Azix's Opportunity: Truth and Reality

When Garret first entered the room, he saw a table in the center. There was some curious table with three strange pieces that were set upon the surface. Garret briefly wondered as to what they were for, before his thoughts were interrupted by the disembodied voice that came at them from every direction.  A strange sense passed over Garret, who looked around for Azix.

He saw Azix nowhere in sight, and was momentarily confused due to this. Yet a figure approached him, similar to that of the sprite that had kissed him from before. The images flashed through Garret's mind, and he began to feel heat come to his face as it turned a slight shade of red. Even so, the dark onyx skin of the sprite made it apparent that she was not the same as the one from before. Not knowing what the dungeon had in store for him, Garret was on alert. She did not seem to have a weapon, but he knew that this did not remove danger completely. ... What if she is the leader of those beings from before?

The look on her face certainly did suggest she was interested in something just as primal as carnage, yet the vibe she gave off was much different than a want for blood. It was a deeper want, one that would stir the hearts of those that viewed it. Under normal circumstances Garret would not have batted an eye, yet the striking similarities in its appearance gave him pause as that burning feeling from before wormed its way through his gut. It slowly intensified as she ran a finger up his arm and leaned close to his ear. Her breath sent a shiver across Garret's body right before she whispered into his ear.

Her whispers caressed Garret's ear as she spoke, urging Garret to use her as a distraction on Azix. Urging him to betray the man, before he was betrayed himself. Urging him to grasp at a power that was surely meant to be for him. Garret's breath was caught, and in a split second a variety of images flashed across his mind.

Into the Frey:

Deadly Predator, Deadly Prey:

This Time It's Personal:

Restoring Honor:

The Usurper from Kou, and The Fate of Reim:

A Chance Meeting; the Massuese, and the Stargazer's Club:

Reform, Chapter Six:

Trapped by the past, the present, and the future:

The memories came crashing through Garret, who had quickly looked around for Azix a second time. The small droplet of heat that had been growing within Garret's stomach, a pit of desire which had slowly been building up, suddenly took a turn in direction. A sudden flame lit within the man's veins, starting in his gut and coursing throughout his entire body. A burning, passionate anger took root in the normally serious and focused Magician. His voice was ragged, the anger of outrage burning and churning within his stomach as he spoke. "I have decided to support him of my own will. I owe him my loyalty, and if it's a knife in my back that is my reward... I am sure it will be due to him trying to save me from a much worse fate. That power... It is not meant for me. It is meant for him." The anger did not leave his voice, even after his pause in speaking. "Now. Tell me. What have you done to him? Where is he? Your life... Hangs in the balance, depending on the answer." Garret raised his blade up into the air, preparing for a downward slash in front of him.

The explosion of ice and sound seemed to rock the floating island, even snapping the vine below the magic carpet. Thankfully, the two magicians had decided to fly instead of walk. If they hadn't, Azix was sure they'd have fallen into the previous room below. Looking ahead, the floating island hung forward at a slight slant, held in place by the other three vine bridges.

He brought the carpet to the door and dismounted, before gathering it up to tie around his waist. Pushing open the door, he led the way into a eerie, dimly lit room. At its center, a table sat, with three onyx gems fashioned into the shape of thorns upon its surface. Azix stared curiously at the pieces before looking up to see two glowing green eyes staring back at him from a shadowy corner. A wide fanged grin stretched below the glowing gems as its owner and Azix gripped his staff tightly.

A booming voice echoed from every direction, asking them if they were challengers in a teasing grin. Azix raised a brow and turned to Garret but the Kouen man had vanished. Azix spun around to look behind him and upon not seeing him turned back to face the table. A large version of the 'Little Dudes' walked towards Azix. The color of the sprite's skin matched the gems on the table and she had a devilish smile dancing playfully across her lips as she circled the magician. The kind of smile that Ariella frequently gave Azix, the kind of smile that kept him up all night thinking of her.

When the sprite ran her finger up Azix's arm and leaned in, he thought Ariella's seductive expressions were more arousing. Unlike Garret who had recently had his physical desires awoken, Azix's had awoken a few months beforehand when the yellow magician from Magnostadt had come into his life, with her sun-kissed skin and long purple hair. His attraction to Ari came not only from her Heliohaptan-esque looks, but from the woman's mind and a connection built over time. It would take more than tempting looks from the onyx sprite to lure his thoughts from Ariella.

Azix drew back from her touch as she spoke, the words jarred him. Did he truly think Garret could be trusted? His first reaction was to laugh at her, but the more he thought about it, his mind tugged him to doubt. Not doubt about their friendship, so much as self-doubt. 'Aren't I rubbish...? I mean...it feels like on a scale of raw power, I am leagues behind Garret... Why would he follow me?'

Into The Frey:

Deadly Predator, Deadly Prey:

This Time It's Personal:

The Dance of Fate:

Flitting by like pages in a book, Azix remembered rescuing Garret from prison, only to run into Zhi. Thrust into an invasion, Azix had gambled the dice with Lagi, but even more important, Garret supported him. Without the blue magician by his side, how would Azix have fared? Through countless trials, Garret had stuck by his side and the same could be said of Azix. Out of all the links in the spiderweb of fate, the two magicians had formed a bond, a partnership, a friendship. Together, they had aligned to build a better future.

Azix chuckled and shook his head, did it truly matter why Garret followed him? Whether the blue magician planned to use the orange magician as a stepping stone or not, Azix would still follow Garret down fate's path. He locked eyes with the onyx sprite and smirked, "Sorry, doll, but it'd take more than to convince me. His friendship is more important to me than that power. If he wants it, he can have it. Regardless of who wields it, we will be using it for the same cause."

He craned his neck left and right, before focusing back on the sprite and aiming his staff at her. His eyes hardened and his voice grew cold, "Now, where is Garret? 3...2..."

As the men were lost in their thoughts, it seemed as though the floating grin was watching them both and reading what they were thinking like an open book.

’It seems their bond is strong. Fate favors their actions, as well.’

As both men spoke aloud, the spell that had been isolating them shattered allowed each to hear the other man’s response to the test. The trust and loyalty between the two men seemed to strengthen when put under strain. The dark sprite stepped back with a seductive grin on her face, now visible to them both. She would wave behind her at the table containing the onyx pieces and her voice was similar to the sprite from the previous room, and just as incomprehensible. She would move behind the table and wave her hand over it, the two onyx pieces on the outside of the line disappearing. As she did this, the floating face would jump down from the darkness to reveal a rather chubby cat that would proceed to walk across the table. The cat offered the dark sprite a nod and she would spin around several times before shrinking down to the size of the normal sprites. With a dance similar to the one performed in the tent, her body would fizzle into rukh and be absorbed by the gem. The cat would then bat at the gem, knocking it closer to the two men, its voice echoing through the room again.

“You have been tested and judged. The path you shall take will be illuminated and the key will grant you access to what you seek. Do not expect the trials to be over.”

The fat feline would look toward one of the four doors, the one opposite the one they had entered now showing glowing runes to signal the next step in their journey. Once the men had gathered the key and went through the door, the vines supporting the island would give a creak of warning. They would have to run or fly to avoid the collapse of the massive suspended structure. Once they were away from the island, a final groan of protest would find the vines snapping and the island dropping into the swap far below with a massive splash and crunch of trees.

If they followed the path carved into the side of the sheer cliff wall, they would find no enemies to obstruct them as the saw the door in the distance. Two other paths seemed to converge on this one and if they were to look down them, they would see them filled with enemies. Had their test gone differently, either or both of those paths might have been their reward. But the strength of their loyalty would grant them a straight shot to the gateway to the next portion of the dungeon. They would, however, note that blocking the door were two Mature Tendril Growths, barring the path to the next area.

Mature Tendril Growths:

Azix's sudden appearance, and the words that Garret caught from him, only partially surprised the Blue Magician. Garret was, however, embarrassed at the scene the two had just made while standing next to each other the entire time. He put his sword away, scratching the back of his neck afterwards. The sprite attempted to garner the attention of the two, once again, but Garret steeled himself and ignored her.

He was about to speak up when a fat cat jumped down from above and explained that they had been tested and judged. He furrowed his brow at the words, partially upset until he recalled the words of that strange foreseeing hermit; Djinn had personalities of their own. He should have expected this to be the case as they went through the dungeons. As the gem was pawed over to their direction, Garret grasped it and looked over to Azix. "Ready? Lets continue."

When they went out of the door, Garret heard the groan of the island and turned to Azix. "Quickly! The carpet!" Once the two were aboard, Garret sat in the back once again. He watched as the gigantic island, which was once held suspended by the vines, tumbled through the air and into the water below. The resulting wave of water was impressive, and Garret wondered if that would provide the sprites respite in their constant fight against the various creatures such as the anaconda.

When they got to the door with the two tendrils, the Blue Magician swore under his breath. "These look a bit tougher than the ones from before. I'm going to try something out. Just get us over to that spot." Garret pointed towards a direction about seventeen meters away from the door and the two vines. Pointing his wand towards the ground, Garret spoke out his spell Water Dowsing. He angled the spell so that the trajectory of the resulting blast of water would knock the ground out from beneath the two plant creatures. Considering that it went fifteen meters deep, Garret was confident that it would knock the two creatures away, and wasn't very concerned about the pain that the spell would also inflict upon them due to all of the rocks crashing into them.

If the door looked like it had loosened to such a degree that it would fall as well, Garret prepared Water Manipulation Technique in order to manipulate the water that was around the door into drifting it towards them instead of falling down to the place below. In this situation, he would touch the door to activate it and go to the next stage alongside Azix.



OOC:

Magoi/Stamina: 160/300 or 150/300

Abilities Used:

As Azix spoke he noticed that Garret appeared at his side and shared an embarrased moment with the man. The sprite drew his attention to the table as a large cat leaped onto it. Similar to the sprites in the previous room, the onyx one shrunk and went into the gem. The cat instructed the men that they had been judged and gestured to the gem.

After grabbing the key, Azix nodded and followed Garret outside. When he heard the creaking noise, he was already pulling out the magic carpet from around his waist. Once the two men were aboard, Azix sped off to the tunnel that the vine was connected to. He glanced backwards when he heard a large splash admist the sound of trees cracking. Azix hoped that nothing important had been damaged.

Listening to Garret's instructions, Azix took the carpet over to where the man had pointed. Azix watched the blue magician use a spell to trap the two tendrils in a large hole. If the attempt was successful, Azix would approach cautiously to deliver a spell of his own. Using Solid Spear of Light, Azix created a fifteen meter long spear and launched it so that it would penetrate the hole Garret had created. The spear would deal burns to anything it touched as it plunged downward.

If the magicians had been successful in dealing with the Matured Tendril Growths, Azix would use the key he had received to open the door. "Was that the same spell that you used on Li Cao?"

[230/300 magoi]

Spoiler:

The damage to the Matured Tendril Growths would devastate the creatures and they would wither away. As Azix used the key and they both pushed open the door, they would find themselves transported to an eerie landscape. All around were crumbling rocks and chasms, crumbling buildings were all around and the entire area reeked of rotting organic matter and disease.


Visible in the about 30 meters ahead, they would see two groups of Plagued Ghouls ahead. Each group consisted of six apparitions, floating across the ground. Their noise of entry would draw the attention of the Ghouls and they would line up in the only direct path to the gate that led to the chamber. Though they were armed and ready for combat, they would not instigate the fight, instead standing there, at the ready should the two magicians wish to engage in combat.

Plagued Ghosts:

Behind the two lines of enemies, a tiny figure could be barely seen flitting back and forth before it grew to human size. A dark sprite would appear, just as beautiful as the other two, though this one made no attempt to seduce or make playful advances. Instead, she would appear sad and listless, haunted by something unknown.


The Ghouls appeared to be protecting her as they awaited the approach of the two men.

After he passed through the door, Azix found himself in another world. As opposed to the last two rooms that had traces of life mixed with nature, the room they were now in reeked of death. Rocks and buildings alike crumbled in a world tinged in a sickly green air. In the distance, Azix saw the decaying remains what looked like a once great city. "Strange...this place feels lifeless...and the smell."

Further into the room, Azix saw twelve figures floating across the ground. It seemed they had heard the two magicians arrive and formed up into two groups in a formation that seemed defensive, rather than offensive. As Azix studied the area around the Ghouls, his eyes located a flickering movement behind them. It took a moment to associate the movement with the sprites, just in time for it to grow to human size. Instead of being friendly or flirtatious, the sprite paid the magicians no attention as she looked off with a sad expression on her face.

So far, experience in this dungeon taught him that the Sprites were an essential part to solving the mysteries of each floor. Azix wanted to approach the sprite to offer her assistance, but he was hesitant because of the ghouls. While they had made no threatening gestures, they were clearly intent on defending the winged-humanoid and Azix was concerned that they would misconstrue his actions. Another thought crossed his mind at this point, what if the ghouls weren't guarding her for protection but because she was imprisoned. If that was the case, approaching the sprite would only get him and Garret attacked. Yet, the ghouls blocked the only path that would lead them further into this room.

Azix gripped his staff tight in his left hand and mumbled, "Crap! Garret, watch my back." Without giving the blue magician a chance to reply, Azix exhaled a deep breath and proceeded forward. Gambling that the ghouls were protecting the sprite from harm rather than escape, Azix slid his staff into his waist and walked with his palms up to show he meant to commit on violence.

If the ghouls did not attack, Azix would come to a halt when there was seventeen feet of space between him and the first row of them. "My name is Azix Niraj! I mean you no harm, do you need help, Little Dude?" Even if the sprite was human-sized, Azix couldn't help but use the nickname he gave the creatures. All that was left was to see how everyone would react.

Garret came in at the same time as Azix, and assessed the area around him. He first caught sight of the moving being; strange creatures, which did not seem to have any legs. The creatures were chained, yet those chains did not seem to effect their freedom of movement. Azix commented on the smell, which Garret could only wrinkle his nose to in response.

Doing his best to ignore it, he continued to be on the sharp lookout for any other things he could take in. Their arrival was not without notice, as the ghastly creatures began to line up in front of the gate. The Blue Magician couldn't help but catch sight of the Sprite that they lined up in front of, shoulder to shoulder, and he frowned. These sprites. They have appeared on several occasions. Much more than any of the other dungeon creatures. I wonder what their true significance is... Azix swore beneath his breath, grabbing Garret's attention as the Light Magician requested he watch his back for him. Garret hid his wand within his sleeve and walked behind the Marquis, taking up position a bit to the right of the man and behind by three steps.

When Azix made his approach, Garret kept his senses on full alert. A sixth sense of the hunter and the hunted would assist the intelligence operative, his life-long training and execution of watching out for trouble gave him the know-how and procedure for detecting approaching or hidden presences. Of course, a good deal of that attention was paid towards the ghouls who made a double line in front of them. The threat from them would be quite real if they decided on fighting, then and there, and Garret would need to back Azix up.


OOC:

Magoi/Stamina: 160/300

Profession used:

As the two magicians approached, the posture of the ghouls became stiffer, if at all possible, but they remained non-combative. When Azix spoke to the sprite, she gave him a woeful glance, but did not speak. One of the ghouls would move forward, sword held horizontally in front of him with the open hand resting atop the flat side of the blade. He would speak to Azix, though the question was truly for both of the men and the voice that came from the creature was completely flat, dead like everything else in the Necropolis.

“You have one final challenge, which you may go about in various ways. You may each choose to separately answer a question or two. Or you may attempt combat. The choice is yours.”

If the men chose combat, the 11 Ghouls guarding the sprite would immediately react by moving to circle the men while loosening a Ghostly Scream. If they chose the questions, the two groups would separate, one group moving to the left and summoning Azix while the other group would move to the right and summon Garret.

To Azix, they would ask two questions -

"Why do you want the power this dungeon offers and what will you do with it?"

To Garret, they would also ask two questions -

"Why do you follow this man and what are you willing to do to see that he succeeds in his goals?"

Either way, the sprite would remain in her position, looking listlessly around her as she listened intently to both conversations.

Garret awaited Azix's choice to go with the questions.  When the choice was made, he listened to the two questions that were asked of him. The first of which was why he followed Azix, and the second of which was what he was willing to do to see his success in his goals. These questions threw the Magician off guard at first, though he was beginning to have a grasp on understanding the theme of this dungeon's... 'tests'. The creatures here seemed to be testing their beliefs. Though what criteria they were using in that judgement was unknown to the man, he still decided to take a moment to think on the question.

This was entirely due to the difficulty of explaining the relationship between the intelligence operative and the Marquis. They had worked together for some time, and Garret had watched Azix's growth and changes. It was a positive and bright, his latest actions, like the sun. It was very much different from the work Garret was used to. He had been taught that the only way to create a world of good was to control it with power. "To create a harmonious world... No. That's not quite it. I follow him because he has helped me; because he was there to keep me from straying from my path, when I was confused. Because I trust him to do the same for others. And because I believe it will cascade. That light will draw in other lights, and together I feel we will be able to tackle any sort of obstacle." The answer came out slowly. Garret was used to motivations being placed in logic, yet these motivations existed due to the Light Magician's charisma. To the intrinsic qualities that created the man.

The second question wasn't as hard. "As for what I am willing to do, to see that he succeeds? I will be there, to guide him back on the right track if he loses his way. To help shoulder the burdens he cannot carry alone. To stand beside him, against opposition, great or small. Or is that not specific enough?" He carefully watched the reaction of the ghouls, unsure as to how they would take it.

While the listless sprite made no attempts to answer, one of the ghouls did. While holding their blade in a manner that reflected a willingness to fight if need be, the ghost offered both magicians the choice to answer questions or attempt combat. The ghoul's haunting voice sent a shiver down the orange magician's spine, but he tried his best to hide it. Since Azix appreciated more diplomatic means than fighting, his choice was obvious. "I accept a challenge of words."

Azix was led to one side, while the Spymaster was led to another where they wouldn't be able to overhear each other's answers. With a pack of six ghoulish figures surrounding him, Azix was a bit nervous. The Ghoul's questions didn't quite surprise Azix after the previous challenges the dungeon had thrown their way, but he still did not have an answer prepared. Not wanting the ghouls to think he believe he deserved power, Azix took a moment to gather his thoughts.

What was power to the Marquis? Raised amongst the nobility of Kou, Azix had seen his fair share of political power. That kind of power could be ruinous to a man without a set of ideals to hold himself to. Many Nobles had proven that, using their positions to vie for a higher position and sacrificing others along the way. Azix had also seen the physical power that warriors held and how it could devastate those that were weaker. He had also seen the power of mental bondage, something he had experienced in his younger years and to a greater degree from his work removing slavers. The Twisted Sisters especially had used nefarious means to break a person down to their base instincts, no longer man but animal, living on desire and pleasing whoever held 'ownership' over them.

Azix found that he viewed power as a dangerous tool that could consume someone if they weren't careful. His experiences with Manius had certainly taught him that. Drunk with power and full of regret, Azix had went beyond his duties to humiliate the Fanalis' fiance.

Then came the question of what he would use the power for. He reflected on what he valued most in his life and everything he had worked for since coming to Reim. Once Garret and Ariella had helped guide him down a path where he could accept himself and his past, Azix had changed. He had fought for those too weak to fight for themselves, those who were stigmatized for the rank they had been born into, amongst many other injustices.

When Azix stirred from his contemplations, the magician's eyes shimmered with an intesity that reflected his resolve. "I seek power, not for myself, but for others. No, that is not exactly true. I do seek power for myself, but so I can be strong enough to fight those with power that have grown corrupt and complacent to the needs of those they swore to help. I seek power to shoulder the weight of other's burdens, to help them improve their lot in life so they can live in peace. I seek power to create a better future for all, free of the bondage of the caste system where equality is more important than blood."

Azix turned his head to look through the ghouls to wear Garret stood and a small smile crept onto his face. "I seek power so I can fight to protect those I care about and those who lack the power to fight for themselves. I seek power because there are those that believe in me and my ideals, those who I trust to watch over me and make sure the power does not corrupt me. That is why I want power and how I would use it. Without power, how can I hope to change the world? There are those stronger than me who would oppose me at every turn and if I failed to stand up to them, who else would fight for these ideals?"

He finished speaking and exhaled softly, wondering if he was right to ask for such responsibility. Azix had to trust that Garret, Ariella, the Grumptoes, the workers from the Workforce Program, and anyone else who counted on him, were right to place their faith in him. He had the support behind him to fight for what he believed in, but would the ghouls accept these ideals?

The ghouls stood and listened to both of the men, the sprite in the background keeping a careful ear on their responses. Once both men had answered, one ghoul from each group would turn to look to the sprite, who would give a slight nod.

The ghouls returned to their earlier formation with a clink of chains and a waft of putrid air. The original ghoul would move forward, addressing both of the men.

“Your answers have been judged as true. We will provide you the key to the Chamber of Cimeies. Your trial is almost over.”

With those words, he would approach the sprite, holding up a glittering diamond. The listless, forlorn sprite would give a sigh before lifting off the ground and shrinking, following the pattern of the two previous rooms by engaging in a rapid dance that ended with her essence spiraling into the diamond. Once complete, the ghoul would return to the two magicians, dropping the diamond into Azix’ hand. Their task complete, they would let out a screech that almost held a tone of relief that echoed through the entire area before all of the ghouls in the deadened city would vanish in a puff of dust.

The pathway to the Chamber was clear. When the men approached the door, they would find a slot in the door similar to the last two, this one shaped like the diamond the ghoul had provided to Azix. All that was left was to insert the ‘key’ into the slot and push the door open.

Once Azix had provided his answer, one of the ghouls looked to the sprite who would nod without expending too much energy. The melancholy that hung around the winged-humanoid made him frown. What was this Tiny Dudes story? Why was she so sad? These questions would not be answered as the ghouls moved back into their original position before the sprite. One of the ghouls stepped forward and declared that both magician's answers had been accepted. The ghoul held up a diamond and as before, the sprite began a dance which ended with the sprite turning to Rukh to be absorbed by the crystalline structure.

The ghoul stepped forward and placed the diamond in Azix's hands. The orange magician watched the sickly green light reflect off the glittering gem before looking up to the strange creature. With a slight bow, he watched as the ghouls dissolve into dust, leaving the two magicians alone. Azix looked to the spymaster and held up the diamond, "I wonder what the correlation between the sprites and the gems are. They must have some purpose..."

Shrugging, Azix gestured for Garret to follow and proceeded to the door. Azix gazed at the crumbling architecture and wondered if the scenery was modeled after some distant land or what it meant. He fit the diamond into the indentation and pushed open the door.

Garret watched as the strange dance of the sprites was performed, once again, infusing a diamond gem with its life force. Garret narrowed his eyes as the sprite seemed to have done it against its will, as if it had no other choice. Still, they had to press on. One of the ghouls brought the gem to Azix, dropping it into his hand. Garret winced as the ghouls let out a screech, the sound had an air of finality within it, before they all vanished. They had only left a pile of dust in their wake. Again, Garret wondered as to how this dungeon was created, even as he prepared to approach the door ahead of them.

It was right before they approached the door that Azix asked Garret a question that was similar to the line of thought the Blue Magician was having. "I'm unsure... Though we could always ask the Djinn, at the end of the dungeon, when we meet him or her." After answering Azix's question the two men moved forward to the door. Azix pushed the door open, and Garret followed the man to the next room...

When the men entered the Chamber, they found a desolate swamp wasteland, with large bones and deadened trees protruding from the murky waters. A wicked wind that reeks of death streaks across the desert. To the north, a sickly green light pierces into the heavens above through the roof of a small tower with a crumbling roof. The area would appear barren, but only for a moment as, from between the trees about 50 meters ahead of them, with a roar a three-headed Venomous Hydra appeared.

Venomous Hydra:

With another roar of contempt, it would move rapidly across the sands towards the two men, not intending to give them a chance to react, striking out with a basic bite as soon as it was within range of the two men, one head striking at each man as the middle head would loosen a threatening hiss.

Azix found himself once again in the middle of a swamp, littered with bones of fallen creatures much larger than the magician. Trees, devoid of life raised out of the waters throughout the bog. He hardly had time to notice the tower to the north, or the sickly green light that rose from it before a loud roar pierced the air. A large three-headed snake appeared, nearly half the length of the Rampaging Unicorn he had faced, but just as terrifying.

It charged towards the two magicians at a surprising speed, intent on killing them. Azix twirled his staff in his hand before aiming it at the Venomous Hydra and mumbling a series of commands to the Rukh. A film of magoi formed around his body as he stared the creature down. "Try to get around it, Garret. I'll try to keep him distracted."

Azix waited until the Venomous Hydra began to lash out before releasing his Clear spell. The film of magoi quickly expanded outwards towards the approaching snake with bone-breaking force. When the spell activated, the orange magician began using his special Crazy Horse technique to grow his hair. While it grew, Azix directed it like a spear towards the Venomous Hydra behind his spell. His hair would pierce through the creature, dealing devastating damage if it hit. Azix was hoping that his attacks, backed by the damage they packed would draw the Hydra's attention on him, giving Garret the time to get into position to deliver his own. From the Ghoul's words earlier, this creature should be the final test. The power of the Djinn was close at hand.

[160/300 magoi]

Spoiler:

Garret took note of the large creature that had made its appearance. He recalled facing off against the Rampaging Unicorn, yet at that time he only had to worry about one mouth. The thought of the unicorn gave the blue Magician an idea, however, and it was one that he was interested in taking action on. The first half second had passed, and Azix had given him orders to try to get around it. Garret immediately followed those orders, attempting to dash away from Azix and to the right. Another second had passed, and Garret gained momentum, but had only traveled about three meters.

Time seemed to slow down for the Magician, as he watched the Venemous Hydra approach the two. Another second passed, and Garret's moment brought him a total of eight meters away from the other Magician, and his wand, Kuroi Shimo, in his left hand. At the same time, however, the Venemous Hydra had made it to the two of them. Its speed was incredible; Garret only had the opportunity to move eight meters in that short time frame, yet the Hydra had moved fifty meters with what seemed to be little effort.

Garret took note that it moved in to strike out at the Magician. The right timing was critical, something Garret knew as he jumped up and above the Hydra's head with River Styx Style: Stepping Stones. It was a narrow dodge, partially due to how large the snake's head was, at two and a half meters, but also due to Garret wanting to have cut it close. He clashed with the beast's attack, sending out River Styx Style: Ikken Hissatsu: Deep Sea Harpoon straight below him, thrusting into the individual snake head's cranium. He would use the one of the remaining jumps in order to push himself off of the snake's head and three meters further down the creature's body, while reserving the very last of the three jumps for dodging what he determined to be an attack of equal speed.


OOC:

The size of the head was given to me OOC by the DM of the dungeon.

Magoi/Stamina: 100/300

Abilities Used:

As one of the heads snapped at Azix, the Clear spell rebuffed the attempt and dealt it a bit of damage and the middle head took quick note of the hair coming in its direction. Its tail lashed out with a Parrying Tail to block the massive damage. Meanwhile, the head attacking Garret would find its fangs snapping at air as the blue magician stepped on its head, delivering a blow directly into the skull, making the middle head roar out, “Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.”

Blood would begin pouring from the wound in its skull, a strange vapor releasing rapidly, Plagued Blood filling the air with a plagued mist.

Venomous Hydra:

Angrily, the middle head would strike at Garret with Plagued Bite as the head nearest to Azix would attempt the same Plagued Bite before its tail would swing towards the light magician with Whomping Tail, intending a crippling blow. If the blow landed, it would likely knock Azix into a tree. The third head hung useless after the damage it sustained from Garret, it would no longer be able to use Triple Play.

[Damage sustained: B-tier from Clear and A-tier from Ikken Hissatsu: Deep Sea Harpoon, Damage still needed to take down: 2 A, 1 B]

"Tsk." The Venomous Hyrda was a creature built for quick powerful attacks and the intelligence to handle combat. While it had taken the magician's strength magic spell, it had blocked the ultimate hair attack with its tail. Without warning, the triple-headed snake beast lashed out with its head in a whip-like manner to deliver a Plagued Bite to Azix. Without time to react, his Borg flared up to take the damage and Azix took a step back. While he sustained his Clear spell, the Venomous Hydra attempted to smack the magician with its Whomping Tail, but it would meet a wall of force. The snake's attack would crush through the wall and slam into Azix's Borg.

Azix grit his teeth as the Venomous Hydra's tail shattered his instinctual shield into glittering fragments. With Crazy Horse sustained, he directed the growth of his hair to pierce into the Hydra's tail, or failing that, its body. Not finished, Azix followed up by forming the tip of his Staff of Refractions into a Solid Spear of Light. The spear stretched ten meters long and three meters wide before being launched at the creature's body. Azix aimed it on a course that would avoid Garret. The spell would be able to pierce easily through bone while burning tissues and muscles, cauterizing the wounds.

With the back of his free hand, Azix wiped the sweat from his brow. Expelling so much magoi in such a short period of time was starting to take its toll. Thankfully, Garret looked to be making headway, one head was injured.

[80/300]

Spoiler:

Garret's immediate jump away from the spot he had inflicted the wound from before had had allowed him to avoid the harm that would come from the mist that came from the creature. Even still, the Plagued Bite was far too fast for Garret to move out of the way of. The creature caught the magician in its mouth, but Garret's Borg flared up and took the brunt of the attack. The creature's jaw could not close shut, and the attack itself nearly jarred the wand from the magician's hand. But that was an integral part of Garret's idea, which just now had the opportunity to bloom, and so the Magician had made certain to hold his wand tightly.

Leveling Kuroi Shimo at the beast, Garret gathered forth the magoi necessary and cast Ice Explosion. The meter sized ball formed at a fast rate and was sent down the beast's open throat. That was only the first part of Garret's plan, however, and the second part took place immediately afterward; the snake's mouth was open, and its teeth had been baring down upon Garret's Borg. Less than a second had passed since the attack struck the Magician, who formed the ball of ice and burst it down the beast's throat. Garret sustained River Styx Style: Ikken Hissatsu: Deep Sea Harpoon, piercing the creature's head from the inside while simultaneously dashing out of its mouth.  He was unsure of whether or not the explosion would be enough to defeat all three heads, and so had garnered insurance for that by attempting to take out this second head as well. Just a moment later a large explosive sound would be heard as the Ice Explosion went off and dealt massive interior damage to the creature's body.

Garret's the 'dash' was much less a dash, and much more of a stumble. The adrenaline of the fight had given Garret that 'go-go-go' push to fight the creature, yet the exhaustion of the dungeon's trials had begun to wear down upon him. He was gasping for breath, and he soon realized that he had been sweating; his mind thought, for a moment, how amusing it was that he had not even noticed it before. Focused on the fight, minor things such as that were lost to his awareness. He worked hard to not stumble while he attempted to steer clear of any poisonous clouds.


OOC:

Magoi/Stamina: 40/300
Damage Taken: Definitely 1 B-Tier and 1 D-Tier to the Borg.
-Mind you, Magoi/Stamina was at 60 when I used my Magoi Manipulation, which is why I didn't take the C-Tier internal damage that happens when you use it at 50 or below.
-Due to low magoi/stamina, I am suffering from exhaustion and half move speed. My 'dash' was, therefore, only at 1.5 m/s instead of 3.

Ice Explosion is cast under the impression that since it is exploding from within the body of the creature, the creature takes the entirety of the damage. If the spell it not completely absorbed by the creature, Garret would not have cast the spell. Garret would know whether or not this was possible due to having fought the Rampaging Unicorn and using the attack in the same manner.

Abilities Used:

As the Hydra’s rage-fueled attacked struck out, it successfully destroyed the Borg of the light magician but it did not succeed in knocking the man back, the Clear spell and the Borg absorbing all of the damage, though the magician was now defenseless. The Hydra would not have the chance to take advantage of this as Crazy Horse pierced into its body, dealing significant damage, which was followed by the Solid Spear of Light, making it roar out in pain.

When the middle head struck out at Garret, it got a mouthful of Borg that it tried to bite through. It was not expecting the spell being shoved down its throat. The Ice Explosion traveled down its throat to its organs before exploding and dealing vicious amounts of damage to its internal organs before Garret dealt the final blow with Deep Sea Harpoon. With a last cry in its death throes, the Hydra went limp, the incredible amount of damage the two magicians had put out eviscerating the guardian of the Chamber.

The men would need to move quickly to avoid the plagued mist rising from the defeated body of the creature or risk being infected by its final send-off gift. If they made their way north to the broken tower with sickly green light emitting from the top, they would find the final door between them and the master of the Dungeon. On the door of the dilapidated tower they would find three slots, matching the shapes of the gems they had obtained in each of their trials. It seemed all three gems would be needed to open the final door. Once the gems were inserted, a noise would sound that was the door unlocking before the gems would fall back out of the door and it would swing open.

Inside of the broken tower, they would find only a single chair, with an occupant. Seated in the chair would be Cimeies, master of the Dungeon, the Djinn of Plague and Pestilence.

With the Venomous Hydra defeated, Azix noticed the green mist roiling from its wounds. He looked to the blue magician and noticed the man's fatigue. With a flick of his wrist, he unraveled his magic carpet and hopped on, speeding towards Garret. When he got close, Azix offered his fellow magician a hand on board. "That was some good work, I'll take it from here." Azix winked, "I owe you a drink after this." While he realized Garret didn't often partake of drink, Azix thought it was the only way he might be able to hug the Spymaster.

When Garret was safely on board, Azix turned the carpet away from the plague mist and towards the broken tower with the sickly green beacon. Flying over the stagnant bog water, they made it to the door. The orange magician noticed three indentations on the door and he produced three matching gems from his pocket. Once he placed them in the correct slots, the door unlocked and the gems fell back into his hand. Azix spared a glance to Garret before swinging open the door.

Inside, Azix found an odd looking man sitting on a lone chair. Two horns protruded from his head and his skin was as green as the tunic he wore underneath a fur coat. The orange magician was quite surprised to have not found a sprite, the Little Dudes had seemed a theme of the Dungeon, thus far.  Having never met a Djinn before, Azix would not recognize the being before him for who he was. Instead, the orange magician assumed they were being faced with another test.

Since the being had not displayed hostility, Azix gave a partial bow before the man, "Greetings, my name is Azix Niraj."

The battle with the beast had certainly taken its toll, and Garret stumbled as the beast began to fall to the ground. He didn't have the luxury of looking at their handiwork. Though he was certainly curious as to what the beast's state actually was, the wounds from the creature let out a strange mist. A mist which he had noted from earlier, and which he did his best to escape. Yet his speed wasn't at its finest, and it wasn't until Azix came by on the carpet that Garret was able to get away at a decent pace. The Blue magician was exhausted, and his heavy breathing revealed as much. He sat down cross-legged, listening as Azix offered to buy him a drink and shook his head. "That was one hell of a fight. I was lucky you distracted it enough to make the victory possible."

Garret watched as Azix lead them to a glowing beacon at a broken tower. Luckily they were in no immediate danger, and Garret was able to keep pace with Azix while the two walked and Azix opened the door. Garret followed suit with Azix's bow, watching the being before them to see what it would ask of them. At this point, Garret's breath had fully recovered. The only issue was his body was feeling quite sluggish, and he doubted it would move at its best for him.

Cimeies would arch a brow as the two men entered and offered him a bow. He would stand and return the bow with a slightly amused look before his voice boomed out around the barren room.

“Greetings. I am Cimeies and this is my dungeon. I commend you on making it this far. I am assuming you have passed the trials, as you unlocked the door and did not break it down. If I may, I would like the key-gems back, if only for a bit. I will answer questions in a moment, but first, I would like the information those gems hold.”

He would slowly approach Azix, no sign of a weapon on the Djinn, the typical blue of a djinn a sickly mixture of blue and plague green, with the only signs of true blue being the markings on his skin. Noting their exhausted appearance, he would wave his hand, a slight green tinge filling the air around them. The two magicians would notice they felt slightly refreshed after the spell from Cimeies. Once that was done, he would hold out his hand for the gems the men had been gathering through the rooms.  

Assuming Azix would hand the gems over, Cimeies would head back to his chair, holding up the first gem, the emerald. He would murmur quietly to the gem and from it would rise a small mist that would coalesce into the four sprites from the first room. They would titter and twirl in a circle before, in the middle of them, a fifth sprite would appear and then grow, revealing herself as the sprite from the tent that had bestowed them each with kisses. Cimeies would focus his attention as she chattered excitedly to him, gesturing to the magicians and then continuing her indecipherable tale. When Cimeies nodded, she would step back, twisting slightly to look at Garret and offer a wink.

Cimeies would then hold up the onyx, repeating the same ritual. This time, from the mist would arise the sprite from the floating island. She, too, grew to human size, chattering to the Djinn while running a hand down the side of his face. He would distractedly move her hand away, not in a cruel way, but he meant to focus clearly on her tale. He hummed at the end of it and she moved back, next to the first sprite, looking to Azix with a seductive pout and blew him a kiss.

With only the diamond remaining, the ritual would be repeated once more and the woeful sprite from the third room would materialize and grow. For the first time, they would hear her listless, sad chatter, whatever she was saying shorter and lacking the excitement the other two had shared. Cimeies would listen to her story before leaning forward to kiss her brow gently and direct her to the other two sprites. With the story told, he would move back in front of the magicians with a serious face.

“My sprites have told me of your adventures and trials. Antha could not say enough of your kindness for rescuing her fellow sprites, moving without thought to defend those you thought defenseless. Vix made your loyalty to each other very clear, though she was disappointed with not being able to seduce either of you. Shel told me of what you wished my power for, and how you intend to use it. I applaud you both.”

Directing his next words to Azix, his tone was hard but not unkind.

“You are the one that seeks my power. You are driven, compassionate, loyal and dedicated. I must warn you. I have been alone for a very long time. These sprites were my only company. I do not trust easily and I am not fond of the idea of sharing a King Candidate with another Djinn. This is not to say I won’t, but I do ask that you remember, each of us has been in isolation aside from our own world for a very long time. Do not abandon one, just because you obtained another. If you have a preferred vessel for me, then momentarily, I will attend to you. Otherwise, you may choose from the treasury, any item you desire.”

He would wave a hand and the previously barren tower was covered in riches, gold, jewelry and weapons scattered about. As he let Azix sort out his feelings on the matter and decide on a vessel if he so chose to take the power, Cimeies would turn to Garret with an arched brow.

“You are an interesting individual, human. Very loyal, very dedicated. I am pleased that my prospective Candidate has one such as you at his side. Antha also has wonderful things to say about you. Now, for your dedication and performance in this dungeon, I offer you a choice. Would you be his shield, to protect him from incoming adversity? Would you be his wand, destroying his opposition before it comes close? Or would you rather be at his side, deflecting his enemies in a more subtle manner?  You choice will decide what I offer to you as a prize.”

With another wave of his hand, between he and Garret would appear a table with three items on it. One, a small round shield, the second a wand, the third a whip. Stepping back, he would allow Garret the time to contemplate his decision.

“You both have done much and fought hard, think on your decisions carefully. If there is anything you would ask of me, you are welcome to, though I must warn you that time is short. Soon, this dungeon will crumble, now that you have reached me.”

He would wait, standing stoically as the three sprites came to stand behind him, Antha and Vix standing at each side as they stared at the two magicians, while Shel simply knelt at Cimeies’ feet, wanting only to be close to the Djinn.

Garret listened to the introduction of the Djinn. He was at a loss for words; part of him was half expecting them to, in the end, reach an empty chamber with only riches. Even though that old man was said to know everything, Garret had not believed that to be the hard truth. Especially considering the strange hallucinogenic drugs that the old man had burning in that log cabin. Yet here it was, the Djinn that was spoken of some months back. The Djinn made its way towards Azix, and Garret carefully watched the being's movements. He didn't appear to be armed, nor did he appear to be threatening. In fact, a short moment after he stood before Azix there was a refreshing feeling that came from a spell the Djinn had cast. Cimeies awaited the delivery of the gems from Azix.


Garret watched the events before him transpire, moderately curious about the inner workings of the Djinn's power. He understood that within the dungeon the Djinn had an abnormal control over things, though outside of the dungeon the power one could derive from such beings was often tied directly to that Djinn's nature. The first sprite spoke to the Djinn, and seemed excited about speaking its story, though Garret did not understand what the creature was saying. The Magician cleared his throat and adjusted his collar when the sprite winked his way. He waited patiently for the Djinn to finish his correspondence with the three Sprites.


Cimeies went on to explain that while he would not begrudge the Magician another Djinn, he would be dissatisfied with being left to the side if such a thing were to happen. This solved a question Garret had thought upon earlier; whether or not one was able to obtain a second Djinn. He wondered, idly, if Azix was going to try for more than just one.


It was then that Cimeies began to speak to Garret directly. There was praise from the Djinn, and Garret bowed slightly. Garret's first instinct was to play down the positive words directed towards him. The instinct was the product of a combination of his predisposition to be critical on himself; something that sometimes came across as him being humble, and the training of always hiding your true capabilities. He consciously fought that instinct and bit his tongue, in the figurative sense, simply accepting what the Djinn had said. The thought that the sprite, 'Antha', had things to say about him slightly intrigued the Magician. Perhaps he could find out why the creature had treated him differently than she had Azix. That line of thought was temporarily delayed as the Djinn asked him a question, and provided him a choice of three objects. The words the Djinn spoke gave Garret pause. Each option was viable; each role, a role that Garret had played for Azix in the past. He knew the objects were being offered in the capacity of a prize, and therefore understood that his decision didn't need to be made with the words the Djinn spoke in mind. He carefully considered the options before him, glancing up when the Sprites moved to Cimeies' side. While Azix was out of earshot, Garret shot a question to the Djinn. "So... What kind of... things.... did.. Antha say?" At the same time he had asked the question, he had also made his decision on which item he would choose. In a slightly louder voice, Garret spoke up. "I'll choose the shield, I believe." He rested his hand upon the edge of the shield, feeling its texture.