To Scorn the Gods- Episode 3: EVERYTHING IS CRAZY

(9:19:05 PM) SeianVerian: The group sleeps well, only requiring one person on each watch as there's only a single entrance to the shrine. The next day comes, and the hole in the back of the shrine still remains, leading into the darkness...
(9:24:51 PM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa had a lot of time to sleep, for she didn't spend a lot of time to write. She's certainly up now, and her headache has somewhat subsided. Looking around, all the others are up, right?
(9:25:55 PM) ***Artemis-XE has also woken up, not feeling too bad, though still a little tired.
(9:26:21 PM) ***Aelitethe is still asleep.
(9:26:28 PM) ***Kineth is also awake, feeling alright as he stretches out.
(9:26:35 PM) ***_Mana is already up, looking at the shrine. "..."
(9:28:06 PM) Aelitethe: Nyamumumule...
(9:29:11 PM) Ulyssa: ...Huh, someone's still sleeping. ...Let's patiently stare at the hole and wait. ...Rather, everything but the hole. This place is strange, but maybe there's an answer to some questions she definitely has here.
(9:30:34 PM) You are now known as DEATH-INCARNATE
(9:31:21 PM) ***Aelitethe yawns and wakes.
(9:32:11 PM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa notices right away, but waits a tad longer because people usually aren't coherent 5 seconds after waking up. Fun!
(9:32:51 PM) Aelitethe: "Good... Good morning." Aelitethe rubs her eyes and looks about sleepily.
(9:33:21 PM) ***_Mana pets Aelitethe. "Morning.."
(9:33:21 PM) Artemis-XE: "Good morning."
(9:33:30 PM) Ulyssa: "Morning! As soon as you finish waking up, we should be able to head in there to see whatever's in there~"
(9:34:27 PM) Artemis-XE: "We'll have to be careful, of course. After all, there could be traps in there."
(9:34:54 PM) _Mana: "Or just, a large group of the resident assholes that we've already faced." Sage nod.
(9:35:41 PM) Artemis-XE: Now that you mention it... you might be right about that."
(9:35:41 PM) ***Aelitethe stretches and squeaks. "Okay..."
(9:35:47 PM) Ulyssa: "Right." TRAPS. Fireballs. Spike pits. Collapsible floors. ...Ice. Webs. Giant spiders. Wooden things that shoot nuts at--let's not get carried away.
(9:36:13 PM) Artemis-XE: "How could they have known we were here the first time?" He ponders.
(9:36:41 PM) _Mana: "Artemis.. It's.. already obvious they were onto us the FIRST time we faced them."
(9:36:54 PM) Ulyssa: You should note the location of quotation marks! Like for example, there's none in this message.
(9:37:01 PM) _Mana: "So wherever we go, they go."
(9:37:13 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Mana does remember that some of the whispers she heard yesterday DID sound like those bandits!
(9:37:14 PM) Artemis-XE: "Exactly what I'm getting at, Mana. But how?"
(9:38:11 PM) _Mana: "'How'., he asks." Mana facepalms, sighing softly. "Artemis, do I really need to explain.."
(9:38:41 PM) Aelitethe: "...We were being followed, Arty."
(9:38:49 PM) Ulyssa: "So the bad people follow us? ...That's...kinda handy, actually..." RIP AND TEAR.
(9:39:03 PM) Artemis-XE: "...Of course."
(9:39:37 PM) ***Artemis-XE feels slightly embarrassed at not seeing the obvious
(9:40:29 PM) _Mana: "Hell, who knows. The leader of the damned group might be inside THAT hole."
(9:40:40 PM) _Mana: "As in, leader of all leaders."
(9:40:46 PM) Kineth: "I guess. A bit more irksome than anything, honestly."
(9:41:04 PM) Artemis-XE: "Well then the sooner we beat that sucker down, the better, right?"
(9:42:04 PM) Ulyssa: "Could be. If not, we could interrogate one of the next ones that show up, couldn't we?"
(9:42:33 PM) _Mana: "After you cut their heads off, Ulyssa?" A small chuckle escapes from Mana's lips, as she asks that.
(9:42:34 PM) ***Artemis-XE is a little wary of the idea of torture.
(9:43:08 PM) Artemis-XE: "Maybe it wont have to come to that, if we're lucky."
(9:43:23 PM) Kineth: "Considering they weren't smart enough to stop bothering us the first time we trounced them, I'd say not to bother with talking."
(9:43:48 PM) Ulyssa: "Ah...well, I'll go easy on the last one I guess? ...But if it doesn't, all the better." Nod nod.
(9:43:58 PM) _Mana: "Right.."
(9:44:51 PM) ***Aelitethe has been unusually quiet, peering at the hole.
(9:45:04 PM) _Mana: Mana.. then frowns, idly remembering her sister. What if she was inside the hole?- '..no wait, that can't be possible.', she thought. "...nn."
(9:45:29 PM) Ulyssa: "...Can we go now?" The excitement is starting to lead out of her voice.
(9:45:32 PM) Ulyssa: Leak, even.
(9:46:12 PM) Kineth: "If no one has anything else to add, then I see nothing wrong with that."
(9:46:40 PM) Artemis-XE: "Fine by me."
(9:47:34 PM) Ulyssa: "Let's go~" DUNGEONS. Ulyssa starts moving towards the hole...
(9:47:42 PM) _Mana: Mana follows Ulyssa, after nodding.
(9:47:48 PM) ***Aelitethe starts following Ulyssa, still unusually quiet.
(9:48:06 PM) ***Artemis-XE follows Aeli towards the hole.
(9:48:22 PM) ***Kineth follows after the others.
(9:50:38 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The hole is dark, and it doesn't appear as if there are any light sources further down. You can see the roots of the shrine going down into the darkness...
(9:52:24 PM) ***Ulyssa produces a hooded lantern, and makes it shine~!
(9:54:15 PM) ***Aelitethe snaps her fingers. [Run Dancing Lights.]
(10:00:11 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The darkness clears, revealing a tunnel that slopes downward. It's fairly steep at first, but you can see it leveling off pretty quickly
(10:01:32 PM) Ulyssa: ...This is awkward. She can do that, too? ...Awkward, but kind of cool. Really cool. ...How long can she keep it up? Probably not as much as Ulyssa has lamp oil! ...if there's four of those fun lights as would be implied from a spell description, might as well put the lantern away for now. Aaaa.
(10:01:46 PM) Ulyssa: ...In other news, Ulyssa is distracted by the magical lights.
(10:04:37 PM) Aelitethe: "Uh... So."
(10:04:43 PM) Ulyssa: Still, as long as everyone else is moving, she is.
(10:04:56 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe continues to try to be a source of lighting.
(10:05:46 PM) ***Kineth continues his descent as the others do, not really having much to say as the group continues heading down.
(10:06:15 PM) ***Artemis-XE continues down the slope as well. Not much to be said.
(10:06:31 PM) ***_Mana follows, not having anything to say as well.
(10:06:42 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The party moves onward, revealing more of the tunnel as more is lit. Aelitethe has to renew her spell once or twice, but as they progress, they may notice that, counterintuitively, the roots are less thick the further they go. They give way to dirt, and eventually, to stone, before they reach a large, ornate door...
(10:08:04 PM) ***Artemis-XE observes the door for a moment. "Could this door lead to ruins beneath the shrine?"
(10:08:54 PM) _Mana: "Or to some demonic r-" ..Just the word "demonic" alone stopped Mana from talking any further. She then shrug it off, regaining her posture. "..-nevermind."
(10:09:31 PM) Kineth: "In any case, it should lead to something of interest...."
(10:09:33 PM) Aelitethe: "It's gotta be something."
(10:09:34 PM) Ulyssa: Lovable, talkative party. Must be a hit during parties. Of course, considering where they are, being quiet may be a better idea! "It could...won't know unless we open it. ...Or Aelitethe has magic that lets us see through walls..." That'd be pretty handy. ...Mana is glanced at on the word demonic. She shrugs off the very notion of thought right after.
(10:12:20 PM) Artemis-XE: "Shall we go?" He says. Moving towards the door to open it.
(10:12:38 PM) Aelitethe: "We should explore this."
(10:12:47 PM) ***Ulyssa nods. ...And lets Artemis open the door.
(10:12:55 PM) Ulyssa: "It's what we came here for, right?"
(10:13:01 PM) _Mana: "Right."
(10:13:07 PM) Artemis-XE: "That it was."
(10:14:37 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Artemis, perhaps surprisingly, does not instantly explode upon touching the door! It swings open effortlessly, revealing a hallway of stone behind it, with occasional decorations befitting of a temple...
(10:14:57 PM) Kineth: "Huh..."
(10:15:05 PM) _Mana: "..another temple?"
(10:15:22 PM) Aelitethe: "...An underground temple...?"
(10:15:37 PM) Kineth: "Seems like it."
(10:16:02 PM) Artemis-XE: "...Well. Not what I was expecting. He says, surprised.
(10:16:22 PM) _Mana: Mana then immediately starts to check if there's anything off.
(10:16:42 PM) Ulyssa: If he did, he'd be able to take it. Still, Ulyssa does pay attention to it, if only to take in the scenery.
(10:17:33 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: It's mostly rather nondescript, really. What decorations are present look as if they were placed just so the hallway wouldn't be incredibly boring
(10:17:51 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Within sight, a doorway on each side of the hallway can be seen before the rest fades into the darkness
(10:18:16 PM) ***_Mana idly examines the doors. `-`
(10:18:19 PM) Kineth: "So... Which way?"
(10:18:20 PM) ***_Mana er well, doorways.
(10:18:51 PM) Artemis-XE: "...I say left. What about you guys?"
(10:19:13 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: ...There does seem to be a strange chill in the air, however, beyond even what one might expect simply from being so far removed from sunlight. There's something unnerving here...
(10:19:40 PM) _Mana: "Personally, I'd say left, because you can't be left behind when travelling underground. Then again, there's still possibility of that happening. So going right..  also leads to the right way- ...?" Mana glances around for a second, examining her surroundings.
(10:20:33 PM) Artemis-XE: "Well, it would probably be within our best interests to travel as a group."
(10:20:37 PM) ***Aelitethe sighs and idly taps the wall.
(10:20:44 PM) Ulyssa: "Splitting up is a bad idea...soo...eenie--sure, left." Ulyssa is aware of this chilling feeling, yet unperturbed. Aside from the whole paying attention thing, which she feels like doing more of now.
(10:20:46 PM) ***Kineth nods in response to Artemis* "Indeed it would."
(10:21:04 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Mana and Kineth both actually hear something strange. It's hard to make out, but... Is there sobbing coming from nearby?
(10:21:24 PM) Aelitethe: "..." Thinking. Aelitethe was thinking.
(10:21:54 PM) Kineth: "...Does anyone else hear that?"
(10:22:09 PM) ***Kineth raises an eyebrow as he takes note of the sobbing noise...
(10:22:13 PM) Artemis-XE: "...I don't hear anything."
(10:22:49 PM) _Mana: "..it can't be. Does anyone.. know if someone died underneath this shrine?"
(10:23:25 PM) Kineth: "Nothing I'd know about."
(10:23:45 PM) Artemis-XE: "Sorry, wouldn't have a clue."
(10:23:49 PM) Ulyssa: Instead of responding 'no', she's checking even harder. Talking would drown out the sound. You know, whatever sound they're all hearing.
(10:23:51 PM) Aelitethe: "...Someone..."
(10:24:02 PM) ***Aelitethe is trying to think of anything she might have read on this particular locale.
(10:25:00 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Aelitethe actually does remember hearing about something! She never knew where it was, but long ago apparently there was an active elven temple outside of the forests. There was something about a war though, and it stopped being used... Perhaps some people were trapped here?
(10:25:14 PM) Aelitethe: "...What do you hear, Mana?"
(10:25:47 PM) _Mana: "..dead people. I hear dead people."
(10:25:56 PM) _Mana: And Mana is awfully serious about what she said.
(10:26:08 PM) Kineth: "...I heard sobbing, myself."
(10:26:46 PM) Aelitethe: "...From what I recall, I remember there was once an Elven temple outside of the forests where I.... 'left.' Then, there was... some war. A conflict, I do not remember; leaving this temple in utter dis-use."
(10:27:18 PM) Aelitethe: "It is a good possibility there may be people still under here, a shelter from the surface conflict. And, it gives a bit of weight to the whole 'I hear dead people' claim."
(10:27:36 PM) _Mana: "Or perhaps this temple served as some sort of a... graveyard."
(10:27:43 PM) Aelitethe: "It makes sense."
(10:28:36 PM) ***Kineth nods.
(10:29:17 PM) ***Artemis-XE also nods.
(10:29:50 PM) Ulyssa: Hearing...dead people? Ghosts? Or with what Aelitethe said, people that might be as pale as ghosts. Hopefully not vampires though. That'd be bad! "...we'll need to be careful either way..."
(10:30:58 PM) ***Aelitethe squeaks. "Let's pick a direction and walk. Dawdling here won't serve us much purpose."
(10:31:13 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: If anyone takes some effort and listens closely enough, they'll find that the sobbing seems to be coming from further down the hallway, to the right.
(10:31:53 PM) ***Kineth would have indeed taken some time to try and discern the direction the sobbing's coming from, before speaking up.* "To the right, then."
(10:32:03 PM) ***_Mana nods and heads towards right.
(10:32:13 PM) ***Kineth follows Mana.
(10:32:29 PM) ***Artemis-XE heads to the right in the direction of sobbing.
(10:33:19 PM) Ulyssa: Nod nod, proceed to follow!
(10:35:35 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: After walking further a bit, you can tell that... It's not coming from beyond the doorway that you were already able to see, because inside is just a fairly sparse room. A few items are lying around on the floor, and there's an urn in an alcove in the wall, but that's about it. Definitely need to walk further down the hallway.
(10:36:39 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: As you DO walk further, you'll notice another pair of doors, from which the sobbing is definitely coming from the one to the right. When you look in however... Yep. Dead people. You can just see faint outlines of some humanoid shapes.
(10:38:00 PM) Aelitethe: "..."
(10:38:29 PM) Ulyssa: Definitely going to do that if everyone else decides to move. Leading in a place like this is a bit terrifying, though Ulyssa makes no plans to admit this or show it in the least. In any case, with further moving...hey, hold on, these could be the undead! ...Still, not the planner here. Or about to talk with a potential enemy visible. Don't know, what do do...
(10:39:08 PM) _Mana: "....."
(10:39:29 PM) Aelitethe: "...Yes. The remnants of a terrible conflict."
(10:39:31 PM) Artemis-XE: "I feel uneasy. I feel like i can just barely see figures around us. Is anyone else seeing this?
(10:39:42 PM) _Mana: Mana.. kneels, in front of the door, trembling. "..."
(10:40:14 PM) ***Kineth simply nods in response to Artemis, staying silent for the moment.
(10:40:49 PM) ***Aelitethe kneels to Mana's level and attempts to console her with strokings and pettings. "...There, there... I'm sorry."
(10:41:43 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Despite how close you are, the sobbing still sounds far away... Otherworldly.  Eventually, you can hear faint voices, though it takes some effort to make out what they're saying.
(10:42:12 PM) _Mana: "..t-..that's why we're targeted, Aelitethe." Mana looks up at her, tears rolling down her cheeks. "We're the last of the last. Everyone died. Inside that room over there, is goddamn everyone!"
(10:42:44 PM) _Mana: "No wonder those bandits were surprised at us when we first faced them!"
(10:43:35 PM) ***Aelitethe sighs and embraces Mana, trying to keep her calm. "...Mana..."
(10:45:22 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "Please... Stop crying... It's going to be okay, I promise." The voice of a young man speaks. It's almost as a whisper, struggling to escape and be known... However, another figure right next to the source shakes its head. "N-no... It won't be!" A female voice this time, clearly even younger. It seems to have been the source of the sobbing.
(10:46:31 PM) Ulyssa: ...Oh. Oh dear. Dear oh dear. ...just...wait for them to pull together...but...aaaaaaaaa. Ulyssa definitely appears rather unnerved right about now. Clearly she let too much thoughts through and she let her imagination go on a complete rampage.
(10:47:02 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The girl continues. "We're... We're not going to make it. None of us! We're all trapped out here, they won't let us out... Only Elseiya can open the door, and she says they're waiting outside so we can't leave! Don't you get it... They're waiting until we're dead."
(10:47:44 PM) Aelitethe: "Can you hear anything?"
(10:48:17 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: You realize the scene slowly is becoming clearer the longer you stand here. None of it seems fully real, but you can start to see more than just the slight outlines.
(10:50:32 PM) Aelitethe: "Uh..!"
(10:50:59 PM) ***Kineth glances at Ulyssa, taking note of her unnerved state, before going to gently place a hand on her shoulder, trying to help calm her down, even if only a little, before looking back at the unfolding scene.
(10:51:48 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "They can't wait forever, Seina..." The girl almost laughs. "Are you kidding? How stupid do you think I am? We were here in peace, and they knew they wanted war... We don't have food to last the month, and they can just keep bringing in more! They killed mother, and... Father's not right. There's something unnatural about what they did to him... Do you think nature even binds them?!"
(10:52:01 PM) _Mana: Mana.. reaches towards the door, arms trembling a bit. "S-Shut up... Why can't you damned souls rest in peace?.."
(10:52:11 PM) Aelitethe: "Mana..."
(10:52:19 PM) ***Artemis-XE notices Ulyssa in her nervous state, sees Kineth has a handle on that. Watches whats going on before them.
(10:53:19 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: There's not even a hesitation in the scene, or the slightest acknowledgement of what Mana said. It seems to keep playing, as if immutable, something long ago determined.
(10:53:42 PM) Aelitethe: "Mana, calm down. It cannot be changed."
(10:54:02 PM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa can be seen to appreciate the hand. This is...a rather disturbing scene!
(10:54:51 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "Seina! You cannot speak that way... Nature is greater than anything that would seek to disrupt it. To say otherwise is blasphemy! We must hold strong! We must..." The kneeling figure of the young man seems to simply collapse to the floor. "Why... Why have we been forsaken...?"
(10:54:56 PM) _Mana: "Yes it can!" Mana looks at Aelitethe, her eyes.. widened a bit. She seems to be slowly losing her mind. "If you guys can let me in to that room, I can put all of those people to rest! They need to sleep for eternity anyways!"
(10:55:26 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The voices fall silent now.
(10:58:31 PM) Aelitethe: "Mana, I don't have the power to open that door... I think..."
(10:58:36 PM) ***Aelitethe sighs and trembles.
(10:59:02 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The door is already open. There's nothing but an empty archway showing into the room
(10:59:13 PM) Aelitethe: "..."
(10:59:27 PM) _Mana: Mana.. then all of a sudden grins at Aelitethe, still crying. "You.. you're okay with this, right? 'It cannot be changed', right? Were you okay with all of the dead people inside that room, Aelitethe? Please..  tell me."
(11:00:58 PM) Aelitethe: "It never said I was okay with this. These were events that occurred long ago. The future has already been determined. We are living that future, right now. Do you have the power to change the history that has already occurred? Tell me!"
(11:02:08 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: ...It's not certain when it returns to what it once was, or if there even is a "when". The scene is as first arrived upon once more, as the girl sobs inconsolably, and the young man kneels near her...
(11:02:43 PM) Aelitethe: "Can't you see? The scene playing in front of you is a loop! It's repeating things that have already happened."
(11:03:16 PM) _Mana: Mana draws out her rapier and points at the room, her whole body trembling a bit. "What future, Aelitethe?! The future in which we're all doomed to die in the end? Tell me. Should we be inside that room instead, sobbing in complete and utter despair?! Should we?!"
(11:03:59 PM) Aelitethe: "Calm down, Mana... Please. All I am saying is that there are better ways to repair a future of despair than this. You're going crazy."
(11:05:27 PM) _Mana: Mana.. drops her weapon, and walks backwards into the room. "As if I'm not already crazy, Aelitethe... As if.."
(11:06:58 PM) Aelitethe: "Mana, please...!"
(11:07:29 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe charges at Mana and attempts to stop her with a hug. "Please, Mana! This isn't like you! This isn't the Mana I love...!"
(11:09:27 PM) _Mana: Mana.. doesn't in fact, regret pushing Aelitethe away with one hand. "..it isn't? So you're saying.. you can't accept me for who I am, Aelitethe?"
(11:10:43 PM) Aelitethe: "Then who are you?! Have you been showing me a side of you that isn't you!"
(11:12:17 PM) _Mana: Mana.. smiles at her, her only eye seem to have lost its light. "I'm myself, dear."
(11:12:17 PM) ***Aelitethe is visibly trembling, her grip on her quarterstaff tight with tension. "...It's... almost like you're possessed!"
(11:12:32 PM) _Mana: "I'm myself, and only.. myself."
(11:13:09 PM) ***Aelitethe feels tears rolling down her cheeks. "Curses, Mana, what's gotten in to you...? I... I just..."
(11:14:18 PM) Aelitethe: "I'm doing this because I care for you. I told you I'd never leave you, no matter what happens...! I don't plan on breaking that promise!"
(11:14:29 PM) _Mana: "Leave, if you don't want to accept the real truth about me, Aelitethe. There's always that option."
(11:14:44 PM) Aelitethe: "What is the real truth! Tell me!"
(11:15:26 PM) _Mana: "You just said it, a while ago~." Mana giggles softly at her.
(11:15:38 PM) Aelitethe: *zun*
(11:17:07 PM) _Mana: "Still with us, Aelitethe? This is only the beginning and the end~."
(11:17:45 PM) ***Aelitethe crumples to the ground, shivering like a nerve just literally popped. "Why... Why didn't you tell me this...?"
(11:18:41 PM) Aelitethe: "Let me help you...! Please... Even... Even if... in there, hides a demon who... Who wouldn't even think twice about gutting me... I love you. So... Please... let me help you!"
(11:19:51 PM) _Mana: Mana.. then freezes, the demonic-type tone in her voice disappearing, her eye regaining its light. She then kneels down once more, covering her mouth. "-kh..!"
(11:20:26 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe hugs Mana tightly, her sobbing now incredibly loud. "Mana, Mana... Please...!"
(11:21:00 PM) _Mana: Mana.. blinks at her, uncovering her mouth. "..Aelitethe..? What's.. going on?"
(11:22:07 PM) Aelitethe: "Mana... A demon lives inside of you...!"
(11:22:54 PM) _Mana: She blinks once more. "Since... when?"
(11:23:37 PM) Aelitethe: "I don't know...! But it showed itself... And I knew, then and there, that I had to help you... To save you..."
(11:23:47 PM) ***Aelitethe clings to Mana.
(11:24:31 PM) _Mana: "But... I'm fine. What are we doing inside this room, though?"
(11:26:12 PM) Aelitethe: "We walked here. Saw something. Then you snapped."
(11:27:14 PM) _Mana: Mana.. blinks, again. She then stands up and walks back out, scratching the back of her head. "..weird."
(11:28:47 PM) ***Aelitethe sighs.
(11:28:50 PM) Aelitethe: "Let's... Let's go."
(11:30:13 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The ghostly scene plays out behind you once more, and you can't really hear anything else around over it. Do you want to explore the rooms, or go down the hallway?
(11:30:29 PM) _Mana: Down the hallway? Down the hallway.
(11:30:51 PM) Artemis-XE: "Lets just head down the hallway."
(11:31:42 PM) Kineth: Down and through the hallway we go. That is, after Kineth makes sure Ulyssa's alright.
(11:32:19 PM) Genshuku: Ulyssa could still be noticed as rather shaken by both the ghost's exchange and then Aelitethe's exchange with possibly not Mana. "L-let's just go." Alright might not be the right word, but she's capable of function her legs, it seems!
(11:33:21 PM) _Mana: Mana glances at Ulyssa, frowning slightly. "..everything alright?"
(11:34:13 PM) Aelitethe: "...:
(11:34:54 PM) Genshuku: "I-I'll be fine. Let's...hurry up." Alright definitely isn't the right word. This the time to talk about it? She clearly doesn't think so!
(11:35:38 PM) ***Kineth glances at Ulyssa, taking a breath as he walks along with her, taking note of her reactions... He'll bother her about it later, perhaps. For now... It's simply time to get through this hallway.
(11:35:56 PM) ***_Mana nods and continues down the hallway.
(11:36:19 PM) ***Artemis-XE continues through the hallway, equally concerned for Ulyssa.
(11:38:19 PM) Genshuku is now known as Ulyssa
(11:41:06 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: ...Strange. It looks like there's some sort of light at the end of the hallway. Was that there before?
(11:42:08 PM) Artemis-XE: "What could that light be down there?" He continues forward
(11:42:34 PM) ***Kineth raises an eyebrow at the light for a second, before following Artemis along.
(11:42:42 PM) ***_Mana follows both of them.
(11:42:42 PM) Ulyssa: Some light, no light, she's still moving anyway.
(11:42:58 PM) Aelitethe: "..."
(11:47:42 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: As you come closer, you become able to see the room which contains this light... Though made of stone, roots as thick as trees make up the four corners of the large, rectangular room. It looks to be the main altar of the temple, with a statue carved of oddly golden-coloured wood at the back. Mana and Aelitethe will recognize it as depicting the god of the elves...
(11:48:10 PM) _Mana: "...ah."
(11:51:23 PM) Artemis-XE: "You know of this statue?"
(11:52:14 PM) Aelitethe: "..."
(11:52:15 PM) Aelitethe: "Indeed."
(11:52:23 PM) _Mana: "..mhm."
(11:52:55 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: From the four corners of the room, wood twists around in a strange spiral toward the center of the room, where it wraps around itself to form a beautiful altar. At the top of this altar, the roots end in what looks almost like a sort of claw which holds a shining light...
(11:53:33 PM) ***Kineth slowly approaches the claw, attempting to get a closer look at the shining light.
(11:56:06 PM) ***Ulyssa would rather not leave Kineth to go walking towards shining lights and such alone! She follows him.
(11:56:25 PM) ***Artemis-XE follows the two.
(11:56:35 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The light doesn't appear to be solid. It's more of a sort of spectral sphere that doesn't seem to have any real substance... However, it doesn't take long to realize that it's not the only thing spectral here.
(11:57:57 PM) Artemis-XE: "...There's that uneasy feeling again... Something's here."
(11:57:59 PM) DEATH-INCARNATE: A silhouette forms above the sphere, quickly forming into a much more solid shape than the ghosts you saw previously. It materializes into the shape of an elven woman, which Mana and Aelitethe recognize to be wearing druidic robes
(11:58:37 PM) _Mana: "..what?"
(11:59:26 PM) Aelitethe: "...Those robes..."
(11:59:33 PM) Artemis-XE: "...Okay so it isn't a ghost." He feels relieved.
(12:00:33 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Artemis quickly reassesses that observation, as the form never becomes completely solid. It's still translucent, but clearly visible
(12:01:00 AM) ***Kineth stops, looking at the woman, waiting...
(12:01:22 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "...You DARE." A voice booms out in anger.
(12:01:26 AM) Aelitethe: "Hold."
(12:02:23 AM) _Mana: "..who are you?"
(12:03:31 AM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa isn't quite so sure about following Artemis's lead here! It could be a rather...magical ghost. In fact, she's pretty sure it is. ...but with no knowledge or bearing on anyth--aaaaa. Ulyssa feels rather similar to a child being scolded by a very, very angry parent right now. There's definitely a touch of fear! Maybe other things, but definitely fear! ...doesn't make her run, but
(12:03:31 AM) Ulyssa: she's feeling it!
(12:03:54 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "You do not deserve to be graced with the name of a servant of Saelenis, ye who defile this place... Yet, I shall tell you, so at least your final moments will not be those of ignorance. My name is Elseiya."
(12:04:57 AM) _Mana: "..'Elseiya'? Some.. dead people, per se, mentioned you."
(12:05:52 AM) Aelitethe: "!"
(12:06:39 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "Dead people... So eloquent. A carrier of a demon could not be expected to be more so. Yes, those lost souls have memory of me, though they cannot bear to realize that they are no longer of this plane... I am the guardian of this place, the only one to keep myself after what has been done here..."
(12:07:41 AM) _Mana: Mana.. sighs, staring straight at Elseiya. "Leave and go rest in peace, as I've told those lost souls once before."
(12:09:31 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: She looks at those nearest her, the three humans. "Your kind never changes... You defile everything you touch, even as you destroy nature's bounty with no regard for those around you. Long ago you were forsaken for your rebellion from the great creator... Yet forgiveness is beyond you."
(12:09:31 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: She looks to Mana. "You have no hold over me. There is no peace that may be had so long as your kind, or theirs, still exists..."
(12:10:11 AM) Kineth: "And why would that be?"
(12:10:22 AM) _Mana: "Then tell me. What is it that you know about me, hm? Me, the so-called "carrier of a demon"."
(12:10:57 AM) Aelitethe: "..."
(12:11:13 AM) ***Aelitethe steps forward. "Why...?"
(12:11:49 AM) Artemis-XE: "I'm wondering why, myself."
(12:13:11 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "Destroyers and corruptors... Though you claim to be different, you are all the same. Ancient enemies of the creator, and the rejected mistakes... Those whose very blood still seek to tempt and taint us chosen. Long ago the rejected humans sought to destroy and overthrow us, and drove our kind to the forests, killing those who could not flee... It is they who left us to this! Just as the demons have so long sought to reach their influence to this once pure world."
(12:13:43 AM) _Mana: "...."
(12:14:09 AM) ***Ulyssa 's thought quota has been completely fried. Best part is that she can't actually contest that statement! Or even the next! So the most she can do is what she's already doing.
(12:14:26 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "Ye who are tainted and broken... Have you any last words before you feel the wrath of nature?"
(12:16:35 AM) _Mana: Mana.. does something that no one expects for her to do. She then steps up, away from the group. "..I do. I'm, truthfully, the only one that's "tainted and broken", since I'm apparently "possessed" by a demon. It's me that you want, Elseiya."
(12:16:45 AM) Aelitethe: "Mana...?"
(12:17:55 AM) _Mana: Mana turns around, smiling at Aelitethe. "'Tis true. Because of my 'other side's demonic influence, the last of us are targeted."
(12:18:26 AM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa contests the spot of broken. Tainted...not quite sure. Definitely contesting broken though. She doesn't even have last words!
(12:19:00 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "Hah... I do not know what tricks you hold, demon, but know that they are not enough! These... Humans. They are mistakes, nothing more than broken piles of flesh that the creator has forsaken. And... The half-breed. Such a shame that the chosen and pure would allow such diluted filth to exist... There is nothing natural to such a union or its results."
(12:19:14 AM) Kineth: "Are you done talking?"
(12:19:26 AM) Kineth: "I've had it up to here with your pretentious prattling."
(12:20:01 AM) _Mana: "..tricks? There are no tricks. I'm simply accepting my fate."
(12:20:50 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "Yes... Words are wasted on such as you. Very well!" Her eyes close, and her hands clasp together as she begins to pray.
(12:20:56 AM) ***Kineth glares at Elseiya, getting into stance, greatsword drawn as he stands his ground* "Honestly, your disgusting words are making my blood boil."
(12:21:18 AM) Aelitethe: "Filth..."
(12:21:23 AM) Artemis-XE: "No choice."
(12:21:48 AM) Ulyssa: And Kineth saves the day! Or at least Ulyssa's shutdown. It's enough to activate her self-defense! SWORDS DRAWN.
(12:21:58 AM) Artemis-XE: "Claiming humans are 'corrupt' and broken. You're wrong."
(12:22:20 AM) ***Artemis-XE readies his longsword in anticipation.
(12:22:29 AM) Ulyssa: ...well, at least some defense. Might not actually be self! Not like you can tell the difference, really.
(12:23:37 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The sphere begins to shine brighter and brighter as her words echo through the room. "Ancient creator, send your servants to aid your chosen... Though we are forsaken in our suffering, let the ancient oaths be upheld to rid us of the defilers!" The light becomes blinding as she finishes, and everyone feels incredible force pushing them back, impossible to defend against, before it fades...
(12:24:03 AM) _Mana: "-...!? The hell was that.. ?!"
(12:24:42 AM) Artemis-XE: "What in the hell...!"
(12:25:06 AM) Kineth: "Ghh...!"
(12:25:29 AM) Ulyssa: The most Ulyssa can do is try not to be pushed back, with clearly minimal success!
(12:26:28 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: As everyone's heads stop spinning, they see three creatures standing before them. One looks almost like an elf, and yet... Decidedly different. Her skin is white, with a lustre like that of pearls, and long, almost unnervingly golden hair. Her eyes are a brilliant gleam like emeralds, gems in her beautiful figure...
(12:28:29 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The other two look like ugly, twisted things. Hideous and hunchbacked, they scarcely approach humanoid, though bipedal. Each has three glowing blue eyes, which appear to hold a great anger... Or perhaps sadistic anticipation. Oily hair grows from their head and down their back, covering at least a portion of their dark blue skin.
(12:35:43 AM) Aelitethe: "..."
(12:37:39 AM) _Mana: "...."
(12:38:24 AM) Ulyssa: Voicing elipsis is last year. ...Though if this player were so inclined, there'd be some here too!
(12:40:45 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The woman-like creature begins approaching the party. ...However, it does so strangely. It's not slow, but the movements are strangely captivating, incredibly smooth. There's a decidedly predatory grace to her movements, and yet it's so hard to look away...
(12:40:45 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Aelitethe, Ulyssa, and Kineth actually find it completely impossible! Though they know there's danger, they can't think of anything aggressive at all...
(12:42:28 AM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa was having trouble as it is. Now it's even worse. Lovely!
(12:42:34 AM) Kineth: god damn it
(12:43:09 AM) Kineth: Welp. Pray that he stays captivated by this. No, seriously.
(12:43:35 AM) Ulyssa: And so much for Kineth's hotbloodedness, too. Go figure. Surely, the following can't be worse than this, right?
(12:43:51 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Unfortunately, Ulyssa STILL can't think of anything agressive even when aggression is directed toward her. She can think of not getting hit though! She somehow manages to move out of the way as the creature lunges toward her to attempt a vicious bite
(12:44:38 AM) Ulyssa: SELF-DEFENSE.
(12:46:06 AM) Aelitethe: "Ugh...!"
(12:49:30 AM) Aelitethe: "Why can't... I?!"
(12:51:24 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: One of the tiny little awful creatures decides it wants to attack Artemis. It rushes forward, energy charged into its claw, and slams into him. He feels energy rushing through his body with great intensity, leaving him burned and his whole body tingling
(12:52:02 AM) Artemis-XE: "Gaaah!!"
(12:53:24 AM) Artemis-XE: "I... can't take much more of this."
(12:54:03 AM) Ulyssa: ?! That...nonononono. NO.
(12:54:47 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Ulyssa struggles to get her mind working, or at least her body working, but the movements of that creature are so fascinating even when they're so deadly...
(12:55:44 AM) Ulyssa: Her mind hasn't really been working for a while. Fried and all. Still, it's not getting much better like this!
(12:56:51 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Mana isn't having such troubles however! She gathers herself now... But to do what?
(1:05:08 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Apparently, to completely skewer the elflike creature through the back, eliciting an otherworldly, piercing scream from it. Suddenly, everyone finds themselves broken from the fascination! And note a great deal of blood leaking from the thing, though it doesn't look nearly dead, just INCREDIBLY angry
(1:07:02 AM) Kineth: Weeeell... I think Kineth could fix that error, how 'bout? He's certainly fixin' to do so, to say the least.
(1:07:31 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: As soon as she does so, however, one of the tiny, hideous creatures lunges toward her in a flurry of claws and teeth. Mana is able to dodge most of its onslaught, though she does get one claw down her forearm
(1:08:08 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Artemis! Your mind clears from the pain and you think you might be able to actually do something here
(1:09:05 AM) Ulyssa: ...! Whatever held her, she's free from it now! ...she could stand to be a bit more upbeat about it, but she's as whatever she was before as ever.
(1:11:29 AM) ***Artemis-XE calmly considers his next move. He's got his teammates to back him up, so it seems worth the risk. He goes for an attack against the elflike woman, attempting to impale her on his longsword.
(1:13:43 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Artemis is able to nick a nice portion of the fey's arm, though isn't able to do anything more substantial than that
(1:15:10 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Now, Kineth's fascination has ended. How intense is the rage to follow?
(1:18:02 AM) Kineth: Kineth takes a deep breath, looking between his three antagonists, before his eyes focus back on the elflike woman, filled with nothing more than pure, unadulterated loathing. He slowly lifts up his greatsword, taking a step... Before bellowing out a fearsome roar as he goes to attempt ot SPLATTER with a truly brutal swing of his blade!
(1:19:07 AM) Kineth: *blade as he suddenly rushes her!
(1:21:39 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The screech that follows is loud enough and piercing enough that everyone feels like their teeth (and every bone in their body) is about to shatter. As it is, they may have chipped. Regardless, the monster's black blood splatters everywhere before she vaporizes in a puff of magic. But Kineth can't be stopped
(1:23:37 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: His blade keeps going, and if it had been just a few inches closer, the gremlin it was going toward would have been cut in half. Instead it has to settle for an incredibly huge gash across its chest
(1:24:11 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Truly, the stuff of heroes. Maybe Aelitethe can write a song about it later. But right now, she needs to do something else!
(1:26:43 AM) Kineth: "BEGONE, FOUL WRETCH FROM BEYOND!" Kineth lets out another loud roar, before turning towards one of the Gremlins, tearing into it with another brutal slash, gravely wounding it, stopping to flash a wicked grin as he stares down his remaining two potential victims.
(1:26:51 AM) ***Aelitethe coughs.
(1:29:59 AM) ***Aelitethe eyes Artemis and attempts to restorate his wounds to the best of her ability. [Cast Cure Light Wounds on Artemis]
(1:31:37 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Artemis' wounds knit closed at an incredible speed. Sadly, not entirely, but they're MUCH smaller now than before.
(1:31:46 AM) ***Artemis-XE nods to Aelitethe. "I'll thank you properly later, but for now, we have to focus!"
(1:32:01 AM) Aelitethe: "You are the fighters, tis not I."
(1:34:28 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The wounded gremlin attacks Kineth in a blind rage. ...And just gets tossed to the side, barely scraping the top layer of his skin off with his claws. It doesn't even hurt.
(1:35:09 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Ulyssa may be able to deliver a lot more hurt though! ...To the gremlins
(1:35:52 AM) ***Kineth simply lets out a grunt in response to the Gremlin's attack. It may be raging, but against the fury of a barbarian... it's worthless.
(1:36:47 AM) Ulyssa: More hurt than Kineth? No way in hell. More hurt than barely even nicking? YES. Finally making her first offensive movement, she aims to clean up the wounded gremlin.
(1:39:14 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Ulyssa does a great job at cleaning up the gremlin! ...With the breeze from her sword as she scissors the air above its head. It's a little bit TOO small
(1:39:50 AM) Ulyssa: She has another sword! She'll certainly try to use both, you know.
(1:40:25 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Actually, she scissors with both swords! Doing it with one would actually be quite impressive
(1:41:20 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Mana is able to use the distraction quite well though, and makes a nice gremlin kabob! ...Okay, not nice. If it was a piece of cuisine, it'd go in the incinerator, not even the trash.
(1:41:54 AM) Ulyssa: True! And she's clearly at less than optimal performance, since she managed to miss twice with the only turn she had. Mana then proceeded to completely wreck it. Let us refrain from commenting further on the matter.
(1:45:02 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The other gremlin is less inept. It jumps onto Kineth and fries the hell out of him! ...Too bad he's angry enough to just snap its neck. Or slice through it. Whichever he feels like. Regardless, it doesn't last
(1:48:31 AM) Kineth: Kineth grits his teeth, snarling as he takes the blow, unceremoniously splattering the remaining gremlin once it finishes attacking, panting heavily as he leans on his sword, actually looking quite battered from that shock.
(1:50:51 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "You... Fools! Defilers, wretches, slime! Why do you always try to defeat nature's guardians! YOUR END WILL COME!"
(1:51:03 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The druid ghost babbles in incoherent, ineffectual rage
(1:51:37 AM) Artemis-XE: "...Shut the fuck up already." He says to the arrogant druid.
(1:52:33 AM) Artemis-XE: "You stand there, claiming humans are corrupt and tainted. Again. You're wrong."
(1:52:34 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: "YOU DARE INSULT ME! I AM OF THE CREATOR'S CHOSEN RACE, I AM FAR BEYOND WHAT YOU COULD EVER HOPE TO BE! I AM HIS-!"
(1:52:48 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: She'd probably have a heart attack if she wasn't already dead
(1:52:50 AM) Kineth: "Ju..st shut her up, already."
(1:53:18 AM) Artemis-XE: "....you're right. Lets just end thid foolishness."
(1:53:52 AM) ***Artemis-XE reaches for the sphere of light, holding it above his head. Crushing it until it breaks.
(1:54:20 AM) Artemis-XE: "Now fade into obscurity, worthless Druid!"
(1:54:28 AM) ***Aelitethe just blankly watches.
(1:54:59 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Artemis feels power rush through him, suddenly. All of this. The utter arrogance is sickening, and he feels rage coursing through him... POWER. He isn't what she says. He is MORE!
(1:56:58 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: The energy builds up in him, and he feels as if he's about to break... Until he reaches up and snatches  the sphere of light in his hands as they morph into claws, and crushes it with POWER. The world seems to shake as the power rushes through him and into the light. The sphere shatters with what feels like an earthquake, releasing blinding light. And then nothing remains, but the five...
(2:04:55 AM) ***Ulyssa can only watch as the paladin grows claws and does this. This might be the least distressing thing she's seen all day!
(2:05:13 AM) ***Aelitethe raises an eyebrow.
(2:05:50 AM) ***Kineth takes deep breaths, still a bit winded..
(2:06:24 AM) ***Artemis-XE observes his hands for a moment... "Claws? Where the hell did those come from?" He wonders if this mightve come from the recent light.
(2:07:39 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: ...Artemis has heard of such things. Tales of arcanists with magic running through their veins, unholy power that can only be purged by destroying the entire bloodline that spawned it... Such are the tales the church tells. Some of these can grow claws such as these
(2:07:56 AM) ***Aelitethe coughs and turns away.
(2:08:42 AM) Artemis-XE: "...Well, this could pose a problem back at the temple..." He says, rather nervously.
(2:09:44 AM) Artemis-XE: "But, lets not worry about that for now. There's still the undead to deal with."
(2:10:18 AM) Kineth: "Indeed."
(2:10:38 AM) Kineth: "And I would much appreciate some help getting back on my feet."
(2:10:44 AM) Ulyssa: THIS IS RATHER UNCOMFORTABLE. "...right. Let's...get out of here." Definitely still sounds uncomfortable!
(2:12:35 AM) ***Artemis-XE pulls out another potion of Cure Light Wounds and hands it to Kineth.
(2:14:27 AM) Kineth: "I'd rather we save those for later."
(2:14:52 AM) Artemis-XE: "...That might be a good idea, actually."
(2:17:50 AM) ***Artemis-XE examines the surroundings for any items of particular worth.
(2:18:41 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: ...There actually looks to be something shiny in the roots under where the sphere once was!
(2:19:15 AM) ***Ulyssa shudders. THE WAY HE'S LOOKING AROUND, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE HE'S LEAVING. LOOKS MORE LIKE HE'S LOOTING A GRAVEYARD.
(2:19:34 AM) Aelitethe: "..."
(2:19:43 AM) ***Artemis-XE examines the roots.
(2:22:26 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: They look to have been loosened by that... Explosion. Inside, it looks like there's a box, slightly open... Gold inside!
(2:22:37 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: He'd have to tear apart the roots around it to get at it though
(2:23:30 AM) Artemis-XE: "Unnecessary difficulty. >tear the roots away
(2:24:42 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: He could also slash at them. Either way, it takes a little bit of work... When he manages to drag it out, however, he finds that it's really big, and REALLY heavy
(2:24:53 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: There's a hell of a lot of gold in here
(2:25:21 AM) Artemis-XE: >take the damn thing. Half of it, at least.
(2:26:16 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: You could easily split the gold between all of you. It just probably wouldn't be easy for one person to carry around, is all.
(2:27:55 AM) ***Artemis-XE motions to the others to come over towards him. "Obviously now isnt the best time, but we've been travelling for a while and we may need supplies, so lets take this gold and get going."
(2:27:55 AM) ***Aelitethe coughs.
(2:28:49 AM) ***Ulyssa is still uncomfortable here (and in general), and is definitely ready to follow Artemis's lead. Since he's actually leaving, and all.
(2:30:05 AM) ***Kineth ... doesn't really care and in fact would encourage the ransacking of that horrid druid's cache. ...Now if only he could, yanno. Move.
(2:33:44 AM) Ulyssa: SURE WOULD BE NICE IF AELITETHE WOULD HEAL. TOO BAD SHE ISN'T. AND TOO BAD NO ONE IS WILLING TO PRESS FURTHER ON THE MATTER. Most notably Ulyssa herself, who would have if she wasn't so dead set on leaving.
(2:34:47 AM) Kineth: You'd. Think it'd be kinda obvious. Especially considering how handy Kineth's been with, well. everything so far.
(2:34:51 AM) ***Aelitethe sighs and approaches Kineth, raising her hands over his wounds for application of healing.
(2:34:59 AM) ***Aelitethe also shoots a cursory glare at Ulyssa.
(2:35:41 AM) ***Kineth slowly gets up, nodding to Aelitethe in thanks.
(2:35:51 AM) Ulyssa: That was actually not telegraphed in any way. She'd have been a little less blunt about it, and more curious as to why everyone suddenly stopped doing anything.
(2:36:31 AM) Aelitethe: "..."
(2:36:45 AM) ***Artemis-XE is still focused on handing out this gold and then getting the hell out of here.
(2:37:08 AM) ***Kineth will take his share, then promptly abscond once everyone's fine and ready enough.
(2:38:25 AM) Ulyssa: Still, share get, get out. She doesn't want to be in here for another moment. Curling into a ball ASAP is the very, very first thing she wants to do.
(2:38:42 AM) Aelitethe: "Out. Now."
(2:39:12 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Everyone leaves at pretty close to a run as soon as the gold is handed out, to head outside.
(2:39:28 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: It's still pretty early in the day, but everyone feels rather drained after... Everything.
(2:39:49 AM) ***Ulyssa 's pace increases faster, still! Hell, she might be close to a run if she isn't actually running!
(2:40:39 AM) Artemis-XE: Enough time has been wasted. Leaving is the only concern for Art.
(2:42:25 AM) Kineth: All that really needs to be said on the matter. Kineth is also focused on just getting the hell out.
(2:43:20 AM) DEATH-INCARNATE: Whether they rest early to recharge, or go on their way for a very long and miserable day, one thing is certain... The day has certainly had enough events.