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The man above them stayed perfectly still it was unclear if he was looking down upon them or still staring blankly out into the forest. In fact he was so still it might have been difficult to be certain that he was even there. The breeze would blow through again revealing his shape for a moment but as soon as they would be able to get a clear look at him he would vanish moving across a few branches silently. Such a sight might make one think there was something supernatural in the area for sure.

Dozens of small misshapen shadows dashed through the forest looking for something to devour, they looked vaguely like giant scorpions with extra legs and far too many legs as well as a maw that opened into more shadow. No eyes were evident as the sought out both living and unliving to drain away energy, that which was consumed did not remain in the area or get converted to mass though those that fed would grow, but instead simply seemed to cease to be. The shadows moved as pack animals move and swarmed anything that would seem to produce energy but was not near light. They came on silent feet, dark shadows that could bring death, a plague of starving weakness that sought to consume all into their empty maws.

The energy exerted by Relith acted as a draw for the shadows, they split into three groups and moved into a position around his location that would resemble a triangle. They were all oddly shaped creatures that looked like distorted insects and moved just as quickly as roaches. No eyes or teeth gave them away as some clung to the nearby trees, becoming part of the shadows cast by the dappled moonlight, while a six from each direction began approaching the tree Relith resided in spreading out as they moved inward so that they formed a loose circle. When they were all within twenty feet of the tree they would rush towards it, swarming up the trunk and moving to attack Relith from multiple angles. Some would come from below, some would climb past him to dive from above, and some would move up the opposite side of the trunk or the bottom of the branch to attack from the sides. They were weak creatures at this size, yet if any came near him with their gaping black maws, he would feel his energy being eaten and disappearing slowly at first but the more that joined the faster the drain.

Rel's eyes would watch the shadows intently as they went to make their approach toward him. He slowly moved the Katana to a reverse grip allowing his right arm to begin to glow with a unatural red aura. He would stay crouched as the creature's approached and as they came within a few meters he would tense up flashing into the air directly at one above him his a tremendous leap looking to cut staright through it with his blade and with the same spinning motion would open his hand to which a small red bolt of energy would shoot out at his former location unleashing a explosion of flames out from that point. He would stop turning in the air moving away from that location seeing exactly what the results were before making his next move. Though he was still sailing through the air toward another tree.

The sword would prove to have almost no effect on the creature as it seemed to pass through it without any resistance, yet the creature moved to bite at Rel and eat his energy. The others however seemed to melt in the fire light and turn into actual shadows before disappearing. If the creature he had attacked did manage to touch his body, it would run over his clothing with a feeling akin to a tarantula walking and would begin to consume his energy. There was also the slightest shifting of a shadow out of sync with the firelight in the branches of the tree he was moving towards. If he looked at the fire for too long he would miss the warning and find three more of the infernal shadows attacking him as he landed. All three would wait until he landed to try and run up his legs and begin draining his energy.

Below on the ground, the girl's shout had drawn the attention of some of the others, two more groups of three moved to intercept her from either side. All of the other creatures were being forced to skirt the edge of the fire and would be delayed in their arrival. The two groups of three that moved towards the girl however moved to distract and ambush. They began by flanking her with one on either side, then two to her left and one to her right before the last shadow moved ahead and darted across her path where it was visible for several seconds nearly ten feet ahead of her. At that point if she stopped the creatures would slide from her surroundings suddenly leaping at her sides, back, and one at her companion. If she continued on however, the one that moved across the path would leap at her face from the left before the rest attacked her and her companions backs.

She could hear the shadows moving towards her, two flanknig and one comnig right at her. Rose saw how the little critters reacted to fire, they didn't like it..not one bit. She smirked, and leaned down to Naito. She unleashed her grip on the fire enough to use it to protect the two of them. The fire, covered all of Rose and Natio's body, though with the panther it was a half inch from her skin and hair, to keep from burning her. Rose wouldnt' get burned from the fire, she seemed to grow and get engry from the fire as it spread about her body.

((Sorry for the delay, but my power has been out and I just got it back.))

The shadow that was cut by Relinth's magic blade, was indeed destroyed, but as it 'died', it seemed to simply dissapate like smoke. No energy was present to be absorbed and it would become clear that whatever the creatures 'ate' did not remain with them. As Rel fell towards the ground though, the creatures in the tree dove after him, hungry for energy and still moving as though they were following some type of plan.

Nearby, the shadow creatures that had been preparing to attack the girl and her companion, broke off their attack and moved ahead towards where the others of their kind were attacking Rel. If they were denied one quarry, it was apparent they would search for one that was approachable.