[FunkyMonkey]

Airi stood on the road a little bit from the Air Bus's landing site.  She looked at the scenery to take in the sights and appreciate the calmness of everything.  She then turned and looked back at the rest of the group, waiting for them to follow.

[MonsterManic]

Fully loaded and with headphones now blasting, Graham joined Airi on the road, eyes closed in content and his fingers drumming on his tachi's hilt in time with the beat. In his other hand his butterfly tanto was spinning slowly in an act of both multitasking and skill. Not that he was intending to show off--it was simply his hobby.

[Koop]

As the wall came more clearly into view, it became clear just how old it was. The wall was made of stone and was easily five feet thick originally. It was heavily eroded away in the places where there wasn't just a massive hole, likely from some previous student. The wood the gate was one made of was completely gone, leaving a frame of metal that reinforced it. The metal was bent and crushed in multiple directions, making it impossible to close it even a little. Walking along the wall was possible due to its width, despite the erosion and damage.

Just past the gate was a cobblestone road and the foundation for some kind of building, likely once a guardhouse, being so close to the entrance. The road itself was in horrendous shape. Rocks lay everywhere, and the holes they were once in have been filled with dirt or mud, or nothing at all.

Outside the wall, there was a small thicket of trees and undergrowth to the left of the road, not 20 feet away from the outside edge of the wall. Even those paying little attention to their surroundings could see movement of something in there. Grimm? Maybe. Probably. But they did not seem keen on leaving their heavy cover.

[EdgeyReyes]

"Are all villages like this outside the wall?" Tilting her head to fully comprehend how thick the wall was. A small nod to herself and looking out towards thr forest, a slight frown reaching her face as she could see the shifting of leaves and branches. "That's either Grimm or bandits? I hope it isn't bandits."

[arcus_gray]

Fallow smiled at Akel on her comment about the village. "Most of them aren't ruins." He seemed to be about to say more before rapidly snapping his head in the direction of the movement. It could easily be Grimm or Bandits. This area is completely abandoned and we don't have any back up. The chances are pretty low that it's not something intending us harm. To that end. Fallow wrapped up his train of thought by drawing the Russet Grimoire and opening it. They're hiding in something that can burn. Too bad for them.[/b] He ran his hand across a full page symbol and raised that hand into the air with an open palm. A massive fireball above it. "keep clear." Fallow then tilted his hand forwards and the fireball flew directly into the bush that the rustling came from.

[MonsterManic]

Graham whistled at Fallow's display of his weapon. He hadn't noticed the book the first time Fallow had pulled it out, but up close it looked like pure magic. That fireball had emerged from his palm from out of nowhere, nor was he holding a Fire Dust crystal. Naturally this made him incredibly curious, distracting him from the now flaming bush, so he moved slightly closer for a better look, putting away his spinning knife for a while. Whatever's inside can be dammed, that book cannot be some sort of new technology. If it is then I need it. ASAP.

[Koop]

Brutal.

As the fireball engulfed the dense plant life, all manner of screeches and other awkward sounds could be heard. And just a moment later, a swarm of tiny, adorable squirrel grimm scattered from the area in every direction, many of them already on fire. Their glowing red eyes looked for a solution to their plight, but they saw none as they ran in a panic. The ones who escaped the flames all disappeared into holes or under other bits of foliage or cover, but the ones who didn't simply ran out of time as the flames took their energy and eventually the smoke from the fire turned to smoke from the Grimm dissipating.

Squirrel lovers everywhere cried out at once as a feeling of unease washed over them. Someone, somewhere, committed an atrocity.

Of course, they're just Grimm. No actual squirrels were harmed in the fireballing of that thicket.

[FunkyMonkey]

Airi watched as the conflagration started.  "What the hell?" she blurted out, looking back at Fallow.  She was more annoyed more at the irregularity and spontaneity of the act than the act itself.  Airi had hoped to navigate the area by systematically seeking out eliminating the Grimm piecemeal rather than to catch all their attention at once.  Nonetheless, what's done was done, and she said nothing further.  Airi stood, watching the flames lick at the village buildings and waiting for them to die down before it was safe for the students to enter.

[EdgeyReyes]

"That solves that... that was kind of strange and spontanious." Looking towards the adorable beings of darkness Akel had the strange feeling of wanting to grab one and take it home to treasure and love. However they all dissappeared before she had the chance to grab one. "Can anyone reverse time so I can grab one? For research of course... adorable, cuddily research."

[MonsterManic]

Graham simply watched in slight amusement and with a small grin on his face. He'd never seen squirrel Grimm before, and even he had to admit there was some degree of cuteness that made you want to cuddle one. Still, that was past, and as the flames burned he kept an eye on the building, in case there was something a bit less cute than a squirrel within. He didn't think it would be happy if it just got treated to a roast, of course.

[Koop]

The flames began dying down quite rapidly as there was little left to burn. As it changed from a small inferno into a smoldering group of charred trees, things became quiet again, if only for a moment. Naturally, the flames drew the attention of things in the immediate vicinity, including several much more dangerous grimm. Six Creeps had just come running out of the nearest hole in the village wall and were charging at the group of four. Before the team could act, however, there was a brief rumble heralding the appearance of twelve more Creeps burrowing out of the ground all around them. The group was surrounded!





While the approaching six were bunched up quite nicely, the remaining twelve were spread very thin in a wide circle. Smashing them all at once would be a challenge simply due to how far apart they were. Of course, the sudden appearance of the Ring o' Grimm became a footnote, when a second tremor shook the ground, many times more than the first. A near deafening guttural roar, which slowing changed into an ear-piercing screech, echoed forth as a massive creature broke through the surface of the ground. Its front leg smashed effortlessly through the crumbling wall, revealing itself in full to the party.

The creature would be nearly three stories tall if standing fully on it's four massive, heavily armored legs that extended like spider legs out from his body. A single claw, if it could be called that considering its longer than any of the students, dug slightly into the ground as its front leg dug back into the ground after smashing the wall. The body had no neck, and its head rested quite close to the ground. Its back, however, expanded up and outward and formed something of a mushroom shape, the top of it being spotted. Armor protects nearly the entire body, the only weak points appearing to be the underside of the mushroom-shaped backside, and the joints of its very long legs.

Knowledge Check: if you are quite knowledgeable about exceedingly rare grimm, you recognize this creature as a Sporeback. They are so extremely rare, that on average, perhaps one out of every 1000 graduate hunters ever even see one. They are known for their ability to spawn swarms of Creeps from the spots on the top of their mushroom back. Their danger level is very high due to their ability to use sheer force of numbers to overwhelm even the strongest of hunters. Their greatest weakness is that they are very, very slow. When they burrow into the ground, they leave only the top of their back exposed to the surface, granting them unbelievable defense while retaining the ability to spawn Creeps. Significant effort will be required to down the creature. It is quite likely that this thing was not supposed to be here.

There was still some distance between the massive entity and the team, and the Creeps surrounding them were the immediate threat. The creature did not appear to be moving toward them. In fact, it was still partially burrowed into the ground as it faced them, peering at them with its four glowing red eyes.

[EdgeyReyes]

With each subsequent appearance of more Grimm, Akel could only sigh, at least until she felt the tremors. She never knew grimm that could create tremors, at least none that she could remember clearly. Readying her scythe her attention was focused on the closer grimm but her mind was wandering towards the large grimm. "What are we going to do about the mushroom-shaped grimm? Because I have no idea unless we are going to crash the airship and hope to blow up its head." She kept her eyes on the Creeps as she eyes which one was coming first, keeping her attention on the Creeps as she wanted for the first move to be made, whether it was by her teammates or the Grimm.

[arcus_gray]

As the group was surrounded Fallow drew out Lulu while keeping the Russet Grimoire in his other hand ready to fight. Until the giant. Mushroom Grimm showed up. OK. what the hell is that thing. It's not anything I've ever heard of. Too many differences to be some mutated deathstalker. I'll have to look it up if I make it out of this alive. "I'll try that without the airship then." With an enthusiasm in his face and voice Fallow began running straight at the giant Grimm. Just before he reached the creep in his path he leaped into the air. Stepping off the creep's head. As he did so he flicked Lulu downwards in the hopes of embedding it in the Creep's head. After landing he begun sprinting toward the entity. Hoping to get into a range where he could effectively aim his attacks for soft spots while staying away.

[FunkyMonkey]

Airi looked at the massive Grimm that had suddenly appeared before the group.  It was not something that she had ever seen before, and honestly, she was quite amazed by its strange form.  However, Airi's attention was brought back to her immediate surroundings when she saw Fallow run out past the creep to get at the new Grimm directly.  "Wait, come back!" she called out to him, but it seemed that he was already gone too far out into the throng of Creeps.  To the remainder, she said "Alright, we'll need to clear out these Creep.  I want to pull back to evaluate a better plan of attack, but since Fallow has already run out there, we need to consolidate and bring him back.  What are your thoughts?"

[MonsterManic]

Graham was going to comment on that new Grimm which decided to burrow out of the ground, but every other member on the ground had to steal his thunder. "A plan of attack? I have a plan. Attack." With that, his mask activated to cover his mouth and nose, and he took only the smallest of breaks to thumb the trigger on his sheath before leaping straight after Fallow into the fray, sword drawn and held in both hands. He didn't voice it, but his aim was to keep Fallow from being overwhelmed, even with that fancy book of his.