The leaves rustle and a heavy rush of wind disturbs the still forest. A pair of grey boots land on the forest floor, crunching the foliage beneath them. Wearing these boots was a man of average height and thin build, wearing a blue hooded cloak with white stripes marking it from head-to-toe. Save for a pair of glowing blue eyes, his face was largely hidden. Behind him was a swirling portcullis of magic, hovering just above ground level. "Are you sure he's really here? It doesn't look too... Hospitable to people like us," he said as he scanned his surroundings. Just behind him, another pair of boots touched down on the ground, originating from the portal. A female no older than her mid-twenties stood beside him, adjusting a pair of googles atop her head. Her hair, long and wavy, was as red as it could get, its natural colors of orange and a strawberry blonde mixing to give the effect of fire. She was wearing what looked like lipstick that had been on for too long, more faded than there, and her face had patches of dirt or something rather scattered about. There were obvious signs of wiping said dirt away around the eyes and mouth, with streaks and outlines of when the goggles were once over her hazel eyes. She wore a suit of brown leather armor, covered in part by burnt clothing and a single pauldron on her left shoulder. This pauldron appeared to be a steam-powered contraption, but it was unclear whether it was scrap or nott at this point. She took a look straight up into a large gap in the canopy above them, noticing that the time was long past noon. "See anything, Caileigh?" he asked her.
Caileigh gave a chuckle and shook her head. She dropped her gaze to what little of a horizon they had. It was impossible to see more than a few yards in any direction, especially with the rushing winds from the portal behind her. "When have I ever steered you wrong? Of course he's here. The scroll said so," she said smugly, raising her left arm and snapped her fingers. With that, the portal began to close steadily behind them. As it closed, the rush of air seemed to have changed direction toward the gate. Caileigh walked around the area, craning her neck as she passed a few trees to guarantee she had the best view of the areas around them. With each step, the shuffling of leaves, overgrowth, and fallen branches could be heard. It appeared to be the only sound in the area after the hole closed. "Seems like we scared the critters off. Too bad... My fingers were getting a little itchy, too." As she said this, the cloaked man pulled back his hood to reveal straight, short-to-medium length hair with a dark brown color to it. His eyes faded from their previous irridescence, showing a pair of normal-looking blue eyes. Across each side of his face were blue arcane markings. He had pale skin and a stern look on his face as he watched Caileigh tromped around. Caileigh caught the look as she finished a circle around them and told him, "Oh, Jeoffre, stop it. That's why the critters're gone! That look!"
Jeoffre's expression only seemed to worsen as she spoke. His eyebrows dropped to a scowl and his lower jaw jutted forward ever so slightly. "Need I remind you that it was your 'itchy fingers' that forced us on this damned hunt in the first place? Besides, I recall a time where you sent me on a wild goose chase looking for that scroll and its thief." He raised his hand and pointed at her with frustration. It was her fault, after all, that they needed to look for some wildman for clues about a legendary dragon.
"Well, Jeff, we got here, didn't we?" she responded quickly, giving him a shoulder shrug as though she was trying to say 'so what?'.
"You stole the scroll, damnit! I was following clues in circles trying to find you!"
"Okay, okay... I can tell it's a touchy subject, so we'll just focus on looking for this guy. What did he look like again? The last guy said he was an elf, didn't they? So he's probably some scrawny tree-hugger. Like a druid or something... Ugh." Caileigh shuddered at the last comment, like it was a personal offense. She then turned her attention to Jeoffre, who now had his arms crossed both in pondering and annoyance. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity. In the short time that she knew him, he only did this when he was trying to think or when he was trying to shut her out. She assumed the latter. She knew that she was fraying his nerves almost all the time.
Jeoffre dropped his arms and smiled. "Cai, do you have any plans for finding Gremlor? I'm not sure exactly how to do this with you around. You're... Spontaneous." He gave her a smug grin, expecting a hot-headed response. He could tell that arcana had been used here recently. For what, Jeoffre was unsure, but their target was most likely nearby. And what better a way to get his attention than to get Caileigh fired up? She glared for a moment before giving a loud 'huff'. She was clearly irritated. It was his goal after all. She was fairly hot-headed and like making everything else around her really hot as well. If Gremlor was an elf and chose a life here, in the midst of a jungle, then he probably has some regard for nature. At least, that's what Jeoffre thought.
Caileigh's eyes began to illuminate with an orangey glow. Before long, they appeared to be burning. It was just moments after this that her hands and her hair burst into flames. The bright, flickering lights of the fires created a plethora of colors throughout the encircling jungle. Greens became yellows, the branches became brick red, and even Jeoffre's blue cloak became a purple. Caileigh grinned maniacally as she turned to Jeoffre, "I know how to get his attention... Just sit tight. Wouldn't want to burn that expensive wardrobe of yours..."
With that, she burst a cylinder of flames from her palms, setting the trees before her ablaze. Jeoffre could only smile and chuckle under his breath. It was just as planned. "Still nothing? Maybe over there?" Another spiraling torrent of flame was projected in another direction, scorching the vegetation that once stood there. A shrill cry could be heard as the flames moved on. With a quick glance at one-another, Jeoffre and the fiery Caileigh moved off in that direction. What they found was an injured creature with a mixture of bull and boar features, covered in thick fur - at least, before it was burned on one of its sides. "Tsk... And to think that I was so sure I got him."
Caileigh raised her hand, aimed for the creatures' head. She smirked as the fires in her hand began to expand. Her mouth began to open, as if to say something, just as a large figure dropped from the trees, landing between the creature and Caileigh. From Jeoffre's point of view, it appeared to be a much larger creature of a similar type with a lack of tusks - though this was before the monster had settled. As it raised, it held itself up firmly on its hind quarters, leaning back to reveal a humanoid stature. It was easily the size of Jeoffre and Caileigh combined, with more bulk in its arms than waist on the pyromancer. As everything had settled, including the dust and dirt kicked-up by the bolt of fire accidentally fired from Caileigh's hand at the ground, it was clear that this monstrosity was not only humanoid in stature, it was humanoid in all aspects. A silver half-helm covered the top half of his face with slits just large enough to allow visibility. Through these slits, a pair of deep-green eyes could be seen. Over his shoulders and back lay a pelt from what looked like one of the creatures he was standing in the way of, though the size and coloration were a little off. He held in one hand an axe that would often be held by two with an average person. Along his arms and bare chest were tribal markings, perhaps even makeshift tattoos - each of which were lining the heaps of muscle which made up the bulk of his body. "We found you, Gremlor..."
"This is Gremlor? The elf?!"
"I forgot to mention: he's big for his kind. He's been with the beasts for decades now, their arcana melding with his."
"You know a - a beastmaster?!
"A beastmaster...," Gremlor spoke in a deep, gruff voice.
Caileigh gave a chuckle and shook her head. She dropped her gaze to what little of a horizon they had. It was impossible to see more than a few yards in any direction, especially with the rushing winds from the portal behind her. "When have I ever steered you wrong? Of course he's here. The scroll said so," she said smugly, raising her left arm and snapped her fingers. With that, the portal began to close steadily behind them. As it closed, the rush of air seemed to have changed direction toward the gate. Caileigh walked around the area, craning her neck as she passed a few trees to guarantee she had the best view of the areas around them. With each step, the shuffling of leaves, overgrowth, and fallen branches could be heard. It appeared to be the only sound in the area after the hole closed. "Seems like we scared the critters off. Too bad... My fingers were getting a little itchy, too." As she said this, the cloaked man pulled back his hood to reveal straight, short-to-medium length hair with a dark brown color to it. His eyes faded from their previous irridescence, showing a pair of normal-looking blue eyes. Across each side of his face were blue arcane markings. He had pale skin and a stern look on his face as he watched Caileigh tromped around. Caileigh caught the look as she finished a circle around them and told him, "Oh, Jeoffre, stop it. That's why the critters're gone! That look!"
Jeoffre's expression only seemed to worsen as she spoke. His eyebrows dropped to a scowl and his lower jaw jutted forward ever so slightly. "Need I remind you that it was your 'itchy fingers' that forced us on this damned hunt in the first place? Besides, I recall a time where you sent me on a wild goose chase looking for that scroll and its thief." He raised his hand and pointed at her with frustration. It was her fault, after all, that they needed to look for some wildman for clues about a legendary dragon.
"Well, Jeff, we got here, didn't we?" she responded quickly, giving him a shoulder shrug as though she was trying to say 'so what?'.
"You stole the scroll, damnit! I was following clues in circles trying to find you!"
"Okay, okay... I can tell it's a touchy subject, so we'll just focus on looking for this guy. What did he look like again? The last guy said he was an elf, didn't they? So he's probably some scrawny tree-hugger. Like a druid or something... Ugh." Caileigh shuddered at the last comment, like it was a personal offense. She then turned her attention to Jeoffre, who now had his arms crossed both in pondering and annoyance. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity. In the short time that she knew him, he only did this when he was trying to think or when he was trying to shut her out. She assumed the latter. She knew that she was fraying his nerves almost all the time.
Jeoffre dropped his arms and smiled. "Cai, do you have any plans for finding Gremlor? I'm not sure exactly how to do this with you around. You're... Spontaneous." He gave her a smug grin, expecting a hot-headed response. He could tell that arcana had been used here recently. For what, Jeoffre was unsure, but their target was most likely nearby. And what better a way to get his attention than to get Caileigh fired up? She glared for a moment before giving a loud 'huff'. She was clearly irritated. It was his goal after all. She was fairly hot-headed and like making everything else around her really hot as well. If Gremlor was an elf and chose a life here, in the midst of a jungle, then he probably has some regard for nature. At least, that's what Jeoffre thought.
Caileigh's eyes began to illuminate with an orangey glow. Before long, they appeared to be burning. It was just moments after this that her hands and her hair burst into flames. The bright, flickering lights of the fires created a plethora of colors throughout the encircling jungle. Greens became yellows, the branches became brick red, and even Jeoffre's blue cloak became a purple. Caileigh grinned maniacally as she turned to Jeoffre, "I know how to get his attention... Just sit tight. Wouldn't want to burn that expensive wardrobe of yours..."
With that, she burst a cylinder of flames from her palms, setting the trees before her ablaze. Jeoffre could only smile and chuckle under his breath. It was just as planned. "Still nothing? Maybe over there?" Another spiraling torrent of flame was projected in another direction, scorching the vegetation that once stood there. A shrill cry could be heard as the flames moved on. With a quick glance at one-another, Jeoffre and the fiery Caileigh moved off in that direction. What they found was an injured creature with a mixture of bull and boar features, covered in thick fur - at least, before it was burned on one of its sides. "Tsk... And to think that I was so sure I got him."
Caileigh raised her hand, aimed for the creatures' head. She smirked as the fires in her hand began to expand. Her mouth began to open, as if to say something, just as a large figure dropped from the trees, landing between the creature and Caileigh. From Jeoffre's point of view, it appeared to be a much larger creature of a similar type with a lack of tusks - though this was before the monster had settled. As it raised, it held itself up firmly on its hind quarters, leaning back to reveal a humanoid stature. It was easily the size of Jeoffre and Caileigh combined, with more bulk in its arms than waist on the pyromancer. As everything had settled, including the dust and dirt kicked-up by the bolt of fire accidentally fired from Caileigh's hand at the ground, it was clear that this monstrosity was not only humanoid in stature, it was humanoid in all aspects. A silver half-helm covered the top half of his face with slits just large enough to allow visibility. Through these slits, a pair of deep-green eyes could be seen. Over his shoulders and back lay a pelt from what looked like one of the creatures he was standing in the way of, though the size and coloration were a little off. He held in one hand an axe that would often be held by two with an average person. Along his arms and bare chest were tribal markings, perhaps even makeshift tattoos - each of which were lining the heaps of muscle which made up the bulk of his body. "We found you, Gremlor..."
"This is Gremlor? The elf?!"
"I forgot to mention: he's big for his kind. He's been with the beasts for decades now, their arcana melding with his."
"You know a - a beastmaster?!
"A beastmaster...," Gremlor spoke in a deep, gruff voice.
