OOC: This will probably be the last thread I make about the Shadow Realm being the protagonist. I've been wanting to give it one last throw... One last goodbye before I decide to use a different evil. And hopefully we can get to the end of this one without it petering out. I will warn you now though, I may be slow on this one, so please give me some time.

So, without further stalling, I give to you one more fight, one more rally, one more chance to let loose against an enemy that feels no remorse. One final stand against the coming darkness.

A pair of black wings flared out, air spilling gently out from under them. Ivory claws touched stone, the rock sitting steady among the waves that lapped gently at them. The land stretched out behind her, the mountains of the spine reaching above her. The grass was dying here, small spots had begun appearing on their leaves weeks ago. It had appeared harmless until a few days ago when a disease began spreading through the animals that grazed on the grass there. The animals began dying, their bodies staining whatever ground they died on. The trees taking in the ground, and spitting out more of the disease to even more of the animals.

The disease was new, fast acting, and worse, it seemed to have no origin. That is until Polaris traced it back here. Polaris and Saiph had purged the entire area with fire, killing everything that had shown even a speck of disease. It wasn't quick, it wasn't pretty, and worst or all, it didn't seem to slow the disease down. Polaris looked out at the unnaturally gentle sea. She knew what was lurking out there, what she had to do. When she was old enough to leave the family nest, she had begun her training. Her and her brother.
Saiph. This is the spot. The disease is coming from the ocean around here.

Saiph opened his maw, releasing yet another torrent of Ancient fire. He was having trouble keeping up with the exertion needed when using the power inherited from his father. He burnt the grass around the blade that he saw was infected as well for good measure. He panted as he finished, listening to his sister through their link they had from birth.
Then the portal must be somewhere inside of the ocean. It could be anywhere out there. Infected just about anything.
I know, but if we don't find the exact source of this soon, this disease is going to spread so rapidly that we won't be able to stop it. Not to mention how many races it could kill in the process.
Saiph was silent for a moment.
I know that silence Saiph, I can feel your hesitation. What did you find? Remember the last time you tried to keep a secret from me?
Yeah, I remember. Saiph said, laughing. You found something you really didn't want to find. The toothy smile faded from Saiph's face as he remembered the events for Polaris.

The grass was heavily infected, spreading out to the trees as well. Saiph was burning the grass and trees wherever he saw the infection. He didn't notice until it was too late that he was getting close to someone's farm. It didn't matter though, it had to be razed in order to stop the infection. He landed outside the dwelling and shouted with his mind.
If anyone is in there, I suggest grabbing what you can and evacuating. This area has been infected with a strange disease and must be purged. I can offer you transportation and safety.
The door opened far too quickly in Saiph's mind, though he hadn't had much experience in that particular area. He saw two large males and two females, one half-grown. Immediately Saiph noticed they had a strange scent to them, like rancid meat that had it's scent attempted to be covered up with other rotting plants. In fact, it smelt like the plants he had been burning all day.
That was when he noticed the strange look to them, like he was something to eat.

They charged at him, mouth's open wide, screaming. Saiph didn't think twice, he unleashed a torrent of Ancient Fire at them, their images burning into Saiph's vision for an instant before only a negative of their image was left. It had affected the humans differently. That much was obvious. The problem was he had seen this kind of infection before, only it had needed a direct touch.

It's the Shadow infection. Saiph said. Except it's far more virulent than ever before. Not to mention that if we weren't lucky we wouldn't have discovered it at all until it was too late.
I agree. We need help. We can't contain this by ourselves.

OOC: Having more time to post now, I doubt it will hurt for me to join in...

IC: Ecco's eyes blinked slowly, hazy awareness drifting painfully back over her. She wearily lifted her head, wondering why she was now awake. Why she was awake at all...

It had spread so fast, overtaking creatures from the open ocean to the shoreline. To the wandering inhabitants of the offshore waters, it was devastating. She had seen the devastation and had immediately began hastening dolphin and whale pods out of the area; her friends, creatures she could speak with. It had been too late for the other creatures, and so she had started extirminating them with her powerful sound attacks. It had reminded her of the dark magic that had infected the ocean quite a while ago, corrupting the organisms of the sea and traced back to an evil creature near the ocean floor. However, this was worse. She had imagined she could be infected by it.

Ecco had spent days fighting off the sickness, collapsed amidst a pine forest on the shoreline. Salty estuarine water lapped at her hindquarters, for she had fallen halfway in a river just before it met with the ocean. The pain had been immense; she could feel the dark magic eating away at her... but somehow she had lived. How had she lived? What had happened? She had heard of shadow magic and its corrupting nature. Her old friend Sirius had once been infected but had recovered, but he was a dragon possessed of powerful light magic. That did not satisfy the mystery of how she had lived. Ecco twisted her neck around and began taking in enormous quantities of water, thankfully more fresh. The tide must be low.