Scene #807:

Owner	Pose
Thranduil	Thranduil listened to the dragon determined that he could possibly be of use to him, especially with the giant spiders getting bolder and bolder, encroaching on their land and corrupting the last few places where the sunlight touches the ground and the grass grows lush and green. "I do not believe you will fit through the gates to the kingdom. The pathways are narrow, some not wide enough to allow two Nandor to pass." The Elvenking rides his horse, leading Bahamut through the twisted, sick forest. As the continue, there are beams of light creeping through the branches as the trees become a bit less tightly packed. Eventually, they would come to an area that is full of life and the air feels normal, not heavy like a thick fog. (http://tinyurl.com/n42hftx) "Welcome to the heart of the woodland realm." Thranduil says in his usual flat tone. "The water here is pure, should you require a drink."
Bahamut	Bahamut follows the king through the forest, again trying not to damage the trees too badly. When they arrive at the clear area, Bahamut takes a deep breath through his nose, then rumbles pleasantly. "This is a rather impressive fortress." Bahamut says, looking the walls over. "I suppose there is a sniper every few feet along the wall, waiting to deal swift death to your enemies?" he says. Though he doesn't see any, he has no doubt they are there. The elves have demonstrated a talent for moving unseen and unheard. Bahamut turns his gaze back to Thranduil after that. "It is most generous of you to allow me back within your forest. My...allies...seemed sure that I had caused the situation which arose last we met."
Thranduil	Thranduil stands looking up at the sunlight, his eyes closed as if just absorbing its warmth. "You are a dragon that came to a place where dragons are considered dire enemies. While you did cause quite a stir among our people, I know when to set aside old predjudices and accept someone as an ally. There are few safe areas in this forest. They are becoming more rare every day."
Bahamut	Bahamut nods as he listens. "That is good to hear. I do not know what the dragons of this world have done, but if it is within my power to help set thing right, I will do so. Is there a way to reclaim your forest from the darkness that has taken hold of it?" the big dragon says as he stretches out his wings, soaking in the sunlight himself.
Thranduil	"The dragons of this world are vile, disgusting creatures who have no other motivations than to collect gold and cause destruction. Many of them live in Angmar. Some of them have a semblance of intelligence, such as Smaug, who resides in Erebor, which was once the Dwarven stronghold. Once a dragon claims his hoard, he protects it for the rest of its life. The only way to reclaim their homeland is to slay the dragon. From what I have been told by my scouts, the dragon has burst from the walls of Erebor and gone to Laketown to extract revenge. It is only a matter of time before he comes here. As you can imagine, fire is bad in a forest."
Bahamut	Bahamut growls lightly at the recounting of dragons from this world. "Disgraceful. How can dragons conduct themselves in such a manner?" he says. He nods as Thranduil talks about fire and forests and the results of their combination. "Well, it may reassure you to know that I do not deal in fire. Unless it is fire magic. My breath weapon is much more akin to an energy beam." Bahamut pauses, then chuckles. "Perhaps that is not as reassuring as I thought. But, you did not answer my question. Is there a way to reclaim your forest? If not, it sounds as though it will eventually be lost."
Thranduil	"As long as Dol Guldur exists, the forest will never be free. We can fight back the darkness as much as possible but eventually, Mirkwood will be completely lost." Thranduil's silver robe shimmers in the light, as do parts of his crown, making him look even more ethereal. "I do not know that we can fight back the forces of the Necromancer. There is a war coming. A war that will affect every single person in Middle Earth."
Bahamut	Bahamut quirks an eyeridge as he hears that. "A war? Is there no way to stop it?" he says, folding his arms over his chest. "War is hardly ever beneficial. Once a war is won, it take a long time before the world recovers. And it is usually quite destructive to the landscape. It would be a shame if this magnificent forest was destroyed in a pointless war."
Thranduil	"There have been many wars that have shaken Middle Earth." The Elvenking sits down on a stone bench and crosses one leg over the other. "I have fought in several of them alongside my father, who was once king of this realm. They will unleash a weapon so powerful that it will destroy everything. I am uncertain as to whether or not we will play a role in this war, but it will undobtedly affect us in unconceivale ways."
Bahamut	"Sadly, war is one of the constants which is common to most worlds. My world was most recently caught in a war between the living and the dead. The dead were ruling over the living under the guise of religious figures. The religion was followed over my entire world, except by a group known as the Al Bhed. A group to which I belonged." Bahamut seats himself in an open area, careful not to damage anything. "Now, I am basically one of the religion's foremost figures. And while I am working to dismantle the religion completely, even after the truth became known, people could not easily dismiss a religion they had followed for centuries."
Thranduil	"Fending off the dead is a common activity in Middle Earth. The dead seem to not want to remain dead. Restless spirits, all manner of decrepit creatures. Religion...that is when a part worships an individual, is it not? We do not have such a concept here." Thranduil rises to his feet and extends a hand to let the water from the waterfall run through his fingers. "The Necromancer has called his servants. Orcs are swarming in the tens of thousands and growing bolder every day. Those wretched spiders are coming from Dol Guldur, a place we dare not travel." Elves are very sensitive to darkness, and would not survive due to sheer hopelessness. "It is certain death."
Bahamut	Bahamut nods. "The people of Spira were worshipping a being known as Yu Yevon, a priest who came up with a way to defeat the great evil of our world. A creature known as Sin. A conglomeration of thousands of dead souls." As he listens to the report of evil creatures spilling from a Necromancer's home, Bahamut hmms. "How long can you and your people hold out against such an outpouring of evil creatures?" Bahamut asks, then grins. "If needed, I can come and perform occassional cleansings on areas that are becoming too congested with evil creatures."
Thranduil	"We will endure as long as we can within our halls. Deeper tunnels are being built to accomodate all of our forces. I do not know if magic from lands other than Middle Earth will work." Thranduil returns to his seat, putting his fingertips to his forehead for a moment. He still sports a rather nasty wound from conking his head on the log thanks to Blurr. We will fight if we are called upon, but I will not risk the lives of my people if they will only be slain."
Bahamut	Bahamut notices the wound, then chuckles. "Blurr really should pay more attention to where he is going." the dragon says before raising a hand and gesturing at Thranduil. "If you will allow me, your highness, I have some healing magic at my command."
Thranduil	Thranduil looks apprehensive about this, his ice blue eyes locked upon Bahamut. "Yes, he should. How do you know of such things as metal giants that transform into something else?" After a few moments, he nods to Bahamut that he is permitted to use his magic. He's curious more than anything to see what the magic of other worlds is like, and to determine whether or not Bahamut would be a threat to them.
Bahamut	"Because, we are part of the same faction." Bahamut says as he extends his arm, palm toward Thranduil. A burst of magical energy hits the king, expanding outward from his chest. A visible field of shimmering green lines expands outward in a circle from that point, and as it passes over Thranduil, he would feel his body revitalized as his wounds close. Bahamut seems like using this magic took little to no effort on his part. "How do you feel?" he asks as he lowers his hand.
Thranduil	The sun has finally peeked over the mountains, bathing the region of Rhovanion in a pale golden light. The light touches the outer edge of a great forest, which has one entrance, an arch made from twisted branches that have blanched over time. (http://tinyurl.com/neot2xu) Inside the forest, no light seems to cut through the thick canopy except for a few rays here and there. The forest is sick, the air heavy like a thick fog and a crushing feeling of darkness around every corner. The rays of light that do come through are dull and cold rather than warm and bright. There is one path through the forest, and to deviate from that path can mean succumbing to the madness of the curse that has been placed upon Mirkwood.
Thranduil	The sun has finally peeked over the mountains, bathing the region of Rhovanion in a pale golden light. The light touches the outer edge of a great forest, which has one entrance, an arch made from twisted branches that have blanched over time. (http://tinyurl.com/neot2xu) Inside the forest, no light seems to cut through the thick canopy except for a few rays here and there. The forest is sick, the air heavy like a thick fog and a crushing feeling of darkness around every corner. The rays of light that do come through are dull and cold rather than warm and bright. There is one path through the forest, and to deviate from that path can mean succumbing to the madness of the curse that has been placed upon Mirkwood.
Taro	Light bootsteps tread down that path from grassland into forest, taking a care to not step on any branches that have fallen upon the way. He's not particularly stealthy, but his grace and minding his steps keeps him from making as much noise as, say, a dwarf. As the darkness begins to gloom about him, Taro reaches into one of his belt pouches. Not for tinder, but for a chemlight stick, which he cracks quietly between his fingers before holding up to light his way. This is far from his usual territory, but discoveries do require fieldwork from time to time. He's being carefukl, watching as he continues down the path, listening as well.
Thranduil	An animal somewhere howls in the distance and the sound of flapping wings can be heard though no birds or bats can be seen. Occasionally a shadow passes from overhead, and the sound of a branch cracking or creaking. The Path is a bit difficult to keep track of, turning off in odd directions, covered by dirt and leaves. It seems the forest has been corrupt for quite some time. The chemlight stick illuminates the area around Taro, but the further he ventures, the less light is produced. It is not a malfunction of the light, it just seems like the very air is full of darkness and closing in. As Taro moves along the path, the trees seem to have some thick webs wrapped around the spaces between them. Looking up, there are massive webs.
Taro	It's a far cry from the neat and tidy artificial parks of Neo Arcadia, certainly. He wonders at the dimness of the light, and he even shakes it once or twice just to be absolutely certain that it's not at fault. Since he chose to come alone, though, there's no reason to remark upon it aloud. From time to time he stops where a shrub or low-hanging branch comes within his arm's reach. The chemstick is set on the ground so that he can pull out a sharp knife and a vial to take a sample. No need to stop and label them - he'll remember which is which later. Nice, neat little trimmings, taking no more than he deems necessary. Perhaps one of them will have some interesting compound that will prove useful in his Master's latest projects... ...Hm. Webs. Extremely large ones, not intended for catching things as small as flies. Unless there happen to be Insects of Unusual Size in this forest. Which he can't entirely discount, though he's yet to see any. Or any animals at all, really, for all that he's occasionally heard them. Curious. He holds his small light up higher, peering perhaps pointlessly into the dark-rimed branches overhead. Does anything actually live here, or is this a wasteland?
Thranduil	There is a faint clicking sound from above and the rustling of leaves as something moves through the branches. As Taro passes overhead, a large spider - the size of a Volkswagon Beetle, lowers on a thread of webbing, touching down just behind the android. Several more start descending and touching down lightly for something so big. The first spider, a black and grey one starts coming up on Taro rapidly with a loud Hissssssssssss. Only the one with the One Ring can understand what they actually say. The spiders are oddly intelligent, but still incredibly horrifying.
Taro	Taro doesn't flinch as the first of the spiders he glimpses passes over his head, but he does reach for one of the other tools clipped to his belt. Or more properly a weapon, though it looks no more dangerous than a flashlight when he draws it from his sheath. Another spider descends, and then another, moving swiftly for their size. But then, so does he. The chemstick is flung off in a random direction as he lunges off to his right to move out of the way of the spider rushing at him. He pivots then, moving to try and put a tree trunk behind while trying keep as many of the spiders whose nest he's disturbed in view. No doubt in doing this he's stepped off the path. and then the smaller light is supplanted by a larger one as the android priest activates his beam sabre with a snap-hiss. "I've no quarrel with you, but I will defend myself." Not that he expects to be understood, but it's only polite to state one's intentions before all hell breaks loose.
Thranduil	Hisssss...the first of the spiders lunges at Taro without even aknowledging he said anything. Its mandibles are sharp and vicious, snapping at Taro like a steel trap. It recoils slightly from the light generated by Taro's beam sabre, indicating that they are used to living in a world of darkness and shadow. The rest are creeping around to surround Taro in all directions, with more coming down on silken threads.
Taro	Swift reflexes save Taro from being directly bitten, but his sleeve is torn between shoulder and elbow as the spider's maw snaps on cloth rather than synthflesh. A small loss comparitively. He immediately counters with a quick and short slash with his beam sabre, aiming for its head. Now that it's clear battle can't be avoided, he's engaging in full. A twist of his wrist brings a sharp throwing knife to his free hand. Not that it stays there long, as he almost immediately esends it tumbling in the direction of one of the other spiders no doubt approaching. Which way was back the way he came? Even his normally perfect sense of direction is muddled a bit by the dark and gloom. Which he will blame on the lack of proper GPS out here in the wilds.
Thranduil	The spider shrieks and falls to the ground, its legs curling toward its body. It is a small victory however, because there are dozens more where that came from. A brown and white one comes up at him from the side, diving at Taro with a vengeance. The way it hisses and clicks it almost sounds like it says 'deathhh' as its mandibles open and close. The woods are normally filled with Silvan Elves, but at this moment no help will come from them. They are strangely absent in the forest.
Taro	A spiders' nest indeed. The practicality of taking a sample of one of these home has rapidly decreased. The android is no elf, but his inbuilt grace may come startlingly close to it. He sidesteps of the path of the lunging spider, though he must sacrifice the cover of the tree trunk to do so, and he swings his energy blade at it as their patchs cross. No doubt another spider will move in to close the gap. Brow furrowed, Taro drops another knife into his hand only to send it tumbling at the next closest one. He's on the move now, not really having a choice if he doesn't want to be bitten. But he's vastly outnumbered, and smooth reflexes will only get him so far.
Thranduil	There's always the dead one to take back with him, but these spiders are pure evil, relentless and full of hate. The brown and white one is culled, and a solid grey one is wounded by his blade, making it more furious. It lunges, trying to get its hairy legs on him so it can inject its venom. It shrieks and hisses, trying to be scary as if a giant spider wasn't scary enough. A smaller black one tries coming at him from the other side.
Taro	Taro thought at first that his strike was more true than it was, and so did not expect the gray one to keep coming. Attention has already turned to the black one rushing him, and he's brought up his sabre in an overhead arc to bring down upon it...whether it lands he cannot say, because he himself just landed on the ground knocked flat. While he's wearing form-fitting armor beneath his cassock, it's not enough to stop the spider's fangs. The bite in his shoulder is deep, and while he breathes in sharply, he does not scream. He also does not bleed, exactly, though lavender-colored gel wells up where his artificial muscles are pierced. He also no doubt tastes -awful-. The hiss becomes a growl as he bares his teeth - a not very terrifying expression compared to the spiders - then brings both of his feet up sharply to kick the spider atop him in its underbelly. If he can, he'll twist free of contact, then vanish in a dark flash of a teleport. Normally, he'd know exactly where the teleport would take him. However, with sensors muddled, he may end up back by the light aircraft that brough him here. Or he might end up further in the forest, or even dangling from a tree. He'll take that chance, because surely any of those are better than being in the company of spiders.