Shadow: *Suddenly, the atmosphere changes. There is a wave of what can only be described as sheer, intangible /power/ that crosses the HQ and the surrounding region in merely seconds, continuing outwards and losing itself to entropy. It is a very familiar, magical ripple that is almost simultaneously accompanied by a light somewhere in the horizon--a red, pulsing pillar of energy that shoots into the sky, spreading increasingly larger and complex patterns that fill a far but noticeable portion of the distant skyline, with magical lines connecting into likewise distant points in some sort of overarching shape that momentarily even reach high above HQ... Before long, the beam wavers, the circles vanish, and all trace of magic disappears.*

Jason freezes, the sudden change in atmosphere hitting him strongly even before he noticed the extremely familiar feeling. He and Mimring both bristle, the latter looking around almost frantically before locking his gaze to the north. /Dear Rae, that girl got another one?/ The dragon hisses mentally. /Which seal was that? Kuro's castle, correct?/

Lord X-Giga-X: Deathstorm: Huh? *stops somewhere over the forest north of cult territory, sensing something exceedingly wrong in the form of a bizarre ripple. And as if by pure instinct, he turns toward the northeast. His four eyes widen in horror to what immediately catches his attention. Toward the far northeast is a pillar of red, pulsing pillar of energy shooting into the sky, spreading larger as it continues upward. An array of complex patterns leaks out from it, filling a portion of the sky to the distance, just noticeable enough. It is joined by magical lines connecting other distant points in an overarching shape. Soon, it all vanishes into nothing. A silent gasp escapes his mouth.* /No... Kuro's Castle.../

Lord X-Giga-X , along with everyone else in the lab, felt the sudden ripple shoot through the area. He blinked, his glance then turning toward the hole in the lab's roof. His eyes widened as he noticed an usunual array of magical lines in the sky above. He remembered Shadow describing something like this.... No, it couldn't be.... He then let out somewhat of a growl. "As if I didn't have enough problems right now..."

Dark is forced to stretch his wings out to rebalance himself as the sudden atmospheric change caught him completely off guard to the point where he almost fell over. "Oh Jesus, ninety-nine problems isn't meant to be taken literally."

Starr flinches after seeing an eerie glow from the corner of her eye. Her head turns to the sky just quick enough to catch a glance of the wavering beam. Surprise and an after feeling of concern engulf her face, making her lower lip quiver slightly. /Shockwing, you might want to put down what you are doing....../ She hesitantly steps forward, then back. Should she return to HQ or investigate on her own. The two possibilities had one obvious answer: She had to return back. She receives a mental prod from Shockwing as confirmation, then began her way back to HQ.

Lord X-Giga-X: Grodisflare: *eyes widen as he too looks up to this phenomenon* What now, Giga?

Jason is momentarily uncertain what to do, but he shakes his head and glances at his Familiar. /Rrgh. Mimring, Deathstorm, round up whoever you can find, we need to get there now./ A thought occurs to him. /Whichever of you finds Giga, keep him in line. That Seotaran base is in that direction./ Now he glances at Dark and Darius. "See if you can round up whoever Mimring and Deathstorm don't, we have to get to the seal before we completely lose track of the one attacking them."

Dark: Jude: *the sudden change in atmosphere surprises him as he prods the others mentally for confirmation of what had just happened* /Another broken one?/ *looking out his window, he come into vision range of the pillar of pulsating red light* /... Oh dear./

Lord X-Giga-X prepared to answer Grodisflare, only to immediately stop as his eyes glanced over to the door to the room, watching it open. Xibu stepped into the room, followed by the ursine humanoid from the previous day.

Dark nods. "Will do." He then takes off to look for the others, responding to Jude at the same time, /Well, what the fuck else could it have been?!/

Lord X-Giga-X: Xibu: The big guy woke up a bit earlier than I was expecting. *glances up through the hole* So, I'm guessing it happened again.

Darius shifts his stance as a sudden wave of mysterious energy passes over the area. In alarm, Darius goes into an alert stance, looking about for essence traces to find the source. "Wha-" looking over at Jason and Dark, he tightened his fists. "What's going on?

Jason: Mimring: *does not immediately take flight, instead looking at his partner* Perhaps it would be simpler for Deathstorm or I to fly ahead and attempt to hold her off. We are not such a large group tha, after that display, we need two dragons and two cultists gathering everyone.

Lord X-Giga-X nodded to Xibu, then glanced over to the ursine humanoid. An idea then formed in his mind, after which he glanced to the being in question, then Grodisflare, and finally Erahvs. "The three of you are coming with me."

Jason nods at Mimring in acknoledgement and a sort of "give me a moment" gesture. Looking at Darius, he begins speaking quickly, to avoid wasting time with the explanation. "All we have time for right now is for me to explain that something very important was just destroyed and we have to go stop the person who's been doing this." He looks back at Mimring. /Alright, then. One of you two fly to the castle, if Deathstorm isn't already./

Lord X-Giga-X: Deathstorm: /It might as well be me. At the moment, I'm the closest to Kuro's Castle./

Darius takes a moment to roll it over in his mind, then nods. "I can help. Lead me to where it is."

Jason: ... It's pretty far to the northeast, but I suppose that-- *Suddenly he glances at Mimring; the dragon's expression becomes slightly more resigned and Jason smirks.* ... Think you'd do alright riding a dragon there?

Dark: Jude: *is taken aback by Dark's vulgarity, but responds politely nonetheless* /No need to be crude, Dark. If I am needed, you know where to find me./

Dark: ./Yeah, sorry, but the urgency of the situation doesn't make time for being long-winded. You should know this. Anyway, on my way over now./

Darius is slightly taken aback. "Me?" he echoes redundantly. "I.. Er... I don't know..." Darius, looking at the dragon, suddenly has a moment of hesitation. "... I could try..."

Dark: Jude: /Should we inform Jack as well?/

Jason: Mimring: *sighs* As much as I dislike having anyone but Jason on my back, this matter is too urgent for quibbling over it. I will not let you fall, rest assured. *He shuffles his wings, before spreading them out to let Darius on.*

Jason: Do you need help getting on?

Dark: ./Might be an idea./

Darius shakes his head. "N-No no, I can figure it out..." after a moment of hesitation, Darius walks tentatively to the side of the dragon. Nodding at the beast for confirmation, he jumps up onto his back. After a few moments of shifting his body, he finds a proper position behind the wings. "Let's not make the take-off too urgent?..." Darius tries.

Jason: Mimring: *snorts* As you wish. Hold on. *The dragon crouches, before glancing at Jason.* /Catch up quickly./ *And then he springs into the air, trying to take care not to upset his temporary rider.*

Dark arrives at Jude's house, completely unsurprised to find him already waiting outside. "You're too predictable, you know that?"

Dark: Jude: *smirks* Of course. I would not have it any other way.

Dark frowns. Jude didn't seem to be taking the matter seriously. "Yeah, whatever." he said, "Any idea where Jack is? I mean, we agreed to get him on board this time."

Dark: Jude: If I were him, I would be training near lake's edge. *motions across the lake, showing Jack simply sitting there meditating* He has been there for hours.

Dark squints. "... Is it just me, or does he actually look like he's concentrating on something?"

Dark: Jude: Possibly. I am not feeling the urge to discover what, however.

Lord X-Giga-X emerged from the lab, followed by Grodisflare, Erahvs, and the ursine humanoid. He glanced down toward the symbols on his hand as the latter two proceeded to climb onto the armored wyvern's back. The symbol indicating Deathstorm's position was moving toward the northeast. /Well, I guess it makes sense that he'd already be on his way./ He then turned back toward Grodisflare, and then proceeded to leap onto the dragon's back. "Alright Grodis, let's get moving."

Dark: Anyway, go grab him and meet me back at HQ. *takes off again*

Dark: Jude: *nods* /Jack, urgent issue. Come with me to headquarters./

Dark: Jack: *as his concentration is broken by Jude's sudden mental prod, he looks up in his direction, visibly annoyed* /Can it wait? I'm bus--/ *he then falls into a conveniently-placed Hammerspace portal and emerges from one directly next to Jude*

Dark: Jude: No. Come.

--- Perspective Shift ---

Bophez: *Two lone figures slow approach the base of the Station of Seotara from the northeast. One of them is a relatively short yellow-haired boy, a black headband wrapped around his forehead. Latched onto his belt is a key chain containing keys of varying shapes, colors, and even sizes. With him an even taller cloaked man with dark hair combed back, the end of it tied into a short ponytail. A cigar is present in his mouth, smoke occasionally escaping from his mouth. The two of them come to as stop as they catch something unusual in the corners of their eyes: the strange, pulsing red pillar of energy racing skyward, encircled with an arraay of complex patterns filling a portion of the sky in the distance, joined by several magical lines forming an overarching shape over most of Ustream. And it soon completely vanished. The very same phenomenon the cult has just experienced.*

Bophez: ???: *the yellow-haired, a shocked expression on his face shown through his violet eyes, speaks up* What... what the heck was that?

Bophez: ???: *black-haired man removes the cigar from his mouth, then lets a puff of smoke escape his mouth* Not quite sure, but it's peculiar that whatever that was occured in the same direction we just came from.

Bophez: Yellow: You don't suppose... *glances over to the black-haired man* Do you think it's possible that something happened to that castle we passed by on our way here?

Bophez: Black: *lets out another puff of smoke* It's entirely possible, but what could make it do this exactly is beyond me.

Dark: Ayana: *idling her time away juggling what seem to look like instances of ball electricity, occasionally looking up at the sky* I-- wait, Reika, do you see that? *then, there's a sudden thud from within SoS HQ as Terrence lands face-first on the floor of his room*

Dark: Ayana: Well, it woke the Black Wonder up, but that's beside the point. What even is that in the sky?

Reika stands outside, rifle at the ready, watching as the display fades. "Welp, that can't be good," she mutters. Sure she'd been inside the last time this had happened, but the meeting after Slash had caught the spy revealed something about seals. She can't quite bring herself to panic about this. She looks at Ayana. "Uh, yeah, I saw that. You'd have to be fucking blind to miss it." She pauses, then says casually, "If you'd go to the meetings, you'd know what it was~"

Starr: *Back inside SoS headquarters, Zaiek was oddly awake and active in his room. The blood scripter, now adorned with a very strange coal-black metalic eyepatch, felt a distortion produced from the pillar of energy vibrating between his spacial threads. Since his room was the only one without a window, he blinked with much surprise and then stood up. "...I hope that wasn't my imagination..." Zaiek muttered, leaning towards his bed and swiping his boots to put them on. On the back of his mind he thought of some possibilities as to what was that, none of which were good. Grunting, the man tugged on one thread upon feeling the presence of two unkown people within their territory, then releasing the super state of the art alarm system called Roman Candles*

Dark: Ayana: Pft, too busy dealing with retard's sleeping habits to attend meetings recently. I guess it's lucky that this woke him up.

Bophez , standing outside of SoS's headquarters, was glancing up toward the sky in response to a strange ripple passing through the area, seeing quite an unusual phenomenon. His mind trailed back to several weeks ago, the day /they/ came to their base. He observed a similar phenomenon- No, the exact same phenomenon. "Well, I suppose this further confirms what those folks from our neighbouring group informed us." His attention, however, then turned back to the building in response to the sound of the alarm system. "... And we appear to have guests."

Bophez: Yellow: *turns toward the sound of... Roman candles? It comes from the very direction they were walking in* Geez, is everything suddenly exploding or something?

Bophez: Black: *turns to look as well, placing the cigar back in his mouth. He then speaks.* Well, Mr. Igneite did say their base was around this area. I suppose they're just making easier for us to find it. *starts to continue his trek forward, the yellow-haired boy then hesitantly following behind*

Slash: Mya: *steps outside, though not because of the alarm--even though the fireworks are by all rights distracting for the base as a whole. She has a unusually firm, somewhat conflicted expression as she she calls out for the group as a whole.* I'm sure you know that by now, but something is very wrong here. *her eyes flicker to the geoimperist for just a second, as her gaze is still glued to where the pillar of light appeared.* What are we going to do, Mr. Bophez?

Reika looks over her shoulder at Mya, resisting a very nonproductive "captain obvious" remark. "You know, if those cult people were telling the truth, we should just go in there and kill whoever's doing this."

Starr: Zaiek: *fuses with Reika's shadow and speaks out* I actually agree with her. This.....is obviously a very bad sign. The repercussions could be dire.

Dark: Ayana: I can also agree with that. Plus I might get to blow shit up again, and I'm always up for that.

Bophez glanced to Mya as she inquired their current move. He let out a light-hearted chuckle as Reika had basically answered her question for him. Albiet a bit harsh, in his opinion. His attention then glanced back toward the northeast as Zaiek and Ayana spoke up as well, also hearing what the two of them had to say. "Which is exactly why we're going there." He paused. "Meanwhile, if anyone's slightly worried about Zaiek's fireworks, he might have found the two people I have contacted a few days ago."

Slash: Mya: *shakes her head, now looking at the group as they stand outside the base. It seems like she has realized something nobody else has.* No, no... it's not exactly that. The magic from that pillar was powerful. Far more powerful than anything I had expected from a "seal"... it was so complex that I could barely understand the arrays behind it, and... /We have to *hurry* if we want to anywhere at all./ *Slash's voice cuts her train of thought--she trails off as a result. Even inside her mind, the tension in Slash's voice is almost palpable. A pause.* Looking for the source might be the best option right now, but I have a feeling we're stepping on something far bigger than anticipated.

Bophez: Black: *As if on cue, the two strangers emerge from the trees surrounding the group's headquarters. They glance over the building itself before noticing a handful of the group standing outside of it, and approach them. As they gotten within earshot of them, the black-haired man spoke out, albeit somewhat jokingly* Nice welcoming committee you have here, Mr. Igneite.

Bophez turned toward the sound of a voice from nearby, seeing two strangers approaching them. Two strangers that weren't strangers to him at all, as he had immediately recognized them. "Ah, speak of the devil. Welcome, you two."

Reika looks more directly at Mya. "All the more reason to stop them, right?"

Slash: Mya: *exhales slightly. Slash would say the same thing, after all... and there is virtually no way they are going to reconsider anything at this point in time, knowing this group.* ...Yes, you may be right. *she then looks at the two strangers with mild curiosity, but she can deduce that these are the people Bophez was talking about during a previous meeting.*

Bophez: Black: *continues to approach the group, more specifically Bophez. He soon comes to a stop just a few feet from the man, then extends a hand out to him just as the yellow-haired boy catches up* It's a pleasure to be here, sir.

Bophez accepted what appeared to be the man's offer for a handshake. "The pleasure's all mine, young man." He then shook hands with the young boy. "After all, you two could not have come at a more opportune time." He then turned to everyone else present. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet..." He first gestured a hand toward the black-haired man. "Hobekistu..." He then gestured toward the yellow-haired boy. "And Kenchoi. These two have served Seotara as spies, having made several trips into Durasken. They'll be aiding us on our mission."

Reika glances at the two, then looks at Bophez. She sounds annoyed as she asks, "Do we /really/ have time for introductions?"

Bophez: Kenchoi: *almost immediately catches Reika's annoyed tone, somewhat shocked by what she had said* Wha- *is then interrupted by Hobekistu placing a hand upon his shoulder*

Bophez: Hobekistu: As rude as that seemed, this girl may have a point. Especially if this has anything to do with that unusual phenomenon we've experienced on our way here.

Bophez chuckled at the exchange of comments. "Indeed. I suppose we can save the introductions for later then." He then paused, turning back toward the northeast. "Alright then ladies and gentlemen, let's get going." With that having been said, he then started his trek in that direction. Toward the source of the strange, magical phenomenon.

Reika cocks her gun. "Finally," she mutters as she quickly follows Bophez.

Slash: Mya: *is about to follow, but the immediate area is partly obscured by a fast-moving, slender shadow. She blinks, then looks at the sky--a large and serpentine metallic form is now hovering tentatively over the group, many meters above. Slash as an Argzhent, in fact. She immediately receives information via their mental link... it seems like Slash has located the site, after all.* Oh, here's Slash. He says that the source point is that old castle to the northeast.

Starr: Zaiek: *Hears the orders to move out and treks on ahead towards the direction of the disturbance.*

Bophez: Kenchoi: *glances upward as he notices the immediate area become partially obscured, blinking as he notices some sort of metallic, serpentine creature hovering above them. His glance switches toward Mya as she indicates the identity of the being in question, then reveals more regarding the source of the phenomenon, his eyes widening as he learns that the source point was indeed the castle. He exchanges glances with Hobekistu, and the two of them hurriedly followed Bophez*

--- Timeskip ---

Bophez: ???: *the bizarre creature with Azænia has the blue-haired girl tied to a rock with the strange cloth material coming and going from its right leg that covers her body from her ankles up to just below her neck. It has since been joined by several other creatures that look almost exactly like it.* I just love it when chaos unfolds right in front of it. Don't you? *obviously referring to itss duplicates, who either cackle or rejoice in response to what it just said* What is bad to most is mere entertainment to those who are members of the unlimited swarm that is Ymohmi!

Azænia troops down the grand staircase, across the foyer of the castle. She looks weary and unfocused, Bradura loose in her sword hand. Putting forth the minimum required effort, she pushes the castle doors open and steps back outside, gaze drifting over to the blue-haired girl and the numerous copies of the ally she knew nothing about, catching the last bit of his monologue. "Ymohmi, huh?" she vocalizes. "That's a... weird name," she grunts, simply jumping over the stairs leading to the large doors. "And how about you?" she asks, motioning to the defeated female. "What's your name?"

Bophez: ???: *struggles to break free of the creature's grip, ultimately failing. Possibly because she's a weak, little girl. She looks upon the castle, the seal within having been destroyed, her attention then turning toward the woman who walked out, now asking for her name. She glances away as she answers her in a rather annoyed tone.* Quasma. *glances back to the woman* What do you think you're doing destroying the seals?! Don't you know what'll happen if they're all destroyed?

Bophez: Ymohmi: *one of them gives Az a glance as she makes a comment regarding their name, then lets out a slight chuckle* Think whatever you want, I don't care. *another speaks to the girl* Of course we know what'll happen, little girl. That's exactly why we're destroying them. *pokes the girl in the forehead with its thumb* And there's nothing you can do to stop us. *glances down as its thumb breaks off, seemingly unaffected by it. It shrugs.* Ah well, not like that's really important.

Slash had reverted to human form at some point during their short trek. SoS in virtual entirety stands practically in front of the castle, as if briefly surveying the ancient, dilapidated structure before daring to enter. The Shapeshifter gazes at the front entrance with outward disinterest, but he is at least marginally tense due to the previous display of the seal's release. He feels the symbolography in his arms configure and shift--it seems that Mya, somewhere nearby, is already preparing. "Ah." he draws the revelation, "Whoever they are, they haven't left... yet."

Reika examines the castle as well, glancing to Slash as he speaks, readying her rifle, her finger ready to pull the trigger at the slightest hint of trouble. "What're we waiting for, then? Let's go in and stop them /now/, before they do leave."

Azænia observes the girl, who has apparently become their prisoner. "That's a weird name as well," she muttered in response to Quasma. Brushing her hair out of her eyes, Az shifted her weight and let her companion speak. Ignoring Ymohmi's consequent loss of anatomy, she regarded Quasma and questioned, "Why? Do you have any information regarding the Seals?" Just then, Bradura groaned, the shiver running throughout its wielder's body-- an alert. Something else was approaching. Azænia looked around, away from the castle, and saw the group in the distance. "On second thought," she voiced, "you might need to hold that thought."

Zaiek merges with the shadows within the castle and hums quietly. "I wouldn't go in without having a plan first, Reika. Theres...quite a unique batch of figures in here as I sense them." he grows quiet. Vibrations were becoming more and more obvious by the second, which put a small dent on his calm attitude.

Bophez examined the castle as well. His glanced turned toward Slash as he had mentioned the people responsible for destroying the seal were still in the area. He then listened to what Reika and Zaiek had to say. "Well then, both of you make fair arguments."

Ayana brings her right hand--now clasped so that only the index and middle fingers are uup--to her side, spawning electricity on them. "Plans? Fuck that, I just wanna blow shit u--" She is the immediately slapped by Terrence, who follows up with a less than amused look.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *the one holding Quasma captive glances to Az as she her train of thought suddenly changes* What, do we have people here? *grins, then gestures toward three of its duplicates* You guys, check what's up! *the three of them nod, and then run off in different directions*

Zaiek snaps into attention. This was it. Within his plane he saw the darkened figures scatter off-- Possibly to survey the area and attack-- to different directions within the complex. "We have mobile bodies scattering." Zaiek alerted, then allowing the claw-like tips on his fingers extend to begin excecuting scripts. "I suggest we prepare ourselves."

Reika aims her rifle straight ahead. "Awesome, something to shoot at. How long until we get into a fight?"

Ayana glares at Terrence for a moment, obviously angry, then turns back to the others. "I dunno, Reika, but I'm excited. First time since the Blueberry that I've gotten the chance to blow stuff up."

Bophez glanced back toward the castle for a brief moment as Zaiek had detected movement. "Well, I do believe that means that they know we're here." He then tapped the ground twice with his cane, after which the ground beneath his feet shot upward, forming a large pillar of rock which he was now standing on. He then glanced downward, scanning the immediate area, immediately spotting the three duplicates of Ymohmi, who then spot his pillar, running toward to check it out. "Well my friends, prepare yourselves."

Slash 's chain uncoils and loosens slightly from his arm, causing a lengthy portion--the sickle-bladed tip--to fall to the ground and dangle, almost as if waiting He raises an eyebrow as he detects the scents of... three /things/. Not resembling anything remotely human. He steps forward as Bophez pretty much confirms incoming conflict. "Right now, in fact." Mya, having stepped into the "back row" of sorts, nods and resumes her minute preparations. Particles of green-tinted Mana are already visible around her form, fading in and out of existence.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *the three of them charge toward the pillar, one of them stopping as they notice Bophez standing atop it. In its hands are sickles similar to what the apparent original was holding, which then become gripped by the "cloth" covering its body. The "cloth" extends a few inches away from the body, the edges of the sickles beginning to glow a bright cyan as he points them toward the pillar. It stands still for several seconds before the "cloth" blurs forward, shooting straight through the pillar. The resulting contact results in the cyan glow on the sickles to expand outward in an explosion that destroys several feet of the pillar.*

Reika carefully aims through the scope on her rifle, taking a quick moment to glance at Slash and say "watch your ears, Slash," before she opens fire. One shot, two shots, and then rapidfire blast out of the barrel of the gun, aiming for one of the /things/ approaching.

Ayana shakes her right fist, lightning slowly welling up in it. "O-oh yeah?! Well I can blow things up too!" She then throws the lightning in her hand toward whatever it was that just blew up Bophez' pillar. Just before reaching it, however, the rogue electricity just... stopped... and hung there.

Bophez felt the detruction of the pillar beneath him, and soon found himself riding the upper portion of it as it then collapsed toward the ground. He then leapt backward onto the side of the rock pillar as it readjusted its angle in midair. With a tap of his cane, he then broke it into multiple spikes of rock and a single, floating platform upon which he stood. Seconds later, the rock spikes shot foward, aimed at the Ymohmi duplicates.

Azænia looks after the Ymohmi duplicates as they go bumbling off in several directions. Shaking her head, the fuchsia-haired girl heads in the correct direction with authority. /It's just one thing after another nowadays.../ After a few moments, a figure pops high out of the ground, catching her attention. Bradura chatters in a suspicious manner, spreading the feeling of unease to its wielder. "Fine, let's do... this, then," she says to herself, bringing the point of Bradura's blade to her throat. Her voice was cast in a sonorous manner a moment afterwards, echoing out so that anything within more than a few mile's radius could surely hear her. "Hey, look, you guys," she speaks, a hint of playfulness in her voice. "It's gone, alright? Nothing you can do about it. We've got an army over here of undead freaks just like the ones who're attacking you now." She invented the hyperbole easily, not wanting to deal with anything more right now. "Turn away and go back to your dragon friends, yeah? And may I say," she added with a chuckle, "we've got a hostage over here." What else could you call a young girl in bondage in this situation?

Bophez: Ymohmi: *one of the two Ymohmi duplicates charging toward the group was hit by the barrage of shots unleashed by Reika. While several holes were now created with its body, it was more effected by the force of the bullets piercing through him and not any pain that would have normally resulted from this. As for the rock spikes aimed toward the three of them, in a series of blurs, the duplicate that had destroyed the pillar destroy every single spike aimed toward them. Then all three stopped as Az then speaks*

Darius: ???: *moving his shoulders around in a relaxed fashion, closes his book and takes casual steps from his spot in the dark. with dark purple boots clacking on the stone floor and his matching cape shifting by his movements, he approached Az with a curious look on his face* Are you.. trying to deter them? *shifting his stance, he hung his hands with his thumbs on the purple sash around his waist* we could end them right now and get this rat race over with. I have plenty of power now that we broke that seal.

Slash was about to start forward nonetheless, towards the source of the voice, but a nearly desperate mental prod from Mya leaves him only leaning forward for a sprint, with a residual, prematurely released spark of magic emanating from the runes in his arms as he cancels the incoming shift before anything fully concrete had popped in his mind. He remains in this position, only giving a "Tch." as he uses his senses to triangulate the enemy.

Bophez descended back toward the ground, landing next to Slash just in time to hear Az speak out to all of them. His eyes widened as she soon mentioned that they had a hostage. He then sighed. "Well, that's just pleasent, now isn't it? Anyone have any ideas?"

Slash: Mya: *almost tentatively calls out, after the mysterious girl's amplified voice somehow stopped everything.* Who is the hostage, Slash?

Slash looks back at the spellcaster, with a look that practically conveys "Why the fuck should I even care?". He says this, though: "A girl. Not like it matters to us."

Bophez: Quasma: *blinks as someone else joins the group holding her hostage, her eyes widening in horror as the man then mentions the possibility of ending the group now opposing them. Would they also include her? They, after all, didn't seem to have any reason to keep her alive. She then struggles once again to break free* /Damnit, what is with these guys?/

Bophez glanced over to Slash. "Yet it wouldn't be right to just let them have their way with her, now can we? Especially if there is a possibility if they are holding her hostage because she was unable to defeat them herself?"

Azænia continues staring in the direction she knew the oncoming group to be, but considers the newcomer's suggestion. "You think we could?" She weighs Bradura in her hand. "Bradura's a bit low on energy after using so much to destroy the Seal." She glances behind her and looks the pale, silver-haired boy in the eye. "You'll have to be okay with doing most of the work, Faryn."

Bophez: Ymohmi: *the one holding Quasma captive feels her struggling in the "cloth" keeping her in place. He chuckles as he ignores this and glances over to Az and Faryn* If you want, I have a few more of my guys help. They can try to tire them out. Besides, as you know, I can easily make more of them, so consider them expendable. *receives some shocked reactions from the duplicates still there* Well, it's true.

Faryn nods. "Easily." Looking off in the direction where the fighting would take place, he lets out a sigh. Walking over to the girl tied up, he crouches down and sits on his haunches with his arms resting on his knees. He still had his book in hand. "If you wouldn't mind, ymohmi," he starts, "But I could use a few of them for my uses. They do provide me with a bit of sustenance..." staring at the girl the whole time, he lets a moment go by. "... Why is it that I cannot use her already? She'd be a perfect sacrifice."

Zaiek only lets out one thing. "Allow me." until he unleashes his shadowed network across the castle. Using the sight he has within his plane, he dashed through black and white copies of everything within the area until spotting the tied up hostage bound by simple restraints. He nods and sticks a cigarette in his mouth, then dashing his hands into the open space to script a command while willing the shadows to engulf the girl carefully but quickly. Zaiek gives out a whisper to reassure her; "This wont hurt, I promise." Then suddenly, the cloth restraints began to be highlighted by some black "energy" of sorts, then with a motion of Zaiek's hand, caused the restraints to shatter. All that was left was the girl for just a split second just before her form was completely "consumed" by the shadows

Azænia listens to Faryn, glancing around at the Ymohmi clones. Right as Faryn expressed his desire to use Quasma as a fuel for his power, she was stolen away by the shadows. Azænia burst out laughing, mirth flickering across her stoic fuchsia eyes. "I guess that's why!" she remarked, walking over and leaning on Faryn's shoulder. "You should learn how to treat your girls, Faryn," she teases, feeling happy despite the encroaching battle for the first time in a while. Bradura remained unamused-- confused, even, at its wielders merriment.

Bophez: Ymohmi: Feel free to- *goes silent for a split second as the "cloth" restraining the girl is suddenly ripped apart, resulting in a somewhat pained yell from its decrepit mouth*

Bophez: Quasma: *she stops struggling, blinking as she suddenly notices her entire body is being engulfed by shadows. She is slightly scared by the sudden whisper that accompanies this phenomenon, soon being freed from the Ymohmi*

Faryn narrows his eyes as a sudden energy starts to consume the restraints. "What the-" Swiftly, he lurched out his hand to start a spell, but as quickly as she was there, she wasn't. Tightening his fist, his face contorted in a certain feature of rage, but quickly alters into a calm complexion once more. As Az leans on his shoulder, he sighs. "I treat you fairly well, don't I?" he asks rhetorically. He then stood up slowly, letting Azænia reposition from her lean. He shrugs, looking at Ymohmi. "I have a feeling I should blame you for this."

Zaiek catches the hostage girl as she dipped down deeper and deeper within the divide between the material world and the mirrage. Colors, smells, sounds, everything began to fade. Soon it feel like she was falling upwards just as the panorama of the castle flipped over and soon turned into a vast sea of manipulable, black and white structures. The young blood scripter tilted his cigarette--not yet lit-- and finally landed quietly. He glances at the girl, noticing her shock but then gives her a very calming smile. "Hi, I'm Zaiek Kierrmi. Glad I caught your figure in time. If not who knows what that robed guy would've done." Zaiek puts Quasma down and turned his back. Ready to battle again after a piece of advice. "Don't try to touch anything. However, if you do.....try making contact on the enemies. You can say you have the power to do whatever you want here. " Zaiek suddenly turns back around to face Quas, then scripting some sort of black rune on her palm. "Use it wisely if you want." and with that he vanished out of sight.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *glances down to see the girl freed, then glances over to Faryn as he attempts to blame it* What? How is this /my/ fault?!

Reika: *A sudden flutter of dull, dark blue alights on a nearby boulder, flying from the direction of the opposing group; it is revealed to be a dessicated raven with softly glowing amber eyes. The raven stabilizes itself with its wings as it lands on the rocky surface, seeming to glare at each of the members of the small group in turn. It angrily caws, then waits, as if expecting some sort of response.*

Bophez: Quasma: *suddenly as a strange feeling of falling upward as she is rescued by a strange man. Her eyes show her surprise as she finds herself being going through an absolutely strange environment. Zaiek attempts to reassure her, which slighty works as she's brought back to the group. She warily looks upon him, and then the rune he then scripts upon the palm of her hand.* Umm... thanks....

Ayana: *out of seeming nowhere, a silver blade spawns a few metres from Ymohmi and flies right past him into the wall near him. The words "Because you're an idiot." are engraved on it in flowery Old English-style type.*

Bophez: Ymohmi: *all of the duplicates near Az and Faryn glance over toward a flutter of dull, dark blue on a nearby boulder. They all blink as the source of it was a raven. One of them walks over toward it nonchalantly* Well geez, wasn't expecting to see you hear this soon. *another has its attention refocused onto a silver blade that flies right past them. Instead of focusing on the words on it, it pulls it out of the wall, a grin on its face* Alright, free weapon!

Ayana: Terrence: *the blade then vanishes* Sorry, no! I don't give handouts!

Reika: *The raven pecks sharply at the duplicate approaching it. Suddenly the raven's eyes glow a bit more brightly, and the duplicate snaps, "Focus, you imbeciles! Battle is imminent." Very quickly- at the sound of Terrence's voice, specifically- the raven releases its control of the duplicate and simply flies away.*

Slash lurches forward upon sensing what happened. /Fucking Zaiek/. His chain comes forward at full speed towards the nearest mummy-like humanoid, a burst of red-tinted magic rapidly coursing outwards from the runes in his weapon arm and into the chain, giving it a prominent, red aura as it pierces the thing with physical and magical power. With a flick of his hand, the chain sweeps towards the second, its length ramming into it with equal strength.

Faryn looks to see the raven, smiling with a bit of surprise. "Oh, sir," he started, approaching slightly. However, as he did, one of the duplicates was swiftly taken over. Faryn removed his casual face, albeit frowning in the process. "I can handle it." As the raven flew away, he turned and looked at Az, smirking. "it looks like I really do get to show off my newfound power."

Bophez: Ymohmi: *the duplicate taken over by the raven blinks as he is released from his control as he watches it fly off* Man, I hate it when he does that... *meanwhile, two of the three Ymohmi duplicates are struck by Slash's chain. The first of the two is struck in its decrepit body, once again affected only by the force of impact. The second, however, is struck in the surrounding "cloth", seeming to take pain from it as the two are swept by the chain.*

Ayana: Terrence: *summons several more blades--this time, more resemblant of scythes-- in the direct path of Slash's swing motion with the chain, then forces them to spin as if they were the blade of a blender, only vertical.* By the way, I lied.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *the two duplicates feel themselves apparently being ripped apart by the rotating blades on the chain piercing through them. It it seconds later that something bizarre happens: in that moment, the "cloth" surrounding their bodies race away from the blades, and then eject themselves from their host bodies completely, racing toward the third duplicate standing nearby, leaving their bodies to be ripped apart completely*

Bophez blinked as he watched all of the "cloth" escape from the bodies and retreat to the third Ymohmi duplicate. "Well now.... There's something you don't see everyday..."

Ayana: Terrence: *after the two duplicates leave their host bodies to be ripped apart by what amounts to a giant blender, he flips the blades sideways, then spawns a second set on top of them* Ayana, you know what to do. *he then throws the two sets of spinning blades at the third duplicate, after which Ayana follows up by electrifying them mid-flight*

Azænia turned around and regarded the sound of a raven, already having guessed what the source was. "What are you doing here?" she asked Ahriman, partly curious and partly in a vindictive tone. The raven had never showed up at the site of a Seal before, what was different now? More of his 'cronies' were here? Ignoring the blade that suddenly shot by out of nowhere, the fuchsia-haired swordswoman noticed the bird had taken over one of the clones nearby and spoke, "Focus, you imbeciles! Battle is imminent." And with those words, after the voice of someone from the opposing group reached them, their coordinator-- who was she kidding, he was their leader-- flew away. A hint of resentment sparked inside Azænia, which Bradura was quick to seize and empower. The sword preyed on negative emotions; it amplified them, urging its wielder to use that feeling to become stronger in battle. After hearing Faryn's comment, the swordswoman found herself saying, "Know what? I can get in on this fight too," following Bradura's influence. /Yes, how dare he, that sickly raven, talk down to us?/ Bradura chided, not in exact language but in a sequence of sonic vibrations that Azænia found herself forming meaning out of. /He does not understand what it is to fight./ And thus from that small spark of resentment, which probably would have faded in a minute, she found herself itching to fight, lusting to use Bradura's power to prove her worth in combat. Confidently, she stated, "Bradura and I are up for this."

Reika takes cover behind a boulder, aiming over it towards the woman with the sword. Smirking, she flips up the scope and mutters "Nice sword, too bad you won't be using it much longer." And with that, she opens fire- getting at least five shots off within two seconds(she isn't counting) before ducking back behind the rock and quickly darting for another cover.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *the third duplicate grins as it finds itself the target of the next series of attacks. A dark purple glow appears in its eyehole* Nice try, but not good enough. *in a blurred movement, it aims sickles toward the spinning blades, deflecting them away from it. As that happens, the glow of their edges go from cyan to a bright yellow as the electricity within the blades are absorbed into the sickles*

Slash watches as the cloths retreat on their own, retracting the chain back to him--but still ready to be launched--as he watches Ayana and Terrence target the third one. Practically fighting off the urge to shift at this moment, he continues forward on a deliberately moderate pace, aiming to cut the distance between their strange opposition and himself.

Faryn , turning to start looking through his book again, stops himself as Az replies. "Know what? I can get in this fight too." Raising and eyebrow, his smirk grew wider. "Oh?" Reaching back and tucking his book into his sash, he nodded. "Like old times, then." Holding up his hands so he could look at his palms, he felt his immense energy surging to his fingertips. /With more power than I could have possibly thought of gaining from this little scenario, this group should be no problem./ Faryn thought to himself, giving off a satisfying huff of air. Before he could offer to jump into the fray, a sudden barrage of energy flew at Az. Although not quick enough to block most of the shots, he flicked his wrist which summoned a glowing glyph facing the direction of the shots. It hovered perfectly, taking the rest of the hits with no problems. "They are going to give us a good fight," he says, a hint of excitement in his voice. /I'm going to consume each of them. They pose a potential sum of energy for me... how delightful./

Slash: Mya: *remains more or less where she is, watching as Slash rather boldly approaches the enemy ranks. She does not specifically need to be near him in this case; she can tell their enemies are strong, plus with people like Reika and Ayana nearby...* /Be careful.../ *she telepathically warns, before twirling her staff and holding it diagonally in front of her.*

Azænia felt Bradura shudder in her hand-- "Nice sword, too bad you won't be using it much longer," is brought to her ears, and her fuchsia gaze snaps to the direction Bradura picked the sound up from. In an instant, Bradura raised itself up in her grip, protecting her body from the bullets that come shooting towards her. Anything that didn't bounce directly off the blade was stopped dead in its tracks by a barrier of high-intensity sound. When the small onslaught was over, Azænia immediately retaliated by swinging Bradura outwards, propelling the barrier forward, towards where the shots originated from. A tunnel of sounds shoots screaming in the direction, and Az hears Faryn's comments afterward. "Yeah, a good fight. If they'll actually show their faces," she responded, projecting the latter sentence so her offenders could hear.

Ayana: Terrence: Shame you can't deflect them forever, though. *the spinning blades then deke back around the third duplicate and merge into one significantly larger set* By the way, that dagger I threw at you earlier? It said you were an idiot. *then, bladechains lash out from all directions at Ymohmi, almost surrounding him*

Bophez: Ymohmi: *glances around, seeing the bladechains now surrounding it and lashing out at it* Who said I needed to keep deflecting them? *the "cloth" then ejected from its bodies, joined by the other two as they left the body to be destroyed. Like the bladechains, the three "cloths" began to merge into a grotesque humanoid of the bizarre material. It then aimed its sickles downward toward Terrence. A purplish glow eminates from the being for a slight second, afterwhich the yellow glow on the edge of the sickles becomes cyan and then red as a massive surge of energy is released from the sickles, aimed toward Terrence.

Slash stops roughly in the middlepoint between the two factions. His cold, phantasmally gray eyes are focused on the armored female with the strange blade, but his attention is also equally cast to the magician, and the amalgamation of possessed cloth. He tests the waters--his arm launches the chain straight towards her, bladed tip pointing towards her midsection.

Bophez: *As the Ymomhi duplicate's attack races toward Terrence, something else races toward him as well. Soon, he finds himself pulled into a trail of smoke dragging him away from the attack, much to the duplicate's surprise. The smoke trail brings Terrence back to the stem of Bophez's rock pillar, then dissipates, revealing Hobekistu.*

Ayana: Terrence: Oh, God da-- *he then feels himself being pulled out of range of the duplicate's attack by... something. It looks like smoke. Then, seconds later, he finds himself near Bophez' rock pillar. The smoke then dissipates, revealing the black-haired fellow from back at base...* Hobekistu?! I'd be mad, but I probably wouldn't've been able to fight after that.

Faryn retracts the barrier over to himself, considering Az easily handled herself in her anger. He looked about warily. "Perhaps," he started, "we should join in with ymohmi's strange little duplicates. I have a need for more sacrifices." Suddenly, as if not expecting it, Faryn's eyes darted to the newcomer in front of them. The boy was very pale, ghostly even. Without a moment to consider talking to the boy, he suddenly lashed out with a chain with a bladed tip. Tensing only for a moment, he realized that it was aimed for Az; with a confident smile, he relaxed and waited for her reaction. However, in one hand, a strange energy awaited command as it fluttered over his fingertips.

Azænia looks toward the approaching enemy, keeping Bradura at the ready. A moment after the figure stops, she perceives a projectile headed for her-- she accurately parries the chain, sending a loaded wave of sonic vibrations along the metal as it contacted Bradura's blade so the offender would be jarred. Swiftly flowing into the next motion, she steps froward and spins around, swinging Bradura in a wide arc and releasing a tide of sound in the attacker's direction.

Bophez: Hobekistu: *glances up toward the sky after Terrence speaks, letting out a puff a smoke in said direction so that Terrence doesn't inhale it. He then smirks.* You're welcome, comrade. *then glances toward the Ymohmi duplicate- no, monstrosity seems to be a better word* Just what the hell is this guy supposed to be?

Ayana: Terrence: Some undead freak, that's all I've got.

Reika approaches the remains of the pillar as well, holding her rifle loosely and appearing irritated as she glances at the fight. "Okay, that's it, I'm useless in this one."

Bophez: Kenchoi: *approaches the stem of the pillar from behind Terrence and Hobekistu* I don't think that's it at all. Sure, it seems unnatural, but... *looks up toward the Ymohmi monstrosity* I can't help be think that it is some kind of living being.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *the monstrosity has apparently overheard the conversation between Terrence, Hobekistu, and Kenchoi. It lets out a cackle* Oh, I can say that I am very much alive! I'm just nothing like you homo sapiens, as you can clearly see. *seemingly prepares another attack* Though if you want someone that's undead, that can easily be arranged. *backs away, using one of its sickles to cut through a rock spike aimed toward it*

Slash holds the parry for as long as it lasts--a test of strength--while the vibrations make the chain rattle violently. /Sound./ While any normal person's muscles would be shredded by the ripples, Slash's arm only minutely trembles before yanking the chain away as his opponent transitions into an attack. /Now would be a good time./ and with that, his runes glow--a flash of energy that half-masks the incredibly swift shifting to the icy-colored Arctic Wolf. He rushes forward as two things happen simultaneously--the wave of sound approaching him, and a volt of magic that runs through his veins, focuses on the symbols (now wildly arranged around his side, and circling his legs), and projects itself in the air. The attack collides with seemingly nothing, the sound reducing itself to stray frequencies as Slash punctures through the moving wall and straight towards Azaenia, his fangs already glowing with the ice element.

Slash: Mya: *finishes channeling the quick spell through her link with Slash, with active Mana visibly running through the length of her staff and dissipating from the crystal-like core at the tip. She has repositioned herself more or less to where the rest are--gaining cover from the broken pillar of earth. Glancing away from Slash's confrontation for a second, she briefly looks at Reika to the side.* I could do something about it, if you don't mind.

Bophez prepared several more spikes, all aimed at the monstrosity. "Well, if you are alive, then you must be capable of dying like the rest of us."

Reika: Please. I hate just sitting by when I could be shooting.

Azænia observed as the opponent sheared through her wave of sound, emerging on the other side in the form of a white wolf which rapidly closed the distance towards her, ice visibly overflowing from its fangs. The swordswoman paused until the shapeshifter was mere yards away, and then swiped Bradura's zenith across the ground. What started as a sonic wall developed quickly into a wall of fire, and Azænia stepped backwards and held Bradura vertically in front of her body in defense as the flames escalated into a green color.

Bophez: Ymohmi: While that it's true, it doesn't particularly matter for me, becau- *suddenly goes silent for a moment. It remains still for several seconds as a dark purple barrier forms around it... and then it lets out a shriek in agonizing pain, during which a small opening tears open on its back. From it slips out the same "cloth" that the monstrosity itself is made of, coiling on the ground behind it. It then collapses onto the ground, seemingly panting as it tries to recover from its sporadic freakout. It is once again seconds later that the barrier dissipates, and the monstrosity then picks itself back up.*

Slash: Mya: *shifts her staff to a vertical position for a moment, particles of Mana coursing through her body and fueling the spell. Green-tinted rings of magic sequentially form around the tip, and when three of them are formed, the girl taps Reika's rifle with her staff. The magic is transferred to the weapon somehow, with the rings breaking, moving and reconnecting around the barrel of the rifle. Three small orbs of green energy appear over each ring, apparently feeding them. As she is about to say something to the effect of that being the most she could plausibly do at the moment, a wall of fire in the periphery of her vision redirects her attention.*

Reika examines the addition to her rifle. "Huh. Whatever you just did, this looks cool." Immediately she takes aim at the guy with the book and fires off a couple of experimental shots.

Bophez: Kenchoi: *blinks, his eyes widening as midspeech, the Ymohmi monstrosity seems to have episode of sorta. As disturbing as it is, he can't help but to watch as it.... literally gives birth to another of its kin?! No words manage to escape his mouth*

Slash practically steels himself in place as the sword-wielding woman creates a wall of fire, with small formations of ice suddenly shooting up from the ground around his paws. Though at least three meters away, he can practically feel the flames licking away at his alignment, as if taunting. He growls, quickly turning and circling around the fiery barrier, cooling the otherwise normal air as he goes, which condense and solidify into small icicles that uselessly pelt at the fire, but gain increasingly wide angular range as Slash nears the blind spot.

Slash: *a single circle briefly contracts during each shot before returning to its normal size--elementally aligning the bullet and applying energized Mana as it passes through the barrel. The resulting shot casts a tail of green energy, with the bullet itself coated in highly active Nature Mana.*

Zaiek ) literally appearing behind kenchoi, the blood scripter observed the monstrosity closely, thinking to himself /self-reproduction eh?/ however, the only thing slipping out of his mouth was a soft and muffled "ew" as his cigarette dangled in his mouth. He eyes bophez and kenchoi "well, my timing huh?" He jokes, already preparing his fingers for something

Faryn , watching Az's small skirmish with interest, suddenly jerks his head in the direction of gunshots fired. Although not initially thinking it, the barrier he had had was already in position, taking each hit. However, to his surprise, each strike caused the barrier to recoil, albeit returning to its position. Faryn narrowed his eyes, staring at the girl with the rifle. "Oh, there you are," he states flatly. Extending his arm almost immediately, a glyph suddenly etched itself around the girl within moments. Raising his hand, the glyph increased in glow, its orange-yellow aura bursting as a sort of translucent sheet of energy rose all around the rifle-wielding girl. As soon as he had accomplished that, his focus changed to the girl with a staff. He pointed his hand in her direction right after, another glyph appearing under the girl as swiftly as the first had done. This time, strange translucent tendrils launched from the glyph, enclosing over the area it took up and attempting to wrap itself around the girl. "Stay there a moment," he spoke quite calmly.

Ayana: Terrence: *his jaw drops as Ymohmi suddenly stop and starts screaming.* /Wait, wha--/ *in his surprise, he barely notices the cloth coming out of its back* /Wait, that has to be it. Hit him when he can't react./

Bophez: Ymohmi: As I was saying... *turns his attention back to Bophez and the others grouped with him* Death doesn't really matter to me. Hell, I could die right now and it wouldn't really affect our side that much. As you can see, we are capable of self-reproduction. *starts to walk toward the group* So ask yourself this... If we're capable of something like this, then out of the several of us here, how many do you think have been born of that process?

Zaiek turns his head to Terrence "Good observation. Make sure to not allow a single cloth unscathed." Then he flashed his jade eye at the monstrosity first then at ymohmi "A lot, really." He smirks "do you really need those things to work for you? I'm curious." Zaiek states, seeming to go off tangent... Even though his mind and senses we're focused elsewhere as he though up a sort of way to negate the threat of the group

Reika blinks at the translucent energy, resisting the urge to kick it or poke it with her rifle. "Oh fuck this, we're getting nowhere." She considers for a moment, having noticed the boy's barrier recoiling and wondering if the same concept applies here... she grins and barrages a single point on the barrier with the energy-enhanced bullets.

Ayana: Terrence: I call your bluff. It doesn't matter how many of you there are; you can't do anything while dropping another one.

Slash: Mya: *blinks, sensing magic suddenly appear near, and then /directly/ below her. A remotely-positioned magical source, with that much distance between caster and target? She quickly aims her staff downward, correctly guessing that she did not have enough time to step away from the effect zone, reading into the glyph's equation before blasting it with a pulse of magic that scrambles the commands to break down the magic circle. She then aims it towars Reika--or more accurately, the now-glowing glyph below her, and doing the same thing.*

Azænia tenses, waiting for the wolf to come leaping through the wall of flames-- it doesn't happen. Realizing the adversary was taking the long way around, she retreated further backwards a few steps, wary of the swift lunge that could bring the wolf right next to her in a second. Experimentally, she tilted Bradura downwards, slowly causing the blockade of flames to split down the middle and wash to each side. "Come on out, puppy..." Azænia calls cautiously.

Slash would smirk if he could. As the fire parts, his opponent would suddenly be met with a burst of sharp, pointed icicles coming from a deep field of icy mist. During the time he had circled Azaenia, Slash had also put the Arctic Wolf's signature hunting tactic--cooling the surrounding air into a blur of mist. Though the fire heats up the surrounding air, it does little to deter it from meeting a distance behind her, effectively creating a dome of little visibility where Slash reigns. Though either predator has yet to fully become prey.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *chuckles* Who says I'm bluffing? Like I said, we are capable of self-reproduction. It would be logical to assume that the original is nowhere in this scene. *pauses, stopping just a few feet away from them* Nope, consider us a preview. *prepares its sickles once again, attempting to use them to strike at Terrence once again, only for the "cloth" to be cut through by Bophez's rock spikes, the sickles dropping to the ground as a result. It then winced in pain slightly.*

Faryn tilts his head slightly as the girl with the gun shoots the glyph barrier out of curiosity. Almost unsurprisingly, the barrier wavered as the energized bullets bounced right off and directly upward, continuously bouncing up the barrier until reaching a sort of peak. Smiling, he started to conjure a sacrificial glyph. /I'll make this quick-/ suddenly, he noticed that the girl with the staff was not captured as he thought. Instead, the energy was dispersed, causing Faryn to frown. The girl then pointed her staff toward the other glyph, to which the same happened. Within the moment the barrier dissipated, the girl's continuous barrage of bullets flew outward, striking against his barrier with persistence. The barrier glyph started to crack as the energy weakened with every strike. He eyed the girl with the staff, raising his hand once more toward her. With a quick flash, strings of strange glowing runic symbols flew from his fingertips toward Mya, grasping at her form from all angles from Faryn's position. /If she can break this type of magic,/ he thought, /perhaps she would be a better source for more energy./ Keeping a wary eye on his barrier at the same time, Faryn remained stoic despite his one source of protection from the girl's barrage starting to fade.

Ayana: Terrence: You're forgetting one thing, though. *the sickles then start to levitate off the ground* I don't care. *he then launched Ymohmi's own sickles right back at him*

Zaiek puts out his hands and curls his fingers, seemingly entertained by that statement alone. "Preview huh? Well, there is nothing wrong with practicing on a little kill fodder, though...." Zaiek tilted his head abnormally towards the castle.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *chuckles as Terrence attempts to use its own sickles against it.* And you don't seem to get it, kid! KILLING ME WILL SOLVE NOTHING! *it allows the sickles betrayal to follow through, the blades ripping it to lifeless shreads. After this, the sickles pulsate for a moment before dropping down to the ground.*

Reika continues firing, walking a bit closer for better aim. And then her gun clicks and stops firing. Glaring at it, she mutters a "fuck" and hastily removes the empty cartridge, tosses it aside, and loads a new one. And proceeds to continue her assault on the barrier.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *the "cloth" of the freshly created Ymohmi duplicate streches out, reclaiming the sickles for itself. It then cackles.* Man, that guy was annoying, don't you think? *it then aims the edges of the sickles toward Terrence, unleashing another surge of energy toward him and the rest of the group*

Zaiek glares at the sickles aimed at Terrence. At will, he allowed his own shadow to extend and connect with the sickles in order to restrain them and ultimately manipulate their movement ever so slightly. The result was the energy redirecting away from the group. He growled. "We are wasting some nice time here with those table cloths."

Slash: Mya: *flips her staff vertically, holding her ground as the opposing mage continues on the offensive, then thrusts it forward. Green particles of Mana spread outward, channeled by the staff's core, spreading themselves linearly in rings around her and Reika. The points suddenly grow dim, losing effective power, as they all spread out a translucent screen in a dome shape around them, which the strings collide with. She wavers slightly at the magical contact--but nonetheless focuses on resisting the opposing spell. Meanwhile, as a side effect, the bullets Reika fires suddenly gain power as they cross this screen, visually exploding in bursts of energy upon collision.*

Azænia grows wary as she notices the mist rolling around her. /Playing with visibility, huh?/ She spins Bradura in a circle in her hand, deflecting the barrage of icicles that homed in on her, Bradura igniting its own blade throughout the action. Bradura can play this game for me./ The wall of fire dissipated into the air, allowing the mist to roll in without inebriation from the flame's heat. Calmly, she let Bradura breathe-- let her sword release an imperceptible zone of sound dozens of meters wide, expanding and contracting and sensing every flicker of motion in its scope by way of echolocation. She allowed her senses to fully mingle with her weapon's, waiting confidently for the supposed predator to strike in what it thought was its undisputed territory.

Zaiek back steps a few feet as the swarm got closer. That strange energy from before peaked his interest quite a lot, however, he wasn't able to concentrate on it for long before he lifted up his hand to sketch something. "You guys just like mouthing off don't you" he whispers, then sketches a sort of black blade with a chainsaw-like edge to it with a rapid movement from his fingers. He narrowed his eyes as the blade animated, then

Ayana: Terrence: Oh wow, bugs. You call that an upgrade?! *suddenly flicks his wrist to the left, a bladed cord shooting out and pulling him to the side* I'm not scared of bugs.

Faryn lets the strings encompass the girl's dome-shaped barrier, casting another glyph in the air as, suddenly, the previous one burst into glass-like pieces of energy. These pieces dissipated shortly after breaking. The new glyph took its place and, instead of deflecting the bullets, caused the energized bursts to disappear into its form. Faryn then raised his free arm in the air, energy starting to swirl around him. Energy formed from the ground from behind Faryn as it then snaked in a curve both ways, arcing until they finally met each other at a definite end behind the two girls. As soon as that happened, Faryn, smiled as the large glyph around them illuminated. "You can stay in there if you want," he said nonchalantly. The strings around the barrier glowed significantly brighter as they dug into the ground around the two and started to dig their way in from all sides.

Slash stalks Azaenia for a bit, decides on an angle, and goes for it. He rushes forward from (what he thinks is) a random angle, his trajectory curving around as for every step, the ground freezes and the resulting ice creeps outward in jagged formations that shoot towards the swordswoman. Slash then homes in directly towards Azaenia, fangs practically leaking Ice Mana at this point, aiming towards her torso, and taking a gamble. The air immediately around him begins condensing, also flowing with Ice Mana...

Bophez: Ymohmi: *chuckles* You should be scared, sapien! These locusts are like none that you've ever seen! *aims his sickles specifically for Terrence. The locusts speed off after Terrence and begin to encircle him. They then open their jaws and begin to release an acidic liquid onto their target*

Ayana: Terrence: *chuckles as a barrier of blades suddenly forms around him* You sure talk big for some freakish thing. *he then launches himself upwards again, the barrier trailing behind him*

Slash: Mya: *watches as the attempt is successfully deterred, but the interconnected runes attempt to circumvent the issue. Fortunately, this is not exactly problem for her... though, if she continues to neglect Slash like this, then...* Earth, listen to my will. *she almost chants, tapping the the ground with the bottom of her staff. An amber glow suddenly spreads through the ground, stopping once it reaches the barrier's boundaries. She glances at Reika briefly after watching her shots turn ineffective.* /Elemental--no, magical absorption. If I attempt a piercing argument, then.../ *she momentarily directs concentration towards the system localized on the rifle, and starts changing something. The middle ring contracts, almost touching the perimeter of the barrel, as infinitely thin rings begin spread outwards from it.*

Azænia senses the exact /second/ the wolf makes its' move. In an instant, she brings Bradura up and turns the edge of the blade outward. Several incisive icicles smashed into her armor, some even finding her bare skin as she had waited for this exact moment to retaliate. The wolf's jaws met Bradura's warm steel, and the blade suddenly exploded in a cacophony of harsh, piercing sound. Everything in the misty vicinity was disrupted, all the ice shattering as the high-octane sound swept through it.

Zaiek almost gives out an annoyed grunt as the enemy wills his bugs over to terrence. "I swear its like you guys planned your dialogue before hand." Before long, the sickles on the cloth clone thing began to bend and twist, then shattering to pieces as Zaiek's shadow finished off the job. "Alright i think you should take a break" Suddenly, zaiek lifts his hand and reveals a clear thread tied to his claw, then tugging it and whispering "release". A surrounding field of bazooka sketches all around the cloth clone materialize and fire, setting off a powerful chain of explosions

Reika stops shooting once she notices her bullets become ineffective, so as to conserve ammo. She takes the very brief respite to limber up her shoulders after keeping up such sustained fire, but then notices Mya... doing something. One of the rings contracts, then seems to multiply. Nodding wordlessly at Mya, Reika once again continues firing.

Bophez: Ymohmi: *As the locusts continue to follow after Terrence, once in a while a locust would be destroyed by the blade barrier. The locusts, however, soon began to glow a bright violet. It chuckled.* Maybe, but it was a great excuse to get you alone now, wasn't it? *At that point, however, the Ymohmi's sickles are destroyed by Zaiek, and it soons finds itself the target of the man's sketches, becoming incinerated in a chain of explosions. As a result, the locusts begin to lose their purpose, and begin to move away from Terrence. However, it only lasts a split second as the Ymohmi that was once holding Quasma hostage suddenly leapt into the battlefield and, using his own sickles, claims control of the locusts. In that instant, every locust still following Terrence suddenly moved a few feet away from the man while still following after him. Soon, they all suddenly expanded, growing nine times in size. Then it aimed its sickles at Terrence once again, releasing yet another surge of energy at him. And at the exact same time, every single locust suddenly exploded in violent bursts of red energy.*

Ayana: Terrence: *through the blades, he notices the locusts grow in size* /Shit, that can't be good... I should get the hell out of dodge./ *anothe bladed string then shoots out the bottom of the barrier and pulls Terrence along with it just as everything around him explodes into red energy. Th blade barrier then simply falls apart, revealing... nothing*

Slash gives a surprised growl as his fangs clash with the sword's steel. She had, somehow, definitely anticipated this. Not having the benefit of Mya's protection now--all he relies on is the sheet of crystalline, yet misty ice that solidifies from the elemental Mana almost as instantly as his fangs connect. The ripple is absorbed into this half-formed shell, viciously cracking it virtually everywhere, but Slash nonetheless takes the reduced force of the attack through it--his eardrums are practically gone by now, and if it were not for the fact that the Arctic Wolf was a monster, his internal organs would be in pieces. Only the dull, soundless throbbing of the pain remains as his hearing, but through it all, Slash directs his momentum sideways--still biting on the blade--and with a barely coherent command, the ice around him shoots towards Azaenia in the form of small, jagged shards during this window of time.

Faryn , fully focused on the two, watches the girl with the staff carefully. Seeing her ignite the ground beneath her in a warm glow, he realized what was going on. /Elemental magic hm?/ Faryn readied his fingers as he saw the elemental girl do something strange to the other's weapon. His barrier remained hovering near him. Narrowing his eyes, he felt the world slow down in his mind. As the girl pulled the trigger and released another bullet, Faryn retracted his fingers into a fist. Just as quickly as the energy of the shot passed through the barrier, the runic chains suddenly pierced into the momentary shift of the barrier's energy. They lashed directly toward the two, fully meant to grasp them and hold them down. Meanwhile, his attention turned to the bullet that had already traveled to his location. Upon striking his barrier, it absorbed into the glyph; shortly after, however, the glyph's form suddenly wavered before, to his surprise, the glyph burst. With a large boom, energy that had coalesced within it released in a rapid explosion, tossing Faryn to one side with a quick tumble. Although slightly fazed, he held his hand back out to retain control of the runic strings, all the while feeling the large glyph encompassing the area around them starting to increase. /Time to play./

Bophez chuckled. "It sure doesn't like Terrence all that much."

Ayana: Terrence: You're telling me! *his face contorts into a smirk* Although, I'm being awfully annoying. Awfully, intentionally annoying.

Bophez: Hobekistu: *lets out a puff of smoke* I think we should get rid of this thing already.

Ayana: Trust me, we've tried. It doesn't like being blown up!

Zaiek looks at Hobekitsu "Well?" his eye lingers onto the main target. "We have some possible choices. Either burn it with fire infused with magical properties or...simply seal it up and disregarding it because it seems like a distraction at this point." Zaiek strikes his blade to the ground.

Slash: Mya: *Quickly glances around as the runes pierce the barrier--part because of her attention shift, part because of the exploitation behind the mechanics of the barrier. Her surprise is brief--the active part of her mind makes her react. She tilts the staff upward, causing a small portion earthly energy to shoot upward to intercept one of the runic chains. She turns, swinging her staff across and directing part of the barrier's energy to shoot across the area and through several other chains. Mya then slams the tip of her staff downwards, causing a small, earth-aligned ripple to reverberate around her position to attempt to desync other chains. But they just keep coming. Between all of it, the girl yells,* You can shoot them!

Bophez: Kenchoi: *spawns a key between his fingers, then aims it toward the Ymohmi. However, his attention then turns toward Zaiek as he mentions using fire infused with magical properties* That might not be the best idea. Remember when that girl tried to use electricity on one of them a while back? *glances toward the sickles* Those things appear to be capable of absorbing magical energy and then repurposing it.

Ayana: Terrence: How the Hell are we supposed to seal it, in that case?

Bophez: Ymohmi: Does it matter?! Even if you do, I still have about 20 of me on standby! *blinks, then turns around as the roar of a dragon is heard echoing from the distance* What the hell?

Ayana: The we find and seal every last one of you fu-- *hears the roar of a dragon in the distance* Wait, what?!

Zaiek senses the presence of several figures coming their way. He remains quiet and looks up

Azænia felt the jagged ice dig into her torso, with nothing she could about it since her sword arm and Bradura itself were preoccupied. Her armor absorbed several blows, but its design was unique and purposed to minimize damage from Bradura's sonic waves. She felt, even through the painkilling veneer of adrenaline, the cold sting of the ice as it pierced through her exposed skin. As the initial sensation quickly faded away, the swordswoman shoved Bradura downwards and beat the wolf over the head with her other hand, forcing the creature onto the ground. Extending her blade, she visibly jolted as an icicle lodged in her shoulder caused shooting pain to radiate as a result of the motion. "Don't force me," she heaved, warm blood seeping down her front, "to make an example of you." She touched Bradura's zenith to the shapeshifter's throat in an effort to get her message across.

Deathstorm ) The familiar midnight-blue shape Deathstorm quickly became visible to everyone on the battlefield as it shot toward the castle. He immediately perched upon one of the outer walls, remaining silent as he observed the area in full. The woman that had been seen attacking Cassiel several weeks ago. With her were two others.... or several others unknown to him. Also there were... the Station of Seotara? /So... Giga was right about them... They really are helping us protect the seals.../ While he recognized most of them from the notes Kyton and Smeremus acquired on them, Kenchoi and Hobekistu were unknown to him. Perhaps new recruits? Still, his attention then focused back upon Az, and in a violent act, unleashed a combination of dark, wind, and fire mana all aimed directly at her.

Jason: Reika: Got it. *shifting her aim from the boy to the chains for the moment, Reika continues firing, taking care not to hit her ally. She looks up briefly as the roar of a dragon rings out and the creature lands nearby, but this isn't her concern; it probably isn't even an enemy- she recognizes it from the night of the first raid, in particular.*

Deathstorm: Bophez: *glances over to watch Deathstorm enter the battlefield, perching upon on of the castle walls* My my, isn't that one of the dragons you described having seen at that achlymperist's facility, Ayana?

Dark: Ayana: *looks over to Deathstorm. The very same one.* Yeah. If it's here, the blueberry can't be far off.

Faryn 's runic chains bounced away as the impact momentarily halted their advance; however, the amount of bullets Reika could fire could not strike every one. Quickly, the strings wrapped themselves around the girls, binding their arms against their torsos and legs together. However, instead of leaving them there, the chains then elevated the two into the air. Faryn, holding one hand up to keep the girls bound, motioned with his other. A last runic chain flew up and wrapped itself around the girl's gun, ripping it from her hand if it hadn't fallen from her grasp already, to which it pulled away from the two. It then gripped the girl's staff in the same manner. "Well," he spoke softly, "Isn't this a surprise." Looking about curiously to the sound of a roar, he sees a dragon, of all things, perched on the castle's wall. He smirked curiously. /he will be of no concern here./ Turning back to the girls, he looked from one to the other. "I don't suppose you two have a high pain threshold, hmm?" Raising a palm to them, a glyph suddenly appeared in front of him. His face contorted into a darker complexion. "Because I'd hate for you two to feel this."

Slash had one last thing to do before he could effectively close the exchange. He allows for the attacker to send him crashing to the ground--the metal against his skull almost does not hurt--but his concentration, more primal than anything else at the heat of the moment, is still fully focused on Azaenia, almost immediately noticing an icicle of above-average size lodged in her shoulder. He wills for the ice to expand and cover almost the entirety of her shoulder before suddenly shifting upright and leaping backwards the moment the blade is swung, albeit only threateningly, with the dome of mist receding and vanishing into the surrounding air. There is a flash of red at the peak of the motion as Slash shifts back into human form, landing somewhat roughly in his two feet several meters away from the swordswoman. Frankly, he looks outwardly terrible: fresh blood runs from his ears, and a few streaks of blood run from his head down his face. But there is a completely unmistakable smirk and a certain glint in his eyes: the thrill of battle. As the veil of mist fades completely, he only states--with Deathstorm's attack already en-route--"I haven't had this much fun in forever, heh heh."

Jason (in his own dragon form) and Mimring can be seen quickly arriving as well, the latter's discomfort at his current rider barely evident through the focus he displays on the battle. The copper lands a short distance away from the fight to let Darius off, while Jason angles up to land near Deathstorm. The Shapeshifter looks down at the battle- somehow oddly satisfied to see Slash in such poor condition- before rearing his head and joining his Familiar's assault with blue-white flame.

Deathstorm: Ymohmi: *chuckles* I see Az here missed a Shadow Drake. No matter. Given her battles with the other two, this one should be no problem. *aims its sickles at the group* Now then, let's- *its head jerks upward as it notices a mass of dark mana and telekinetic energy spiralling down toward it. It leaps backward several feet, allowing the object to crash into the ground where it stood.* What the hell? *it stands still, glancing upon the dust cloud surrounding the point of impact, the only thing visible within it is the silhouette of a person. Its eyehole soon widens as it is suddenly lifted off of the ground and slammed into a rock pillar that suddenly shoots out from the ground.*

Faryn: Darius: *feeling the dragon hit the ground, immediately jumps from Mimring's scaled back and hits the ground with an ungraceful thump. Pulling himself to his feet, he made an effort to fight off the immediate vertigo he had had and attempted to focus on the essences ahead of him* /CrazE leaves me to do more flying... typical./ *Suddenly, his vision becomes clear to him as he registers the essences up ahead.* Several new people... are all of them enemies?

Jason: Mimring: No. Just the woman with the sword, and... *tilts his head* Two I do not recognize. The mage and the... I am not sure what that is.

Azænia gritted her teeth as she felt the wolf manipulate the ice on her shoulder, immobilizing it in raw chill while leaping away in the same instant. Bradura chattered discontentedly, reporting an attack coming in quickly from behind her. Grunting, sword arm locked in its current position, she spun on her heels and crouched, bringing Bradura around in an arc to swipe across the beam of multiple elements and disrupt it with fluctuations of sound. Grimacing, she glanced around and realized there was no immediate threat for her. Switching wielding hands, she gently brought Bradura's tip to her frozen shoulder and willed him to melt the ice, gasping as the fevered water washed over the puncture wound beneath the frost. Looking around, she noticed more arrivals-- among them, she recognized a few dragons, from an earlier encounter. "So they're here as well..." she mused despairingly. Her recent skirmish had left her in a less-than-perfect state for further combat, but she knew she had to tough through it. Disposing of the remaining icicles protruding from her body, she glanced over at Faryn, locked in duel with another mage, concentration duly diverted. /We need to start thinking about a retreat.../ she thought with a sinking feeling as more and more people showed up. /This is getting too unpredictable./

Lord X-Giga-X 's voice was heard from within the dust cloud, which had begun to dissipate. "So you guys decided to come after all." He smirked. "Then again, with what I had Grodisflare and Erahsv tell your leader there, it's kinda hard to imagine you guys /not/ come at all." Soon, Grodisflare had landed by his side, and Hexidos and Erahvs jumped off of his back.

Lord X-Giga-X: Ymohmi: *gets onto his feet after being knocked into the rock pillar. He glances around, looking for its assaulters, its eyes widening as it spots Lord X-Giga-X present on the battlefield.* /Well well, and I thought things just couldn't get anymore interesting. He actually showed up./

Dark suddenly stops in midair above Darius, then simply seems to flash out and back in next to him. "Mimring's probably right. Don't worry about the others."

Slash: Mya: *shortly struggles as if to confirm the consistency of the binds, but it is quite predictably useless. She sighs. She even lets her staff go after she is lifted from the ground--not like she'll need it for the moment; the mere contact with the strings of tightly-woven runes are more than enough. She had secretly hoped to avoid direct appliance of her specialization, but with the current circumstances... The spellcaster briefly updates Slash of their current situation, and returns a unintuitively composed stare at the mage.* I'm not really interested, thanks~ *an instant later, the chains surrounding Mya shatter--no. They are repurposed. A bright green amalgamation of patterns, chaotic yet consistent, flashes directly in front of Mya as the surrounding myriad of small symbols immediately acquire the same tonality, breaking off and going against their unified command to hover around Mya. Now free, she points her palm towards Reika's position--the chains rapidly begin deconstructing as well, though she never really takes her eyes off her opponent.*

Dark: Ayana: *hears Giga's voice from within the dust cloud* Well I wasn't wrong about you, at least, blueberry!

Lord X-Giga-X: Bophez: Well, I should have known that your group would have been arriving here.

Zaiek hears Giga's voice and almost flinches at the realization that he wrote a very...rude message about his mom on his lab wall the first time they met. He awkwardly shrugged and stuck out his hand to script. Fingers moved rapidly in a blur as he sketched what seemed to be copies of himself. Zaiek wills the shadows to consume the copies just in case and thinks to himself /Reinforcements? Well, What a happy scene this is turning out to be./

Dark: Jude: *rockets up from below, his momentum from running all the way here having carried him up from a launch off a ramp of ice below. After him comes Jack, who almost seems a bit dizzy. He looks back as Jack lands face-first, then picks himself up off the ground* Jack, you must remember that you should be used to this by now.

Jason snorts. /Well, time to help out, I suppose./ Mimring sends back affirmation and takes to the air, a bloodred plume of flame racing for Ymohmi as the dragon ascends higher into the air. Jason himself leaps down to the ground, immediately taking on a smaller, more lithe form- wolf, once again. He circles from a distance, hoping Slash or someone will distract the swordwoman long enough to strike.

Faryn: Darius: *frowning, watches as Mimring takes off and Dark lands next to him* /Maybe Mimring doesn't realize by now that I can't really tell between mages and other people.../ *shaking his head, he crouches into a prepatory stance* Get ready, Dark. There's only a few of them, but they may be more dangerous than we think. *With that, Darius blurred forward, leaving nothing but just a flash of white for only a moment*

Lord X-Giga-X: Ymohmi: Well, what a pleasant surprise... *his sickles blur toward the flames aimed toward it. The flames themselves end up circling the sickles instead of striking their intended target, and are absorbed into the edges, which glow a bright red after this process. It the glances up toward the dragon that attacked it.* So many dragons here... This definitely an interesting day...

Lord X-Giga-X focused his attention upon Ymohmi, raising an eyebrow upon what he had said. However, his attention then shifted up toward Mimring as he attacked Ymohmi, his attack failing as the flames were absorbed into its sickles. "Hey Mimring, do yourself a favor and go help out your familiar. If he hasn't already learned from last time, he's kind of a bad person to be fighting that woman alone."

Jason: Reika: Aw what the fuck- *struggles ineffectually against the chains as she loses her rifle. She is about to let lose with a somewhat harsher string of profanity, but then... she's suddenly freed by Mya.* Er. Okay. Thanks, Mya. *She quickly grabs the rifle again, shooting more rapidly at the enemy mage, getting more frustrated with everything he does.* /Seriously, you're annoying, just fucking die./

Jason: Mimring: *drops from the sky to claw and slash at the mummy... thing... once he realizes the fire isn't doing anything, glancing at Giga when the achlymperist calls his attention. The dragon gives no verbal response, but prods his link with Jason.* /Will you be alright?/ *Jason returns a confident feeling, replying,* /I know what she can do now, I'll be fine for the moment./

Slash simply watches from this distance as Azaenia recovers from her wounds--right now, he has no intention in reengaging as much as his instincts tell him to continue until his last drop of blood burns: the utmost priority being Mya's update, but also the fact that a certain group had just arrived. Apparently to fight against the sealbreakers, too. He only spares the other Shapeshifter a glance before his symbols pulse and in the next split second he assumes the extremely agile, serpentine form of the Argzhent, which practically shoots itself towards Mya's general position with a metallic cry of sorts, faster than anything of his size could conceivably achieve.

Lord X-Giga-X: Ymohmi: *glances upward to see Mimring dropping down to attempt to slash it. Instead, it brought its sickles upward to attempt to deflect it. As it did this, the sickles began to pulsate with the energy of the flames the sickles had just absorbed*

Dark nods, knowing by now that if these people had already destroyed three seals, then they must be powerful. "Right." He then takes off into the air, reaching back to grab something from behind him. "It's been a while..." He then pulls out... a guitar. Yes, a guitar. Then he begins playing, with the instrument almost looking to be aimed at the girl with the sword. Out of the strings radiiates a brilliant red light, followed by what seems to be a barrage of red... lines. These were not lines at all, but Spirit manifestations of the strings he was playing.

Lord X-Giga-X: Bophez: *taps his cane on the ground beneath him. As he does this, several rock spikes shoot out from the ground toward the distracted Ymohmi, piercing through its decrepit body*

Faryn frowns, his glyph that had been developing a runic ring around it suddenly dissipating. /I see now... she handles runes and glyphs quite easily. it's time for a different approach, then./ Straightening into a nonchalant stance, Faryn chuckled to himself with his mouth closed. Suddenly, a beam shot from the ground, conceivably from no real source, right where Reika was situated. The beam was aimed directly at the gun, to which it pierced right through, as Faryn walked a few steps toward the border of the large ring around them. In the distance, he could see a strange, serpentine figure exponentially advance toward him, rushing like a bullet at immense speeds. Faryn smiled, unmoving, as the creature charged directly for him. As soon as the creature made it to the ring, the evident shield separating this isolated battlefield and the outside world became apparent on contact. Faryn turns to Mya, eyeing her with utmost curiosity. "You know quite a bit about runes," he remarks. "You did catch me off guard. But that is far from ever matching me." Suddenly, Faryn raised an arm into the air, causing yellow-orange spikes to curve out of the ground in crescent pattern, all converging on the mage's position. Faryn then closed his hand, causing the energized claws to close over. At the same instant, Faryn pointed his other arm at the serpentine figure, a conglomeration of energy centralizing where he willed it to be. Then, with a very slight gesture, the energy released in a large beam.

Azænia notices an attack directed at her, comprised of several red lines, and merely blocks it with a parrying motion and a barrier of sound. She trudges over to Faryn, constantly glancing around her and listening to Bradura's breath in case an attack was coming at her. "Faryn," she says, notes of desperation in her voice as the gravity of everyone around begins weighing down on her. "We have to go. Work some of your magic-- I can amplify it with Bradura, and we can run under its cover. I'll tell zombie guy what we're doing..." Panting, she follows her friend's line of sight and observes his battle with the rival mage. "There are too many of them. We need to get away, and find the next Seal."

Zaiek lifts up a single finger enveloped with a clear thread and tugs on it again, causing a mess of plasma swords to spawn above Ymohmi. Instead of willing them to just dart at the target, Zaiek dashed his hand around to will the swords to release arcs of heated plasma. Each arc destined to slice and sever each of Ymohmi's parts

Faryn: Darius: /Girl with the sword.../ *Suddenly, appearing from the blur of speed, Darius comes to a halt just in front of the sword-wielding girl. There, he observed her for just a moment before going into an offensive stance* forgive me, but I'm going to have to impede you.

Lord X-Giga-X: Ymohmi: *lets out a small shriek in pain as it is pierced through. It then blinks, glancing around as it suddenly sees a mass of plasma swords just above where it was trapped. It smirks as it is then ripped apart.* /Oh well, not like it matters now... I've gotten what I need from this./

Lord X-Giga-X: Ymohmi: *the other duplicates look on, seeing Giga for himself. One of them speak.* So then, he really /is/ here.... *another one then speaks to this one* Well then, I guess we should go inform him. *a third one nods, then retreats from the battlefield*

Jason: Reika: Wait wha-- *Blinks as her rifle is basically broken. She stares at the pieces for a moment... and then flips her middle finger at Faryn.*

Zaiek slowly turns his head at Reika's direction, allowing his shadow to connect to hers to communicate. "You want me to fix that for you? A little buff wont hurt."

Jason notices Darius confronting the swordwoman, seeing his own chance. With bristling fur and perked ears, he dashes at her as well, ready to leap aside at any hint of an attack.

Dark: Jude: *suddenly breaks into a run towards Az* Afraid I cannot let you leave that easily etiher.

Slash: Mya: My specialization is Symbology, after all. Repurposing your magic is child's play for me. *the green runes surrounding her suddenly turn red as Slash achieves maximum speed. There is a thunderous, almost deafening shatter as Slash's form--his symbols alight by Mya's amplification magic, the metal composing his body having turned a lustrous white--bursts through the isolation field as a hot knife through butter. It was not even a product of the sheer physical force behind the impact--the strange metal that covers the monster immediately bent and annihilated the magic. Slash's size easily allows him to coil around both Mya and Reika while leaving plenty of space in the center, with the amber spikes directed at Mya easily absorbed into the Argzhent's metallic body. Slash gives another metallic, more menacing cry as he remains in position, all while Mya speaks.* I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know about Laconia either, hehe.

Lord X-Giga-X: Ymohmi: *one of the duplicates extends their "cloth" toward Az and Faryn, and then wraps it around the two of them* I can, though! *with a simple tug, it then pulls them back toward it*

Jason: Reika: *looks over at Zaiek, the irritation still apparent but fading at her ally's offer.* Yeah, that'd be great. I don't have a replacement handy.

Faryn frowns as the strange creature crashes into his isolated field, gliding over to the two he had previously been confronting. The ring around the air dispersed slowly as Az approached him. A bitter taste entered his mouth as he sighs. "Retreat?" he says rather solemnly. Looking to Ymohmi, the signal was given as suddenly the creature reached out and grabbed both of them. Faryn starts summoning his magic once more as both he and Az landed by the mummy-like creature, a runic circle immediately appearing around them. Glancing at Az, he lets out a puff of air. "You look like crap." Then, seeing as everything was ready, channeled the spell fully. The energy around them intensified dramatically until, with a burst of light into the air, the runic circle dispersed- along with the group that had been with it.

Zaiek nods, putting out his arm to allow the shadow under Reika to extend and connect with the broken weapon. Tendrils of darkness wrapped around it until pulling it under. Zaiek hums despite still being in a combat situation "Alrighty then, a basic patch up would do nicely..."he then reaches down and pulls out the rifle and begins writing on it. Like magic, the rifle began to look like the way it was. "Alright, done. Here~" he drops it on the floor to then transport it to Reika via shadows. "I didn't use much black ink for it. If you'd like to keep that rifle compatible with magic, its best I don't."

Jason: Reika: *picks up the gun, testing it by aiming off somewhere and shooting a couple of times, then grins* Great work, thanks Zaiek.

Zaiek: No problem, miss-- Oh, wait wait wait *he blinks as the other group vanishes, then remembers about Quas. Awkwardly coughing, the man simply slinks down into the shadows and manifests himself within the mirrage plane...upside down. He simply gives the girl a simple wave* Me again-- Everything is resolved up in the material world. Ready to get out of here?

Lord X-Giga-X: Quasma: *still in the mirage plane, more confused regarding exactly where she is more than what she should actually do. She is once again greeted by Zaiek, asking if she was ready to leave, to which she replied with a wary nod.*

Slash had remained in his protective position even after the three sealbreakers made their rather hasty retreat. A gentle tap with Mya's hand prompts him to swiftly uncoil and shift in the process--a flash of excess energy trailing the length of the Argzhent's body as Slash, in human form, appears from within and lands nearby. At some point his injuries had been more or less healed, but it seems he did not care (or have the time to) at least wipe the blood in his face. He scans the area for a moment, giving the other group a neutral glance, before finally going, "Fuck this."

Jason returns to his human form as well, looking over to see Mimring glide towards him and land by his side. The two share an irritated and weary feeling before approaching the cultists that had come along. At Slash's words, the younger Shapeshifter grimaces and replies, "You took the words right out of my mouth."

Zaiek notices her obvious uncomfortable expression and sighs, then willing himself to the ground to where he pointed his nail on the very fabric of his dimension. "As much as I am a man of aesthetics, Iiiiiii take it you're uncomfortable." He draws a door, then opens it. The inside contents showed a very distorted picture of the outside, to which he motions towards with his hand while leaning on the door. "I really hope you're okay. Don't get hurt out there, alright?" he kindly says.

Faryn: Darius: *returning to a casual position, Darius looks to the others with a wordless stare*

Lord X-Giga-X: Quasma: *she nods to Zaiek in response to what he says after creating a door for her to exit this strange place from. She starts to walk toward it, only to stop just a few feet from it, and Zaiek, then sighs as she continues forward into the door*

Azænia glared at all the adversaries as they came bounding up to her. "Faryn," she repeated under her breath, tightening her grip on Bradura. In the span of a moment, she and her friend were suddenly pulled over to their undead ally, and Faryn took the opportunity to work out a transportation spell. Before the glow of the magic overtook them, she heard him note, "You look like crap." She hurriedly tossed some of Bradura's amplification influence into Faryn's spell, and then felt the world fall away beneath her armored feet. An instant later, she found herself in the middle of a forest, the sound of unperturbed nature going on around them. She breathed a sigh of relief and sunk Bradura into the loamy soil and leaned on it in respite. "I feel like it too, thanks," she responded. Rotating her shoulders and bending her back, she continued, "I can't believe how many people there were, all trying to respond and protect the Seal..." Looking up at the sky through the canopy of foliage, she lightly brought Bradura up and traced a finger along its fuller, feeling a faint tingle of sound respond, emanating from the mountains in the distance. "We ended up pretty close to the next Seal." Pushing down the radiations of pain from the puncture wounds of the ice, she started forward through the trees, calling back, "C'mon. Let's get a start on it, maybe we'll get it done quickly enough we won't have to deal with all those losers again."

Lord X-Giga-X sighed. "Well, that's fantastic. Three out of the five seals are gone now... Can someone remind me why no one thought something like this would happen after these past few weeks?"

Slash: Mya: *reaches towards her staff laying a few meters away, having fallen off from when she dissected the mage's attack. With a small pulse of magic, the staff immediately returns to her hand. She glances at the other group with curiosity--there is in fact not a single trace of animosity behind her expression, despite their previous relations. Though, she addresses Slash first, all while passively directing healing Mana.* I told you to be careful, you know... you actually lost there, am I right? *she says this teasingly, but Slash returns an absolutely deathly glare. She only giggles in response, completely unphased.*

Jason gives Giga a forcibly neutral glance. "I think we were all just glad for the reprieve. As brief as it was."

Lord X-Giga-X returned Jason's glance with a glare. "Yet in the end, we drop our guard for far too long. And look what's happened."

Jason: Mimring: *snorts, interrupting the short exchange* What I would like to know is where its guardian was.

Slash: Mya: *redirects her curative magic to the rest of SoS, then, after a brief moment of consideration, aims her staff down and shoots a pulse of Mana that makes the ground in the immediate area--encompassing both groups--to release soft amber light. It is, in reality, another regenerative spell, and although the other group does not appear to be wounded, they should at least feel their stamina returning.* The... "Cult of Ustream", was it? *she suddenly asks, looking at them.* You are also protecting the seals. *she says this as a statement, rather than the expected question.*

Faryn: Darius: *approaching Jason and the others, keeps a calm pace before stopping nearby* I suppose this must have been a failed mission?

Jason gives an acknowledging mental nod to Mimring- who twitches his tail blade in irritated response- before looking to Mya. He gives a tired grin and nods. "Yeah, we are. Sorry we didn't get here sooner, we weren't as close."

Zaiek rises up from the shadows, seemingly happy to have received the effects of the spell. He gives a very empty stare at the strange group "No need for a sorry. Your group was a kind help."

Lord X-Giga-X glanced over to Darius. "No shit." He then turned away from him, then started to walk toward the castle.

Lord X-Giga-X: Bophez: *looks upon Mimring as he spoke* You sir have a good point. From what we were informed, this seal should have had a guardian nearby. *glances over, noticing Quasma, having returned to this plane, just staring off toward the castle* Young lady, do you know where this guardian is?

Slash: Mya: We appreciate your efforts. *she nods. It seems she's legitimately grateful, whereas Slash stays mostly silent, only momentarily glancing as Giga makes his way to the actual castle.*

Lord X-Giga-X: Quasma: Huh? *glances over to Bophez as he asks her about the seal's guardian* Oh, uh... Well uh... My master, the guardian responsible for protecting the seal... A few days ago, he created a magical barrier surrounding the castle to not only protect it from being destroyed but to prevent intruders from entering it. However, in doing so, he severely exhausted himself. He's been resting ever since...

Jason: Mimring: It does not appear that the barrier did its job.

Lord X-Giga-X: Bophez: Perhaps it was the doing of that unusual being with the sickles.

Zaiek gives a "ugh" as a response to the sickle guy. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me."

Slash: Mya: What makes you think so, Mr. Bophez? I think there's an equal chance of the spellcaster from before having bypassed the barrier.

Jason sighs. "This just leaves two left, though. Even with one reasonably guarded... more than anything, we have to find the last one." He looks off to where Giga walked off to, slightly annoyed that he just left.

Faryn: Darius: *Glancing off after Giga, Darius shrugged. Looking back to the girl known as Quasma, Darius started to put things together.* /The nature of these seals are unsettling. Whatever they withhold.../ *Within thought, Darius turned to look back at the HQ. An aura of concern was stretching out from a familiar essence. Turning back to Jason, he nods politely* excuse me, everyone. I'll be returning to the HQ. *Suddenly, Darius blurred from his spot, disappearing into the trees soon after*

Lord X-Giga-X: Quasma: *glances over to Mya, shaking her head* No, it was definitely that... thing... It just stuck its sickles into the barrier, and within seconds, it just... disappeared... *sighs, about to speak more, but is distracted by something hanging around Mimring's neck... a stone of sorts... Though to her, there's more to it, as her eyes widen* Wha.... What are you doing with one of my master's scales?

Jason: Mimring: *Blinks, responding with a flat,* What? *He follows the girl's gaze- to the stone hanging around his neck. He tilts his head and nudges it with his snout* The man who left for the castle gave it to me. It makes me stronger when I use it.

Lord X-Giga-X stopped walking upon hearing what Quasma had just said. He knew that she was referring to the Stone of Advancing hanging around Mimring's neck, but to hear it referred to as something else. He glanced toward her. "So, you know exactly what this is, don't you?"

Lord X-Giga-X: Quasma: *hesitantly nods to Giga* That's one of several scales knocked off of my master in a battle he was in long ago. They originally worked to make himself stronger... *pauses, backing away slightly* But... he never said anything about them working on other dragons.

Jason: Happy surprise, I guess. Mimring's advanced form has helped us a few times.

Lord X-Giga-X walked back toward the group. "Or maybe he knew the whole time and didn't say anything."

Lord X-Giga-X: Grodisflare: Yeah. Me doubt your master would go through trouble of hiding them like that if he thought they only work for him.

Lord X-Giga-X: Bophez: *listens to the conversation, speaking up* Pardon my intrusion, but are you by any chance discussing the so-called "Stones of Advancing" mentioned in the notes we acquired from the achlymperist?