Part the North (2)
It has been three days since the party boarded the AMS Dao II and the sleek Moogle run airship has been a beautiful ride. Smooth, flawless and though they are not allowed outside onto the deck as the airship rushes north across the desert toward the Archadean border the rooms are comfortable, the air is cool and the stewards are polite, efficient and well turned out. The captain and his officers are clearly well trained in their jobs and the table at dinner each evening in the forward dinning room has been magnificent! It is however still troubled by the whims of Valefore and Lord Pandemona and so as the sun sets in the west it's final rays are sprayed in glorious triumph over the underside of a giagantic storm front that is slowly drawing in from the west....
Kiyo would be in the ship's underbelly at this point in time, keeping an eye on the crystals as he moved about to make certain all was right with it. He has no knowledge of the incoming storm, unless it had been announced, at which point he'd be doubling his efforts to keep the crystals under great scrutiny. The worst thing would be if these crystals failed while they were in the middle of said storm.
It's a marvel of airship engineering, and so Ainsley has spent much of the trip... drawing pictures of various things in the airship. She already drew an overall picture of the outside. It's largely just a way for her to pass the time. She pauses briefly when, as she gazes out of a window, she spots a storm on the horizon. She frowns at the sight for a while, but that's about all she can do. She doesn't know how to pilot or maintain an airship, an untrained skill that she was attempting years ago that didn't turn out so well. "We aren't even on the ground yet and already there's trouble," she remarks, sourly.
The mage construct has largely spent his time sulking. After all, the crew quickly confiscated anything flammable from his grasp due to safety concerns. So there he was one, once again, his yellow strawhat ever worn as he stares out the window towards the storm with a steady, narrowed glare on his darkened face. "Not even a Thundaga." Videl breathes out under his breath, his strangely glimmering green eyes unblinking. Meanwhile, he continues on trying to undo the thumblock he has been forced to wear for a while now.
Lee's spent a lot of his time, well... Watching Ainsley draw. Or napping. Usually napping. But at the moment, he's watching her draw and sipping a glass of some sort of iced tea when she looks out the porthole and comments about trouble, leaning a bit to take a brief glance out himself, "Ah, storm comin'? Could be trouble, aye... I'd guess th'captain knows wot he's about, though. 'Sides, way I look at it, "Trouble" jus' means we're on th'right track, given our 'istory wi'tha things we tend t'be after since we first set foot after ol' Shem."
For three days, if Silmeria hasn't been talking to the off-duty crew, or wandering the ship, she's been knitting. A wide, heavy white scarf this time, with light grey tassels at either end. Glancing out the bay window of the common room, she purses her lips at the sight of the oncoming storm, then carefully begins to put away her things. Soon, it seems, she and her companions may be needed; best to be ready for it.
Marduke has spent most of his time in the communal areas of the ship, and keeping to himself. He has been meditating the last three days, and occasionaly playing his silver flute. He was playing his flute when the storm was announced and offers a sigh. Standing up he heads to his room and returns shortly after with his staff and gear. not wanting to take any chances and lose anything should the storm beat the ship. At which he returns to his seat and speaks up, "You know, it could just be a regular mundane storm". then starts to play his flute and only showing that brief moment of concern.
Azar has spent much of her time training, keeping herself fit and her skills sharp. When she has not been training, she has sought out her various companions to socialize, and she has appeared to greatly enjoy the dinners each night. Upon hearing of the storm, she goes to get a good, long look at it, a faint smile upon her lips. "Of course nature gets the first kick in."
Bing Bing Bing Boooooon! The gentle harmonic tones of a glockenspiel plays over the ships PA. A novel merger of magic and technology that allows the bridge crew to talk to everyone onboard. "This is Captain Farquan speaking. All crew prepare for a category 7 storm... engines to holding please. All passengers please assemble in the forward lounge..." The ship starts to turn, facing into the storm as the engines begin to change pitch and tone. "I repeat all passengers to the Forward Lounge we are detecting some strange anomalies in the storm front." Down in the engine room the orders come down the telegraph and the engineering crew start to adjust the crystal resonance so the engines can begin to idle and hold the ship stationary.
Kiyo goes wide-eyed as the crystals, while supposed to be in idle, seem to be detuning... "Oh no you don't, Kupo! No destabilizing on my watch!" He'd attempt to counteract whatever was happening to them. Possibly a counter frequency? If that was the case, just have to keep shifting the frequencies to keep ahead of whatever... or WHOever was doing this to the crystals. He was hired on to keep this airship afloat... and that's JUST what he intended to do!
WIth the engineering crew to help him Kiyo is able to adjust the electrical current flowing into the crystals, counteracting whatever weird harmony is affecting them. The ship thrums and a tone chimes out throughout the air as those looking outside the windows will see a crackling of static and energy push out a bubble of air around the ship as the storm races closer... it will be upon the stationary ship in minutes....
As the word comes along the PA, Ainsley turns and gathers up her combat supplies, what little she has in her possession, then she makes her way to the forward lounge as told. But on her mind is the storm, and what she witnessed within. Some sort of Fiend, she believes, something they may need to strike down in order to progress, but maybe it was something more than that. It's usually something more complex and agitating. Once in the Lounge, she would begin informing everyone of what she saw: A peculiar collection of beasts, and purple lightning, with a distinct magical signature. She also tells people she thinks they're Fiends, but she can't be sure from this distance. She advises the crew and otherwise to brace themselves and prepare their weapons, in case they have to fight off the creatures.
Videl continues to stare at the storm with that frown creased upon his features, though gladly only visible by the half-lid gleaming eyes due to his mysteriously dark figure. And he stares, his green eyes catching tints of purple every now and then when there is a thunder. Then it snaps. "Colors!" He holds up two of his fingers, his hands forced to stay near eachother due to the thumb device. "Colors! Look, it has colors!" He exclaims with wide eyes, waving his hands. "Somebody is gong through a lot of effort to show off!" And with that, he turns back towards the storm, his former slightly disgruntled look returning to his face. "Not even Thundara." He grunts.
Lee leans closer to the porthole as something at the edge of the storm catches his eye, and he frowns, muttering under his breath, "Oh, bugger all..." He quickly follows Ainsley out, having little he needs to gather up himself, accompanying her to the forward lounge, and expanding a little on the news she delivers to fill in the details Ainsley herself wasn't able to determine, "Not jus' any fiend; it's a wild drake, an' a bloody damn huge one at that, wi' about fifteen tag-alongs in tow." He blinks at Videl's apparent randomness about colors, giving an uncertain nod, "Ah, yeah, an' colors... I saw those too, yeah."
"A wild drake," Silmeria says, sighing quietly. "Well... the journey *was* a nice one, but now I suppose it's going to have to get exciting." Shaking her head, she makes a grasping motion at the air, plucking a blue-steel, ebony-handled scythe from the nothing between spaces. "Best we be done with it, then. Ainsley, Videl, Marduke, I don't suppose there's a deeper meaning behind the strangeness of the lightning colors?"
Marduke offers a soft sigh as he closes his eyes, "No meer storm it would appear. One can hope." Standing up he grabs his staff to head towards the forward lounge and listen to Ainsley's explination. "The first of many guardians I am sure we will face. We are limited in what we can do in this enclosed space. Yet you say the lightning is magical in nature?" tapping his chin with a touch of a frown and then glancing to Lee, "A wild drake? That is... unexpected". sighing briefly then offering after, "If I can get outside I may help with a distraction with Chlaal for a little bit." Then he holds up his hand as he starts to cast a spell, the words quick and under his breath. The spell proving a complicated one before he points his hand at himself, "by the mirrors edge, focus thy light and reflect thy beam. Reflect!" [Reflect] A thoughtful hmmm to Silmeria's question, "Nothing I am aware of, taking a gamble it can be reflect due to the noted magical nature."
The storm is indeed riding in closer, whatever the strange chiming sound coming from the engines is it seems to couple with Marduke's reflect and hijack it. The storm front hit, rain splashes over the windows in an eternal torrent as the clouds engulf the ship. But the lightning that crackles and sparks through the air bends away from the ship and outside, through the haze of rain and fog of clouds huge shapes can be seen twisting and turning and flying through the air as the airship rocks and shifts with the powerful storm currents. The lightning casts an odd purple light through the windows and with a sudden flicker the lights dim and flare and the lounge door BANGS open as someone throws it open widely! The fail, darkness falls and lightning flashes, sparkling off bright shiny armour and flowing hair, "DARLINGS! How good it is to see you all again!" the figure glides into the room, their silhoutted shape in a different location as each flash of lightning illuminates the room. Next to Silmeria, "Ah the hand maiden, sweety we simply must do tea nad talk about that bore of a father of yours! Gosh we simply must catch up and exchange the goss!" FLASH! An arm around Marduke's shoulder, "Summoner Marduke! Sweetie you must call upon me! I am sure..." a hand caresses his cheek," We can work out a most suitable pact for you to call upon me..." FLASH! "Oh darling Azar! My sweet little girly warrior! Ahh it has been too long sweet heart. We must sit and be girly and do each others hair." FLASH! "Lee oh my dear sweet poor deluded fool! I hope you have been looking after my girl and hmmm something is off about you indeed.... strange...." FLASH! "Hmm a new comer... strange creature you are and touched by the seer no less, what an odd thing to leave behind. Still I could have use for a construct like you, we must talk about the plan where I teach you how to set Archades on fire! All of it!" FLASH! And Kiyo is in the room, swooned back in the strange figures arms, "And a Moogle! Oh Ainsley you have been a naughty girl, a big strong moogle mechanic of your own! Tsk tsk whatever was the High Priestess thinking letting you have one of these!" FLASH and thump as Kiyo hits the floor next to Silmeria's feet, the figure standing before Ainsley as the lights come back up revealing the shape and figure. Tall, elegant, beautiful in shimmering armour with long flowing hair, that strange, high pitched female voice heard in the darkness at odds with the broad shouldered, beautiful, masculine features and when he speaks his voice is low and male, "My beloved Ainsley, too long has it been but tsk tsk here I find you scampering away out of Emberstrand and you my dear never go anywhere without a plan do you."
Kiyo had been working tirelessly to keep the engines working... until something new happens to the engine and the harmonics stabilize. He sighs in relief as the crystal seems to be back to normal... but suddenly, there's a FLASH! as suddenly he's no longer touching the ground. He looks around a bit, and seems to be in a very dark Lounge, the only way he'd known is from the flash itself. He flails a bit as he realizes he's being carried by some weird... thing... or whatever it was! As he was finally dropped, he scrambles up and over to the rest of the group, of which he noticed were there as well. He didn't feel at all safe about this, so he actually drew the pistol from its holster and prepared for an encounter. "Just who the Kupo do you think you are, scooping me up like that?!"
The figure turns a smile on Kiyo, "Oh darling I am Shemhazai! At least this aspect of me..." he blows a kiss with a gauntleted hand at the moogle. "Pleasure dear, we'll talk later about how you can scream my name in pleasure and shed that broing moogle soul of yours."
The appearance of Shemhazai startles Ainsley. She looks about as lightning flashes, and the Lucavi bounces around the room with a comical effect, taunting the party in various ways. By the time she gets to Ainsley, one might expect the paint to peel around the lizard woman with the sheer fury in the scholar's eyes. There's not even a millisecond of pause between the figure appearing as the manly appearance and a spell being shaped and aimed at the offending demon. This is, of course, accompanied by a berserker roar of hate... as much as a diminuitive, slightly aged lizard woman can manage. She casts [Fire] at Shemhazai.
Shemhazai's figure, the leader of the Knights of Restoration, Savourn wavers as the fire ball from Ainsley launches straight through the shape causing it to break apart into a whirl of light then reform gently next to Ainsley, He places a hand on her shoulder, a hand that feels solid and tangible. "Ah my love, I am so glad to see your passion for me still burns so brightly!" The wave of flame however has spread out from enraged lizard lady and flooded the room! Marduke, Azar and Lee dive and roll with ease out of the way. Even Kiyo makes a good scramble for safety only getting his wings and pom a bit singed as Silmeria dives out of the way, most of the flames catching her hair and dress, singing them somewhat. Poor Videl however is standing opposite Ainsley as the wave of flame comes a roaring in toward him!
Videl's eyes are wide as suddenly there is someone beside him, and talking about fire. But as he tilts his head towards the strange figure - Shemhazai, he narrows his shining green eyes. "Purple. Of course. Is it even Thunder?" The mage construct harumphs, then turns his head back towards the window, apparently more interested in observing the storm. Until there is a sudden flash of Fire. "Double-Fire!" The mage construct shouts with wide eyes, as he twists around and double-finger points a [Fire] of his own at Shemhazai.
Videl's on fire! At least his clothing is and his nice strawhat is burning away but he throws a fire-ball at Shemhazai and again it ripples through the figure of Savourn/Shemhazai and Ainsley has to dive away rather ungracefully to get out of the way in time. "Oh sweetie please!" he says to Videl, clicking his fingers and snuffing the flame, the straw hat crumbling into ashes, "You should all know this beautiful shape of mine isn't real."
Lee blinks as the lounge door slams open and the lights go out, trying to follow the figure from location to location between flashes, his expression shifting, with each statement, from surprise to an angry, hateful glower, particularly when the figure flashes to, and addresses, him, and *especially* when the figure stops before Ainsley. He quickly closes ranks with the scholar, gothic gauntlets creaking with how tight he's clenching his fists, crimson eyes faintly glowing as he glares angrily at the effeminate armored one; it's not even that he's trying to be intimidating or anything as he stands, in some mix of supportively and protectively, at Ainsley's side. It's simply that he just really, palpably hates this person with just about every fiber of his being, given how he's seething, almost in a measure equal to Ainsley herself. And then, the spell, the wave of flame surprising him, but the black-cloaked man able to react in time to avoid the burning cascade. He's on his feet again as soon as the danger has passed, starting to move back to Ainsley's side with a growl at "Savourn", reaching to try and knock the Lucavi's hand from Ainsley's shoulder, "Git yer hand offa her y'damned he-bit-" He doesn't get to finish that particular insult, or complete the swat, as Videl joins the fire-slinging band wagon, which solves Lee's problem in another way when Ainsley dodges the blast. Lee grinds out between clenched teeth, "Some of us know, but never really 'urts t'try anyway. 'Sides, doesn't mean we don't hate yer pretty-boy face any less... Don't care what it takes, but one o'these days, I'll find a way t'knock yer ever-so-perfect *teeth* down yer gracefully pretty *throat*."
"Awwww the big vampey-pampey is angry with me?" the man flutters his too long eye-lashes at lee, his long white hair blowing in a wind that is not there, "Awww I am so hurt...." then a smile, "But you seem to be looking after my love well." the gaze is flicked toward Ainsley, "Just make sure you don't lay your hands on my chosen bride in an inappropriate manner sweet heart or," cheek pat, "I'd have to do something about you."
"Besides which," Silmeria huffs, leaning on her scythe as she hurriedly pats out the last of the flames on her dress and hair, "what would be the point of simply accepting what we see as fact? The way I see it, a few burns... *sniff* ...and the smell of burnt hair, oh lovely... are a fair price for not taking *anything* from you for granted, Liar Queen. If you've no proper purpose here, then *begone.*"
Flash.... and Silmeria is being bent half backwards over the haft of her scythe, "Oh darling cousin... your words, they wound me so! But not as much as this little thing might." she caresses the scythe blade, "I came here for a very specific purpose... you left Emberstrand. All ofyou together and started North... well this just cannot be good for me and my lovely Knights now can it.." then mid sentence Silmeria drops the sycthe and grabs a box that the strange figure was trying to take off her purpose. A brief struggle ensues but Silmeria wins, staggering back with the box and Savourn smiles at her and then bends and picks up the scythe. "Oh well.... I thought it might be something like this and this... sweethears simply will not do... bhut alas I am far away and rather busy..."
Marduke starts and jumps back as he feels the reflect magic being drained out of him. He closes his eyes trying to feel what is going on and quickly glances outside. "Did I... just reflect the entire ship?" Watching one of the lightning bolts wrap around the ship. Twirling again as the door burst open and the lights go out. Not moving or reacting fast enough as the aspect of Shemhazai makes its rounds and passes at everybody. One his turn comes he winces from the touch and a look of disgust crosses his face, but passes quickly as he retakes a neutral expression. He regains his composure and plants his staff, only to drop to the side and flips a table to block the wave of fire seeing it just in time. Getting back to his feet he watches the new fireball being thrown and shakes his head, "A aspect, partially real and not real." The summoner walking over to Silmeria, just in case the box comes into question again. "My friends, it appears the Lucavi is becoming worried. Thank you for that information." Marduke glances back to Shamhazai. "Asking about Ainsley's plans, tsk tsk. Do we worry you that much to send all this for us?" Marduke's voice is calm and measured. Only the faintest touch of a frown crosses his lips.
Shemhazai glances at Marduke and shakes his head, "Oh Marduke, Marduke my dear sweet foolish worshipper of the false dragon.... you really do not know when to shut up do you?" he moves, hands a whirl and the scythe slides through the air and slams into Marduke's stomach... the blade slipping right through him and out the other side. He then nimbly steps aside as the summoner crumples to the floor, quite unconcious, bright blood pooling out from where the magical scythe of Hades went in. "There... that should slow you all down... either healing him or holding his funeral and..." he smiles his winsome little smile over at Ainsley, "I wouldn't want him to be able to work out what my little pets are doing outside.... now I've been, I've seen and I really should be going unless you have anything to say to me?" he asks Azar with a cocky grin, standing over Marduke, hands resting lightly on the handle of the scythe buried inside the summoners guts.
Azar jumps as the lights go out, and like the others, she too follows the person in the flashes of lightning. Her blades are already coming out of their sheathes as the sitzpinkler mentions something about doing their hair. "Oh I'll do your hair, pretty boy, in a nice noose we can toss over the nearest treebranch, and watch the jig ye dance while waiting for whatever spirit comes to claim your lifeforce." The next few flashes see her swing twice at the man, and promptly hit the floor as fire rages overhead. She scrambles out of the way then, looking around as if expecting more sudden fiery aggression. And then watching as Shemhazai goes around the room once more. "Sure. Bring it."
The Knight smiles at Azar and shakes his head, "Oh no... as I said I'm not really here and simply I came to have a look. Turn around, go home.... forget about this....." he twists the scythe blade gently and then with another flash of lightning is gone from the room. The door is shut and normal rain and lightning is flashing and flickering outside the ship as it rides the storm. Marduke however is currently quite bleeding out on the floor with Silmeria's scythe stuck in him.. frost starting to spread along the blade as the Hades created reaper of souls starts to do its thing....
The lizard girl is only just getting back up to her feet from a last-minute dive to avoid getting roasted herself, far too startled and focused on survival to realize that Shemhazai TOUCHED HER. And called her a 'chosen bride'. These will sink in later. For now, Ainsley has scrambled over to the now-prone, bleeding Marduke, kneeling near him and holding out her hands. She begins to cast Cure upon him in a wash of white and green light, sparkles shimmering off of both of them in the process. She looks at Silmeria significantly, hoping the woman can take the scythe out quickly.
Lee arches an eyebrow as Savourn pats his cheek and warns him against laying hands on Ainsley inappropriately... And it's that turn of phrase that makes Lee blink, then smirk, and though he doesn't *say* it out loud, his expression is just about as clear as it can be in saying 'Way Too Late'. It amuses him enough, in fact, that the 'chosen bride' bit doesn't bait him into an angry retort. The sudden almost-violence a moment later, and the brief wrestling match over the box, has Lee tense, no less so when Savourn ends up armed with Silmeria's scythe, and he grimaces when said scythe ends up in Marduke's gut just a moment later... He stays where he is, at least until Shemhazzai disappears, only then taking a few steps towards Marduke, just enough to get a look without getting in the way; if it were a minor wound, there'd be a chance he could help in some way, but this is beyond him, so he keeps out of the way of those who *do* have the skill and/or ability to render aid. Plus, just as a matter of prudence and respect, it seems he doesn't want to really handle Silmeria's scythe, either. So, all he can do at the moment is stand and watch with concern as Ainsley takes care of treating the summoner.
"Marduke!" Tucking the box away where it had been snatched from, Silmeria hurries to the Summoner's side. "Oh how *dare* that bitch," she mutters, eyes crackling with fury as she takes gentle, careful hold of the blade of the scythe, tucking her neck under the handle to provide a balance point. "This.... is going to hurt, Marduke. I'm sorry." And with that, she starts to ease the blade of the weapon out of the Summoner, murmuring what could be a prayer under her breath.
The scythe slides out with a soft wet slurp.... it isn't pleasent and then it chimes softly as it comes free, the frost breaking away.....
Marduke doesn't see the attack coming at all, nor does he get a chance to even glance down to his stomach to see what happened. His eyes roll up in the back of his head from the pain. The summoner falls down to the ground in a heap, his breathing shallow and growing shallower very quickly. He shifts slightly as Ainsley using her cure spell to stabalize him, his breathing starting to become more regular. Marduke's eyes open suddenly as he lets out a ear pitched scream of pain and his hands go to his gut and wrap around it. The pain he is in to blinding and powerful to focus on anything else. As the Scyth starts to get pulled out something in the back of the Summoners mind snaps, and years of mental training come forward. His screaming starts to become less until he can focus his eyes, glancing off to the roof of the airship. After the scyth is pulled out completely he wraps his hands around his gut, as new blood starts to come gushing out from the open wound. "I will... not die here..." He gasps out. Closing his eyes he takes in a deep breath and starts to chant, his mental fortitude helping him ignore the pain. His hands start to glow a bright white as he weaves the magical energies, finnaly calling out, "Curaga!" The white energies of his hands blazing brightly and weaving threads directly into his gut and healing him.
Marduke's spell is able to bring the summoner the rest of the way back from the edge of death, aided somewhat by Silmeria's prayers and lack of desire to despatch him to the grey forest of timeless endings.
Azar is as surprised by the turn of events as everyone else, and while she does look concerned at the state of the summoner, she keeps a respectful distance to allow Ainsley and Silmeria to deal with the problem. Once the danger appears to be past, the summoner lending his own magics to threading his wounds closed, she begins to pace the room. "So that was informative. I don't think she can do that often, or for long, did anyone count the time? If ever that time gets longer, then we know she is closer."
Bing Bing Bing Boooon... "This is Captain Farquan speaking, it seems whatever anomaly was in the storm has passed. We should be able to resume our journey shortly. Thank you for your patience you may all return to your regular activities...."
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