Gnatty Spider - We Really Ought to be Charging for Exorcisms

Aurelle Surlaint was nearly touching the light now, transfixed on her mirror self. Her suffering was too much to bear. She was alone, crying for her mother, who would never come back. "I have to help her..." Aure mumbled quietly. "I have to protect her...from that pain...she was all alone...she had no one..." tears began to roll down her cheeks, though she had no awareness of it.
(Terres Regalius) i'd be okay with continuing ajkjshSGJ
(Narrating Voice) I'm fine with continuing xD
(Aurelle Surlaint) me too
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Same
(Meria Boucher) Alright!
(Aurelle Surlaint) im invested lol
Terres Regalius watches as whatever the hells was happening unfurled. "What th' hells? Hey— guys! What's going-" Oh. Gravity is hurting now.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro collapses to their knees, panting, trying to figure out how to breathe. They can't avert their gaze, but they can't move either. It almost feels as if their entire being was trying to--Their chest was getting tighter in feeling. They want to just. . . /Do something. /
(Terres Regalius) okie so we need aure and keelan to roll iniative.....
(Aurelle Surlaint) Random! 576
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Random! 807
(Terres Regalius) NICE
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I see
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) hna just walks in with starbucks like "whas goin' on"
(Aurelle Surlaint) aldkfjdkfjk
(Terres Regalius) OKAY SO TURN ORDER IS: keelan, aure, terres, meria
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Random! 890
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) OH I SEE
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro all but coughs out a breathe of air as their gaze suddenly rips away from the source of Aether. Their vision is bleary for a moment, but they recover, looking up to see. . . See /claws/. Claws reaching for the others. An instinct of danger, of Fight kicks in. They need to do something! Their Dragon's Blood sings. . .
(Narrating Voice) Aure~ :D
(Terres Regalius) terres can do nothing but watch as everyone start losing their mind LMAO
(Aurelle Surlaint) Random! 3
(Aurelle Surlaint) QHAT
(Aurelle Surlaint) WHAT
(Terres Regalius) WOW
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Excuse me as I spam Dragon's Blood cause it only has 30 seconds asjkdlkajsd
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) lmAO
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) OMGH
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) R I P
(Aurelle Surlaint) I AM UPSET
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I'D BE TOO
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) ???? IT WE'LL JUST SAY IT'S ACTIVE LOL
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Well ????
Aurelle Surlaint no longer has any awareness of anything physical. Icy claws grasp around her heart and clench, the aetheric mist seeping into her very being. Was she even in her own body anymore? She didn't know. Maybe the her in the mist was the real her. Everything else was a dream.
(Aurelle Surlaint) aure is gonna need a lot of bed rest after this....
(Narrating Voice) :D
(Aurelle Surlaint) if she doesnt like, fall into the aether stream and never come out or something aldkfj

(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) THE DRAGON'S BLOOD DEMANDS I POUNCE BUT I MUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE DICE GODS GIVE ME
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) ALKSDJALDJ
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Uh oh
(Terres Regalius) KAI WHERE DID YOU GO
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Kaiz suddenly disappeared on Discord but I don't know if she's DCing yet????
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Help???
(Narrating Voice) MY DISCORD IS HAVING A SEIZURE
(Terres Regalius) FDJKGDFHGH
(Meria Boucher) Oh, so is mine!
(Meria Boucher) Must be discord having a conniption.
Terres Regalius struggles against the magic thrown against him, minted eyes watching in horror as Isa drops to unconsciousness, and the other three seemingly freak out over nothing. Was something influencing them? "Meria— Aure! Keelan! S-snap out of it, please—!" He lifts himself against the force of strengthened gravity, taking steps forward to try and reach Keelan, ready to plant his hand on their shoulder.
(Terres Regalius) Random! 675
Terres Regalius watches the intensity of the light for just a moment - it was certainly /something/, but everyone was seemingly in danger. "Keelan— Keelan! Listen t' me!"
(Terres Regalius) DOES TERRES SEE WHAST EVERYONE ELSE IS SEEING
(Terres Regalius) OR ARE THEY HALLUCINATING
(Narrating Voice) Nop
(Terres Regalius) nice
(Terres Regalius) is merias turn now uwu
(Meria Boucher) Writing up a post! :D I wanted to see what everyone else was doing before I decided my action, which is why I did't prewrite anything. ^^ sSorry for the delay.
(Terres Regalius) UR FINE DSFKHG
Meria Boucher lets out a bestial snarl, a gravelly roar of sound completely at odds with... everything else about the woman's general bearing. There's no softly spoken monotone or socially-awkward attempts to feed others sweets; there's just something furious and half-feral. A thing that is used to solving its problems with steel and drowning its fears in blood. A thing betrayed and desperate, dying and broken in the snow. A thing that wanted to -- ah. What was that voice? Terres. Isa. /Isaudorel./ ---
(Terres Regalius) TERRES IS AFRAID BUT HIS FRIENDS ARE UPSET.......HE MUST SAVE THEM SDKJHFDHGFDH
(Aurelle Surlaint) someone do something im literally dying pls a.kldjf
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) WE'LL GET THERE WHEN WE GET THERE
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LMAO
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) XD
(Terres Regalius) KJDSFGJDFKGH
(Terres Regalius) LISTEN HES TR Y I NG
Meria Boucher -- Looking at the light again, she finds the figure half-clouded. Recognizable to her still, the memories still sharp and aching in the ruined flesh of her missing arm, but not enough to break her out of her stupor. "It's something - it's making us think we're someone else!" She gasps out, letting the pressure of her magic drop. "Don't look at it!" And then, she tries to grab Aurelle's arm and YANK.
(Meria Boucher) Random! 670
(Terres Regalius) GASP
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) :O
(Aurelle Surlaint) her arm comes off
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) hghgj
(Terres Regalius) jesUS HNA SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) ALSKDJALKSJD
(Aurelle Surlaint) oooo thats a great outfit
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) lkL;KHLR
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) thank u

(Aurelle Surlaint) omg i just realized its the top that looks stupid af on alex aledkjfk
(Meria Boucher) look, of all aurelle's problems rn
(Meria Boucher) a dislocated shoulder is like
(Meria Boucher) #9
(Terres Regalius) DFJKGHFD i like the neck part............
(Terres Regalius) LMAO
(Aurelle Surlaint) this is true
(Aurelle Surlaint) alex looks like Best Jeanist from bnha in it
(Terres Regalius) UUH I THINK its keelans turn
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LEMME DO THE TYPE
(Aurelle Surlaint) so like a fool
(Narrating Voice) Random! 52
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro all but seemingly ignores Terres' pleas, their teeth now bearing and their attention hyper-focused on the claws that now have Aurelle ensnared, even though she's been yanked away. It didn't matter, they needed to do something about those things, before something--anything! --worse could happen further! The Blood was singing, perhaps if they were to strike at it, it might break lose for good!
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Random! 265
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Oh
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Welp
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Terres Regalius) keELAN PLS DONT USE SPEARS IN THE HOUSE
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) AT LEAST I DIDN'T BRING A GUN LIKE MY FIRST OPTION
Meria Boucher || There's resistance. The thing wants her; the mist doesn't want to release its prize. But Meria snarls at it (in a way that Keelan might recognize if he has a mind to think about it) and drags Aurelle a few steps. Meager progress, but... Perhaps enough to aid Keelan. ...Or get her out of the path of their spear.
(Meria Boucher) mist: I FOUND THIS PRETTY ELEZEN LADY SHE'S MINE!!!!
(Terres Regalius) LKDSFGFHGF
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) -softly screaming-
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) free real estate
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LAKSDJLAKSJD
(Terres Regalius) lmfaO
(Meria Boucher) ALSO KEELAN
(Meria Boucher) nice father gascoigne you got going on there
Aurelle Surlaint felt something in the sea of light and agony. Something corporeal, something...pulling on her? She feels herself falling back a few steps. The world coming back to her if only a little. A part of her clings onto that sensation, trying to pull herself back.
(Aurelle Surlaint) Random! 122
(Aurelle Surlaint) nope i stay dead
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) :3c
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Keelan only has...Literal Dragon's Blood in their veins
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LMAO
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) BLOOD MOON BLOOD MOON
(Meria Boucher) look they're ishgardian it happens
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) They aren't
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Keelan is very complicated
(Meria Boucher) they tried to get the accent because people think its hot
(Meria Boucher) like being british

(Meria Boucher) gotcha
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) The short story to the complicated is: Ancient Dragon Blood Boon that runs in the family, but they're not Ishgardian nor have Ishgardian Blood relatives LOL
(Meria Boucher) jeez
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Also pfft
(Aurelle Surlaint) whose turn is it terres's?
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Think so
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Meria Boucher) meria just horfed some dragon's blood in a halonic astrologian star cult like a normal person
(Meria Boucher) jeez
(Terres Regalius) OH I WAS WAITING FOR AURE SORRY DFJKDFJH
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Tewwes YOU LET ME DIE
(Aurelle Surlaint) I HAD MY TURN ALDKFJ
(Terres Regalius) NOBODY HAS DIED ASKDJSDHFD AND I THOT U WERE RESPONDING TO UR ROLL
(Terres Regalius) I WILL DO THING NOW
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) YER THE THOT
(Aurelle Surlaint) OH SHIT WAIT LET ME SAY SOMETHING
(Terres Regalius) OK ASJKSDFHJDS
(Aurelle Surlaint) KEEP TYPING THO
(Meria Boucher) i thought you all were thots
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Tewwes is the biggest thot tho
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) He has King Thot status, does he not?
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) all terres' characters are thots
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) -stares hard at Emmet- Oh I'm aware
Aurelle Surlaint felt the grip of the claws around her heart tighten as Meria pulled her away. It was no use. She couldn't get away. She needed to be here, in the light. It was the only thing that mattered. She began yanking her arm out of Meria's grasp, reaching back to the light.
(Aurelle Surlaint) i only have one thot but hes also grouchy
(Narrating Voice) -STARES HARD AT EMMET-
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I can assure y'all. Keelan has a relatively normal sex drive. And is v loyal to their bunlady wofe ♥
(Narrating Voice) Yeee :D
(Aurelle Surlaint) i have a character who purposely does not have sex ever lol
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I have many of those
(Aurelle Surlaint) Hes bascially a buddhist monk
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) OHBOI
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) but he sure did thigh press terres to death
(Aurelle Surlaint) he sure did
(Meria Boucher) meria, sweating and trying to hide all the kink crap from her BDSM relationship with her husband: please don't put the ishgardian cone of shame on me i'm a good girl
(Aurelle Surlaint) god meria aldkjf
(Aurelle Surlaint) have some decency
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Keelan: . . .Eh. I know some very...Very...VERY...Kinky Dragoons who might help you up yer game ;)
Terres Regalius almost crumples after Keelan rips himself out of his grasp, but managed to stay on his feet. They all seemed to see. . . something. "Please, listen t' me! Whatever you're looking at, it isn't real!" Perhaps shouting would get through their heads. The consideration of potentially breaking the device popped into his head, but what if it exploded? Everything seemed to be going completely wrong, he needed to do something... 1/2

(Meria Boucher) gotcha
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) The short story to the complicated is: Ancient Dragon Blood Boon that runs in the family, but they're not Ishgardian nor have Ishgardian Blood relatives LOL
(Meria Boucher) jeez
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Also pfft
(Aurelle Surlaint) whose turn is it terres's?
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Think so
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Meria Boucher) meria just horfed some dragon's blood in a halonic astrologian star cult like a normal person
(Meria Boucher) jeez
(Terres Regalius) OH I WAS WAITING FOR AURE SORRY DFJKDFJH
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Tewwes YOU LET ME DIE
(Aurelle Surlaint) I HAD MY TURN ALDKFJ
(Terres Regalius) NOBODY HAS DIED ASKDJSDHFD AND I THOT U WERE RESPONDING TO UR ROLL
(Terres Regalius) I WILL DO THING NOW
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) YER THE THOT
(Aurelle Surlaint) OH SHIT WAIT LET ME SAY SOMETHING
(Terres Regalius) OK ASJKSDFHJDS
(Aurelle Surlaint) KEEP TYPING THO
(Meria Boucher) i thought you all were thots
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Tewwes is the biggest thot tho
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) He has King Thot status, does he not?
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) all terres' characters are thots
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) -stares hard at Emmet- Oh I'm aware
Aurelle Surlaint felt the grip of the claws around her heart tighten as Meria pulled her away. It was no use. She couldn't get away. She needed to be here, in the light. It was the only thing that mattered. She began yanking her arm out of Meria's grasp, reaching back to the light.
(Aurelle Surlaint) i only have one thot but hes also grouchy
(Narrating Voice) -STARES HARD AT EMMET-
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I can assure y'all. Keelan has a relatively normal sex drive. And is v loyal to their bunlady wofe ♥
(Narrating Voice) Yeee :D
(Aurelle Surlaint) i have a character who purposely does not have sex ever lol
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I have many of those
(Aurelle Surlaint) Hes bascially a buddhist monk
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) OHBOI
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) but he sure did thigh press terres to death
(Aurelle Surlaint) he sure did
(Meria Boucher) meria, sweating and trying to hide all the kink crap from her BDSM relationship with her husband: please don't put the ishgardian cone of shame on me i'm a good girl
(Aurelle Surlaint) god meria aldkjf
(Aurelle Surlaint) have some decency
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Keelan: . . .Eh. I know some very...Very...VERY...Kinky Dragoons who might help you up yer game ;)
Terres Regalius almost crumples after Keelan rips himself out of his grasp, but managed to stay on his feet. They all seemed to see. . . something. "Please, listen t' me! Whatever you're looking at, it isn't real!" Perhaps shouting would get through their heads. The consideration of potentially breaking the device popped into his head, but what if it exploded? Everything seemed to be going completely wrong, he needed to do something... 1/2

(Meria Boucher) gotcha
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) The short story to the complicated is: Ancient Dragon Blood Boon that runs in the family, but they're not Ishgardian nor have Ishgardian Blood relatives LOL
(Meria Boucher) jeez
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Also pfft
(Aurelle Surlaint) whose turn is it terres's?
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Think so
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Meria Boucher) meria just horfed some dragon's blood in a halonic astrologian star cult like a normal person
(Meria Boucher) jeez
(Terres Regalius) OH I WAS WAITING FOR AURE SORRY DFJKDFJH
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Tewwes YOU LET ME DIE
(Aurelle Surlaint) I HAD MY TURN ALDKFJ
(Terres Regalius) NOBODY HAS DIED ASKDJSDHFD AND I THOT U WERE RESPONDING TO UR ROLL
(Terres Regalius) I WILL DO THING NOW
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) YER THE THOT
(Aurelle Surlaint) OH SHIT WAIT LET ME SAY SOMETHING
(Terres Regalius) OK ASJKSDFHJDS
(Aurelle Surlaint) KEEP TYPING THO
(Meria Boucher) i thought you all were thots
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Tewwes is the biggest thot tho
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) He has King Thot status, does he not?
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) all terres' characters are thots
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) -stares hard at Emmet- Oh I'm aware
Aurelle Surlaint felt the grip of the claws around her heart tighten as Meria pulled her away. It was no use. She couldn't get away. She needed to be here, in the light. It was the only thing that mattered. She began yanking her arm out of Meria's grasp, reaching back to the light.
(Aurelle Surlaint) i only have one thot but hes also grouchy
(Narrating Voice) -STARES HARD AT EMMET-
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I can assure y'all. Keelan has a relatively normal sex drive. And is v loyal to their bunlady wofe ♥
(Narrating Voice) Yeee :D
(Aurelle Surlaint) i have a character who purposely does not have sex ever lol
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I have many of those
(Aurelle Surlaint) Hes bascially a buddhist monk
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) OHBOI
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) but he sure did thigh press terres to death
(Aurelle Surlaint) he sure did
(Meria Boucher) meria, sweating and trying to hide all the kink crap from her BDSM relationship with her husband: please don't put the ishgardian cone of shame on me i'm a good girl
(Aurelle Surlaint) god meria aldkjf
(Aurelle Surlaint) have some decency
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Keelan: . . .Eh. I know some very...Very...VERY...Kinky Dragoons who might help you up yer game ;)
Terres Regalius almost crumples after Keelan rips himself out of his grasp, but managed to stay on his feet. They all seemed to see. . . something. "Please, listen t' me! Whatever you're looking at, it isn't real!" Perhaps shouting would get through their heads. The consideration of potentially breaking the device popped into his head, but what if it exploded? Everything seemed to be going completely wrong, he needed to do something... 1/2

(Meria Boucher) gotcha
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) The short story to the complicated is: Ancient Dragon Blood Boon that runs in the family, but they're not Ishgardian nor have Ishgardian Blood relatives LOL
(Meria Boucher) jeez
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Also pfft
(Aurelle Surlaint) whose turn is it terres's?
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Think so
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Meria Boucher) meria just horfed some dragon's blood in a halonic astrologian star cult like a normal person
(Meria Boucher) jeez
(Terres Regalius) OH I WAS WAITING FOR AURE SORRY DFJKDFJH
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Tewwes YOU LET ME DIE
(Aurelle Surlaint) I HAD MY TURN ALDKFJ
(Terres Regalius) NOBODY HAS DIED ASKDJSDHFD AND I THOT U WERE RESPONDING TO UR ROLL
(Terres Regalius) I WILL DO THING NOW
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) YER THE THOT
(Aurelle Surlaint) OH SHIT WAIT LET ME SAY SOMETHING
(Terres Regalius) OK ASJKSDFHJDS
(Aurelle Surlaint) KEEP TYPING THO
(Meria Boucher) i thought you all were thots
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Tewwes is the biggest thot tho
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) He has King Thot status, does he not?
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) all terres' characters are thots
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) -stares hard at Emmet- Oh I'm aware
Aurelle Surlaint felt the grip of the claws around her heart tighten as Meria pulled her away. It was no use. She couldn't get away. She needed to be here, in the light. It was the only thing that mattered. She began yanking her arm out of Meria's grasp, reaching back to the light.
(Aurelle Surlaint) i only have one thot but hes also grouchy
(Narrating Voice) -STARES HARD AT EMMET-
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I can assure y'all. Keelan has a relatively normal sex drive. And is v loyal to their bunlady wofe ♥
(Narrating Voice) Yeee :D
(Aurelle Surlaint) i have a character who purposely does not have sex ever lol
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I have many of those
(Aurelle Surlaint) Hes bascially a buddhist monk
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) OHBOI
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) but he sure did thigh press terres to death
(Aurelle Surlaint) he sure did
(Meria Boucher) meria, sweating and trying to hide all the kink crap from her BDSM relationship with her husband: please don't put the ishgardian cone of shame on me i'm a good girl
(Aurelle Surlaint) god meria aldkjf
(Aurelle Surlaint) have some decency
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Keelan: . . .Eh. I know some very...Very...VERY...Kinky Dragoons who might help you up yer game ;)
Terres Regalius almost crumples after Keelan rips himself out of his grasp, but managed to stay on his feet. They all seemed to see. . . something. "Please, listen t' me! Whatever you're looking at, it isn't real!" Perhaps shouting would get through their heads. The consideration of potentially breaking the device popped into his head, but what if it exploded? Everything seemed to be going completely wrong, he needed to do something... 1/2

Terres Regalius Eyes search the damned device for a switch, anything to potentially turn the damned thing off, quickly approaching it again for a better look. Gods, the air felt heavy... 2/2
(Aurelle Surlaint) all i can picture is a bunch of drgs trying to shove the ends of their spears up their own asses
(Meria Boucher) dragoon butt plugs
(Terres Regalius) NOOOOO
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) AKLJSDLAJSD
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) -puts the cone of shame on Meria-
(Terres Regalius) Random! 219
(Terres Regalius) oh no
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) W E L P
(Aurelle Surlaint) terres explodes it and we all die
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) -casually........_adding more points to my counter_-
(Aurelle Surlaint) isa will wake up and we'll have to tell her her character is deceased
(Meria Boucher) LMAO
Terres Regalius looked closer, and closer still... and then he sees something. But it wasn't what he was looking for. No, it was... something he never wanted to witness ever again. He was covered in blood, wounds from too many battles, eyes full of too much bloodlust. He didn't want to help. He couldn't. He wants to run away, but he can't move.
(Terres Regalius) welp terres got sucked in LMAO
(Narrating Voice) :3
(Meria Boucher) oh boy
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) ATTENTION TURNED TO BOX REEEEE
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Meria Boucher) Aight, my turn yee?
(Narrating Voice) Ye :D
Meria Boucher continued struggling against the force in her attempt to free Aurelle, and voice raised and raw, she screeched - "Stop WALLOWING in your TRAUMAS! You have people who love you and lives to live! LIVE THEM, you /fools/! You have all come so much farther than that!" (Because - if Meria saw what she saw, she could only imagine what others saw in the quagmire of sorrow eminating from that thing. And it was bullshit, wasn't it? It was all such bullshit!)
Meria Boucher || This time, when Meria tries to utilize gravity, it isn't to pull everything down - it's to pull everyone back, away from the light.
(Meria Boucher) Random! 547
(Meria Boucher) +180 if this counts for Aether BS
(Terres Regalius) aw yea
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) wow im really glad i did not bring hna
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) the last thing i need is her reliving her past lmAo
(Aurelle Surlaint) right i was thinking about if alex was here
(Terres Regalius) GOD
(Aurelle Surlaint) i think he'd actually try to kill himself after
(Terres Regalius) terres already had to partially deal with a fragment of his past recently he doES NOT NEED THIS
(Hnaba Kaatapoh) hna would be going off the walls
(Terres Regalius) OH NO ALEX CHILD
(Terres Regalius) GOD.....after reading the drabble u wrote for hna i can only ????in imagine jkfjdfgdfhgh
(Aurelle Surlaint) aure is well adjusted but she hides her pain very well even from herself
(Aurelle Surlaint) and now shes like oh shit yeah im actually very sad :))))
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) " oh shit yeah im actually very sad :))))" IS SUCH A MOOD
(Aurelle Surlaint) it really is isnt it

(Narrating Voice) Is a success :D Everyone is pulled back enough to break free of the illusion.
(Meria Boucher) what the hell is the receptionist upstairs thinking
(Meria Boucher) about this yelling
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) O
(Meria Boucher) in the basement
(Terres Regalius) oh i dont like that
(Aurelle Surlaint) omfg i forgot about him aldkfj
(Aurelle Surlaint) he clearly doesnt care about us
(Terres Regalius) LOL THE ????IN RECEPTIONIST IS PROBABLY LIKE "hm. thats not my problem"
(Meria Boucher) "i told them so"
(Aurelle Surlaint) that would be alex tbh
(Narrating Voice) D
(Narrating Voice) xD
(Aurelle Surlaint) except if aure was down there he would be feral
(Terres Regalius) UUUH OKAY SO ITS. ITS WHOS TURN NOW? KEELAN?
(Meria Boucher) It was mine last so yes I assume we start from the top fresh!
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) SO THERE'S NOW JUST
(Narrating Voice) Yep :3
(Aurelle Surlaint) i believe it is their turn yes
(Meria Boucher) NOW WITH MORE NIGHTMARE SPPOK
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) BASICALLY A DAEMON HERE
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) ????
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Meria Boucher) also meria is now glad she's dressed like a murder-hobo
(Terres Regalius) LMKJSADDGHJ
(Aurelle Surlaint) see
(Aurelle Surlaint) you dressed appropriately
(Narrating Voice) Combat rules are as follows:
(Narrating Voice) A roll of 500+ is a hit, 499- is a miss. This can be adjusted slightly with descriptions and stats.
(Narrating Voice) If you wish to try to subdue your opponent instead of killing them, it must be specified.
(Narrating Voice) Players have 3 'Wounds' until they are rendered unsteady and unable to act beyond attempting to flee.
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) KEELAN
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) IS
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) READY
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) TO
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) FIGHT
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) OH NO
(Terres Regalius) OH NO
(Meria Boucher) unfortunately
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) KAIZ COME BACK
(Meria Boucher) the narrator is not
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I WANT TO FIGHT
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LEMME FIGHT
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) PLEASE
(Aurelle Surlaint) welp
(Narrating Voice) SORRY

(Aurelle Surlaint) oh they alive
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) -PAPS-
(Meria Boucher) \o/
(Narrating Voice) My entire system wanted to do a NOPE XD
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Oops
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Yer good now tho, yes?
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Or do you need a minute to reopen everything?
(Narrating Voice) I'm good!
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) kk then I shall do the response thingy
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro lets out a grunt of anger when their spear goes /through/ the claws, but before they can react further: Everyone moves. Everything moves. The rumble, the manifestation of. . . /Something/ pulls itself into reality. The Blood sings and it sings loud, causing an over amount of adrenaline to flow through their body, causing them to shake horribly. Their only response was to fight, and so they're going to damn well fight, as they raise their spear to lunge at the beast.
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Random! 104
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) WELP
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) I guess I don't get to fight
(Meria Boucher) dice say no
(Terres Regalius) kjDFKJGFDH
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) TOO MUCH ADRENALINE
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) THEY'RE SHAKING TOO MUCH
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) O
(Meria Boucher) they're like a really excited dog
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) They're like a Dragon on angry drugs
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) A smol dragon on angry drugs
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) LOL
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) With some...Heart problems
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Lemme type an additional from my roll
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro misses, though just barely. Their spear hits. . . In a sense. A half manifested part, slightly pinning the beast in place but doing no damage. Keelan lets out a half-heard snarl.
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) Child has anger problems right now but I is done now u w u
Aurelle Surlaint felt the claws suddenly release her heart as she was wrenched back into this world. She became acutely aware of how much pain she was in all at once, the aether still crushing her despite its release of her mind. Casting spells in this state could be dangerous ...but after what she had just experienced, she couldn't just sit here. She pulled herself back on her feet and grabbed her staff, trying to crush the creature with a barrage of stones.
(Aurelle Surlaint) Random! 664
(Aurelle Surlaint) +100 i hit :D
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) It's mostly the Dragon's Blood...It's pretty feral tbh. So basically Keelan just has...Anger sauce in their blood LMAO
(Terres Regalius) a ng er s a u ce
(Narrating Voice) xD
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) WOULD YOU PREFER
(Keelan MkbyrneMalboro) ANGER JUICE?


----

FULL RP ONLY LOGS


Terres Regalius enters the room to familiar faces— he looks as if he hasn't slept in like....days. "Ah, good... thank y' for coming."
Meria Boucher may or may not be lounging with her head on Isaudorel's lap. Such are the benefits of the murder-cat's increased comfort with her surroundings! When Terres enters through the doorway however, she sits up, dipping her head into a stoic nod. "I said I would," she says. "Good evening, Mister Terres."
Aurelle Surlaint smiled at Terres, a hint of concern in her expression. "Of course. What is this all about?"
Isaudorel Vairemont: "I never turn my back on colleagues and coworkers, Ser Terres."
Terres Regalius manages a weak smile toward them all. "I'm glad. I really appreciate it." He glances to Aurelle, and the smile fades, taking a moment to think on his words.
Terres Regalius: "About a week ago, I lost contact with close friends o' mine."
Terres Regalius: "Three people, from what little info I’ve managed t’ gather, are missing: Eira Tswarra, a woman that’s incredibly important t’ both me and Serge, whom a couple of you may have met before. Mahv Kelsin, a close friend o’ mine who also happens t’ be a Maelstrom captain, as well as a fellow member of th’ Rogue's Guild. And, Zeuk Taren, Mahv's husband, who’s a well established engineer that used t’ hold a high rank in th’ Maelstrom, but has retired.”
Terres Regalius pauses briefly, and he frowns. “I. . . cannot contact any o’ them on any linkpearls. With everything that's happened as o’ late regarding Javed, especially regarding th’ fact that Mahv has been trying everything she can in a legal sense t’ bring him down, he’s th’ only lead I have. I've asked around those that they frequent often, and their Free Company home was the last place they were known to be. (1/2
Terres Regalius || “So it’s th’ best place t’ start our investigation and see where that leads us, while hopefully th’ other group can gleam as much info out of that bastard as they can.” (2/2
Meria Boucher nods - another simple, stoic dip of her head. "Understood. We have permission to be there, I trust?"
Terres Regalius: "Permission can't exactly be granted, since both of th' Company's leaders are... gone. But I'd consider this a state o' emergency. I'm sure Mahv won't mind."
Aurelle Surlaint frowned as she felt the grave concern eminating from Terres as he struggled to tell his story. "This is awful indeed. I'll do anything I can to assist," Aure responded. "For so many to go missing at once...that is quite odd," she said thoughtfully, wondering how four people could simply vanish.
Terres Regalius gives a solemn nod. "Aye, it's been... anxiety-inducing, t' say th' least. I can only hope th' others will be successful in getting any info out o' th' bastard in Ul'dah."
Meria Boucher: It sounds like we'll have the time and leeway to be thorough, then. Well - time as in hours, not in days, because this is an urgent matter. My condolensces, Mister Terres. Let it be known that you will have my full attention and support.
Terres Regalius: "I... really appreciate it, truly." A beat, "Does... anyone have any questions for me, before we head out?"
Aurelle Surlaint tried to smile reassuringly at Terres. "No questions yet. I am ready when you are!"
Isaudorel Vairemont: "Nothing that immediately comes to mind, no."
Terres Regalius nods to them all. "Then, with that... let's be off, aye?"

Terres Regalius turns to stare at the midlander against the fence. "Ah, my thanks for coming. Everyone, this is Keelan— they've worked with Mahv recently, and I hoped that they'd also help us in th' investigation."
Isaudorel Vairemont nods to the individual. "Isaudorel Vairemont, a pleasure."
Meria Boucher crosses her single arm across her chest and gives a short bow. "A pleasure. I am Miss Meria Boucher -  what is your preferred honorific, if you have one?"
Aurelle Surlaint smiled with her usual warmth at Terres's friend. "I'm Aurelle, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro nods to the group in greeting in greeting. "Aye, the pleasure. As for honorifics...Uh. Sir, I suppose."
Terres Regalius: "Well, let's head inside, shall we? Th' door should be unlocked..."
Meria Boucher: Very good, Sir Keelan.
Terres Regalius blinks at the man. "Aye, I was here not too long ago— regarding... th' disappearance o' Mahv and her husband."
Terres Regalius frowns. "Aye, I had a feeling.... well, if it's- no different t' you, I've brought some company t' try and do some investigating."
Isaudorel Vairemont: "Off limits?"
Meria Boucher is perhaps regretting that she didn't bring her more respectable coat. Still. A favor for Terres had the possibility of destroying anyone's attire, so...
Meria Boucher lets the others talk because she looks kind of like a one-armed murder-vagrant.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro looks around quietly, being a little ways further from the group as they try to get a glimpse of the way to the basement...
Aurelle Surlaint glanced around the spacious house, feeling a bit uncomfortable as the elezen behind the counter looked them over. "W-we don't want to intrude. We will keep to the places we are permitted if necessary," she said shyly.
Terres Regalius furrows his brow. "Aether?" Gods, something he had no knowledge on. "Perhaps— if we have experts on th' topic, would they be permitted to at least observe it at a distance?" He glances to Aure and back at Meria.
Isaudorel Vairemont: "I am certain that, whatever you have down there, Meria is more than equipped to handle it."
Isaudorel Vairemont nods to the hyur at his side.
Meria Boucher speaks up, the curve of her mask turned towards Terres. "I am an astrologian trained in Sharlayan, and would be happy to give any professional insight I might have. Though, do you have any reason to suspect that would be relevant to the matter we've come to investigate?"
Meria Boucher: That could guide our questioning.
Aurelle Surlaint: "I can certainly try if you would like, if it is important to the case. I am rather aether sensitive though...but I'm sure I can handle it," she smiled a nervous smile at Terres, eager to help her friend.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro simply crosses their arms and listens to the conversation. They're not the most knowledgeable in the realm of Aether given their. . . Own lack of pull to it, so they'd rather see how it goes considering they do have two who are better with the subject.
Meria Boucher: Then I am certainly willing to try. Please, do not put yourself in an uncomfortable position, Miss Aurelle. I am very used to tolerating exposure to large quantities of aether, and would hate for you to push yourself to illness.
Terres Regalius silently sighs in his mind, thankful there wasn't much resistance further than that. "Thank you." He looks back to the group. "If ye feel up to it, I'd appreciate th' insight, Miss Meria. And- Miss Aure, if y' feel like it may be too much, it's quite alright." There's a moment as he ponders. If there as a high concentration of aether, then... "...Javed is quite th' skilled mage. I've had t' deal with him personally... Mahv is quite th' arcanist herself, so— well."
Terres Regalius: "Perhaps we should just check it out."
Aurelle Surlaint turned to Meria, blushing a little. "I'm grateful for your concern Meria. I will certainly let you know if it gets to be too much, but I would very much like to help."
Meria Boucher: Anything to set your mind at ease. Should we look at it immediately or after examining other areas?
Meria Boucher nods to Aurelle. "Very well. Whatever you feel comfortable with. Your health is important to me," she says in an absolute monotone.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro cocks their head a bit in confusion to the unfamiliar name, though didn't put too much questioning to Mahv's magical abilities, even if it might seem a bit odd to them given her. . . Heritage. "If I may ask...Who's this 'Javed' character is an' how they might be related to this you think?"
Terres Regalius glances to Keelan. "Ah... he's a, uh. Noble from Ul'dah who's given us too many problems." There's a hesitant pause. "Deals in black magic, binding demons t' his 'kids'. Ever since we helped a couple o' them, he's been a right pain in th' arse. Tries t' kill a few o' us, though he plays innocent t' it all..."
Meria Boucher: We have strange lives, Sir Keelan. We apologize for the inconvienience.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro just nods to the information, their confusion resolving just a tad bit. "Well...I can't say my life has been uneventful, but...Perhaps not /that/ eventful."
Terres Regalius flashes a half smile, though it's weary. "Aye, it's uh... been a wild ride. I'd- prefer it if would stop, t' be honest." He was tired of losing people he cared for.
Aurelle Surlaint 's expression grew dark at the mention of black magic. "If you think he is involved in this, investigating the experimentation in the basement is a necessity." She had grown more serious in her tone, taking misuse of magic very seriously.
Isaudorel Vairemont places a hand on Terres's shoulder, smiling sadly. "We all would prefer it, Ser Terres; I would dare say that this is why we undertake such work."
Terres Regalius nods to each of them, the gratitude in his eyes obvious, even past his weariness. "Aye... w-well, I'd say it's about time we get t' work. While y' folk check out th' basement, I can head upstairs to th' library, if anyone would like t' come with."

Aurelle Surlaint perked up at the word 'library', but felt compelled to at least give the basement a good once over. "I will go with Meria to the basement, but I may join you if the potency of the aether becomes too much for me."
Meria Boucher nudges Isaudorel with her elbow. "Your talents might be better suited to the library, and I'll be fine for a bell."
Isaudorel Vairemont: "Of course, my dear Meria. However, do not hesitate to let me know if I'm needed!"
Meria Boucher: Of course. Likewise.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro makes a slight gesture of a sort. “Well, I can head downstairs too. In case Aurelle needs some assistance comin’ back upstairs if she feels too unwell. Wouldn’t need you to fall from perhaps sudden vertigo if you feel ill. ”
Aurelle Surlaint blushed in embarrassment. "Th-that is very kind of you," she stuttered, hoping now she wouldn't end up making a fool of herself. "Shall we head down then?"
Terres Regalius nods decisively. "Sounds good. I wish you all luck, aye? Th' place echoes a good bit, so feel free t' shout if y' need anything." He turns back to the receptionist. "If we have any questions, we'll be sure t' ask." A glance back to Isaudorel. "Shall we?"
Isaudorel Vairemont: "Yes, let us be off, Ser Terres."
Meria Boucher gives Isaudorel's hand a brief squeeze before releasing it and nodding to Aurelle. "Let's. "
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro test.
Terres Regalius glanced about the room. "Mahv is usually up here whenever I come t' visit...", he mumbles to himself, before moving to the pile left out.
Isaudorel Vairemont approaches the shelf, giving it a glance in search of anything of note.
Meria Boucher settles her hand on her mask. releasing a slow, even breath before stepping farther into the room.  It'd be best not to try anything with the aetherically-hypersensitive woman right next to her, right? With her inhalation comes a breath of aether as she tastes the chill along with feeling it. What happened here, exactly...?
Aurelle Surlaint was immediately assaulted with an intense pressure, her entire being acutely aware of every ounce of aether in the room. The cold did not bother her, but it's presence did. With the amount of aether in the room, she tried her best to focus her concentration on it, trying to determine its origins.
Narrating Voice >> || The 'mist' is dense aether. It seems to be harmless enough, at least...
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro scans their gaze around the basement, eyeing the mist that roils by, almost shivering at the unnatural chill that reminds them of Ishgard. "Well...I'm not smart on Aether...But that's not normal, is't?"
Isaudorel Vairemont: "A scattershot, haphazard system of organization at best," he mutters under his breath.
Meria Boucher: No, it is not normal.
Aurelle Surlaint looked about the room with a serious expression on her face. "This is certainly suspicious. This mist...it is pure aether. So dense it is physically visible. How can this be..." she was lost for words, never having seen anything like it. "There is no way this would not have dispersed by now. It must be coming from somewhere."
Terres Regalius begins to sift through the pile of tomes left scattered about, hoping to find something that perhaps Mahv had written in. But there were plenty of books on things he didn't understand. Magic.... mathematics.... engineering..... airships.... he hadn't even skimmed through any of them, and his brain already hurt. Well, he might as well start paying attention to their names... if there was a high abundancy of aether downstairs, perhaps the books of magic would be the most udeful.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro continues looking around the room, taking a couple steps forward, trying to find anything in visual sight within the training room that might be giving it off. . . Though they did notice the mist seemingly seeping out from the workshop area. . . "Mayhaps we start over there." They point.
Meria Boucher nods towards the passage. "A logical choice. I'm unused to seeing aether this dense anywhere outside of... historically significant regions or sites of aetheric - hmm. What is the word. Tomfoolery?" A pause. "Tomfoolery works. Let us proceed."

Meria Boucher hesitates, holding up a hand and scanning the floor, the walls, and the ceiling for anything that might be conceivably called a 'trap', a 'disaster', or an 'occupational hazard'. Look - she's had a very hard life and no one ever takes her anywhere normal, okay???
Terres Regalius sighs loudly. This was too much. "You wouldn't happen t' be having any better luck than me, would ye?" He turns back toward Isa.
Isaudorel Vairemont has been complaining about the cataloguing method of this library for the past entirely-too-long. He snaps back to reality at Terres's voice and turns around. "Unfortunately not. It's impossible to make heads or tails of this." He sounds genuinely angry, far more emotionally invested in someone else's library than he should be.
Narrating Voice >> || The glow in the corner of the mist? That. That is dangerous as hell and should probably not be poked. But, it's also the source of the mist, so...
Aurelle Surlaint followed the others to the workshop, the intensity of the aether increasing the closer they got to the source. "It's there... I can feel it from here," she pointed to where the light was coming from. Her head was starting to hurt her, but she pressed on, a need for knowledge driving her. She had to find out what this thing was .
Terres Regalius smiles sheepishly. "A-aye, uh.... Mahv never had th' best talent for organization. Perhaps when Miss Aiko returns, she could help out with this......"
Isaudorel Vairemont: "I would certainly hope so..."
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro almost had to quint as their trio entered the workshop, and they looked over to where Aurelle had pointed. The light was there, and bright it seemed but. . . "Hell's is that? The source?"
Meria Boucher fluffs up like a damn Ghibli character, posture coiling and arm snapping between the pair and /that thing/. "It is," she replies, voice tight. "And it is extremely dangerous. Miss Aurelle, do you have any experience with wards? I have some, but not enough for me to confidently interact with /that/ barring another's aid. At least, in these circumstances." A pause. "Perhaps we should try to see if there is any... documentation about that was happening down here."
Aurelle Surlaint narrowed her eyes, catching something in the light. It was nearly inpercetable at first, but she was certain she saw it. "Something...somethin? ?? moving there." She glanced from the light to the other two. "Examining it could be extremely dangerous."
Terres Regalius glances about the rest of the library. Perhaps there could be other documentation floating about, under tables....... he wasn't going to make the mistake of not inspecting this place thoroughly.
Isaudorel Vairemont checks the assorted desk drawers, in particular looking for any potential hidden compartments and stashed bits of knowledge. He knows about that particular brand of paranoia all too well.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro stares long and hard at the thing before them though it's quite the distance from them, and it was now they were silently cursing their nearsightedness--Wait. They take off their monocle, closing their right eye to see better. Though they still couldn't exactly see what Aurelle was pointing out. "I don't see anythin' moving' 'side the mist...?"
Terres Regalius skims across the desks to come across a small sketchbook. his expression suddenly blanks, and there was a tightening growing in his chest. Ah... if he wasn't careful, he might cry.
Isaudorel Vairemont raps his knuckles against the desk. "Still nothing," he muses quietly.
Meria Boucher walks lightly, pushed up on the balls of her feet and posture going lower. Before messing around with extremely dangerous figures in aetherical mist machines, she stalks over to the desk and pokes around the shelving. "The more information we go into this with," she says. "The better. It may not even be relevant to our current mission." (As if it WOULDN'T BE RELEVANT, Meria. Do you have no narrative awareness?(
Narrating Voice >> || There's still dust and shavings from someone working on some woodworking.
Considering how some of the furniture in this place looks hand-made, one of the company members might have assembled it down here.
Meria Boucher: ...Sir Keelan. Do you know anything about the people who were working down there? Was one of them a carpenter...?
Aurelle Surlaint followed Meria, her eyes continuing to flit towards the light source. It was nearly impossible for her to concentrate on anything else; the presence of it was so utterly overwhelming.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro takes a moment to recall the information. "Uh, well. Zeuk Taren is, yeh."
Meria Boucher reaches out her hand, running her fingertips across the wood-shavings left on the table and showing them to the others. That name again. Taren. "Describe this person. It seems like they didn't get a chance to clean up."
Isaudorel Vairemont looks up from the desk, glancing over to his partner. "Ser Terres, have you found anything of use?"
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro chews at their lip for a moment, trying to rake their brain for whatever information they had concerning Zeuk's work habits, though when they had met, it had technically been off work. . . They had nothing and all they could do was give a helpless shrug. "I'm...Well not overly sure, I've only met 'em once, really 'fore this all happened, but he was a well enough crafter from what I know."
Terres Regalius had been mindlessly flipping through pages, until Isa's voice snaps him back into reality. The turn of his head his sharp, but the movement allows a tear to push through and fall down his cheek. Oh. "U-uh—" A hand raises to quickly wipe his face clean, and there's a quiet sniffle from him. "N..no, I think- I think this room may be a lost cause, I'm afraid."
Isaudorel Vairemont does not seem to notice the boy's distress. He simply nods and looks around, sighing. "To the basement, then?" Poor Terres, stuck with a workaholic idiot genius.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro: "Oh, right. An' a Lalafell...If that helps?" How could they forget that mind-shattering revelation?
Terres Regalius blinks away the glaze forming in his vision, before giving a nod. "A-aye, I think that's for th' best."
Meria Boucher idly examines the table while Keelan talks. At the mention of the man's race, she crouches down and investigates the compartments at Lalafell-height. "And the other involved party? Ah... 'Kelsin'?"
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro: "Ah, Mahv is a half-Elezen. Still fairly toll thought."
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro dies.
Terres Regalius perked up a bit at the mention of Mahv, before moving to where the rest of them were.
Terres Regalius squints a bit. "Why in th' hells is it foggy down here...?"
Meria Boucher snaps her head toward sthe sound of the noise, holding up her hand in a gesture for the idiot duo to /stay there./ "Condensed aether," she explains, terse. "There is something very... bad down here."
Isaudorel Vairemont: "I trust you have it handled, though, my dearest Meria?"
Aurelle Surlaint turned at the sound of Terres's voice, almost not feeling them approach due to the interference of the aether source in her ability to sense literally anything else right now. "It's not mist, its aether. You may not be able to sense it, but that doesn't make what's down here any less dangerous," she warned.

Meria Boucher: In that I'm currently not planning on touching it, yes. We were looking around for any hints or documentation about what was occuring down here.
Terres Regalius happens to glance over at the Glowing Thing. Huh, that was weird. "Documentation, huh..? I never really came down here, but..." He walks a bit further in to search around a bit better. The air was heavy, sure, but that wasn't about to stop him.
Aurelle Surlaint looked at Terres in concern. "Please be more careful. Aether this potent could have serious negative effects on your body. I don't want you doing anythin foolish," she said in her best mom voice.
Terres Regalius: "I mean it can't be worse than teleporting, right?" He shrugs his shoulders. "You're probably right, I don't know much about th' stuff, heh. But... There's a desk over there."
Meria Boucher: ...It's awfully close to whatever that is. I can go look at the desk if anyone else wishes to search for other clues.
Isaudorel Vairemont nods to Meria. "Do be careful, my dear Meria. I don't like whatever that thing in the distance is..."
Aurelle Surlaint continued to be drawn by the light, taking a few steps closer, but stopping herself as her head throbbed, threatening to split open. She decided to search elsewhere amongst the crafting materials.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro almost seems to hesitate as Meria and Aurelle moved closer. "We've already established that it could potentially be dangerous, especially with all this Aether...Do you really think it'd be wise to get that close...?"
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro: "Especially...Since somethin' is movin' in't that ain't just the mist..."
Terres Regalius blinks, and looks to Keelan. "Wait, something's /moving/?"
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro simply nods. "Far as I can see, aye."
Aurelle Surlaint examined the forge area. Clearly it had been used recently, likely utilizied in the experiment. She was once again drawn to the light, the aether beckoning and pulling her towards it. She turned from the forge and moved closer, losing all sense of caution as the aether overwhemled her senses, her judgement, everything.
Meria Boucher stills for a moment, fingers finding their way to the deck holstered beneath her poncho. "I will retreat if necessary," she says. "But for now, I am fine. Miss Aurelle, please say something if you are not." Then, she tilts her face upwards, opening up her lungs and filling them with starlight. Aether from the third heaven is woven around her in a protective barrier. It's as she's going off that high that she notices movement from her peripheral vision and - what the ????.
Meria Boucher uses TACKLE.
Narrating Voice >> As you try to pull Aure away, your gaze latches onto the light and you just. Stop.
Narrating Voice >> || You find while gazing into the aetherical haze that you can see there’s something in there. It mimics you as you move, and as the image clears...
Narrating Voice >> || They are you, naked and vulnerable, with the worst of your pains on your flesh and the worst of your traumas on you shoulders.
Narrating Voice >> || You can't look away. You can't breathe. Your mirror self reaches out for you for help...

Meria Boucher terminates her velocity against Aurelle - at least, in a manner of speaking. As she approaches the light she slows, suddenly. Stops, fingers curling inwards and face turned towards the glow. Then.
Narrating Voice >> You are able to manifest something, but, it's more unsteady and chaotic. Enough to cause the image to fog again, just a bit.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro /em quickly looks away from Terres and over to where Meria and Aurelle now are when vaguely saw Aurelle walk away from the furnace. Taken aback, they're first unsure as to what to do. Walk over as well? Don't? Should they--? ???? it. "Uh, guys?"
Meria Boucher throws a clenched fist up into the air and slams it down. Something becomes fairly clear about her in that moment - at least, to anyone with any degree of aetheric sensitivity. She is for all intents and purposes, a highly reserved woman both in demeanor and in aetherial presence. She is always keeping to herself. But, in a surge of chaotic, unsteady, volatile gravitational force, she is suddenly /not/, and to those who can hear it, it sounds like the magnetic screeching of space. 0
Aurelle Surlaint 's eyes were as wide as saucers as she gazed into the light. Something WAS moving. She gazed deeper, deeper into the core of the source. Within the depth of the aether she finds...only herself...small, naked, vulnerable. She was in agony as every ounce of pain she had ever experienced, physical and emotional, was crushing her tiny body. The real Aure was so consumed by the light that she could do nothing to escape the explosive pain from such concentrated aether. She reached out>
Aurelle Surlaint || mindlessly, grasping for her mirror self as she cried out to her for help. She had to help her...she had to...
Meria Boucher tries to force gravity down on EVERYTHING in a nearby proximity - animate and inanimate. Friend or foe. Mentally, she is losing her goddamn mind.
Narrating Voice >> You're able to retreat if you wish.
Aurelle Surlaint was nearly touching the light now, transfixed on her mirror self. Her suffering was too much to bear. She was alone, crying for her mother, who would never come back. "I have to help her..." Aure mumbled quietly. "I have to protect her...from that pain...she was all alone...she had no one..." tears began to roll down her cheeks, though she had no awareness of it.
Terres Regalius watches as whatever the hells was happening unfurled. "What th' hells? Hey— guys! What's going-" Oh. Gravity is hurting now.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro collapses to their knees, panting, trying to figure out how to breathe. They can't avert their gaze, but they can't move either. It almost feels as if their entire being was trying to--Their chest was getting tighter in feeling. They want to just. . . /Do something. /
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro all but coughs out a breathe of air as their gaze suddenly rips away from the source of Aether. Their vision is bleary for a moment, but they recover, looking up to see. . . See /claws/. Claws reaching for the others. An instinct of danger, of Fight kicks in. They need to do something! Their Dragon's Blood sings. . .
Aurelle Surlaint no longer has any awareness of anything physical. Icy claws grasp around her heart and clench, the aetheric mist seeping into her very being. Was she even in her own body anymore? She didn't know. Maybe the her in the mist was the real her. Everything else was a dream.
Terres Regalius struggles against the magic thrown against him, minted eyes watching in horror as Isa drops to unconsciousness, and the other three seemingly freak out over nothing. Was something influencing them? "Meria— Aure! Keelan! S-snap out of it, please—!" He lifts himself against the force of strengthened gravity, taking steps forward to try and reach Keelan, ready to plant his hand on their shoulder.

Terres Regalius watches the intensity of the light for just a moment - it was certainly /something/, but everyone was seemingly in danger. "Keelan— Keelan! Listen t' me!"
Meria Boucher lets out a bestial snarl, a gravelly roar of sound completely at odds with... everything else about the woman's general bearing. There's no softly spoken monotone or socially-awkward attempts to feed others sweets; there's just something furious and half-feral. A thing that is used to solving its problems with steel and drowning its fears in blood. A thing betrayed and desperate, dying and broken in the snow. A thing that wanted to -- ah. What was that voice? Terres. Isa. /Isaudorel./ ---
Meria Boucher -- Looking at the light again, she finds the figure half-clouded. Recognizable to her still, the memories still sharp and aching in the ruined flesh of her missing arm, but not enough to break her out of her stupor. "It's something - it's making us think we're someone else!" She gasps out, letting the pressure of her magic drop. "Don't look at it!" And then, she tries to grab Aurelle's arm and YANK.
Narrating Voice >> Something is preventing you from pulling Aurelle away easily. Like the mist is physically holding onto her. But, you manage to drag her back a couple steps.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro all but seemingly ignores Terres' pleas, their teeth now bearing and their attention hyper-focused on the claws that now have Aurelle ensnared, even though she's been yanked away. It didn't matter, they needed to do something about those things, before something--anything! --worse could happen further! The Blood was singing, perhaps if they were to strike at it, it might break lose for good!
Meria Boucher || There's resistance. The thing wants her; the mist doesn't want to release its prize. But Meria snarls at it (in a way that Keelan might recognize if he has a mind to think about it) and drags Aurelle a few steps. Meager progress, but... Perhaps enough to aid Keelan. ...Or get her out of the path of their spear.
Aurelle Surlaint felt something in the sea of light and agony. Something corporeal, something...pulling on her? She feels herself falling back a few steps. The world coming back to her if only a little. A part of her clings onto that sensation, trying to pull herself back.
Aurelle Surlaint felt the grip of the claws around her heart tighten as Meria pulled her away. It was no use. She couldn't get away. She needed to be here, in the light. It was the only thing that mattered. She began yanking her arm out of Meria's grasp, reaching back to the light.
Terres Regalius almost crumples after Keelan rips himself out of his grasp, but managed to stay on his feet. They all seemed to see. . . something. "Please, listen t' me! Whatever you're looking at, it isn't real!" Perhaps shouting would get through their heads. The consideration of potentially breaking the device popped into his head, but what if it exploded? Everything seemed to be going completely wrong, he needed to do something... 1/2
Terres Regalius Eyes search the damned device for a switch, anything to potentially turn the damned thing off, quickly approaching it again for a better look. Gods, the air felt heavy... 2/2
Terres Regalius looked closer, and closer still... and then he sees something. But it wasn't what he was looking for. No, it was... something he never wanted to witness ever again. He was covered in blood, wounds from too many battles, eyes full of too much bloodlust. He didn't want to help. He couldn't. He wants to run away, but he can't move.

Meria Boucher continued struggling against the force in her attempt to free Aurelle, and voice raised and raw, she screeched - "Stop WALLOWING in your TRAUMAS! You have people who love you and lives to live! LIVE THEM, you /fools/! You have all come so much farther than that!" (Because - if Meria saw what she saw, she could only imagine what others saw in the quagmire of sorrow eminating from that thing. And it was bullshit, wasn't it? It was all such bullshit!)
Meria Boucher || This time, when Meria tries to utilize gravity, it isn't to pull everything down - it's to pull everyone back, away from the light.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro lets out a grunt of anger when their spear goes /through/ the claws, but before they can react further: Everyone moves. Everything moves. The rumble, the manifestation of. . . /Something/ pulls itself into reality. The Blood sings and it sings loud, causing an over amount of adrenaline to flow through their body, causing them to shake horribly. Their only response was to fight, and so they're going to damn well fight, as they raise their spear to lunge at the beast.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro misses, though just barely. Their spear hits. . . In a sense. A half manifested part, slightly pinning the beast in place but doing no damage. Keelan lets out a half-heard snarl.
Aurelle Surlaint felt the claws suddenly release her heart as she was wrenched back into this world. She became acutely aware of how much pain she was in all at once, the aether still crushing her despite its release of her mind. Casting spells in this state could be dangerous ...but after what she had just experienced, she couldn't just sit here. She pulled herself back on her feet and grabbed her staff, trying to crush the creature with a barrage of stones.
Terres Regalius is suddenly snapped out of whatever the ???? that was, the fear that had begun to crush his heart suddenly dissipated, only for him to be met with the sight of something nasty attempting to crawl its way out. Knives are quickly drawn in frustration, before he quickly dives them toward the claws reaching toward them all with an exasperated yell.

Meria Boucher would like it to stop clawing, stop snarling, and most importantly, stop trying to drag her colleagues into a horrible nightmare realm of depression and anxiety. Her star globe whirls into light as she releases the catch on her cards, and her fingers draw forth the Ewer and hold it face-out towards the dark. "With the scholar's grace we know you - and what is known can also be bound," she chants, the words less important than their cadence. Meria tries to suppress the thing with the weight -
Meria Boucher of her magic in the hopes that, at the very least, it'll make it easier for her colleagues to stab.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro attempts to calm the raging song that beats through their veins, at least enough to clear their mind for better focus on where and how to strike. It takes more focus than it should, but they manage to still their adrenaline-driven shaking a bit. Dislodging their spear from the creature, they raise it again, aiming to pierce the beast through the chest area, or so what appeared to be so.
Aurelle Surlaint felt like the aether inside of her was about to explode as she conjured up a gale of wind, directing it towards the mist to blow it back to wherever it came from.
Terres Regalius watches as it begins to lose its grasp, seeing how it clung to the stone— and daggers were flipped and held like swords, suddenly bringing them down in an attempt to chop off its hands to release its purchase on the floor.
Meria Boucher || The knives weigh heavy on her form, and something in her itches to STAB IT to CUT IT to KILL IT but then the acrid heat of old memories chokes in her throat, torn flesh and bloodied teeth washed out by snow, and along with the knowledge of what she'd done to those around her -- Meria refrains. Instead she continues applying pressure on the creature, plucking the Arrow from the swirl and condensing the gale inwards.
Meria Boucher -- is exhausted. Her concentration falters...
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro can do nothing at this point but to keep trying. To try keeping their focus still, to stop seeing tricks of the light that causes them to miss and falter. And-- "Oh Hells with it!" Might as well just try stabbing the thing's other hand clean off it possible.

Aurelle Surlaint gathered the potent aether to her to hopefully use one last powerful spell. She was fading and she knew it. This was all she had. She released the aether forth into a burst of bright holy light.
Aurelle Surlaint collapsed to the ground. The spell was too much for her and failed to manifest properly.
Terres Regalius was becoming incredibly frustrating, continuously having to face himself from just a few years ago. He didn't want it, he couldn't see it. He refused...! With a grunt, followed by another frustrated yell, daggers were pressed together before throwing them down on the other arm, desperate for this thing to let go and be banished back to its realm.
Meria Boucher sees the trajectory, the celestial math and the slight misalignment that makes the edge barely, so barely not fly true. And so -- fueled by his desperation, and his hopes... she tries to give Terres that final point of correction before staggering. Hit the damn off button boy!!!!
Terres Regalius desperately drops his daggers and hover over the device, desperately searching for a ????ing OFF BUTTON.
Aurelle Surlaint looked up from her spot on the ground to see that the mist had dispersed. She smiled faintly before passing out, the strain of the aether and the creatures grasp on her too much for her to stay conscious.
Terres Regalius finally finds something, and the damn thing stops whirring. He holds his breath, before letting out a relieved sigh, wanting to collapse... only to see Aurelle do just that.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro stops for a moment, everything seemingly calming down considering the threat was now gone. . . And the thing was now turned off, and--They stare and then watch as Aurelle collapses unconscious. "Well...I...Don't think I got anything left in me..."
Meria Boucher should, in normal circumstances, stay to help shut the machine off, or maybe at least glance at Aurelle fainting. But she is spent and strained and her cards fall, the metal of her star globe singing as it strikes the stone, and stumbles over to Isaudorel's unconscious form.
Meria Boucher: -- I'm sorry.
Terres Regalius catches sight of the book, confused as to where it even came from, before lifting it off the ground. What was this...? It... was for later. For now, everyone... everyone was tired. He at least still had some strength left in him... with a careful motion, the rogue manages to scoop Aurelle into his arms— it was a strain, he was not used to ????ing carrying people, but he would Make Do.
Terres Regalius feels an overwhelming dread wash over him. What had the rst of them experienced, if he'd felt such a terrific fear? "... I'm so sorry, e-everyone."
Meria Boucher desperately wishes to stew in her own guilt, shame, and emotional issues. However, she finds that Isaudorel is still breathing, and also knows that he'll have a terrible backache if he sleeps on the stone, so... she shoves that all down - deep down - within her, grabs onto his arm with her single one, and moves to begin hauling the giant man up.
Meria Boucher says crisply, "It is not your fault."
Meria Boucher: I should have never let Miss Aurelle get so close.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro 's left eye twitches for a moment, now realizing a headache is beginning to form. There's still some leftover pain in their chest, but the device is turned off, the stress is. . . Gone? With the exception of the lingering anxiety from the others. They-- "I think...Maybe we should get some rest on this, aye? We can...Apologize an' stuff later, for whatever."
Meria Boucher: ...That is fair.
Meria Boucher: For now our energy should be saved hauling ourselves - and our companions - home.
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro simply nods in agreement to the statement. "Aye. Let's do so."
Meria Boucher: ...And I mean no offense, but we should be charging for exorcisms.
Terres Regalius seems to hesitate significantly. "...A-aye. You're probably right."
Keelan MkbyrneMalboro dies.
Terres Regalius dies.