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A Giant Egg; Okay, giant is an understatement.
Topic Started: Aug 15 2015, 07:24 PM (1,801 Views)
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Cassandra

The trip towards the monolith was rather entertaining for the Djinn, her steps intentionally light and jovial as to ignore the 'impending doom' sensation that welled within her gut. No, this was not the time to focus on such menial things... that was for when she arrived at her destination. Why worry now when you can worry later?

Hopping from debris to rubble to ruin, the path was unstable , but fun nonetheless. It did well to distract one's mine from the situation at hand.

Finally, the group arrived at the monolith, or at least close enough to conjure the mysterious figure that spoke to them. The Marid blinked a couple times, allowing the wash of minor confusion to ebb over her... and then vanish as the gut wrenching feeling was still growing from being in such a close proximity to the obelisk. This was very unnerving to her, and the lack of connection to her flask was beginning to make her rethink her approach.

"Foxie, Selena, I'm not sure of this.. how many times do you have a spirit approach you and warn you to go away?" Hesitating, she continued, her eyes still locked upon the enticing obelisk. "What does Mangle say? I can't say I've ever seen anything like this."

There's a fine line to be drawn between a Djinn who is freed of their entrapment of their item and a Djinn who is technically torn from it. Losing that connection is quite similar to having your soul torn from your body, held before you, and played with by a demon. It's agonizing and unnerving, though perhaps more mentally than physically. In this case, it was a little bit of both, to be honest. She did not like it one bit.

Taking a faint step back away from the obscenity, she grit her teeth and ran a hand through her hair, the lighter demeanor lost in her internal turmoil. Then again, her perceptive capabilities were also skewed since she failed to notice the shudder and quake of the statue's descent. She did, however, notice that one of the building relatively nearby was suddenly a little shorter. Frowning, she scrutinized it, only sparing the briefest of glances to something other than the obelisk. "And does that building look different to any of you?"

I'm sure there's something odd with it. Let's go look at that instead of this stupid contraption.

Shrugging, Elshraz's bonded edged a little closer to the obelisk, testing the limits of the sensation that riveted through her. At this moment, she wondered where exactly her master was; Scarheart was normally at her side in circumstances like these, so she was quite unused to being apart from him. She worried that is she wandered a little too close to this structure, she might lose her connection to him in association to the flask. Although she couldn't sense him directly, she rather liked him being in possession of her flask and desperately did not want to lose that because of magic.

((502 words; that was really fun XD))

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Detsuru Ashyana

Looking across to Tidesweep, the Selu'ani gave a faint smile. "Thank you, and no, I have never seen anything quite like this architecture. I have seen my fair share of ruins, but.." She paused at hearing the movement in the air, and shot a glance to the sky. A dragon with, by the looks of things, two riders. Frowning, her hand touched her blade, though with little aggression once more. She presumed that anyone that was approaching this site, especially on Dragon's back, had little thought towards violence. However, she was always the prepared one due to her wisdom.

As the newcomers landed and spoke, the Elven warrior barely had a chance to open her mouth in response before there was a shudder beneath her feet. No, she had no idea what specifically it was. Yes, she had a theory.

You see, the problem with Elven wisdom is this: occasionally (and in unfortunate circumstances), it takes a couple of moments for one to allow the thought process that leads to a negative conclusion to arrive in ones mind with the prospect of actual physical action. In simple and sweet terms...

Sometimes, an Elf thinks too much.

So, with her lack of movement, it is not surprising at all that Tidesweep was not the only one to be, well, swept up in the tide rushing below their feet. They should have known this would happen, but no one had the precognition to not stand atop the cracked surface. At least, the Selu thought as she was lurched under the water's flow, she would definitely remember this for a later point.

The water was blinding and painful, white briefly filling her vision and the water logging her down as silk clothing does not do well when mixed with water. The cloth wrapped around her limbs and created an extremely difficult swimming experience. Years. The Elf thought to herself as she tried to prevent herself from hitting into the walls on either side with the hopes that she would also not knock any others off their course. It has been years since I've swam... damn it.

Water filled her lungs quickly and the pressure was horrendous as you can figure that the hollow bones of an elf, similar to Larandaithiel, were not friendly when it came to such things as intense pressure and, of course, the inevitable smash of the portcullis. Yeah. That hurt a little more than she would have liked.

Directly before the flash of metal closed in on the samurai, she managed to close her eyes and brace her body in hopes that training would overcome weakness. The slam of the metallic surface against her flesh was not pleasant, to say the least, but she could only imagine that it was slightly lessened. Whether or not it was, at least she could minutely move after the impact. Steadily clenching and relaxing her hands, she was in a state of moderate zen. The pain and discomfort was there, but she refused to allow it to obscure her vision, even though her sight was darkening on the edges. A minuscule part of her mind informed her politely that she may have had a broken leg and that there was red beginning to filter into the water, especially from Tidesweep's probable concussion, but that was not something that the warrior could focus on right now. There were many more important matters.

And then, thankfully, another arrived - the elf that she had seen above before the fall. With his appearance came breath, much to her relief. Now capable of focusing without the lack of air catching up to her, she could think a little more clear. The lever. Tidesweep's final breath before her injury had caught up to her was to use her sword, which was a brilliant means to an end. She attempted to move her hand closer to her katana, but the water resisted her efforts with ease. If only the pressure..

Almost as though her Goddess, Cerene, herself was watching at the very moment, the pressure vanished. Out of the corner of her eye, she could vaguely make out yet another new figure in the water. This one was endowed with wings.. six of them. That was rather useful. However, Elven speed was necessary here, now, to ensure that his wings did not buckle and snap. She tested the lack of current and cringed. Well, it wasn't gone in entirety, but it was greatly reduced. At least enough to finally wrap her fingers around the hilt of her blade and pull it forth from its resting place and slip it through the bars of the grate that held them all at bay. The Elf hoped that this would save them... if it didn't, perhaps a prayer to the Gods would be a little more necessary. The sheath's end pressed into the lever with difficulty (it's still rushing water, so come on), but finally managed to push it to the opposing side. Now, all that remained was for the group to wait.


((840 Word Count))
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Teragaia
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Posted Image A figure, hidden in a tree some distance away, caught sight of the collapse and murmured softly in concern. But he was a small thing, and could only hope for the best for the people around the place.
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Belial
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Shrayla Moonchaser

Not that she was much of an attention hound, but getting forcibly pushed out of a conversation and then being talked over was more than a little irritating. Then again, she had volunteered to bring Larandaithiel and she'd known ahead of time that he was a force of nature despite his size. And prone to doing exactly what was irritating her now. What had she expected, that he'd suddenly be polite for the first time in his cranky, cantankerous existence?

Of course, the conversation was almost drowned out in the werewolf's distinctly canine sense of hearing by the sound of rushing water. Why was water rushing? Weren't they in the middle of a fairly dry ruin in a fairly dry mountain range? And what was that wet metal and damp rock smell, and why were things rumbling...?

The ranger really didn't like having her questions answered.

More accurately, she didn't like HOW her questions were answered.

This wasn't the first time the ground opened up under her feet and tried to swallow her. Sad, but true. It was was just the first time without her faithful kobold best friend Deekin by her side singing the Doom Song to lighten the mood as certain death struck yet again to nobody's surprise.

No desert sands beneath her feet this time, just old flagstones and suddenly water. The werewolf reached out, blessing her honed reflexes for all of a few seconds when she managed to grab hold of the edge of the sinkhole.

Then she cursed her own strength as her hand crushed the stone and pulled off a chunk.

After that, the world was a tumult of water and blackness and ow ow ow ow hard things. And then the hardest of the hard things, which she discovered to be a portcullis shortly after she slammed into it hard enough to crack her skull. No easy feat, considering it usually took magical weapons to hurt her. That had to say something for the sheer force of impact.

Bright side? Werewolves healed fast. The ranger's skull didn't remain cracked for very long, though her bell was still sufficiently rung to make her see stars -- the only light in the black of the rushing water and... no, wait, not the only lights, because there was a red glowy thing too.

And she was going to have to talk to Sandasa about the impracticality of dragonrider clothing. The thick leather was probably dandy for keeping out the cold in between, but it was immobilizing in water.

Okay, so, that was totally irrelevant to the situation at hand. She wasn't thinking particularly straight after that impact.

And then she heard the sick crunching pop of a shoulder dislocating -- and likely breaking too -- and Larandaithiel was there with his magic and she could breathe again, even in water.

Nifty.

With breathing came a bit of sense. The werewolf noted that she'd lost her goggles in the water somehow and the redheaded woman seemed...somewhat worryingly limp. The ranger grabbed the strange woman around the waist to keep her from floating off if something happened when the elf woman threw the lever. The motion almost painfully knocked her bow further into her chest, where it was resting, held on by the string slung over her back. A real archer would probably cringe, scream, or cry that that was not how one treated a bow, but the werewolf ranger was not a *real* archer. And the bow was magic; it could take care of itself.

She had no idea who the woman actually was, but she smelled like an okay person and the werewolf was working on this whole "redemption" thing, which also entailed not letting okay people get hurt too bad if she could stop it.

Somehow, an...angel? A man with six wings had shown up. His appearance would have jangled a few alarms before, but we'll forgive a dumb dog for being a little distracted, yeah?

In retrospect, his wings interfering in the current was probably why she could move enough to hold onto Tide and why the elf woman had apparently been able to hit the lever.

Right.

Those wings of his probably weren't going to last much longer. But he was helping them, so he was... an ally, at least. The ranger wanted to hold onto him so that their little group didn't get separated once the portcullis went up (or other such phenomenon happened, but the portcullis seemed the logical extension of a lever placed right THERE), but had a problem.

She was out of hands.

Well, only thing for it. She kicked off the portcullis hard, barely managing to push herself to the helpful angel.

"Sorry!" she shouted in the vicinity of his ear, throat full of water she wasn't sure she'd be able to breathe much longer.

And then she sunk her teeth into his bicep, simultaneously wrapping her legs painfully (for him) around Larandaithiel.

Something was probably going to happen soon. Best to not get split up.

She'd apologize if they ever got to safety.


ooc| 778+ words and Shrayla couldn't sneak her name in no matter how hard she tried. XD Also, apologies ahead of time for werewolf-logic approach to problem solving. ^^;
"Life is not about what you deserve. Life is about free will, life is about what you choose. Afterlife is about what you deserve, and all the Heavens forfend you deserve me." --Belial

"Redemption is a work in progress. I've...got a lot of work left to do." --Shrayla

"Fair winds and good fortune to you, friend." --Khareesh

"I think you have me mistaken for someone penitent, and I don't appreciate it." --Melonwei

"If someone rains on your parade, start dancing in the rain." --Linah

"The rules of the Lord of Poetic Justice are very simple. You do unto others as you would have me do unto you, aye?" -- Aletha Hoarfrost

"War's the candy, I'm just the wrapper, but that doesn't make me ready to die any time soon." --Arieh Harel
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Needless to say, Rose did not like the feeling she was getting from the monolith, and judging by the expression on Foxie's face, her ward didn't like it either. It's dangerous here...I think it would be in our best interests to leave these things alone, Mangle stated quietly. Foxie was quick to relay the message, and Rose nodded in agreement. I cannot say that I am enjoying the feeling I am getting from this object either, but at the same time...I feel as though there is someone...a child...in danger. It feels as though it is coming from somewhere close by.

Foxie shrank back at the mention of a child, his eyes wide with fear. "W-What kind of child?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly. Rose shook her head. I'm afraid I cannot tell as of yet. Perhaps we should investigate further?
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Mini Update!

Shrayla, Ashyana, Tidesweep, Keldos, Larandaithiel

Finally, the lever was cast into its alternate position with the quick thinking of the group below. The grinding of the ancient machinery within the stone walls could be felt even through the rushing water that was threatening to extinguish all souls present.

Unfortunately, they had no release just this moment as the lever was attached to machinery elsewhere - it would not be so easy as throwing a switch and gliding to safety. Instead, the water intensified significantly from further along its current elsewhere.

First, it was the wings of an angel that snapped to its pressure. To Keldos' right he could feel his central wing give to the weight of the torrent as it literally flipped the white feathered appendage in half. Instinctively, his other wings jerked into his back before they shared a similar fate and it threw him into the portcullis.

Larandaithiel too was impacted by the rushing rapids turning the water white against the metal grating that barred their escape. First his back collided with the portcullis as the water swept him around in a few circles, finishing with his face smashed into the iron, his head thrumming with the same grinding pain as the gears in the walls.

He also saw something slip away in the rushing water - Ashyana's blade that she had -just- finished forging. Her ribs dug into the iron as she was flattened while her arm was just attempting to come back through the grating. The wind lunging from her lungs left her grip weak, and the blade went sailing onward, disappearing in the frothy river.

Shrayla's logic was solid - hanging onto everyone in any way she could was a great way to keep from tossing around in the now churning sea beneath the ground. For all her strength, the impact of the water was stronger and it ripped her teeth from Keldos' bicep, sending bright crimson dye into the water, turning the billowy foam that was forming red in an instant. The pain was intense for both, but not nearly as intense as the wolf-woman's legs getting thrust into the bars behind, the twisting body of Larandaithiel crunching, grinding, and mauling the clever semi-canine's legs.

In all the intensity, Tidesweep was beginning to fade from what little light shown here in this depth. Then came the surge of water. Like that moment right after you fall asleep when you're jarred awake, this happened to her. Heart thundering, her eyes would jerk open to the change in scenario as now, all our fallen heroes, were quite literally pinned to the grate. Their fate... was no longer in their own hands, but rather... the hands of a devil, a guardian, a watch captain, an assassin, an amnesiac shapeshifter, and a Djinn.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Foxie, Cassandra, Raferties, Belial, Anari, Naya, Mysterious Observer

The monolith was foreboding for most, but it called out to the motherly Rose. Now, however, there would be a reason for everyone above ground to approach the monoliths. In the ruins, three pulsing magical beacons would launch into the air - bright lights piercing the clouds and becoming visible for miles around.

Each of the egg-like obelisks began to shake and shudder with the machinery triggered within the river. Each side of the monstrous construction opened, splitting the device in half and revealing its intricate interior - a mixture of magic and machinery. The opened flaps raised high into the air like wings, giving the entire structure resemblance to a beetle with wings flared.

At the front of the two devices, a simple lever, much like the one below, thrummed with pulsing magic - a colored glow, like the beacons launching into the air. The monolith to the far left, near Cassandra and Foxie, exploded into a bright orange column of light. Across the way, the right-hand monolith with no one even remotely near it, burst with green luminescence.

In the center of the ruins, not 20 feet behind Anari and Naya, the ground crumbled and a third, hidden monolith rose into being, slightly smaller than the other two. This one shone a bright purple beacon into the sky. The powerful psychic energy infused into these devices then began to pulse, permeating a wave of desperation throughout the whole of the ruins, allowing all present to realize a great importance behind the leavers they had found.

Belial was just beginning to make heads or tails of the translation stone in his hands when he felt the stairs and the whole of the mountainside shake from the changing scenery below, and not even the delicious thought-provoking activity of solving a new language could distract him from those glowing lanterns.

Raferties was likewise beginning to wrap his head around the lore held within that magical cube - that is of course, until he saw the statues, and felt the magical sensation of worry rush through him. The levers were calling - begging to be pulled as quickly as possible by the onlookers. The flight to the far right monolith would be far, but much faster than navigating the foot paths of the ruins of course.

That's when they descended from the clouds - strange, beetle-like creatures that seemed to hover just above the ruins, diving and darting in rapid fire patterns, in groups of three, to protect the levers and prevent their alteration. Not only were they now guarded, but Raferties was almost certain, those levers would have to be pulled in a particular order...
_________________________________________________________________________________
Objectives

Those with access to the levers must face the beetle-like tactical foes before you. I'm perfectly fine with you owning them in whatever ways you deem necessary - you don't have to wait for me to confirm their demise, just make it nice.

Things to remember - they can fly and hover in place, long pincers look sharp and strong, and their carapace is very strong and dense. They are tactically minded, so they don't find stupid and toe to toe when they can be more wise about their positioning.

As far as pulling the levers, feel free to work together as a community to figure out the puzzle - the order in which to pull the levers. Your only clue is that they cannot be pulled at the same time, and instead require a specific sequence.

For solving the puzzle of the levers, -everyone- participating in the adventure will receives 3 more adventure points!
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Detsuru Ashyana

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~*~

Just as soon as the thrill and elation of pushing the lever had filled the Elf, it fled from her and was left with a combination of pain and disappointment. The rush of the sudden flow of water pressed into her with such force that she found herself having to re-establish her state of calm... which was a rather difficult matter to accomplish seeing as there was no other lever on the other side of the portcullis, they were all being crushed by the water pressing into them, and she could see the water turning red around her. The situation was turning more and more grim by the second.

You are a warrior of the Selu'ani... how dare you let a simple challenge thwart you so? The sword is gone? Then you will make another. You are in pain? It will serve you in the long run. The one thing that will not aid you at the moment is panicking and allowing all trapped down here to die because you focus too much on the simplicity of tragedy. The warrior took in a deep breath of water, the spell thankfully not making that a detrimental notion, and reopened her eyes.

Her hand.

Assuring herself even more that such a zen was necessary at this point, the Elf had just realized that should this portcullis ever raise, whether by any of their future attempts, or on a time release...

Her arm was pushed through the grating and the force of water was keeping it there.

The ever-pale-Elf paled even more when this fact dawned on her and she glanced to the others, ensuring that they were alright. And they weren't. Blood, bones, feathers... she attempted to speak, though the proverbial wind was still knocked from her lungs and the water pressure made speech rather difficult. "Everyone... try to speak... their injuries..." She didn't think there was anything she could honestly do, but perhaps the other Elf present could; she had seen his capabilities at the Hatching Sands. Also, this would inform her just how bad of a situation they were all in and if Shrayla's attempt to connect everyone was necessary to repeat.

This was not looking good for the swimmers at the moment.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Cassandra

Although she was just taking a step closer to the obelisk, the Djinn didn't honestly expect the sudden movement from the contraption. Then again, before it moved, she expected more out of a random building than the egg-like structure. But no, it just had to move and shoot a beam of light into the sky. It just had to give her that feeling of 'come hither'. On top of all the other things... it just had to be an ominous giant obelisk that made her feel weakened and cause her Hellhound to become uneasy.

This... this smell wrong... Elsharaz's gaze slid upwards before narrowing. Oh. That's why.

The Marid followed his indication and sighed. Of course it couldn't be as simple as waltzing (she didn't know how to waltz specifically, but that's not the point) up to the switch and triggering it. No, there had to be an obstacle, as well. Giant. Beetles.

"Okay... Foxie, do you think you can go pull that lever? I'll take care of the nuisances." With that, the caster spun on her heel and separated herself a decent distance away from the rest of the group, leaving her Hellhound to help protect them in case they were not trained as combatants; she was oblivious as to if they felt comfortable killing. Then again, who didn't like killing bugs. Ugh.

Several blasts of frost created a set of steps as she walked and ended in a decent sized platform that was supported approximately eight feet in the air so she had a little better view of the surrounding area. Now elevated, she could begin her destruction. A chill began to form and despite the weather previously being closer to summertime... snow began to fall. Extending a hand, the frost sorcerer pulled forth from the plummeting snowflakes a whip of ice, remnants of the frost creating designs in the weapon's wake. Yes... this would do.

As the insects continued their descent, the Djinn laughed... perhaps there was a tiny bit of glee in her voice at the entertainment of what was to come, but no one had to know that the sweet Marid enjoyed fighting things every once in a while.

A snap of the whip lashed the ice through the air, extending its power beyond the reach of a normal weapon of a similar nature, the tip seeming to lunge out and cut straight through one of the creature's wings and sending it falling straight to the ground. As the other beasties began to see what this 'foe' was doing and she even managed to send an ice shard down from the sky to severe one in half as the whip wrapped around another to incapacitate it in one fell swoop, the beetles pulled back briefly to analyze her tactics.

And analyze they did. Splitting into multiple groups, they began to surround her, coming from her left, then right, another slipping up behind...

Unfortunately for them, this just made her laugh even more. One of the beetles, even with the Djinn's flailing whip, managed to catch her arm in between its pincers, drawing a line of blood easily. Two more took the opportunity of her arms not moving anymore to dive forth and try to grapple her further.

This... did not go so well. For the beetles; it went perfectly for the manipulative caster.

As the sensation of false victory filled the creatures, their tiny claws and mandibles attaching themselves to their newfound food and attempting to drag her off the pedestal she'd created, the temperature dropped to the point where any even relatively nearby could feel their breath turn icy. Then, a blast of ice shards flew out from the Djinn, skewering all the immediately nearby beetles and sending their limb bodies flying back into the ruins. The remainder insects, however, were not safe from her onslaught as a residual wave of cold energy flowed over then and froze them solid. In that one fell swoop, their iced bodies crashed to the ground, shattering into fragments. Eighteen creatures, forty seconds? Not bad. I could have done it faster. His voice was faint from his proximity to the obelisk behind her.

Smiling, the Marid glanced over her shoulder at Foxie and company, shaking a bit of remainder frost from her fingertips before looking back to the sky where a couple more 'packs' of the beetles had waited at a slight distance. They were much too smart for the Djinn's liking. "Hopefully everything's going well down there... I don't want to come down. It's fun up here." She laughed and cracked the ice whip again.

What she didn't want to mention was that she had underestimated exactly how much power she had access to while nearby to the monolith. After that blast of energy... she was just happy that the magic of her platform had sustained. Weakness crept over her like a blanket and she knew that she needed to ignore it. Now was definitely not the time to worry about such a thing, nor was she in the right circumstance to allow it to affect her.
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Tidesweep
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Tide

She jerked awake, a scream escaping from her mouth. Her eyes widened as she realized she could breath under water, but her ribs were still on fire. A cold numbing fire. "How are we...You know. Not even gonna ask that question." Realizing that arms were around her waist as well as the fact that it wasn't just water pushing her into the gate, she attempted to turn her head...And failed of course due to the pressure of the water and Shrayla. "Did the current get stronger?" She thought it had, but then again, she also didn't know how long she had been out.

Hearing Ashyana ask about injuries, she took a deep breath and winced. "My ribs are...Cracked I think." It was hard to tell. She could breath deeply both from the pressure and from the fact that her ribs wouldn't let her. Staring at the lever, a frown crossed her face in confusion. "Did nothing happen when the lever was pulled?" Talking was painful, but not impossible for her. Probably from all those time swimming with the merpeople on Flare. Got her used to the fact that talking under water was not an impossible or even really hard task. Then again, she had never swam in something like this either.

Suddenly, she got an image from those left above. At that, she repeatedly started to bang her head against the gate. It wasn't hard as she didn't get very far with it thanks to the pressure, but it still made her feel slightly better about the mistake. "Well...Guess what. The lever does not raise the gate here. Instead it shoots light into the sky...Anyone got any more ideas now?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Sinet

Up above ground, the lights were hard to miss. The Caradras sure didn't miss them as she turned herself around and pointed herself to the nearest light. She didn't much care what the elf the dragon had caught did. He wasn't her bonded. That was all that mattered right now. Come on! Those lights have to mean something! The worry they put off multiplied in her mind with the worry of her bonded. It wasn't a feeling she much cared for.

When the beetles appeared, she let out a low growl. Now they were probably needed more than ever. If the guardians of the lights now didn't want them to be touched well...She was certainly gonna go touch them. Or at least whatever thing the lights were coming from. She took off at a run towards the green and orange lights. At least in that general direction anyway. With the streets of the ruins, who knows where she would end up. She just knew she had to try.
"Death has a bone to pick with you and I'm here to help out." -Cain Skelington

"The waves have their own music...Are you listening?" - Tidesweep

"Don't take my silence for agreement. That would be a mistake."- Gertude Weavian

"I will protect what is mine with a will forged like a diamond."- Mildred Fresi

"Healing can take time. Lucky for you, you should having nothing but it for awhile."- Jeremi Kgute
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Raferties
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The Archangel knew what was about to happen.

He felt it in the strain of his wings, in the ache from the muscles that were threatening to give out. The bite from Shrayla gripping to his bicep was painful, but nothing when compared to the sickening snap of his right secondary. He was forced to loose his grip on the (as of this moment unknown) werewolf to slap a hand to his mouth against the scream that threatened to burst out and steal away with it his precious air. This was one of the times in his millennia-long existence that he really hated instinct, for as his other wings closed protectively he lost all resistance to the water, and had just enough time to twist around and catch against the portcullis with his shoulder. It hurt, yes, but it was better than his face, or the front of his body where he was still trying to shield Tide and Shrayla. The red in the water told him what the burning ache in his arm was relaying - Shrayla had lost her grip. Jaw clenched tight and entire body straining, he forced himself to grab hold of her again with his hand, trying his best to untangle her legs from between Larandaithiel and the bars before she was harmed further.

This was bad, he knew. His instinct was to shout out through the Chorus to Raferties, still on the surface and maybe able to see what the lever they had pulled had done. Sadly though they still had yet to find a means to reconnect him to his family of angels, and this all he received with a migraine's worth of effort was concern and confusion from the Lorekeeper. So the angel did the only thing one of his kind could do in such a bleak situation:

Solaris, see us through this!

(311 words and this is the only Keldos)


***************

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The Junior Weyrwoman spun around on her heel with a gasp as the ground shook and the hidden monolith rose into view, 'shell' soon opening to reveal its lever. While she had no awareness of what had befallen the others by the fountain, other than having seen the statue's collapse, she reeled momentarily under the sudden psychic wave.

Look out! Aegis' shout came just moments before the swarm decended from above, with Rannegar throwing himself upon the woman and knocking her to the stones below. What happened to Naya she couldn't be sure in that initial press, but the moment the sphinx let her up she spun to her feet, flail coming out and whirling in the air, making it whistle. A rune almost concealed between the spikes flared into bright yellow light, then the head of the flail detonated into fire. Looking at the weapon and comparing it to its wielder, one might have thought she'd lack the strength to mange it, but it moved at her direction with next to no effort on her part. With a single swing, a triad of the beetles were smashed from the air, strewn upon the ground at her feet.

"The lever!" the lieutenant called, mostly to her companions as she was at current unaware of Naya's true self. "I think we need to pull it, but with all these - pests flying around, I can't!"

Then let's eliminate them as fast as we can, m'lady! Rannegar countered, paws and wings slamming them down by the scores, though he, and those with him, winced as they came under a stinging counter-attack of their own. It hadn't taken the pests long to reason out the thread that the flail, claws, and wings posed, and they began working in teams, some distracting while the others snapped their pincers at the heroes. For the moment it was a stalemate, but for how long?

((Just wanted to say Miunari if I misunderstood Naya's current form just let me know and I'll edit my post! And 318 words, no Anari in sight!)
Note: Until further stated, Scarheart, Belial, and Cassandra have standing permission to powerplay Raferties or Anari.
Raferties and his Shinies ~~Anari and her Shinies~~ Keldos and his Shinies~~Cobalt and her Shinies~~Taki and her Shinies~~Kemori and his Shinies
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Miunari
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The Lost One
[ *  *  * ]
(well she is currently a purple nine tailed fox. I think you got it right this way :D)
Naya
Through her usual quickness she was abled to dodge the first attack of the swarm, which then quickly focused on the Lieutnant as she seemed the most danger, which only left a few atacking the kitsune. Allthogh spinning around in a blur of teeth and fangs she couldn't really get rid of them when Anari's exclamation made her aware of the lever. Thinking about it the kitsune thought that it would be the best to work as a grup rather than trying to get out of this quite unpleasant situation on her own, so she spun around, still dodging the attacks but otherwise ignoring the beetles she started to race towards the lever and shortly before she reached it changed forms and quickly pulled it down before grabbing her daggers and engaging in the fight, hoping that the human and her companions wouldn't take her for an enemy.

[148 words. I shall wait for a response of Anari before writing more :D)
My heart wants what it wants ღ

Primary Character & her Shinies
Selena Damons, female Shapeshifter, bold #00A6FF
Anaizth, male Silver Mottle Dragon, bold #5a5959

Voyath, female Green Dragon, Bold #07ab21
Miu, female Shay Illaro, Italics #A3EAFF

Secondary Character & her Shinies
Naya, female Kitsune, Bold Italics #6B0D6B
Elendeth, male Black Mottle Dragon, Bold Italic #00031c

Yui, female Void Astrum, Italics #470047

Tertiary Character &[url=XXX]her Shinies[/url]
Nika, female human
Valorn, male Valor Unicorn
Fenrir, male Sylvan Illaro
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Miunari
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The Lost One
[ *  *  * ]
Selena
At sight of the swarm of beetles the shifter who had been trotting along in her wolf form suddenly seemed to get out of her apathy and quickly turned into her human form before pulling her sword and starting to try to fend those creepy things off while the Djinn prepared some kind of spell and thus probably needed to concentrate. //I should better keep her safe// she thought and tried even harder on cutting those beetles off. As the air got colder she instantly thought that she might want to change into her more compact form and without much thinking involved her body simply transformed into the one of a wolf, with a nice warm fur and sharper senses so that she began tearing at the beetles with her claws and jaws and as the cold intesified she backed off from the beetles, waiting for the magic to unfold it's whole power.
After everything had calmed down after the outburst of magic she quickly looked up to Cassandra.
"Are you alright?"
she asked.

(174 words)
My heart wants what it wants ღ

Primary Character & her Shinies
Selena Damons, female Shapeshifter, bold #00A6FF
Anaizth, male Silver Mottle Dragon, bold #5a5959

Voyath, female Green Dragon, Bold #07ab21
Miu, female Shay Illaro, Italics #A3EAFF

Secondary Character & her Shinies
Naya, female Kitsune, Bold Italics #6B0D6B
Elendeth, male Black Mottle Dragon, Bold Italic #00031c

Yui, female Void Astrum, Italics #470047

Tertiary Character &[url=XXX]her Shinies[/url]
Nika, female human
Valorn, male Valor Unicorn
Fenrir, male Sylvan Illaro
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Foxie nodded and jumped down, scampering over to the lever. He took it in his mouth and pulled it. It took quite a bit of strength on his part, and his smaller body strained with the effort, but eventually he managed to tug it downward. Then, turning his head to alert Cassandra, he noticed she was being attacked by giant insects.

Before he could intervene, however, Rose was at his side and had picked him up in a gentle but secure grip, ensuring that her ward could not escape and possibly get harmed in the process. "Rose, we have to help her!" Foxie whined. Rose shook her head. Even she could see that Cassandra was taking care of the insects without much effort. If the situation grew dire, though, she would step in herself.
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Raferties
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Lorekeeper
[ *  *  * ]
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As much as the Lorekeeper tried to help Belial with the cube, turning this and that at his direction or giving his input, a large part of him worried for his brother.

From their high vantage point, he could see much further of the ruins and thought that he could spot out where the statue had stood - and Keldos had disappeared. He could not reach out to his brother through the Chorus, but instinct whispered to him of great danger to the archangel, and whoever else was in the area.

That was when the monoliths began their shuddering reactions, startling him into standing with a gasp. Their trio of colored lights blazed into the sky, and the beckoning waves rippled out. At near the same time, he saw the dragon over where he brother had vanished recoil faintly back in the air, as if surprised... and even from the great distance, the sudden frenzy of frothing was spotted by his scrutinizing gaze.

This is bad.

And it was about to get a whole lot worse.

The angel's mind was quick to register the humming buzz that was descending down from on high, even if his body wasn't quite quick enough to react to the thread looming upon him. Thankfully, what else was a supernaturally tough mate for if not diving upon oneself to avoid the fly-by attack of a 'squad' of five rather ticked off beetles? (the scrapes would heal themselves quickly enough). As he was pushing himself up and murmuring a grateful thank you to Belial, the angel saw that the beetles were descending upon several other places in the ruins - namely, everywhere those beams of light were - and seemed to be protecting them likely from others in the area, as he clearly heard shouts and even a feline roar such as might come from a sphinx or other large cat. They gave off a clear aura of menace, of dark intent, not like the strange ghostly being that had left the box to begin with which though evil, held not the same malice. Whatever their goal was, it was not good by any means, and worse the beetles seemed to know it!

Now, above all else, the Lorekeeper was clever. You couldn't exist for millennia writing reports and seeing all the matter of ways cause led to effect without picking up a strong bit of insight. His brother had gone to the center where the statue had collapsed and vanished from sight - the beams of light marking the levers had appeared, and so had the beetles - at the same time as the frothing water had become visible by it's sheer force. The psychic urgency to pull the lever cinched things.

"I do not know how," he gasped to his devil as he was helped to his feet, only to have to be shoved back down as another three made a pass, pincers snapping at them and clacking off of one of Belial's horns, "but I have a strong instinct that the lever must be pulled, and that there may be others at the lights. But the beetles are protecting it! The others are too far away as well - even were I to race as swiftly as I could fly, it would take minutes to get from one to the other." He couldn't help but cry out as one cunning beetle, while its mates dove at Belial, snuck out of formation for a moment to cut at a wing before a swipe of the angel's staff blasted it from life. "And they would tear me out of the air before I ever got close!"

We will double back! came Girith's voice in his Rider's mind. Maybe we can thin the air for you. While the angel was grateful, and thought that at the very least it would help those in the ruins, he feared that it would be far too late if he had to wait on the dragons to best the beetles. Something had to be done faster.

"One thing at a time!" came Belial's voice, shouted to be heard over the deafening thrum of insect wings as he pulled the angel up. The Lorekeeper nodded, and together they began to run towards the green beacon. Seeing that foot-speed was far too slow, especially given the unsteady nature of the stairs, the Lorekeeper spread his wings and took to the air hoping to make up precious time that he felt he could ill-afford to lose. But the beetles were quick upon him, trying to bite at his wings and limbs, forcing him into a spiral twist to hopefully shake them on top of protecting his wings as much as possible. The press was so severe that he couldn’t even begin to form the words for any holy fire, or bring his staff around to defend himself. To say he lost a few feathers in the melee was almost an understatement as silvery powder ghosted on the air. Finally, though, the angel got control of his thoughts and lit his Radiance, exploding it outwards in a blinding flash! Regardless of the beetle’s origins or purpose in these ruins, they still had eyes, and still needed sight. The bright bursting holy display caused the couple dozen threatening him to fall back, staggering as they flew and giving time for him to make a desperate dive down to the lever. He spared a quick glance at Belial perhaps a minute or so behind him on the stairs, then grasped the green-lighted lever in both hands and threw it with all his might. He could only hope that it worked, or that he would see some sign of success or failure in time to try something else. With the buzzing increasing behind him, he knew he would only have a couple more tries!

(Word count – 977, no Lorekeeper’s name in sight. Game On! – Race)

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At first startled at seeing an animal, however odd it may have appeared (because purple and nine tails were far outside her usual experience, but IF and all at the least), the goldrider was even more startled when not only did the small creature join in the battle, snapping at the beetles that were attempting to overwhelm them with a thousand small, stinging cuts, but then seemed to understand her words to her bondeds and bounded over to the lever.

Then Naya (though of course the watch member didn’t know her name yet, maybe after the extermination was complete) changed forms, and all she could think was ‘oh.’

It made a sort of sense, actually. At least it did if one was at least part-way familiar with how varied a population Haven Weyr and village could boast of.

That was about all she could think of it, as seeing someone pull ‘their’ lever a cluster of the beetles broke away from the rest and swarmed towards her. Instantly old habit resurfaced, and with a tumbling roll that her leg would gripe at her later for the lieutenant dashes past them and rose between the threat and their intended target. Spinning flail made the air sing as she built up sufficient momentum, then lashed out in a forward arc on nothing but pure instinct. The flames that had wrapped the spiked head of the weapon lunged away, following the arc and turning the beetles there to ashes. For a moment, the beetles seemed startled, or at least were drawing back a bit to reconsider options. To the experienced eye of someone who had faced down Dragon Highlords and their dreaded soldiers, these were clearly far more than dumb insects. This battle was far from over, at least at the moment.

Now all that was left was to see if pulling the lever had done any good, and if so what that might be?

(word count – 322, and my typing program couldn’t find a single Anari anywhere)
Note: Until further stated, Scarheart, Belial, and Cassandra have standing permission to powerplay Raferties or Anari.
Raferties and his Shinies ~~Anari and her Shinies~~ Keldos and his Shinies~~Cobalt and her Shinies~~Taki and her Shinies~~Kemori and his Shinies
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Belial
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Archduke
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So she came away with a mouthful of blood and flesh. That hadn't been what the werewolf had had in mind when she'd bitten into the angel. It was rather the opposite, actually.

Remaining connected had been the point. Especially when that treacherous betrayer lever made the water stronger instead of lifting the portcullis like it was SUPPOSED TO.

(Let a dumb dog rage for a moment, yeah? She's having a hard day.)


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Being clenched in Shrayla's vice-like legs did the Weyrhealer's shattered shoulder no favors. It didn't do any part of him any favors, although he could abstractly appreciate her obvious logic.

Part pain, part annoyance, the old elf snarled as Shrayla nearly dragged him under the water. And then, because they obviously weren't getting a reprieve from the water any time soon, he renewed the water-breathing spell on all parties present.

And reached out to touch Tide's shoulder, sending a shock of healing magic through her body. He couldn't repair her ribs totally mid-crisis as they were, because he didn't want to make her ribs heal badly, but he could quiet pain and strengthen bone until they could find a peaceful (or at least outside of the rushing water) moment for an actual examination.

As for his shoulder and his broken face, well. Those would keep. The concussion, however, he had to fix fast. And might as well. They were apparently going to be stuck there for a while.

"Life is not about what you deserve. Life is about free will, life is about what you choose. Afterlife is about what you deserve, and all the Heavens forfend you deserve me." --Belial

"Redemption is a work in progress. I've...got a lot of work left to do." --Shrayla

"Fair winds and good fortune to you, friend." --Khareesh

"I think you have me mistaken for someone penitent, and I don't appreciate it." --Melonwei

"If someone rains on your parade, start dancing in the rain." --Linah

"The rules of the Lord of Poetic Justice are very simple. You do unto others as you would have me do unto you, aye?" -- Aletha Hoarfrost

"War's the candy, I'm just the wrapper, but that doesn't make me ready to die any time soon." --Arieh Harel
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Miunari
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The Lost One
[ *  *  * ]
Naya
As the beetles suddenly rushed towards her she was ready, waiting with her daggers in hand as suddenly the woman got herself between her and the enemies, which was usually something bad to do. Nobody should try to get themselves between an assasin and their chosen victim, but then the kitsune realized that the human tried to protect her. Letting out a little laugh she as well rolled forward, so that she was now at the same line as the warrior and quickly threw a dagger towards the swarm of beetles. Unluckily for them, but quite lucky for our little group not all of the beetle were capable of dodging and thus three got pierced by the dagger, which had been thrown with an elegant force. It's flights stopped as it hit the fourth beetle, not killing it but causing it to fall to the ground where the Kitsune quickl finished it with another of her daggers before pulling out the one she had thrown. With a smile at Anari and an even brighter smile at the rest of the beetles she hold out her hand, the palm facing the beetles and unleashe a wave of fox fire, causing nearly unbearable pain to the beetles, which confused on where that sudden pain came from lost their mind for a moment.

(220 words)
My heart wants what it wants ღ

Primary Character & her Shinies
Selena Damons, female Shapeshifter, bold #00A6FF
Anaizth, male Silver Mottle Dragon, bold #5a5959

Voyath, female Green Dragon, Bold #07ab21
Miu, female Shay Illaro, Italics #A3EAFF

Secondary Character & her Shinies
Naya, female Kitsune, Bold Italics #6B0D6B
Elendeth, male Black Mottle Dragon, Bold Italic #00031c

Yui, female Void Astrum, Italics #470047

Tertiary Character &[url=XXX]her Shinies[/url]
Nika, female human
Valorn, male Valor Unicorn
Fenrir, male Sylvan Illaro
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Mini Update

With the lowering of the first lever, the violet light thrummed and throbbed, widening into a conical beam ever so briefly, that began to tilt toward the front and center of the ruins - the exact point at which point all three lights would eventually bend and point at.

Next, came the orange lever which was the front left pillar. It too slanted toward the center of it all, and the violet and orange collided into a shower of colors.

Finally, the green light bent as well and all three lights poured together before becoming bright, ominous red. The feeling of dread and urgency amplified as the levers were clearly pulled out of order. There was a shudder as the lights correct themselves and the levers reset.

Luckily for those below, trapped against a portcullis, their lever did not reset and the water continued its horrid assault against them. With each casting of magic, the Weyr Healer could feel his breathing spell getting weaker and weaker, the duration reducing itself incrementally each time. Soon, it'd not be strong enough for a single breath of air.

Above, it wasn't so fortunate, as more beetles descended from the gray and ashen clouds, this time larger, thicker, and more dangerous. Their strength would amplify in both physical power, and sheer numbers, as now they would fight in clusters of five. Perhaps, the brave souls above, would have one or two more chances to get it correct.

The beetles that now descended were different than the first in one other way as well - their carapaces were shiny and reflective, with obvious flecks of orange within them.
◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙

First Pull Violet, Orange, Green - Incorrect

I did a very quick map of the ruins in paint, so everyone could get a reference of relative distance between one another. Here is my super lovely artistic talent.

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