Nethradin Encounter

The maddened survivor being put down, it seemed that there was nothing too much to be done in this place. The paradisiac landscape that was in front of them was still maintaining itself, standing still and unscathed. But then, from underneath the house, there opened a trapdoor.

It was the result of tampering with the runes, apparently. With restraint undone, there was something under this house that was not stopped anymore. However... They coud simply just do the same as before now, given the behavior of the firepit in the middle of the room was awfully similar to the one they used to enter.

It was to either leave, or face whatever lied underneath. The sensation of crippledness remained as scars, but it was easily identifiable as something merely put on their souls, not on their physical beings -- Something that wouldn't carry itself forward far too much.

Examining the house, however, shows a vast mixture of ores lying around. Apparently, the man was one that took to crafts himself-- A lot of these were used, but a few could still be made into something better.

"Why? Why place a lone guardian in a place with an influx of chaos and evil and leave them there? It only makes sense that they will eventually be overwhelmed, right? Even the greatest champions eventually need a chance to retire."

Talking himself through the thought process that had to have been behind the survivor's turmoil helps him calm down somewhat, though he cannot help but frown again as they peek inside to see the trap door and various ores spread out.

"What's the call? We put him down, so I feel like we might be responsible for tying off his loose ends, if he has any. But if you guys would rather not.." A hand moves to unclip the canteen from his belt and pop the cap off, aiming to offer it up to Tiff if she needed it.
(Taro Wvelven)

Hatsu was more than ready to leave, if he had to be perfectly honest with himself. These hellish landscapes were a bit more than they bargained for, but at the same time..They hadn't come for what they were searching for, did they? The young man found himself staring at Taro in silence, contemplating upon his words with great deliberation. Was this inspired by Taro's acquired guilt from killing this demented man, or did he have another reason?

 Insatiable curiosity often prodded at the back of Hatsu's head, and his eyes drift toward the house with vague interest. What secrets laid within that area, and just what had that old man been up to in the midst of his solitude in this Hell?

"I'm curious about what lays inside, but I'm indifferent. We've managed to get through most of our hardships, but overstaying our welcome, especially with that poor Fairy in such a state is pushing it. Youguys are my elders, however, so I'll leave it up to you to make the big decisions."
(Hatsu Lee)

"Maybe he was separated from his group, but whatever the case... he's been laid to rest."

In the back of her mind, she questioned what would happen if someone were to die in such a corrupt place.

"I'm not opposed to it. Let's go on 'n see what's... in there. The runes were in place for a reason, 'n it'd certainly be good to see if there's somethin' there. If there is, we should take it out."
(Mei Xiang)

Tiff struggled within Taro's grasp to sit up and try to refocus herself. She seemed groggy, and shuddered once she was upright to some degree.

"I-- it's up to you guys that hit me sorta hard ah-" her voice was labored and disjointed, but she managed to try to speak as best as she could. "The things here don't mess around.. if we gotta push forward to do more I'll do my best."
(Tiff)


Taro Wvelven says, "In we go, then. Just be on guard. Let me take the lead."
DMPrego picks up Mythril x7.

DMPrego picks up Steel x8.

DMPrego drops Mythril x7.

DMPrego drops Steel x8.

You pick up Steel x8.

You pick up Mythril x7.

They go down the trapdoor. Apparently, they were back in the physical world -- Whatever spiritual wounds lied upon them was gone the moment they passed through it, and apparently, this was what the man was guarding. Not the expansion of Helheim, no.

The expansion was merely a tool to make sure they got through to this place. To where the Nethradin opened a passage, but as soon as they closed it, the same door was sealed. Trying to open and go back to the spirit world was... Fruitless.

But this place resided with deeper shadows. More than what the lights there would even allow to persist. Perhaps it was, in the end, the fact that it was merely the domain of a Nethradin that passed through to the spirit realm.

Scanning through the room, they find a thick, rigid door made of Arcanium. It has simple enough trappings that only stop those that come from the spirit world to pass through, and a voice whispers in their head.

"Allow me out", it asks. "I can heal you. I can make you... Exceptional. Tell me a single thing you wish for, and I will make it happen."

They had opted to traverse into the ominous household, only to find themselves leaving the ethereal realm of the spirit world. Hatsu was surprised for a brief moment, as that foreign sensation he had originally felt was now moot. The youth looks around in the darkened chamber, only to stare at the Arcanium door as his eyebrows gently raise.

"Allow me out", it asks. "I can heal you. I can make you... Exceptional. Tell me a single thing you wish for, and I will make it happen."

 ..This door could grant wishes? He found himself curiously staring at the door, and despite his skepticism, he wondered if he could acquire further strength from it. It was a fleeting thought - one of which he quickly smacks down into the darker recesses of his mind.

"A...door that grants wishes? If only life was really that easy. Wishing on stars doesn't do much for you, and there aren't shortcuts in life. Probably.." He mutters, his morbid curiosity growing as he stares at the door.

"It's not like I could wish to be strong and it'd happen overnight, right guys?! Hahahaha...h...ah...aa.."

 He stops talking.
(Hatsu Lee)

They were... in the normal realm?

Strange, or atleast that's what it seemed like. She looks around the dimly lit room, glancing up at the trapdoor they came from, as well as whatever door resided at the 'exit' so to speak. It wouldn't take long before she realized there was a... presence.

Her hand instinctively grips the sword handle.

If the man they had just slain was so hellbent on guarding against Nethradin, obviously whatever was in the room with them couldn't be something good, right? The Shogun momentarily closes her eyes, focusing to 'hear' any sounds of discord, made possible by the fact that she was attuned to the Lifestream itself.

"Don't speak to it, don't reason with it, we don't know what it is.... I think."
(Mei Xiang)

A hand finds the backside of Hatsu's head, delivering a weak thwap despite Taro currently standing in front of the boy.

His powers had truly grown since they entered the realm.

"Don't joke about that. Whatever is in there was sealed for a good reason- you can tell by how much arcanium was used in this door."

He pauses for a few moments to hear Mei out, then brings a metal hand up to hover a few inches away from it.

"Your warden upstairs is dead and gone, and as it turns out, we've got some time to spare. Tell us about yourself, big guy."
(Taro Wvelven)

"I AM a Warden!" The voice ensues, the darkness slowly moving closer to the ends. "I was imprisoned here! The Nethradins put me on a trap! They lured me to this place, where this -- Crazed madman put me in here!", the masculine voice continues to speak.

"Please, allow me to get out! I can -- I can reward you! Please. Help me. I need to get back -- Alfheim is in dire danger!"

DMPrego whispers something.

Mei Xiang whispers something.

DMPrego whispers something.

The Shogun appears to visibly tense.

The grip on her sword handle tightens.

"The darkness in the room," she begins, hushing her voice for some reason. "Coming from the door... I think, the door, or near it. That thing isn't good at all, ya guys, be careful."
(Mei Xiang)

Tiff groaned and tried to stand atop Taro's shoulder. At Mei's warning nature came to the fae's call once again, even if she was battling an inner fight against the same sort of evil this thing was exuding. She knew they had to push on and that if Mei was right, the Nethradins were only playing more tricks on them.

"If-- we gotta fight again cover me and I'll see what I can do. I-- gghh--.. they're in my head and I can't shake 'em yet."
(Tiff)

Taro tilts his head to one side dramatically, seemingly upset with the reveal.

"You lied to use? That sucks. I really wanted to believe in you, too. Kinda makes me want t'bring you out and fight you. I hate liars. And since we can't get back out anyway.."

He glances at the others, placing his metal hand on it.

".. What say you guys?"
(Taro Wvelven)

DMPrego whispers something.


Tiff exclaims, "Gh-- leave me alone!"
DMPrego whispers something.

DMPrego whispers something.


Tiff says, "W--"
Tiff clutches at her head.
(Tiff)

DMPrego whispers something.


Tiff exclaims, "Stop stop STOP!"
DMPrego whispers something.

DMPrego whispers something.


Tiff says, "They're saying-- nggh-- to kill it. Taro-- Mei. They're telling me to."
DMPrego whispers something.

DMPrego whispers something.

DMPrego whispers something.

Staring at the door with a blank expression, he would make his way toward the door. Squinting at the contents of the door, he would lightly scowl. This was causing his anxiety to grow at every pass, and even Tiff was crying out for its death. What laid behind it, they'd have to deal with regardless.

"I'm going to open it. We're going to have to deal with whatever is behind it, anyway. And if this keeps up, Miss Fairy might be in further danger. I trust you guys, so let's just deal with whatever comes next."

 Was he brave? Sure as hell, no. He was shaking like an old man recovering from a fall down a patio staircase, and was struck in the head by a hardened baguette.

 But he -did- have faith in his superiors, and it wasn't as if they could overlook whatever was lying behind this door. Besides, if they managed to make it out of this, they could always smelt this bad boy door for something interesting! Or maybe that's just him placing his desires on the back of his thoughts to keep him trudging through this madness. He had come in hopes of aligning himself with a star, but only madness and violence had stemmed from it.
(Hatsu Lee)

"Th-they're telling me to kill it-- I that might just be them playing a trick er--hhggh… I don't know please just, I wanna get home. Guys--"

Tiff struggled, but part of her was now believing the thing trapped before them was indeed a Warden that had been imprisoned by the nethradins that were urging her to kill it.
(Tiff)

"THANK YOU", a wicked voice spoke out as soon as the door was opened. The darkness simply removes itself from the torches quickly enough, the illusion of darkness vanishing away as the door is opened.

A creature, winged and enormous, just DASHES past the group. The door wasn't keeping something on the outside -- They were inside, with it. Instead, opening the door just allowed it to get out.

"GOOD JOB, SAVIORS. YOU RELEASED A WARDEN.", a voice that obviously did not belong to a warden spoke out as the figure simply passed through the long hallway that lied outside-- Off onto the overworld, where the sun praised the lands.


Hatsu Lee says, "--"
The door was opened.

She pulled her blade slightly, revealing only a bit of its metallic surface.

Her eyes were wide and focused behind that skull mask of hers as she awaited to combat whatever was about to come through that door. Time seemed to go in slow motion as the door revealed-

Not a Warden, not a Warden, not a Warden.

As the creature aimed to zoom past their group, Mei Xiang frantically reached out with her hand towards the fleeing creature, attempting to enact her will and stop the beast with her telekinesis. She wanted to try and keep the creature near them, or atleast slow it down enough to where they could catch and fight it.

She was too panicked to actually say anything.
(Mei Xiang)

"I hate this place..." Tiff groaned.

As she saw Mei try to stop the monster from getting away, Tiff joined in with her own arcane power to force it back to face them. They had released something that they had to seal once again or defeat here and now.

If they didn't put that thing back where it came from so help her...
(Tiff)

"You've got some balls, Hatsu. But you're grounded. Double grounded. TRIPLE GROUNDED. Now let me.."

The mystic draws his blade suddenly and winds it back, as if he is charging up an attack. Then..?

.. His entire form starts to fade away. Flesh to spirit to something that could be called 'pixel-like'.

The Transcendence Steppe that his father and ninja gramps had mastered.

With both Order magi holding the nethradin back, Taro appears before him with a scowl on his face and blue energy wrapped around his hands.

"We can't let you escape. As much as I appreciate your silver tongue. Wvelven Style: Stop 'n' Go!"

A volley of energy blasts fire out, and the battle begins.
(Taro Wvelven)

DMPrego picks up Long Shirt (Recolorable).

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DMPrego is now observing Zoltek'Baal

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Zoltek'Baal has sustained an injury in battle...

Zoltek'Baal has rolled 6 or under: they may be captured!

They were luckily able to catch it, thanks to Mei's opportunity to pull it back. It was a fight that went through with several problems -- The Nethradin's powerful magic was almost enough to deal with them all, multiple times pushing them to their most vulnerable states that it could...

But it failed to fell any of them. But in a moment of desperation, it grabbed ahold of Taro's neck, lifting him up and above! "You!", he spoke out, pushing the metal mage against the wall.

With its metal skin shattered, the Wvelven could barely defend himself. The large hand grasped around his neck. "I WILL TAKE YOU WITH ME!", he yelled out --

And soon enough, Mei was able to finish off Zoltek'baal before it was able to kill Wvelven. Around his neck, however, lied the marks that would forever remind him of this very place, and the very trip that they just went through, the claw burned into his very skin. (-20 vit/be creative)

DMPrego has emerged victorious!

Taro Wvelven has rolled 6 or under: they may be captured!

Tiff didn't go down this time given she stayed as far away from the Nethradin as she could. Lightning arced through the air from the fae while her winds buffeted the enemy and all the while she utilized her powers once more to mend the wounds of her allies as best she could. Arcane force propelled outward from her outstretched hands if the beast neared and Tiff managed to stay in the air throughout the duration of the battle.

There was almost a moment of celebration until Tiff watched in terror as Taro was grabbed and injured. She cried out for him and her own vines shot forth to try to fight back and save the Wvelven until Mei finished the creature off. She let out a sigh of relief and then flit over to their sides.

"Are you alright, Taro? Er-- least we stopped it.."
(Tiff)

The air visibly distorted with the intensity of Mei's and Tiff's combined telekinetic grasp. With the Nethradin held, she forcefully slammed the thing back to where her group was, only to immediately engage in a fierce fight, none like any other she had experienced in her life.

She had fought demons and vampires, but this? This was horrifying.

With the help of everyone present, however, the creature was shortly slain when Mei Xiang ended up burying her blade into the flesh of the Neathradin. Soon after that, her blade began to glow with the bluish flames it emitted, along with the holy fire she was capable of using.

It wasn't long before the series of flames overtook the Nethradin's body, causing the creature to explode into a cloud of ash before it could harm Taro further.

Nothing is spoken still; she needed time to breathe and access their surroundings.
(Mei Xiang)

...Yeah.

 What transpired was clearly something that could not be easily defined. Hatsu had suddenly been blown backward as the Arcanium door swung open, causing the youth to tumble profusely. Within that short span of time, all hell had broken loose, and the quartet frantically attempted to cease the Demon before it could escape into the overworld. Hatsu had been pushing himself by this point, calling upon the cosmos in order to grant him further strength. His reserves were waning at best, and he was teetering by the end of the battle! Magic flew in a slew of projectiles and massive explosions, that of which caused Hatsu to tumble to and fro as he took on several scrapes, cuts, bruises, and even a fracture or two!

 Despite it all, they managed to come out on top, his mouth hanging open as he directs his attention toward the Demonic entity holding up Taro. He attempts to rush toward his sensei as he tumbles along the ground, Mei thankfully eliminating the threat as his eyes fall upon the engrained claw mark.

 "M-MISTER TARO!!!!"

 It would appear his recklessnesshad led to his teacher being injured, by the grace of God not coming out of this entire ordeal as an amputee. It was likely due to Mei and Taro giving it their all, and he felt himself become an immense burden as he tries in vain to help. He knew little medical knowledge, and had little means to do much other than try to keep Taro awake.
(Hatsu Lee)

You have 10 minutes left until your next check. You currently do not qualify for an RPP reward in the upcoming check.

Over-protective as always.

The Wvelven dashes around in the heated conflict with what strength he could muster, putting his best foot forward. Blade clashed with claw. Metal skin clashed with the very frame of the nethradin. But in an attempt to pull attention away from others and put it completely on his self, the Clan Leader slips up and leaves himself unguarded for a split moment.

Unfortunately, a single moment was more than enough for the Nethradin to capitalize off of.

He is hoisted up and into a wall, where the claws of the enemy shattered his metal defenses and dig deep into his neck. Blood pours freely from the wound until Mei lands the finishing blow on Zoltek'baal, at which point the ninja falls to the ground with a loud thump and remains hunched over with a small pool forming through the hand covering the wound.

It hurt. More than anything else had hurt him in his career as a warrior. Yet.. he would live. It was not his time yet- he knew that much.

It isn't until the others call out for him that he even attempts to lift his head. And when he does.. it is clearly that something is different in his eyes. Perhaps he was just shaken up by the near death experience. Or perhaps.. it was something else entirely. His metal magic moves to help clot and slow the bleeding to a decent level, while he limps over to the arcanium doors and slaps a bloody metal hand on them.

The moment he does, the horrific claw marks could be seen on his neck. Still bleeding, but also.. glowing? With the hue of magic that the dark spirit had used. He probably wasn't okay.

". . . I'm still the best mystic tour guide... right?"

(Taro Wvelven)


Tiff says, "Definitely hahaha"
DMPrego picks up Arcanium x3.

DMPrego picks up Arcanium x3.

DMPrego drops Arcanium x2.

Mei Xiang picks up Arcanium x2.

DMPrego drops Spire Shard x1.

DMPrego picks up Spire Shard.

You pick up Contained Essence x3.

At last.

Now, on the other side of the door, they finally saw what awaited for them. Just below the same spot that they entered -- The campfire was a common place for both worlds, and so was the trapdoor right under it, hidden by whatever magic.

But now, everything seemed to be safe. The pink smoke no longer clouded the skies above.

All they had to do was go back.