The third circle

The second circle was complete and now it was time for the third, likely the hardest and most dangerous one... As it was near brighthold... Grumbling he trundled out of the desert, his dark, heavy clothing having done no favours for him during his passing and causing the fabrics to cling to his sweaty and lank features. He didn't show it of course, he had to keep up some appearances.

This... Radiant Dawn... he hoped that it wouldn't be a pain to deal with. He'd heard that they too were interested in spirits and so there might be a conflict of interests, or if he was unfortunate, a conflict of arms. Still, there was that awful racket to deal with... Who was dreadfully playing such an obnoxious instrument? He'd always hated musicians...

"You there... Could you cut that out? If you can't play then you just shouldn't..." He glared from under his hood before sighing and letting his features soften somewhat. "No, that was too harsh of me, but please, if I am to perform this then I will need my concentration..." They weren't too far from brighthold proper, but they were far enough that he shouldn't attract too much attention from this.

He held his arm out and a circle of lightning began to form in the air, spinning rapidly and gently lowering towards the grass.
(Gorandis)

He would stand and with a look of annoyance but resignation he would place his lute upon his back before going to speak.

"I am well versed in the lute, I know full well how to play it, and indeed I can play it quite well. For it was through song that I earned my title, the Bard of the Isthmus. I am quite talented, I merely have grown to be quite annoyed and even somewhat angered, and one should not play when in that state I admit."

"I just discovered that the self proclaimed leader of my village as signed over ownership of it to another city, has disposed of our independance, so that he can further his own power. Not caring at all for what his people want."

"Such things have given rise to much annoyance, for it is my home, yet now it is simply a part of Loranthis. Plus he keeps trying to change its name, to change the name of a city with much cultural heritage, merely so he can say he was the one who changed it."

"A fool among fools that one is, and I am forced to sit in discontent as he leads my people down the path to ruin. So yes, my apologies, I suppose my anger has seeped into my music. As a Bard I should know better, my apologies."

"What are you here to perform? Are you a Bard as well perhaps?"
(Gabrielle Raven)

approaches the crowd of people. Following the smell of the other lesser yokai. Raiju grunts a sort of hello to his long-lost comrade. They had been seperated for quite some time but finally they would be reunited.
(Raiju)

"Hah, no, I am no Bard. My performances are far more... visceral." He smiled lightly as the lightning turned crimson and scarred the ground. Burning away the grass into a wide, black circle that oozed occultism. "Your problems are your own I suppose. Having your home wrenched out from under would indeed be annoying..."

He strode over to the charred ground, the red ring of hellstorm rose away, dissipating in the air. His hands came out and began to draw intersections within the circle. This one was going to have to be the most robust one and so it needed far more time and far more effort putting into it. "So then, bard, What do you happen to know about this... radiant dawn?"

"I've heard they operate out here and that they've even started to dabble in the spirit realm. How much of this is true?" He didn't turn around as he spoke, too busy adjusting the circle to suit the new needs of it. "Because I do hope it isn't true, I would prefer to not have any spiritual interference in these lands... though, of course they are free to do what they wish."

The red lightning continued to scorch the land as he continued on, much quieter. "As am I."
(Gorandis)

A brow was raised as he and the little green Yokai passed by, and he stopped, putting out an arm incase the Yokai was too far in stride and needed help halting.

"Radiant Dawn? Led by Alisiae yes?"

His interest was peaked, as he'd recently overheard the involvement of Loranthis with such a faction.
(Lucis Coelum)

he yokai turned his head towards Raiju, seeming a bit more docile towards this yokai. Perhaps they had some sort of history together, although they lacked the communication skills to talk with eachother. The yokai had learned of the wonders of comradery and how it could benefit the hunt already. The lesser pointed a single digit towards Lucis, prodding at his thick occult aura. It was pretty intimidating.
(Shoro)

The Bard would go to speak. "I know not much I admit, I am still quite the new member. I know that for them I will pledge my service, they are a good group, one I can easily place my support into, and I have been enjoying my service to them so far and I hope to continue it."

"For they tend to do things that classify as adventures, and as a Bard it is my duty to follow heroes on adventures and make songs about them, so that they can be remembered and sung throughout the ages, tis my job and I enjoy it."

"As for the Spirit Realm? I know little of what your talking about, but if they are messing with the Spirit Realm?.... Well gosh, I would hope that they would contact me before going into it, I would love to see that place, write songs about my experiances with it. That would be most interesting indeed."

He would shrug, "But yeah man, if your looking for information, I'm not your guy. While one day I will spin a song about the members of the Radiant dawn to ensure they are remembered, for now I simply do not know enough about them. My apologies"
(Gabrielle Raven)

Raiju observed the actions of Shoro, carefully taking into account the dark aura surrounding the soft-skin infront of him. As he approached, he felt the pressure pouring out of him, and immediately felt anxious, but not scared. He had finally found who the biggest one amongst the group was, and began following him diligently.
(Raiju)

Not the best bard then... Gorandis sighed as he continued to carve the sigils into the grass ground until, slowly, the circle itself was complete, though it was far from functional just yet. He finally began to move around, looking over to Lucis for a brief moment. "Yes, the Radiant Dawn lead by Alisaie, I just hope that their meddling doesn't interfere with what I am trying to do here."

From his bag he pulled out a few small gems, apparently nondescript and poorly cut. They didn't glimmer or shine and were incredibly dull. But he paced around the circle placing them down at apparent key points. "Well if you don't know then I guess I will have to do this by the seat of my pants as it were. So, if I am unlucky, we might all die..."

He smiled at the from beneath his hood and finished scattering the gems, walking back to where he started. He raised his arms and was about to start. "Any objections?"
(Gorandis)

had just stumbled about the area all clumsy-like, and after quite a bit of stumbling about, had come upon a large group of other beings, and noticed a man with an INTIMIDATING as hell occult aura, and decides to go line up behind the other two Yokai behind them.
(Tsuchi)

"Hold it."

He knew magic could backfire.

"What are you planning to do?"

His arms crossed in stern curiousity, what kind of ritual was he intending to perform that would entail death of bystanders? It seemed nonsensical to Lucis, who, being an occultist, wasn't one for sensical rationalization himself.

Lucis paid little heed to the Yokai gathering behind him like moths to a flame, he'd keep feeding them later, right now, something super interesting was happenening right here, but if it proved dangerous.

Well- then he'd take his Yokes and go.
(Lucis Coelum)

He heard what the guy said about them all dying and he would look around before pulling out his lute and strumming the strings, after a few moments of concentration he would begin to play a melody, it was not the best of his career, but it was still damn good, he knew quite well how to play the instrument and then he would go to speak.

"We may all die? Why? Though I suppose I can raise no objection. I am a Bard, surely whatever you are doing with the gems is interesting, it is my duty to witness and write, to face death, and if survival is the outcome, then a song will be written of it."

"But what is it that you wish to do? For while I myself can raise no objection, this is still Radiant Dawn territory, so as a member of the Radiant Dawn and seeing as how there are other people here, and yokai for some reason, I must ask that you wait until people have cleared out before doing whatever it is your doing"

"It ensures I don't get a song out of it, so that is sad, but I would rather write no song and people live, than write the best song ever at the cost of a few lives. So yes, I guess I will have no choice but to object upon further inspection. Wait until there are less people around."
(Gabrielle Raven)

Lurking with a yokai on his back, unto a scene that was probably left untouched, he was perusing something though and with that in mind he presses into the scene with force. Not so much though, his presence could be described as eerie; cold winds perhaps blowing now that he walked up to the location, a single eye looking around to examine all those present while his hand rubs over the nubs of what used to be his ears.

"this place sure has gotten lively in recent time-" he pushes the yokai off his back now, looking for it to stand on its own instead of having him carry it around. "-Lesson one. Just watch, watching is always what you want to do at first." Their goal isn't stated yet, but it doesn't need to be states, the y both know what's up

"What's going on here, you two?" He calls out, towards the two talking, of course.
(Alastair)

The sloth yokai was pushed off the ookami's back, dropping down back unto the ground, falling down unto it's butt. It looked up lazily at the Ookami as he spoke, understanding none of it and instead just nodded microscopically as it's gaze slipped to the two beings in question. One was surrounded by a delicious aura of crimson lightning while the other was...well, a plain looking human. Then again, it got burned the other day by a plain looking human child so it learned not to underestimate them at least.

Not that it had any plans of fighting unless it had no choice honestly. It wasn't feeling up to the task of working for it's food, simply letting the food come to it. Speaking of which it plucked a random bunny from the ground, snapping it's maw into it, chewing through it's skin and fur while it munched and crunched sloppily chewing.

"Rhee?" It seemingly asked even though the sound was a mere screech.
(Zeo'Rymer)

Icarus was visiting back Brighthold. Mainly to pack up the rest of his gear for travelling. He was going on a long trip and a bag holding his clothes was neccessary, it contained his Radiant Dawn Cloak and Armor aswell as his Officer Suit. However for now he wore the casual jacket and regular baggy pants so that for the short time he goes out to train. He will be barely recognized. Atleast barely by most people.

The lad was also scheduling to go out to a treasure Island in search of lightning power enhancing ring known as the Ring of Ba'al. It was rumored to be extremely powerful but that was something that he'd have to find out for himself. Was it true, there was also another item to do with lightning but that was the farthest reach when it comes to possibilities of getting such a thing.

While walking out with his travelling back he looked to his right and saw a big group of people and yokai alike. He saw about four yokai, one ookami and the same Bard that aided during that Whychwood yokai slaying mission aswell as another fellow..That he has never seen before but oddly looks pretty eerie. The type of guy people would be afraid to approach normally.

"Well the Ookami asked the question first. I ask the same thing, but secondly. What's with all these yokai's out here in the open. Not just that but outside Radiant Dawns land.

Pallidus wasn't even aware of it all or was he? He was ontop of the watchout tower with his eye closed turned in their direction. Was he sleeping or was he fully aware of what's happening?
(Icarus)

"If you all must know, this is a ritual about manipulating the spirit realm. Manipulating it how exactly?" He grinned again. "That's my own little secret. But I would advise you all to stand back. I've never had anything try to come through before but there's always a first time for everything and I would prefer to be able to handle it swiftly if it even does."

His arms stayed up in the air as he looked out over all of the gathering. "Oh, it'll only be deadly if the information you have told me is incorrect." He gave Gabrielle a smile and began to pour more sanguine lightning over the circle, it bounced between the gems, forming a harsh pattern in the middle. The crystals began to glow multicoloured.

The lightning coalesced on each game and began to dance around the outside of the circle gather speed as it soon becomes a thick wall of ever changing colours. "Well, it seems your information was correct. So, now we can go to the next phase." The air within the circle solidified as a shape formed, a humanoid one though it could not really be seen as human anymore.

It was missing limbs and huge chunks of itself, perhaps it was a human spirit once, but it had been morphed, broken and warped mercilessly into this shape. And now it didn't even have the energy to wail as the magic picked it up. Contorting it further as the spirit was ripped open into a white scar in the world itself. The ever changing colours began to settle onto a deep blue.

From the solid walls surrounding the ritual, tendrils of the same deep blue began to worm out, probing the crack in the air before worming their way through and into whatever was beyond.
(Gorandis)

It was past time for Lucis to head off, he had less dangerous and more interesting things to do.

Heading towards the prairies he set off, lesser yokai band in tow, unless someone wished to stop him.
(Lucis Coelum)

Raiju followed Lucis along as happily as a yokai could. Drawn by the scent of his magic.
(Raiju)

Shoro mindlessly followed Lucis, in hopes of obtaining more food from his master. The man had spoiled the lesser into obediently following him, saliva dripping from his maw.
(Shoro)

proceeded to follow after the other two yokai and the person they were following. Because pack mentality.
(Tsuchi)

He had for the most part been ignoring the yokai. Three lessers and a mega, not creatures worth paying attention to, if they started a problem then he would use his luteblade to kill them, but for the most part he didn't care as one of the groups went to depart. He would look to Gorandis

"Of course my information was correct, I am a Bard. We spin tales of true legends, we spin tales of truth, we need not spread fiction, when what is true is much more interesting. In other words, one need not call me a liar, for I am not one."

He then saw the spirit and his eyes would go wide for a moment, "What exactly are you doing? I feel as though this should inspire some grand reaction from me, but mostly I stand confused, and slightly worried that I might perhaps get in trouble with the Radiant Dawn for just standing here and watching the event transpire"
(Gabrielle Raven)

Seeking action caused a plethora of things to run through his mind, but the first thing that comes to mind is a fight. A yokai fight, where one could bet - they're gone.

"Oh well," he states while looking towards his very own Yokai, it was a mega - not too strong, but fearful in its own right. "Have you guys ever had a Yokai fight before?" He questions, hands go to reach for the form of the yokai to his side and within seconds he's spinning around with it in his grasp.

"I choose you -" what was his name? "- go!" That's all that mattered really, feet finish spinning and his hands let go to throw the over large yokai towards the bard with a fierce amount of force behind it, amplified by wind magic to make sure that his little pet did get that far.

"Whatever that's going on seems boring-" he looks towards the ritual circles and the strange tendrils, it's odd, but he was here to do something and intruding on important matters was something he did too often. "-we should do something fun, don't you think?"

His one eye does stare at the hell storm magi, wondering if his alliance falls where Alastair's does.
(Alastair)

eorymer was content with just munching on the bunnies bones, crushing them in his somewhat strong jaw. It noticed the other yokai missing or well, having dissapeared somewhere when it was eating the rabbit but it gave them not too much of a mind. Lesser yokai- just like what it was once- they weren't much of a threat. And itself wasn't that much of a threat either- and honestly, it was far too lazy and the lot for it to fight anything or anyone unless it was in too much danger.

Though, Alastair had other plans and instead of letting the yokai be, he picked it up prompting another confused blink and a "Rheee?" out of it's mouth, looking quite stupid and hilarious with it's tiny body, long arms and miniuature feet. Speaking of those limbs, it flayed them mid air as it was thrown, it's eyes widening as it sailed straight at the hat covered person.

"RHEEE?!"
(Zeo'Rymer)

Icarus would be looking at the dark magi, he did a skill that not only did he hate seeing. But no, it was something he could not allow to happen on Brighthold's holy land. Some sort of human recreation, was it that magic Azrael was so known for? The one that made him the notorious harbringer of Death? Was it Necromancy? These question would not awnser themselves but the lad would not be asking to find out because he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what it was.

Suddenly his focus was disrupted at the fact that a yokai was being thrown towards the Bard. The teenager snickered as that Ookami was talking about a yokai fight as if it was some kind of game.

"That actually does sound pretty fun, haha. Well back to a more serious matter, I may be leaving to go train but you guys are in Brighthold's territory. Please restrain from doing those "Disgusting" acts on the grounds of Brighthold. Especially that magic, now that I've said my bit. I'll be leaving now." He said walking off with his katana in one hand and back in the next.
(Icarus)

A glare was given to Icarus' retreating form. If he wasn't so focused on the ritual, then Gorandis would have likely smited the boy down for his words... likely. He was surrounded by guards and the like here though there seemed to be a lack of interest in him. Not that he minded, it made this all the more easier to perform. Especially when he was given space.

"If you wish to know what I am doing, I am moulding a very small portion of the spirit realm using my contracted spirit as a bridge there. I'm widening the connection with this ritual as you can see and now I am using my energy to... meddle with things. It's why I needed to know if you all had tampered with it before, the reaction would have been quite violent..."

Even still, the ritual continued on undisturbed and the blue energy started to drain from around the circle, pouring into the crack between realms. It would not be long before it would be completed. All of these circles seemed to have been going on rather smoothly too. Almost as if he was fated to complete his work... it was a comforting thought.

"And about fighting Yokai... I have killed plenty of them, yes..."
(Gorandis)

He would move out of the way as the yokai was thrown to him, and as he did so he would flip a switch on his lute. Gears would turn and the lute would quickly fold and transform, a blade appearing and a sword forming. A hole rested in the hilt where strings were visible, and anytime he moved the blade the air passing through it would cause a tune to be issued out.

He would turn in annoyance to Alastair. "While certainly I understand the everpresent need for attention those without interesting personalities possess, there was a pre-established situation unfolding here in regards to whatever this guy is doing with the spirit realm stuff"

"So you have only served to interrupt and annoy. While I understand that you crave attention and want all eyes on you, I must resort to rudeness by saying this, would you kindly either be quiet or go away."

He would then look to Gorandis, "Well, then again I suppose he can stay and provide an annoyance to you if he likes, as this situaiton serves only to confuse me. I will be returning to the Isthmus now if there is no objections in regards to my departure."
(Gabrielle Raven)

Whatever the talk was about, he wasn't too interested in it, he did listen though - that is until the lute player decided to pipe up. Fear wasn't present in this Ookami's body, not at all, without any warning he's making his way over to the bard with a curious glint in his single eye. "You know, when somebody shit talks somebody-" he stops to casually press a fist into the palm of his other hand to let the noise of cracking be heard, "- they don't do it in a passive aggressive manner."

The murmur leaves his lips as distance is traveled, the cold winds that normally surrounded him start to pick up, causing his hair, jacket and anything around him to start to be blown in every which way. "You don't know me, don't act like you know how I am or how I act." He rudely states while finally situating himself near his downed yokai.

"So, Shut the fuck up and sit down, don't expect to talk to me like that just because you live here, I don't give a damn about how cocky and how high you hold your tiny, idiot head - or ego rather." A hand reaches down to scoop the yokai up by the collar, "You failed me-" he still didn't know the Yokai's name. "- just know that you failed, pipsqueak."
(Alastair)

Zeorymer flew through the skies and in that moment, it's fear was replaced by awe. It was flying! It was really flying! It flapped it's arms and legs happily, letting out a pleased screeched before it's happiness was cut short- literally as well as the blond haired man simply had to pull the trigger too early and jumped the gun, slicing into the yokai making it screech out in pain this time as it fell to the ground.

Well, this was it's 56th death today. But that was okay, sloths died all the time so it wasn't anything big to it but Mordred forbid did it not hurt like a bitch. This human was going on it's shit list- a bunch of other humans as well. But, for now, it was just a simply mega and it's revenge would have to be served later. It simply allowed itself to be picked up by the Ookami.

And for his troubles he was rewarded with a spit blast in the face.

Acidic spit.

That burned.
(Zeo'Rymer)

Well there seemed to be no objections to him finishing the ritual, they seemed to be too bothered with their own things and that was just fine with Gorandis. The blue energy began to crackle and take on a red edge as he began to go through the final stags, reinforcing his work on the other end of the hole between realms.

The blue energy was gradually drained into the hole until the circle died out. And as it did so, the white crack in the air reformed into an even more deformed and damaged version of the previous spirit. It was even less human now, it was barely even humanoid at this point, more warped and destroyed. Gorandis didn't spare it any pity.

With a disgusted glance he banished the spirit away before turning back to the circle. Another storm of red lightning served to destroy whatever was left of it making sure that no one else would be able to copy what he did. The crystals themselves had already been damaged in the ritual and now they were vaporised completely, leaving no trace of them.

"There... one more..." He muttered to himself. "I'll leave you lot to deal with your own hostilities for now... I must move on to the next." And so, wasting little time, he turned to leave, heading further north. he wouldn't stop anyone if they followed him but he wouldn't acknowledge them either.
(Gorandis)

After having told Alastair to be silent, he'd pay the guy no further mind, not giving his response any sort of reaction, the bard would merely look to Gorandis and nod

"Well, good luck in whatever it is you seek to do. I will be going now, I must return to the Isthmus, perhaps have a word with Lawrence regarding his rather lacking sense of leadership. Farewell for now, and good luck."

And with that he would flip the switch on his sword, converting it back into a lute, and he would go to walk off, strumming the chords to it as he did so, and if no one had any objections to his departure, he'd head back to the Isthmus
(Gabrielle Raven)

Boring.
"Well, they are fleeing," he comments while taking the yokai in toe - spit. A fierce hand is cocked to the wide of his body as the spit flies towards his face. And with some unknown force that willed the planet to birth he swings his palm at the yokai with a speed akin to that of a bullet. The vicious slap boosted by wind and Ookami magic alike was nothing short of devastating, strong enough to shatter a face with just a single touch - maybe that was too much fluff.

either way he takes the acidic spit to the face in exchange for the horrendously loud smack to be heard to all those around, his hand stays strong in his action and once the slap is done he grunts.

"Fuck-" quickly he swipes at his clothing and drags it over this face to get rid of the spit on his face, leaving several nasty burns, none that would last very long, but it was clear he did get hit.

"Let us go and find others, no point in chasing pussies," bold, he was and moving he was also! If the bard backed down, in his mind at least... He was being scared, maybe it wasn't truth, but Alastair believed it to be.
(Alastair)

Zeorymer got slapped.

But that was hardly the worst of what he got. His father regulary abused him with electricity. He was constantly used as the Citadel's skipping stone by the stronger people and to him this slap was merely nothing. Well, it still hurt but it was less than it should have been. That and as it was said before sloths die all the time, it was okay.

But the hand that was used to smack it was then covered in even more spit curtesy of Zeorymer being a petty ass bitch. But for now it simply followed or well, it was more dragged with the Ookami. It was far too lazy and now too injured to do anything about it. It'd be okay in a couple of days- or after it ate something but until then it was just more of a package for the Ookami to deal with.

For even more pettiness the sloth drooled his foul acid on his Jordans too. No shoes will go undefiled while it was around.
(Zeo'Rymer)