The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse

A Piece of Your Sanity

The party had paid a small tribute to Thor-Zues, burying him with his favorite ration, sweet cake. The daylight was quite harsh but thanks to the shade it wasn't as bad. The sun leered the edges of the surrounding foliage making for a streaky glint onto the party's soft eyes. As cold as their hearts had felt the vegetation looked expansive, lively and blooming with warmth as though the area hadn't seen any outside activity in its lifetime.

"We should be getting close....." Azreal spoke woefully.

Light masked their faces as they viewed the upcoming dirt trail. The light seemingly dimmed as something came between the party and the sunshine though what had been passing by didn't completely block it out. Eyes scaling up the flight of stairs that was the backdrop of greenery, they met the figure of an abnormally large deer. It was luminescent like a wandering spirit and its antlers were proportionate to the rest of its gargantuan body. It turns to face the party as they stared back in awe of the spiritual creature. Johnny winces as a ringing blared his hearing; only being kept from stumbling due to Azreal's hold on him.

"Join me..." a fainted heavy voice rest gingerly in Johnny's head.
"Service me, Orion, for eternal peace. Here in the forest. I can detect your magical potential..." He continued to speak with a feebleness to his tone though something didn't sit quite right with Johnny as he had spaced out.

"Service you? I'm not that type of guy. Orion is it..? I can not... will not.. join you. My loyalty lies with my friends. We are merely passing by and wish no troubles."

"Sadly... trouble is all you will find unless you submit to me... I have plans that must be enacted before it's too late." Orion's eyes diverge into orbs of luster with a blinding virtue. They stun the party still before being given a chance to react.

"Why must everything... be a fight...?"

Johnny's hand rises with an unwavering conviction, fingers formulating somatic components with ease while the other party members are in a vial of paralysis. As neutral of an expression Orion could have, his eyes widened slightly as he could have sworn he'd stun the entire party. However, right in the palm of Johnny's hand as he pointed it towards Orion; the magic within finally organizing through his somatic components, a sigil of resistance festers off with a burning ash catching wind. "Firebolt."

A pulse of fiery red magic echos out of Johnny's hand as he slings it at Orion. It clashes with his translucent hide without much of an impact, like he absorbed it. Everyone else in the party however, finally moved with a gasp in their voices.

"I can move! Fuck yeah!" Azreal reaches for his axe as he returns a smug look to Johnny.

"Multiple people on our six, watch out!" Silvia pushes Azreal as a volley of magical energy zips past him and hits a nearby tree leaving behind a chard spot. The sudden push having forced Azreal to catch himself rather than pull out his axe.

"Dryads!" Juniper brings her hands together as she signs magic to her finger tips, tapping Azreal's skin as she quickly eyes the area. His skin darkens to a soil color and hardens like callous before adopting small jagged protrusions across his being. His protective layering thankfully doesn't seem to interfere with any of his equipment and clothing as he bears a crust of bark.

Approximately seven people with olive skin, paired with insect like wings, surround the group with a tranquil demeanor. Orion nodding his head the patience these dryads had vanishing as they raise their hands in unison, magic runes practically branding themselves against their skin as it gathers a tree-like texture. Through their magic they all mimic Azreal's current skin, magic purifying with a neon green light accented with fine lines of aquamarine shadows as the spell settles.