Beneath the Surface (Adventure, slight Gore)

"Hm?" Ician shakes his head distractedly as he stares at the map. "A plan... yes. A good plan... pending review, I suppose." He looks up at Divine. "If there's anything around here that can't be scouted from the air, it'll be in that forest to the east." He jabs a hoof at the forest on the map. "That'll be our first destination."

"A forest? In a desert? That seems... Counterintuitive." She stated simply, stepping close next to him.

"No no, not in the desert." Ician frowns. "Well technically it is. But it's off the side, really. Otherwise... hm." He stares up at a random spot in the tent. "I wonder... could it be..." He shakes his head. "No, it couldn't. Could it? If there was a spell for it, maybe. Is there a spell for it?"

He looks back down on the map. "It does look out of place."

"A spell for what Ician? You're acting a tad mad." She looked at the map.

"A... few possibilities." Ician says cautiously. "If only aerial scouting has been done, then that entire forest may well be an illusion." He frowns. "But a grand, large, expansive illusion. Almost impossible to cast and maintain, I think. Not without the magic of ten unicorns to hold it up.

"No." He taps the greenery. "I think this is a real forest. But not necessarily a natural one. The combination of seeds, hydration, and a magic growth accelerant... It's possible. A lot of ponies would be needed to do it, though." He narrows his eyes. "Or perhaps not ponies."

"Changelings then... When do we launch?" She asked turning back to him. "I assume quickly?"

Ician nods. "As soon as possible." He takes a peek out of the tent. "Which means when everybody's ready. And since the ten-pony garrison will be staying here to guard the encampment... that just means you, Ruby, Stream, Storm, and Griff." He wanders out of the tent. "Lieutenant Eclipse said that there were some spare swords lying around. I think I'd best take those along."

Divine shrugs and draws her broadsword, its tip landing in the sand with a thump. "Ician. I'll wake Ruby." Without waiting, she spun and walked back to her tent, her sword leaving a trail in the sand.

"Thank you." Ician says simply. He turns his gaze forward, and moves off to find the armoury.

Griff was still in his shadow, now having a tail similar to one of a snake while still reading the book.

On his way to the armoury, Ician passes Griff's position. He pauses. Turning slowly, he looks to the shadow - and Griff. With a snake tail.

"What," he asks tentatively, "are you doing, Griff?"

Divine poked ruby with a hoof. "Get up. We're moving out."

She moaned and rolled onto her back. "Do we have to?"

"Yes."

"But I like it here~"

"And I had a sword pointed downwards. Move, before I let it drop."

Ruby bolted upright, saluting. "Yes ma'am."

Divine shook her head and walked out of the tent, Ruby trailing behind.

Griff looks up as he transforms his tail back to normal. "Oh, hi, Ician. I'm just trying to learn a new form that I could transform into.. I picked snake so I would have something stealthy." he says as he puts book back into his saddlebags. "Got any plans yet?"

"We're heading out to the forest." Ician explains. "The one that, for some strange reason, has managed to grow right next to a desert. That's where the scouts were killed, too. I suspect enemy activity in the area."

He looks around. "But first, I'm going to get a few more swords." He grins. "I already know I can manipulate a sword and three daggers at once. Let's see how many blades I can chop at the enemy with. Maybe I might even end up being useful." He chuckles. "Now that's a novel thought."

"Hmm, forest, huh? I remember seeing it.." Griff thinks. "I thought it was unusual aswell, but they paid me for my report either way." Griff says, looking towards the east. "There's something about that forest that doesn't sit well with me."

Ician nods. "Of course, that's exactly why we're going there. So are you ready to leave?" He stares at Griff. "Um, soon, possibly?"

"A forest? You want to bring me into a forest? Are you completely insane?" Ruby stared at Divine in amazement. "I'm a fire Mage. I burn things. Forests are not a good place for me to be."

Divine shrugged. "Talk to Ician then."

"I will." She turned and marched off to Ician. "Oy, Ician, are you insane?"

"Hm?" Ician turns to face Ruby. "Oh, hello. Is... something on your mind?"

"Ehhh.. maybe. Possibly." Griff says. "I need a drink first.." he says as he looks around. "Those transformation spells really made me thirsty.."

"Are you insane? I'm a fire Mage, I make with the burning of things, and you want to send me into a forest? Do you want to die?"

"Hm. Right. Actually, I wouldn't worry." Ician shrugs. "You'll only have to use your fire magic if there are hostiles in there. And if they're hiding anything, they would have to be seriously dug in to avoid detection for this long. So if there is something in there, burning the place down is exactly what we want to do." He nods, satisfied. "Providing we can outrun the blaze. But Storm can control fire, to a limited extent, so I'm sure we'll be fine. Probably."

Griff shrugs. "Where are drinks around here...?"

Ician frowns slightly. "I'm fairly certain that there isn't much drink around here, if any. Unless, of course, by drinks you don't really mean that kind of drinks, but water." He thinks of the map. "Or coffee, probably."

She facehoofs. "How long till we leave?"

Griff stands up "Anything, really. I am thirsty as hell."