[Prime] Stoking The Flames [Private]

[Jade Alanon]

The explosion that had rocked Alleria Prime had been, for the most part, a complete mystery to the outside world. Had it only been the Academy that had gone boom, Jade would have assumed it had been an arcanic accident that had massive repercussions for those inside and out, given the contamination that would be involved but the Palace as well? It seemed too much like an organized attack to be a random accident, especially as nothing had been heard from the Empress. Bitch had been useless anyway but that was hardly the point.

Provinces were, more or less, on their own now and many bandits took advantage of the chaos left it the wake of it all. Jade had fought her fair share of criminals and honestly, she almost always found it more fun than stressful. While there had been a few close nicks when fighting bandits and ruffians, most didn't exactly stand up well to a rousing game of 'rock, paper, scissors, fireball' and Jade normally won. Many would say that Jade hid behind the power of her drake and to that, Jade would offer a resounding 'no shit'. Of course she was going to use the firepower that she had gained when she had saved the fire drake from a manticore, he wasn't just a weapon, he was her bondmate.

As it stood, Emrys was not with her on that brightening. She had made her way to Prime, a place she had ventured many times before the explosion. She had a reason beyond curiosity, she wanted to see the explosion-rocked palace as well as the academy. She wanted to see the damage they had taken as well as possible seeing if there was arcane contamination as well. It might help her better understand what forces might have been at work...

Leaving Echo at the local inn, she headed inside to get herself a room. She could hear the sound of merriment in the tavern and gods she was tempted to join in, standing in the doorway of the tavern for a few moments before deciding against it. She didn't drink and spellbreak, it could not end well!

Paying for her room, Jade headed away from the tavern and made her way towards the palace first. She had no way of knowing if she would even find anything but one would not know until they tried!

 

[Riven Stoke]

Jade may have exercised restraint inside the merry tavern, but that was far beyond the pale of Riven's willpower. It was barely past the ninth candlemark when he took in his first pint, so the edge was sufficiently rounded before noon. He couldn't take in too much of the drink, though; his ship out of the city left at dusk, and the choice didn't seem wise to be pissed while sailing the choppy Great Sea.

His time in Aelyria Prime had come to an end. What he was thinking coming back to this hole, he didn't know. A soldier in heart and mind, there was a nagging thought of re-joining the legions, maybe receiving a higher commission, more fights, more glory, that sort of thing. Timing, evidently, was not his strong suit. He could give a damn about mages, and even less for that bloody empress, but the attack left nothing for him here but regret. It was time to head back to his sister on Trident Isle in time for the autumn harvest, then rally the lads at Bärentatze in anticipation for whatever inevitable war succeeded this attack.

But first, drink. He knew no one in Aelyria Prime any longer, so the morning into afternoon was spent with a halfling and sylrosyan playing dice in a corner table. With their coppers stacked before them, each man took turn shaking five dice in a clay cup. With every slam of the cup on the tabletop, the usual accompaniment was a halfling groan and sylrosyan chuckle. It took a dozen turns before the halfling noticed the loaded die in the sylrosyan's sleeve. One called the other's mother a whore, and the two quickly came to yells, then blows. Riven only sat there, fingers rubbing his temples. He was a moment from grabbing both their skulls in his giants hands... when he noticed that white-golden hair.

It had been years since he last her, but a person like Jade Alanon wasn't the type to forget. As he saw her leaving the inn, he picked up his coppers and sat up. "You'll excuse me, won't you lads?" he asked the halfling and sylrosyan, as they rolled on the floor in a violent tumble. He followed her from afar a while along the cobbles, not knowing if she was aware of the inconspicuous Vagaran a block behind. It was as she approached the heaping wreckage of the palace, Riven finally approached close enough behind her to smell the cypress oils in his flaxen beard.

"Of all the rubble joints, in all the world... good to see you, Jade."

 

[Jade Alanon]

While Jade had no real interest in the whereabouts of Milo or Rhystra or whatever her name had been beyond curiosity, her intention was not really to look for any clues about them. No, she wanted to see what her connection to the Material Plane would provide her with when viewing the palace. Would it show any contamination? Any clues that might lead her to figure out what had caused the explosion that had led to Alleria no longer having singular point of leadership. Not that the Empress had really done much anyway...

Regardless of all that political nonsense, Jade felt that it would be good to know. Not because of the Empress but rather knowing if another attack was imminent as well as who had been behind it. There was no way that anything about the multiple explosions had been a coincidence. Had it just been the magical academy, fair enough, arcana was dangerous even in the most capable of hands and accidents did occur.

Still, at least the Crown hadn't been touched. Feck the Empress, Jade was just happy to be able to get a tankard at her favourite place in Prime. Later of course, she couldn't drink and spellbreak, it wouldn't be the best of ideas.

Upon her cursory glance amongst the tavern, she hadn't actually noticed Riven sitting amongst others else she might have demanded he buy her a drink after she was finished with her work. Instead, she found herself being followed which led to the former Sanguine clutching her quarterstaff a bit tighter and readying herself in case it was one of her many enemies. She hadn't seen Jerack in quite a long time and though she hoped he was finally dead, she knew better than to hope such a thing. She didn't have such luck...

Not once did Jade show that she noticed her Vagaran stalker as she made her way to the palace, the sight of it in the distance was distinctly haunting. How many had died on that brightening? Did their souls haunt the halls of the palace or had they passed on into the Umblat?

The moment the figure was just close enough, Jade would spin around quickly in order to place the quarterstaff between them, clearly doing what she could to ensure her own safety. Imagine her surprise to see a face that she had not seen in quite a long time. "It has been quite a long time, River." Of course she remembered his name but couldn't let him know that, he needed to work hard for recognition. "Though whether it is good to see you again depends entirely on what you're doing here. There are no farmers to rob of their milk, after all." She smirked, allowing the quarterstaff to return to her side.

 

[Riven Stoke]

Jade's quarterstaff rises to meet, so Riven's surprise. It's been a while since a weapon's caught him so off guard. With a smile and raised eyes, his hands rise to the sky in mock surrender. River, he thinks, a smile growing wider. Ever the smartass, this one. His hands slowly return to their sides, and he takes a spot beside her to observe the heaping pile of cinder before them.

"That only happened one time," he answers in response to her accusation. He can't believe she still remembers that. Try as he might, he can't recall for the life of him why he took that farmer's milk. Or why they were around cows. Or why Jade was there. Perhaps his wits were starting to escape him in his growing years. Then again, he didn't have many wits to begin in, so what did it matter.

"I'm here because the company at my inn is as interesting as... well, as interesting as milking a cow. And since every other plan I've had in this rotting city has gone awry, I figured it would be worthwhile to see something pretty before I left. And since you still have those green eyes..."

Another smile before Riven bends down to pick up a piece of rubble from the heap before them. He can't make out what it is. A table leg? Maybe the rail to a staircase. Whatever it was, it's nothing now. "I could ask the same of you." One final look at the charred piece of wood, and it's thrown back in the rubble. "What brings you to this pile of nothing? If you're looking for an audience with the Empress, better start digging. Be sure to tell her Riven Stoke says "fuck yourself'."

 

[Bahamut]

As Jade and Riven had met in the imperial forum, which happened to be close to the wreckage that once was the palace, they could easily see that they were not along. Hundreds of imperial soldiers happened to be within the forum, surrounding the ruins of the palace. The buildings in the imperial forum were pretty well, okay, but anything beyond the imperial forum where the ruins of the palace lay, they could easily see was desolate, and many soldiers happened to be there. Towards the front of the rows of imperial soldiers, they'd see arrows flying up and down into the crater. It seemed they were trying desperately to keep something at bay.

As they were, Jade and Riven happened to be approached by a soldier in the back of the line who was armed with a spear and shield. Placing his spear with the tip upright in a show of non-hostility, the soldier approached the two of them, and plainly said, "You should leave, you do not want to know the aeternia that is trying to crawl out of the ruins. We're trying to keep them at bay, but it is definitely a difficult ordeal..." They could see the worry in the young soldiers eyes, and could then hear several shrieks as more arrows began to fly into the hole that once was the palace. Those shrieks, did not sound like anything either of them had ever heard before, it sounded like Aeternia and the Umblat itself was shrieking at the material plane...

Spoiler

Loreron and Keldon, you can join the next round.

Next moderation round will be on 9/4/2021

 

[Loreron]

The panic was contagious.

It was as if every Ancient within the magical network crisscrossing the First City were suddenly and irrevocably sent into a tailspin. Something was very wrong. There were gaps, empty spaces, where the Academy of Magic and the Palace were supposed to be ... and Loreron felt a surge of fear mingled something darker and cold and sharp.

So the Ancient took to the azure skies and spied twin plumes of smoke rising in front of him. Raven wings twisted and Loreron glided between the building and structures. He needed to reach the Gianna Krystalis, the primary pylon, the source of Focus in the Capital built by his kin.

From there, if the structure stood, Loreron could prepare himself from the sanctuary of its presence without risk of losing Focus. The Ancient took his time to preserve his Focus, resting and using Restraint as needed while he wove and crafted his chosen spells with an uncanny ease known only by immortals.

He commanded mind essence that so saturated the city thanks to its one million citizens and cloaked himself with silvery strands of Invisibility. Then he Empowered both his mental acuity and physical prowess by interlocking weaves of Mysticism and Thaumaturgy, one after the other. Loreron sensed that the path ahead was full of uncertainty and danger. The least he could do was prepare for such an encounter should the worst befall him.

When his preparations were complete, Loreron fashioned two more spells. First he instilled a field of Mysticism upon his Falchion so that it would touch the mind of nearby minds, rendering it invisible as well. In case his personal invisibility field faded, he hoped that the illusion over the smaller object might persist. Then he forged the second spell upon his person, which was a skin-tight field of Righteous Aura and Armor fashioned from pure order essence.

 

[Jade Alanon]

As much as Jade had enjoyed Riven's company all those eras ago, it had been a long while since they had last crossed paths and much had changed. No longer did she have Nymira at her side, instead she hung around with a fire-breathing fire drake that was currently off doing whatever he felt like. She also had a daughter whom she was glad she had not brought along with her, Prime was no place for a child even before the explosion.

Though her stance was considered defensive, her words were not and he was quick to catch on that she didn't necessarily find him to be a threat towards her. She would lower the quarterstaff and return it to her side before glancing over at the rubble that was once a palace.

It only happened once. He defended his actions despite likely not remembering much about the incident past the milk stealing. Jade had an excellent memory which was both a blessing and a curse in many ways. She could recall Riven removing his shirt whilst they drank at a tavern and the possibility that things might have turned intimate had presented themselves but as far as Jade recalled, they had parted ways before such naked times offered themselves. A shame really as she recalled he had a rather spectacular body at the time. Might have changed... Did she notice a bit of beer gut setting in?

"It only takes once to make it memorable." And that it had been.

Something pretty? "I'm insulted, I thought I was more than just pretty." She teased of course as she had little interest in her own appearance and never once considered herself good-looking. What people thought of her were their own views. "You could ask the same of me but it doesn't mean I have to answer."

The rubble felt 'wrong' but she couldn't quite put her finger on why. Perhaps it was her spellbreaking senses or just the feeling that such an event had on the location. Either way, Jade found herself almost sad looking upon the ruins, not for the Empress but for the history lost within the stone structure. "I ain't your messenger, River. You want to tell people to feck off, do it yourself or get yourself a dragon."

Jade might have offered a reason for her being there but they found themselves interrupted by an Imperial soldier. It was a wonder that she hadn't noticed them before given their numbers but their attention likely seemed focused elsewhere. Something was happening which may very well attribute to her 'wrong' feeling within the former palace.

Crawling out of the ruins? Jade was immediately curious and her reaction was to run -to- the problem, not away from. "Let me see the ruins, I am a spellbreaker of some renown and might be able to assist." Some renown being a few people knew of her, that was renown enough. "My man-servant should be there to assist me."

 

[Riven Stoke]

OOC: sorry this took so long. Apparently the post doesn't go through unless you hit the bright blue "post reply" button at the bottom. I'm an idiot, I know.

Years apart and little seemed to change with her. Women like Jade didn't typically stay the same for long, but her demeanour still carried a similar consistency. He would've proffered an adjective more revealing to his thoughts, but fear the reaction of anything beyond pretty would be a stiff slap to the face or kick to the groin. "Well unfortunately, I'm all out of dragons. I guess that leaves only a single option."

Perhaps it was because of their distraction from the wreckage, they didn't notice the Imperial soldier approaching them from the front. It was a lie not to admit a sense of embarrassment, not noticing an armed legionnaire approaching him. Perhaps those years spent away from the Xetan front had softened his senses, if not his body. The interception of the soldier stops him in his tracks just as he's about to enter the fray and start digging for clues in the swarm of dust and brick and clay and wood.

And there was that shriek. Nothing humanoid could've possibly rendered that sound. His heart drops for a moment as he considers the Xet re-appearing in the Capitol. He cannot bare the thought. Riven had seen enough giant, relentless insects to last him another thousand years. It's difficult to see just what might be trying to crawl out of the rubble, but jade seems all to happy to assist. In fact, she's so happy to assist that the spellbreaker of some renown provides him a new title yet rendered. "Uh... sorry, I'm what? A man-servant???" Riven can't help but smile at the notion. "I'm happy to serve your body and mind, my fair Jade, but spellbreaking may be a challenge."

He turns to the frightened soldier, and if allowed, attempts to place a hand on his shoulder to calm him. He always remembered how the most simple gesture, like a hand on the shoulder, was enough to gather a footman's wit about him. "Relax, my son. I'm Riven Stoke, former Cencories, 2nd battalion commander for the 3rd Legion. If you'll allow this... renowned spellbreaker in to assist your vanguard, I'll happily lend my sword as well."

 

[Bahamut]

As Loreron headed towards the Gianna Krystalis, he would feel focus starting to return, the closer he got. His mentality was further encompassed with focus by it's reinforcement with the mysticism and thaumaturgy he happened to be utilizing upon himself. The veil of invisibility fell upon him with ease, and his physical prowess was empowered as well. Down below, through the smoke, he could easily see things throwing legionnaires through the air as if they were nothing, and slaughtering them without reprieve. There was this sense of dread that still was in the back of his mind even as he watched the chaos ensue below him. He'd also see a pair that were not that far from the ground below, a man and a woman from the looks of it, and another legionnaire speaking to them.

Down below the Legionnaire would look at the two of them with a bit of an incredulous face, and then all three of them heard a bunch of yelling and shrieking. The legionnaire didn't even say a word further to the two of them, and turn around, sword in hand running back towards the lines of legionnaires. What followed for Jade and Riven was seeing a legionnaire, or well, part of one, simply his upper headless torso, followed by what might have been his head, and a brain with blood trailing behind each of them. The torso shortly feel back down within the lines of the legions, and then they'd see another legionnaire's legs, or maybe it was the one they just saw flying through the air's legs, fly up and down back into the group of legionnaires.

The sight of death, ruin, and chaos could be seen within the lines of legionnaires, but they couldn't yet see what was dismembering the legionnaire's through the smoke that was still billowing out of the crater...

Spoiler

Next Post will be September 12th, 2021

 

[Loreron]

The dread in the back of his mind soured into panic. But his proximity to the Great Pylon pushed back the Fear until the Ancient's thoughts were filled with Peace and Focus once more. Remaining on his perch, Loreron quickly compressed the countless eventualities as the legionnaires and the odd pair below found themselves standing moments from oblivion.

He knew what lurked inside that heart of Darkness. The crater where the Palace once stood was not just a graveyard. It was a tumor. And the contagion that lay there could not be defeated by strength of arms. There was no time to prepare. Not that the mortals stood a chance against the demons anyway. No amount of strategy, no army could stand against a single immortal who had succumbed to the Blight. Soon, the First City would be overrun by the a legion of his corrupted kin.

Instinctively, Loreron wove psionic links from that growing miasma of thought essence. He hoped to tether his mind with the two strangers using Voice of Thought so that they could communicate instantaneously without needing to shout over the din of the legionnaires' dying screams. A secondary layer of Mysticism was added to prevent any kind of emotional transfer through that shared connection. It was a filter of sorts, dulling and dissipating any negative feelings that might flow back from the mortals.

The last thing Loreron needed was to taste their dread and anguish as the pair violently died beneath him.

"Flee, you fools", the voice blossomed in Riven and Jade's mind if his spell worked. Loreron's psychic projection mimicked his singsong voice but it lacked its melodiousness and ethereal quality. He also emphasized each word with a strong Suggestion. "Run. These men are already dead."

As if to drive home his point, the Ancient Aelyrian gifted them a surge of Nimbility. Did he care for these mortals? Hardly. Loreron fully intended to use the pair as bait once the monsters came.

Their fleeing backs would make for livelier, more tempting prey.

 

[Jade Alanon]

Jade had never been the sort to turn away from a bad situation. If booze was involved, there was a good chance that Jade had started said bad situation herself but for once, this was not the case. Whether Jade could count her decision to venture to the wrecked palace first as a blessing or a curse, either way she knew that she had to remain and see what she could do to assist the legionnaires though honestly, maybe the point was moot…

No sooner had Jade offered her services and that of her companion / man-servant, the screams of death and fear seemed to grow louder. The legionnaire did not say whether or not he chose to accept their help, instead turning on heel and making his way towards his fallen comrades with a sword in hand and not a cats’ chance in the hells of surviving. “I suppose we aren’t the only ones with possible death wishes.” Jade said in a rather morbid fashion but she didn’t choose to follow the legionnaire, not just yet anyway.

While it was highly inappropriate, Jade couldn’t help but wish she had brought some form of protection for herself, not against the creature or creatures down in the pit but rather the viscera that seemed to rain down occasionally. In most scraps that Jade had found herself in, she normally came out of it rather bloody but that didn’t mean she liked the feeling… Perhaps she could create something to act as a shield against such things though that would hardly help her now. “I shouldn’t have worn my good boots.” Jade grumbled as she peered down at the headless torso.

Gods, these legionnaires were thick, weren’t they? Why did they keep running at something that was difficult to see and just tore through the lot of them? Surely this called for ranged attacks? Perhaps arcana, if one was so inclined. Did Riven do arcana stuff? He had flaws but was that one of them? “I want to get closer but I rather like my appendages fully attached.” Was there a way to clear the smoke? Ooh, Jade did have a few flash grenades that she carried with her but she wasn’t sure if she would be close enough to chuck it and have it land close enough to either do damage or blind it, depending on what ‘it’ was.

It was then that a voice seemed to slip into her mind and Jade immediately flinched, not just because of the intrusion of privacy but the fact that she hadn’t sensed it until she heard the voice itself. What the actual feck?! Jade abhorred mysticism above all the arcanic spheres and was quick to look around for a visible (only to her) weave that would hopefully lead her towards the culprit. Someone invading her mind was way worse than some cosmic monstrosity in a crater because this directly affected her. “Intrusive and insulting, a double negative if ever there was one.” She shouted as she sought the source of her irritation. She pointed at one of the legionnaires who was still breathing as he ran towards the crater. “That one is aliv—no wait…is he, oh no..he is…yeah, he is definitely dead.” So much for that attempt at a point.

The fact that a spell of nimbality had been cast on Jade only made her more pissed off. “I prefer my slow unnimble self, you arcana-casting arsehole.” Where was he? Sad how her attention had switched from pit monster to invisible arcanic troll.

 

[Bahamut]

Loreron

As Loreron began to spin his spells towards Jade and Riven, the spells would flow from him with ease, and connect with their mines.... (continued)

Jade

Jade would feel a voice in her mind and then could barely see the hint of something of a weave. It was a lot more subtle than a normal weave of magic... (continued)

All

As the legionnaire's continued to get shredded, and more of them kept giving their lives for something that could be considered truly horrible, the body parts kept flying. The head of the legionnaire that had just warned Jade to get out of there ended up landing at Jade and Riven's feet. As Loreron's spell Voice of Thought began to take hold, and the sound of his voice transmitted into the two of their minds, Riven was as stoic as ever, not reacting to it and just standing there. Jade however, could sense something very subtle about the weave, it was much more subtle than a normal person utilizing magic, and she could tell it wasn't normal arcana. As her eyes followed the weave, she'd see it drifting forwards and upwards towards a tower not far from there. Upon that tower, she'd see a winged creature, which looked like an ancient. Then the weave of Suggestion hit her, and threatened to overcome her senses as she spoke.

It hit her fight and flight mechanism, and she would have only seconds to either destabilize the weave or it would threaten to take over her very core, and make her run away from the hidden menace in fear. Riven was also feeling the effects of the weave hitting him too, but he was not a spellbreaker so he had no real defense against it unless Jade destabilized the weave that was hitting him as well. The feat was overwhelming, and it threatened to take over the core of his being, making him want to turn tail and run as far away from whatever was killing the Legionnaires as possible.

Loreron has unlocked an achievement:
Subtle Suggestions Create Great Bait

Spoiler

Keldon has missed 2 Rounds. He has one more round to join the thread before he will consider the thread abandoned.
Riven has missed 1 Round.

Next Mod post is on 9/17/2021

 

[Loreron]

Loreron would use Restraint if needed in order to maintain the highest possible level of Focus.

Being in such close proximity to the primary Pylon, however, should give him the mental clarity and Peace that his race needed more than air or food. Without the tranquility of the Pylon network, they were hapless against the Blight. To Loreron, it would be a fate worse than being born a mere mortal.

Would the foolish pair deny his gifts and stand and die? That was the question that piqued his interest. The Ancient had no more boons to give them. If they did not flee from Oblivion, their purpose remained. Their fates were fixed, as the threads of mortal beings were wont to do.

The grandmaster did not mourn the loss of a pawn. Nor gods when peasants perished.

With an almost lazy flicker of his mind, Loreron severed the connection and allowed his previous spells to armor and shroud his presence once more on his perch atop the Gianna Krystalis. He cared little if the Suggested warnings were heeded at that point. The children could resist all they wanted. They were free to join the slaughtered legions and the innocents they failed to save.

Like a wraith, he watched the carnage unfolding and made a tsk sound when another legionnaire was dismembered or beheaded like prey caught between hungry wyverns.

So long as he remained Invisible and Armored and Empowered with Order Magic, Loreron sent a few pings into the 'gaps' absent any bloodshed. He was looking for signs of life. But not for mortals. No, he was trying to gauge if any of his immortal kin had survived the destruction below.

 

[Riven Stoke]

For all his insufferable bravado, even Riven has second doubts about entering this fray of entropy. No armour, no reinforcement, and body parts flying everywhere. Worse, they're the body parts of legionnaires. He's seen too much mutilation of my men in legion kit before, there was no intention was seeing more. All his kit was at the inn down the street, maybe he would return quickly and stand a better chance of whatever horrors awaited them in this whole.

Alas, he forgot he was joined by Jade, a woman who balanced along the line between fearlessness and insanity with every decision. The lean on that line begins to veer towards insanity when she begins yelling at people who don't exist. Maybe his stoic aversion to arcana was a curse when in the midst of others who clearly possessed greater understanding of vis... but right now, it's a blessing in contrast to Jade speaking to her voices. "Uh, Jade... who are you talking to?" He's beginning to think she's legitimately possessed, until she begins to look off in the distance. Riven's curiousity can't help but get the better of him, and he looks in the same direction. His eyes bulge wide. "Is that an ancient... no, that's impossible... but then, what the hell is that??"

He can't understand why, but a feeling begins to draw over him. They need to leave, now. It didn't make sense, he hadn't backed from a fight in his life, least of all with a beautiful woman to witness his cowardice. He's unable to fight back the feeling to withdraw, no matter what his warrior spirit would otherwise dictate. Unless Jade was able to shake him from whatever powers commanded him, he would have no choice but to fall back from the ruins in mere moments.

OOC: sorry for the delay, no excuses... but somehow it was all Jade's fault.

 

[Jade Alanon]

Jade wasn't going to lie, this had a definite shared feeling to the less than ideal jaunt she had taken into Sherian with Gye'ron early in the spring. Standing so close to the cosmic monstrosity that was slowly eeking its way towards the surface just felt like the universe was just waiting to slap them down. Almost on instinct, Jade took a few steps back from the pit of pain, mostly to put some distance between herself and that but also to try and avoid the various limbs and extremities that had a habit of being flung outwards from it.

Perhaps it was a true sign of the damage that Jade had gone through in her many eras of life not just in this one but the numerous others that she had lived before, she saw the visceral horror of men being ripped apart and she didn't really -feel- much of anything. Yes, it was terrible but it was the price of doing as they were told. Soldiers obeyed and more often then not, soldiers died. It seemed like the price of honor was indeed quite high...

It took some focusing and effort but eventually Jade would find the bastard silvery weave that would lead her gaze towards what she could only envision as a winged silhouette. Was he there or invisible? There was definitely something there, even Riven saw the outline given his reaction but was he really there? It explained a lot about the arcana that she felt for the song that echoed from the weave was strange, almost haunting in its tune. Did the AA have something to do with the monstrosity?

"Riven, calm your tits hun. I'm trying to focus." Gods... Jade depised arcana being used against her, one of the main reasons she became a spellbreaker but mysticism... That held a deeper rage because it involved her mind. If she wanted to leave the pit, she would do it of her own volition! Not because she was being manipulated by some arrogant winged fecker!

Jade would shift herself away from the sight of the dead legionnaire in case tenctles or whatever appendages the monstrosity had would have a more difficult time in snagging her. Perhaps it was time to call Emrys to her...

Glancing to the skys, Jade sought the silhouette of the great fire drake before remembering that he was back in Demios. "Fecking fecking feck feck!" This was not the time to focus on that though. Instead, she refocused on the subtle song that came from the weave. She wished to pull at it and seek to disrupt the flow, pull at the strings so that it would either fall apart or weaken to the point of uselessness.

 

[Keldon Elsdragon]

Keldon tightened the leather around the chainmail tunic, he had not returned to Prime for what felt like a lifetime. The last was shortly after discussing with Milo the state of the realm before returning to the Northumbria to focus on the people and his own affairs. Guilt still crept in the depths of the elves mind; he shouldn't have left. He should have fought, he should have tried harder, a different approach, he should have allowed the steel to flow through the flesh of those he knew should have died rather than be spared. But one could not change the past without coercing the gods into altering the universe as we know it, so all creatures had a decision. Either move forward or remain still and watch the world change around them.

Sliding his hand to the side of his hilt he tightened on the scabbard slightly and threw the cloak over his shoulders and secured it. The tapestry of the ministry of war visible. His fingers ran across the emblem of the imperial marshal that was sitting on the desk in front of him. It felt like forever ago, but with Milo gone, legions in shambles, and the throne vacant. He needed to see for himself the damage that befell the capital a short time ago.

Keldon reached out and touched the force energy around him, he had not used the anchor spell in a long-time. Once the most used spell in his memory to travel from one place back to the Imperial Marshals office now but a distant memory. Moving the strands of force he brought the spell into creation to bring him back to his former office within the forum itself.

 

[Bahamut]

Loreron

As Loreron cut off his spells that were connecting with Riven and Jade, he'd see something crawling out of the hole in the ground, shredding through more legionnaires (continued...)

Riven

As Riven thought he saw the outline of an ancient before it suddenly vanished from sight, an unusual sensation of fear would well up in him overwhelming his senses (continued...)

Jade

As Jade would follow the lines of the strands of aether up towards where Loreron was perched, she'd start to dismantle them before they had any lasting effects upon her (continued...)

Keldon

As Keldon tried to utilize sorcery to take him to his anchor point within the Imperial Capitol, the world to which he'd appear in was simply a warzone (continued...)

All

The shroud of Invisibility would hold fast as would his other buffs and even as Loreron cut off his connection to the innocent's minds, he would see the smoke from the crater start to clear, and amid the flying body parts of legionnaires getting pulled down into the rift, and then thrown out again, a massive blood hued hand would reach out of the ground followed by a muscular arm, and a demonic head following it as the huge creature began to pull itself out of the hole, and the Legionnaires were backing up.

The Restraint to maintain focus was working and Loreron would find his mental state balanced as he began to send the pings looking for life within the crator. And the feedback he got was all negative, he could find no signs of life, and further, he could feel focus being disrupted as a similar, but alien all at the same time form of ping could be felt within his mind. His kin were gone, and they had all pretty much shifted into the same creatures, Cyraxians. And now they were starting to emerge from the hole within the ground.

Riven would find that even though the spell's connection had been broken, by the one who cast it, the suggestion had taken hold within his mind. An entirely unnatural fear welled up within him, and the urge to run took utter control of his mind. He'd have no choice but to obey it as it surged through his body, and began to make his feet seemingly move on their own, away from Jade, away from the hole that the demons were starting to emerge out of.

Jade for her part would follow the weaves, and begin to deconstruct them from her mind, tearing apart any sort of the suggestion that was within her. She'd see Riven starting to back away from the hole and begin to run away, but the spell had already taken hold of him, and wasn't able to be stopped. At least she was safe from the weave as she'd find she was entirely able to deconstruct it especially after the person whom had cast it had cut off any connection with the two of them.

It was then that she'd hear the screech, an unholy screech coming from the hole where the legionnaires were dying, and a massive hand reaching up, and landing upon the ground, pulling up a huge muscular body behind it, with a blood red demonic face, that had a look that could kill Carmelya. As it rose up, it pulled itself entirely up above the rim of the hole, and slashed a massive arm through the legionnaires that were trying to stab it with spears and swords. Three were decapitated immediately as their heads rolled upon the ground, and she could see the lines of Legionnaires beginning to back up out of fear of losing their lives, even though their duty was to see this menace destroyed.

Weaving the strands of force essence and bending them to his will, Keldon would teleport himself to the anchored position within his office in the imperial forum. But what he didn't realize was that the office was gone, along with the palace, and magic academy. That part of the forum had become a massive crator from the explosion that had rocked the center of Aelyria Prime. so when Keldon materialized, he suddenly began to fall into the massive pit, and all he could hear as he was falling was the tormented screams of the ancients, transforming, and turning into horrible machinations of death and destruction. He'd have to do something quick, as he was about thirty feet from the bottom of the pit, and falling quite quickly...

Spoiler

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[Loreron]

The negative spaces worried Loreron. And those worries blossomed into dread as something crawled from the crater's shadowy depths.

Loreron realized that he was too late to save any of his kin. He absorbed this truth and used it to steel his heart and mind. They were -- all of them -- dead or transformed by the Blight into winged monsters from Aethernia itself. If he allowed his emotions to shake him, then he, too, would be lost in this dark tide. Sensing the rows of legionnaires falling, cut down, and dismembered one after another, the Ancient used a few heartbeats to condense the countless options at his fingertips.

Fleeing would be ideal but that would expose his back if any of the monsters should pursue him. He might be able to outfly the demons. But doing so would only spread the Blight to other parts of the First City. He needed to protect the Prime Pylon. The Gianna Krystalis must be preserved if the city's remaining immortals stood a chance to see tomorrow.

Drawing on the native essences around him, Loreron translated his intentions once more into a series of actions intended to reinforce the legionnaires who were not about to get butchered. Were there any left nearby that might benefit from a boon or two? He supplied the men with vigor, strength, and mental fortitude. By spreading out the spells, Loreron tried to sustain his Focus above all. A group of magically Empowered soldiers might stand a chance to slow down if not defeat the lone demon who had just massacred their comrades.

If he had the Focus and the opportunity to do so, Loreron deftly Armored the legionnaires with holy magic and even instilled their blades and spears with Blinding light!

 

[Jade Alanon]

Well, this little jaunt that Jade had decided upon was definitely not going as she had originally thought it would but such was her luck. The question was what did they do now? Jade had no reason to remain and assist the legionnaires and though Jade was not one to quickly flee from a bad situation, she had had some common sense. Maybe it was calmer at the academy?

The spell that sought her mind was dismantled though she knew that it would have been more straining on her had it not been for the big ass man pigeon thing breaking from his spell casting to focus on other things. Jade's mind had been saved from being compelled one way or another but it seemed that Riven was not so lucky. Fear burned in his eyes that had the spark of the unnatural as the music swirled around his head and he would be compelled to run from the source of fear, the cosmic monstrosity.

Was Jade able to mitigate the effects of what had been done to Riven? It was possible but honestly, was it even worth it? Maybe running was the actual option at this point, Jade didn't sign up for no cyraxian feckers!

As though her body remembered a time when she herself had been turned into an abomination akin to the creature attempting to crawl from the hole, Jade felt the palm of her right hand itch, a place where the crystals had imbedded themselves once upon a time. Jade had been reassured that the crystal had been removed fully but she had her doubts given the pain it still caused...

Regardless, Jade ignored the itching in her palm, something that often happened in high stress situations, and focused on the situation at hand. What the feck was she going to do?

The unholy screech of the creature caught Jade's attention once more and Jade would run a distance back from the abomination but did not run away, not yet. Pulling a glass orb from the bag at her side, Jade produced one of four flash grenades that she often carried with her as it was a brilliant way of handling evolving situations of different kinds. Now that the demonic being had breached the rim, it made it easier to gauge how far she would have to thr-- What the actual feck!? Did...did a blonde-haired ponce just teleport into the pit? Given that he was falling, one would assume it was a miscalculation but one never knew with mages of any calibre.

Prying her eyes from the falling Elsdragon Lord, Jade would throw a flash grenade towards the demonic creature, her hope that the mixture of Thaumaturgic essence coupled with mysticism might cause it some harm or at the very least blind it so some might be able to escape.

She had a potential idea but that involved the cooperation of the big ass man pigeon and she doubted he'd want to play fair. Even still, she would shout up to the emo angel. "I have an idea that may work but I need you over here!" He probably wouldn't but one never knew! Lucky bastard could just fly away if he so desired.

 

[Riven Stoke]

Try as he might, Riven is unable to shake the feeling of retreat from the demonic monster. Which was bizarre, since Riven didn't really posses the feeling of retreat in virtually anything... excluding recent lovers with swollen bellies, of course. It's enough for him to consider the increasingly apparent reality that his withdrawing legs are less to do with his own nerves, and more to do with an external source. Which means fucking mages. He couldn't stand the idea of arcana controlling his surroundings, never mind controlling his own mind. There was just something pathetically dishonourable about someone trying to steer a person's thoughts outside of strength or charm.

He wouldn't let this disingenuous fear conquer his thoughts, however. Not without a fight. His sword draws outward, even as his head wrestles through the wind to find back the thoughts of fear and doubt. "Get out my head, dammit!" Riven screams to no one in particular, hoping whatever little prick was invading his mind would finally sod off already. Despite every synapse in his brain endorsing the alternative, he takes a step forward. Then another. The thought of cyraxians tearing his body limb from limb stalls him a moment, but he tries to scream out the doubt and follow toward Jade.

"Jade!" He calls out, seemingly indifferent to her more obvious concern glass grenades and spontaneously appearing sorcerers. Bloody hell, he thinks as Keldon forms inside the ruins, Gods, please, not another bloody magician. "Jade, someone's trying to take over my thoughts... someone who's being a real cunt!" He yells out again to no one in particular. Even if whatever mystic attacking cared to hear his protestation to the thought warp, calling him or her a cunt was unlikely to draw a more favourable result. "Do me a favour, love. Find that thought mage prick and kill him, because I'm not, frigging, leaving."

Riven keeps taking steps toward Jade and the abominable, cyraxian thread before her, sword in hand and ready to strike. If only the bloody thoughts of apprehension would piss off.