Chapter 159: Primavera

The Marrow didn't hesitated for a moment. It pushed itself and unleashed its wooden-like claws to stab at him while his face was being burned alive by the sap. Some even fell into his throat, making Solomon's screams be more vocal, guttural even. Both Stolas and Pria rushed in, with Stolas creating appendages out of a nebulae to grappler and pin down the Marrow so he could rescue his friend, while Pria swatted the substance away and casted her magic to heal him, having Solomon cough out any sap that entered in his mouth, the boy nearly vomiting out of instinct. As the Biblical mage would heal, his barrier would immediately break, his plagues ceasing any further function due to the lava-like amber pouring out of the woodland beast. It was on fire, yet it wasn't screaming as much as the child. Its eyes were being visible, its bark charred once more, the sap leaking out boiling hot, as if it was cooked in a pot for a long time. The Wendigo would try to take advantage and aim for a heavy chop, yet Pria would elbow the beast's jaw back in retaliation, it wasn't the Wendigo's turn, anyway.

The Marrow merely stood there, staring at the group, with only the sound of crackling from the fire being made around its vicinity. A snap of his fingers would have the trees grow, the forest expanding further and further, the fire being quickly put out. It was clearly its weakness, yet it felt as if it no longer harmed them. He'd have the leaves prepare once more, with the most keen of eyes being able to see why they were so sharp: Splinters. small pieces of the tree being ripped off and ingrained within the leaves' blades. He'd rain them down once more, creating more trees to generate more leaves to rain down and chop them alive, yet Stolas reacted by creating another constellation: Pisces. Pisces would get to work, the two fish clusters of stars swimming around the air, expelling their nebulae around to burn alive each leaf being aimed. Around ten or so would be directed in a direction.

Then twenty came down.

Thirty.

Fourty.

Fifty.

Sixty.

The numbers kept going up and up, effectively reaching the triple digits in a matter of seconds, yet the fish kept going. They pushed on and on to ensure not a single soul would be caught in its storm. As Solomon would get up from the recovery, he'd get to work on another spell, raining down hail and fire once more at the leaves, burning them alive, even using some to protect Harvard's unconscious self should the Marrow change trajectory. What the boys didn't expect, however, would be the beasts set-up, with the trees beginning to shift and turn. They would hear a voice nearby, quickly approaching the scene, yet the branches and roots were quick in making a wall, stretching out diagonally to skewer anyone that comes in. The group would be quick to recognize who it was, from their leather jacket, to their very panicked, red eyes that tries to reach them.

It was Zazel.

"GUYS! GUYS-" He'd cry, before realizing they seemed to have already been aware of not just magic, but of its fighting style. He could also see that the Woodland was going to cast something, to which he would cast a sigil and toss it directly to them, allowing the group to use it as they please: Sabnock. Stolas would be the first to use it, letting it make an RPG and load it with a cluster of stars to create a large ball, aiming and firing at the Marrow. The Marrow, however, reacted by rising itself up, the roots from its legs growing high enough to evade the shot. Solomon would take advantage by casting a spell in the form of Locusts, as well as pulling a weapon from Sabnock, a Minigun. He'd have the locusts load into the gun and fire it at the monster, which does connect and blast it down in its flurry of bullets. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. The beast would make its own mouth, opening its maw wildly, sharp teeth and a slime-like tongue to replicate the humans, as it tried to speak.

"Pri...ma...Ve...ra...."

As soon as it uttered such words, something would be expelled out from the trees. A Yellow-like substance, flowing freely around the air. Pollen. Everyone would cover their face to prevent breathing in such substance, even the Wendigo, where it lobbed off its arm once more to try and escape in order to prevent such pollen from entering its system. Only one wasn't able to defend themselves, and everyone was focused on ensuring that person endures through its magic. As soon as Harvard would take a breath, his body began to convulse. His skin started to bulge, before slowly cracking itself and growing branches out of his pores. Bushes and moss began being buried in his body, coating his clothes in such green leaves and corroding his bones. His mouth would even have a bed of roses grow out, the thorns stabbing in his cheeks, forcing him to open it wide. Pria, realizing this type of magic was going to kill him, rushed to the boy and tried to cut them apart. Upon closer inspection, however, she would noticed that the flora grew veins and tissue, horrifying her. Harvard was becoming a living plant, meaning he would have even less time to recover, and worse, more of a chance to die without knowing it. The Marrow would land itself into the ground, as it began to gesture its hand, the unconscious child reacting almost instantly.

THWACK!!

A Solid right hook, punching at her jaw with no hesitation, before having his legs dragged across the dirt and being by the Marrow's side. He would be forced to stand, his body in a stance, ready to fight back. Everyone looked at such a grisly sight in despair, not knowing if they're willing to continue this.

It's a three vs three, even odds between one another, yet the competition is almost scarring. The child would wobble himself, sweat coming down and being fed into the roots. He was clearly going to run out of time.