So much for our planned rest. Sylvari looked with concern to her friend who had been her omnipresent companion these last few months. No sooner had she and Videl returned from their impromptu training session in Frost Gale, an experience which was very nearly deadly, than they returned to Pale City to be saddled with another quest. Sylvari barely had time to commission a new set of armor to replace her previous one when Lloyd ambushed them outside the smithy. So convenient was his timing that Sylvari had a sneaking suspicion the researcher was having them followed.

Still, the grave tidings he brought chased away such frivolous thoughts. It seemed he and his team had tracked an Elder Ooze, a massive creature on another level to the small ones she and Videl had dealt with to this point. Lloyd had sent his team on ahead, only to have a sneaking suspicion of misfortune as they had stopped reporting in. Much as Sylvari was sorry for the loss of the proposed vacation, particularly for her friend, people were in need, and she agreed immediately, her friend thankfully accepting as well.

It seemed the creature was headed southward for an indeterminate reason, and it left a trail that was all to easy to follow: a massive, roughly square-shaped depression in the land with signs of acidic erosion about 20 feet wide. The pair had been on the trail for days, and Sylvari was beginning to be worried they would be too late to help. Her spirits were lifted as the trail begin to be more viscous, indicating fresher evidence. They were gaining on the creature, and with any luck, the scientist in its wake.

Since leaving civilization, Sylvari had solidified her hold on the necromantic powers of her heritage to call forth an undead spirit ^{[Necromancer, Undead Servant]}, taking the form of a small dragonling that perched itself on Sylvari's pauldron as they journeyed. Videl had taken to the change with admirable grace, even helping Sylvari to name the small creature Noe. The longer they journeyed together, the more the dragonling began to exhibit its own personality, a tiny reflection of its master's. It was mirthful, but good-natured and took to Videl almost immediately, likely due to the depth of Sylvari's own feelings.

Sylvari peered up at the sun, noting how it beat down on the small group oppressively. She marveled how a scant week's travel had changed the weather from biting cold to pressing heat. She looked over in concern to her companion, more vulnerable to the elements in his mortal frame.

"Hopefully today is the day, V. We have to find them soon." Noe chirped and hummed along, as if in agreement with Sylvari's assessment.

SPOILER: Click to show

Quest Name: Oozegon Trail

Chapter: Three

Description: A massive elder Ooze has been spotted moving through out Charon, and leaving behind a massive trail of acidic, toxic slime in its wake. Many hunters and scholars have been using this trail to track the elder creature in the attempt to study it, however there has been no luck in ding the beast so far. Unfortunately a group who was studying the Ooze have found themselves trapped in the trail of slime and are unable to get out. The trail is 20 feet wide, a foot deep and extremely acidic, beginning to eat away at their clothing. We fear the scholars will die and any information they have gathered on the Elder Ooze will vanish with them. We need you to rescue them secure their data.

Requirements:

- Requires at least two people (you and one other)

- You must make at least 6 post to complete the mission with each post being at least 200 words

- Must rescue the scholars from the slime trail

- Must not get stuck and die yourself

- Once you complete this mission you gain access to chapter four. (which needs to be a separate topic)

If Videl were to state that he was getting sick of these encounters, and had just wanted to rest, it couldn't be said that he was lying. Even with that having been the case though, Videl had been aware of the danger that an Elder Ooze could pose. This wasn't firsthand knowledge, mind you, but information that he had obtained from Lloyd back when he had first met the man. Knowing just how dangerous these things might be, Videl simply couldn't allow for Lloyd's team to deal with this on their own.

For the young T'saya, after the events that had unfolded back in Frost Gale, this trek had become rather cumbersome. It had held a relatively simple task, and one that he was more than willing to accept, but his exhaustion had finally been catching up to him. After what had been days of following after this things path, the T'saya had grown overwhelmed. He had wished for nothing more than to lie on the ground and take a break. If this situation wasn't as urgent as it had been, Videl would likely have turned in for a few days and simply enjoyed Sylvari's company. If only that were possible.

There were a few things that had assisted in making this endeavor tolerable however. The first had been that his lingering cold had remained, so he hadn't necessarily felt the heat of the desert. This was likely a bit of a relief to Sylvari as well, if the heat had been bothering her at all. The other solace that had been provided to him had been Sylvari herself. The two had established a rather close relationship in the months that they had known one another and quite frankly, Videl had enjoyed her company more than anything else. Add on the fact that she had held this newfound dragonling companion and one might be able to say that this was relatively enjoyable!

At Sylvari's words, the T'saya could only nod. "One can certainly hope that this is true. It's been a few days that we've been on this creature's trail but that isn't to say they weren't in any danger before we had picked up on the trail. In the event that we come across them though, regardless of how dangerous the situation is, just know that I'll stand by your side."

Videl would find himself leaning against Sylvari as they continued on their path, his shoulder brushing lightly up against her arm. "I've been putting my mind to a few ideas just incase. So that nothing like last time will ever happen again. It might be a bit much for you but.. All I can ask is that you run in the event that I ask. Not in the sense of abandoning me but to get yourself as far away from my magic as you can."

"Seems like we're both becoming delayed fireballs. You know, it's hard to keep one another safe and close if we're worried to be the danger." Sylvari attempted a half smile at her gallows humor. Though she tried to make light of the situation, the worry over the looming threat of either losing control consumed her thoughts, both waking and unconscious. Just when she had regained some semblance of control over herself with the aid of Ellyria, her celestial patron who had been silent since saving Videl from her more bestial side, her friend had exploded in growth with his own arcana, and Sylvari worried their kinship would be volatile.

She sighed, looking at the at least few miles of travel the pair would have going forward, seeing neither the ooze nor the scientists. She decided now would be the best time, if there ever was such a thing, to discuss the deadly cavern in more detail. "Speaking of danger, I suppose we should properly talk about what happened back in the cavern. I hoped I'd never show that side of my curse to you. I... I was going to kill you, V. it's only because of..." Sylvari paused, still not having revealed the truth of what had transpired to Videl, or anyone else for that matter. While she was certain that Ellyria was real and had spoken with her, she certainly still commanded the healing magics to prove it, she couldn't help but think how outlandish her story was. It wasn't that she distrusted Videl, but rather, she didn't think her explanation would be good enough.

"Well, the gods' providence that it didn't happen. I made an oath that I wouldn't abandon you, but I understand if you are rightly afraid of me now. I won't chain you to my sinking ship." Her words were quiet and filled with self-loathing.

While he was loathe to admit it, Videl could more or less understand where she was coming from with this initial sentiment. If the pair had continued to send one another off whenever things had gotten rough, things would ultimately end up becoming troublesome between the two. Even knowing this though, that hadn't been why Videl had mentioned her rushing away. "I see what you mean, Sylvi, but I assure you that that isn't my intention. If it were my choice, I would keep you by my side at all times. Whether that be for the sake of protection or simply because of how much I like having you around, even I can't say. The reason that I request you run in that moment is due to the crystallization that my magic can give off. If I put enough energy and focus into it, I can freeze even living beings in place. While I know that you are rather capable of fending against such an effect, I just don't want to risk crystallizing you."

Scratching uncomfortably at the back of his head, he would continue on. "There isn't really much of a need to worry about it though. This is the kind of thing that I intend of saving as a last resort. Likely in an event where you have been fending off an opponent, so as to allow for me to even meditate long enough. Such an event is what I foresee when it comes to combatting this Elder Ooze. That is all."

Once the topic of the cavern had come up, Videl would noticeably grow more uncomfortable. That was an event that he wasn't soon to forget, if ever at all. So much so that even in the moments before Sylvari had mentioned it, the events had still been unfolding within his mind. Whenever the T'saya had found himself with a moment of peace and quiet, memories of their fall and the battle that had ensued would creep into his mind and stir him back to the present. He had been hoping to put it all behind him, so that he wasn't living in the past, but clearly that wasn't something that he could do at the moment.

Sylvari would go on to mention the fact that she was going to kill him. That that side of her had been winning the internal struggle. It was clear to Videl that she had remained distraught over everything that had happened. And that which could have happened. He quite honestly couldn't blame her for experiencing such feelings. Even with that being the case though, he didn't wish for her to maintain such a profound sense of guilt.

"The important thing is that we're both still here, Syl. Whether the gods had anything to do with it or not, I am choosing to believe that it was your will that had maintained my life. Their providence wouldn't have reached you if you hadn't desired my safety, I'm sure. And while I can't say that I wasn't afraid of what I had seen back then, and that there isn't any lingering fear still within me, I can say that I am going to continue to place my trust in you. Until the day that you turn on me comes, you have nothing to fear of losing me. And if you ever lose that fight? Well, it's like I said in the past. Trust in me to knock some sense back into you."

A soft laugh would escape from the mans lips as he continued to lightly brush up against the vampiress. His shoulder would maintain its sense of being pressed up against her own and his head would find purchase on her shoulder, his neck all on display as he does as such. If there was any way to show her how much he had trusted her, this was likely it. "We've both made it out of there alive so there's no need to remain in the past. Instead, focus on the present and future that the three of us could have." This last bit would be directed towards the dragonling that had accompanied the pair as of late.

Whether it was in response to the inclusion in the little band of adventurers, or simply an opportune moment as Videl leaned to rest his head on Sylvari's shoulder, Noe darted from his customary perch on his mistress' other shoulder to settle atop Videl's head, seemingly comfortably nestled in the young man's hair. Noe didn't have vocal chords to make proper chirps or growls, but he nonetheless hummed and clacked his teeth together in his customary way of expressing approval.

Sylvari laughed, visibly cheered up by her companions' sentiments and actions. "As long as I have the two of you to keep me in check, I suppose worrying is a pointless enterprise." Sylvari moved to ruffle Videl's hair and leaned over to kiss Noe affectionately. The tiny dragonling was only too happy to comply, leaning his bony little nose forward to receive the gesture.

The trio walked that way for a short while, before Sylvari intuited that Videl's neck might have started hurting and so retrieved Noe from his head, freeing her friend from the duty of being her pet's perch. Noe clacked his teeth in protest, but when the vampiress took him into her arms and held him close to her breast, he settled in amicably.

After another bit of walking, Sylvari craned her neck and strained her eyes at something in the distance. Is that...? After a few more seconds of searching she was certain. "V, the ooze is up ahead. And I can see the researchers in its wake!"

Indeed the small group of scientists was there, flailing their arms, as cries of pain reached the companions' ears. Sylvari looked over to Videl with a nod. She deposited Noe onto her shoulder, who promptly dug his claws in under the crevices of her pauldron, iced over the soles of her feet ^{[Frozen Feet]}, and began dashing to the rescue of their targets.

It was the moments like this that Videl had wished would go on forever. The few peaceful moments in which he could simply enjoy the presence of his companion without any stressful encounters. Much like before however, these moments were fleeting and would eventually result in the duo turned trio stumbling upon an event that would serve as a call to action.

The T'saya couldn't help but sigh as Sylvari had pointed out the fact that the ooze had been up ahead. He had known that this time would come eventually, and was even a bit reassured at the fact that they had finally discovered some semblance of the being, but he had truly hoped to have his moment with Sylvari and Noe extend a bit. "Guess that means we've got to get moving then."

Knowing that it was imperative that they rescue the scholars, Videl acknowledge Sylvari's actions and follow suit. Much like she had just done, the T'saya would coat the bottoms of his boots in a thin layer of ice ^{[Frozen Feet]} and would take off running towards those that they had been instructed to locate. Given his newfound speed, it wouldn't take all that long before Videl had closed the distance between himself and the flailing scholars. From what he could tell, the small group had been trapped within an acidic trail of ooze! The trail had run about twenty feet wide, was at a depth of about a foot, and had evidently been eating away at the clothes that the scholars had worn.

The sight before the young man had reminded him of his second encounter with an ooze, back when they had attempted to get some rest at the Winter's Howl. The pain that had accompanied being struck by such acidity.. Videl hadn't wished such a feeling upon these individuals. "We need to get them out of the trail, quick! Haul them out!"

For a ghost of a moment, Videl would turn his head back towards the Elder Ooze that they had been chasing after. The creature had been far larger than any of the Ooze's that he had encountered previously. Things were likely to get a bit hectic if they had attempted to take on the being whilst trying to ensure the safety of the scholars. Thankfully the Elder Ooze had been continuing on in the other direction.

Having judged the safety of the scholars as his highest priority, Videl would call upon his mana and force it to take shape once again. The thin layer of ice that had resided upon the soles of his boots would begin to extend outwards and across the trail as he commands, ultimately forming an ice bridge ^{[Ice Bridge]} alongside the scholars. The connecting point between his soles and the ice would snap off in this moment, allowing for Videl to move about without the bridge collapsing.

The pair now had a method of uprooting the scholars whilst remaining safe from the hazards of the trail. Making use of said method, Videl would climb atop the ice bridge and grab one of the scholars by the wrist. Both of his hands had clasped around the individuals wrist and would begin to pull with just about everything that the T'saya could muster. "Try not to panic and lend me your weight!" These words were directed at the scholar before him.

As Sylvari and Videl surged forward, their synchronicity, speaking of a built trust and abiding kinship, became undeniable. Excepting their difference in appearance and garb, one could be forgiven for thinking the pair were twin halves of the same whole, arriving on icy skates and erecting mirrored pathways of ice across the ooze trail ^{[Ice Bridge]}.

As Videl moved to grab the closer members of the research group from their ice bridge sanctuaries, Sylvari extended her long warhammer to provide a makeshift rope to pull in those trapped further away. For his part, Noe made exceptional use of his nigh indestructibility to leap straight into the acid and assist the researchers Sylvari selected, morphing his body into an approximation of bony stone step to provide them a foothold to grasp his mistress' hammer.

"Please remain calm, good folk. We will get all of you out and attend to your injuries in short order. In the meantime, avoid excessive movement to prevent further sinking." Sylvari's innate and pervasive aura of good ^{[Celestial, Angelic Pact]} did much to prompt obedience from their rescue targets, who struggled to maintain balance without excess motion.

It was slow, arduous work, rife with little pangs of guilt for each that had to wait as one of their comrades was fished out before them. Little by little however, Sylvari, Videl, and Noe used their combined efforts to retrieve more and more of the scientists from the sticky situation.

Although he hadn't been able to contribute to the task in the same ways that Sylvari had, given his innate lack of a physical weapon, Videl would have to be a bit more creative in his efforts. He couldn't call upon his standard ice spike considering the fact that it had been relatively jagged and was meant more for thrusting than for pulling. Even his physical strength hadn't been enough to really pull the scholars out, given his relative lack of muscle. Perhaps if this were a more high stress situation for him than the adrenaline would allow for things to change but that simply wasn't the case here.

While he might not be able to follow along with the things that Sylvari, or even Noe, had been doing, he could always try and handle the situation in his own way. It was cemented into his mind that his magic had been exceptional, and his mastery over his magic had been just as such. It was with thanks to this high level of control that Videl would come up with an escape plan for the scholars.

Those that had been struggling to remove themselves from the trail, even with the assistance of the adventurous trio, would soon find that the ground beneath them had begun to shift. This was due to Videl channeling his mana through the ice bridge and into the ground beneath him. Said mana would pool into earth, drawing upon the moisture that had been trapped within the sediment below, and would come to form a massive wall of ice ^{[Glacial Wall]} from the bottom of the trail.

In the moment that this wall had pushed the scholars upwards, Videl would pull his scholar onto the ice bridge. He would then make use of his frozen soles and the nature of the ice bridge to skate along the very bridge itself. He would ultimately find himself positioned where one of the scholars would descend after they had been thrust into the air. It had taken a lot out of him, leaving his arms sore from the pressure, but Videl would manage to catch the other scholar that he had sent flying.

Sylvari merely smiled and shook her head good-naturedly at the frozen wall emerging out of nowhere. She was certain that Videl would do his utmost to ensure the safety of the scholars, even as she did, despite his methods being a bit more indirect. She focused her efforts on continuing to calm the remaining researchers despite the sudden advent of the icy structure beside them.

Eventually, through a mixture of ingenuity, ample magic, and gritted determination, Sylvari and her companions extricated every last person from the corrosive pit that had ensnared them. The researchers' relief and thankfulness were genuine, but interrupted by bouts of pain, as several removed their shoes or rolled up their pants to reveal extensive acid burns from their time in the trail.

Immediately, Sylvari began administering to each and every one, calling upon Ellyria's power again and again to fill the area with the powerful holy radiance of healing magics ^{[Celestial, Holy Gifts (Massive Healing)]}. Given the relatively lacking severity of the wounds, the disproportionate massive gouts of positive energy Sylvari poured into the researchers seemed from an outside perspective like bringing a polearm to a tavern brawl. Still, despite evident weariness that began to overtake her at the channeling of such raw power over and over, Sylvari dutifully stepped to each member in turn to heal their injuries, until all were mended. 

Noe also did his part to bring emotional comfort, to put it charitably. In truth the little skeletal creature leapt atop each person that Sylvari ministered to, cuddling into them, seemingly unperturbed by the ambient positive energy that should have been anathemic to his essence. When all the necessary healing was finished, Sylvari unceremoniously flopped to the ground, resting her head on her pack, after feeling wearied for the first time since her changing.

Unlike his counterpart, there wasn't much that Videl could do for the scholars once they had found themselves free of the confines of the acidic trail. At best he would be able to offer emotional support. That wasn't necessary in this moment though, considering that Noe had been on top of that regard. With that being the case, Videl could do nothing more than wait to the side as Sylvari had run through the process of healing each and every individual.

The toll that such powerful magic had been taking on Sylvari had been rather evident to say the least. By the time she had managed to reach the last of the scholars, it would look as though she were about to collapse. Videl had picked up on this fact and decided to come up behind her so that he could act as her support. In the moment that she had gone to fall to the ground, the T'saya would scoop his arms underneath her own from behind, and would gently lay her down onto the ground. "Try and get some rest, Syl. I'll take the rest from here."

Allowing the vampiress a well earned break, Videl would start to speak with the group of scholars. He would go on to collect all of the relevant information about what had occurred here and requested the data that they had gathered throughout their efforts. It was through this that he would come to learn of the fact that each of these scholars had been following after the Elder Ooze's trail, much like Sylvari and himself had done. They had feared for their lives when they fell upon the Elder Ooze's trail and were grateful for the rescue.

To these scholars, the gathered information was about as important as their lives. Even they had knew that they weren't up to the task of encountering this ooze again though. Once they were finished here, the scholars were intending to go their own way before meeting up with Lloyd once more. The information that they had currently held was going to be passed back off to the leading scientist but the next location of the Elder Ooze had been evident. From what they had managed to gather, for some reason or another, the Elder Ooze had been heading off towards the Marsh Flats. That is where the pair would likely come to encounter the being in the future.

One by one, the scholars would find themselves departing from the area. They knew what they needed to do next and decided to take those steps. Videl had a mind much like their own, in that instance, and would proceed to lay upon the ground beside Sylvari. "You did great back there, Syl. As always, I find myself proud of you. You know what we have to do next though. We're going to have to subdue that ooze before it hurts anybody else."

Sylvari was glad for Videl's support and happy to let him take lead discussing with the researchers. For her part, Sylvari thought it would be an excellent time to rest her eyes, and Noe, sensing an opportunity to cuddle, immediately leapt atop her slowly rising and falling chest.

How long has it been since I last slept? Five, six days? I guess I found the limit of exertion in my new state. Either that, or I need more practice before I can use my holy gifts so readily.

Sylvari must have dozed off, because it seemed Videl was only gone for a moment before coming back to lay beside her, the scientists all having left. She groaned internally at her friend's words.

"You're right, of course, V. I'm just dreading the inevitable stricture of Lloyd preventing us from killing the creature, even after all the harm it has caused. Well," Sylvari began as she slowly picked herself off the ground. "We'd better stay on its trail. Without the researchers impeding its progress, the ooze will likely move much quicker now, and I shudder to think what might happen to a hapless village in its wake. We can send a bird informing Lloyd of our success when we reach the next settlement."

Sylvari smiled and reached a hand down to Videl to help him up. "Let's finish this, my dear friend."

Still lying upon the ground, Videl would find himself nodding along with Sylvari's sentiment. From what they had experienced thus far, Lloyd was rather unyielding when it came to the manner in which the pair had handled these Oozes. It was understandable, to an extent, given the fact that their efforts were to be put towards research. On the same token though, these Ooze's have consistently gone out of their way to harm others. That was the case from what he had seen thus far anyways.

"Right, right. I know that I'm the one that brought it up but quite honestly, I find myself wishing to just kind of stay here for a bit. I've never really explored Charon before this so it's a smidge upsetting that we are passing by so much of it. Like we've both said though, it wouldn't do to leave this creature alone. Not at the rate that things are going."

Almost begrudgingly, Videl would find himself rising from the ground. As he had started to get up, Sylvari would offer him one of her hands, so as to assist him in the process. Seeing this, Videl couldn't help himself from smiling before grasping a hold of her hand. Once the pair had both been up on their feet, Videl would make his way around Sylvari before returning to his initial resting place by her side. "At least I'll have you with me throughout all of this. It really makes the whole thing worth it, honestly. After all that's happened, I don't think that I'd want to continue on with my emigration from Frost Gale, if it meant having to leave you behind."

[EXIT]