, blocking the speech powerfully with his own barrier that Crow could never break. He about-faced as he walked back toward the wall.

"Come on Durriken, we'll catch up with him later on."

[±Witchcraft±]

Durriken cringed when he saw Crow. He had to get rid of him. He would end up getting them all killed. He easily jumped and attacked anything he saw, which here would be a very bad thing. Giving a quick twitch of the eyes toward his deck, two cards shrouded by the invisibility of the Three of Swords went into his hand. Closing his eyes, he focused on both the cards. The Three of Swords and the Six of Swords.

His eyes flashed open with energy as both cards worked at the same time. The Three of Swords cast a cloak of invisibility around himself and Dain while the Six of Swords cast an illusionary image of them right where they were. It happened seamless with only a small flicker of light which could be played off as a trick of the light. All of this was done through the mental connection between Durriken and his cards, a connection so deep within his mind nobody could tap into it. Durriken turned his head to Dain, able to see him and gestured for him to be quiet.

“Gotta go” Durriken said, turning his head back to Crow as he sent his illusions running off to the right past Crow into the woods.

[dain]

Dain followed Durriken to the right, past Crow, into the woods. Wondering what was going on with the gypsy. This wasn't the way toward the man Dain lied about, but, the way toward the Queen White Dragon and the combustible wall of trees.

The real Dain nodded in a gesture to Durriken as he stepped once and glided forward in the air, being sure not to touch grass or make a sound. All that was heard or seen were the clones of Dain and Durriken running off to the right. Slowly, Dain fell form the glide and landed sideways as he stood upon the bark of a tree. He looked back at Durriken and nodded as he drew a hand and shaped it like a card.

Use something that will make you float. Dain sent telepathically, blocking any intruders of the conversation with ease.

[±Witchcraft±]

Durriken nodded pulling two more cards out. One, the Six of Pentacles protected his mind from any mind reading with the group blank minds of his cards. Next he used the Page of Swords to levitate himself off the ground to float next to Dain. Small beads of sweat were beginning to form on Durriken’s brow from holding so many spells on at the same time. He could hold them for a good amount of time, but he hoped he didn’t have to for long.

[Whiteshadow]

Crow closed his eyes. Invisible? Crow had been at TMA longer than both of these students, so apparently they did not know, Crow knew more than just the tricks of water. With his Telekinesis, Crow sensed their minds, and followed them through the woods. He knew Dain didn't know he was there, him and his puppet Durriken would soon find out how much their Arrogance blinds them.

[dain]

Dain saw the strain on Durriken's mind, and noted this for future reference. He also nodded to Durriken that he knew the strain, so, Dain pulled something form his arsenal of illusionry. He looked over at the clones of them both and quickly said an incantation, but nothing seemed to happen. Dain, however, knew Durriken would know. From when they battled, he had said the same incantation out loud, now, he simply lip synced it. Durikken was a gypsy, and at that, Dain knew he could read lips. Right now, shadow clones with their own minds were walking inside Durriken's illusions, all Durriken needed to do was stop the cloning illusion and Dain's shadow clones would take their place. No noticeable different whatsoever. No magical signature either.

Then, Dain quickly did a three-part hand sign as he touched the air below the flaoting Durriken, and it solidified. Dain quietly took a step sideways off the side of the tree as he stood on the solid air, right over the grass so no tracks could be seen.

You can stop floating. This walkway desinigrates behind us as we walk, so nothing can be found of it. It leads as far as I can walk. Come on, Dain said in a protected mind once again as he walked forward, there being virtually no ground so there was no sound.

[dain]

((Crow, you can't sense closed minds, no matter how much you want to. Closed minds have no signature, therefore, no telepathy can sense them. Don't complain, or I'll take it up with Baha.))

[±Witchcraft±]

((That is unless you want to try and battle our barriers...which wouldn't be a wise idea.))

Durriken mentally sighed when he released the spells casting the illusion and the levitation. Those were the big ones, especially the levitation since he had to hold his own weight. He breathed deeply but silently as he regained his breath. He never really tried to use so many cards at the same time, except in combination which drew from only one source which made it easier.

He looked around and saw the shadow clones, he also looked out into the distance, trying to see what they were looking for. He thought about using ‘The World’ to find the person but doubted he could unless he knew what the person looked like or what the objects were. Without that even his cards couldn’t see enough to find it.

[dain]

Dain drew Necro'yondul as he tapped his head with the back-side of the sword, the blade glinting dangerously in the sun before he could sheathe it once more.

There, that blade will protect my mind for now. It's truely special. Crow would have to be an Archmage of telepathy before he could break through that army of lost souls. We're completely invisible to him now, magic, physical, and mind-wise. Good work on your part, I appreciate it. He could have rushed into battle toward the man and ruined the entire scheme. Dain voiced telepathically to Durriken.

He absently walked along the invisible, floating path as he motioned for Durriken to come along. He didn't want the path to be long, otherwise, it would strain him. The shadow clones were alive by themselves, so, he didn't really need to control them directly.

[baha]

(( Errr since when has Crow been able to use Telekenisis? ))

A loud rustling of leaves sounded as four people burst into the clearing. The first was clad in thick maroon robes, and had matching red hair. He took the northern path without looking back. The second wore thin black robes and had dark hair. He fled slightly past Dain and Durriken, down a deep hole into the ground. The third was an elf, clad in light robes and blonde hair. He took the western path away. The final one was a female, wearing thick white robes and sported a thick mane of dark hair. She took the eastern path, running as fast as she could.

The trees wrapped themselves around the clearing, then shifted into pure titanium, reaching further than any one could jump. The two had the only choice of following one of the runners. There was no option to turn back, or for any other to join them.