Shrouded Isle: Forgotten Knowledge [Event/Kill Viable]

The Guardian Golem's(A) fist was blocked before it could crush the two women, allowing them a second to scatter like ants. Ayero attempted to maneuver behind the Golem, but the distance and size of the creature put her at its side instead. She moved quick enough that she was able to land a punch one of its legs, sending several small cracks throughout it, before it noticed where she had went. With her new position in mind, the Guardian Golem slammed its fist down to crush Ayero like a bug.

Meanwhile, Ariella conjured a slime construct to intercept Guardian Golem(B). The spell would bounce harmlessly off the Golem's Guardian Armor as the creature settled its sights on the purple-haired magician. In retaliation, the Golem began drawing on its access to strength magic to form a wall. Before the creature's magic could be released, a bolt of lightning struck down just behind it. An explosion of electricity hit the Guardian Golem with enough force to cause it to burst into a hail of small rocks.

---

Now that they were inside what had once been a great temple, Tyrus began spewing orders to the other archaeologists. They were instructed to break off into pairs and begin documenting any artifacts or documents that could be found. There were etchings in the wall, written in a foreign script, some faded but most could still be traced. Amid the strange writings were drawings of runes, depicting powerful spells combining multiple types of magic.

Tyrus also instructed Neo and Noir to sweep the building ahead of his archaeologists, in case there were enemies inside. Exploring the two-story temple, they would find nothing else inside, except enough artifacts and wall etchings to keep a team of twenty archaeologists busy for a week. Thankfully, Tyrus and his men moved at a hurried pace, copying the drawings and foreign script onto the scrolls they had brought with an efficiency that spoke highly of their training. With no visible threats around, Tyrus would ask Neo and Noir to look over the runes and copy them down.

If the two magicians accepted the task, they would be given spare quills and parchment. The first thing they would notice is that the spells the runes depicted were built with an incredible complexity. The knowledge necessary to create such spells would be intimidating to even the most knowledgeable magicians of current times. The more they analyzed the runes, however, they would begin to grasp a basic understanding behind each one. If they paid close attention as they copied them down, the magicians would begin to notice a pattern. Neo and Noir would notice that the runes along the southern wall described a power source, utilizing mostly life and lightning magic. Along the western wall, the runes described how to create a powerful barrier, combining mostly strength, water, and wind. The eastern wall was dedicated to spells that, when combined, would make a massive object float. How these huge spells worked would be beyond Neo and Noir's skill level, requiring proper time to research each one in full detail.

While the magicians worked, the archaeologists chattered among themselves. "This script is the Torran language! Can you believe it? This is the first site that has contained so much evidence!"

At one corner of the temple, Tyrus leaned over a man's shoulder to take a closer look at a section of the wall. Tyrus was suddenly thankful Illius had forced him to spend so many hours learning the Torran language. He was no where near as proficient at the dead language as the old man, but Tyrus was able to decode it, if given some time to pick it apart. "This mentions a realm hidden behind a great rift...Cathargo. I believe it’s talking about the Dark Continent, but I might be wrong. It says something about the Red Lions, but it doesn't explain what they are." He continued reading until someone called him to look at another section of the wall.

---

OOC: Please post in 48 hours. No posting order.

”Combat Details”:

Inside of the ruin was truly a heaven for all the knowledge seekers as there was so many etchings in the wall that could led them into something. Noir saw some writings but couldn’t read it and assumed that it was a very old language; she took a mental note about the writing and will learn about it more when she got back… alive. It was strange that no threat was around while they were exploring the temple and Noir was not sure when Tyrus asked her and Neo to copy the runes down since if they did that, no one will be on guard. But on the second thought, she changed her mind due to her curiosity about the knowledge and decided to help the archeologist to copy down the runes.

Tyrus gave them spare quill and parchment and thus began Noir’s attempt to copy down the runes. As she went from the western wall, western wall and moved into the eastern wall, Noir noticed about the complexity of the spells, it described three magic combination that was very complex and there was no way for Noir to use nor fully understanding about the magic process. She was excited to see those runes and determined to learn more about it even though her emotionless face didn’t show it. She kept quiet until she heard the archeologist chattered among themselves, revealing the script that was written in Torran language. Torran language… that ancient language…? Noir started to stepped back and saw the walls from 4 meters back, she began to doubt about everything as she kept looking at the walls with a widened eyes and beginning to think about another possibilities that she kept to herself. What if… this knowledge was shouldn’t mean to be found… Maybe that “witch” is protecting this knowledge but why… what if— She stopped thinking when she heard Tyrus mentioned about the Dark Continent and also the Red Lions, wondered if the magic or knowledge had something to do with that area and creature. With that, Noir started to approach the western wall again and tried to find for another clue.

Ari grinned when she saw the Guardian Golem crumble to the ground, quickly turning to see how Ayero was fairing. When she saw the fists preparing to crash down again, Ari shouted out to her friend, throwing herself between the Golem’s attack and the warrior woman.

“AYERO!”

The fists of the Golem came crashing down on her borg, the mystical barrier cracking and shattering under the weight of the Golem’s attack but leaving her and Ayero unscathed. The action had knocked the red haired woman back and away from the creature and Ari wasted no time in murmuring to her staff, the rukh reacting instantly to reform the Slime behind the Golem, the sludgy construct bouncing to slam against the Golem’s rocky flesh. As the Slime assaulted the guardian, Ari backed up as quick as her feet would carry her, hoping to put distance between her and the stone creature. Shooting a glance to Ayero, she nodded to the creature.

“Slice it up, Red!”



[Magoi 180/350]
[Attacking Golem A with a Slime from the back. Borg broken.]
[Cool-downs:
Thorny Overgrowth – 1 posts
Electric Wall – 1 posts
Slime  - 7 posts
Lightning Strike – 6 posts]

Abilities Used:

Shortly after her fist made contact with the Golem’s rocky body, the creature’s own fist began to descend upon the redhead. Mind working quickly, Ayero scrambled to block the incoming appendage with sword or limb. But before she had the chance to do so, a cry of her name sounded followed by a body blocking the Golem’s fist. Unable to react in time, Ayero’s eyes widened as Ari’s borg flared up, simultaneously pushing her back a few meters and blocking the assault.

The Fanalis woman blinked a few times and steadied herself as the magician shot off a wad of slime towards their opponent. Shaking off the last of her shock, Ayero lifted her gaze to see Tomato hovering several meters overhead. The corners of Ayero’s mouth tilted upwards in a grin as she whistled for the bird while charging head first towards the Golem. At the same time, Tomato dove downwards and swooped in front of the creature’s face, flapping her wings and twittering while zipping around to draw it’s attention. During this time, Ayero delivered two slashes to the side of the beast. As she finished and pulled away, Tomato would also pull away and fire off two feathers toward the rocky creature.

[Stamina: 150/290]
[Ammo: 13/15]

CD:
-Feather Storm- 2 posts
-Simple Block- 2 posts
-Swift Roll- 2 posts

----------------
Magoi: 170/250
Cool-Downs:

• Nemesis Sol - 1 Post

The Guardian Golem looked down in irritation to notice the purple-haired magician had prevented him from creating a Fana-pancake. It let out a deep grumbling noise as it prepared to attack Ariella, but before the beast was able to raise its fist, a slime-construct flashed into existence. The Golem's Guardian Armor protected it from the assault, but a flurry of movement distracted it. A bird fluttering near the Golem's face gave Ayero the time necessary to land two quick slashes against the earthen creature's leg. The damage was enough to knock the Golem off balance, causing it to tumble down and crumble into dirt and bits of rocks.

With the final Golem struck down, Ariella and Ayero would be able to climb the hill to enter the ancient temple. Inside, they would overhear Tyrus mentioning the Dark Continent and Red Lions. The archaeologist turned, noticing their entrance and gave them an apologetic look. "Sorry to leave you on your own back there, but this is fascinating information."

If Ariella took the time to study the runes etched into the wall, she would be able to note their complexity. Like Neo and Noir, she could also notice that each wall contained information relating to a separate theme, each spell the foundation to a larger, more powerful spell, however she could also notice they were all connected by a thread of life magic that tied to the power source.

In a deeper corner of the temple, one of the novice scribes found a figure of an owl carved out of stone on a shelf. When he lifted it up to take a closer look, the release of weight triggered a section of a nearby wall to slide down, a hidden door that led further into the temple. The scraping of stone on stone reverberated through the temple, startling the other archaeologists.

Tyrus rushed over when he heard the noise and walked through the secret passage into a large room, its ceiling still intact. The room was lit by candles, which the magicians would be able to note were powered by the island's magic. Along the walls were shelves that were lined with scrolls that showed their age, the edges frayed. If they were handled with care, they could be slowly unwound to find passages written in the Torran language.

Tyrus walked to the nearest shelf and began examining the scrolls, displaying great care while handling them. His eyes lit up as he began reading, "Jackpot! These are the annals of a group of magicians who lived on this island a long time ago. I'll need some time to find out more." He ordered his crew to split their efforts, half continuing to document the runes and script on the wall in the previous rooms, and the other half collecting important scrolls they found on the shelves.

While Tyrus and his men worked, the treasure-hunters could explore more of the temple. There was a door on each wall, leading to different areas of the temple. The left door contained a passageway with a few dozen bedrooms connecting to it. It would be clear that no one had occupied them in quite some time. In some of the bedrooms, they would also see traces of dried blood. The door to the right, contained another passageway that led to a dining room and small kitchen. The dining room's walls were stained a rusty color from long dried blood.

The door parallel to the hidden entrance, opened up into a small circular room with stairs cut into the stone that spiraled around as they descended into darkness.

---

OOC: Please post in 48 hours. No posting order

Ari breathed a sigh of relief as the Guardian Golem crumbled to the ground at last, shooting Ayero a grateful smile before they followed the rest of the group into the Ruins. They entered just in time to hear Tyrus talking about the Dark Continent. As fascinating as the information was, Ari was more interested in the ruins and text scattered along the walls. The complexity was far beyond even her knowledge, though she was able to pick out some of the more common runes and calculations. The age of the magical scribbles was apparent, pre-dating any of her general studies. She felt a pang of yearning to share this all with Azix, but she knew the chances of ever being able to safely return to the island were slim.

When Tyrus went rushing to investigate the sound of stones scraping, she scrambled to follow, frowning at him recklessly entering a room without allowing them to make sure it was clear first. Luckily, the room seemed to be clear of any dangers and Ari found herself looking over Tyrus’ shoulder to investigate his findings. The language was foreign to her, but she recognized it from the orb she had carried for a short period. So the old inhabitants of the island were connected to the Torran people, hmm? She looked around the room, in a magical wonderland. Deciding to investigate around a bit, she noted a door, close to the entrance of the hidden room. Pulling it open, she noticed there a stairwell headed down into the ruins. Right now, she wanted to make sure the entry level was secure and gather any information she could on the ancient magics.

Glancing to her fellow adventurers, she almost whispered out in reverence for the knowledge that must be stored.

“I am going to look around here for a bit, make sure everything is secure. We should look around a bit, but a couple of us should make sure nothing comes popping out of the stairs.”

Leaving the others to figure out where they wanted to head, Ari cautiously pulled open one of the other doors, finding a dining room. The walls were covered in dried blood but there was not much else to be found. Looking further in, she found an ancient kitchen area, the cooking fire long burned out, the charred logs crumbling when she poked them with her staff. She made sure to keep an ear out for anyone calling out in danger as she made her way back to the hidden room filled with scrolls. She watched the archeologists gather scrolls as she tried to memorize some of the ruins and scrawling texts she found before handing them to the historians. She just knew that somewhere in here would be information that would help her defeat Lilly.


[Magoi 180/350]
[Combat Details: Borg broken.]
[Cool-downs:
Slime -6 posts
Lightning Strike – 5 posts]

--------------
Magoi: 170/250

Spell Used:

Noir stayed quiet as she heard Ariella will look around the area while Neo instructed her to stay with the fellow yellow magician as he and Ayero will go down to the dark passage. The black haired girl send a nod in agreement, she was curious with the dark room but not as much as she wanted to see the other door, especially when Ariella opened a door that led to the dining room, that means one room left to be explored. She need to learn the runes and figure out the complex magic that were scribbled in front of her while she was standing right in front of the western wall.

When she saw the archeologists were still making themselves busy by copying the runes, Noir headed to the left door, slowly opening it without any hint of being afraid shown at her emotionless face. There, she saw a dozen doors and tried to open one to reveal a unoccupied bedroom, assuming the other room will also be a bedroom. The black haired girl wanted to explore it a bit, but she had to tell Ariella first. She approached the purple haired woman coming out from the kitchen and said, “I will see the bedrooms area…” Then she quickly checked the doors to the bedrooms. As she opened one, she saw traces of dried blood which reminded her to her family house. Quickly brushing the image from her eyes, she walked around the bedroom to find something and proceeded to another bedroom but the image beginning to haunt her mind. One of the bedrooms resembles the one at her house, with traces of dried blood and messy objects scattered around the floor. She closed her hand tightly, reminding herself that she cannot be affected by such scene. Her family was no longer exist as they were a stranger to her right now. She couldn’t remember or even longing for their existence at all, she felt nothing and these nothingness was the one which stressed her out. After giving herself a mental slap, Noir breathed in and out slowly, continued to check another room to find nothing and headed back to the hidden room filled with scrolls while continue to keep her eye to the archeologist.

---

Magoi: 120/200

As Ayero and Ari made their way into the temple, the Fanalis felt a brief sense of relief. The enemies seemed to come out of nowhere with little warning and she was glad that their group had made it this far without losing anyone apart of the expedition. As she took a few minutes to catch her breath, her wariness caught up with her and the Fanalis woman was once again on high alert. While the etchings and runes carved into the walls seemed mysterious and important, Ayero poured her focus into protecting the group. Let the mages and archaeologists decipher the writings, she couldn’t make heads or tails of it if she tried. Lack of interest lead her to scan the temple walls for a different type of information—any sign of danger, traps, or perhaps a hidden enemy.

When several more explorable passages were discovered, Ayero followed the group silently, body tensed and sword gripped tightly. She listened to the silver haired magician speak, responding only with an affirming grunt to his words. The split balanced their power well, and she took long strides to hurry after the blue magician, whistling for Tomato to perch on her shoulder. She didn’t know much about this man, but from what she could tell, he seemed focused on their task. As the pair descended the winding staircase, Ayero kept her guard up for anything that may attack them. She was grateful for the light that bounced off of the narrow walls, hopefully it would reduce the chance of a sneak attack. Then again, this island was rife with unpleasant surprises.

[Stamina: 150/290]
[Ammo: 13/15]

CD:
-Feather Storm- 1 post
-Simple Block- 1 post
-Swift Roll- 1 post

As Noir turned around to leave the bedroom, she would catch something out of the corner of her eye. One of the bricks in the wall was loose and stuck out in an odd way. If she were to pull it free, she would find a scroll hidden behind it. With care, she could unravel it to reveal that is was written in common tongue, unlike the others within the temple.

'I have uncovered a plot by Ezekial and his men to change the spells on the island. I found a few of their designs and if I'm right, then it uses the black Rukh that the Organization worships. I fear what will become of the rest of us and the knowledge we have been protecting for generations if they are successful. If I can prove that Ezekial is a part of the Organization and expose his plot, maybe we can stop him. If you are reading this, then I failed in my attempt. Take what knowledge you can and leave before they catch you.
~Jebbediah'

Underneath the message were several hastily drawn runes he had found among Ezekial's papers. The spells were just as complicated as those found on the temple walls and Noir would be able to recognize some of them that she had copied. They were slightly different, a few extra lines had been added to alter their properties. The most notable change would be a thread of clairvoyance and another type that wasn't recognizable.

---

When Ariella and Noir returned, Tyrus ushered them over. "So far, it appears this island was an experiment for creating a barrier between our world and another. The land of the Red Lions, Cathargo. I believe that place to be the Dark Continent based on what I've read so far. The island was a failure, but somehow they managed to perfect it. There's a lot of technical stuff here that we'll probably have to send some of this to Magnostadt to be studied."

He looked back over the scroll and muttered softly to himself. It seemed like it would be a few moments before Tyrus snapped back to reality, which would give Noir an opportunity to show off her find if she wanted. With Ariella's help, the two magicians would be able to determine that the mysterious magic type had something to do with manipulating a person's Rukh alignment. It was also firmly wrapped around the lines of life magic.

---

The spiraling staircase would lead Ayero and Neo deep underground. About half-way down, Neo would notice flock of black Rukh flutter past them. They would reach the bottom to find  a wooden door which led them into a long, dimly lit chamber.  A garden grew along the wall to their left, filled with various herbs and vegetables. The wall to their right contained shelves filled with an array of tools, containers, and scrolls.

After they had walked a few meters inside, the torches along the walls would flare up brightly, illuminating the other end of the room to reveal a small altar. Bodies were stacked around the altar, some of them familiar to the Fanalis and blue magician. A field of magoi surrounded the deceased, preventing their Rukh from returning to the Great Flow. Within the field, the Rukh seemed to struggle against an unseen force before turning black. The black Rukh streamed out of the field and into a nearby well filled with an inky black liquid.

A door opened next to the altar and a woman clad in tight leather clothes stepped into the room. She gazed up at Neo and Ayero with a disgusted look on her face, clutching a skull in her hand. "You test my patience. You invade my land and taint it with your presence." She began coughing violently and spit a wad of blood onto the floor.

Recovering, she glared back up at the Fanalis and magician, a swirl of black Rukh fluttering around her. "You have seen too much. The secrets of the island are not for outsiders. I will enjoy killing you two and watching the Island swell with your Rukh. "


Raising the skull into the air, she began to chant in a foreign tongue, causing the island to tremble. 'These people are too strong, I'll have to use everything the island has.' A stream of the inky fluid lifted into the air and traveled between the woman and the treasure-hunters. It pooled onto the floor where it began to rapidly form itself into a winged lion, with the tail of a scorpion.


When it was complete, the Manticore let out a massive roar that echoed up the stairwell. It took one look at Ayero and Neo and belted out a massive flame that chased after them.

---

OOC: Please post in 48 hours. No posting order.

Combat Details:

The pair continued their descent and made their way into the chamber with cautious steps, the light spell revealing startling signs of life along the walls. Ayero tensed when the torches dotting the walls seemed to light themselves, her shock furthering when she saw what was at the end of the room. This…is this what Kocoum was talking about? The Fanalis didn’t have much time to take in any other oddities as strange woman appeared near the altar. Ayero readied herself, taking a familiar warrior’s stance and keeping her eyes on the woman as she spoke.

She was somehow not surprised with the words that the woman spoke, feeling the animosity radiating off of the leather clad female shortly after laying eyes on her. An enemy. Ayero didn’t expect the coughing up of the blood, but kept her focus on the woman. Sure enough, she conjured a hellish looking beast that sent a torrent of flame in their direction.

Snarling, Ayero swung her right arm in fast winmill circles in an attempt to Veer the gout of flames to the side. She simultaneously held her left arm out as well, towards the stairs. The snake that laid dormant around her body twined down her arm and slithered up the stairs, intent on finding the familiar purple haired woman and the other magician. Kabu had faced many enemies alongside Ayero and knew that both she and the silver haired magician would need help. Should she successfully redirect the flames, Ayero would launch two arrows at the manticore.

[Stamina: 120/290]
[Ammo: 11/15]

CD:
-Veer-5 posts

Spoiler:

-------------------------
Magoi: 130/250
Combat: Adrustum Aura II -> Chimera
Cool Downs:

• Adrustum Aura II - 5 Posts
  

Abilities Used:

Just before Noir proceeded to exit the room, she noticed a loose brick that seemed odd. Her curious mind appeared again as she approached it and pull the brick to only find a scroll that was written with a recognizable language. This is not written in Torran Language… The organization… black rukh… spells on the island? Noir wondered the meaning of the points after she finished reading the scroll and found several drawn runes which was found among the papers. The spell was a little complicated but she remembered seeing it on the wall before, she needed to take the scroll and show it to the others which she quickly did by heading back to the room and approached Ariella, Maybe she can understand these runes….

“I found this at the bedroom… Maybe you can understand some of it Miss Ariella?” Noir opened the scrolls to show it to Ariella. But suddenly Tyrus popped up in front of the two magicians and began to explain about his current theory about the island. “Umm… Tyrus… you might want to see this…”

---

As the black haired girl continue to observe the scroll that she found before, a growling sound could be heard and echoed up from downstairs. Noir twitched her eyes and stood up, wondering if both Ayero and Neo were okay. She needed to protect the archeologists, but both the Fanalis lady and her mentor were now maybe facing a tough situation. She sent a gaze to Ariella and planned to ask for her opinion but then a snake appeared to the stair and headed to their direction. Not knowing that it was Ayero’s pet, Noir took out her wand but still waiting for what it will do since it didn’t show any signs of being an enemy.

---

Magoi :120/200

Ariella listened as Tyrus spoke, the man talking about barriers and sending the scrolls to Magnostadt. When he finished, Riku held out something, asking if Ari could decipher what was being described. Ari looked closely at the runes and scribbling, humming in thought.

“Well, this here is a definite thread of Life Magic. And this here… it is rukh… but, something… I think they are talking about changing alignment of rukh, but I have never seen any type of magic that could do that. It’s baffling to me. Perhaps my father or the teachers at the Academy would know more…”

Suddenly, the island seemed to give a great shudder and rumble and within moments, a roar echoed up the staircase Ayero and Neo had descended down. Frowning, Ari considered going down but knew her friend would yell if help was needed. Just then, Kabu came slipping into the room and Ari saw Noir grip her wand. Holding a hand up to Noir Ari shook her head.

“That is Ayero’s beast. I fear they are in need of assistance. Kabu, return to Ayero, we are right behind you.”

Hoping the snake would move faster than they could so Ayero would not be left without her beast, Ari nodded to Noir.

“Let’s go give them a hand. Tyrus, you and the others stay up here, hopefully it will be less dangerous than whatever they are facing.”

Without waiting to see if the man would listen, she took off for the stairs, moving as fast as she could without tripping and falling. What she found at the bottom made her freeze in her tracks. A woman stood there with a skull and Ari could see the black rukh practically rolling off her in waves. The next thing she saw was the Manticore, its flames being redirected by Ayero. She could not spare any more attention for their surroundings, needing to focus on the immediate threats before them.

She wasn’t sure what made her want to end the woman before the beast, but the aura the dangerous magician emitted simply made her think she was truly the larger threat. Unfortunately, the beast was closer, the woman far enough away that even Ari’s strongest spells would struggle to reach that far. Reaching for the necklace hanging near her throat, Ari fed magoi into her household vessel, Cimej Ball forming rapidly and she weaved it carefully towards the Manticore, making sure to avoid Ayero and Neo. With any luck, the spell would strike the creature and slow it down. She wasted no time, immediately following this up with the pendant she had obtained in Gremory, summoning a fist of force and directing it at the Manticore, Forceful Punch following her previous spell to hopefully knock the creature back towards its mistress.

If they were very careful and creative, perhaps they could get the woman and the creature close enough to barrage them both at the same time with attacks. Though it put Ayero at a disadvantage, with her melee focused attacks, perhaps she and the other two magicians could weaken both the creature and the woman enough and allow Ayero to reserve her magoi to finish them off.




[Magoi 120/350]
[Combat Details: Borg broken.]
[Cool-downs:
Slime -6 posts
Lightning Strike – 5 posts
Cimej Ball – 5 posts
Forceful Punch – 5 Posts]

Abilities Used:

Noir quickly halted her step and positioning herself to not in her offensive position. Ariella quickly headed to downstairs after giving instruction to the archeologist to stay. The black haired girl followed the lightning magician from behind and saw a pile of death body just before she entered the place where Ayero and Neo were right now. She noticed a manticore and a strange woman who held a skull, wondering if she knew something about Ezekial or even Jebbediah. Putting that aside, Noir decided to assist her comrade first by moving until she was 20 meters away from the Manticore and cast, “Thunder Bullets”

---

Magoi : 90/200
CD :
Thunder Bullet ~ 5 posts

Ability:

Tyrus stopped reading and turned to Noir when she revealed the scroll she had found. He hurried over to Ariella's side, whimpering as she took hold of the discovery with a "careless" hand. He was astonished to see that the message had not been written in the ancient language. Getting over his initial surprise, the archaeologist mulled over Jebbediah's warning. "Ezekial..."

The name tugged at the back of Tyrus' mind and he stared off at a distant point on the wall. A thought struck him and he crossed the room to search for something on one of the shelves. As he picked up the scroll he was searching for, the foundation of the building began to shake. After it settled, a loud roar echoed behind one of the doors. 'That's not good..' he thought to himself.

Ariella didn't have to tell him twice to stay behind. By the time her feet hit the stairs, Tyrus' was nose deep in the annals.

---

As Ayero's arm twirled like a whirlpool to deflect the Manticore's attack, the creature belched out a sphere of fire. The toast flew towards its target but wouldn't meet it's mark. The silver-haired magician froze the area around the fiery spell, creating a wall of steam as the two spells clashed. The steam provided the perfect cover for Ayero's arrows and the Manticore didn't notice them until they had already passed through. Dodging to the side, the creature avoided one of the arrows, but the other lodged itself firmly in its hind leg.

The manticore snarled and watched the mist settle to see that two newcomers in the room. Without hesitation, the beast unleashed a Flamestrike towards Ariella when she raised her wand. The fire ate through the mist-filled plague that she had conjured, continuing on until a fist of force halted its momentum. During this time, the Manticore noticed a black-haired girl step ahead of the group to cast a spell. The beast seized the opportunity and leaped forward into striking range where it could bless her with the Ultimate Sting, unphased as the four lightning bullets struck him.

At the end of the room, a pained scream escaped from Ankheseanamun's throat through her trance. Her chanting stumbled as a shudder rippled through her, but she quickly recovered and resumed.

---

OOC: Please post in 48 hours. No posting order.

Combat Details:

Ari growled in frustration as her attacks were eaten by the Manticore. Her eyes widened as she saw Noir moving forward, cursing under her breath. The Manticore had a pretty good range on it and the young woman had just put herself squarely in the range of danger. Ari didn’t waste a moment, bringing out her carpet and flying forward as Noir cast a spell toward the Manticore, the small lightning bullets striking into the creature. Ari flew to just in front of Noir, intending to scoop the girl up and fly her back to safety when she saw the creature tense. As she flew, she prepared to cast a spell.

Forgetting her lack of Borg, Ari tried to focus on keeping herself between the creature and Noir. Too late, Ari remembered the shattered borg as the Manticore’s stinger buried into her back, ripping through her spine. The carpet fell to the ground as blood poured from Ari’s mouth, magoi no longer feeding into the magic tool. The stinger had pierced through her back and into her heart, stopping it almost immediately. With hr final breath, Ari released her spell, Swollen Fester launching towards the Manticore. The last thing Ari saw was that at least Noir was safe.



[Magoi 80/350]
[Combat Details: Borg broken. Omega tier damage. Deceased]
[exit]

Ability Used:

It happened really fast in front of the black-haired girl’s eyes: the manticore leaping forward, ready to strike her with its gigantic scorpion tail. She was ready to take it on, ready to allow the manticore to deal whatever damage it would inflict, but didn't get the chance due to another person with long, purple hair getting in the way. Her eyes widened as she saw Ariella, floating on the magic carpet, take the attack instead. The creature's tail pierced her back and ripped through her spine, causing the sickening sound of bones shattering and turning to dust and a large amount of blood to gush out from the female magician. With her final moments, Noir witnessed Ariella manage to cast one final spell to the creature and closed her eyes after looking at Noir. The young magician was dazed for a second by the gruesome scene of death but quickly regained her focus and jumped back to make her gap once again 30 meter away from the creature. Noir sustained her Thunder Bullets spell  and cast Fulmine Nero II at the manticore. The black haired magician moved back until she was 50 meters away from the creature.

If the others noticed, Noir’s eyes were not in their usual golden color anymore, instead they had changed into crimson-colored eyes. She knew that she would be blamed for the magician’s death, and that raged her because she knew that it had to be because of how weak she was.  Noir was not heartless to not mourn for Ariella’s death, but she just needed to not waste her sacrifice by being killed by the time she could begin to mourn. She stared at the lifeless body of Ariella and her heart ached. Nobody had ever done such an act before. It moved her, angered her... That should have been me lying there... Noir looked at the manticore feeling the rage boil inside her, festering like an infectious wound. That thing had to die.

---

Magoi : 45/200
[Combat Details : Two B-Tier spells to Manticore]
CD :
Thunder Bullet ~ 5 posts
Fulmine Nero II ~ 5 posts

Ability Used:

Spoiler:

In a flash, Kabu poured back down the stair case as soon as he saw Ari and Noir moving in the same direction. While he didn’t understand the purple haired woman’s words, he recognized his own name and Ayero. The black serpent had done his duty, and now he was intent on returning to aid his companion and the silver haired mage in their fight.

As the two female magicians entered the fray, Ayero balanced keeping her allies in sight and focusing on their opponents. It was a bit taxing to keep track of so many movements, especially when they were happening so quickly. Noir had moved closer to the Manticore in order to fire off her spells, but her position put her dangerously close to their opponent. And then in happened. Quicker than the lightning bullets the dark haired mage had fired off, the Manticore was upon her and lashed out with its deadly barbed tail. But it was not the silent young woman who would take the Ultimate Sting.

A flash of purple hair, the sickening sound of flesh and bones being pierced and torn violently. And then the blood. Ayero could barely register the sight of the stinger plunged through Ari’s chest, but the back of her mind gravely admitted that the wound was fatal. But the lightning mage had not gone down easily; she released one last parting gift in the form of a deadly plague spell to her attacker before slipping into death.

No…No… Ayero’s heart began to beat erratically from more than just the adrenaline of battle. A feeling she had only tasted once before began to well up inside of her, the same mix of emotions she had felt when she discovered the fate of her family. The Fanalis woman stepped back and gritted her teeth, immobilized by her own emotions for a moment before she slid the bow back into the quiver on her back and drew her blade. Her body burned with an intense heat wrought by loss, the distress at losing a loved one pounding through her veins and boiling quickly into rage.

No…Ariella…not again…no, no, no! Not again! NEVER AGAIN! To the magicians in the room, if they looked, the previously white rukh swirling around the Fanalis woman began to flicker with flecks of darkness.

”Ariella…..! ARIELLA! No…” Crimson eyes turned from the corpse of her friend toward the Manticore and the woman who conjured it.





Ayero's voice thundered through the cavern, bouncing off of the walls in reflection of her greif. With an enraged roar, Ayero burst forward at a blinding speed using her Fleetfoot magoi manipulation ability, slicing anything in her path with her blade.

[Stamina: 80/290]
[Ammo: 11/15]

CD:
-Veer-4 posts
-Fleetfoot- 14 posts

Spoiler:

------------------
Magoi: 115/250
Combat: Adrustum Aura II -> Manticore
Cool Downs:

• Adrustum Aura II - 5 Posts
  

Abilities Used:

The Manticore expected the black-haired girl before him to crumple from his attack, so he was surprised by the sudden streak of purple that appeared. While he hadn't eliminated the intended target, it was one less enemy to deal with. In his moment of pride, the Manticore failed to notice Ariella's final attack, a ball of magoi which struck the beast's leg. A heartbeat after Ari's final breath, the beast's leg exploded in an eruption of gore. The Manticore's balance faltered as he let out a roar of pain, matching the intensity of Ayero's, and he spread his wings to regain balance. In less than a second, a rage-filled Fanalis closed in on the Manticore, a terrifying sight to behold. Feeling the bloodlust radiating from Ayero, the Manticore responded in kind with a flick of his tail to inject his stinger into her with an Ultimate Sting.

Meanwhile, Noir had realized her error in judgement by stepping forward and quickly retreated back. The air crackled in her wake as she cast two spells, conjuring eight electric projectiles to course through the air, which struck the beast. Jolted by the currents roiling through his body, the Manticore snarled furiously and raised its Regal Guard to prevent anymore attacks coming his way, just in time to protect himself from a bad case of frostbite.

With the damage the Manticore had sustained, he was weary of being hit again and pulled back twenty-five meters to get some space. At the same time, Ankhesenamun came out of her trance with a shudder and a coughing fit. She spit more blood onto the stone floor and looked between Ariella's corpse and the furious Fanalis woman with a venomous smile. "I will enjoy using your friend's magoi to kill you."

Letting out a victorious laugh, Ankhesenamun began chanting once more, calling on the power of the island to absorb Ariella's power. A field of magoi formed around the purple-haired magician's corpse and cut off her Rukh from returning to the great flow.

NO! Not this one! A being shouted in another dimension, unheard by those in the chamber. As the island's magic began preying on Ariella's Rukh, tainting it with depravity, a sudden of wave force shattered the spell. A golden light filled the room, if any were to look closely, they would make out the faint image of a pair of hands cupping Ariella's body. As quickly as it appeared, the light vanished and with it, Ariella's corpse. All that remained was the magician's carpet and her Crimson Bladed Crystal, which rolled across the floor to rest at Noir's feet.

---

OOC: Please post in 48 hours. No posting order.

Combat Details:

The Manticore’s incoming stinger was barely registered by the Fanalis woman, partially due to the speed of the Manticore and partially due to Ayero’s focus on Ankhesenamun. Thankfully, Kabu had been paying attention enough to be able to react in time. The Heliohapt snake had seen the same attack fell Nilexa’s owner, and while it had startled him he was able to keep a clearer head than his companion. The black serpent had twined around her body after retrieving help, taking his usual place as Ayero fought. When the Manticore’s stinger made way towards Ayero’s chest, Kabu reacted quickly and coiled himself around her vulnerable area, his tough scales absorbing the attack and negating the damage to Ayero. The moment the stinger made contact with Kabu's body, Ayero's blade descended down upon the great beast in a viscous slash.

It took a few moments for Ayero to process all that had happened, her mind replaying the stinger as hit headed towards her, poised to make short work of her like Ari. At the last moment, her scaly companion had compressed himself around her body and taken the hit for her. Assuming the worst, Ayero cries out, startled and immediately looks down towards Kabu, placing a hand over where the stinger had made contact with the snake. Kabu tilted his head up and hissed weakly at her, sliding his long body further up on Ayero’s shoulders. It ached incredibly to move, but Kabu’s thick hide had effectively repelled the attack. But the snake was not done yet. With a low hiss, Kabu’s head reared back and he spat a wad of poison towards the beast, attempting to Blind the Manticore.

Meanwhile, Ayero’s second beast had been watching on the sidelines for the duration of the fight. Tomato the Red Falcon was still a young bird and hadn’t fought by Ayero’s side for as long as Kabu had. She had participated in what fighting she could, and until now that had mostly been in the open air. Being in this room—confined with walls—was a bit unnerving for her, especially with such a strong enemy. Seeing the purple haired mage fall only served to unnerve the bird more.

But now, Tomato could see that Ayero was in pain. Desperation to help her companion won out over her fear, and the red bird fluttered over to hop onto Ayero’s shoulder. Once situated, Tomato launched two feathers at the Manticore, hoping to deal some damage.

Ayero growled in fury when the bitch dared to try and use Ariella’s magoi against her, but before the island could absorb the lightning magician’s magoi, a sudden angelic light filled the dreary room. It quickly vanished along with Ari’s body, leaving a sickening feeling in the pit of Ayero’s stomach. What just…her body?! …We can’t even give her a proper burial… The realization served to enrage Ayero further. ”Bitch! What did you do with her body?!”


[Stamina: 70/290]
[Ammo: 11/15]

-Damage to Kabu (Omega Tier)
-Kabu used Blind at Manticore
-Tomato used 2 basic feathers at Manticore

CD:
-Veer-3 posts
-Blind-5 posts
-Fleetfoot- 13 posts

Spoiler:

------------------------
Magoi: 100/250
Combat: Adrustum Aura II -> Manticore
Cool Downs:

• Adrustum Aura II - 5 Posts
  

The black haired girl frowned as her spells hit the manticore but it quickly recover and was trying to attack Ayero with the same attack that would have made Noir died if it was not because of Ariella. She widened her eyes as Ayero’s snake protected the Fanalis woman before it tried to blind the creature, rewinding the same scene from where the purple haired woman protected the girl. Noir gave herself a mental slap and to stop thinking about that, Get a grip of yourself… she mentally commanded herself to stay focused on the fight.

As the witch stated that she would use the purple haired woman’s magoi to kill, Noir got ready to protect the body, but was too late as the witch was chanting something that was not understandable and suddenly a faint image of pair hands were showing. It disappears as quick as it appeared, living only several things to roll to Noir.  “No! Don’t use her!” Noir yelled to the witch, letting the anger filled her head as her crimson eyes were intact there and not going to changed back to its usual golden color for a while. She was ready to cast her spell to the witch, but suddenly something bumped her feet. The yellow magician saw what had bumped her feet and discovered a carpet and also a red colored crystal. Is that… Ariella’s…? She wondered but quickly took the Magic Carpet and also the Crimson Bladed Crystal, willing to give the things to Ayero later as she certainly was a good friend of the purple haired woman and probably would like to keep the things. After that she stayed on guard, looking for any opening so she could use her last spell before the exhaustion infected her body, trying to hold herself from casting a spell pointlessly.

---

Magoi : 45/200
[Magic Carpet and Crimson Blade Crystal taken]
CD :
Thunder Bullet ~ 4 posts
Fulmine Nero II ~ 4 posts