[20:57] {NARRATION} Finally. After five or so years of waiting the Hake brothers are able to pinpoint the exact location of an old cosmic crypt.

The Tomb of Khazard, Blessed of Belial, Hunter of Treasures, Lord of Bones.

South east of Huangzhou the brothers go. Carefully creeping along the countryside. Venturing deep into the swamps that lay next to the nefarious dreadwoods.

And then they arrive. Obsidian doors engraved with skulls and stars stand infront of the duo. Above an orb that roughly resembles the moon. It looks empty.
[20:58] {NARRATION} *cough* Hawke
[21:00] The most innocent of letters had landed on his desk this morning.

A traveler had come across the crypt and reported it to the Fourfold, but it had taken them quite the while to actually find the damnable thing. Perhaps it spoke volumes to how well rested this particular magi preferred his corpse. Either way, Jesse had long since abandoned any hesitation. Whatever lay beyond those doors was theirs, no matter what it might be!

"Alright Ethan... looks like this is the spot.

...Can you teleport us inside?"
(Jesse Hawke)
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[21:03] Ethan had overexerted himself just earlier, allowing his brother to get the best of him and drag him along an adventure. He didn't mind it, really. It had been a long time ever since their last deadly one. Over their travels the younger sibling regained the use of his legs, allowing to walk upon them without being carried the whole way.

Through dark, occult swamps something seemed to be beckoning Jesse while Ethan had a nefarious, bone-chilling feeling overcoming him. A quiet mutter came from him as he observed their surroundings, nudging his brother.

"I've.. never been here. It feels real weird."

His hands reached into his cloak, pulling out a stick from a small pack he carried around for times like these - times where everything was stressful and overwhelming. A snap of his fingers lit ablaze the end of the cigarette before Ethan shook his head, answering Jesse's question.

"I doubt it. I don't know how thick the dooris or what's on the other side. We'll have to do this the old way."
(Ethan Hawke)
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[21:04] Jesse Hawke asks, "Is that soothe reed?"
[21:04] Ethan Hawke says, "Don't worry about it."
[21:04] Jesse Hawke says, "You picked that up from Columbo, I know it."
[21:04] Jesse Hawke says, "Not healthy for you, bro."
[21:04] Ethan Hawke says, "I don't think it's healthy to wayfind twice in a day, either."
[21:08] Jesse takes a few steps forward, observing the door. The moon... huh?

"You're probably right. But it's the only way you're going to get better. My circuits were throbbing like crazy after I first fully synched up with Laharl." He carefully inspects the inscriptions, searching the cut stone for any sort of hint as to it's greater meaning. "I suppose I get it easy most of the time, though..."

A hand reaches out. A sparkle emits from his fingertip - a small little showing of cosmic magic. It drifts through the air, twinkling like a star as it makes its way up towards the empty moon. How would it react to his mana? Would it react at all.

"...Open sesame?" It was the first thing he thought of!
(Jesse Hawke)
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[21:10] {NARRATION} As Ethan indulges in his cancer-sticks, Jesse moves forward to try and figure out how to literally get his foot in the door.

And somehow, that did it.

The small amount of Cosmic magic, from such an experienced Magi, was enough. The crystal sun that adorned the doors would fill up completely and shine bright through the dark swamp.

The dark doors would open, and dark nothingness would greet them. It looked like a long hallway with who knows what at the end of it.

Would the Brothers continue on to figure out the mystery?

[21:10] Jesse Hawke says, "W-"
[21:10] Ethan Hawke says, "..."
[21:10] Ethan Hawke says, "You made it."
[21:16] Ethan draws in a long puff from the cigarette between his lips after having watched the doors shine bright. It certainly made the whole dreadful feeling brought by the area lessen a tad, thankfully enough. The young man stepped over, closer to the entrance and the endless darkness. Within his grasp a long weapon crafted years back would finally fulfill the namesake given by Shizuko.

Solarflare

At its tip a bright flame appeared, shedding light outwards before being brought towards the abyssal corridor that awaited them, hopefully allowing them to see beyond the range of their fingertips.

"Can you see anything?"
(Ethan Hawke)
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[21:19] "Leave the lights to me."

Jesse flares. His hair starting to stick up on end as the only warning sign for the flood of light that came afterwards. His aura manifested, cosmic radiance blaring out from him and washing away the darkness of the caves! He was pretty good at being a human torch by now.

Taking a few steps forward, he anxiously sets his first foot inside the cave proper, passing the threshold of the doors. Between him and Ethan, he should be pretty well aware of what he was talking into now!
(Jesse Hawke)
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[21:21] {NARRATION} Even with a light, the hallway looked nearly endless.

At least from the outside.

The air inside is stale. The hallway itself is made of smooth stone floors with heavily engraved walls. Depicting both the undead and stars - seemingly giving some insight in the relation between the two.

But, by all means. The brothers wouldn't be running into the tomb blindly.
[21:27] The blinding light that erupted from his brother forced Ethan to bring an arm up in front of his eyes momentarily. He could work on toning it down a little, couldn't he? He lowered his staff a bit, studying the walls, the floor, the ceiling. There seemed to be no end to this corridor, but at least the exit was right behind the, right?

A nod was given to Jesse, one the older sibling would understand as Ethan began walking forward, making his way towards the depths of the tomb.

"Did you know that you can tell which star's more powerful in the spirit world? The lifestream converges and twists towards the ones that have the strongest connections to living beings."

In theory that meant they could one day ride to Jesse's star. Was that even possible? What would happen if they were to do it? The tidbit of information would serve well to loosen the tension between puffs.
(Ethan Hawke)
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[21:28] Jesse looks to the walls that surround him, taking careful step after step deeper into the tomb. All around him was inevitability and the cosmos. How unsettling. Who was this, that had likened the stars to corpses? Was that it's intent, or was the message something more profound?

He found himself fascinated by the art for far longer than he maybe should have.

"...I imagine mine would stick out like a sore thumb." He comments. "And whatever star aligned itself with this... impassioned artist is hopefully nothing more than a little shaving of stardust."
(Jesse Hawke)
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[21:34] {NARRATION} The pair would continue forth. The hallway would continue for minutes. The art on the sides growing more deranged and incoherent as they continued deeper. Ancient sigils and depictions of the Moon would sprawl across every part of the hallway - even the floor and ceiling..

But the art would stop. The Hawke's would arrive at an antechamber that splits into three paths.

The chamber itself is made of a pale blue and purple stone. No decorations can be seen except for a pool in the center. Positioned under a skylight.

A ray of ephemeral blue comes down and if you were to look into the pool, a perfect reflection of the moon could be seen.

The pathways, however, add a level of mystery.

The left slowly becomes adorned in gold and jewels. Yet another long hallway, however.

The right is more of the same. Except depictions of undead would once again be shown.

The center most path would be sealed behind two great doors. A sort of stone figure rests in the middle embedded into the stone. Almost as if he was personally sealing the way.

[21:43] Oh? So this is what they were faced with. A central room, three divergent paths... Jesse's mind begins working out the internal layout of the tomb, working out an escape path at all times in his head. So far it was pretty simple, but that's how they get you! With the paths split before them like this, Jesse is forced to take the time to play spot the difference.

Treasure and undeath. A collector of all things, both flesh and gold. It was starting tome into picture just what kind of man was behind all of this. One of unfathomable desire. Even in death himself, he wanted to show his reverence for what ultimately claimed him. To paint it alongside his treasures, as though it was as precious as any plunder he had taken.

The moon overseeing it all. The divine providence of the cosmos watching over and approving it all.

"...I really, really don't like the looks of this." A chill swept over him. "Imagine how long it took to make all of this, Ethan. Both of those tunnels look at least as long as the one we came in through... which one do you want to go down first?"
(Jesse Hawke)
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[21:45] "You wish." Ethan jested while they kept on going through the corridor. The murals seemed to make less sense as they went on, prompting various questions along the lines of: Do you understand any of this? or What language is this written in?.

Eventually they stumbled upon a room, an opening where the moon shone down upon them, reflected perfectly by the pool down below. With how the stars alligned today must've been a special day, right? The blue-haired one looked towards his brother.

"Would you drink from that pool?"

The obvious answer was a blunt 'no', after all their younger days had been filled with both direct danger and ominous threats; what was in that pool either had been used for some sort of ritual or was where something was being brewed. There was no way this was simple, normal water.

Ethan's eyes finally shifted towards the rest of the room. Cold-colored sones and hallways that lead to promised lands, those were what laid before them. One a bit cryptic while the other seemed much more valuable. The young man peered towards the great doors at the center. This one was... Definitely housing something special. No one would put stone guardians in front of an empty room.

To Jesse's question, Ethan seemed all too sure of his answer.

"The one on the right. If the walls that lead us here were full of that, then it probably means that whoever made this wanted people to believe in... Undeath. Or praise it, at least."
(Ethan Hawke)
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[21:46] Jesse Hawke says, "Alright."
[21:54] {NARRATION} The party decides to go to the right first, a brave choice.

As Ethan said, it was a sort of celebration of undeath. Different murals of various types of undead celebrating. Highlighted in bright reds. It instills a sense of freedom.

At the end, they enter into a large star shaped room. Seven corners, each being the home to a pedestal that contains a glass urn. Heavily decorated with gemstones and golden gilding.

Disturbingly the room is also... a gigantic macabre celebration of undeath. The Skeletal remains of many cake the floor, and as you go deeper within the room it becomes impossible to not step upon a skull or some other bone.

At the center, Jesse can feel something reaching out. Scratching, wanting to enter his mind. It's fleeting, thankfully. Yet an omen of things to come?

Definitely, as soon as it ends a disembodied voice grants the two. A slow baritone voice speaks,

"Visitors? Welcome to our tomb. Why are you here? To join the cursed collection of our master?"

[22:01] As they moved along the hallway Ethan made a mental note of what was being depicted; it was like a great festival for death itself, bright reds reminiscing of blood and... Expression that carried happiness, joy, optimism. Perhaps they had stumbled onto something that went beyond merely seeing death as a new beginning: Death was how life was meant to be.

.. Or at least, that's what the young Wayfinder caught from that message. The moon being the focus of that room back there must've meant the focus was not the astral object itself, but what laid dormant within.

It's only when his foot knocked against a stray tibia that Ethan's thoughts made some room for what was happening before them; a large room with an uncommon shape. Glass urns. Gemstones and gold. Taking any of those may be more valuable than anything the had come across yet, that is until a voice made itself known.

The boy's eyes shifted to his older brother. He'd know what to answer, right?
(Ethan Hawke)
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[22:08] That was quite a lot to take in. The ambiance was certainly SPINE TINGLING. Everything before him now caused his head to spin, all of it weaving together into a twisted narrative too complicated for him to grasp at once. Then... something touches his mind!

"H--nnn." He moves a hand up to scratch at his head, shaking it. What was that, exactly? He hadn't the faintest clue. It felt like something akin to the times Laharl had reached out to him, but not nearly as easy to process.

Then the voice speaks, a BONE CHILLING boom that echoes through his mind. Jesse turns, looking up.

"We've come to put an end to your collection, unfortunately. Though if you've the time to chat before hand, it'd be appreciated. It's clear you or... your master put a lot of time into this place." He was fascinated, really. He wanted to learn more... but he understood his obligation. No matter what that voice said, at the end of this all, Jesse would have to put an end to it. Whatever evil lurked inside here was far too dangerous to let escape. That fact internalized itself almost as soon as he first sensed it's wicked aura.
(Jesse Hawke)
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[22:14] {NARRATION} "My collection?"

The voice gives a low gravely chuckle, what a ridiculous idea.

"It's not by my hand that I was placed within this tomb. I am but the favored undead of our Lord. Stuck within this section for what might be the rest of eternity."

"But perhaps you can help. We both want my master dead. I no longer wish to be bound to his realm. So look around the rooms, in each corner there is a Phylactery. Each inscribed with a sin. I belong to one, and I also have part of the key needed to enter my master's chamber."

Bones begin to rattle and the floor quakes.

"Find which belonged to me, and destroy it. Free me. But be quick for if my master discovers you're here..."

He trails off for a second, before remembering. Or perhaps better put not.

"The problem - I cannot remember which one I belonged to. I remember hardly anything from my past but perhaps I could dredge up a fleeting memory."
[22:21] With the words that were being uttered and the quaking of the floor, it seemed like they did not have much time before the so-called master would come. Jesse had made the decision to take down whatever evil was in this tomb, understandably so. Perhaps telling a strange voice that wasn't the best, but it turned out better than expected. Those glass urns had to be where the phylactery were, right? Ethan thought for a few moments, sharing his thoughts out loud.

"Which sin do you think it is? I've got an idea myself already - a memory's all we'd need to confirm it."
(Ethan Hawke)
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[22:24] "So you're bound here without consent, huh? Guess immortality isn't all that it's cracked up to be if you're just stuck here underground. I understand why you want to be freed. I'll help." He agrees. Regardless of if it was telling the truth or not, he might as well play along. Destroying a few phylacteries was good for the budding young adventurer anyway!

Listening to the riddle, he quickly responds-

"Well of course, any information you could remember would help. But yeah... I think I've got a good clue myself too."
(Jesse Hawke)
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[22:26] {NARRATION} "Before I was risen as a Knight of my Lord. I remember my wife."

The voice keeps its steady and slow pace. Never changing in emotion or vocal inflection.

"I protected Tongyishan from the demonic forces of Gaiar Aetherius. Yet I wasn't enough. My house destroyed, my wife killed in front of me by a band of accursed. Yet."

He trails off for a second - his voice going silent for a brief few seconds.

"I couldn't bring myself to care. She had cheated on me so I was more than happy to see her die, as I died even. To enter oblivion finally was the greatest release."

[22:30] "...Sheesh." At least both of them had functioning relationships better than this bag of bones! ...Right? He glances to Ethan, using his brotherly wavelength messaging technique to ask him this question precisely.
(Jesse Hawke)
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[22:30] Jesse Hawke asks, "I think it's pretty obvious, huh?"
[22:31] Ethan seemingly had read through it all. Often times sins were rather obvious with the being that was being dealt with, this was not any different. There was no anger in his voice, no pride to take on the master on his own, no envy of being that master, no wish to devour them, no seductive tone drawing them in, and no desire to hoard all the gemstones in its own urn. Before the story was told Ethan's thoughts were the same as after.

"Sloth." He uttered, moving towards a corner of the room - searching for the right Phylactery. He didn't answer Jesse's mental question; fearing that he may be horrible at relationships deep down.

".. We should only break this one. I know the others might be bad, but it could be worse to go overboard." He added.
(Ethan Hawke)
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[22:31] {NARRATION} The spirit gives no answer, yet the room shakes once again.

The brothers need to act quickly.
[22:31] Jesse Hawke exclaims, "Uh!"
[22:31] Jesse Hawke exclaims, "Uh!"
[22:31] Jesse Hawke says, "...Yeah. Alright. Just one."
[22:32] Ethan Hawke says, "Let's find it, then."
[22:32] Jesse Hawke says, "We can come back and smash the other's later if we ca--"
[22:32] Jesse Hawke exclaims, "Yeah!"
[22:32] {NARRATION} It's easy to stop, they're all labeled. You run to a great crystal urn/phylactery with a swirling grey mist inside.
[22:33] Jesse runs all around the room, looking for something vaguely resembling the shittiest, most lazily--

oh they're labeled.
(Jesse Hawke)
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[22:34] Ethan would go from one corner to another until he'd find the label of 'Sloth'.

.. and smash it.

Whatever its misty contents may bring he hoped that the key, or part of it, that was hidden inside would be delivered from that action alone. Searching through bones would be a pain.
(Ethan Hawke)
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[22:37] {NARRATION} Ethan smashes that piece of shit.

A grey Miasma emerges from within and spreads across the room. Bones crumble to nothing and a general feeling of lethargy befalls those within.

But it's nothing unmanageable.

The room is now empty, and silent. There's nothing in sight but the other urns.

[22:37] Ethan Hawke says, "..."
[22:38] A slightly annoyed expression filled the boy's face as the 'key' was nowhere to be found. The room was silent, there was no more voice, no more shaking, no more... Nothing. Maybe that's just how it was meant to be. The bones were gone and all that were left were the other urns. He couldn't care enough to smash any other, even if he had wanted to.

"Huh... Let's.. Go check the next side, yeah?"

He asked, heading towards the hallway.
(Ethan Hawke)
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[22:41] Jesse seemed just as bewildered. He expected at least some kind of cataclysm to open up beneath their feet and send them all to hell! But... nothing? Maybe the sin of sloth was fucking right! Whatever.

"...I guess. All he said was to smash his urn. Didn't say what to do next."
(Jesse Hawke)
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[22:45] {NARRATION} It's a strange feeling, aint it? Well the Brothers wouldn't question their success after they went back to the main room.

The stone guardian would be wide "awake" two crimson gemstones staring straight into the room. His body cracked but still stalwart in front of the door.

But there was no time for that, as the warning said if the master becomes aware..

The pair would run to the left room. Gilded floors and walls greet them. It feels... unnaturally warm. Welcoming. A nice change, perhaps?

At the end of this hallway they'd be greeted to a marvelous sight. Gold, jewels, silver, all sorts of treasure lay spread across the room. Several items would be contained within glass cases and the such. With the most interesting item coming to Ethan's eye. A tome that radiates a power similar to his wayfinding, yet a lot more sinister in application.

The party is now in The Treasure Room. What do they do?

[22:49] So this is where the cool spot was, huh?!

No wonder he kept the entire rest of the place chilled and gloomy, THIS was where the action was at the whole time. Every necromancer, no matter how insane, still needed a place to flaunt his riches and live in excellence. ...At least, if Jesse was a necromancer (fat chance) he would totally make his evil lair kind of like this.

Maybe they could talk aesthetics?

"Look at it, Ethan... this is... this is more money than I've ever seen in my whole life put together." The thought of the sheer amount of effort required to amass this much. To have the audacity to horde it all and bury it underground.

"...Whatcha looking at?" He couldn't help but notice the book as well.
(Jesse Hawke)
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[22:53] As they approached the room the will to care again returned to the boy. Prompted by an odd gut-feeling that something was wrong at the end of the corridor he began speaking, only to be blinded by the intense golden lights. This was insane, difficult to actually get used to and communicate around.

"There's... Something weird here."

That's all that was said before his eyes would adjust to the brightness. A treasure room was bound to have valuable goods but this... Was not that valuable for most. An old, worn-out tome that radiated with the remnants of spatial magic. It was dreadful, almost as if someone had used the object to bring forth the arts as a slave, as nothing more than a tool. If words on a page could talk, this book would probably be screaming.

".. Riftmancy. I'm.. I think. It feels like it, a lot." He uttered, approaching the object. The rest of the room wasn't as interesting to him, but he could still see the value and the joy in Jesse's voice.

".. We should get as much treasure as we can while we're here. No one's using it."

Despite that, his hand reached down for the book as he aimed to take it and take a brief look of its contents - only enough to make sure it really was what it felt like.
(Ethan Hawke)
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[22:55] {NARRATION} A treasure sought by Ethan! Too bad he'd have to look somewhere else.

Reaching down to pick up the leatherbound book... it feels light. Opening it, the reason becomes obvious. Most of the pages have been ripped out besides an intro paragraph giving the barest details of Riftmancy.

That it's part of the Rebellion against the Life Stream.

You can feel the book pulling on you, however, trying to lead you in some far off direction. Perhaps Ethan would continue to fill out the tome, but that wasn't really important right now.

As you hear a loud scraping behind you. The gold and gemstones swirl around the room and join ieachother. Giving birth a gigantic golden golem. It radiates an intense heat and reaches forth to attack the intrudes.
[23:00] Ethan opened the book and saw... Not much. It was nothing but a trap, wasn't it? Something that sought out those who had the intent to find more about forbidden magic - or at least that's how it felt. As the tome pulled more and more the young man stashed it into his cloak, allowing the mind it had of its own to be restrained for a while.

That's when he turned to speak to his brother, only to see all the treasure.

"Oh crap."

They'd have to fight their way out of this one, wouldn't they?
(Ethan Hawke)
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[23:02] Jesse quickly leaps backwards as soon as he catches wind of that menacing aura! The gold, this mans treasure... had forged itself into a weapon?! Was this a spell of unimaginable complexity, or the disembodied will of his ill gotten gains come to life? All Jesse knew was that it was fucking scary!

"AHHHHHHHH!"

He can't help but scream at the top of his lungs, quickly readying for battle! The cosmos bursts around him as he lands at his brothers side!

"Y-Yeah. This isn't looking too good. I'm not running, though!" he insists, leveling his blade towards his foe. "I'll take the ones on the left, you take the ones on the right. Then it's the big guy... got it?"
(Jesse Hawke)
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[23:10] {NARRATION} The Golem begins to crumble and fall apart. It's magma core fully exposed. The beast rages and roars as it goes in for one final attack against the brothers.

Yet it falls short. The gold coin, melted and terribly destroyed, falls to the ground infront of them bit of bit.

Until a mighty wave of molten coins begins to overtake the room. Like an actual volcanic eruption the room begins to heat and everything in sight melts. The brothers, with tome in hand, gotta get out quickly or else they'll become statues themselves.
[23:15] The Brotherly Combining Tactics had shown their might before this golem of bright riches and raging infernoes. Before not long gold coins turned into a molten sea of value. If they had smashed the sin of greed they definitely would not have been able to get out of this one alive. Ethan spoke up, his thoughts were without a doubt the same as his brother's.

"Let's get out of here!"

With dark flames in his wake the young man flew off towards the exit - his movements becoming nothing more than a blur in the process. Ethan had learned quite a lot over the years, this was a testament to such.
(Ethan Hawke)
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[23:15] "ALRIGHT! LET'S WRAP THIS UP!"

A hop and a step forward. Dancing starlight woven between Jesse's fingers. He leaps into the air, his hands racing forward to come in front of him! A mass amount of mana gathers in front of him, a massive ball of condensed cosmic power that shimmers -- before sparking forward at an insane speed!

Oh lord! Oh god! Oh fuck! THIS WAS REALLY COOL! HE COULD TELL! HE KNEW HE FOUGHT WELL THIS TIME, KNEW THAT THIS ATTACK WAS KILLER! HE... He had to say something! A one-liner?! No! There wasn't enough time to think of a good one! He was a fucking idiot! AHH! Wait! He could still scream his attacks name!

With absolutely no time left to think, he shouts out the first words that come to him.

"SP...SPARKLE BEAM CANNON!!!" He stutters, but commits to it with a roar, blasting through the golem in a final display of his awe-inspiring magic!
(Jesse Hawke)
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[23:16] Jesse Hawke says, "Y-"
[23:16] Jesse Hawke exclaims, "Yeah!"
[23:18] {NARRATION} "SP...SPARKLE BEAM CANNON!!!" JESSE WOULD CRY OUT. SOME SORT OF FINAL LAST DITCH EFFORT.

THE SPARKLE BEAM CANNON WOULD STRIKE TRUE. DESTROYING THE GOLEMS CORE AND MAKING AN EVEN BIGGER PATHWAY FOR THE BROTHERS TO ESCAPE THIS ROOM.

Congratulations, Hawkes!

Returning to the central room they see... the door is no longer there. They can finally make their way to the burial room.

And they do just that, time constraints and all.

Entering Jesse feels that scratching sensation again, except in way more terrible ways. His head throbs and feels like it's going to burst. As he looks around the final room he can spot a chandelier up above. Containing something that feels similar, yet bright red in color.

Another thing would catch their eyes. A Skeletal man pacing the room. Looking directly at the brothers.

[23:19] Khazard says, "So you're the ones."
[23:23] Ethan floated up into the room that had opened up with a feeling of... Grandeur. This wasn't like any other room. It had been sealed shut for a reason: Either to hide treasure, protect an immortal or seal it away for good. The young man nudged his brother as he noticed what seemed to be a skeleton pacing around, a whisper being passed.

"Jes... Is that.. A skeleton?"

Ethan's hand reached up to the book in his cloak, feeling the direction of its tug. If he could predict anything it'd be that it was that man's.

.. Or woman's.
(Ethan Hawke)
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[23:24] The final room. The burial chamber. The final depth that they had reached, with none other than the master that had been foreshadowed earlier to greet them. Jesse strides in tall, confident. But then that feeling comes to him again, like having his damn brain probed with a drillbit! His cranium was having a contusion and Ethan was bothering to hesitate over just a simple SKELETON!

Jesse had killed like dozens of these dudes in the raids on Dawn. This guy? This chump? Would be no different! If he could just get his head to stop... pounding!

He wearily looks at the skeleton, trying to focus through it all.

"Yeah... we're the ones. I take it... you're the one behind it all, huh? There's a ton of souls still enslaved down here... waiting to be let free. But you don't really seem to be doing all that much, despite having all this power laying around...

Why?"
(Jesse Hawke)
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[23:25] Jesse Hawke whispers: You have one inside you RIGHT NOW Ethan. Get over it...
[23:28] {NARRATION} With every movement of Khazard's body the red light above pulses and flickers. A distinct cosmic power can be felt, one of great terror.

"Why! Because my Patron has sent me here, of course. To forever rot in a tomb where I have infinite power."

The skeleton cackles,

"Ack-Ack-Ack! He does love his games. But I should be asking you that! You dare come into my tomb and try to free my undead and you dare ATTACK my Treasure Golem?"

Khazard leans forward to examine the two. Seeing not a scratch on them.

"Obviously my defensives weren't thought out very well. But still! My collection has a few empty slots now and both of you will make fantastic replacements."

If a Skeleton could grin, he'd be doing it. His arms raise into the air as the red light rains down upon him. It engulfs his body and swirls around him.

Cursed Cosmic, some could tell.

The power of the Obscure Moon Good, Belial.
[23:34] Jesse readies his blade once more, fighting through the cacophonous bullshit going on in his head. He shakes through the pain, focusing a razor sharp gaze at Khazard. Against the blood red moon that Khazard attempted to cast over them now, Jesse fought back with a righteous daybreak of his own. A golden glow emits from his form, piercing through as his aura flares!

Then simmers.

…? What gives?

"...Alright." He doesn't let on any problems, continuing to ready himself. Regardless of if he couldn't make the link with his Star right now... that just meant that this foe simply wasn't strong enough to be worthy, right? Right?

"Same as before, Ethan... clear the room, focus him down. Don't be afraid to let me take some heat if you get overwhelmed."
(Jesse Hawke)
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[23:35] Ethan wasn't too sure what this feeling was, but it was dreadful. A light frown came to his features upon seeing the cosmic energy gather around the man. This was no regular cosmic prowess, however. Red light engulfed the room, overwhelming even the darkness of his flames. His eyes darted from one spot to another as he assessed the place.

These were the red lights that had been painted over the walls, then, weren't they? They weren't praising blood— no, they were praising this... thing.

Before Jesse could even go over the plan a wave of fire was unleashed towards the cursed being, intent on razing down every skeleton in sight. Regardless of what he may be doing, Ethan couldn't deny that this power... Looked cool.
(Ethan Hawke)
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[23:44] Jesse is laid out.

Damn. What just hit him? He didn't even know if he had ribs anymore. Was this a skeletons true power? To just outright obliterate all his bones? What a rough match. As Jesse crawls his way back to his feet, a certain shadow seems to hang over him. It's the first little glimmers and sparks, his unconscious will reaching out to the stars above. It coats him in an embrace of shimmering stars that pop like fireworks.

Then...

He appeared. Ouriel Melym. Or at least, the visage of him, clutching tight to the blade that had guided him through his life. Dawnbringer. The blade of daybreak. Justice. Be it a mirage or a true manifestation of the mans spirit - all the same - Dawnbringer is swung. In it's wake comes a blinding light.

A sheer beam of power that shoots down from the heavens, piercing through straight rock and obliterating it. The entire tomb rumbles and shakes, the foundation beneath their feet quaking violently. For the first time ever...

The sun shines on the burial chambers.

Jesse stands at the epicenter of this beam of sunlight, his body practically dripping with newfound power. As the final flickers of his gift from Laharl vanish, Jesse still stands as a shining beacon of cosmic order.

He looked serious.
(Jesse Hawke)
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[23:51] {NARRATION} "No. NO. NOOO. THIS. WILL. NOT. DO."

His anger swells and his entire body shakes as the glass above breaks, revealing the terrible truth.

An artifical red star. His entire power source is right above him.

The being grows in size and more skeletons would rise up to join him in their fight.
[23:58] {NARRATION} The star above cracks and shudders as even more crimson light would pour upon the skeleton.

Blood red skeletal wings would sprout from his back and an even greater cosmic energy would be felt coming from Khazard.

[23:59] A blade of starlight cleaves apart the massive skeleton. Powdered bone spreads through the air with a spark of lightning echoing out in it's wake. It should be enough to defeat anything that moves or draw breath. But even so, he could see Khazards horrid, decrepit form shuddering back to life.

With more power, to boot.

"..." He's speechless. Nothing he could say would be worth the breath he could save for the upcoming battle.
(Jesse Hawke)
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[00:00] Red cosmic power flared outwards amongst its golden counterpart and the flames of the underworld. The tomb shook from the sheer amount of mana that was being used in a moment like this one. An unreal amount of power came from Khazard as large wings erupted from behind his back, leaving the duo blinded by the light produced.

This wasn't just any being. The source of its power was from a star so close to, a cursed cosmic energy that few could take on should they have the misfortune of entering this place. They couldn't back down, they couldn't retreat.

This was it. A testament of their strength was needed.
(Ethan Hawke)
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[00:01] * You have been awarded 1 Roleplay Points! *
[00:16] The might of one undead could never compare to the bond two brothers had. Skeletons were but a mere replacement for family. As golden lights and dark flames weaved and twisted together the duo tore apart the army of undead that had risen to their cosmic calling.

The bloody heavens above were nothing to fear for those who knew who they could rely upon. With every blow that Jesse took, Ethan sent one back. From one brutal, grounding assault into another one they combined forces, working to the best of their abilities as a team rather than completely alone.

An inferno pierced right through one of the skeletal wing, forcing Khazard back to the ground like the mortal he should have always been. More flames laid waste upon the battlefield while cosmic rays were being exchanged fiercely between Jesse and this immortal.

A red beam that was heading directly towards Ethan's left him like a deer before headlights. A direct hit - it was bound to hurt.

Don't be afraid to let me take some heat if you get overwhelmed.

A streak of gold ran right into the incoming attack. Jesse had taken a dangerous blow in order to give Ethan the opening he needed. The blue-haired man turned to face the grounded monster. His left hand jutted forth; sending metaphysical illusions right into his mind - making him feel like he had put on his bones backwards. With nowhere to escape and run Ethan targeted what he knew could defeat him.

His staff was brought up towards the ceiling, unleashing hellish flames towards the shaking structure around the red star. Stone would weaken and break— everything was edging the cosmic entity downwards.

It may have been another man's star, but Jesse was worth more than one.

"Bring it down, Jes! That star's full of cosmic energy, too, just take control of it!"
(Ethan Hawke)
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[00:35] What a fight it was. A knock down drag out, with swells and valleys. Times where it seemed their foe was impossible, and times where he felt unstoppable. His mind was taken aback by the sheer amount of information it was being forced to process at once. His movements were impossibly sharp, every movement he took dancing between bolts of lightning and meteors of cosmic magic. Even so - every step he took felt like a slip towards his death!

Thankfully, Ethan was here. The glue that kept them together. Someone who he could trust without fail to have his back, no matter how hard he thrust himself into battle. In comparison to the battles he had fought alone, the difference was... well. Night and day.

A beam of red energy slams into him at some point or another. He's barely able to process it, his muscles clamping down as he realizes he's been hit. His feet dig into the ground, ripping apart the cobblestone flooring as he skids backwards.

His hand holding back the beam from obliterating his body - his sword comes upwards in a quick swipe! A slice of sunlight shoots outward, cleaving the attack in half!

All that was left... was the Star.

"Alright..."

He didn't know if this was even a legal maneuver. But... to hell with it. He leaps into the air, stars bursting out from the bottom of his feet and pushing him further and further! A single jump brings him to a near flight like state, soaring into the sky to meet the orbiting body directly!

HE GRABS ONTO IT. WITH HIS HANDS. LIMIT BREAK. INVIGORATE.

A shield of cosmic energy coats his hands directly, pure starlight surging through his body in an uncontrollable burst. It pours outward, aiming to wrap the entire damn thing in his embrace. The cursed thing warbles and warps inside, biting and gnawing at his very being as he tries to fight against it.

Taking control wasn't his objective, like Ethan said. Rather... a redirection. Downward.

"GET!"

He pulls downward, aiming to use the whole of the energy he had expanded around the star as a massive magical fly swatter to pull down on. The Star - hopefully - responds to this motion appropriately. From there, he spins around in the air, bringing his hands together once more!

"OUT OF HERE!"

All the mana he had left. All the mana his body could sustain from Laharl at a hundred percent synchronicity. Poured into a single, climatic beam that tears through everything in it's path. The entire tomb is flooded in a single, blinding light - a single whizz coming from the beam as a prelude to the deafening thunder of it's impact.

He aims to push that damn Star right on top of his forehead and send him to the hell he belongs in.
(Jesse Hawke)
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[00:42] {NARRATION} Khazard falls. His bones scatter yet his aura remains.

The star above would rage and lash out at everyone and everything. Red streaks pouring forth all while the skeleton's body would slowly draw closer to itself. Reassembling the great necromancer.

Yet that wouldn't happen.

Jesse's ascent would be hard and painful. The full strength of this demi-star bearing down upon him. A cacophony of laughter and madness would echo through his head but he'd pull through.

At the apex something would look at him. A dark unnatural force would dig into his mind and greet him. A mental scar that might not be forgotten. All before Jesse’s final attack.

His final Beam Cannon would dislodge the star. Fully destroying it's Arcanium casing and throwing it at Khazard.

A flash of red. The screams of many are heard. But when it's over nothing remains.

Save a single chunk of moonstone, and Arcanium scraps.


Ethan and Jesse, please roll twice.


[00:42] {Item} You picked up Arcanium x3. Dropped by SawbonesDM.
[00:45] You stole SawbonesDM's Dragon Helmet.
[00:48] Jesse Hawke's Dragon Helmet was stolen by SawbonesDM.
[00:48] Jesse Hawke's Arcanium was stolen by Ethan Hawke.
[00:48] {Item} You picked up Arcanium. Dropped by Ethan Hawke. .
[00:50] ** SawbonesDM has inflicted an injury upon Jesse Hawke. ("Moon's Embrace", "Having been so closely exposed to the star, Jesse is now haunted by dreams of extravagant parties. Full of hedonism, murder, cannibalism, all of that. He can hear whispers urging him to join them. His power is also greatly sapped.", "Temporary", "Duration: Long (12 days)") **
[00:50] {RP BATTLE} {INJURY} You roll a d6... You get 6!

{RP BATTLE} {CAPTURE} You roll a d6... You get 6!
(Ethan Hawke)