Unending

[MenaAthena]

Mind casually put her hand to the hilt of her dagger. She didn't pull it out yet, but she could in faster than a blink.

[Battal]

As the night proceeds, more strange things happen.  They find spiky vines littered across the paths where there were none before, entire trees covered in the glowing mushrooms, and blood splatters covering the road.  However, nothing seems to directly threaten them.

Eventually, they reach the edge of the forest, and walk out into the open air.  They are on the hill overlooking the Ruins.  There are no masked figures visible, though the entire structure does seems to glow with a very dim light.  Almost like an afterimage.  Vilsig leads them in a wide circle around the structure.  As the sun starts to rise on the horizon, the marble spires are almost behind them.

[YouKnowWho]

Thomas keeps staring at the mushrooms. He feels as if the glowing spots on them are watching him.

[MenaAthena]

"Is it just me, or does anyone else have the feeling that night passed and we went around those giant ruins in a couple of moments, but in contrast the group we left behind are still stuck in the minute or two after we left?" Mina asked, probably sounding like she had gone completely bonkers to the others.

[Battal]

Vilsig turns around and blinks at Mina, then continues.  "We should be reaching the bridge soon.  We just need to get over a few more hills."

[GuyNamedChris]

Famen helped the robot tend the fire, while Kate stared at her food. "My name's Famen by the way. How'd you guys get here?" He asked, addressing the both of them.

[Battal]

After a while, the group reaches the bridge.  It is a rather alarming structure; it looks like thousands of trees grew out of two cliffsides, and eventually entwined to make an uneven and menacing bridge.  The other side is shrouded in mist.

[MenaAthena]

"There it is again!" Mina exclaimed with a dramatic wave of her arms. "One second we still had some hills to go over, and then the next second, BOOM! We're at the bridge! Is it just me? Am I, like, blacking out momentarily or something?"

~~~~~

Kate made no effort to communicate, or to eat, or to do much of anything really.

[Battal]

"It's called a jumpcut.  It's used to move the plot forward.  Now SHUT UP AND BE INTIMIDATED!"

[GuyNamedChris]

("Hey, I think my Kate's broken!" *holds up girl* "May I get another one?")

[Silentdarkness1]

(shush, i'm repairing this one : P )

Sirus had to help Kate with eating the stew he had made, but at least it would help her.

"Through a portal of some sort...........this......is looking rather bad...."

"....Here.....try this. Maybe it'll help."

Lefay handed the second amulet she had made over to Sirus. He looked at it, a bit confused for a second or two, before putting it around Kate's neck.

[MenaAthena]

"Oh no! I am intimidated!" Mina exclaimed in a very genuine intimidated voice while bringing her hands up to her face in a totally not overdramatic gesture.

~~~~~~~

When first attempting to get Kate to eat the soup, she grimaced and turned her head away. Her stomach hurt and she didn't want to eat. Eventually, she ate a couple spoonfuls, but refused any more at the moment.

[Battal]

"I guess we should cross..."  Vilsig says as they reach the bridge.  Two large mushroom-trees flank the entrance, each one coated in a tangle of thorns.  The bridge itself has multiple huge gaps in it.

[MenaAthena]

"I am most definitely sure that this is absolutely not trapped in any way!" Mina said confidently as she stepped onto the bridge.

[Battal]

The bridge eats her

The branches of the trees creak and groan, but seem stable enough.  The others start to cross.

[YouKnowWho]

Except for Thomas.

Thomas was utterly terrified of the bridge. He would not cross it until he knew that it was simply just a bridge.

[MenaAthena]

"Oh come on, erm, guy! This bridge is perfectly fine!" To demonstrate this, Mina proceeds to jump up and down on said bridge.

[Battal]

Vilsig and Mina are halfway across the bridge now.  Behind Thomas, the spiky vines start to move.

[YouKnowWho]

Thomas stands his ground for now. He watches the vines behind him carefully while he waits for Mina and Vilsig to make it all the way.

[Battal]

The vines are extremely slow, as it appears they are literally growing rather than actually moving; however, they are very deliberate, and those enormous spikes don't look very fun.  Vilsig and Mina make it across the bridge.

[YouKnowWho]

Thomas runs across the bridge as fast as he can, which is pretty fast.

[Silentdarkness1]

The few mouthfuls Kate did manage to eat helped, the green mushrooms calming her frayed nerves somewhat. They tasted bitter, but they helped.

[GuyNamedChris]

Well she ate a few spoonfuls, it's a start. "Sorry, the green mushrooms always seem a bit bitter. The blue ones usually even out the taste." Famen borrowed one more log from the robot's pile and started carving a helmet.

[Battal]

They make it across just in time for the vines to grow a huge, spiky barrier across their path.  The mist starts to clear; they seem to be in a large village of some sort.  The houses are very small, and seem to be made from thousands of the blue mushrooms.  However, the vines are here too, and they have smothered the houses.

[GuyNamedChris]

inb4 mushroom people