He nods slowly. "I always have. Even when I was younger. I would stare at the forest, wondering if one day I could ever go there. Explore it's secrets." He smiled a bit. "It's misty, but it's quite beautiful." He laughs a little to himself. "Everything. I want to understand and explore every thing." He noticed the other moving towards him, staying still. He nods. "I do wonder about you. The fearsome creature of the mist, guardian of the dark forest." He smiled a little, his eyes gentle and warm. He paused however when the figure in front of him tensed and turned their attention to another direction. He turned his attention as well, his hand slowly going to the staff that rested on his back. Had he been followed? Dammit. He swore softly to himself, using his magic to reach out, setting his staff out in front of him. There. He could sense it. Although he couldn't really read it. He sighed and took a deep breath. "I swear… I thought no one followed me. No one was supposed to follow me-" his eyes searched the mist.
Phantom turned back to the man. The newcomer was still a safe distance away at this point. "You came in here even though everyone who does just disappears. Is your curiosity so strong that you face even death to satisfy it?" The newest person was close now, just a little way down the path from where Phantom was standing. They made a split-second decision and backed towards the trees. They weren't leaving, they were just making sure they weren't going to be surrounded. "Hmm," was all they said to the man's last words. It didn't really matter to them if someone did follow him. It was just more work. The mist in the area got thicker, concealing them from view a second before a young woman appeared. She looked like she was about to go into battle, holding a sword at the ready and generally being very cautious. Phantom could almost immediately tell that she was there to try and kill him. Shame.
Nova smiled at the other, shrugging. "I lost my family, I have no friends, quite frankly I have nothing to lose." He laughs a little bit and sighed softly. "So yes. If I am to die in the arms of nature, then so be it." He shrugged a little bit. "Death has always been a friend." He sighed quietly. He twitched a little bit when he heard the person closer, cloaking himself in the mist and sighed quietly. He paused as the mist got thicker, but used his magic to sense around, figuring things out. He sunk deeper into the mist, keeping a careful eye on the woman. He didn't recognize her. He didn't get a good feeling in his gut. He moved around the woman, keep himself tense and ready to defend himself or the figure. He moved to be behind her, his eyes narrowing only more.
(sorry it's so short)
(You're good!)
The woman glanced around, squinting through the mist. Phantom watched as their first visitor hid in the mist as well. Well, now they could confront this person without her asking why they were only focusing on her and not the other person.
"Where are you, monster?" The woman suddenly yelled, voice full of righteous anger. "Come out! Show yourself!" Well, that was such a wonderful invitation. Phantom simply had to oblige now.
"What is your business here?" They asked softly, stepping into the woman's line of sight.
"Huh?" The woman stared at them, her eyebrows drawing together. "You're the monster?"
"Indeed." Phantom inclined their head slightly, eyes finding the other man behind her.
"You killed my friends! I'm here to avenge them." The woman leveled her sword at Phantom, looking quite serious.
"So you're here to kill me," Phantom stated, shifting their focus back to the woman.
"Of course! Things like you should be allowed to exist! All you bring is misery."
"Hm. That's a shame." They sighed, smiling softly under their veil. The moment that woman attacked them, she would be dead.
He keeps hidden in the mist, watching the woman carefully. He didn't like her tone of voice. She seemed rather rude, which annoyed him. He let out a soft breath of air, moving behind her. He was silent, as he moved, his eyes never leaving her. He stood behind her before revealing himself. "Honestly woman. You must be rather dumb if you plan on killing the guardian of the forest." He spoke swiftly, his manner different. Nature was always a priority of his. "You're dead really once you wander into here. So you must have a death wish." He kept his staff trained on her. "Go back, honestly." He turned his attention to the phantom in front of him. "You can have me instead." He bowed his head ever so slightly. While people annoyed him, he always had an instinct to protect. "Your friends are dead and revenge has brought you here. There are better things to think on then revenge. It often leaves a bitter taste in your mouth."
The woman seemed to be assessing their danger level, which at the moment seemed to hover around zero. They let her look. It wouldn't matter. She took a deep breath and drew back, seemed ready to launch herself at Phantom. Right before she took off, the man showed himself and spoke.
"The guardian of the forest?" The woman scoffed, glancing over her shoulder at the man. "This thing isn't a guardian, it's a murderer." She turned back to Phantom. "I can't go back. They would never forgive me." She was looking at them, but her words were aimed at the man behind her.
"It's not a choice of who gets to walk out of here. No one gets to walk out of here." Phantom looked at the man, their words calm and cool. The woman seemed to decide that it was the perfect time to attack and leaped forward, her sword aiming for Phantom. They turned their attention back to her in an instant, hand reaching back and unsheathing their sword. Even as fast as they were, Phantom opted for simply stepping out of the way of her sword. There was no need to rush anything.
He sighed as he gazed at the woman. She really had to be stupid. She had to be… He rolled his eyes and gave a soft huff of disappointment. He hummed as he watched her. "Yes the guardian of the forest. They were here first." He murmured slowly, "You must understand that. Or can you not see that through your blind rage." He watched her for a moment before turning his attention back to the other. "I'm well aware guardian." He sighed and looked at the woman, "I know." He knew that she wasn't going to back down. She was angered. Nothing could be won with anger though. Spite, maybe. But anger made you stupid. Made you hunger, made everything blur. So he settled himself back and watched the two of them fight. He offered a chance to the woman and she ignored it. So he just watched.
"It might have been here first, but that doesn't mean it had to kill everyone who came through!" The woman exclaimed, glaring ferociously at Phantom. "My rage is not blind. I see a monster in front of me, too hideous to even show its face. It wears a veil to mascarade as human, but take that away and nothing but nightmares will be revealed." Phantom had to give it to her, this woman was able to think of speeches on the fly very well. She lunged again, and they dodged again, the sword seeming to only be there as a last resort. It was a sort of dance, really. The woman got angrier the more Phantom managed to slip out of her way, finally stepping away with an angry scream.
"Did you think it would be so easy to kill the monster?" Phanom asked, their voice soft and warm. "Alright, fine. I've let you suffer long enough." The woman frowned, holding her sword at the ready. Phantom sighed, a soft smile on their face, and disappeared into the mist. A second later, they reappeared behind the woman. She didn't even have time to turn around before they stabbed her straight through the heart. "Welcome to the woods." They whispered, almost too soft for anyone but the woman to hear. She gasped, then went limp.
He raised a brow and sighed quietly as he relaxed, watching with curiosity as they fought. He had tried to warn her, but of course, she was set on revenge. Revenge is all good and well, but she clearly didn't think this through. Just add another to the list of the dead here. He sighed as she lunged, leaning against his staff watching her get angrier and angrier. He looked away as the woman died, he had never been one to enjoy watching death. He sighed and stood once the woman was dead, not glancing at her as he raised his hand. She was enveloped in the gentle grasps of nature now, left to rot and become food for the forest. He said a silent prayer for the woman, hoping her on to the next life. He gave a wistful sigh. "I suppose you'll be killing me now." He glanced around the forest. He did wish that he could explore it more, but the creature was here, so why should the creature hesitate. He was a mortal that had entered this realm of mist and solitude. "Shame. I would have loved to explore more." He turned his gaze to the other and placed his staff on the ground.
"Killing you?" Phantom looked up from the woman, eyes locking onto the man. "No, not yet." They shook their head. "You are one of the few who appreciate the forest, so I think I'll allow you to see it." Phantom truly hadn't met someone like this man for a while, and it would be nice to talk to someone who could answer them. "What is your name?" They asked, quickly cleaning the blade of their sword on a patch of moss. Phantom sheathed their sword and turned towards the man. Hopefully, it wouldn't end up badly for them, like last time. Though they were much stronger than last time. This man was interesting and seemed like he wouldn't hurt them, but they wouldn't hesitate to cut him down if he tried something. It would be a shame, though. "Will you come with me?"
He tilts his head ever so slightly, curious as to why the other wasn't going to kill him. He paused slowly, a glimmer of light passing over his eyes, his body language becoming excited and happy. "Thank you." He bows a little, the smile never leaving his lips. The forest was so vast and he had the ability to search and understand the forest around him. "Ah, my name?" He pauses for a moment before quietly saying, "Nova." He rarely gave his name out, but he felt like he could. "Those who know me call me Nova." He places his staff onto his back and smiled warmly. "I will come with you. I'd love to explore and understand this place… May I ask. What do I call you, Guardian?" He asks curiously, slowly moving to the others side.
Phantom inclined their head slightly at the man, their lips pulling up slightly at his smile and enthusiasm. "Nova?" Their smile grew larger– it was truly a beautiful name. "Wonderful." They turned and started walking into the forest. The path was nice and all, but the forest was much nicer in the deep, wild parts of it. "Ah, my name?" Phantom glanced over their shoulder, long hair swaying down their back. "Phantom." It was a name they had chosen themself, but it did seem to suit them and the stories about them. The spirit in the woods, the murderous phantom. It worked. Phantom stepped over a fallen log, bare feet sinking into a patch of soft moss on the other side. The mist was getting thicker, but it didn't occur to them that it might affect their visitor. They didn't have visitors often, and they'd forgotten that not everyone could see through the mist as they could. The mist density varied depending on how they felt when they weren't directly controlling it. Phantom was a bit nervous about having Nova in their forest, even if he hadn't acted aggressively towards them, and the mist reflected that.
He was excited to explore, wanting to understand more, to see more. He hummed as he walked over to the guardian's side, making sure to keep close since the path was misty. "Phantom." He murmured the name to himself, before smiling. "I think it's rather fitting." He explains kindly. His eyes were bright and hopeful as he flicks to life another ball of light, holding it in front of him. He was able to keep up with he other. He took in what he could see with reverence and respect, humming happily to himself. For someone who had just witnessed death and was under the threat of death if he placed one foot out of line seemed… incredibly happy despite the dreary situations. He was quiet as he took in the forest, making sure not to step on anything unless there was no avoiding it. He stepped very lightly for a human, not to mention he was quick on his feet, but he seemed content as he followed Phantom.
Phantom led the man further into the forest. Here, the trees were old and large, dark with moisture. The leaves were extremely green, dripping water onto the heads of the two every once in a while. The ground was either rich, damp soil or moss, with patches of large ferns and boulders sprinkled in as well. It was silent, for the most part, broken only by the sounds of the two travelers and the occasional cry of a raven. The babbling of a small creek soon reached their ears, alerting them that they were about half an hour away from the apple orchard. Phantom plunged into a sea of ferns, wondering if they should go to the apple orchard or keep away.
"How are you liking the forest?" They asked, glancing over their shoulder again. "Is it what you thought it would be?" The ground under their feet turned to gravel– they were almost to the creek, then.
The deeper they went into the forest, the more in awe he seemed to appear. Through using magic he was able to take so much in, to understand everything. This was peace to him. This was comfort. He would often raise his hand to gently touch the trunks of trees, or to feel the moss below him. He seemed at peace as he listened to the sounds of life within the forest. This was his peace. He perked when he heard the sound of a small creek, his eyes widening excitedly. "this-" He whispered, gazing around reverently. "This place is heaven." He murmured softly. It was heaven to him, filling him with comfort, with life. "Oh to understand this place, to discover it's secrets." He murmured quietly. "To think that humans would come here seeking to kill you… rather than witness the life of this forest truly baffles me." He murmured quietly. He touched the pebbles at his feet. "I can feel it moving… breathing…" He murmured, spreading his fingers into the rocks beneath him.
"Heaven." Phantom murmured, glancing up at the sky for a second. "I suppose." They glanced down again and continued into the creek. The water was icy, flowing up to their shins at the deepest part. The bottom was mostly smooth stones, which felt very nice on the bottom of their feet. "Most humans don't appreciate the fact that their friends and family were killed by me. The forest isn't as interesting as avenging their loved ones." Phantom emerged from the water, intending to wait until their visitor came over as well. A sudden pain on their neck caused them to freeze. A second later, something warm started running down their neck. Oh no. Not this. Not now! Phantom brought their fingers to their neck, and they came away crimson. They stared at those red-painted fingers, heart frozen. This was the worst possible time for the curse to reemerge! The pain on their neck started to work its way up towards their face and down towards their chest. They could never get used to the pain, either– something about the curse prevented it, probably. It seemed that Nova's time in the forest had come to an end.
Nova nods at the others words, smiling a little bit. He paused once they came to the river, humming in thought as he placed his fingers into the water. It was freezing cold. There were multiple ways he could handle this. He was a very erm… sensitive to the cold. He glances up at Phantom, using his magic to create "ice" steps over the river. "Yes, well. I didn't have loved ones or family, so it's not like I came here to gain my honor again, or avenge family." He sighed and glanced at Phantom when he saw how much pain the other was in. "Phantom, is everything alright?" He asks gently, walking closer to Phantom. "You seem to be in pain…" He says gently, reaching out to the other. He wasn't afraid of the other. He was more worried about how Phantom was in pain. There was genuine concern for the them in Nova's expression, his hand reaching out in comfort.
Phantom silently cursed and spun around, only to see Nova reaching for them. Their first reaction was that he had noticed their pain and was going to take advantage of it. Then they noticed his expression, which he'd nothing but concern. Concern for them? Well, they wouldn't put it past this strange visitor. Phantom backed away a couple steps, less graceful than the had been only minutes before. They knew they only had a couple minutes before going 'completely useless mortal', and getting back to their place would probably take up most of that time. If Nova fought back at all, which he probably would, then there was no way they would be able to make it back to their home. And so Phantom made a choice. Their perfect record might disappear, having let someone go, but it was better than dying. They turned away from the man, calling the mists to bring them home. It was much slower than normal, and if they were being honest, at least five other people could have come along with them if they tried hard enough. All Phantom could do was hope Nova didn't follow them and learn the secret they had now hidden for hundreds of years.
Nova gazed at them, filled with nothing but concern. He knew that the other was in pain. He could see the small bit of blood on Phantom's fingers and he looked up, now confused and concerned. When Phantom stepped away from Nova, he debated on moving forward to make sure that Phantom was okay. They obviously wanted Nova to stay away, but he wanted to help somehow. But before he could make up his mind the mist became thicker and he quickly lost his ability to see. Nova of course, moved blindly through the mist, using his magic to try and clear the mist. He wanted to know if the other was going to be okay. He quickly got lost however, his eyes scanning through the dark.
Phantom stumbled out of the mist, heart dropping. Nova had followed them– it was an amateur mistake, one they would have made centuries ago. A small part of them whispered that they couldn't have done anything to stop it from happening. The curse did weird things to their magic, loosening their hold on it until it was totally gone. Their entire face was screaming at this point, blood running down their face and dripping onto their clothes and the ground. Phantom took a few slow steps forward. The earth dropped down in front of them, creating a pit lined in rock. In the center of the pit was their garden. Phantom knew somewhere in the back of their mind that they were leading a human straight into the heart of their home, but it was the only place where they were truly safe. Nova might not try and kill them in their weakened state since he seemed more interested in the forest than in killing the 'monster'. They took a shallow breath and started down the steps carved into the rock wall. If they beat Nova to their safe room, then they might be able to lock him out. He was a magic-user, though, so that might not work too well. Still, they had to try. Phantom had made it halfway down the steps, leaving behind ruby drops on the grey stone.
Nova wanted to help somehow, wanted to make sure that the other was okay. He wanted to make sure that Phantom was okay… what a strange sentence. He wanted to make sure that the Phantom, a creature of the forest that killed people that came into their forest, was okay. He had to be going mad. He sighed deeply before using his magic to clear the mist. He followed after the red staining the ground. He moved faster, gently calling out to the Phantom. He could help. Nova was a healer. Or he could at least offer assistance in some shape or form. Nova quickly got lost in the woods, losing the trail of blood. He cursed quietly, following the river. He wanted to make sure that Phantom was alright- that they were okay. It may be a foolish thing, but Nova rarely left someone in need.
The blade on Phantom's back was getting much heavier, even though it was enchanted to be extremely light. They unslung it and started using it as a support. Upon reaching the bottom, Phantom nearly fell over. The sound their sword made against the stone as they righted themself seemed impossibly loud. Phantom groaned– if Nova was anywhere close to where they were, he would probably hear it. Every step took forever, and they absolutely hated it. The weakness, paired with the scorching pain now making its way down their chest, made them want to scream. But they couldn't, not if they didn't want Nova to find them. Their veil was starting to stick to their face, so they reached up and pulled it off. The white material fluttered to the ground and disappeared, and Phantom kept going. They finally reached their quarters, tossing their sword onto their bed before turning around and contemplating the doorway. They could still use blood– of which they had plenty– to create a small barrier. Phantom carefully dabbed their fingers onto their cheek, wincing a bit as their fingers connected with fresh cuts. It only took a minute or so until a soft green light filled the doorway with a small pulse of magic. They wouldn't worry about that if it was any other human, but Nova the magic-user would probably notice it. Another thing to draw him towards them. At this point, though, Phantom couldn't make themself care.
Nova followed whatever noise he could hear. He needed to make sure the other was okay. Phantom had been bleeding heavily from what Nova could tell, so he moved as quickly as he could through the forest. He heard a loud noise and jumped, clinging to his chest. But it sounded close so he pushed forward. He had to push forward. He wanted to help, maybe there was something he could do with his magic. Maybe he could tend to the other and make sure that they would be alright. So he pushed forward, almost falling when the ground beneath him almost seemed to disappear. He caught his balance before looking down. There was a lot of blood leading down. He only felt more determined to help, carefully going down the steps, a small fire flickering dimly in his hands.
Phantom slowly made their way towards the place where they kept bandages. The bleeding probably wouldn't stop for a little while longer, but they could stop it from getting everywhere. They grabbed the container they put the bandages in and stumbled over to the small pool of water that they kept just for this occasion. Next to it was a mat of moss, which Phantom basically collapsed onto. Everything was screaming at them. Phantom reached over and trailed their fingers in the water. The sensation helped for a fraction of a second, but nothing could keep the pain away for long. They just had to sit through the first day, and then the second day would be better. It was just the first day… Phantom let their eyes close, abandoning the idea to slow down the bleeding. They could do that later when everything stopped hurting so much.
Nova was sure that the other was down here somewhere. He just needed to be careful. The stairs were slick with blood, making him almost fall at one point. He finally made it to the bottom and made the light a little brighter. Phantom's weapon and their veil from when they dropped it pointed Nova in the right direction. He made it to the door, using a little magic to open it. "Phantom." He murmured gently. "I'm here to help. I know you're in pain. I won't do anything to harm you, I promise. I only wish to help. Will you let me do that?" He calls softly.
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