Haunted Sparse

There was a single glimmer in the sky.

Then, there was a ball of fire the size of a human. It was Reisel Dracul, a comet headed straight for the Cursed Wood. Nobody would recognize him in this state as he descended, far north of Verinotte Hollow and the Castle Vankoryth. He was heading straight for the Haunted Sparse.

Dirt, rock, debris plunged skyward upon impact. Reisel was dragged from sheer force for longer than necessary, until coming to a distinct halt in the roots of a stubborn tree.

There he lay, completely still, charred, dirty, breathing. Alive. Unscathed beneath the filth. Unconscious, for the moment, or was he resting? He had just fallen from space.

A mass of birds flew high above the sparse like a swarm of wasps. They were oddly quiet as they flew, making a straight line for a small clearing within the woods.

They swooped down at once, melding together in an inky waterfall from the sky, shaping the witch that was Sarka.

"Mmm. Nagara, dear. So glad you could make it," the witch sang, peering through the trees at a woman who stood there. Her hair covered her face, and all she wore was a long, loose jacket that swept the ground. It was far too large for her, but the pockets were big, and they were packed. Sarka's lips tightened in a smile. "And you've done what Gojazan and Goulash can't. You have always been the best of them, Nagara, my dear. I'm sure you'll be the one I'll choose in the end."

The woman staggered toward Sarka weakly, reaching into her pockets, drawing out handfuls of ink cartridges and pens. She had been so much more discreet about her thievery than her brothers. She always had been the smarter one.

She dropped the cartridges onto the hems of Sarka's dress. Slivers of the witch's frock busted them open and sapped the ink from them. But the witch didn't seem satisfied. "Is that all?" she asked critically.

Nagara shook her head, and opened up her jacket. From the crease that was drawn down the center of her body, the eels peeked out, opening their toothy jaws. Out poured the ink from their gullets, pooling on the ground before joining the witch. Sarka sighed in relief.

"How could I ever imagine that you'd disappoint me?" she cooed, sliding a hand across Nagara's chin. The woman leaned into the touch, like a dog buying into his praise.

The witch withdrew her hand and turned, taking several long strides towards the base of a tree. It was dying. The limbs were bare of leaves. The bark blackened with rot. "I finally have the capacity to help you, brother. And I'm going to need you to help me," she said down to the roots.

Kneeling down, Sarka placed her hands onto the soft earth, eyes closing. Slivers of ink spindled from her fingers and seeped into the ground. A minute passed, though for Sarka, who was twining the threads of magic within her mind, it felt as though it had taken an hour.

With a lash of her head, she stood up, a gasp escaping her lips. She took several steps backward, and it was then that the ground began to rumble beneath their feet.

Nagara watched through strands of hair as the earth at the base of the tree heaved up and created a lump. From that lump, there protruded an arm, from which claws grew.

Sarka spread her own arms wide and laughed. "Welcome back, Misha. My dear!"

Emily would appear within the Sparse, her staff, as well as her Acolytes, appearing alongside her. The Acolytes, Kinoko and Hana, would step forward, looking around as the area, currently empty..

"No way! This place has great atmosphere!" Kinoko's voice came first. Hana spoke not long after however. "Keh? I dunno, it seems pretty spooky!"

Emily called the two back to her. "Listen! We're going to begin some of your training. The empty and open area around here will suffice for now. Your first official lesson with me? Spar me. I will assess your current progress in your own individual training.

Emily adopted her peculiar stance, the same one she had used for a short period in Wing City. "Let's begin. The Unknown Trinity will be watching, so no slacking off."

Kinoko and Hana looked at each other and nodded before they both charged at Emily with intense speed. To onlookers, their movements would simply be a blur, if they were even visible. Emily began dodging their attacks, never retaliating, but instead goading them on from time to time with taunting gestures in the middle of evading their attacks.

--

As they battled, Emily kept retreating backwards, swaying effortlessly around the trees in varying directions. The tips of her boots barely scraped the ground while rounding corners, as her form hovered only inches above the dirt. They never touched the floor however. Her form was incredibly flexible, and she utilized many twists and bends in her movements.

Kinoko was the more swift attacker, her punches and kicks coming out in combinations that she kept trying to vary, so as to avoid being too predictable, though as she grew more frustrated at being unable to strike Emily, she began repeating herself. Hana, though slower, tried using her incredible limb stretching to wrap around Emily and strike from odd angles. The slow attack speed resulting from it made her attacks a trivial matter to avoid.

It was only when Emily ducked one of Kinoko's attacks that the fighting stopped, with the punch thrown instead socking Hana in the face, much to her displeasure. "Uggh! Wah! That hurt, Kinoko! We're not supposed to punch each other!"

Hana pushed her right shoulder against Kinoko as Kinoko returned the favor with her left shoulder. The two even had their cheeks touch as Kinoko replied. "Listen here, Hana! You think I don't understand that? I know perfectly well! So don't flank her while I'm throwing a punch!"

Hana yelled back. "I can do what I want! You should watch for things like that, or get a pair glasses, since you obviously can't see anyone else!"

As the two began bickering more, they started sparring each other, causing Emily to step in. Emily slid between the pair and transformed into an extremely solid and durable object that both of their fists bounced right off of with a lot of pain involved. As the two winced and cooled off, Emily transformed back to normal. "The task is to strike me, not each other. Bickering like that does not bring honor to the Unknown Trinity."

--

As the two had returned to sparring with Emily two on one, she began parrying their attacks. "The two of you are not even trying. Try, lest you defile the holy powers that have blessed you." With a twirl, she backhanded Kinoko and Hana at the same time, knocking both away a short distance. Kinoko recovered gracefully, flipping into a standing position. "I am trying! I will strike you if its the last thing I do!"

Hana bounced like a slinky off of trees she encountered while flying from the blow. Eventually bouncing onto the ground, she reformed in a standing position. "Aww! No fair Ms. Kattelya! I'm doing my absolute bestest!"

The two charged back in with battle cries.

--

After more time had passed, Emily caught their hands in hers, remaining untouched. "Enough! Stop now." She let their hands go as they returned to standing before her. Emily was in her standing prayer posture. "Is that the best you've got? Repetitive moves and lazy attitudes? Even those boastful soldiers warring in Wing City would be ashamed to use such tactics. Woe unto you, false warriors; foolish buffoons!"

Hana lowered her head first. "Auu~ I'm sorry, Ms. Kattelya... I tried." Kinoko gritted her teeth and looked down as well. "Grrr... Fine... I'm sorry too, but give us another chance! We'll show you we can do it!"

Emily addressed the two. "Your current skills are lacking. I'll begin with each of you as though you have never battled before. You have none of the basics mastered, and your styles are too independent and straightforward. You forgo all thoughts beyond blind charges. Now follow me."

Emily turned and walked towards Verinotte Hollow as Kinoko and Hana followed her.

It was easy enough to follow Daemala as she rushed through the Haunted Sparse. No matter the darkening of the skies, or even the muddying of her ruby red gown. She had business to attend north of here, and she'd have liked to get it over with before the storm.

Photu checked her watch again, seating the leather hat above her head with the other hand. She pressed the pocketwatch against a tree trunk watching the sparse clicks and and ticking runes. Things that moved with power in hand left a wake. She looked down toward the fork and continued on

Kethyr Naethus materializes from the void.

In a cacophony of obliteration, everything to the south vanishes.

Suddenly, a swirling vortex appears to the south. You can see something appear in that direction.

Kethyr Naethus has left the area, heading in into Whicher Fork.

Suddenly, a swirling vortex appears to the southeast. You can see something appear in that direction.

Kethyr Naethus has arrived, coming from Verinotte Way.

Kethyr Naethus has left the area, heading southeast into Verinotte Way.

Winne Rineswurth has arrived, coming from Verinotte Hollow.

Winne Rineswurth has left the area, heading south towards Verinotte Hollow Northern Gate.

Winne Rineswurth has arrived, coming from Whicher Fork.

Winne Rineswurth vanishes into nothingness, but you get the feeling they are heading somewhere else.