Obsidian & Beryl

Beryl: 

Twigs and branches snapped underfoot as Beryl emerged from a thick patch of undergrowth. He spat out some leaves and shook his mane, sending forest detritus spinning. The mage looked rough, with scrapes on his legs and a few of his tail fins torn. Most might be put in a foul mood after such a rough night. But not Beryl; he emerged into a patch of sunlight and grinned up through the dappled shadows. “What a fighter, what a fighter…” He muttered to himself with a chuckle as he hoisted his mighty weapon, a rather unimpressive fishing rod. Thankfully it remained intact, he had been worried for a while there that the rod might snap. 

The hippocampus had been wandering for hours, but now he paused and nodded at the distant sound of water. What a relief. He had made it back to the river. Now he had a chance to orient himself. Had the ruins been upriver or down? He paused in his tracks, trying to rewind the night's chaotic events. Definitely, downriver, he thought and trod that way before stopping abruptly. Or was it upriver? He wracked his brains until they hurt. 

“No, definitely upriver.” He stated aloud with a decisive swish of his turquoise-scaled tail. With his mind made up and the welcoming sound of water growing louder Beryl began to whistle a cheery sailing tune. 

Obsidian:

Obsidian found himself lying on the forest floor with his legs half twisted. He opened his eyes slowly as he came out of his unconscious state, he felt a bit of a light head as he lifted his gaze towards the patches of sunlight flaring through the thick tree branches. With a few movements of his front legs, he lifted his body up from against a tree stump that he most lightly fell over during the night. ""Wh...What on earth happened last night"" he mumbled to himself as he shook his head to get rid of the forest clutter that got stuck in his skull.

While still half confused he gazed at the area around him, there was no soul in sight to be seen. Which he found very strange, a forest is usually filled with wandering souls's "Something doesn't feel right?" The mage wasted no time as he collected his map and other items that fell out of his leather travelling bag. After inspecting the surrounding area, Obsidian summoned a soul in the form of a rabbit. (The eyes shined a bright white colour, its outer skin was a transparent blue liquid that made up the body of the rabbit, inside the liquid you could see a black skeletal structure with a small bright shining light where the heart would have been)

The mage lowered his head towards the rabbit " I need your help to find a lake or river nearby". The rabbit sat on its hind legs with its ears pierced, taking in the sounds of the surrounding area before it just bolted off in a direction towards the north.  Obsidian started trotting off after the rabbit as it rushed through the trees, the rabbit left a trail of little blue flames that one could follow. After an hour the slight sound of rushing water could be heard.

Beryl: 

The river was a welcome sight. The sun had climbed quite high into the sky by the time Beryl reached the rushing water. He immersed himself up to his knees, letting the cool water ease his scrapes. Beryl always felt better around water. Most of his formative years had been spent in its vicinity. He watched the sunlight dance on its surface before shaking off the wave of drowsiness that washed over him. He had to get to the ruins before sundown.

Something small and blue with umber stripes caught his eye from where it rested on the riverbed at his hooves. Ruins forgotten, Beryl leaned down to get a better look. “Well, aren’t you a gorgeous little fellow? What a beautiful darter speci-“ His further accolades of the small river fish were drowned out to the world as he fully submerged his head underwater. Several minutes later, Beryl pulled his head dripping from the water, a delighted expression on his face. That was when he caught another flash of movement, this time from the shore.

He froze as a small blue-glowing creature hopped out of the trees. It was in the shape of a rabbit yet was ephemeral, like a spirit. Its skeleton a ghostly shadow within its form. Magic. It stood to reason that there were other mages in the area. How friendly they were varied drastically. This little rabbit didn’t feel threatening at all as it propped itself up on its back legs and twitched its little nose. Beryl was reminded of how many times his teachers had reiterated that just because something didn’t feel harmless didn’t mean it was so. Then again, Beryl thought that was rubbish; if one couldn’t trust one's feelings, then what was one to trust? With a splash, he got out of the water and stood on the pebbly riverbank near the rabbit. “Hello, little one. Is your master about?”

Obsidian:

The rabbit lifted his head towards the hippocampus that made its ways closer, with one ear focusing on the stranger and the other ear focusing behind it. After hearing the  question the rabbit pointed its paw towards the path between the trees where it first appeared from.

After 2 hours of running, Obsidian slowed his pace down to a walk as he got an odd sense coming from the rabbit he summoned. "Hmm, looks like my little soul found something'' he said in a low town. The rabbit hasn't given any aggressive response yet, from that indication it should be something neutral.

He slowly made his way toward where the rabbit was more or less. Pushing his way through the last bushes that were in his way, the sudden feeling of the pebbly riverbank sent a chill down his spine. With a few rushed steps towards the river, Obsidian dipped his entire head underneath the rushing water for a few seconds before lifting it back up. His gaze shifted into the direction of the rabbit, with some water still dripping from his head.

His gaze curiously fell on the large blue figure next to the rabbit, an equine? He thought to himself until he noticed the large finned tail behind the stranger. Obsidian turned towards the hippocampy and gave a slight laugh "I see you found my little friend" he spoke in a calm tone. 

Beryl:

Beryl looked up to where the phantasmal rabbit gestured and watched as a large shape moved out of the forest undergrowth and onto the riverbank. The stranger seemed to be wearing a horned skull mask… wait. The hippocampus observed the way the water tumbled out of the skull as the stranger raised their head from the river. It was no mask. Noting the blue flames of the other’s mane, Beryl had little doubt that this was the mage who had conjured the rabbit. The newcomer all but confirmed it with his first words. “Yes, cute little fellow!” Beryl replied automatically.

Looking at this new mage, it was impossible for the hippocampus not to feel a slight bit intimidated. The other wore armor and clearly came prepared for battle. He caught sight of an odd symbol etched down the other's face… er, skull? Beryl wondered if he was a wild mage. He had heard rumors that often wild mages did not get along well with order mages. But he didn’t pay much heed to rumors unless they concerned the whereabouts of a particularly good fishing spot. Always pay attention to fishing rumors.

He smiled toothily at the taller mage, “I’m Beryl Halcyon. I assume you are here to deal with that shimmery shrimp serpent thing. You look like you are quite a force to be reckoned with in a fight.” He adjusted his fishing pole to rest on his shoulder and to show he held no other items or weapons. “I think it's made its lair upriver in some ruins. But it's a crafty thing, slipped my hook last night after dragging me all up and down the forest.” Beryl said, wishing he had more helpful information. A seasoned monster hunter would have paid attention to its weaknesses, but all he had noted was the taste of dirt and leaves in his mouth as he had been dragged through the forest.

Obsidian:

Obsidian looked curiously at the smiling hippocampy, "Well it is nice to meet you Beryl, I am Obsidian Elysian'' His sight focused on the fishing rod and then back to Beryl "You used a fishing rod to battle with a monster like that?" He said half astonished, "Sounds like you also have a few tricks up your sleeve" Obsidian wasn't used to people being so friendly to him at first sight.

He took a few steps closer to Beryl "A shrimpy serpent? That sounds like a tough opponent" his voice sounded excited at the mention of it. "I appreciate the information. Sounds like you need some assistance with your battle Beryl?" he looked at the hippocampus with determination in his eyes "What would  you say to a team up?"

Beryl:

The hippocampus’ smile widened to a grin. He’d never worked with another mage on something so important before! “I’m in! Team Obsidian and Beryl!” He cheered with enthusiasm before realizing that the moment might call for a bit more seriousness. Most mages he had interacted with so far had been teachers and were decidedly stoic. It wouldn't do to scare this new acquaintance off so soon. He gave an abashed smile,“We can workshop the team name.” 

To alleviate some of the awkwardness Beryl began to move upriver, gesturing for Obsidian to follow. “The serpent probably returned to its lair in the ruins. I’ve seen some signs of other mages in the area but I haven’t met anyone else yet.” He looked over at Obsidian and his glowing rabbit. Was it rude to ask another’s magic outright? “I am able to lure the serpent to advantageous ground and keep it there but I can’t put a dent in its hard scales. You might be able to help with that?”

Obsidian:

Obsidian gave a chuckle at Beryl's excitement. He barely knew this hippocampy, but somehow he just made me feel at home. "Lead the way and I shall follow '' he said as he set off in a gallop to catch up with Beryl. The rabbit gave a few jumps and landed on Obsidians back, after that the rabbit slowly made its way up the back of Obsidian's neck and layed down between his eats and the rabbit proceeded to grab the mighty horns on Obsidians head, to escape the tragic fate of flying away upon the gallop.

"I, if you can lure it out. I will be able to help with some hard blows" As his gallop turned into a walk next to the other mage. "It sounds like you had a tough fight with this Serpent? If you'd like I can lend you this rabbit  spirit to keep you save should the need arise?" The rabbit might not look like much but it packs a mean shield and can give a shock boost on any attack to num a target for a few seconds.

Beryl:

At the other mage’s offer, Beryl nearly stopped in his tracks. He had not expected such generosity. “Sure, I’ll take you up on that offer.” He said with a chuckle as he spotted the rabbit hanging on to Obsidian’s horns. The juxtaposition of Obsidian’s fearsome complexion next to the glowing adorable rabbit was humorous. “That is quite a useful power. Can you make any animal or just rabbits?” 

Beryl loved to hear about other’s magic. Growing up he could have never dreamed of how many unique types of magic that mages could wield. Each mage, whether wild or of the order, seemed to have a magic unique to them. But perhaps his fascination was also a bit shellfish, though he would be hesitant to admit it. With enough time, effort, and an item from the magic user he could replicate an aspect of that mage’s magic. Condensing it down and imbuing it into a specialized lure to be used by the hippocampus. All three of the imbued lures Beryl now carried were fashioned with the power of another mage. Sometimes Beryl felt like a fraud for utilizing other’s magic in this way. But without it, his own magic would be rendered useless offensively.

Obsidian:

Obsidian gave a chuckle at Beryl's question as he lowered his head to make it easier for the rabbit to jump onto the hippocampy's back. He returned his focus to the question that was asked "Well to put it in a simple manner, I can summon any form of creature but depending on the size and power of that creature is were the danger comes in..." he opened his mouth a bit and summoned 2 small glowing orbs, one which colour resembles the blue of the rabbit with a white core, and the other was a bright red with a almost black core "You see this blue orb is a spirit that had no intent for aggression to the living. But this red orb is dangerous it craves aggression and if left loose it can do more chaos than good"

He placed his focus on the blue and red orbs "I can force them into any form of creature but I find that they prefer certain forms above others, for example these two I believe had some sort of bond before they died'' the two orbs started spinning around in sequence as both of them took the shape of a crow. The one crow had the same colour features as the rabbit and the other was a bright red with a white skeletal structure and a black core within it."Beryl, have you ever heard of the old tail of the red eyed monster that lurks in the Sunless forest?"

Beryl:

Beryl felt a rush of delight as the rabbit leaped onto his back. It felt weightless, yet its presence was comforting. As Obsidian began to elaborate on his magic, Beryl listened enraptured. He watched as the two summoned orbs took on the shape of crows, one similar to the rabbit, the other red and decidedly ominous. Beryl had never been too sensitive to sensing magic, but even he could feel radiating aggression from the red spirit crow; it made the hair on his neck stand on end. His tail twitched uneasily, watching it. It was not the healthy red of fresh salmon eggs, nor was it the color of redfish; no, it was the color of anger, of a raw wound.

The hippocampus blinked realizing Obsidian had resumed speaking, asking of a red-eyed monster. Beryl loved tall tales and had heard his fair share over the years, but most of them revolved around the sea. He was unfamiliar with this part of the world. “I can’t say I have heard this tale.” He responded, leaning forward, ears pricked, already invested in the mystery of this red-eyed monster.

Obsidian:

The two crows landed on top of Obsidian's horns, each monitoring the forest around the two mages. The mage gave a soft short laugh before starting his story "The small villages and towns near the Sunless Forest feared the night. No one dared to wander the steers after sunset, in fear of running into the monster that lurked in the forest.  Countless mages and none mages have lost their lives to the red eyed beast. But one night a brave soul dared to enter the forest, the echoing sound of thunder was all that could be heard. From that night no one really knows what happened to the beast nor wat happened to the brave mage" 

"a lot of young people don't believe in the stories told by the elders, but I believe that somewhat have a truth and meaning" his eyes fell back on Beryl's fishing rod "I find it curious how you use a fishing rod as a weapon, any special gift? If you don't mind me asking" he said with curiosity in his eyes and he looked back at the hippocampy.

Beryl:

Listening to the tale sent a shiver down Beryl's spine. He glanced back to see the rabbit hopping back and forth. He wondered if the red-eyed monster in Obsidian’s story had been a corrupted mage, like the opalescent serpent they now hunted. What could drive someone to become such a monster? Was Obsidian hunting this red-eyed monster? Why? The story left the young mage with more questions than answers, so it was almost a relief when Obsidian asked a question he did have the answer to. 

“Oh, this?” He hefted the fishing rod and felt its familiar weight. “It's just a regular fishing pole. But through it, I can channel my magic. Which lures others in.” He paused, conveniently skipping the part about how his alluring magic was always active on some level. The hippocampus had learned others generally didn’t react well when they realized their perception of him might be slightly enhanced due to the latent effects of his magic. 

He turned so Obsidian could see the lures that hung at his side. Bright shiny baubles, resembling insects or bait fish, each intricately crafted. “These are the fun part. I can take an aspect of another mage’s magic and imbue it into a lure. I can essentially use these to cast different spells. Such as this one.” He lifted a bright red lure that resembled a beetle. “If I attach it to my fishing rod it will explode on contact. Helpful in a sticky situation but the lure is pretty fragile.” He gestured to the lure attached to the end of his pole. An enchanting  green glowing moth that seemed to flutter slightly of its own accord. “This one worked well with the serpent last night. It dazzles and distracts, the serpent was on it like a bass to a three-legged frog.” He laughed and realized suddenly he had been rambling for a while. The forest had become thick with jungle vegetation. The air felt heavier.

Obsidian:

Obsidian looked at the bright shiny red bulb with curiosity. What an interesting way to use magic. He might not be a high tier magic user but he seems to make up for it with his intellect. "That is quite a handy orb you've got there Beryl, the fact that you battled a beast like that by yourself let's me believe you have quite the history of a fisherman that has seen and battled a few beasts" Obsidian took a look at the dense forest, something about this forest felt off. 

He glanced back at Beryl with a hint of concern "I think we might be getting close to some sort of ruins, this jungle feels a bit sinister?" Ever since we left the river the amount of wandering soul’s have increased. If I had to take a guess, there was definitely a blood bath in this area long ago. They don't seem hospital but they also don't look happy. I don't if I should mention this to Berylit, what if he freaks out like the others? Be like hay by the way I can see the ghost of the dead.  While he was contemplating his thought a unexpected laugh escaped his mouth.

Before he could start his sentence, his hoof front left hoof slammed into some bricks hidden in some roots. The two crows took off with the sudden impact and just  hovered above the mages’ heads. Luckily he managed to regain his footing with a few steps and some mumbled words.

Beryl:

Beryl inhaled deeply; the jungle air smelt rotten, and there was a hint of smoke. “Yes, this place is corrupted.” He agreed. They were close. He looked over at Obsidian, who seemed to be staring intently at something Beryl could not see. The hippocampus shifted in place, uncomfortable, and jumped in surprise when the other mage let out a low laugh. The crows took flight as the other mage nearly tripped over something in the underbrush.

“What the blustering blue whales was that?!” Beryl demanded, now thoroughly spooked. The discovery of the edge of the ruins was something he had expected, but Oblivion’s reaction was not. The other’s laugh seemed to echo in his ears. “Sorry, I’m just on edge. I feel like we are being watched, but I haven’t seen any animals besides your conjured ones.” Beryl said, taking a few deep breaths to calm down. His tail swished back and forth, letting out his pent-up energy.

He scanned the area, and now that he knew what to look for, he saw signs of ancient structures everywhere. Crumbling arches, staircases to nowhere, and walls with windows cluttered by vines where all scattered about and covered in moss. “If we can find some ruins that will restrict the serpent's movement, it might make for a good place for an ambush.” He mused as he moved further into the broken city.

Obsidian:

Obsidian nodded his head in agreement "Yes, it will definitely be a good place for an ambush" he stepped lightly as they made their way deeper into the old ruins, till they found themselves at what looked like some short of old chapple-like structure. The large entrance arch was still intact with two towers next to the arch, the one on the left was still mostly intact and held up with a few vines and the one on the right collapsed on its second level. 

"Beryl? I don't know how to put this to you, but we are not the only ones here" he paused for a few seconds "Ever since we took our first steps into this jungle the amount of lost souls have increased in number, If I have looked uneasy it is dew yo that fact that I have never encountered so many in one spot before. They don't look hostel, so don't worry too much..... I think this area will work well for a staging place, what do you think?" he said  as he looked at the other mages that was standing a few feet away. "I believe if we can bait that monster towards this area we can maybe use this one tower in our favour, what do you think?"

Beryl:

The hippocampus followed the other mage to what had once been a large structure. Now, all that remained was the entryway. This could be a good spot. Beryl thought, noting that either of the towers could provide a hiding spot from which Oblivious could attack. He froze as Obsidian mentioned the presence of lost souls. Beryl nervously looked about. Nothing but stone blocks and plants. He wasn’t sure which was worse, being able to see the ghosts or not being able to see the ghosts but knowing they were there. “I guess as long as they leave us alone.” He said with an uneasy laugh. Ghost stories always made him feel like invisible bugs were crawling down his back. He shivered despite the warm air and tried to forget the horde of ghosts that apparently surrounded them. 

Bery nodded towards the archway and flanking towers. “You’re right, this will work. I can lure it through the arch.” He looked up at the still-standing tower, an idea crossing his mind. “I wonder if we could pin it like an eel? Drop the tower on it as it passes under the arch. That would give you time to attack it.” The tower already looked structurally unsound, with cracks spider webbing across its surface. Perhaps a well-timed explosion on the far side? It would surely be a tricky cast, not to mention that he would have to change out his lures in mere seconds. “I might be able to bring it down.” He said with more confidence than he felt.

Obsidian:

Obsidian nodded his head to the other mages' plan"That sounds like a good plan" As soon as we can pin that beast down it should be easier to get some blows in and if it were to escape we could easily manoeuvre into the small passages in this surrounding area. While looking at the structures around them a sudden chill ran down the mages spine the flames from his neck spread down his spine as well for a few seconds before going back to its original position, 

Obsidian gave a concerning look at the other mage "It feels like my two crow spirits have found a something near the south east of where we are, I can't tell much but it definitely is giving off some strong corruption sense before both of them vanished" he looked with concern in the direction that they disappeared in. He slammed his left hoof on the ground "Damn, they didn't even sensed him before it was to late. It definitely must have some speed to it" he looked back at the hippocampus "We must be carefull, I not sure if the beast knows that we are here"

Beryl:

Southeast? Beryl turned his attention that way. ”I am sorry it got your crows. They have given us valuable information. I’ll head southeast a bit and get its attention. Once I have it, the serpent might not even notice you, but you should conceal yourself just to be sure.”

The hippocampus took a few steps further into the jungle, bringing his fishing rod into a ready position. He walked until he was almost out of sight of the ruined chapel towers. This thing was fast, but if they could pin it, Obsidian might just be able to hit it hard enough to do some damage. It wasn’t the worst plan, and it was a whole lot better than Beryl’s previous plan from the night before which had been to cast his lure and hope for the best.

He glanced back to see Obsidian’s spirit rabbit perched on his shoulders. The hippocampus smiled; at least this time, he wasn’t alone. Now he just had to lure a giant serpent monster out of the jungle and drop a tower on it without crushing his new friend. No big deal. Beryl calmed his nerves and cast his fishing rod with a flick of his mind. The lure streaked away through a gap in the trees about 50 feet deeper into the jungle. There, the mothlike lure fluttered in midair, its struggling motions and luminous glow an enticing nibble for anything in the area. Now we wait. He thought.

Obsidian:

Obsidian watched as the hippocampus disappeared into the distants, "It takes a brave soul to face a monsters like these, keep him save little one" 

After Breyl's departure Obsidian started to scope the surrounding area out for a good hiding spot. After testing a few sports he found a corner behind one of the rising staircases that still had half a floor left above it. The ruin consisted of half a building, the two corner walls barely had any brick left. The first two floors were still sturdy enough to take some weight but the third floor was almost non existing, the elevated floor gave a nice few of the towers where they wanted to pin the beast. 

"This will work perfectly," he said in an excited town. The thrill of battle always made his adrenaline flow. He lived for this thrill of not knowing if you would live to see tomorrow. After he settled into his corner he lifted his cloak to reveal two hidden axes. The mage summoned two red souls that he infused into his two battle axes, they emitted a red magic flow and hovered next to the mage, one at each side.

Beryl:

It was the shift in the air and the sudden hush of insect noises that alerted Beryl. He held his breath. Something large moved under the dark canopy, pale jaws opening wide. Now! Beryl yanked back on the fishing rod, causing the lure to zip free just as the jaws snapped shut—time to run. The hippocampus took off at a dead gallop back towards the ambush sight. The sounds of something very large crashing through the jungle sounded close behind him. It had taken the bait.

Beryl burst out of the thick of the jungle and readjusted his course to head directly for the archway. He caught a glimpse of opalescent scales and wide yellow eyes barreling up behind him. It seemed bigger than he had remembered. Heart pounding, he raced over the treacherous ground and through the arch. He didn’t see Obsidian anywhere and just had to trust that the other mage was ready for his part.

In one motion, the hippocampus turned and caught the end of his fishing line in his teeth, severing it. With seconds seeming to drag out forever, he clipped a new lure onto the fishing rod. Trying desperately not to focus on the raging monster charging for him. Its long, cruel jaws snapped with a horrid sound. If this didn’t work Beryl was keenly aware he was mere moments from being skewered. He cast; a motion practiced over many years. The bright red lure arched up and around, colliding with the far side of the tower and exploding on impact. Bright orange lights lit up the ruins as chunks of masonry were blasted outwards. One landed mere inches from Bery, whose eyes were locked on the tower. “Come on.” He encouraged it. The tower trembled, tipped, and began to fall.

Obsidian:

Obsidian kept an eye in the direction that the hippocampus disappeared in, it was so quiet you could only hear the whistling sound of the wind, a sudden movement of birds scattering in the distance caught the mages attention. "That must be Beryl!" He jumped into position as he saw the brave lad coming ever closer with the eye blinding beast short on his heels.

 He readied his two axes focusing a large amount of power into them as he got himself into position. A slight vibration could be felt through the floor that Obsidian was standing on 'They must be getting very close" The sounds of hooves echoed throughout the ruined city, with the crashing sound of some ruin walls collapsing under the monster's movement. A loud bang could be heard with the sound of something large starting to crack. Obsidian lifted his gaze towards the tower that slowly started to tumble down on itself. He took one last deep breath before as he lowered his body "Now!" he said with a loud voice as he jumped into a full sprint. 

The beast just nearly missed Beryl with its jaws, as the tower tumbled down on its back, rendering it motionless for a few seconds. The mages' hooves make clicking noises as he got closer to the opening in the wall, his front leg touching the outer edge of the second floor, just before he launched himself out of the building and straight down on top of the opal coloured beast below him. He pulled the beast's attention towards himself with an aggressive yell, to get his new friend a chance to get away from the beast. As Obsidian's front hooves collided with the head of the beast he swung his two axes towards the beast head giving it a deep cut in the form of an X it almost sounded like lightning hitting a rock, a loud screech escaped from the beast as its head hit the ground. The mage got back onto his legs and manoeuvred himself back towards Beryl. "I don't thin...k.." the tip of the beast's tail hit the side of the mage sending him into the side of a wall...

Beryl:

Dust hung in the air from the crumbled tower. Beryl opened his eyes to find himself still alive. The serpent’s needle-like jaws gaped a few feet away, the rest of the body covered in a pile of rubble. A roar and blur of red and blue movement came from the ruin. Beryl watched in awe as Obsidian launched himself from the second floor and brought two savage-looking axes down on the monster which shuddered under the impact. Beryl cheered, “Nice hit!” The other mage had hurt the beast. Then he watched Obsidian get flung bodily into a wall.

“Obsidian!” Beryl cried. This was not good. He stopped himself from casting his fishing rod. Another explosion would likely just bring the rest of the ruin down on top of Obsidian. He changed out his explosive lure for the moth and dangled it before the serpent which thrashed until it had exricated itself. It lunged, so much faster than the mage had expected. Yet missed, its needly jaws glancing away at the last second. Beryl felt the light patter of the rabbit's paws on his back. “Thanks, little buddy! Now we run.”                                                                                                                                                                    

Beryl turned and dashed away deeper into the ruins. The temping moth lure spinning behind him, drawing the serpent’s ire. Maybe he could lose it amongst the tight corners and alleys of the ruins. He had no idea how badly Obsidian had been hurt, all he could do was draw the monster away. Give the other mage a chance to escape. Beryl would be fine, he’d survived an encounter with this thing before. At that moment his hoof clipped a block of stone hidden under greenery sending the hippocampus tumbling head over tail. His fishing rod skittered across a stone paved floor, the moth lure struggling to flutter a few inches off the ground.

Obsidian:

Obsidian slowly opened his eyes as he came to his senses, the beast's tree-like trail knocked the wind right out of his body. This beast speed was definitely something else, his eyes widened at the thought  Beryl was gone and so was the beast. Without a hesitation he raised himself up from against the wall. "I can't linger here, Beryl is going to need help" 

He shook his head before dashing off in the direction he could sense the rabbit. He felt a sharp pain emitting from his left ribs, it seems that the beast did more damage than I thought.

The rabbit flew off the hippocampy's back as they both tumbled over the ground. It lifted its head towards Beryl, laying not too far from him. With a few hops the rabbit dashed toward him and it eyed down the beast. It looked like the beast was almost in a trance.

Beryl:

Beryl was too full of adrenalin to tell how badly the fall had damaged him. In a flash, the serpent was over him; there was not much else he could do but brace himself. But the blow never came. Slowly, the hippocampus raised his head to see the serpent poised over him but not focused on him. Instead, it seemed to be locked in on- the rabbit! The small spirit was stood in front of Beryl as if to protect him. Keeping his movements painfully slow, the mage got to his hooves and began to inch back toward his fishing pole. He didn’t have a plan beyond reaching it. He couldn’t do much more than anger the monster and knew he certainly couldn’t run much further.

If I could make it to the river, I could dive. Maybe it wouldn’t follow. He pushed the idea from his mind; it was too far. He looked about for somewhere to hide. Maybe he could slip away while the serpent was distracted. But he sensed that whatever trance Obsidian’s rabbit had paced on the monster would not last much longer. Already, it seemed to be winning back its fight for control, its long opalescent body writhing in undulating waves. Beryl’s tail brushed over the fishing pole. He delicately lifted it and unfasted the current lure, replacing it with his firebug lure. One last cast.

Obsidian:

Obsidian rushed down the street, every second step felt like a sharp burning sensation. But it was not enough to stop him from this battle. He was not going to allow this monster to take someone else's life away. He barely knew the hippocampus, but still a life is a value bill. As the mage got closer to the area that the serpent was in, the more the rage built up in Obsidian. 

The flames from his neck and tail covered his entire back, the flames flared in different shades of colour from white, blue, purple and red on the edges. As he took a sharp right turn, jumping over a fallen pillar he could see the serpent in the distance all curled up around something. "No, am I too late?" he shook his head as he charged towards the serpent.

Beryl:

Beryl waited for the right moment. He watched the serpent as it pulled itself out of the trance. Its eyes suddenly pulled away from the phantasmal rabbit and locked onto the hippocampus. It coiled itself to strike. Beryl cast just as the thing lunged at him. The lure smashed into the side of its head and exploded, knocking its head sideways and the mage once more off his feet. He struggled to rise to his knees. The blast had not wounded the serpent much at all. He had only bought himself a few extra seconds.

He found himself looking around for the rabbit to see if it was safe. How odd. Logically, he knew it wasn’t real, just a spirit conjured out of magic, but its presence had become comforting throughout this harrowing experience. The hippocampus blinked, hoping to rid the blurriness from his vision. The gleaming serpent had already recovered and was preparing for another strike. Something glowing a bright burning blue was approaching rapidly into Beryl's field of view. Obsidian? Was he all right?

Gathering the last of his strength, the hippocampus rose to his feet and slapped his tail on the ground, making a loud noise. “Lookie here, you big ugly shrimp! I bet you’d taste great sautéed in butter!” He jeered and waved his fishing pole about—anything to keep its attention on him and not the incoming Obsidian.

Obsidian:

Narrowing his eyes toward the sudden  movement, he noticed Beryl's figure near the serpent. Thank the stars, he is still alive. As he got closer, he understood what the hippocampus was trying to do. As his approach grew closer, the mages summoned a few of his soul orbs that floated behind him in a line. He was going to use them as a last defence against the serpent as a wildfire wall.

Beryl's diversion worked perfectly as Obsidian landed a solid blow to the beast side, sending it tumbling toward the edge of the forest. The flames from Obsidian's attack started to burn the beast wound slowly, causing the beast to swirl its body around it. He gave a quick look to Beryl before returning his focus to the beast "I am glad to see you are still alive!" He said with a relief "I am going to need your help with giving this thing a fright!" three of the orbs floated to Beryl's side "Take these three souls and add them to your bait, hopefully it will give your bait a magic boost for a bigger boom." Obsidian moved the rest of the orbs in place between the beast and the two mages. "If it decides to attack I will summon a fire wall, the rest I leave in your capable hooves''

Beryl:

Obsidian was at Beryl's side with an explosion of heat and light, and the serpent was hurled back to the trees. The sizeable crater that Obsidian had put in its scales was still smoking. “As am I!” Beryl agreed. He genuinely thought he would not see the other mage again. He focused on the orbs as Obsidian sent them his way. Generally imbuing magic like this took- the orbs vanished into the lure, which now glowed with a bright red light. Beryl stared down, stunned for a moment; never had another mage’s magic penetrated so easily with his. He looked up at Obsidian and grinned. “Good plan. Let's send this elongated shrimp back to where it came from!”

Beryl could feel the hum of their combined energy reverberate down the shimmering fishing line. Focusing in on the serpent he cast with all his might. The lure streaked across the distance and collided squarely between the monster’s eyes. For a moment, nothing. Then the lure shattered, and a massive bright red explosion bloomed with enough force to shake the ground. Somewhere, Beryl heard a ruin that had stood for centuries crumble under the force of their joined spell. Silence.

The serpent had been flung away into the jungle. The hippocampus hardly dared to breathe lest the thing returned for more. “Did we just- I think we did it?” He was breathless, still processing the fact that they were still alive. He looked over at Obsidian, who was still wreathed in an inferno.

Obsidian:

A blinding light caused by the explosion with a dust cloud covered the ruined area around them. Obsidian was astonished, he wasn't expecting the combined magic to be so potent, nevertheless he was relieved at the sight of the beast disappearing into the forest. The mage soon snapped out of his trans state when Beryl spoke. Turning his head towards the hippocampus with a half dumbfounded expression "I- I can't believe it worked.... That was so epic!" he jumped with excitement before regretting that motion, as his adrenaline wore off so did his inferno flames returned to their normal form. With a pain full short laugh he gave the hippocampus a tap on the shoulder "Now that was some mage you have there Beryl. I- I think the beast almost cracked some of my ribs with that tail attack. How are you holding up?"

Beryl:

Beryl beamed at the other mage’s compliment, “I couldn’t have done it without your magic; I’ve never cast something so powerful!” He winced, taking note of his condition now that the action was over. “I’m pretty bruised and scraped up, and my poor fins are shredded, but nothing a few weeks of rest can't heal. I’m more worried about you. Maybe we can find a healer around here to look at your ribs?” Beryl suggested as he reeled in the line on his fishing pole. The end dangled, devoid of any lure.

A shame Beryl thought but worth not being eaten alive. He’d have to find more powerful sources for his lures; Obsidian had proven it was possible for him to cast stronger spells. He smiled over at his new friend, ”You and your magic saved my life. I can’t thank you enough.”

Obsidian:

Obsidian gave a chuckle "Don't worry about me, I’ve been through a lot worse than this. A bit of rest and some time in the healing spring at my village will have you fixed in a week or two" he just chuckled at the smiling hippocampus "Well that makes us even then, back there you also saved my life by luring the beast away." After taking a last look at the forest the mage started to summon back all his scattered soul orbs from the surrounding area.  His ears flicked at a squeal coming from below a fallen ruin wall. "Jack?" he lowered his head towards the fallen wall and lifted it slightly to reveal an upset luminous rabbit. "I am glad you are okay little one" Obsidian looked at Beryl with curious eyes "I think you could also use some time in the healing springs. I also believe you would find the fish life quite interesting?"

Beryl:

A little stiffly, Beryl followed Obsidian over to where the other mage pulled his little rabbit friend from a pile of rubble. The hippocampus felt a rush of relief as the spirit appeared unharmed. “I am glad he is okay. He is quite the helpful companion.” Beryl said thinking of how the rabbit, Jack, had saved his life twice in the previous battle. Obsidian’s magic really was a marvel and Beryl relished the thought of spending more time with him and Jack. He wondered what sort of village a mage like this could come from. 

His ears flicked up at the mention of the hot springs. At that moment, nothing sounded better to the bruised and battered mage. He smiled at his new friend, “Fish you say? Well, that does sound fascinating!”

Beryl Word Count: 4075 Words

Obsidian Word Count: 3336 words

Total Word count: 7411 words