Kanimar - Soul of Boundless Ocean

Plants and Trees

The forest was unlike any I had ever seen. Part regular forest, part verdant jungle, with the first hints of autumn. It seemed untouched, but the grass was a bit unnerving, moving as if a wind I couldn't feel was passing through it. I felt the Air here, too — it was wary, but not afraid. It felt free, just not careless.

Heeding Milada’s warning that the plants might reach out for us, I moved away from the nearest bush. Xlotl pulled out his compass, and began his chant, his voice a low rumble. Pi, as always, seemed to enjoy the spectacle, moving his body in time with the chant and clapping his hands.

I found a tall, safe-looking tree and climbed it. It was surprisingly easy, as if the tree itself was helping me ascend. From the top, I saw a large body of water about a mile to the south, and nothing but more trees in every other direction. Xlotl summoned a large amount of water on the compass, a new element to focus its power, to locate Kanimaeli. It gave us a clear direction: away from the water I had seen, veering slightly to the left.

Xlotl removed the water, but not before we all saw the grass lean into it, and tendrils from the bushes shoot out to drink it. It was unnerving. I climbed back down, finding the descent more difficult than the ascent. Xlotl was ready to go, and so we set off.

Just as we began our journey, one of the bushes stood up and transformed, its tendrils and form drawing in until it looked vaguely humanoid. It was terrifying. I tried to speak to it, to seek safe passage, and even offered it water. It liked the offer, but it seemed to want more. We weren’t offering a gift, we were offering ourselves; we were food. It lunged at Xlotl, wrapping around him and piercing his skin with needle-like barbs.

I lashed out with my fans, the steel edges cutting through some of the tendrils, but it was hard work. There were so many. Pi, ever the pragmatist, stepped around the creature and brought his hammer down into its center, leaving a large gap in its form. I tried an elemental strike, landing a good hit, but the blow's effect seemed diminished by the gaps between its various strands. Xlotl screamed in pain as the creature's tendrils ripped into his flesh.

Xlotl unleashed a jet of scalding steam, burning a hole through the creature. But then two more bushes stood up and began to move toward us. Xlotl tried frost next, and the creature we had been fighting cracked and fell apart into bits. Pi's hammer finished it off, but its two tendrils remained stuck in Xlotl’s flesh.

Xlotl lashed out at one of the newcomers with his mind. There was no immediate effect, but as one kept closing on Pi, the one Xlotl had focused on suddenly collapsed back into a plant. I tried to use Storm’s power on the remaining one, but nothing happened. Pi used his wand to heal Xlotl's many wounds, but the tendrils and barbs were still causing him immense pain and restricting his movement.

I tried to use Storm again, but still nothing happened. I ran to Xlotl instead and healed his wounds. Pi joined me and, with a touch, turned Xlotl’s skin to bark, hardening it and stopping the immediate threat from the barbs. Xlotl summoned patterns of vibrant colors, and the remaining creature shrunk back into its plant form, motionless.

Xlotl began to move, cautiously at first, then faster and faster. "Let's get out of here!" he said, thanking Pi. He ran a fair way, but then, without warning, collapsed unconscious. A poison had affected him. We rushed to his side. Maybe the trees could help? I use Storm and my forms to gently blow him toward the nearest tree. Pi, who loved to fly, was thrilled. We moved up to Xlotl, and I climbed up and asked the tree to help him, without response. Pi conjured a fiery blade, and stood defensively, ready for whatever this strange jungle would throw at us next.