Quest II. The night the towers cried [open]

[Hadrian]

Kamalia's staff didn't seem to faze the creature, her power not amounting to much at all. His own was merely a bandage insufficient to staunch a mortal wound; he kept pouring out his soul in the form of Shield energy to maintain the blockage, but he knew it wouldn't last long at all. He was no great Shielder; it was only a skill that he had dabbled in, trying to find new ways to create greater and more complex items with his magecrafting, and protect himself and those he loved from danger. Now he was failing, but his heartfelt prayer made something click. Aquiras, said one of the flashing glyphs, and he thought he felt something within his soul tremble in answer. Aquiras was dead or, as many believed, comatose in the Ukalas, but Priskil still answered prayers. She had her Order of Radiance scattered across the continent like spears of light, beacons amid the darkness. His heart was gladdened, even if he had imagined that feeling, that answer to his prayers. Priskil, please come. I cannot hold the air in much longer, but take my life if it will help contain this beast. Do not let it down into Mizahar to devour my people. That was a strange phrase for him, even in the quiet of his own mind. Who were his people? The Aelius family? Caelum? Kendall? Sondra? Ethan? Cathan? Even with people around him, even now with this crowd around him, he always felt alone. Different. Unable to communicate with people in the manner they communicated among themselves. He had the words, but not the empathy. Only in strange circumstances did he feel like a real person. This was one of them. Take my life, then, he prayed. Use it to help these others. And those below. I have not been your particular devotee, but I would rather die a light than part of the darkness. But darkness threatened, his mind attempting to shut itself down before he began to overgive. He knew one way to extend his power, to make his usage more efficient. He fell into a meditative trance, using the names of the gods as a mantra, his breathing falling into a controlled in and out, his heart a metronome. "Priskil," he chanted quietly. "Aquiras. Eyris. Ionu. Nysel. Akajia." The list went on, all the gods with whom he had ever felt a glimmer of connection. Rhysol was not mentioned; his cohort was doing more damage than not. But winning out more and more in his litany were Aquiras and Priskil, the one who slept, and the one who guarded his sleep.

[Niapret]

As Nia had appearantly found the kitty's person, a clayperson, yet didn't want to put the kitty on the ground where he or she could get smushed or get in the goo, she instead tried to put the kitty on the other shoulder of the person the clayperson stood on.
"Yes, I'm sure it would be painful, probably very much so. Probably not as painful as the death this will probably lead to."
She glanced around, then back.
"Maybe we should pray again, like Priskil said?"
Her voice had no hope in it, she was sure they'd all die. Painfully. If they managed not to, they'd surely die shortly after, in a equally painful way.

[Cassandra Coven]

Had they met at any other place, at any other time, Tatishka would have beaten Cassandra into a pulp with ease, as the slight barmaid would hardly serve as a challenging sport to the well-trained Black Sun soldier. But here in this strange place, with the superhuman strength and speed granted to her by the creature called Ravarisk, the tables were turned. Each swing of her club moved in incredible slowness, at least to Cassandra's heightened perception, and she easily dodged them like an adult would the blows of a child throwing a tantrum. She could have snatched the weapon from Tatishka's hand and beat the woman's face with it before the Black Sunner realized what hit her, if she had wanted to. Instead, a fleeting bit of knowledge told the barmaid to let her opponent tire herself out, to expend her energies in dealing the powerful but impotent blows. That simplest of strategies flashed through her mind in a fraction of a heartbeat before it was washed away by a flood of other information - too much for the dark-haired woman's mind to hold. The influx of knowledge stretched and tested the limits of her brain, and it neared the point of breaking her sanity. The torrent of lore needed an outlet and rage, indeed, was the answer. And rage could only be expressed one way: with violence. With a shriek, Cassandra flung the longsword back to its owner. The onslaught of unwanted information surging through her head may have granted her the knowledge to use the weapon, but she could not focus her mind enough access it. Besides, the man she had thrown into the crimson pool knew as she did; he could do more with it than she could to accomplish Ravarisk's desires. Her action took but a second and she turned to face Tatishka once again. The soldier would have made a great addition to Ravarisk's minions but some semblance of recognition still remained with Cassandra. She knew that the Black Sun was the enemy. The enemy! Dropping her dagger, she moved in a blur, one hand catching the wrist of the hand Tatishka held her club with, the other closing around the woman's mouth, her long nails digging deep into flesh. With startling strength, Cassandra lifted the armored woman off her feet and, unable to control herself, called upon the power of her goddess-given mark. Tatishka would feel as if five sharp daggers were drilling excruciatingly into her jaw as Cassandra tightened her grip. Behind the woman, Cassandra noticed the fireball hurtling almost lazily towards them. Danger! Fire! Pain! Death! were the words that flashed into her mind. Impossibly strong she may be, but the dark-haired woman was not invulnerable. The fireball would spell her demise. She could not let that happen! Ravarisk would still have use for her body! Another shriek escaped her lips before Cassandra bodily flung Tatishka at the fiery projectile. Her mind had already calculated it: the moment of impact of the fireball against the Black Sun soldier should detonate it around the largest part of the crowd. She wasn't sure if she would still be engulfed by the flames then, but for some reason, it didn't matter. All that was important to her at that moment as to deal as much pain onto others as she could. And maybe in the process, the ensuing shockwave from the explosion would fling more people into Ravarisk's pools. Win-win for all. If her true patron goddess had been present at that moment, She would have known with certainty that she had chosen well in granting Cassandra her favor. Krysus would have smiled. Priskil, Cassandra's chosen deity, was all but forgotten. Stooping to pick up her discarded dagger, not even bothering to look at the results of her action whether Tatishka did indeed hit the fireball or not, Cassandra moved off to carry out the next of Ravarisk's instructions. She did not know who the pregnant woman the creature wanted was but then, there were only so many females around her. Easy enough to do this in trial and error. Her gaze fell on the blue-eyed Konti (Satu), the one she had looked upon in wonder earlier. She will be the first, Cassandra thought as she stalked towards the fey woman. OOCDid I do too many things at once?

[Aidara]

Everywhere, the casualties. The acrid smell of blood hung heavy in the air, filling Addy's nostrils with every breath she took. It wasn't just the way her mouth seemed to mimic the scent, her tongue weighed down and tasting as if it was coated with the metallic liquid, but the presence of the blood effected her on a deeper level. It drove her at a baser level, igniting her need to heal.

Still lagging behind the events, and somehow escaping most of the notice, Addy found herself still trapped in the middle of what looked like a war zone. Overwhelmed and undereducated in the ways of the world, the little woman simply ignored what she couldn't understand. The oozing liquid had been the first thing she shrugged off while the effects it had on those it touched was the other. Frankly put, everyone was freaking out. Aidara was not a leader, a commander or a wielder of great magics. One look at the wild eyes that surrounded her and the little Inartan knew that she was completely out of her element. She was, however, not one to give up. Even though there was no chance of her persuading those around her to calm down or rallying her comrades to arms, she could still help.

Instead of worrying about what she couldn't fix, Addy dashed to the prone form closest to her; it was a man laying to her left, unmoving barely breathing. Blood gathered in a dark pool beneath him, his arm crooked around the puddle as if he was trying to scoop his lifeblood back towards him. Skidding a bit as she came to kneel at his side, Addy shoved her consciousness away and dove into the gaping wound in the man's side. The gash was straight across his ribcage, the clean severing of the flesh the result of a dagger or sword.

No major arteries or blood vessels had been damaged, but the man had been laying there for a while. There was no way for Addy to replace the amount of blood that he lost. The deep tissue that lay exposed on his side was pale and anemic; his breathing was shallow almost to the point of non-existence. But she couldn't give up, even knowing it was a lost cause. Until this man stopped breathing, she would do what she could to save him, but it didn't stop her from sending another silent prayer to her goddess as clamped her hands down over the slippery, clammy flesh to try and staunch the flow of blood.

Only marked singly, Addy could only really clean the deeper tissues and prevent them from festering. She couldn't stop the bleeding, she couldn't even slow the bleeding. With her eyes closed and her hands still pressed firmly, Addy desperately shoved tendrils of power into the strangers wound. What good it would do, she didn't know. But she didn't have a choice.

Panic started to well up somewhere between her stomach and her throat. Her eyes burned from the smell of blood that now, suddenly, seemed overpowering. She couldn't help, and he was dying. He probably didn't even realize he was dying anymore, nor that she was trying to keep him alive. The blood that coated her hands, turning them almost black, seemed to congeal as she sat there, floundering.

The oozing liquid that seemed to pick it's way around the platform as if it was in possession of a consciousness had crept up on the little woman as she sat in the pool of the dying man's blood. Dark and thick, it paused only for a moment as the man drew one last, weak breath. Addy didn't notice his passing, her eyes closed as she was lost in her healing place, endlessly feeding the dead man her power, futile in the hope that she was helping him. The substance moved on from the corpse, trickling to mingle with the pool of blood, inching towards Addy's knees...

Addy. No more healing. To my side.

It was as if Sira knew that her bondmate was in dire straights; not only was she about to lose herself over the inability to help a stranger far beyond her abilities, but also that the noxious substance that permeated what had once been this groups safe space was only centimeters from the bare skin of her legs. The crisp, direct order had the woman on her feet instantly, green eyes wide as they flitted around the room for her other red-headed half.

There! Facing off with a Konti, dangerous golden eyes glinting and just as sharp as the sword she held defensively before her. Addy was already halfway across the platform, slipping and sliding as she was now covered in blood, before she even thought about her charge. A quick glance back over her shoulder told her not only that he was dead, but she had been sitting in that unknown liquid... or had she?

Skidding past Satu and directly to Sira's side, Addy positioned herself behind her love's left elbow, breathing hard and with a slightly wild look to her eyes. The offered hand was taken and grasped tightly, lips pressing into a grim line as she nodded affirmation to the spoken threat.

Sira, I think that stuff touched me. Of course, it probably hadn't. Still barely over five feet and hardly swelling with power, Addy was showing none of the effects that the others that had been touched displayed. However, as she ignored most of the goings on in order to help where she could, the little woman had no reference point for her fears.

The strange, slight woman that Sira held a swords length away didn't seem to acknowledge her arrival. She and Sira were locked in a fierce showdown that she had no part in, but Addy didn't take her eyes off of the stranger either. Because of this, it was only out of the corner of her eye that she saw the other woman approach.

There was a detachment on Cassandra's face that sent a shiver down Addy's spine. She, too, had eyes only for Satu, but the way she moved with purpose towards their little group sent a shiver down her spine. Moving around to Sira's other side, Addy turned her body so that she faced towards both of these strange woman. Whatever their intentions, Addy wanted to be able to see it coming.

Careful, here comes another one. Weaponless, surrounded by crazy people, and exhausted from her healing attempts, Addy wanted nothing more than her bow. Her hands were shaking and her breath was still coming in short huffs, but still she stood her ground.

[Satu]

At the woman’s accusations, confusion flitted across the Konti’s face. She had done nothing to garner such distrust… though in this foreign place, surely it was prudent not to trust anyone. Satu’s eyes flickered to the woman’s belly then back up to Sira’s face. “No, I do not wish it… What need would I have for a baby here, in this place?” Her hand lifted outward, palm up as if she held a tiny world within the shimmery scales of her palm. Her head shook softly, her tone gentle as a rolling wave upon a beach; Satu’s words held a lilted accent, as she said again, “I do not wish for your child.” Then she asked hopefully – as if unsure who in this place she might trust, “I try to find the Priskill followers… did you not hear Her call to us?” Satu’s demeanor was gentle, as if she belonged far away from chaos and confusion… as if only peace could sustain her. Another woman joined the first, though Satu cared not. Her eyes stayed upon the one with the drawn sword, the one who had invoked Priskill’s name in her mind, as if it was Sira who harbored the more violent thoughts within her Heart. The Konti’s face remained smoothly passive, almost timid. Inwardly though, she frowned, it was not surprising that a healer would be attached to that Priskill loving woman. But when their gaze shifted elsewhere, Satu turned as well – It was the dark-haired girl that had spoken to her earlier. Satu’s HeartSense flared… Cassandra’s Heart was not the same as it had been! It was noticeably changed. Again, Satu’s hand returned to her precious suvai. Her body shifted easily and her feet slid, so her torso might be brought to face Cassandra. It was a smooth move, easily done, as if she only turned to talk to a well-known acquaintance. Taking one step back and to the side of Sira and Addy, Satu gave herself room to move should she need to engage her suvai. With a last look at Sira, Satu’s eyes flashed with a warning for the woman to take care. And it seemed, the Konti selflessly put herself in line to defend the healer and the pregnant woman near her…. “It seems you have conquered your Fear…” the Konti said, turning to Cassandra.

[Sira]

Sira's gaze softened when Satu mentioned Priskil. It was the first indication she had recieved that anyone had even heard her pretend call, and apparently this woman believed it! What luck to find an ally amidst a sea of enemies. True, the woman could still be an agent of the creature, but Sira wasn't sure. Plus the woman looked genuinely confused by what Sira had said. Either she was an excellent actor, or she was not a threat. The idea that Satu could have been after her for other reasons never occurred to Sira. "I heard it. Priskil wants us to be calm and stop fighting with each other." Sira glanced at Aidara when she joined them, giving her hand a squeeze back. Addy, she mentally whispered, My bow is on the ground back there. Go and get it, I think we're going to need it. We'll have to worry about the ooze later, you seem fine for now. Before Addy could to that, however, Cassandra arrived. It didn't take a Konti to see the rage in the woman's eyes. And when Satu shifted stances, Sira didn't fail to notice the hand that fell to the weapon. Sira was a warrior as well, and she could tell when one was getting ready for a fight. Her mind raced, trying to figure out if Cassandra was just a mad woman finally succumbed to the chaos, or if she truly was an agent of the monster. Did it really matter? The konti seemed friendly enough, so Sira took a risk. Konti, a voice rang in Satu's mind, the same voice albeit at much lesser volume that claimed to be Priskil moment's before. I have spoken to the creature. It is after children.. my child, and probably anyone else here with child. I don't know what it wants, but I don't think it is anything good. I will die before I let it take my child. ...I.. um.. just thought you should know what's at stake, just in case. Sira's gaze remained steady and focused upon Cassandra. She didn't address her, the konti seemed to already know her in some way, but Sira's stance made it clear she didn't trust the newcomer. Sira would indeed die before she let the Ravarisk, or anyone working for it, have her child, and she would take the whole disk of people down with her if she had to.

[Bob Barton]

There was good reason to rage because, the ice bridge did not break! If it does not break, how is Bob going to get more allies? It was infuriating how people did not want to acknowledge his efforts like...like he was some sort of a fool. He would show them all whether they would like it or not if they were not going to listen to him. Another low rumbling growl and Bob used all his strength chipping away with those final blows at the bridge until it finally broke and Kinneasretired but done with the permission of the player who was able to make it across it was only able to enjoy it for a moment. The juiced up dwarf before him gave him a shove and it sent him back and into the ooze which he was trying to avoid. That was yet another one for the team but was it enough? It would never be enough he knew, he had to do more.

Any feelings of satisfaction he should have had was lost on him because he could only feel the anger in him. Boiling, bubbling like it only wanted to overflow like a boiling pot. It definitely will not be good to keep it for long but what could Bob do to get rid of it. Looking around he of course found the perfect outlet for him in the form of his favorite Sunberth scum Darik who was already causing trouble. He would save those people that were being victimized by the boy and they would thank him for it, if he was lucky enough they would take some of that ooze too. Why fall in with that faker of a goddess Priskil when they could have something better? If there was one thing that Bob disliked more than Darik it, was that false brand of hope the goddess gave. He knew that it was nothing better than suicide to follow something like that based on his own experiences.

But whatever he wanted to do would have to wait for some other time fortunately for the boy because something else got Bob's attention. The red explosion of fire and blood like a beacon of what Bob should actually be doing for his benefactor. Not only that it was really, really well done too. If Bob had a taste for human flesh he might have tried some barbecued Stryfe but the taste that the midget was truly hooked on was that of recognition. He knew that he would not be able to do anything as impressive like tossing a fireball, or a person but he could do something just as well. Some genius already supplied something that he could use right now already. Bob went towards a large chunk of ice that was part of the bridge earlier and lifted it without any trouble. His veins pumping with the energy that was given to him by the octopus. Now it was time to pay back its investment.

If it wanted a woman, Bob would get it a woman only it would not be as nice when he was trying to get one for himself. Already there were a few that were grouping up as he could see. One redhead, wait two redheads! That was going to be fun especially with one of those whitehaired kontis and the brunette which was going towards them. Even if Bob could not see her face from the back, he could see the curves and that was good enough for him. "I'll satisfy your rage..." and some of Bob's other more human emotions. Was that a smile on his face or just him baring his teeth when he ran towards the group while he was holding on to the block as hard as the ice would allow him.

His hands were beginning to get numb from the cold but it was not going to be long now. The only explanation as to why Bob tossed that ice block when he did is probably because like his other oozed partner that had all the numbers already running through his head. Not that he cared when all Bob cared about was the results and that is the ice smashing right in the middle of them all to get their attention. Even in rage he would still like to think that he was a gentleman if he was thinking at all and getting the woman would not mean hurting them, unless these ones did not agree to his demands. "You women come with me!" he quickly said as he stalked towards them sword drawn, uncaring about anything else that might be going on around them now that he found his targets. The proper recipients for his emotions.

[Cassandra Coven]

The strange lighting around the platform caused the Konti's alabaster scales to shimmer as she shifted her posture to turn to her, and Cassandra would have been mesmerized had she still possessed her full wits about her. But at her current state of mind, the dark-haired woman was being driven with a single-minded purpose that left her ignoring everything else, shunting simple impulses such as appreciation for beauty to the back of her mind. All she cared about was to get her hands on the pregnant woman Ravarisk wanted. She faced three possible candidates right now in the form of the Konti and the two human women with her. There were other women about of course, but the trio were as good a place to start as any in finding her target. She didn't mind working by process of elimination. The Konti addressed her and Cassandra's mind almost refused to understand the words sent her way as her brain worked overtime trying to calculate how best to get the three into the crimson pools. Each one seemed ready to fight her, after seeing what she had done to Tatishka. She knew they would be prepared than the fool Black Sun woman. "'Fear'?" Cassandra hissed back at Satu, her face an ugly mask of rage. "There is no reason to fear, only to -" She did not get to finish as she lunged at the Konti, her arm upraised as she clutched her stiletto in an underhand grip, ready to stab the fey woman once she got close enough. She did not see the block of ice flung by the midget behind her. OOCLadies? Please don't kill me! I'm only acting on what Tarot gave me! *flails*

[Satu]

It was unthinkable! The woman spoke again in the HeartSeer’s mind. The Konti abhorred it, though she tried to hide such true feelings, because she knew - Sira had grossly miscalculated. The little bits of information she had willingly offered were all that Satu needed… The monster wanted Sira… and her child. And Satu would retain her own innocence even as she betrayed Priskill’s follower. “I will help you,” she whispered with a small, understanding nod, her lips barely moving. And the HeartSeer thought, the world will be better for my help. But the hopeful smile dropped from Satu’s face as both Cassandra and the little man neared… Those two… they Wanted… and Wanted… Their Want battered her HeartSense. Slyly, Satu stepped in front of Sira, “You can not have her! Or her child…” she said emotionally, her words accented with tones of the Isle as she attempted to draw awareness to the pregnant woman behind her. But Cassandra leapt and Satu quickly met the blade with the white suvai. Rapidly the weapon had arced through the air, whistling as a wind in the sea breeze as it lifted free of its delicate sheath. The trajectory she hoped would place the suvai prongs in line to tangle Cassandra’s stiletto. The Konti’s other suvai followed behind in the dual wield, though at a slower pace. But it was with this attack that Satu hoped to strike the other woman and send poison coursing through her veins. Through the rapid defense and attack, Satu moved her body subtly, flowing in the minute steps and turns. And the block of ice crashed against Cassandra while Satu shifted away. But that small movement left an opening – and Sira was exposed… if the dark-haired woman or the charging man wanted her… she was there…

[Aidara]

Yeah. Got it. Addy had no energy left to keep the stress from her voice, the mental snap cutting thought Sira's directions as the healer hovered by the taller woman's side. Really? The bow? What the petch was she supposed to do with that? It sure as hell wasn't worth it to turn around and retrieve the weapon while they still faced off with the white-haired woman.

Pulling her awareness away from the silent conversation with Sira, Addy flickered her gaze to the Konti. The petite woman hardly seemed threatening, somehow seeming even smaller and more delicate than Addy herself. But there was a gleam in her eye that sent a shiver trickling down her spine, fear's icy fingers grasping and taking hold of her lungs. It was all she could do not to gasp. She claimed to want nothing to do with the child, but the words did nothing to ease the tension between her shoulder blades.

"I don't-" But her protest was cut short as Cassandra slithered forward. Immediately, Addy realized that the sharp stab of fear she felt, initially thought to have come from the Konti's close proximity, re-situated to hang around the dark haired woman as she approached. Satu turned and found a place beside she and Sira while Addy simultaneously slid backwards for every one of Cassandra's approaching steps. Without turning her back on the newcomer, Addy hoped to reach the bow before she reached them.

At last, her heel clipped the wood of the bow, sending it skittering a few more feet behind her. Taking a change, the little woman quickly turned, stooped and grasped the weapon in one fluid motion. It was with an agility that Addy didn't even know she possessed that she was standing upright, the bow raised, drawn and notched with an arrow before anyone had the chance to draw a second breath. Fear sometimes brought out the best in people.

Holding her ground a dozen paces behind Sira and the Konti, Addy attempted to sight down the arrow pointed towards the still approaching woman; her hands shook madly, her breath still coming in little gasps. Fear for her child, Sira and finally herself greatly reduced her concentration.

"Please, Priskil." The barely whispered prayer, however, seemed to steady her hands a bit. The tightness in her chest eased and Addy was able to draw a full breath. Unaware of the conversation that Sira had with Satu, the little healer only saw the Konti speaking to Cassandra, unable to make out the exact words.

Cassandra lunged and Addy cried out. Instinct rather than skill had the arrow sailing through the air just as Satu jumped to meet the attack. Luckily, her aim wasn't perfect; the Konti had jumped directly in intended path of Addy's arrow. Crap.

Taking no time to assess her shot, Addy notched another arrow and sighted again. All her fear and inhibitions had disappeared, survival instincts kicking in and completely taking over. Not even the healers aversion to hurting or killing made a difference now, though she would have to deal with it once the adrenaline wore off.

Bob appeared out of no where, or so it seemed, hefting a ice chunk that his small stature would normally have never allowed; the ooze did miraculous things, that was for sure. He was Addy's next target, the woman unaware that he was aiming for Cassandra. Sparing not a single moment to see whether either of her arrows had slowed their intended targets Addy ran up to Sira's side. Whether she attempted to engage or not, Addy tried to get the pregnant woman behind her.

No Sira, stay back. Don't throw yourself into their hands. Daring to only put a little command in her thoughts, the Endal raised her bow again and found a spot between both Cassandra and Bob, taking a deep breath as she waited for either of them to lunge towards the redheaded pair.

OOCI'm terribad at fighting. I have very little practice in it, so have mercy! I did my best

Edit: Fixed my accidentally modded arrow shots!