Gensoukyou:Daraku no rakuen

Description
Upon descending the long set of stone stairs in the cave, you start to notice a faint green and purple glow coming from the end. Once you walk through the entrance of the main cave, you are greeted by a large underground forest. The forest appears to have taken on a black, purple, and dark green color scheme. You can hear animals within the forest as well as even a waterfall near the edge of the forest with a small river that cuts through the center. The air is sweet but toxic to any lesser beings that enter, especially into the thicker fog.

The flora present within the forest is surprisingly vast for an underground cave. All the various trees and plants seem to have adapted well to the environment as well as have mutated. Some plants even bear fruit, while others have beautiful flowers that glow green, purple, or even a light blue. Some plants seem to have the sole purpose of providing light, having long stems and spores on the end that grow brightly and give light to the cave, even some that hang from the walls or roof doing just the same. At first sight, the plants all seem to look as if they are decaying, but after a few moments within the forest, one can easily see the beauty of the place.

Cutting through the center of the forest is a small river, the water of which seems to be very clear and even has a purplish tint to it. At the mouth of the river is a waterfall that pours out water over various different rocks on the wall of the cave.

The cave is not without fauna, though. Various animals can be seen throughout the cave, ranging from small, mutated and colorful birds and bugs, to large dog or cat-like creatures that feed off the various fruit that grow from the plants. All the creatures in the forest seem like mutated versions of wolves, deer, rabbits, birds, and the like. Some are hostile, but most are peaceful despite how savage they seem.

In the very center of the forest, on the over side of the river, lies a large mansion covered in various mutated vines. The mansion appears to be of European design, however the vines that cover it seem to mask it. It has large double doors that glimmer in the light of the two lanterns that light it, shining a bright green as they seem to be made of luminescent spores encased in glass.

General Information
The entire forest is truly an interesting and intricate work of over a hundred years of work on Kageki's part. All the plants have been created and changed to survive in the underground environment and the same could be said for the animals as well. The fact that birds are capable of surviving in an underground environment is amazing in itself.

The animals have also been mutated to survive in the underground environment, some having more eyes to pick up light better, others relying on other ways to "see". Not only that, but Kageki constantly manages the reproduction rates of these animals.

Notable Flora
Some notable examples of these feats is the plants. Plants, under normal circumstances, can not survive without sunlight. This problem was solved by Kageki creating plants to hang from the ceiling which have roots that extend into the surface of the youkai forest. These plants appear to be like normal plants above, often like vines extending up sides of trees to better get to the sun, but below, these plants bring down sunlight and amplify it, lighting the cavern and providing what little energy the plants need.

Sunflower
These mushrooms are very large and reside on the roof of the cavern taking the appearance of larg flowers. They have very long roots that extend upwards into the youkai forest and appear as various other plants, some even becoming vines that grow up trees and form flowers at the top. The main purpose of these plants is to absorb the energy from the sunlight, bring it back down to the cavern, and amplify it to provide what little energy the plants need to survive.

Starlight Spores
These plants are very common and easily visible throughout the forest. Their spores give off light in various colors such as green, light blue, and violet. The light they give lasts a long time, making them perfect for lanterns and other light fixtures. Often times the spores will fall from the plant or drift away, often dotting the ground with glowing lights. These plants are most concentrated around the main pathways through the forest, giving the paths a sparkly, colorful look. They can also be eaten and have a fluffy, sweet taste, but will cause your mouth to glow.

Falling Star Fruit
These fruit are much like the starlight spores, however they hang from the ceiling of the cave from long vines. They glow rather brightly and will often attract insects. The fruit actually contain three parts; The purplish, glass-like shell, the soft, light blue, bright, glowing berries inside, and the shiny, grain-like filler that keeps the berries padded. The berries are edible and have a tangy taste similar to a mix between blueberries and grapes. Once the berries are ripe, the entire fruit will fall to the ground and shatter. A pressure inside the fruit causes it to almost explode, raining glowing berries and the shiny powder around the area.

The Trees
The trees that make up the majority of the forest are quite varied and have no definite name associated with them, simply for the mere fact they are all different. Some bear fruit, others beautiful flowers. Some trees mutate to be able to accommodate various ground creatures, others are home to birds and bugs. They come in various different colors, but the majority have purplish-black bark or violet bark. The leaves can range from dark green, to light blue, to a shiny purple.

Atlas Vines
These vines are thick and have very tough skin. They crawl up the various stone supports within the cavern and even up the walls and along the roof. They protect the columns from corrosion as well as keep the walls and ceiling from falling apart in chunks. The thickness and rough texture of these vines also make the columns they climb up resemble very tall trees.

Flowers
The flowers generally follow the trees in the simple fact they are too varied to have any definite species associated with them. A good lot of them, though, have a faint glow to them. The color scheme varies from deep red, to violet, to light blue and green. Some are even black and give off a burning aura, which should be avoided. A lot of animals enjoy these flowers for their usually sweet scent and their nice taste. Also, if a flower is destroyed, another will take its place within a few minutes.

Feeder Lily
These lilies have stems that rise from the bottom of the river. They have a shiny, light-blue color to them and consist of two parts; the lily pad and a bowl-like insect trap. These plants are much liked by the resident bubble hopper frogs. These plants seem to have developed a sort of partnership with these frogs as well. The plant lures in insects for both it and the frog while the frog provides mucus for the plant's bowl, helping to trap insects.

Notable Fauna
The animals have also been mutated to survive in the underground environment, some having more eyes to pick up light better, others relying on other ways to "see". Not only that, but Kageki constantly manages the reproduction rates of these animals to avoid over population. The larger animals have lower reproduction rates and longer life, however they are more closely related to the animals they originate from, having more things /added/ rather than changed, whereas the smaller animals have high reproduction rates and short lifespans, allowing for more mutations.

Birds
There are various different kinds of birds flying within the cavern. All of them capable of magic-assisted flight that helps them be able to fly inside the cavern with relative ease. Some, even, rely less on sight and more on other various senses. With the exception of the black moon, these birds mostly feed off various insects or fruit.

Ribbontail
Overall Length: 3 feet (Body: 1 foot, Tail: 2 feet) Wingspan: 2 feet, each wing being close to 1 foot Weight: Less than 5 lbs

Herbivore/Insectivore A very common bird in the forest, these birds have a shiny coat of purplish-black feathers and long, trailing tails that seem to have small, burning, black auras at the tip. These tails are no more than long feathers, however the birds seem to still be able to move them as a normal "tail". The Auras on the end seem to be able to throw out small danmaku, however this is only done when the bird feels it is in danger. This bird also has no eyes and is effectively blind, instead using chirrups and trills as a form of echolocation mixed with sometimes blinking its tail as a form of unheard radar. Because it can't see, it will often have no fear of outsiders or other animals, usually seeming to be the most friendly. Its sense of smell also helps it in identifying berries or insects to eat.

Black Moon
Overall Length: 2 feet (Body: 1-1/2 feet, Tail: 1/2 foot) Wingspan: 3-1/2 feet, 1-3/4 feet per wing Weight: Less than 10 lbs

Carnivore A bit more rare than the Ribbontails, these birds have a very unique shape during flight. Their wings have sort of a mountain shape in the feathers, with the longest feathers in the middle of the wing and then curving to the tips. The tail fans out wide to in with the longest feathers, giving the bird a sort of rounded semi-disc shape during flight ( hence the name ), allowing the bird better hang-time, preferring to glide around rather than actually fly. These birds are black on the underside but white with purple spots on the top, only really showing the black portion during flight. They also have sharp talons and, unlike the ribbontail, good eyesight provided by their seven, black, slit-style eyes - three on either side of their head and one on their forehead. The large wings they have also benefit them in hunting, allowing them to better control their trajectory.

Violet Pixie
Overall length: A few inches Weight: a few grams This bird is one of the tinier animals present in the forest, resembling a hummingbird. They have long beaks and glittery violet feathers that give off a dust-like, glowing aura during flight, a sign of their slight magical properties. They also have two sets of wings with the largest pair overlapping the smaller pair when they are idle, the extra set of smaller wings allow for better lift and maneuverability. They enjoy drinking the nectar from various flowers, which give them their aura. Their eyes glow a faint red which matches well with their violet feathers.

Ground Animals
These animals reside on the ground and usually feed off plants or some of the smaller animals in order to control the population.

Size: 4 feet tall from ground to shoulder

Weight: ~300lbs

Omnivore

The only one of its kind, Akuma Koneko is by far Kageki's most loved animal in the forest. This big cat resembles a large black panther with a purplish tone added to the dark, black fur. She has three pairs of slit-shaped, dark green eyes that allow her to catch sight of prey and even see in the dark with relative ease. Her large, snake-like, folding, sharp fangs drip with two kinds of saliva, one that is corrosive and highly flammable, and one that has a minor healing-property to it.

When faced with opponents, Akuma will roar loudly and spray the corrosive saliva on her enemies, which will sting greatly to all but the strongest creatures. If this does not work to deter intruders, she will resort to igniting the saliva via her three tails, each one tipped with a black, fire-like aura, which is similar to the fire one gets from burning pure corruption. Akuma can also release the flammable liquid via glands on her body, which she can then ignite to turn herself into a raging ball of black fire charging at her opponents.

Akuma's claws are sharp and share similar hardness with the diamondclaws. She can use them both for tearing into unwelcome guests, or for climbing up walls or even on the ceiling.

Akuma serves as both a guard cat for the forest as well as Kageki's aid in managing the forest. All the other animals respect her and look up to her, knowing better to go against her. She will often help Kageki with moving around various things as well when needed. On occasions, she will also help with "population control" or "landscaping"

Constellation
Deer Size: Same size as a normal deer

Herbivore These are, by far, the most dazzling of the animals within the forest. Besides their sparkling, dark blue coats, they also have large, intricate antlers adorned with glowing green lights at certain points on them and faintly glowing violet lines connecting them. Probably the most amazing part is the magic and corruption that gets trapped between the antlers, entwining and drawing in various spores to appear almost like a floating galaxy.

Baskerville
Wolf

Carnivore These dog-like creatures are often seen in packs. They have dark fur and give off a smokey aura that hides their true appearance allowing only their four glowing red eyes to be seen. Despite their imposing looks, they seem to be rather peaceful, though they don't commune much with other creatures, especially outsiders. They choose to feed on the smaller animals in order to survive.

Unseen
Feline Size: A little bigger than a savannah F-1 cat

Omnivore These cats are very hard to spot, so it's unknown how many there are. They possess the ability to camouflage themselves to match their surroundings as well as the ability to climb and jump fairly easily. These cats typically hunt mice or large insects, but can also eat fruit or berries if desired.

Floramouse
Mouse

Herbivore This mouse is born as a plain black mouse, however upon eating one of the various flowers in the forest, it grows a small bud on its back. As it grows older, the flower slowly blooms and its fur takes on the color and glow of the flower. The flower goes into full bloom once the mouse becomes an adult and from the flower comes a small jewel, from which another mouse will hatch from. When the adult dies without having being eaten, a flower will grow from its remains.

Diamondclaw
Insectivore/Herbivore

This creature takes the appearance of a dark violet mix between a Japanese mole and a large armadillo. It is about the size of a small dog and has large, sharp, diamond-like claws on its front legs. Unlike moles, this creature has rather strong legs, allowing it to be able to walk with relative ease and gather fruit and berries. It has three pairs of eyes that allow it to see the smallest amounts of light even in tunnels. It has a thick, crystalline shell on its back and belly to help protect it when digging through rough stone. It prefers to eat worms and insects but can often be seen eating berries. This creature will make its home in various tunnels that it digs, which are just big enough for its kind to crawl through.

Violet Hare
Rabbit

Herbivore These rabbits have four eyes and beautiful violet fur that glows softly. When they become adults, however, their fur grows intricate designs of various colors. They can also run very fast and jump quite far. They have short lives and high reproduction rates so as to be food for the larger animals and provide nutrients to the ground.

Dragonsnake
Snake Size: Up to 10 feet long These snakes have shiny, violet scales as well as short wings that trail down the body. They seem to have developed the ability to fly by utilizing corrupting-magic. They have three eyes with one on either side of their head and one on the bottom of their head. They have no teeth and just eat fruit or insects whole. They also have two small wings at the base of their head, a sign that maybe it had a different form of flight in the past.

Glowfish
Fish These fish are small, but they glow a light violet and are mostly transparent. They seem to enjoy the various algae that grows on rocks.

Songeel
These eels are quite lengthy and have a blue and violet pattern. They are rare, but you can usually find one by listening for the soft, calming sounds they make by vibrating in the water. Sometimes, they even vocalize in various tones to make a sort of music. However, taking one out of the water will cause it to vibrate rapidly and make a distorted and high-pitched screech until it is released.

Needle Bats
Size: about six inches long, with a foot-long wingspan

Weight: a few ounces

Small fruit-eating bats that are best-known for their soft, grayish bodies and long, needle-like teeth. They use these teeth to crack and pierce the shells of premature falling star fruits (before the fruits grow too heavy and fall) to get to the sweet, succulent berries within. Their saliva seems to be able to melt the fruit within, so if they can't crack a large enough hole to eat the fruit within, they'll often inject a little saliva into the tiny holes and then slurp the resulting juices out. During times where the bats cannot get to fallen star fruits for whatever reason, they will often swarm around larger fruit-bearing trees, eating almost their entire body weight before returning to their roosts amongst the small branches of the Atlas Vines. During times where they have to stray down to the trees, they are often easy prey for animals like the Unseen and the Black Moon, which helps keep their population from getting out of control.

Crystal Snail
These snails have beautifully colored shells and striped bodies. They also glow rather brightly and their color matches whatever they are currently on. Some snails seem to enjoy specific flowers more than others. When they grow old enough, they will shed their shells and will either be eaten by a bird or other animal or die and be absorbed into the ground. The shells will grow into another snail.

Bubble Hopper
Size: a few inches

Weight: a few ounces

These frogs, no larger than a man's palm, are often seen sitting on the lilypads of the Feeder Lilies. They are often colored blue-black with glowing violet markings along its back. Because they have no poison or other method of defending themselves, they carry within them a large amount of thick purple mucus that glows faintly in the darkness. They can spit this mucus into the eyes of predators and temporarily blind them or, more commonly, they can make large bubbles that can hold their weight. They can then ride that bubble, either down the river's current or on a breath of a breeze to escape. Bubble Hoppers and Feeder Lilies have a sort of symbiotic relationship with one another. The Feeder Lily attracts insects with its soft glow and provides a place for the Bubble Hopper to rest, and in exchange the Bubble Hopper occasionally coats the bucketlike inside of the Feeder Lily with some of its thick, sticky mucus to help trap the insects.

Gardner Moth
These creatures resemble a mix between large moths and locusts with glowing blue patterns on their body and wings. Aside from being food for the smaller animals, these moths visit various plants and provide nutrients that they store in their abdomen, nutrients they get from devouring dying plants. Usually these insects stay in groups, only really separating from the group to reproduce or return to the soil.

Violet Widow
These spiders closely resemble small tarantula's. They have large, shiny abdomens that have a crystalline, violet look to them. These spiders are often seen in beautiful, purplish webs between branches and act just as normal spiders do.

Entry Requirements
If you can survive the forest of magic, you can probably survive here. Although, being on friendly terms with Kageki can help in being allowed to remain there.

Access to the cavern can be achieved by entering the unearthed cave in the Youkai Forest, descending the long staircase down into the main cavern.

Trivia

 * Daraku no rakuen literally means "Paradise of Corruption" or "Paradise of Degradation"
 * This name was given to the forest as during the first few decades, the plants seemed more dead and degraded than mutated like they are now


 * Save for the mildly toxic air, the forest is relatively safe for outsiders. Most predatory animals hunt specific animals, and usually don't stray too far from their diet.
 * In addition to this, many plants are actually safe for any being of magical properties to eat. The only thing needed to be avoided is anything with a black fog-like aura coming from it.


 * Surprisingly enough, the water from the river in the center of the forest has a undefinable, tangy-sweet flavor and scent to it, and gives a sort of tingling sensation when drank.
 * The water is toxic to non-magical beings, but gives an alcoholic effect otherwise. It is about as potent as oni sake, or even worse depending on how concentrated the corruption is.


 * Every so often, a corrupted insect may find its way through an air vent and out into the youkai forest. However, the lack of corruption in the air will cause it to die and dissolve into the air before it can be seen by anything. This shows that most if not all creatures in the cavern are incapable of surviving elsewhere.


 * The exact size of the cavern is hard to measure, but the the relative measurements are around 3500 meters long(~10000ft), 1100 meters wide(~3300ft), and 400 meters high(~1200ft) from the floor to the highest point of the ceiling.
 * The total area that the cave covers is ~3.85 square kilometers, or 3.85 million square meters(~11 million feet)
 * The distance between the top of the cavern to the forest above is about 100-150m


 * Being connected to Kageki's life force, it is safe to assume that everything in the forest is somehow connected to Kageki.
 * This is further proven by the fact he can speak to the various plants and animals as well as control them to a small degree
 * Kageki can also sense when an animal or plant is harmed in a way that is unnatural to the forest, such as an attack from an outsider.
 * In a sense, Kageki's connection to the forest allows for a sort of omnipotence within the forest