Clarissa Evans

Forests come in a lot of shades, and even from region to region within one, there could be differences. She knew this intimately. The Mountain back home had a lot of faces where the green giants grew. From the stream bed groves to the crumbled ridges to the deep hollows and more. There was a uniqueness to each of them. It could take time to see the difference. The divisions weren’t hard borders. Sometimes it was just a difference in the air. Things identified by single aspects. The smell of damp rot, the sound of a chatty stream, the feel of rocks through thin soil…

And then there were those places that whispered of beasts.

A den.

When Clarissa took her first step into the third floor, she too oohed and awed at the magnificent trees. Towering lords that rose into a tangled jungle. That’s when her hackles rose and the newly acknowledged prime ranger dipped down. Eying the surroundings in the search of signs. There was a sharp musk in the air, like blood and sour body odor. Not a combination that encouraged any pleasant images. Pictures like ogres and man-eating tigers flashed through her mind during the inspection. She had experience with beasts, but monsters were obviously a different story. This wouldn’t be a cowardly black bear or a ghostly cougar.

It was quiet around the Sixty. Their arrival scared off the wooden elk at first sight. Without them, the new floor seemed empty. She didn’t believe it for a second. The silence was actually more concerning to her. Could just be their presence, though. They would be a disturbance enough on their own, but that was too easy an answer. And the saturated smell. Pungent, fresh. Clarissa thought the source must be close by.

She strolled slowly towards the closest tree, still searching. Almost expecting something to strike from behind even though the Sixty surrounded her. A few of them were cautiously looking around too, but most were loitering. Staring up at the thick canopy or into shadowy woods. It was dark further into the floor. The distant sun crystals were largely blocked by the branches. Shafts of light cut through the gloom, making holes of visibility while strengthening the darkness around them. The prime ranger stared into that dark forest. Seeking, an arrow at the ready.

A flicker of light caught her attention. On the tree was a vein of gold hidden under the flaky bark of the tree. She brushed her hand upon the trunk. Pieces of bark fluttered to the ground. There were several more veins visible now. All in a variety of metallic shades.

“What do you see with your elf eyes, Clarissa?” asked Julia. Despite her levity, the shieldmaiden didn’t look particularly amused. Sword and shield were at the ready.

“I don’t see anything,” frowned the prime ranger, looking away from the bark. “It’s the smell that has been on edge. Maybe otters and birds don’t really give off much smell… I don’t know. But there’s a foul smell here. Like we walked into a den. Yet, I don’t see anything.”

“It is a pretty creepy forest…” offered Julia. “What smell are you talking about? I just get… forest-y smells. Wood, mud, and leaves.”

“Sigh… you're such a city slicker,” she groused. “Focus on it a little, the under smell. Some predator paths through here often enough to mark it. Maybe we're on the edge of their territory or hunting grounds.”

“We’re not safe basically. Which is different from before how? Why does this put you on edge? But not like the Ratsins. Other than the Dead Things, those freak everyone out.”

“The one nice thing about a world without magic is that dead things do tend to stay dead… Not sure why I’m so alert. Just don’t like that smell. Reminds me of being stalked by a cougar once.”

Clarissa peeked around the tree again. Nothing. Just beams of light and shadows. No sound, but the wind through the branches. A loud, tree-shaking wind that doesn’t touch the ground at all. Her eyes jerked upwards to catch metallic stars shifting through the foliage. The howl of the wind rose in volume to become literal howls. The prime ranger pumped an arrow with force and launched a blind shot. She couldn’t determine a weak spot with the current range so high impact was needed. As the green spear cut upwards, an alarm rolled through the Sixty.

High above there was a crash and part of the howling chorus mournfully cried out. A silver falling star glinted to the ground. Crashed deep into the earth was the deformed body of an iron monkey. The fall had bent the limbs at the wrong angles. It had been chimpanzee-like, but clearly had a long tail. Of Clarissa’s shot, the only sign was a dent in the metal chest.

“Well shit,” cursed the prime archer. “I got no penetration. That’s not good.”

The howling above hit a fever pitch and scores of small sparkles rushed down towards the Sixty. Malachi in a burst of silver light roared for shields. The rain almost won the race. Dense egged-shaped objects pelted the barriers. Many shattered through on impact or nailed someone who didn’t make it under protection in time. One deflected off Julia’s durable shield to bounce hard into the tree, breaking it open. Scattered across the tree, on the ground was a pale liquid sloshing with metal speeds. They were being pelted with metal fruit.

“Please no metal poop, please no metal poop,” chanted Clarissa as she and Julia retreated to the reorganizing Sixty.

Barriers were reformed as more of the shining objects were lobbed down at them. Healers dashed to drag the wounded into safety. Luckily the one person that took a hit to the head was wearing a helmet. Both it and the bearer were going to be out of commission for a bit. One was crumbled while the other was comatose. Vivian screamed very threatening things as her hands burned with healing light. Clarissa decided it best to stay out of the way.

Julia split off to direct her fellow tanks. Quickly rearranging themselves into a better spread. The field above the Sixty was noticeably reinforced. Leon added a double layer to the middle where the wounded were being treated. It was the other archers that she made her way to. There was information to share and it seemed this was shaping up to be a big group fight. Clarissa didn’t waste time catching Malachi up. The shieldmaiden would do that.

“Alright my chumps,” called out the redhead as she slipped into their gathering. “I’ve already killed one so you're already behind. Not that any of ya have the chance to catch up to me anyway. I’m just too awesome!”

“I’ll say,” whispered Amiyah. Over the top of that, Brice asked, “How’d you pull that off?”

She coughed, blushed a little, and then said, “Right, so you in particular are in luck. They’re too high up for any precise shots, especially with the branches providing cover. So hit hard and blunt. Knock ‘em out of the fucking tree. The fall should do the rest.”

Grinning cheekily, Brice cheered, “I do have the advantage here!”

“Yeah,” admitted Clarissa. “The rest of you charge 'em up as much as you can, or group up like I taught ya for enough force. Pick out a sparkle and hammer it!”

With that, the Sixty began to return fire. Bolts of power fire upwards in slow succession. Delayed by the need to be charged. Clarissa, Brice, and Vihaan had enough talent for it to work alone. The Amiyah and the other three needed to pair off. Picking metal glints together. Not every arrow or duel firing meant a falling monkey, but the rain of metal fruit did slow. The sparkles above began to move erratically to avoid being hit.

Then the mages added their might to the fight.

Allen chanted Strike of the Flame Lance and hurled the beam of heat into the heart of the metal troupe. The fire mage had condensed the spell so that it charred through everything without igniting too much. There was a lot of smoke, but a low risk for a forest fire. Following the example of the archers, he kept hurling them. An added benefit of this method was it cleared the foliage. Ashy leaves and branches showered the ground.

A storm rose from Jorgenson’s words. It didn’t directly attack the metal monkeys. Instead, the swarm of electrified air took position over ahead. The air crackled, flashing as lightning leaped between clouds and living metal. Angry howls turned sharp with pain and then louder with rage.

The obsidian thaumaturgist raised his crystalline staff, the original core of wood barely visible under the violet material. Deep in the maze on the second floor, they found rooms where inert magic crystals formed. The new books had unlocked the secret of activating them. Using their power, Damien made the treetops even more inhospitable. Arcane shards sprayed into the air and began to swirl around the troop, locking them in place. The metal fruit bombardment came to an end. Nothing seemed to be able to get through the might they brought to bear.

Everyone else without the range helped prepare. Waiting to see if the metal monkeys would be forced to the ground or be destroyed. The archers halted their assault as well. With the mages’ spells in play, it was very hard to pinpoint where to aim. Impossible to fire in time. Clarissa noted that the wounded were on their feet now. Dawson Wu was giving his dented helmet an astonished look while patting his head. It was good to see.

Malachi stood in the front with the tanks, sword in hand. He had nothing with enough range, but was watching very carefully. Something changed that he expected. The sword acolyte nodded and raised a finger imbued with silver Mana. A tug, just a suggestion, directed Clarissa’s eyes to three dozen or so shimmers that appeared through the mages’ maelstrom of spells. They were dropping fast, the air screaming at the speed.

It appeared that the dive bomb would take care of the threat for them. Instead right before the earth rumbled under a multitude of impacts there was a flash of Mana. Not like a spell, more in the manner of a Form. A brief flash of power from all of them. The air cleared of debris and revealed a troop of metal monkeys lifting themselves from the ground. There were dents, burns, and cracks all over their bodies. Very few were unmarked. Upon seeing the Sixty, the monsters scream in defiance and rage.

Damien’s violet shards had been diverted with Malachi’s warning, sent to rain down on our grounded guests. In the middle of the troop was a large red-gold monkey with a mane like a lion. It looked upwards, uncaring, and roared. A wave of force and Mana surged outwards. Rising up to the descending spell and rolling over the still-turtling Sixty. All spell constructs wavered as Clarissa felt the impact in her stomach. Nausea rolled freely through her whole body, the empowered arrow went mute before falling to the ground. Those barriers erected by Leon and Anastasia vanished. Only those made by faith-based acolytes and priests held on.

The metal-clad simians charged as the Sixty flinched.

A voice rang out, imbuing them all with strength on a wave of silver and sky-blue Mana. The words were warmth and assurance. Malachi soared forward in opposition to their foes. Singing sweetly and sword ablaze with colorless light.

Calling for power, recalling their glory, promising every victory.

“Bend Not My Fine Friends,

Remain Unbroken And True!

For There Is Nothing To Fear!

No Might Under The Stars,

Is Any Threat To Us!

Imbue The Unified!”

Clarissa regained her poise. Nausea was washed away by the song. Her Mana stabilized the chaos that short-circuited the prime ranger's Form. One moment gasping for breath as the world spun and next she felt entirely focused. All of her attention was aimed with deadly intent at the metal monkey. She wasn’t alone. The wave passed through them all. Backs stiffened and eyes sharpened.

The Sixty roared back, reinvigorated.

They all rushed forward to catch up. Malachi had already crossed the narrowing gap between monster and man. The prime archer shot quickly to throw off the lead metallic beast. A dented kneecap to buy their leader a few seconds to act. He stomped down one firm foot and faced the raging creatures. Careful and slow, as if there was all the time in the world, the battlemage swung his sword.

The air divided.

A line of silver blue energy thin as a blade. It expanded and accelerated forward in a great arc. Power slammed into the charging beasts, catching them on the blade or slicing through the lesser ones. Enlarging the gap by force.

Malachi grinned back at them, satisfied by what he bought them. His knees wavered as the red-gold monkey walked through the attack unblemished. The Sixty raced to make it in time. Clarissa fired frantically as she heard Julia’s cry of challenge over the din. Face to face, the leaders of the two forces met in the empty space between both. Even with one arm, the battlemage looked defiant. Sword raised against a metal fist.

The two opponents struck together. Sword deflecting jab, palm slapping away blade. She wanted to weigh in, knowing an arrow or two in an eye would do wonders. There was no second to aim. To the metal monkeys, there was no honor and the lesser beasts tried to swarm Malachi as he held his ground. Some shots were desperate, more distraction than a putdown. Even Russel raising walls to divide the battleground barely slowed them. Bronze monkeys leaped up the shear walls and the iron ones began to pummel their way through. By the Earth acolyte’s will, the wall fought back and reformed. The prime ranger felt like they weren’t gaining any ground. Still forced to keep fighting defensively.

Time ran out. The leader of the Sixty faltered. His sword hit an incoming fist wrong, the blade deflecting wildly to the side. It was an opening a mile long as a roundhouse from the opposite fist aimed for the unguarded chest. Fire flickered down the stone sword, but too slowly.

Julia’s shield was there.

Like a drum, the fist smashed through the barrier to hit the shield itself. Both Malachi and his shieldmaiden were thrown back by the impact. The gold-red simian grinned at them and moved to chase. Its fist gleaming malevolently. A blast of pure violet energy interrupted the action. Damien’s spell sputtered on the strange metal, but enough to force the bestial leader back a few steps.

“I think this one is going to take pure brawn,” grinned Warner as he slid around Julia and her battlemage.

The swordsman appeared at the pugilist’s side. Vincent agreed solemnly, “Yes, Damien, let us take care of this beast ourselves. Wreak havoc on the others. We’ll show this big one what finesse brings to the battlefield.”

Both of them smirked at each other and leaped at the red-gold monkey. The rest of the Sixty arrived fully buffed in their wake. They split into two groups, spearing into the metal monkeys on either side. Harken helped Julia move Malachi towards the rears. The battlemage was exhausted, dazed. Clarissa moved to her friend’s side to help protect the bearded man.

Without the pressure of their stranded leader, the battle began to fall into the usual patterns. Tanks held the line and melee poked between. Archers and mages made it rain. Russel, seeing that Malachi was safe, collapsed the rock walls into the monsters. Miniature landslides fell on the enemy backlines to avoid hitting allies. Ice shards scattered from Carlo Valencia’s hands. Where they impacted, frost began to spread and slow the metal muscles. Curses flowed from Molly’s lips and Analia bound monkeys into darkness. Clarissa made sure nothing bothered Malachi as he recovered. Taking the time to send full-powered shots into creatures that tried to steal through the front line.

She teased the bearded man while keeping her rhythm. “Geez Malachi, didn’t realize you were such a pushover! A few neat tricks and already bottomed out, huh? Getting saved and everything. Betcha feel real embarrassed.” A metal monkey spun as a green spear slammed into its shoulder.

“Damnit, Clarissa! Really?” growled Julia. She looked down at the battlemage protectively.

From Malachi there was laughter. “Geez? really? You are such a bitch for a laugh aren’t you?” Waving back the shieldmaiden, the leader of the Sixty picked himself up. “Mana-wise, yeah I’m pretty done. Burned through a lot pushing through that dispelling effect the big red one threw at us. Not to mention what it takes to mix Mana types in the first place. Ugh, my head hurts.”

“Serves you right for suggesting a lady like me is, in any way, at all, a biatch,” scolded Clarissa. Her empowered shot got a direct hit on a beast and flipped it onto the ground. “Clearly you're not that bad off if you're standing. Maybe ya should get back to work, eh?”

“Shut up, red!” said Julia. “Malachi, do not listen to her! Rest as you need!”

“Well, I don’t want to be useless…” the bearded man argued guiltily.

“Nope, don’t let her needle you into being stupid. You can lead us just fine from here. Without Mana, you're basically a baby.”

“Fine, fine,” agreed Malachi. “Wait…” His eyes locked with Clarissa’s back. After blowing a leg out from under a bronze simian, she followed the pressure to look back. An eyebrow raised in an innocent question. “Did you torment me to get up and get scolded by Julia for trying to rejoin the fight? Like on purpose so I can’t quietly do that?”

Clarissa grinned in answer and turned back to studying the fight. Looking for her next grand kindness.

The lesser metal monkeys were being pushed back, struggling before the Sixty’s onslaught. Metal made for hardy monsters. Few were totally out of the fight. The wounds were adding up, but slowly. There was time now to study the beasts. They came in several types, differing by the metal that made up their bodies. Bronze was the most numerous, but noticeably weaker than those made of iron. On either type, there were lines of silver and gold as veins where skin showed or accents for their metallic fur. The lead monkey was made of an entirely different material. That was very apparent due to the beautiful shade, unblemished or decorated.. Some thought tickled at the back of her mind. A vague connection to ancient things.

All that strangeness and the monsters still looked surprisingly natural. Clarissa was surprised to decide they weren’t automatons. The beasts were without a doubt creatures of living metal. Freaks of magic. Likely born in the trees rather than made in a life-giving smith.

While the side fights were decidedly in their favor, the small one in the middle was even. Warner and Vincent danced with the gold-red simian. Working together with a strong familiarity. Attacking and baiting in a unified strategy. Still, the beast was enduring. Clever eyes looked at them with frustration, not fear. Fist and sword found contact, but the red metal was defiant. The two of them used Mana to launch increasingly powerful attacks. Small marks added up. So did their exhaustion. This battle was slowly falling to the relentless monster.

Then a woman’s scream echoed from within the shaded trees. It warbled and curdled into a strangled rattle. A chorus of the same rose after. Several murder victims in a row or somethings called out from deeper within. The lesser metal monkeys froze, fear quaking their bodies. Several died, blind to the opening they left. Without hesitation, the red-gold leader leaped away from its fight. Crying a low sound. At the call, the metallic troop fled up the nearby trees.

None looked back as they escaped, leaving the fallen and wounded behind.

The ground rumbled. A clacking clatter sound preceded a humongous form strolling through the darkness. A long beak snapped out to snatch a slow-moving monkey. A terrifying bird that stood three-fourths the size of the trees swung the captured prey into a mess of broken limbs. Swallowing it whole by lifting its beak to let the tangle of meat drop down the throat. A beak long enough to pierce the canopy above.

For a moment, the bird of terror looked up at the tree with interest, but there were no more glints of metal to be seen.

Red eyes bore down on them alongside a waft of rotten meat and wet musk. The giant held very still as it watched them. Only a quiver and ruffle of its feathers. Jagged designs of black and gray with edges of green trimming. It cried out, a mournful choke of a scream. More walked out of the shadows in an arc around the Sixty.

Clarissa cringed, knowing these were the source of that smell. She felt her ominous feeling was unfortunately verified by the sight of these terrors.