Arra'Kor

{NARRATION} The world seems to shudder. Your vision shakes as though your eyes are vibrating. Something passes through your mind's eye and affects the world around it. Voices start up before fading, the colour seems to drain from the world, the vibrancies of life seeming to go mute. Sounds dull and the air feels as though it had died. A shiver begins to run down your spine and a cold sensation claims your hands and feet.

The world around you feels like it has died. A sensation that ripples out from the centre of the square. The closer to the source, the less lively the world feels. There is a disturbance in the air. A shimmering rectangle as though this world was merely a reflection in a pond that someone had dropped a stone into. It seemed to bleed mana, pure blue energy that soon dissipated.

There was a sickening feeling permeating through the air, a deep miasma and it began to spread.
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Malgannan simply stares in front of him, only slightly bothered by the sickening feeling.. The strange air. To him, this was something that would likely lead to combat. That was more interesting than whatever this strange sensation was. He draws his halberd and grips it tightly, revealing his teeth. A faint growl...
(Malgannan)
A quake of psychic emptiness washes-over Kaschei's mind... his hands go limp, releasing his book before he gazes about with an eerie sense of wrongness.

A false chorus of unreal voices troubles his mind. Before they can speak a word- they dissipate into a somehow worse silence, the color of the flowers and the warmth of the air bleeding-away into a disquiet nothingness.

Poisonous tranquility fills the air, before he sees it: a shimmering rectangle in the air, pouring-out the miasma of melancholia he felt... he stands, takes a step nearer and stares in perplexion at the anomaly.
(Kaschei)
Hatsune was against a stone wall with her head drooped down and her eyes closed. She'd been like that for quite some time after coming to rest in the Cruxati square, and very little had stirred her.

At least, very little stirred her until the world began to tear apart at the seams, and the source of the disturbance was right above. Eyes shot open, her head shot up, and she stared at the new problem. Her face was a mask of exotic features, and no emotions showed there through that obfuscating musculature.
(Hatsune Panic)
As he moved away from the group and reached Cruxati he realized that the movement was bigger than normal, and then suddenly he felt what might be the worst sensation of his life.

Atla put her hands on her head while she was still dizzy, the feeling, the feelings, all that was horrible but he tried to compose himself somehow as he tried to figure out what was going on.

Even Renata was able to feel that horror through Atla, and that also startled her.
(Atla-Cuauhtli)
Magnolia would be floating idly by when the strange phenomenon began. She suddenly began to feel quite odd, similar to when she went into the rift that lead them to fight that strange entity. Summoning her mana, Magnolia would keep her distance, keeping her gaze upon the happenings.

As she floated, observing, she would look around to notice that there was a huge gathering of magi, and she assumed that nothing good could come from the scene.
(Magnolia )
A strange thing happening, a wrong decision to move to Cruxati after the talk close to the beach, it was plainly strange, he just looked at it, fixated.

Trying to prepare to defend himself if anything would happen, he covered his body with occult flame, looking at the others around, with the injury he got, it was hard to maintain the aura, it would demand some stamina from him.
(Nochte)
Anaxes was among the many in the Cruxati square this day. Perhaps it had been drawn by whatever energy, creature or abomination was dwelling within, but whatever the case, it was among the outskirts, peering towards the center.

Something was very, very wrong here. The color drained, voices faded and it felt as though the world itself had died around the Kaor.

The Demon steadied itself as miasma began to spread, getting ready for whatever was coming. Some of this was eerily familiar, but they'd soon find out what it was that was causing this.
(Anaxes)
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[18:49:36] Toka raised a hand to her head, things seemed to just feel. Off. A shiver ran down her spine, her hands and feet beginning to grow even colder than usual. Along with everything beginning to just...go silent. Become dull, essentially everything became...wrong.

She would kind of actually hide behind Kaschei, feeling it much safer to do that at the moment. As the miasma that spread worried her greatly.
(Toka)
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[18:50:27] Kayeliun was already unhappy.

The shift of the world around them was somthing she only vaguely registered at first, a dulling of the senses that felt almost like what Atro looked like lately. Whatever it was in the middle of her square, Kayeliun took offense to it.

Taking a slight step forward, her amethyst eyes scanned the area around them with an irritable scowl.

"...show yourself. These lands are mine, and you will show respect. I don't care what you are," her voice echoed around them with the power of her control over sound, serious and powerful.

Whatever it was... it was annoying her.
(Kayeliun)
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[18:50:27] Okay what the fuck JaDrako didn't sign up for this but boy was he excited the trap began to grin something fun was going to happen and he was more than ready for it.

He looked around and everyone seemed to be united, whatever came for gehenna was not smart at all the best of the best were here and things are about get hectic at any moment

"I don't know what the hell is going on but lets make sure we don't get hurt lt."
(JaDrako Kumo)
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[18:50:27] A... Frown crossed the feminized Xoconan, hands clenching as strange feeling swept through her. What... What was this? Magic flourished into life around her, violet sparks blossoming, the young woman kicking off the ground to float in a spectacular fashion, but...

The effect felt wrong. Muted. She felt the power, but not the vigor, the passion.

What in the hell was this? She stepped up beside Kayeliun, Telaman coming to her hands, blooming with power. "Who's playing games with Gehenna again?"
(Xoconan)
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[18:50:27] A brief sensation of nausea swelled within the demon's gut as he approached the Cruxati plaza, one of the numerous beasts whom had returned to the village, just in time to feel the sudden change in the atmosphere, the overall sensation that something was wrong.

Wordlessly, the beast's gaze turned towards the momentary signature of mana in the midst of the plaza, a mere blip that vanished as soon as it had appeared.

"What?"
(Noxim Florus)
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[18:51:18] It feels like a punch in the gut.

The young Citlalli, affected by the sudden wave of whatever this was, felt as though he'd died if only for a moment-- the waves of sickening plague, or whatever it truly was, made him feel quite uneasy.

A hand is on his stomach, briefly; what was going on? For now, the teen stands still, prepared to grab at his staff.

Then, in a low whisper, he hands an object to his slave.
(Citlalli)
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[18:51:18] Hototo appears to look troubled as psychic forces invade his mind, filling his head with terrible visions, the color practically draining from his face.

Hototo would let out a troubled yell
"I don't like this!"
(Hototo)
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[18:51:18] Citlalli whispers something.
[18:51:18] The archon would simply stare forward grabbing his blade as he sensed something dangerous nearby.. Hellstorm lightning began to cover his being as his instincts to destroy kicked in. Something ominous was approaching and he would be prepared. Jumping a ways back from the Miasma that scrubbed along the square.

He reached towards his weapon drawing it out and looking to those around him to gauge the situation and the effect it gave the humans. Even he was a bit disoriented from the toxins although not quite as terribly as the humans near it.

The Archon stood ready for what was to come next.
(Rothraim)
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[18:51:18] Lotlhuitl was standing by Xitlalli. The Nagual with the blue-black hair choked back a snarl, eyes widening as she searched for the search of that terrible, deadly feeling.

Was it Tragedy? No. It was something else. Panic and fear threatened to rise within her. She choked such emotions down. Locked them away. Leaving only anger in their wake.

Kayeliun spoke. The Nagual focused on that. Focused on her chieftain's words.

"Answer the Chieftain of the Cruxati, creature!"
(Lotlhuitl)
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[18:52:09] Sul'Koth felt his body grow numb and cold. His perception being altered in a state he'd never encountered before. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, fingers curled into fists as all in the area seemed to feel the same change effect them all. Their reactions noticably showing that they'd witnessed it.

With a lowered voice, Sul'Koth spoke to Hue.
"The.. intensity.. Such power."
His head bowed and eyes focused upon the center of the Cruxati square.
(Sul'Koth)
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[18:52:09] As the two made their approach into the square their eyes fell upon all those present.

'Quite a crowded day it would seem' he chuckled to himself before resting his gaze back on the sight before him.

His legs about to step forth and take the lead from Sul before feeling a devastating chill working its way up and down his spine, and with that it slowly grew into something far worse. His hand rested on the back of the cowl as he rubbed his head a touch confused, trying to look at the faces in the crowd to ascertain what was happening. They all however seemed as confused as he was, he merely waited patiently hopefully an answer would be given.
(Hue Coliqui)
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[18:52:09] Ajax whispers something.
[18:52:09] Malachai whispers something.
[18:52:09] Floating haphazardly throughout the square was Ravan, the kind and always smiling dirt fairy. In the midst of not doing much at all though a cold, terrible, horrendous feeling covered their body like a film of oil. Shuddering they saw towards the center of the square, the permeation of that sickening feeling pushing the small fairy away...And so it did, floating quite a few feet away while watching the moving crowd around it. There was something wrong here and Ravan wanted to know what it was, though they definitely didn't want to get closer to it.
(Ravan)
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[18:52:09] Walking into the Cruxati square after seemingly losing it - he had already been feeling horrible - he's done something unforgivable even by his own standards. His mind was a clusterfuck of emotions coming back and forth and then something happened.

A disturbance in the force-

The occultist could not help but feel as everything around him had died down - quiet - voices went by unheard. He felt as though he stepped into a literal void. What the fuck was that?

Everything around him had stopped moving for a second and he felt sick to his stomach - it felt as though it was the first time he'd ever taken a life, which was odd on it's own accord.
(Guatemoc)
The Pale Paladin felt all that weird presence upon the place, he'd at first, try to grab his chest, as if holding his own heart in fear and bad thoughts.

His hand would fall on Nochte's shoulder, trying to support his body as he supports himself by a tree lose to him with his left hand, it was a bad feeling, even worse when he couldn't use his Holy magic, still...

"What the...?"
(Raoni Vzier)
 The transition was immediate, and for the first time since his arrival, Olander knew fear. The distortions were otherworldly, as though an incomprehensible being had sucked all life from the square; vibrant greens became the muted shades of lichen, and the latte colouring of architecture seemed to fade to a deeper mocha, and then grey. Olander remained beside Citalli, peering -- many had gathered, expecting some great force, some great evil to strike upon these already tainted hands.

He wondered how often this sort of calamity occurred within the obscured Dreadwood swamps and jungles. The weapon is, thus, accepted tentatively, and flared with the flaxen sparklings of cosmic intensity.

This was not his battle, though it seemed he had little choice in the matter...

(Olander)
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[18:53:52] The wave of psychic emptiness echoes through the Paladin's mind, his body going limp as his very holy essence seems to dim down and fade slightly. Quickly, his gaze moved to face the others in the square, quickly...

His first reaction was not to protect himself, even if his leylines shone to do so, covering him in a slight, shining coat of yellow light. Its usually peaceful sensations, the symphonic hum, would be muted by the disabling sensation that ran through his body.

But of course, his first reaction was to run towards the center of the square, his hand ready to pull onto the nyeshk greatsword as he shone slightly, but instead of charging at the odd presence in the middle, he put himself in front of Kaschei, and by consequence, in front of Toka.

"Stand behind." He said.
(Paladin)
Zaruma could already guess what was bound to happen.

Assuming that it would be yet another appearance of the Umbral Lord, the Ventus Archon had his brows furrowed. Yet, despite knowing their power very well, he was not afraid.

If anything, he was not facing off against such force alone this time; there were other of the Demonkind around. Feeling their presence was re-assuring, if anything.

But he spoke nothing. Instead, the crimson hues observed of what's to come.
(Zaruma)
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[18:53:52] There was a shift, a change in the area around. Her vision became hazy and the world around her began to change. Everything became dull, and dead. Voices fade in and out, and the world around her became desolate and colorless.

For the first time, she felt a sort of fear. She did not like this, the sudden lifelessness, the dullness of her surroundings. The foreboding energies that drifted around. This didn't feel right, it felt ominous, and nothing good came from that.

"Brace yourself Chitli..."

She would mutter to herself. Whatever was invading now, was unseen, and that made everything worse. She would draw the oversized scythe from her back, and her lightning would form about her. It was rather erratic, her emotions getting the better of her.

If only she was able to get her spirit companion before this. She'd simply have to rely on herself, and those around now though.
(Chitli)
Malachai would feel sick. as everything became a blur as the disturbance unsettled him greatly seeming tense and on his guard holding onto his staff seeming to look around as he see's the world dying and the thick miasma appearing seeming to stand patiently.
(Malachai)
{NARRATION} The shimmering seems to split and a thick glob of mana passes through. At the start it is formless, but as it begins to observe those around it, the mana begins to take a near physical shape. The globs shrink down into narrow structures of ivory. They continue to mould and shape themselves into bones. More mana pours through and more and more it takes shape.

Until, eventually it takes the shape of a Skeleton Lich, floating above the ground. It wears a long gown that seems to fade away as it nears the ground, never quite touching it. Dark magics flowed off of it, sucking away at the life around it, sapping and clawing at your very souls. The being sweeps its gaze around silently, its clothes don't even rustle in the air.

A silent, calm watcher.
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JaDrako was blunt

"Dude you're fucking UGLY"
(JaDrako Kumo)
Malgannan remains in the same position, raising his halberd into a defensive position. Holy fucking shit... Such a massive prey. A true challenge perhaps? Why was it watching, in silence? Why isn't it talking? Many questions... Most likely to remain unanswered. One thing was certain. This would escalate int ocombat.
(Malgannan)
Looks confused as he draws in his surroundings.
(Ethren Hilthrex)
Guatemoc watches as that thing made itself present to the naked eye.

What. The. Fuck.

The mere sight of it brought dread to Guatemoc, he had never seen anything like it before. Just what the hell is that?

Taking a deep breath in, Guatemoc watched the observer - merely taking note of it's presence.

Making his way next to Cullen, he wouldn't let cowardace take over - for he is a warrior of Ezmaran.
(Guatemoc)
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[19:00:41] The grip upon his stave tightens .. Occultic tendrils of water magic flow around his being, formed from the grasses below..

"..Pyrrha! Lend me your aid!"

The words are spoken, and his Ignifox makes an appearance from its capture cube-- fire flows from its form, blue and orange as the heat it exhumes only intensifies further.
(Citlalli)
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[19:00:41] Ajax had approached Cruxati after following the group he was with. What he came upon was a lich unlike any he had heard of. Just standing before it felt as if his very soul would be sucked away. Ajax gained some distance and activated his aura of energy in an efforts to ward off the feeling of death. For some reason even though Ajax never felt scared. It was as if true terror ran through is bones right now. Making the hair on his neck stand.
(Ajax)
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[19:00:41] A burst of chaotic aura could be felt Rothraim set his gaze forward as the globs of corrupted mana fell from its frame. He simply starred forward watching the occultic power drain the land of its life. A smirk drew on his face as he saw all of his demon kin gather to witness this as well. They were more than up to the task to defeat this creature with the help of the Gehennans as well...Rothraim stared forward only caring about the threat in front of him. A snap of his fingers summoned his demonic thralls to his side.
(Rothraim)
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[19:00:41] JaDrako Kumo exclaims, "Oh shit! K man hit the scene!"
[19:01:32] The Archon observed the creature that came out from the visible crack of reality.

Although, he did become rather curious about it too; this one did not seem as an Umbral Lord, or their servant. And even if he was? It certainly didn't seem that way.

He could have questions for it, certainly, but he decided to stay in the back, for now. Who knows if it's hostile, and if it would attack?
(Zaruma)
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[19:01:32] The feeling would just get stronger, he still felt abandoned, still as if there was no way to defend himself, anyway... He'd try to light the Holy torch inside of him, however, he fails... His last option was to let the sand carcass surround and embrace his body.

As he lends his righ hand to his sword's handle, he couldn't exactly know why, he wasn't with his Holy Aura on, however, he felt a huge danger upcomig from it... He still felt a little bit bad, it wasn't not even close to be a good feeling to stay in there, he still wanted to hold his heart in fear, the Chaos... It was so... Disgusting.

"How...? What the fuck?!"
(Raoni Vzier)
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[19:01:32] Still confused
(Ethren Hilthrex)
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[19:01:32] The strange creature appearing from nowhere, Nochte was simply watching it, admiring it, it was simply marvelous.

Starting to wield his staff, he was preparing to fight, even if he wasn't able to use his mana properly.

"Well... that's gotta be interesting."

Hoping that the wound would not pull him down on the fight, he tried to stay calm in front of the creature.
(Nochte)
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[19:01:32] Anaxes remained still as the creature phased through, silently preparing itself for whatever battle was to come. The Demon was ill at ease, but stood steady.

The Kaor observed the mana taking shape, tilting its head in curiousity as it formed and shifted. As the final form of the skeletal Lich emerged, the Demon took a quiet step back.

"Curious.

The Kaor was calm, for now at least. It started slowly moving away, trying to get out of reach of the life-draining magic.
(Anaxes)
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[19:01:32] Kaschei could only gasp in horror- maw agape- as a thing of replete Horror slips through that quiet shape of gloom. The abysmal tranquility of disquiet nothingness that had filled the square prior was nothing compared to this: a gold-boned lich cloaked in veils of purple gore, a black veneer of otherworldly flesh clinging to his vile body...

And already, a terrible magic akin to the likes of Tragedy's tugged on his life essence. Kaschei could feel it: the threat of a phantom power able to tear his soul from his flesh.

There was only one thing to do; he brandishes his staff and beckons the descent of Solar mana, wreathing himself in a veil of blessed flame. "A- ... an Akuma has descended!" Shouts the Krausite, unsure of what else to call such a horrible sight.
(Kaschei)
Eyes drawing upwards, scanning the skeletal beast and god-like figure of undeath before them all. Sul'Koth felt his jaw drop in awe as his eyes widened.
Could this be the wrath of the Valmasian Empire for the burning of Avalon that he'd heard of? He'd attempt to speak in his surprise and state of awe to no avail as the lips upon his mouth moved without words.
(Sul'Koth)
It wasn't like anything she'd seen before.

A strange creature emerged, and likely not at her demands. Whatever the thing was felt otherworldly and ancient, a demon of its own realm and not from their's. It was even unlikely if it would be able to answer them in a language that any of them could understand.

Still, Kayeliun merely stared at him, her gaze impassive, even as her wings slowly outstretched behind her.

The power it encompassed... it was almost intoxicating.

But it was silent, and it made no move to attack, and so....

"I'll give you one chance- what do you want?" again, her voice echoed about, aimed direclty towards the creature with a funnel of sound magic, "Answer fast. I doubt the people of Gehenna will be held off from attacking for very long."

And if there was no answer, well... she'd just join them.
(Kayeliun)
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[19:01:32] Xoconan says, "Malachai, shut the absolute fuck up."
[19:01:32] Erenan watches the apparition with contempt, the typical arrogance- disgust, even. Not at its form, not at its gruesomely ugly mold . . But at the sight of a lifeform that likely, in virtue of prior interactions, viewed themselves as superior even to his own kind.

And that could not stand.

Hind pawns stretch as lips roll outwards, allowing the sight of rows of teeth sheltered by blood-red gums.

"Ah . . Another imitation.

I shall feast upon thee."
(Erenan Qi)
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[19:01:32] Magnolia would continue watching on as a being began to take shape in front of them, pouring large amounts of mana into the area and creating a pressure unlike anything Maggie had felt. This was likely one of the most powerful creatures she had ever seen and she began to wonder what its origins might be.

As the various Magi made their statements towards the powerful being, Maggie would begin fueling her aura heavily, thickening the dark blue mana that surged around her small form. She would also have take Silver Silence from its sheath. Having her sword held by her side in her right hand, Maggie would simply continue to stare up, wondering what would become of the scene.
(Magnolia )
Wordlessly, the demon's gaze settles on the newly materialized Lich, eyes slowly narrowing into thin slits at the sight of the strange undead monstrosity. Yet, he remained motionless, silent- the creature's very presence seemed to tug at the souls of those there, it was not his intention to further provoke it.

"Is...Friend. Is...Foe. This situation be odd, will be strange. Crowd shout to fight, stranger say nothing yet- will be...quick, to be certain."
(Noxim Florus)
The dryad merely watches. Unspeaking.

If she had to take action, she would.

The time being, there was no recourse.
(Adsila Coaxoch)
Kin-Zhen tends to stay with its kin, a face without eyes staring upwards at the beast, the sound of scraping claws was easily drained out by all the speaking.
(Kin-Zhen)
"Ah... What in the fuck?" She asked softly, fingers clenching her staff all the harsher. Eyes narrowed, taking one deep breath after the other. "What..."

And then, that oh so... *Familiar* sensation of her soul being tugged on, life force sapped. Death. Whatever the fuck this thing was, Lich, Demon, or something else entirely, it was a wielder of Death.

Lips curled in a sneer, anger forcing its way through the apathetic form. She, all too obviously, did not enjoy having her soul sapped with Death.
(Xoconan)
So… massive. The moulding of mana into this creature was an intricate, and ultimately interesting process; how its globules of energy had kneaded carefully upon themselves to create this titan was beyond him, and yet, in his eighteen years, he’d seen nothing like it. The people of Gehenna, however, seemed prepared. Scared, yes, but eager to combat it.

It left him questioning how they made time to single-handedly collapse a nation while defending their own territories from beasts like this.

Still, with blade drawn and cosmic-exorcistic energies flared, booning about him in a great, golden wave, he felt, perhaps, as prepared as one might manage in the face of such deafening energy.

Bestow your power unto me, Lord Azrael, he prayed.

(Olander)
Hue was beginning to think it all a charade perhaps a joke even, played by one of the more powerful magi around the area. What spawned before them however was anything but, throughout the creatures manifestation it presented an unbridled amount of power the likes of which he had read about in children stories but never seen in person.

'Spirits Protect...' The man mumbles to himself all the while gazing on the spectral menace.

It was then he realized the shifting changes of the environment, the way the area seemed to lose the life of its color within moments, even the trees around began groaning and creaking as they bent and became malnourished under the weight of the creatures magical prowess.

Grabbing hold of his weapon he stares the massive being down, warbles of time magic pulsating around him seamlessly. At least he wouldn't have to fight such a being on his own...
(Hue Coliqui)
Closer to the source--- a source which felt all too real and Karma couldn't help but find his steps slowing down, getting smaller and smaller with each passing moment until his eyes finally took in the sight of Cruxati square--- and the unfamiliar, big guest that stood there.

A small crackle of lightning follows and Karma neatly lands upon temple stairs, yellow hues focused upon the lich, his head tilted over to the side and a soft, soft curl of lips gracefully sitting upon his features as he'd let out a soft chuckle.

"Can't catch a break, huh..." it's offered outwards, a brief glance spared in Kayeliun's direction before he'd let his eyes wander over to the lich again, smiling all the while.

"Do you talk?"
(Karma Vindict)
The mass of energy around would take form, slowly but surely in the middle of Cruxati. She had never seen such a being before, it was large, bigger than any creature that she had seen before. She didn't know if she was prepared for something like this.

The robed skeletal being before her seemed to try and tear at her very souls as if it was trying to steal her very life from her. The dark energies flooded off the creature before everyone there. It clearly was a menace, something that needed to die, and despite her current fear, she was going to help kill it one way or another.

She would silently stare at the being through her hood, observing it just as it was observing then. It's motives were ordered from Kayeliun. She wanted to strike this being down. If it was a skeleton, then it was an undead, and she hated those that were plagued by such a curse.
(Chitli)
Hototo simply stops, not making a move, not making a sound, his blood truly running cold at the sight of the eldritch monstrosity amongst him.

Dread crushes down on the golden-robed warrior, causing him to kneel down onto the pavement, praising the god-like being.
(Hototo)
Closer to the east entrance, he'd find Ajax along with Malachai and a few other of his kin. As the young dryad was about to open his mouth, he felt a HUGE cold into his whole spine. He'd look back, and his eyes met a huge lich standing right in the middle of the Cruxati Square. What the fuck?


Imra'el never really changed his expression, but now in front of this... even the motionless dryad opened his eyes, impressed by the figure that had just appeared.


"... what... what are you?"
(Imra'el)
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[19:04:06] Kayeliun meets Karma's glance with a very pained one of agreement.
(Kayeliun)
Hatsune watched the mana coalesce into a semi-physical form. While it didn't seem wholly there, possibly being a projection or a spiritual being, that didn't necessarily mean there was less of a threat.

Just that it was possible that it was not the threat to be wary of. Not likely, but at least it was possible.

The mermaid stood behind the others as she often did, and golden light began to coalesce around her body. It erupted in all directions, going wide out and wavering along its length like deep ocean waves struck by the sun. Diminutive, spectral figures flock to her. Sea life of shimmering golds and silvers swim through the light around her body; consisting of koi and other fish of paradise.

And from her spilled an aura to combat the sickening presence that the lich, half of the humans and other humanoids, and the demons over on the other side of the crowd were spilling out...

So really, herpresence of calm and belonging was hardly felt, even by those close to her. There was just too much wrong in this square of people.
(Hatsune Panic)
Atla recovered and could perceive the miasma getting stronger, a shadow began to appear in the middle of Cruxati, he saw other Magis preparing and getting alert and then decided to do the same.

He pulled the bow from her back and concentrated, causing the mystical energy to begin to run through his body, the energy gathering and condensing went to the storage on his shoulder, this potentiated his physical and magical abilities.

A great danger was arising and this was no time to play.

'Renata, this time I think I'll need your help too.' He said telepathically with his spirit.

'That sucks, I really feel something terrible coming, I'll help you, be careful not to hurt yourself.'

This is where Renata appears on the physical plane, staying with Atla to help him.
(Atla-Cuauhtli)
Lotlhuitl's fluffy blue-black tail had visibly bristled, her eyes wide, disbelief decorating her delicate features.

She wasn't afraid of anything. She was no coward.

This was, surely, a wraith.

Still. Lotlhuitl had to force her fear down. It was an innate, guttural reaction. And.. while her immediate reaction was to attack, guided by the Chieftain of Cruxati, the Nagual held back.

Lightning crackled over her form. Waiting.
(Lotlhuitl)
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[19:05:48] Toka was not pleased by that sight! Especially when she felt the life begin to get sucked away from around it, her own very soul feeling like something was out for it. Whatever it was, she didn't like it at all. And as he wanted to keep it a secret, now would not be a time to hold back.

A deep breath was taken as the winds around her picked up. Water began to form, combining to make a cloud around her body. And finally, lightning would mix with the cloud. Forming a storm of her own around her body.

She had to be ready, she couldn't let her guard down at all due to what she was feeling. What was standing before her, before Gehenna.
(Toka)
Xitlalli appeared very out of her depth here, one moment she was passing the time and idling away, then the next thing she knew there was a massive shape in the air, it appeared much like a ghastly and ghostly apparition! In response, all the dancer could do was murmur a few incoherent words.

"What is that thing?", she says, staggering back with a hint of fear in her eyes; it wasn't like anything she has ever seen before, was it perhaps a Wraith?

"Is that a Wraith?", she asks, nudging Lothlhuitl, "What do you think?"
(Xitlalli)
He merely opens his arms, condensing a slight sphere of light around him, Kaschei and Toka, and all those surrounding him that still stood unaffected by the demonic forces. He felt the horrid sensation tugging at his soul, and yet, made his force to stop itself from getting pulled.

More than anything, his protective sensation made marble rise from the ground up towards him. It slowly covered his body, crackling with holy energy, the yellow irises gleaming through his helmet. It seemed to form a shield at his vacant hand, even if it meant a sacrifice to his balance by holding a broadsword on the other.

"Fight as one!" He said, lifting the marble arm and shield over his torso, and also his sword as a just-in-case anything happened to Kaschei or Toka.
(Paladin)
Maiya grimaces a small bit toward the Lich before them. This was not going to be fun. In the slightest.
(Maiya Vindict)
Cocinar is alone, and in a corner, hoping not to be seen
(Cocinar)
Hototo would slump to his knees, raising his arms, sweat dripping down them.
He begins to shout

"OH DARK ONE, WHAT IS IT YOU WANT?"

"WHY HAVE YOU ARRIVED?"
(Hototo)
{NARRATION} The being shifts its gaze around the square, looking at the gathering. (Wow, so many people in one place just randomly, isn't that just crazy?) It seems to pass over everyone equally, ignoring any one in particular and definitely not responding to anything being spoken to it. One of the Skeletal hands was raised and the thick aura of death seemed to expand.

Whatever this thing was here for, it definitely wasn't to talk. As the magic began to engulf it, it once more looked around, however, this time its gaze lingered on those of sin, those that were emotional and those that held strong attachments. Everyone was treated equally still, but its gaze lingered a little longer on those.

Eventually, the clawed skeletal hand was brought out and the thick mana hit the floor, erupting it in occultism and chaos.

The stage was set.
--------------------------------------
As much of one to join the bandwagon as any, Noxim gradually coalesces an aura of shade around his form. It was time to fight, whether or not the beast was truly interested in it or otherwise.
(Noxim Florus)
As the aura of Death expanded, Anaxes backed away. It had gotten a taste of this in battle alongside Tragedy, and it had little wish to be on the receiving end of this horrid ability.

The Demon's own occult aura flared up as it got ready for battle. The Lich's gaze would likely pass it by, as Anaxes fit none of those traits.

With all its preparations complete, the Kaor prepared to fight. Carefully, of course! It didn't want to risk its own life for a bunch of Gehennans.
(Anaxes)
Sul'Koth jumps back, the stone and rock beneath his feet igniting to the point of reaching molten temperature. Throwing both fists forth as his feet slowed his slide, Sul'Koth super-heated the air to a deafening screech before igniting the oxygen in a wall of flames.

With all of his might, he continued to release an onslaught of attacks in a defensive dance around as much of the chaos and occultic energy as possible.
(Sul'Koth)
He would hold his blade firmly, standing by Nochte's side, fearing how many would die in this battle, or if anyone did... He... Never felt such an aura, in fact, there was no need for him to turn his Holy aura on, he could already feel the Dark upcoming from that thing... It was a disgusting feeling, he felt as if he was going to fell in madness just by standing clos to it.

He swallows and tries to slide to Fomorian while still keeping his eyes on the skeletal being, he was for sure more than threatened and scared with that thing in front of them.
(Raoni Vzier)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[19:14:20] Malachai would charge his hellstorm magic ready to defend gehenna seeming to fight this... 'god' or being of death magic as he was scared. very scared but he would fight for the safety of gehenna and agartha. may this monster fall as hard as it's big!
(Malachai)
Harima looks at this being, he realizes the blunt of Gehenna's force is here to deal with.... whatever this being is... It looks like a being that was between life and death. He looks around observing the powers of those gathered.
(Harima Ouji)
Kon grimaced slightly as he would grip his hands tightly on the blade. He would wait for the creature to attack, just wanted to obtain a damn sale on a drink.
(Kon the Burned)
This was perhaps the greatest Magis junction that Atla had ever seen, even in Wars there was not so much magic involved, but by reason, the one in the middle of the square seemed to be of another level, he possessed the magic of death, even in the Through so much magic Atla could feel the scratches on her skin and that terrible sensation.

But he held firm that mystical magic would protect him as well, the wing on his right shoulder held steady despite having so much extra magic in the air.
(Atla-Cuauhtli)
As soon as it acted, Imra'el knew what was going on. He'd take his shamanic staff off his back and his vines started to be agitated. Clearly, a fearful foe. But it was exactly for this kind of situation Imra'el had trained his body and mind for so many years. His expression slowly goes back to the usual calm and serene one, and the dryad looks at the huge being his emerald eyes.



"Get ready, brothers".
(Imra'el)
Guatemoc saw what that thing had been doing - it gazed directly at him and it's gaze merely lingered longer than it did to those around him. Just what did it want from him? Being quite literally a clusterfuck of emotional instability, Guatmeoc seemed to attracted the lich like Kitsunes get attracted to rutting peckers - and that was not a good thing.

He watched as the lich's thick mana hit the floor, erupting with choatic and death magic. Where it didn't bother him as much - it set a feeling of dread in the back of his mind - a feeling he hadn't experienced for a while, not since he left Gehenna behind and moved over to Agartha.

It wanted a fight - but a fight over what? It's intentions were unknown, going against so many people - demons and anything inbetween at once was not something such an ancient and dangerous being would do - faeries - archons and powerful Magi.

It was clearly outnumbered - but was it out-classed? That was the real question here.
(Guatemoc)
 Hototo gulped, dread overwhelming him, he pulled out his sword, the blade practically slipping out of his shaking hands and sweaty palms.

Hototo would wipe some sweat from his forehead, uttering
"Good luck, guys..."
(Hototo)
Malachai would channel his hellstorm lightning and all of his magic might soon upon this creature. seeming to ready for this fight even he may die perhaps he fought for his fellow gehennans and comrades. defying this akuma or creature of death magic. may those who fall rise back up or survive from their wounds.
(Malachai)
Ajax for once did not think to try fighting without the help of Afro. Calling him forth unconsciously.
(Ajax)
Kon struggles to get up as he would grit his teeth and exhales.
(Kon the Burned)
Sighs.

"Hope he don't have another form.."
(Nochte)
 Malachai would raise his staff happily as he never fell down as he was proud and happy they defeated it and himself with the others as hatsune gave the final blow to the creature as he makes a shout of victory towards the others seeming incredible happy as he somehow survived it without falling down.
(Malachai)
{NARRATION} The creature seemed mad, eager to destroy and devour. The unpleasant feeling at your cores suggested it was trying to tear not your souls, but your spirits from your bodies. Its grasp was powerful and unstoppable, at least for a while. Every single one of you would nearly fall forever to the beast, but whatever ties you had to this world, whatever connections you made... were what kept you alive.

The creature began to falter, its physical form once more returning to that of pure mana. First, it was only an arm, disintegrating away into the wind. But soon its other features began to fade and evaporate until all that was left was a pure core. It did not look man made, but it was hard to find something like this in the wild. It pulled on you all, like a tether.

As the creature finally faded it uttered one sentence, one final thing.

"The spirits are angry with you."

And then, all that was left was its core, that and a disgusting feeling in the pit of your being.

Everyone here has been afflicted with Spirit Rot. It will give you strange feelings of dissociation, as if your consciousness is not attached to your body. You will be able to lucidly dream freely though never in your own form. Memories will flash before you, memories of a life you did not live, a past person who once shared your soul.

Yet all of this is random and fleeting, and even so, it burns away at you. For with these feelings comes a deep, dark dread that something is no longer right in the world. And the sinking feeling that what isn't right... is you.
---------------------------
Cocinar in shock, ran far away from the scene. He wouldn't be seen for a while, or so he hoped.
(Cocinar)
Kon waving his hand at dimissal as he would leave.
(Kon the Burned)
This battle was clearly a death row.

As much as Zaruma held all of the power of an Archon within, it was clear that even for him this creature was of immense challenge - it was a team effort of all magi present, the only thing that managed to bring it down.

Zaruma was huffing audibly, recovering from the countless blows dealt; he was forced into retreat to recover a hefty amount of times too. This was evident by how he stood, by how he moved.

But at least it was over now. As glad as he was, even an alienated creature as he is couldn't help but feel the disgust towards it - a strange machinations of the magics involved, he figured.

"Hrr..."


"I wonder... what made it come. Odd."
(Zaruma)
Cowardice paid off in this fight.

Anaxes spent the near entirety of the battle in the back rows, plinking away at this monstrosity with lightning and darkness, occasionally closing for a few moments to deal attacks of opportunity.

It was a slow, steady fight for the Kaor, fighting off the drain this creature inflicted while doing its part in the fight.

Eventually, the creature went down. The sinking feeling of despair it brought about went away as well. Anaxes was... affected by the rot, certainly, but the elation of a victory overshadowed that for the moment.

The Kaor stomped closer to the remains. There wasn't much to speak of, just the core.

The Kaor didn't really bother to grab it. This creature was after the Gehennans, it seemed.
(Anaxes)
Nyrra had stayed close to the Demon, evading and barely escaping the attacks that were aimed at them both. The battle had seemingly raged on forever. And when it finally ended, the victory was bitter sweet. She was left feeling... empty.
(Nyrra)
Half of his body was gone.

Like a hole, the left side of his chest, of his face and his left arm were gone. The dryad was a clear view to anyone near him, what looked like a walking body. But his expression, as always, seemed one of calm and serenity.


"So the spirits have spoken" he says, to whoever is near him.
(Imra'el)
Once again a fight of epic proportion. The last time Malgannan came even close to participating into a fight against a foe of such incredible strength was when the skies we re torn open and a giant eye appeared. This time... It was a lich. A Death Magi. An incredibly strong one. A giant one.

There was no doubt, no hesitation in the Demon's mind. Not one bit. This abomination had to die. It was most likely the strongest foe Malgannan would ever get to fight, and thus the Demon savored this challenge. Enjoyed it.

He charged into the battle like a madmen, roaring and screaming. Followed by his Lesser Demon thralls his Halberd slashed away at the Lich inflicting light melee damage, for this creature was hard to penetrate. A massive force of elite Magi against an incredibly powerful lich.

The outcome? Victory. Su rprisingly enough. Many were about to fall. It would seem like the creature had the upper hand clearly. Yet somehow, Gehenna prevailed? Through sheer luck? Or did it lose on purpose to deliver its message of the spirits and show the power, the wrath they can inflict upon us if we do not satisfy them?

This encounter opened many new questions... And when the foe was slain? Malgannan dropped to his knees, his halberd falling. He was exhausted.
(Malgannan)
The greatest battle that Atla had ever participated in, all sorts of spells could be seen by land and sky, all elements and forms of magic were present, so much mana was in the air that caused a disturbance in the flow of mana, he tried help the way it could by providing support from a distance.

After a long battle the powerful being was destroyed, but not before he attempted to do something with everyone's spirits, Renata quickly returned to the etheric plane since something was wrong, all seemed to be affected more profoundly with the exception of Atla, he had trained his mind and spirit for a long time, he had gone to the spirit world itself, his connection was too strong, Spirit Rot would not have so many consequences in him.

Panting and tired after the biggest battle of his life, he just crouched on the ground holding himself in his own bow as he gathered his breath and continued to watch the crowd of Magis, watching what they were going to do with that Core.
(Atla-Cuauhtli)
As Deathly energies melded with his skin, scorching meat and bone and even muscle, it became increasingly difficult to not tear away his own flesh in one, fleeting strike; it scolded him as though he had been dipped into a tub of boiling water, flame and fury scorching across every inch of his person. Even his clothing has begun to disintegrate beneath the unfathomable force, revealing lightly toned olive flesh beneath that screamed for some manner of mercy. And then --

-- gone, as fleetingly as it had arrived.

Soaked from tip to toe in blood and gore, he sought out Citlalli carefully, the only familiar face within this ocean of anguish. He had contributed little to the fight, ultimately, and had served mostly as artillery, raining star-fire from the heavens and scorching unto the beast weak astral energies.

Olander silently cursed, beneath the waning agony, that he hadn’t seized the opportunity to flee the territories of Gehenna.

(Olander)
Atro's magic was not up to par, a sense of weakness to it, and he's forced with distance and holy magic to keep him up where cosmic gave his mana stamina.

But for all that had happened prior, he wasn't able to muster up a hint of the order arcane, no purification to his body and spirit; vulnerable to the tug of death, yet the world, whatever connection he had left, kept him clinging to life.

A pain like no other, and corruption seeping through his skin, touching his spirit and clinging in its own form.

While the battle seemingly complete -the being returning to mana- Atro falls to his knees, hugging his chest and shivering greatly with dull passive eyes. Pain seeped through his being, his breath exasperated and dry as his vessel conflicts.

But it could do nothing.
He could do nothing.

And so he suffers a new ailment, one that a person wished to inflict upon him...
(Atro Gwyn)
Kaschei struggles in the shadows of the deathly spirit. An enigma from beyond- a shade which should not be- it commanded powers beyond the mortal's ability to fathom. Blasts of darkness leave Kaschei tumbling backwards through abysmal corridors of astral nothingness.

His light-magic, though it shines bright, quickly dims: the Light itself was dying. Streaks of necrosis tear pitch-black smudges across his body, peeling back to bare raw skin and bloody flesh as he's torn back in the assault.

With a final push- Kaschei is expelled from the darkness of Arra'kor with a thunderous shudder and a howl of wraith-like wailing. "Guhh-aaaah!" He howls out in a grunt of pain, before he's spat-out somewhere on the streets...

... But even then, it wasn't over!
This was no battle- it had become a war.

Malachai, Maiya and Adsila all come to his aid; he rises and falls, burns-shut his wounds and exhausts all his mana nearly three times, casting healing on anyone he could while weaving cascades of blessed fire into the spectral lich. "Begone, Akuma! The power of Kraus compels you...!" He shouts with fervor: considering how little power he had to fight the fiend with, faith was perhaps the best option to him at that moment...

And after many more hard-fought furors and flashes of deadly combat, the creature flickers-away out into the eternal gloom from which it had come. Away it goes- back into the abyss, leaving behind only a blighting stone that had once been its unloving heart...

Kaschei falls to his palms and knees- panting, bloody and sweating. "I-it's gone..." He mutters- before he heaves dry, seeing visions of... what simply wasn't. Hands that weren't his. Sights he'd never seen.

He felt eerily disconnected from everything around him; some memories happened simultaneously, replaying in a mental dissonance that tormented his already-shaken mind. He pants, he breaths stiffly through his teeth, and he claws at the ground...

... before he finally returns to reality- intact, living, but not well. "Damn, you, Akuma...! We're cursed..." He shouts-out, standing with a bloody face and worse for wear.

He jams a finger out at that wretched core as if to accuse it. "That's the heart of an Akuma! It's what's been cursing us! Destroy that unholy... thing!" He shouts, before he collapses-

Kaschei scrapes along even on a knee, towards the fiend's abandoned core. He hated it. All his sickness, all his pain, and the tragedies to have befallen him and his friend... somehow, he was able to blame them all on that dark sphere.
(Kaschei)
She started slinking off. Spiritually she seemed... strange. She shrugged it off for now, tending to the more material world.

She continued with Nyrra. This was likely even more exhausting for the young warrior. Best to take her away from things.

"Come now, let's get going... Best not stick around, hm?"
(Glasya Labolas)
Malachai pants as he was injured but never fell once. seeming to let out a sigh of relief and calmly recollects himself sitting on the ground seeming tired and exhausted. seeming to look up at the sky. seeming to close his eyes. clutching his staff.. seemings to feel the spirit rot inside his body. seeming to see his ailment either as a gift or a curse. seeming to see his 'previous' past lives..
(Malachai)
Hatsune did what she could during that fight to tend to the backlines- Those weary who were readying themselves for another assault upon the indomitable spirit-thing that came to assault the Cruxati temple. The mermaid stalked between demon and man, and she was alight with flurried waters and winds that carried with them motes of silver light or refreshing surges of water to ease away the burns and pains of those around. It was meticulously done to avoid searing those occultic many around her with holy energies while bathing those who might take the most of her powers in all that she could give.

And while she did that, she kept her eyes forward but her attention elsewhere. The creature stalked and roamed, crossing barriers of men and brick alike as if they did not exist. Nothing could stop him from picking a target, it seemed, and hunting it down to the end. And so she kept her eyes forward but her attention upon it, blasting it with gale forced winds to hamper its movements and keep it from those allies who'd all stood up against it as well as she could...

But the front lines thinned. What was once a horde was a proud and powerful few, and with that so too did the back lines thin. Many were beacons of potency in this cluster-fray.

But with others shepherded behind or left wounded but tended, she joined as well...

Ice came in vicious, violent shards formed in the air around it, and wind slammed them home like sledgehammers. Water alight with burning silver light whirled about its ethereal form to consecrate its foul presence-

And so while she certainly did not do the heaviest lifting destroying the best, her sudden presence made a very clear difference... As others whirled and wailed upon it, it was a pillar of glowing, holy-burnt ice that struck it down in the end.

The mermaid stood amidst the fray as the spirit-thing disappeared, still burning with a golden light that offered peace and serenity to those that wished to take it. Her face was a mask of exotic features that obfuscated emotion. Whatever effect the curse had on her, she did not show it.
(Hatsune Panic)
After falling a little too many times within the batle, Guatemoc was helped back on his feet by his comrades - striking at the beast with all he had - it made him fall once again - attempting to rip his soul out of his body; it wasn't going to be that easy. He held his sword and stabbed into the pure mana form of death magic - aiding Hatsune and the demons in banishing that thing back where it had belonged.

Exhuasted, the warrior fell onto his back - gasping for air; the attempt at dragging his soul was everything but a good experience. The disgust he felt - the oddness, the vivid dreams. Everything seemed to play back to him in reverse.

First it was a blonde man - befriending what seemed to be a bottle of scotch - a pain he had which withered his soul away - poisoned his mind to the point where he walked to his own suicide; watching the previous blood priest ending one of his past lives before his very eyes.

Then it was a rich fella, nurturned with wealth, fine food and clothing before making his way to Agartha - betrayed by his own gods and beliefs, sent into a rippling point of emotional damage and madness; met his end at the blade of someone wicked - someone too pride for their own good.

Both of the lives he'd witnessed flash before his very eyes were not his to live - but somehow he felt a strong connection. Was he both of those men once before?

Guatemoc knew not how to deal with such emotions overflowing him; all of them seemed filled with hatred and anger and so did his own memories of this world. Pain - bitterness - hatred. They all played a big part of his own survival.

Revenge. It dragged his soul back.

Anger. It held his mind in one piece.

Bitterness. It wouldn't let go.

All of those emotions held him together for so long - they were not about to get rid of him just yet - not now - not ever.
(Guatemoc)
The beats was powerful, and beat every one of them back several times, but yet they did not die, they were not pulled from their world. It was as if they were attached so much that the being before them could not get what it wanted. Their spirits.

It began to slowly disappear, leaving only a few words behind. That the spirits were angry with them. After that it would fully disappear, but she didn't feel right after that. She didn't feel like she was fully there, like she wasn't attached to her physical form.

"What... the hell."

That's all she'd really say at the moment. She wasn't much of a help in the fight against the creature, no matter how much she struggled against it. Her power wasn't enough to make much of a difference at the moment, and that would frustrate her.

She wanted to be stronger, but every encounter she faced she was pushed back, and the fact that she was weak was thrown right into her face and smashed into it. The blows hit her hard, and only angered her, and frustrated her. She was just getting out of the rut she was in, and yet she was back into it.
(Chitli)
As the behemoth of a Demon dropped to his knees. He felt... Different. Vastly different. Something was not right... He looked around him, and saw... Darkness. And in the centre of it? A figure... A Neries wearing a mask resembling a Crow. The vision faded quickly and when Malgannan opened his eyes it was clear he was not the only one feeling ''off''.

Something was very, very wrong. Malgannan was not sure what was wrong exactly yet, but it wasn't good. That much was certain. He slowly gets up, sheathing his halberd and retreats to the edges of Ezmara to think and reflect. In solitude.
(Malgannan)
Rothraim's power began to fluxiate as he saw the spirit...or perhaps wraith fade away his injuries slashing away with his blade and making sure to avoid the powerful death he emitted with Lightning and bolts of Hellstorm magic that tore down the heavens and slashed the creature with incredible force.

However Rothraim's soul felt detatched like it did when cho wanted to experiment on him. His connection tohis body was loose and he figred he would need some time to meditate and control it. He could tell he wasn't the only one who suffered from this though others around him felt similar ..
(Rothraim)
The spirits were angry, whatever that meant.

And at first, Esperite got off easy! Got off thinking he had done quite well, really, in the grand scheme of things- young fae, barely trained, only getting hit a few times? Perfect performance, as far as he was concerned.

... But the lingering feelings of dread surely rotted away at that confidence. His ego turned to dust and it was immediately resolidified with strange feelings that, while Esperite understood them to be utterly artificial, couldn't be shaken off.

Feelings that he'd have to excise later, probably. Feelings he'd have to dissect and more carefully remove if he sought to be free.

For a moment or two, he writhes internally- only once his 'spirit rot' finds itself firmly placed does Esperite manage to rise back to his hovering 'feet', lingering back toward Shan and Paprika with the singular goal of finding out whether or not this was a 'him' thing or an 'everyone' thing.

"H- Holy..." he murmured, rubbing his head. "Was that just me, or- what?"
(Esperite)
Dreadful, absolutely dreadful; from the moment everything and anything kicked off, Xitlalli could feel it. Not so unfamiliar to the dance, something a lot more selfish and vindictive it were; the Spirits are angry with them all, to which the dancer felt disheartened to hear that.

Had her performance not been adequate? Did she not take Zahhual's teachings to heart, had they not performed enough sacrifices -- why were they angry?!

But then it dawned upon her as she clattered down to the ground, unable to keep herself up for much long as that oppressive, ripping and tearing sensation braced her back; it wanted what she served and more importantly, she was sure that this feeling of uneasiness could be traced back to the swamps.

"She can't have? Impossible- Agh!"

"Stop. Stop damnit.", like it or not, the grasp of this creature was plagued, it's aura's metaphorical claws digging into the flesh of all those around including Xitlalli, as it tried to tug and pull mercilessly, only to leave infections within its place. For Xitlalli this was most grave. Spirit Rot, something which was going to affect her quite deeply.

"I feel awful, absolutely awful.", the woman whines out, pulling herself up after a while; she didn't quite feel like her own self, almost as if her body wasn't her own. Each shift of the leg, the sway of arms, the bobbing of one's head, the flick of an eye. It all felt vaguely foreign, somewhat new to her.

Was she even here to begin with, or was this even real.

"I don't. I don't. I don't. I don't.", panicky and confused, the young dancer aimed to stagger away from the square, to try and make end's meet of it all.
(Xitlalli)
But that magic was powerful, even with a Spirit-trained Magi like Atla still had some effect, memories of all her training began to go through her mind, her entire spiritual journey, everything that had happened.

It only lasted for about a minute until he fully recovered.

"What was this thing?"
(Atla-Cuauhtli)
Slowly, Noxim began piecing together the shattered portions of his husk, fingers slowly jamming together shards of wood and bark into clumps of mud. The powerful Lich had decimated the crowd, nearly slaying the lot of them more than a handful of times amidst the carnage. The demon oft found himself righting fallen adventurers, seeking to provide some measure of assistance amidst the chaos.

Pressing the clumped splinters against his husk, the demon gradually continued to repair the wooden frame with slow and deliberate motions. With due time, the mud would dry...and yet, for now the creature would have to find himself comfortable with the patchwork job for now, if at all.

Wordlessly, he approached the mass amidst the crowd, a thin-laced frown present beneath his mask. The strangely awkward sensation wracking his mind was unfamiliar, his inner confidence momentarily shaken amidst the madness.

"Noxim disagrees with theHoly man. If destroy Heart, will likely make curse permanent. Would be best if used to cure curse. Noxim is willing to assist."
(Noxim Florus)
 It was never ending- or so it felt. The constant pull on her soul was devastating. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before and she dreaded it, and it was for that reason alone she chose to fight to live another day. That anger boiled and made her flames burn brighter.

But it eventually came to an end. The spirits were angry? She knew not what that meant, nor did she care to reflect on it.

There was a newfound feeling boiling inside of her and it was one she could've done without. Fear? Regret? Regret over what, exactly? Something gnawed at her from within. Paranoia?

She sneered, floating quickly over to Esperite to check on his condition before looking towards wherever the hell Shan had landed. "Esperite, Shan-" she pauses, fluttering higher to try and scout out their newfound friend "-are you both okay?"
(Paprika)
An extremely hard battle, Nochte and a bunch of others would almost die, but with the unity of everyone the fight was ended.

The body of the creature, the strange power, the feeling of his soul begin almost teared apart from the magic of the creature, he just wanted to live on the fight, getting a taste of it, feeling pleasure while fighting.

Using mana was hard with the wound he had from the raid, he tried to stay back rewinding time, trying to help others, trying to protect himself. Seeing the creature fall he looked at it happily.

His desire for recognition, his honor, the desire to revenge Saida, with those emotions held him, the hatred towards Jiangu and even to himself after losing so many times on the war, the shame he felt, a desire to redeem himself.

Leaning towards the rock wall, he stayed there trying to held himself up, not falling from the pain, he gazed at each other of his brothers from gehenna.
(Nochte)
Harima looks about at the battered and bruised warriors standing around the lich. He walks close to Maiya unsure of what exactly the being was.
(Harima Ouji)
... She is drawn. Not here at first, yet drawn. Her, a marker and a victim of corruption drawn likely towards the ire of what afflicted her.

She had already felt this wrath.

That she comes when she does? Only further, will it cement her punishment, her foolishness, her carelessness. She witnesses it now, upon her people as a whole, a wide brooch of destruction and suffering that she has not assuaged, she has not calmed.

She has witness it escape, and quickly, to this destructive point. And there is nothing she can do. Her hand is raised, in desperate, instinctive defense with sharp magics, but they have all already suffered too much, and she is no beast of legend to be anything but just another effort upon many-- and many more valiant than she can offer, as well. She is no warrior, no hero. She is one of many, who will suffer further now because of the result of the actions taken that cannot not be undone.

But hers will be worse, because this is not the first touch for her. Not the first corrupting unnaturality. It would have been better, perhaps, had she not come at all. Had she... allowed, whatever was to befall simply to. But it is not her nature, conflictions and all, to let her people suffer while she stands idly by, if there is instead even an ounce of suffering she can burden on their behalf.

It will burn her. When the lich begins to falter, to dissipate. She is left with rot, as all who have come into contact today with this being. Deep. Dark. Twisted. Merciless.

She is left, heavily lent on the temple, most of her lax, legs locked to hold her upright. All the shadows at her throat, dancing across her skin. The outlines are like crawling needles, pricking to draw blood, yet she does not bleed, and the pain instead dances. Painful, but moreso so incredibly uncomfortable that it leads into mind-numbing sensory overload.
(Navi)
The danger had passed, he relaxed his muscles and slowly made his energy wing on his right shoulder begin to disappear, the massive, dense energy returning into Atla, he returned to cover the rune on his shoulder with the cape.

He just watched the whole square, trying to see what would happen now.
(Atla-Cuauhtli)
...so they were.

Kayeliun ran at the beast over and over again, chaotic energies launching her into the air and sending a spiral of telekinetic force forward to shove the beast away from her. It was a long-fought battle, and even the Chieftess and her immense amounts of stamina couldn't hold out much longer.

It came at her and she ran, firing burst after burst of telekinetic energies until it burned her from the inside- and she screamed, one echo of sound against the cacophony of noise filling her poor Cruxati square. Shaking her head, she clawed at the ground and shook to her feet, wings snapping outstretched as she unsteadily burst free of whatever had been holding her.

The energy from the best was abnormal.

Wings beating heavily, energy strained, Kayeliun landed at the feet of the beast just as it disintigrated. She felt dizzy- uneasy, unsteady, but...

...the feelings that suddenly burst into her heart, they weren't anything she was unfamiliar with.

She'd already known she was what was wrong with the world. She saw it everyday in Atro's dead eyes.

So she shook the curse back into the locked boxes of her mind and intercepted Kaschei before he could fully lunge for the core to destroy it. Glancing at Noxim, who had done a similar thing, the Chieftess staggered unsteadily up to her full, albeit unimpressive, height, and nodded.

"...yes. Hatsune, take the core. We'll need to study it. You--" she eyed Kaschei, still breathing hard, "-don't interfere. We need to figure out what this thing was- if it was truly a spirit, or a result of whatever Zahhual...."

She breathed in, and shook her head.

"No. Pick up the core, Hatsune."
(Kayeliun)
Toka fought her best against the beast, even having to wrap herself tightly in a layer of water to try and heal her injuries. And unlike X'thon, she didn't go down at all during the fight. And when the creature went down, when it disintegrated into pure mana. Leaving just a core behind. Well, needless to say. Something was wrong, it felt like she was connected to it. She didn't like it at all.

And when it ended? She felt...empty inside. Like she wasn't herself. It just, it didn't feel right. She didn't feel right, she was the issue. She was not right. The water didn't fade like normal, it just dropped all around her. Splashing and leaving a mark.

Staring down at her hands, clearly lost in thought. Or she thought she was. She wasn't sure anymore.
(Toka)
The battle is long, raging, and the teen truly cannot contribute much; with Citlalli focussing on his daemon taming skills rather than magic in truth, he stands far back..

Unfortunately, however, close enough to be afflicted. As they manage to beat the lich into defeat, the creature's parting words sting at the boy's mind-- the spirits, angered with them..?

He did not understand.

As he makes his way towards Olander, the teen can only whisper-- aside from the tattering and mild destruction of his clothing, there wasn't any major damage to him. Perhaps a result of his cowardice..

Quickly, however, he would grab the hand of his companion and begin to leave to Ezmara.
(Citlalli)
Hatsune looked down at the core- Oh, yes... She was standing right there. When did she stop and stare off into space? Well, that's not a good thing. Regardless, she reached down to wrap her rubbery hands (covered in a quickly produced handcloth) around the core. She was still exploding with holy energy, though... So hopefully, she didn't damage it and it didn't damage her.
(Hatsune Panic)
With grace, the woman danced around the square. It was hard to imagine that she moved so fluidly with the likes of that monstrous sword in her hands. Even then, she'd shift, moving and aiming to make sure people would be picked up and thrust back into the battle. She'd make sure-- as any combat medic would have-- that people would be able to fight on further into the battle.

The tug and pull on her spirit, though...

The dark sensation within...?

It's only momentarily that she pauses, staring forward in a bleak way.

Remember how you felt before...?

Twisting on her legs, she would soon glance toward Karma, adjusting her glasses after a moment.

"...Hey," it's called outwards in a lofty way as she moves forward, fingers coming upwards to touch against his solar plexus. "Long time no see."

It's odd, almost like--

Well, like she was dancing through the eerie memories that had long since past and actually living them out once more. Then, she shakes her head to clear out the odd memories, the odd sensations.

"Ahnn, Karma?"

There was a lot wrong here, and her head was muddled harsher than it had ever been before. "This is weird, I feel like I've...--" Seen you before? One of her hands touches against her face as she tries to collect herself in the aftermath there.
(Maiya Vindict)
Noxim Florus says, "Heart is intact, curse still present...Yes, Is strange. Will have to get used to strangeness."
[20:04:41] For a moment he felt as though all hope was lost, no matter how many attacks he threw towards the being it seemed to do nothing, his strongest attacks working in conjunction with many of his other tribesmen and women seemingly doing nothing as it continued to unleash a miasma of devastating occultic energy.

'What does it take...' he slowly began becoming battered and bruised by this... thing, and the longer the fight went on the more he felt his true self being tugged and ripped out from within him, nothing physical but it did feel rather spiritual...

The creature stopped, halting it's movements before slowly disappearing in a similar fashion that it had come in. Hue still hadn't been convinced that the creature was defeated and as such he was heavily on guard preparing for any acts of deception, they never came, shifting and distorting itself until it had fully been gone from this plain. Though not before leaving them with a parting few words.

'The spirits are angry with you'

The man attempted to motion his hand to his chin stroking it for a moment before letting it fall to his side, he had taken quite a beating during that fight and it was beginning to take its toll on him. He moved a gaze towards Sul before inquiring.

'Are you alright?' Finding himself back at his comrade's side.
(Hue Coliqui)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:04:41] Anaxes says, "It is a... curious feeling, yes."
[20:05:32] Kayeliun says, "We'll need to determine whatever that thing was... I refuse to believe it speaks for the spirits...."
[20:05:32] Guatemoc says, "--"
[20:05:32] Hue Coliqui whispers something.
[20:06:24] Guatemoc asks, "Who... Am I?"
[20:06:24] Noxim Florus says, "Is many things can speak for."
[20:06:24] The Paladin fought with his own best behavior. The marble that surrounded him made sure to protect all those that it could, occasionally getting in the way of several strikes, or at least dampening the hits that the masses were supposed to suffer.

His holy magic encompassed not only himself, but Masika and Kaschei as well, in its more pure essence. It sought to transfer whatever impact they'd suffer to himself, and such was his burden. The Protective magic cast upon everyone that he could, Cullen would suffer most strikes instead of these two.

And whenever he could not bear to himself to help, he'd hurry to help the weak and the downed, getting the bodies back to the backlines and helping everyone up so they'd at least stay safe. The very minimum that he could do was that, before charging into battle, landing a few hits upon the skeletal lich.

And as such, he was one of the few that were not downed. Instead, realizing that it tugged at everyone's soul, he focused. The Paladin raised up his nyeshk sword to the skies, the fierce holy enchantment glowing within, as it expelled a powerful jolt of light, forming a sphere over his head.

And as such, he sought to transfer the burden from Kaschei and all those that he focused on protecting as much as he could. All those nearby, he sought to at least amenize the harm that they'd suffer with his own efforts. A very, very primitive form of the Zealous Guard that was formed around everyone, encompassing them with Marble, now exploded in a protective layer of holy magic, absorbing the impact and preventing their souls from being pulled away from their body as much as he could.

And as such, he was one of the last ones that stood tall against the creature. Affected, the holy-infused man looked at the defeated core, holding the nyeshk sword at his hand. The massive blade scattered across the ground, as his yellow irises focused against the core...

"This is not good." He scowled slightly. His being was not only being consumed by the spirit rot of his own, but also those of others. He took upon himself to transfer the burden from others into him, and he regretted nothing -- Or maybe, deep down, now he did. He looked at his hands, seeking to see the yellow flourishing light...

And nothing came. Wielding the sword, he looked at Hatsune, still covered in crackling marble. "This is not good, right, Hatsune?"

There was one thing that differed greatly from how he usually was. The voice, filled with tranquility and serenity, as well as his gaze, seemed rather empty. His voice betrayed true emotions -- He was feeling, at the depth of his soul, desperate.
(Paladin)
Guatemoc was so distorted by the immense surge of memories flowing in from one life to the other - losing the identity of one's self.
(Guatemoc)
Toka would slowly waddled her way off.
(Toka)
Her body hurt- holy fuck she didn't like these giant monstrosities capable of spewing out occultic magic like no other. Her body felt torn and broken, and yet it functioned just fine, able to keep up the fight that didn't seem to want to end...

Until it finally did. The pain reverberated down beyond her body, to something deeper. Something wrong, intrinsic to herself. She felt so...

Well, distant.

White-noise filtered through, unable to hear those around. Confusion, body glancing around but eyes looking inward. What the hell was this feeling, the leech on her own soul?

And it came roaring back, forced down for a long moment. Enough to force herself to her feet, glancing around, focusing to Kayeliun, to Hatsune, to the core.

And slowly, she began to walk over, staff used unceremoniously as a walking stick.
(Xoconan)
Sul'Koth watched the dispersement of the Lich's form as a rift within his heart peeled away the layers of his daily life struggles; Striking him at his core and searing the thought of why they had all come here. The Spire Shards.

When his comrade and friend spoke to him, the feeling of soreness in his hand surprised himself to find he was clutching his heart.

"I-" His voice fading as the crowd spoke in their own responses, some leaving quickly and their numbers dispersing from the courtyard.

He'd snap out of it-
Eyes focusing on the destroyed bricks and stones, singed, frozen- leftovers from the battle.
"-Yes. Let's head out, yeah?" His head turned to lay eyes on Hue, nodding it in a bob a single time.
(Sul'Koth)
Zamura decided to leave the place.

The visions that plagued everything and everyone nearby were bound to be clearly unhealthy for anyone involved, and so the man decided it'd be best to avoid experiencing such a thing, instead going elsewhere.

Besides, the battle was over, and it's consequences are to be salvaged by the Gehennans.


(Zaruma)
Even as the seconds and minutes passed, that horrid feeling of paranoia and dread didn't go away. To top it all it all off, memories surged through her mind- memories seen through the eyes of someone that wasn't herself.

Sneering again, she did her best to ignore it, opting to distract herself one way or another. She flutters her wings, lifting herself into the air with the sole purpose of perching upon Shan's shoulder once again.

Only this time, she stretches out her arm, a tiny palm pressing against the side of his neck. Her ability to heal wasn't extraordinary, but it was still nothing to shirk off. It'd at least help a little.

"Alive is good. What of you, Esprite? You seem to be in one piece."
(Paprika)
Hue begins to leave with his comrade in tow
(Hue Coliqui)
The spirits are angry with you.

Lotlhuitl's hair stood on end. Her tail, wrapped firmly around her waist, bristled. She was battered and burnt, as much struck by the stray energies by those who had fought the creature as the creature itself.

Truthfully, with one arm in a sling, she hadn't really been in much of a condition to be fighting in the first place. But still. She'd stood! Fought to protect Cruxati's territory. Fought to protect Agartha from the incursion of a wraith. Biting back the agony of having magic attempt to flow through the damaged mana circuits in her left arm, Lotlhuitl had got off at least two good bursts of lightning at the creature before, in the confusion, someone accidentally whacked her upside the head. And she went down. It was possibly Karma the first time. Still, she kept getting up. Getting up to be beaten back down.

A certain level of rage rose within her. In the end, that was the only thing which kept Lotlhuitl still getting to her feet. Anger. Anger that this creature would attack her home. Anger at her own inability to stop it.

Panting, doubled over in pain, Lotlhuitl had watched as the creature dissolved. And then her eyes had widened.

Memories. They weren't her own. Or were they? Lotlhuitl almost felt like she was watching herself from outside. Looking down upon her own body.

The Nagual magi found herself dry heaving. doubled over, to the side of the courtyard. She felt cold. Cold. Cold. But how? How could this be her fault? She had only ever acted with the spirits in mind! Well, mostly.

Shivering, Lotlhuitl had straightened, wiping tears from her eyes. Wordlessly, she attempted to pat Xitlalli on the back, before shifting closer to her Chieftess, the Chieftess Kayeliun, Xoconan and.. Hatsune, as the Sirenian picked the core up.

What were they going to do? The spirits were ANGRY. They had to do something, right?
(Lotlhuitl)
Massive, utter chaos. That's exactly what ensued and Karma felt his heart race faster with each passing moment. The cries of warriors was overshadowed by roars of magic as the entire square was engulfed within arcane arts. From flaring sparks to soothing waters to scorching flames-- everything was embraced within insanity.

Mages fell in masses as the abomination roared, sending waves of death crashing against their form--- a sickening, twisted feeling washing over those present and more than once the Chieftain found himself backing away, zipping as far away as he could to catch some fresh air. It was taxing--- every muscle ached, every bone in his body was hurting and the chill he felt was more than just unsettling.

Yet, he found himself diving in yet once again. In, burst of magic, then zipping back out. Between the flaring mana in the square and mages healing on the sidelines, the pattern was quite effective--- not for long, though. A soft gasp found itself escaping once the hulking monster suddenly appeared before him--- more than a single strike was enough to send Karma crashing into one of the trees.

Too taxing. His body almost felt broken-- the sight of lich moving in his direction, getting closer and he--- he couldn't get up--

He couldn't--

'Don't be reckless.'

The voice is all too familiar as a hand would hoist him up--- though no words escape him, and neither does he look in her direction. The Ezmaran would nod before quickly zipping back towards the sidelines, letting the soothing waters embrace his body before chaos ensued once again.

Attack, retreat and then repeat.

Only Ixchel knows how long it stayed that way but...

A soft, soft breath escapes him as the Chieftain would finally come to a halt by the temple stairs, yellow hues focused on the core which once was a hulking beast--- tuggingand pulling at their spirits. It was over... it had ended and yet--- and yet...

This feeling.

It was dreadful, dark and...

And so when Maiya approaches him, the Chieftain doesn't say anything. Blinking, he'd glance back at her with a look so dazed as if someone had cracked him on the skull.

"You..." it's hushed out, almost incoherent before he'd steady himself, adding. "...you alright?"
(Karma Vindict)
Esperite shook his head another few times, but he couldn't manage to shake the feeling. Like Shan, and Paprika, and, hell, everyone else present? There was a strange new implanted 'emotion', and it was one that did not easily fit into the storm of empathy every fae exhibited.

Whatever the case, he managed to shrink back from the center of the conflict and approach Paprika once more with relative ease despite all that went on inside his mind.

"Yes, I think I'm fine- but you feel it too, don't you?" he murmured. "Like everyone here just got shot with a bolt of negativity. I wasn't sure why, but..."

He looked over the crowd again as if to confirm his theories and only managed a distinct frown.

"I'm not sure. I sure hope this isn't the 'spirits' or whatever, though. If so? I'm sure what was said isn't a lie."

A deeper frown beset him whilehe shrunk back toward helping Shan heal his wounds.
(Esperite)
"This is cause for alarm."

It took her a few solid, long moments to answer Cullen. The core was in her hands, and she kept her eyes forward. Without any other response to the mass panic and to the people around her losing their collective minds, she looked like a sore spot in the world. She just stood there, golden, quiet...

At least for the moment, that aura still spilled out from her. It was the opposite of the curse- It was a feeling of calm and belonging. Perhaps it would fade with time due to the curse, or perhaps she was still fighting.

Perhaps.

Perhaps.

Perhaps.

But she turned to look at all of those around before swinging her body for the temple. "Wounded. Care for the wounded who are in physical need. If you can stand and walk, do whatever you can for them."

"Then care for yourself."

"And then care for others."

"This is cause for alarm, but this is not cause for despair."

And she went wandering towards the temple at a pace far too slow to be normal, even for her.
(Hatsune Panic)
Never once had she been befallen by the foul creature that attempted to rampage through them. There's a flicker of her eyes around, the displaced feeling, the misery that came along with You're the wrong of this world inside of her head as she blinked a few times.

Those few blinks allowed her to realize something-- She felt this way normally.

"I'm fine. I had to pick you up. You crashed into a tree, Karma." Her head cants off to the side, and she tries to focus a little better-- she can't. It's not stabilizing properly for her, and she knows it well.

"Come on. Let me check you over in the Farmstead, okay?"

There's a lulling motion as she parts her lips. The edges of her vision-- she could've sworn that old memories faded in, blending around, mixing, mingling... Yet, perhaps they were actually just visions. She didn't know anymore. At least they weren't death visions.

That much she was immensely thankful for.

An arm hooked around his as she pulled him along, not another word murmured all the while.
(Maiya Vindict)
Atro stands after the spams of tremors along his body, still sweating. Creeping closer to JaDrako he stares silently with dead blue eyes, uttering worst listlessly.
(Atro Gwyn)
In turn the massive beast followed after Hatsune, arms folded calmly across his chest. The lingering sensation within his gut still remained, yet curiosity had taken hold, driving the beast forward, despite the emotional mire which threatened to drag his mind back under.

"Will do so. Is good news in matter, if is corrupted- Is Noxim. Will not suffer madness, like others. Will make sure all is safe, to try and fix." He rumbled in response, giving a brief nod in the Chieftess' direction as he continued forward.

Whatever that strange core was, he had been given the approval to help in its study, and the beast fully intended to do what it could; for better or worse.
(Noxim Florus)
The Paladin's own holy aura still resonated along with hers. However, even if it still transmitted the same sensation of peace, the same sensation of hope, of valor... He was affected, and it seemed to be a losing battle that he was fighting.

He instantly turned around, looking for whatever wounded magi remained at the spot. Yellow irises would scan the environment, looking for any wounded that still remained in there. However, he had to give Hatsune a fair warning -- One that he knew that she already thought about, but he still had to say that.

"Hatsune." The yellow irises examined the shard. He nodded slightly towards her. If there was a single soul to which he trusted those, it'd be Hatsune. The marble surrounding slightly his body would erupt down, as his guard officially opened up as the core distanced itself in Hatsune's hand. "Be careful. Please."

He then sheathed the Nyeshk longsword, the yellow leylines that possessed it fading away slowly. This was a man affected by holy magic, which guided his hand and spirit. However, he was still affected. Having taken the hit for many was a burden that it appeared not only on his armor, but on the very skin buried underneath it.

"I'll look for the others. I believe... I believe I need to see what is this." He obviously did not refer to the core, but to himself.
(Paladin)
Xoconan wordlessly begins to leave.
(Xoconan)
It was awful.

Everything felt awful. Dark, unsettling, dreadful... as if his entire existence was a sin and...

...something was just-- odd. Different... something he couldn't describe. Sudden, incoherent thoughts flooding into his consciousness, the briefest of visions that'd flash every time he blinked... it was all just unsettling in every form.

And so when Maiya hooks an arm around his own, Karma would squeeze tighter than usual, his eyes shutting close for just a moment as he offers a shaky, hushed breath outwards.

"Thanks..." it's murmured out, yellow hues weakly glancing in her direction before he'd let his eyes close yet once again, sighing all the while. "Farmstead... yes. Let's go-- right, uh..."

He needed to steady himself.
(Karma Vindict)