dev 1 - blood, sweat and toil

The islands of Agartha are said to house many things. Demons, abominations, human tribes corrupted by the spires themselves dwell out amidst the lands surrounding the great continent itself. The potency of the divine magic in these regions is so powerful that no questions are asked as to why most of the humans who come to Agartha dwell upon the mainland rather than on those outer lying areas.

And yet, life finds a way.

Rumors of what lives out here reached Levengard, and it was Aurora Elisheva who gathered her friends and family to trek out on an expedition to retrieve something truly unique; a mimic she could raise and keep for herself.

Given their connections with the city of light, the group was able to secure a private crew and ship that would take them out toward the islands on the distant horizon. With the power of the spires, approaching was somewhat difficult, but fortunately the captain was used to the stormy waters and eventually the Elisehvas and their friends were near their destination.

Despite the swirling storms overhead and the billowing winds, the captain assured them that the waves would be tame enough for a single window that would allow the group to reach the distant shore via dinghy.

And so it was done, and without any significant difficulties, Aurora and company found themselves standing on a sandy beach of a strange and mysterious place packed with tropical trees and strange wildlife that had adapted to the divine presence they spent their lives under every day.

They had trekked out.

Upon a boat, they would soon find the location that Aurora sought after. It took time, but... All interesting situations took their time, did they not? Along the beach now she would come to wander, a gauntlet clad hand lifting as she shaded herself from the sun, seeking around in silence for a few moments.

"This is cool," she calls outwards, dropping her hand as she began to wander along, aiming to shuffle along the beach to see if there had been anything of particular note.

"Well, Aurora, this one's your show. Where are we headed?"
(Thalia Elisheva)

And yet another adventure.

There's almost a hint of regret to not getting his wounds treated properly before this, but what does it matter now? When they boarded, the Shenlong stuck strangely to himself throughout the entirety of the sail, uncharacteristically silent throughout the trip; that didn't stop him from being kind to people, if they ever bothered the Drakanite.

It just he doesn't speak first mostly.

Whatever gotten into Shenlong is completely different story, but when they reached the sandy shorelines, he was quick to examine the area around them. It's clear that the place was fairly tropical, which is nothing unusual to the islands that surround the mainland, but it was all too captivating nonetheless.

It's almost tempting to just... stay here.

"Should begin by examining location."

"Our objective is likely not that far off, if we investigate."

This is a mere suggestion, and his speech abruptly cuts off. He glares to the rest.
(Keitaro)

It was hard to keep someone like Aurora waiting. She was anything but the patient type, and it showed, even now. Even as they waited on the ship. Even when it felt as if the waves threatened to break it, and allow the water to claim them as victims of a storm-- all Aurora could think of was when they'll arrive.

And soon enough, they do.

Just as the captain instructed, they reached a spot where the water was calm enough to allow them to reach the shore. And as soon as they do? The Elisheva begins to stretch her arms, yawning while doing so, "Ahh! It took so long! I don't like having to sit around for such a long time..."

She faced Thalia as she spoke, and then paid a couple of nods at Keitaro's suggestion. "Uh-huh! That sounds right. Examining the location. Yes. We can't steal a baby without making sure it's safe to, uhm, get away with it."

Thank the lord Samael wasn't here to get into an argument about it with her.
(Aurora Elisheva)

After a bumpy ride, they found themselves on a sandy beach.

It's amazing, actually; to see a place barely touched by human hands, despite how strange the creatures might be. There's not really any place like this on the mainlands of Agartha, so it was a sight to behold for the young Dryad.

And of course, the first thing he did was start to check out the local flora and fauna. Not going to far away from his group, just enough to get a good look.

"It's really nice here, I might just end up staying."

Grinning just about as long as life, he waited for instructions on what exactly it was they were doing before actually moving.
(Ilui Elisheva)

Another ship, another island, another encounter that would probably scare him senseless. The Kang's hands remain on the crook of his just below those newfound feathers as they sail towards the rumored island. They'd be fine as the captain had said, so surely they just... Had to do this quick!

With landfall made through the dinghy he'd hop on out onto the beach. Those tropical trees brought him a fair amount of happiness with their familiarity yet... The strange wildlife that dipped and dove beyond the leaves would have him on his feet.

Clenching his teeth he'd try his best not to show the surmounting fear. One foot bounces idly as he looks towards his cousins and friends. He'd follow along with a simple nod.

"So uh... Look around, search for it, and hope we get out unscathed! Yeah. Simple enough." With a swift cycle of air to keep himself calm he'd await a direction to walk in.
(Sima Kang)

Almost as soon as everyone had a chance to take in the beauty of the beach, it began to rain again just as harsh as it had been coming down while they were on the larger ship that was now anchored off shore. Lightning cracked the the sky and told the group that at least for the time being, climbing back into the dinghy would be a death sentence.

Overhead clouds circled in spirals, as if threatening to become hurricanes or something even worse, and the shadows of the great spires rising into the sky nearby told everyone exactly what was to blame for these phenomenon. For as enchanting as this place might be, it could very quickly turn into a hellscape at any given time.

A shriek and a roar echoed out from the treeline, followed by some sickening crunches and cracks that could only be bones and trees breaking in unision.

The wind is howling.

Thankfully, Keitaro wasn't a stranger to the storms such as these. If anything, he could tell which locations would be most dangerous right now - and among those would be returning right now. The hellscape conjured was no doubt the fault of Spires; then again, that's why these lands weren't colonized yet, right?

"We should avoid any open areas with flora or objects that maintain low height. Otherwise, we'll be walking lightning rods."

"Forest is our best bet. We're targets for lightning out here."

Despite the low chance of that happening, he assumed that Spires also influenced the weather a lot - which could potentially mean that this chance is much more 'elevated' than it otherwise would be.
(Keitaro)

A storm suddenly surged, beginning to rage along the way as her eyes come to a confused pause in their search. "What in the--…" Speech cuts off as her brows raise upwards. This was not a safe place in the slightest now, was it?

Around her, she would aim to buffet the wind around them, hands extending outwards. The wind, thankfully, was her own little playground that she sought to control. Pushing forward into the fray, she would aim to head toward the forestry even though there was something clearly wrong in there.

"We should follow the sounds, probably."

Let's go, let's go.
(Thalia Elisheva)

As a storm rolled through, the Dryad's grin never faltered.

This place was perfect, and honestly, he was probably going to mark it down as a potential retirement spot for his later years. Shadows of the spires could be seen overhead, and the crunch of trees snapping as one of the land's beasts made its presence known to them.

Standing out in the open, green strands of hair clinging to his face as the rain poured on him,

"Sounds like something's in the forest though, can't you hear it?" He hums out, his head canting ever so slightly to the side,

"But you're right, there's no point in running, hm?"
(Ilui Elisheva)

Rain, how nice. A small grin begins to form on the water magi's lips. His head tilts back a bit to enjoy it for a moment before it's swiftly interrupted.

The Kang's head snaps back into place, light blue hues shifting about to locate the source of the sounds. Those chattering, nervous teeth are now visible on the young man's mug. Shifty-eyed, terrified, but all the more compliant to just getting this over with.

"Y-yeah uh... Let's... Stalk this slow and stuff." He'd chatter, allowing the party to continue forth before he follows along.
(Sima Kang)

The demi-angel looked around just as the droplets of rain began to hit the shore, the intensity of the storm growing by the second. Her brows furrowed, almost as if concentrating to contemplate who was responsible for this weather. Ilui found the shore to look enchanting, but Aurora?

With the spires being tall enough to pierce through the clouds, and the weather getting this chaotic so fast... She considered this beach to be much, much worse than the one back at home. Enough for her to even feel threatened, almost.

A few more nods of her head follow after Thalia's statement, Aurora's eyes narrowing slightly to stare ahead at their road-- the path to find the source of those sounds. "Just remember! They're not supposed to be very, uhm, inviting. We're sort of invading their home after all..." It was a warning no one really needed, but she still felt like someone should say it.
(Aurora Elisheva)

And a rare trek had, following along in a group towards the back and with... vague trepidation to her movement.

They were on a hunt of sorts, and the prospect of the unknown was exciting!

The boat is far more fun than the landing. Upon the landing, her legs are wobbly from their first step, and the rain starts coming down en mass. A little dome of her own water creates a pseudo-umbrella, and she scampers to catch up with the rest of the crew.

Everyone worries. And for good reason, with the roar echoing from the deep.

" But. That is what. Makes it fun. "

To Aurora's last worry, her own resolution. Either way, she eagerly anticipates getting into a little more cover.
(Sonja)

Taking to a slow stalking of whatever made the sounds, the explorers come across the location of the roars a few minutes after whatever it had been left. But the scene it left behind was nothing less than gruesome.

What appeared to be a lower elemental demon, one of lightning in nature, was missing most of its head and body, its ruined corpse left behind twitching and zapping with remnants of its inner powers that it had in life.

The grass around it was slicked down and covered in black, sticky ichor that squelched underfoot. Trees nearby were broken and bent, their trunks covered in that same strange substance that had seemingly exploded throughout this space.

Like the trail a river that no longer exists would leave behind, more of the wildlife off in the distant was completely flattened over and left a path filled with the inky liquid that was more than fifteen feet across and disappeared out into the rest of the tropical jungle.

Whatever this thing was, it was big and more than capable of fending for itself. The body of the elemental twitched again, and upon its body severa lightning shards, along with a larger, powered stone, could be seen for any to grab.

Sonja scoots right out into this open space made so by foreign affair-- not their own, of course, but something else tremulous and powerful, heard from far away enough that it could echo throughout to there from here.

Her curiosity focuses with intent-- down on the black, sticky ichor.

If nobody is attentive enough to stop her, Sonja was

gonna eat some of it.
(Sonja)

So they were getting somewhere.

The fact that this creature was seemingly this powerful was fairly impressive. In truth, it would mean that it's actually most likely pretty dangerous, considering just how badly this Demon was messed up; then again, it didn't look all that impressive in its stature. Or perhaps it was vastly underestimated?

"We should go on a trail until it breaks away. Then, we should track it down based on any changes in environment."

"It can be snapped twigs, markings left on the trees or traces of movement on the ground. Regardless, there must be at least something that this creature leaves behind."

This was probably the most rational decision, at least in his eyes. Still, he glances at the others, and approaches closer- his hands reach out to the lightning crystals and stones, but he stops mid way.

"Nobody minds if I take those?"

As Shenlong, it would probably be bestattuned to someone like him. Still, he narrows his eyes at Sonja and speaks out briefly.

"Do not eat that."
(Keitaro)

As they move forward, they would do so in a way that wouldn't just immediately give them away. A hand holds against her mouth as she allows her gaze to trail around. Hmn… A halt comes as she looks down toward the mess that had been left behind.

Goodness gracious.

Looking up toward the sky, then around them, she'd try to make sure they wouldn't end up crushed like the elemental there.

"Take whatever works," she calls out in a bit of a distracted manner, trying to make sure that they weren't going to end up the next crushed elemental.

"...But we should probably follow the trail."
(Thalia Elisheva)

Oh no.

The scene was giving her flashbacks to the time they've fought a giant crab, only... This time? She didn't have to suffer looking at human bodies, but one of a demon instead. Not that it was easy to discern, with the state it's been left at. Large pieces of its body were missing, causing Aurora to think they might have been eaten by some creature.

And on an island like this? Who knew how many different creatures co-existed with each other. The only thing that was certain was that the group of humans was not meant to be here.

Frankly, as soon as Aurora realizes that there was something she could grab, she steps towards it-- but Keitaro's words ward her from committing to it. Mostly because she didn't care that much. If he wanted it, she'll let him have it.

"..Okay, we should continue. But-" Why was Sonja getting near that black substance? The demi-angel stops in the midst of their tracks only to scratch their cheek in confusion. "Uh- what Keitaro said! Don't eat it. It might be bad for you."
(Aurora Elisheva)

"Mn.."

Something was strange, and sadly for him, the Dryad was able to see Sonja crouch down to try and eat some of the strange black liquid out of the corner of his eye.

A brow quirked, and yet, he only hums softly in response. Saying absolutely nothing. If she wanted to eat some nasty black goop off the ground? Well, that was her business.

As he glanced about the clearing, his arms waved at the ground, allowing for a myriad of petals and acorns to fall from his sleeves, and litter the ground. If trees were going to be destroyed, then he was going to help repopulate. As was his nature god given duty.

"Go ahead, I don't think any of us have any use for it.. Though--"

A slight pause, his nose crinkling slightly,

"I'm still curious about what caused this."
(Ilui Elisheva)

Stalking through the woods with the party he'd remain as silent as he could. Pulling the bow from about his torso he'd knock a green-feathered arrow, slowly scanning the area about them.

Those eyes of his go wide, however, at the scene they walk in upon. What in the heck had he been talked into? A quick glance is shot towards Aurora for a moment as if to ask that silent question, but the scene before him pulled his main attention overall.

"Do-Don't mind if uhm… You take it, no." Sima shakes his head viciously. Electing to keep his eyes to the area about them he'd remain wary.

Setting his eyes on the inky trail he'd give a meek little nod.
(Sima Kang)

As soon as anyone made contact with the ichor left behind, there's an electric snap, like a synapse of light that spirals down from the point the explorer's body made contact with the goop. It spirals up the pathway and out of sight.

To those who made contact with the ink, they would feel as though they received a minor zap to their senses, but nothing more.

The Lightning crystals were gathered up by Keitaro and all that was left to do was follow the trail left behind by this muck.

Sonja has acquired Strange Goop [x1]!

Tattles picks up Strange Goop.

Tattles drops Strange Goop.

A mere glance was spared to the rest of the people behind himself. After picking up the crystals, the Shenlong opted to continue following the trail, his eyes inquisitively looking around the place at all times. As for the corpse of the Demon left behind?

He didn't react much to it.

Did he change too? To a degree. Hardened, maybe, to no longer be as soft as he was- but it's still the same kind Keitaro. Nonetheless...

"Let's get going."

"The slime couldn't get too far away."
(Keitaro)

Aurora seems not to care as much about Sonja keeping some of that goop to herself. In fact, it brings the Elisheva to rest since she knows that the girl is less likely to try to eat it now..!

Right?

Regardless of if that was correct or not, the brunette sets her eyes on the road, eager to continue. "Come on! We don't want to miss whatever did this!"
(Aurora Elisheva)

.. Zap!

As the slime was touched, a small shock was sent through the Dryad's system, his brow furrowing slightly. Stupid goop, and stupid zaps..

Seeing as nothing else was left behind, his attention turned towards the path,

"Well, guess we've got no other choice.."
(Ilui Elisheva)

It was time to follow along the trail. "Come on guys, let's not waste time," she mumbled outwards, waving her hand a bit. They didn't need to sit and dally.

So, shuffling along, she'd make sure to watch and see if there was anything that might've tripped them up or anything along those lines.

They didn't need to pitfall today. Nope.
(Thalia Elisheva)

Sima's head visibly recoils as a zap rolls through his senses. The Kang grumbles to himself before peering towards the others.

Yet, there went Aurora, trotting on down the paved inky path before them. A silent scream rolls in his throat, known dang well this was going to be a rather rocky road ahead. Yet, he presses on, keeping his eyes peeled about on their surroundings.
(Sima Kang)



Onward they went,

tracking this THING through the dark jungle. The rain began to come down harder, the sounds of it pelting the leaves and foliage nearing an almost threatening crack each time the drops fell.

The thunder overhead indicated the storm was getting worse, and that unless the group wanted to be stranded here overnight, they should hurry with their hunt and return to the ship.

Luckily...

the sound of some music could be heard coming up ahead, and through the cold rain, everyone could see bright, warm lights coming from..... paned windows?

Here in this clearing they saw none other than Ollie's, Levengard's local tavern, bouncing with what appeared to be some active nightlife waiting out the storm inside.

There's no doubt about it in his mind.

Considering they knew what they came here for, the Shenlong only withdrew his staff, preparing himself for what's to come. Why beat around the bush if he already knew what would happen? Only to be potentially injured, or to put other people in danger just like that?

No. That's not it anymore.

"Has to be a mimic. I could always fire a lightning bolt towards it, and see how it reacts. If it's an actual building- which I really doubt- then electricity will dissipate along the walls."

"If it's a mimic? That should get it out."

Already he prepared himself, and stepped forth, but not too close to get in the range of mimic potentially attacking him. The rain didn't bother Keitaro, for he already braved the storms before.

"Prepare your weapons." He spoke to the rest.
(Keitaro)

The rain continued to pelt and pour.

Into a clearing now, they'd come. A very familiar place that they had congregated around and sparred near. Her fists would clench a tiny bit as she knit her eyebrows together.

...A mimic being able to copy a whole building? How would it even know?

"...How?" She inquired as she shifted, looking around the area. Was there something that could've been reading their mind, knowing how they functioned?

Hnn...
(Thalia Elisheva)

They weren't home. But it looked like home. In a stormy day.

And it confuses Aurora a lot. Enough for her to completely stop again, only to stare at the local tavern that clearly didn't belong to this place-- were the spires doing that? Was it on purpose? If she stepped into the tavern, would she come out of it in Levengard..?

Forgoing the trip back on the ship didn't sound like a bad idea now, with the storm worsening. And for once in their adventures, Aurora isn't the one to suggest something risky. Keitaro is! It brings a smile to the Elisheva's face, one that stretches widely. "Yes, yes, yes. Shoot it. Do it."
(Aurora Elisheva)

As the rain fell harder, something could be heard in the distance,

"Is that.."

Yeah, there's absolutely no way that something was playing music out here in the middle of a jungle. And on top of that, as they drew closer, the lights that were once far off in the distance could be seen. And it was all coming from none other than Ollie's smith and tavern.

".. It all makes sense now, this is where Rhubie comes from."

A strange ninja-clan fishman who seems to be capable of creating blood-sucking armors. It only made sense that he hailed from a strange, divine-spire corrupted island. Of course, that wasn't the case at all..
(Ilui Elisheva)



He didn't mind the rain, honestly it was refreshing. It was one of the perks of being a water magi - Being nearly at home wherever the water may be. That bow remains primed in his hands, the green-feathered arrow ready to fly through the air.

Wait, why was there music?

With a furrowed brow he'd keep his eyes trained ahead towards its source. How had Ollie's landed here? Those gears in his head come to a grinding halt as he tries to process what was going on.

"Should we shoot it-- What if it's real?-" The Kang halts himself. Honestly, what was he thinking? Drawing the green-feathered arrow back he'd ready to fire off his own round should Keitaro's attack stir the 'mimic'.
(Sima Kang)


Keitaro says, "The music could be product of sound magic. Do not forget that it's a thing."

Aurora Elisheva asks, "We're magi. Why would we forget that magic exists?"

Sima Kang says, "I know, I know- Bubbles does that."

Keitaro says, "Just suggesting what magic the mimic could be wielding."

…

…

…

She saunters on, with her hands still wet and sticky black, the urge to lick them overwhelmingly disapproved of and thusly avoided for fear of social rejection. So she moves with them, rejoins and follows until they are upon another obtuse construction of the island's ploy, or that of it's inhabitants.

Her companions will see Sonja, rather than preparing for hostilities, simply approaching with her little umbrella of water overhead, and a hand outstretched with the goop upon it.

More, still stretches outwards-- and she's treading awfully close to this illusion that they all believe it to be.

Whether or not it was a mimic didn't seem to matter to her.
(Sonja)

As the group decided on what to do, the building continued to appear as the only solace from the growing storm outside. A blast of lightning struck downward about fifty feet from their location, shredding another tree to charred splinters. If it wasn't for the heavy onslaught of the rain above, a fire may very well have broken out here.

Shoot it or let Sonja touch it.

These seemed to be the two plans they had collectively come up with, and as Sonja approached, nothing happened. The building remained the same, making no sign to strike out against her.

But before she could reach it, the door swung open,

And Noel Elisheva looked out and smiled at his daughter.


The building... remained?

What? Then, the door would swing open and they would be greeted with the appearance of... Uncle Noel?

Lips part a tad bit in confusion as she glances momentarily over at Aurora and then Ilui, a questioning look on her features. "...When'd your dad get here?" She inquired quietly.

What in the world.
(Thalia Elisheva)

"Now, this is either illusion or some advanced mimicry."

That didn't stop Keitaro from doing what he was going to do. The lightning sparks up in his hand, and after compressing enough of its energy to make sure an acute blast is fired, he sends it towards one of the walls of the house; it's not enough to really inflict any damage and crumble the wall from sheer blast, but it's enough to zap it thoroughly, should it be a living being.

And if it is one, it would hurt.

He realizes that the potential mimic can also endure. As result, Keitaro charges another bolt and sends it again- and again, and again- to provoke any potential reaction. Now, if it were a house, it might get walls with some black spots on the walls due to charring that comes with lightning, but...

If it is a living being after all, it risks being injured if this keeps going.

The firing doesn't really stop from him, unless someone else was going to do so. Not for a moment he really believed any of this - there's just no way that Noel and Ollie's are on some forgotten Spire island. If anything, Noel appearing only affirmed Keitaro's belief that this is either a mimic or illusion.

"Do not let it get in your head!" He barks at the others, in a tone that nobody heard Keitaro speak before.

"We're on a Spire island. This is either a mimic or illusion. None of this is possible."

"Just fire what you have."
(Keitaro)

The lightning strike startles Aurora, who can't help but jump in place! She fears the possibility that the next time it'll strike, she'll be the victim, and not some tree. Really, rather worrisome. She never had to consider such things at home.

And then Sonja begins to tread towards the tavern, stealing the brunette's focus. Her eyes refuse to waver and shift away, and the Elisheva even takes a couple of steps forward - anticipation pulling her closer. She needed to see what happens when Sonja reaches it. She needed to be there. She had to see it for herself!

.. Only for her dad to appear.

Turning around, she used her hand to smack Ilui, "Did you actually tell dad we were coming here?"

Keitaro's words remind the girl of where they were, and why they were here. Right. A mimic. That might have not been her father.
(Aurora Elisheva)

.. Of course he's only smiling at her.

Something strange was going on, since there's absolutely no way this thing was able to know stuff about them. Ollie's was a stretch, but to figure out what his father looked like..?

Yeah, there's no way..

"Dad..?"

And then, he turns towards Thalia,

"He shouldn't be here, that doesn't make any sense.."

Squinting, the Dryad shuffled closer, completely confused..

"Keitaro, just shut up and wait! There's no way it-.."
(Ilui Elisheva)

How was uncle Noel here now? Those gears in his head had come to a complete halt, imaginary streams of smoke stemming from either ear. The green-feathered arrow with no head is laxed upon the string for a moment.

Yeah, this didn't make sense.

As Keitar barks, Sima acts. Being the true Kang he was he'd pull the arrow back fully on the drawstring. Taking aim he'd let the wind-infused arrow sail through the air and knock against Ollie's side.

It's a reckless action, sure, but that dull-arrow would maybe draw the mimic out. That was if this was even a mimic the size of a building.
(Sima Kang)

The building shakes a bit and darkens when the bolts of lightning and magic are thrown out - one of the window panes even shattering upon impact. Naturally, the smile on Noel's face dies down a bit in response.

"What the hell are you doing to Rhubarb's shop?! Do you know how much it cost just to get it here?"

The man immediately reaches into his pocket to pull out a flask, at which point he skillfully opens it with his index finger alone.

"I'm going to assume that you guys followed us here." Speaking over the booming rain and thunder, he slides back and gives them all a path to enter through. "It's a lot to explain, so I'll spare you the jarring details. Just get inside for now.

Thera and Est are going to kill me if you all catch some spire islands cold, or somethin'." Grimacing at his own plans being cut short, the man pulls another sip from his flask and steps further inside, fully expecting his children, nephews, regular students, and favorite student to get out of the fucking rain.
(Noel Elisheva)

The damage to the building is apparent. Broken windows and blackened and charred sections of the walls were left behind in the onslaught of the magis' tests. Spell after spell had landed and done its due diligence.

Not like this.

This still didn't look believable, even as the construction endured. He quickly turned to the Elishevas - which included Aurora, Thalia and Ilui. Certainly, if it could copy the appearance like this, it would mean that it can dwell upon surface reflections and memories. But...

There's always something more.

"Ilui, Thalia and Aurora - ask him something only the real him should know. One question each."

The Shenlong wasn't so easily convinced.
(Keitaro)

… Very curious. While they circle Noel and focus their attention on the,, Sonja runs her fingers along the outsides of this now heavily damaged building, an idle curiosity as her eyes mostly laze towards the Elisheva concerns to the side.

Something certainly isn't right about this, yet she won't let herself lean too close to any window or door. It must be a trap, somehow. It must be illusion, deception.

Not if.

But how.

What is she missing. Maybe she just needs to listen for a bit.
(Sonja)

Aurora's eyes close, and she even turns to look away from her father as he speaks. Oh no. He was real. He had to be. The way he shouted... It had to be him! And if he was angry, then how upset would her mother be when she finds out?

Oh no.

A frown takes over the girl's expression as she begins to worry more and more. Naturally, she doesn't suspect him anymore. Not after the building had been damaged. Not after he expresses his worry for them. "Uh- Uhm- Dad, look-" She doesn't even have a good excuse, does she?

Keitaro urges them to ask a question, so...

She does. Because at this point she was in no place to deny help.

"Who's your favorite kid?" There was only one correct answer. "..And what potion did you ban me from using?"
(Aurora Elisheva)

This was hurting his head, but even then it doesn't take a lot to pull an ache onto his pea-sized brain.

While he had his own question to ask he'd remain silent for the time being. The building wasn't the mimic which was... Strange. Pursing his lips into a thin line he'd peer towards his cousins and patiently wait.

He hated this a lot. Thinking was never his forte. Thus, he'd flick his attention about them every once in a while to try and catch any movements. This couldn't be real, right?
(Sima Kang)

At first, it was a good imitation; an almost perfect one at that, it looked exactly like his father. And while he couldn't really explain the reasoning for the building seeming so.. Real.

There's one thing that caught his attention.

Thera and Est are going to kill me if you all catch some spire islands cold, or somethin'.

Some of the other's might not catch it, but surely Sima would. It's known that his mother rarely leaves her house, let alone her bed. So the fact that she was suddenly out in a rain forest, after somehow managing to get Ollie's shop out here? Well, it was all starting to seem a bit wacky to him.

.. And yet, he couldn't explain how this thing knew all this stuff.

At Keitaro's suggestion, the Dryad gave a nod of his head. There wasn't any real reason to say no. So, he shuffled forwards, a pair of pink eyes checking his father's form for any imperfections. And after some time, the Dryad finally spoke up,

"How many of the kids had to be put down at the orphanage?"

It's the only thing he could think to ask.

A question that only the true Noel Elisheva would know the answer to.
(Ilui Elisheva)

But...

What would Noel know only between them? She didn't talk to the man often enough, so... Her hand would awkwardly move along her braid as she gave a force of her breath from her nostrils.

They didn't do much of anything together.

"Where's my mom?"

Ah.

Oh. Hm.
(Thalia Elisheva)

… Her suspicion visibly abates. Her thoughts, her attempts to find anything out of the norm-- they're settled, one way or another.

Defeated, in a way, she returns more towards the rest of the group, spreading her little umbrella of water control to cover up anybody who might still be being pelted by the elements.
(Sonja)

A near silent grunt escapes his lips in response to the questions that were coming from the not-so-little ones.

It made sense for them to be so skeptical, after all. The journey up until this point could not have been an easy one. But to stand out in the pouring rain rather than following him inside? It was foolish. Silly.

It takes him all of five seconds to empty the flask entirely before he twirls around to see them all, heels planted firmly into the floorboards. The towering figure with a single wing skips right over Aurora's first question and gets into it.

"Lust potions were banned for everyone on the campus, but you especially. Hell, most potions should be banned, the way you all use them. That's serious magic you're dealing with. Not just pranks to make people kiss, or swap their genders."

Ilui is next, though the man seems to be going deeper into the abode with every one he successfully answers.

"Just one." The regret is still present in his tone.

As for Thalia's question? He turns back around fully as the lights cut on.

"I don't think that's an answer you're ready for. Or one that should be given in front of all of your friends. But if you really think you're ready to find out... I'll explain everything inside."

His eyes squint out into the distance behind the group of kids.

" Say, you didn't happen to put down a storm elemental on your way in, did you? If not, we might want to hurry."
(Noel Elisheva)


Sima Kang says, "... What'd you do to my dad in the lighthouse during Cordelia's treatment?- Just before we head in."

Keitaro asks, "And what is Ollie's doing out here?"

Noel Elisheva asks, "What part of 'I'll explain inside' didn't you get?"

Noel Elisheva says, "I think three questions is plenty. Come, students."
. . .

Wrong.

Her father-- or whatever this thing was, was wrong. He hadn't banned her from using lust potions yet. Nope. Just the ones that altered with one's gender. And of course, Aurora wasn't able to forget that. It was the reason why she began to use lust potions to begin with. .. But then again, maybe he referred to the time he confiscated the potions they've found after fighting a particular handsome man?

Ugh. It hurts Aurora's brain to think about all of this.

What was right, and what wasn't?

". . No. We aren't coming." It worth telling her father 'no' if it meant she and her friends will be unharmed.
(Aurora Elisheva)

There's a shift, a pause.

Then, her gaze cuts over toward Aurora momentarily. Then, back to the form of Noel as wind begins to pick up around them.

She knew that it was wrong, too, so... Her gaze focused in on the likes of the form of Noel there... But...

Not Noel.

"Yeah, we shouldn't go with him."
(Thalia Elisheva)

For all he knows, this could be still some trick to read their minds, and just who knows how far it was really breached? But with the answers given, Keitaro had less and less arguments in favour of staying away from the apparent image of Noel Elisheva, and instead, he spoke out.

"...Not yet."

But he didn't lower his guard too much despite answered questions. It still sounded awfully suspicious to him that he would be out here so suddenly, but he may have been tracking them all. Still, the question regarding elemental seems awfully convenient as well, almost like Noel had a special interest in that.

"We'll need you to answer these questions anyway."

"What is Ollie's doing out here? What are you doing out here?" And why Keitaro asks this? Because it's one thing to take replica of memories, and it's completely another to forge good explanation to all of this.

You can steal memories. You cannot steal explanations so easily.

It also didn't help that he apparently answered wrong to Aurora. With more joining on that, it only became more and more suspicious.
(Keitaro)

Just one..

She was a nice girl, one that wasn't able to handle the manifestation of her blessing. She just couldn't get it to settle down.

It's the right answer, but he just couldn't shake this feeling..

"Sima, you know better than anyone else that your mother wouldn't come out all this way." A harsh statement, one spoken in full confidence as his nose started to crinkle up,

".. We shouldn't go with it."
(Ilui Elisheva)

"What are you guys still doing out in the rain?!" Came Calael's voice from behind the group. Noel's brother took a few steps toward the kids, his cloak and armor completely drenched from the storm. The wind picked up even more, and the jungle began to sway with its wrath.

"Seriously, someone's going to get hurt out here. Follow Noel and we can explain everything once we're somewhere warm." With a wave of his hands, the other demiangel began to motion the kids forward toward Ollie's, but each step was strange.

Instead of ever lifting his feet each time he moved, he slid them along the ground, as if they couldn't separate themselves from the earth.
(Calael E. Kang)

To Noel's appearance, she can offer no question, no secrecy, no means to possibly unravel this suspicion before it began to abate-- they all felt it, the lingering dread beyond even the storm brewing.

To Calael, she approaches. She comes close, if she can, within range to murmur under the roar of the winds.

She has a question that might help, but she will not speak it aloud.
(Sonja)

"Hard-headed as usual. Did you bring the extra bottle of vodka like I asked...?"

Noel looks beyond the group and over to Calael, his own feet still presses against the wooden floors.

"And don't even think about coming into Ollie's with those wet shoes on. I'm talking to you, Sonja."
(Noel Elisheva)

Sonja whispers something.

Calael E. Kang whispers something.

Sonja whispers something.

Sonja whispers something.

Squinting, the Dryad's gaze darted between the two of them, his brow furrowing slightly. This was starting to get on his nerves, something copying the people in his life, and using them to trick them..

Or, was it a trick..?
Were they all really out here right now..?
Was this some secret Oracle slash Sage thing they never told the kids about..?

It was all too confusing, and it made his head hurt to even think about; the only thing still setting off red-flags within his mind was the fact that he said Est was here. These copies were good, almost too good.

And so, an idea came to mind.

A simple test to see just how good they really were. He turns, facing Cal' in silence before finally muttering a single greeting..
(Ilui Elisheva)


Ilui Elisheva says, ".. Suh."
Thankfully, Keitaro had no such attachments as parental figure here. Instead, the only thing that was prompted in his mind was the immediate suspicion right after Calael's appearance. Seeing the odd pattern of how he moved on the ground... it only gave him more things to be concerned about.

"There are too many coincidences occurring. I hope I'm not the only one thinking that."

He briefly gazed at the group, and while they may or may not be disarmed by this, he had his weapon ready. In truth, it looked like Keitaro was about to attack, with bouts of holy magic and lightning sparks appearing around him. Even with these answers to their memories, he barks back at Noel.

"You still didn't answer my question."

And that's where the beast was caught, for him. Not only that, but he was interested in the elemental earlier; he was probably eager to plunder it, but could not due to appearance of the group. With that in mind.

"They're fake. Both of them."

"The odd movement pattern, avoiding difficult questions, asking about some elemental demon which was killed earlier by the creature - with the black ooze too."

"These are mimics."

The lightning sparked, preparing to strike. In his mind, he already figured everything that he needed to know, and even if others were fooled by this, he wasn't going to wait.

"We have no choice. More may come soon. Be swift." Hopefully, the rest of the group knew what Keitaro spoke of.
(Keitaro)

Calael E. Kang whispers something.

The little whisper is barely audible as she looks around at the people present there. The question was answered wrong.

So why were they still entertaining this?

Trembling a small bit in response to it all, she drew in a deep, deep breath. It's not real.

Right? She was doubting it all, but it couldn't be real. Maybe if they...

This was crazy. How?
(Thalia Elisheva)

With Calael arriving, things only got worse for Aurora. She couldn't keep her gaze on her father, turning around to constantly shift her stare between the two brothers.

To Hel with it. If there was ever a time for Aurora to act out against her parent, then it was this. Stardust began to collect above her palm, shaping and morphing into a comet of sorts. It shined with multiple colors, just as a similar aura began to wrap around the brunette's form - lightning her with many different shades. The spectrum of an entire rainbow. There wasn't a color you couldn't find in Aurora's cosmic magic.

"I am sick of the lies. I don't believe either of you!"

And then, it's hurled ahead. Straight at her father. It feels so wrong, but she's never been the type to do what was right.
(Aurora Elisheva)

Sima nearly jumps out of his skin as Calael's voice rings out behind him. Well, that sealed the deal. This wasn't happening, this wasn't real, this definitely hurt his dang brain.

His question wasn't answered still.

With his heart beating his ears he'd shift his attention between his uncle and then his father, then back to his uncle. Opening his mouth to retort with what was going on he'd elect to do the usual Kang thing.

A blunt, cyan-feathered arrow is withdrawn, knocked, and fired towards Noel's left foot. Just like Aurora's usual, dumb idea of blasting stuff with cosmic magic.

They were both very dumb.
(Sima Kang)

Calael continued whispering with Sonja, until Ilui made some sort of greeting towards him.

..Suh

Calael's eyes widen somewhat as he and Sonja continue conversing, but Ilui is given a solid, inquisitive, "Huh?" in response.
(Calael E. Kang)

Noel's head tilts dramatically in response to the phrase.

He could understand Aurora's frustrations. But the dryad?

Several silent moments of the man recoiling his neck go by before he proves himself to be the cooler older Elisheva. "Suh? Supper is on in ten." He glances between Ilui and Aurora with a grimace.

Uh-oh.
(Noel Elisheva)

Her grin is unnatural in how it spreads until her skin loops like it could rip, as they speak at a hushed tone, those last words that slip from her mouth a little louder.

And her voice raises, this time cutting up over the storm, loud and harsh and somewhat unlike her.

" How dishonest! "

And her aura flairs, brightly swollen a buffet of holy water that glimmers away with her hop backwards and her distancing. Her staff is drawn, twirled, and stuck into the ground. She finds her typical levels again, but even still--

visibly, Sonja is very much worked up.

" This one. Has relented the truth. The building will eat us. It offers me partnership.

And. I decline. Attack. "
(Sonja)

Keitaro does not hesitate.

Where he sees visage of Noel Elisheva, he sees a target- an objective that just tried to overcome them through trickery and lies, but he wouldn't fall for it - and thankfully, neither did the others. Instead...

The palm of lightning is conjured.

Leaping from his place with impressive speed, energized by the lightning and holy magics alike, the dragon's thunder roars and it intends to strike Noel where he stands with the palmed lightning. He already wanted to do so, but seeing that Aurora was onto it, he finds no reason to hold back or hesitate.

Combat will reveal the truth.

"Attack them now!"
(Keitaro)

.. Suh.

It's a simple greeting between the male Elishevans, one that many might not know about. Since they didn't really do it super often, but it was often to know that if that word was spoken, it was to be responded to in kind. An unspoken rule to never leave someone hanging.

".. That's not them, I know it for sure now."

Giving a wave of his hand, a few petals began to fall freely from the inner confines of his overly large sleeves. Blue, slender, thorn covered vines sprouting up alongside his feet as he readied himself.

"I suppose it will be fun to attack something that resembles, Cal', hm?"

Still angry about that staff. Grrr.
(Ilui Elisheva)

The explorers could not be fooled.

And as Keitaro spoke the most sense and prepared for a fight, Aurora and Sima strike immediately. Sonja's declaration brought about a severe frown to Calael's face, and while Ilui and Keitaro join in the battle, both of the paternal demiangels before the group seemingly melt into blood and ichor. They collect into pools that are drawn together, shifting unnaturally beneath the magis' feet until they are sucked into a stream toward Ollie's itself.

The exterior shifts and changes until it too is slime dripping down what appears to be a simple box frame made of bent trees and sticks, a skeleton of whatever it was. This mimic was exceptionally large, and its transformative abilities were obviously somewhat rare, and as and came together before them, another zap went through everyone's mind as it sifted through their memories a second time.

With a livid, hateful screech from its great, goopy maw, the mother mimic sounded like a twisted, angered, and wrathful Thera Elisheva,

here to kill.


You have received an INJURY:

Name: "Broken Left Leg"

Desc: Keitaro's left leg was broken in his fight against the giant mimic. The young drakanite was tossed into a rock where his bone snapped into a compound fracture that is beyond painful. It will take time to heal without magic, but luckily it isn't permanent aside from scarring.

Inflictor: Tattles

Class: TEMPORARY

Duration: Medium (4 days) (-20% VIT)



The wrathful shriek of the likes of the mimic echoes through the area, and her eyes widen in a bit of shock. Fire breaks free around her form, her fists collecting tight as she shifts, moving along the way. Her foot crashes down against the ground as she moves forward in the direction of the creature, and her arms bring forward a whipping, spinning vortex of fiery wind, causing it to crash down hard into the creature.

It was going to kill them, wasn't it? So, they had to fight their way out of it. How did it know? All of this was chaotic, all of it was undoubtedly nerve wracking to a fault because...

How could anything know this much about them...?

Harsh fire melts down around her as she spins around the battlefield in a hazy motion. Fire clings to the ground where she moves and she would force forward, blasting her flames outwards. She can feel it scathing against her skin as she moves, the atmosphere around her burning alive as she twists around.

It isn't until the creature manages to crash into the party that her body stiffens up visibly.

Oh no.

She isn't fast enough to particularly move into the way of Aurora and Ilui, so she skids to a halt as she stiffens upwards, and then...

Drawing on her flames, she would blast forward in hopes to pin the creature into a ring of flames, allowing Keitaro to finish the job. She certainly felt, hm, a bit lackluster, but... Her flame wasn't dying out, that was a certainty.
(Thalia Elisheva)

This was something else.

No matter how valiantly they fought, the creature persisted to injure the young adults in their efforts to bring it down. Then again, such sort of adventure shouldn't be anything unusual to Keitaro at all... already his body began to form various scars acquired through certain fights, and he could feel that his body was slowly giving in to the sweat and toil of this fight.

As such, when he tried to fight against the black oozing mass, part of him- his leg to be precise- ended up being smashed against the rock after a toss. At first, it could only look as an ordinary toss, but...

Snap!

Immediately, Keitaro's eyes widened. Pushing through the pain with assistance of holy magic, he saw others get injured as well- but just as he tried to intervene to help them, he could feel the dizziness overwhelm him momentarily, a result of the injury and internal bleeding no doubt. His stance was sloppy - even if holy magic dulled the pain to a certain degree, his body was slowly giving in.

It just couldn't stand much more, with another injury he had before.

"Why is everything so dizzy..."

A quiet murmur amidst the combat. He tried his best to overcome it, he really did, but even the holy magic hardly seemed to suffice at this point. Instead, he resorted to the only other thing he always had with him - and that's the energetic blood of his ancestry as a Shenlong. It's the fighting spirit he possessed, despite the kind nature. Like a wild pulse, it was beating in his chest, calling him to an action. Proverbially, it was quite literally the 'I don't have time to bleed' moment. Slowly, he rose to his feet...

"I'm not done yet!"

He leaps again, despite the broken leg. Neither pain nor damage manages to puthim down for good, and the roaring lightning in his palm comes about with the greatest power he could really afford to himself at the moment. It was his ultimatum, it was his everything during that moment - it was, perhaps, the last spark for this fight.

But even that could prove to be enough.

The lightning is intended to pierce through the black ooze and tear its particles apart- the sheer blow came about as a thunder strike, after which Keitaro could not help himself but to quite literally slide against the floor. Leaping with broken legs, and trying to exert oneself beyond such limits, after all, was bad for health...

He didn't care though.

Now, he just laid there in heap of black ooze, steaming from his body. The bloodshot eyes that were result of lacerations over his body and the crimson paint over his clothes and hair alike were all parts of his attire that he disregarded for now. He only asked one question while his barely open eyes gazed at the rest.

"Is..."

"Is everyone okay?"
(Keitaro)

This... This was vile. Black and goopy monstrosity stood before them, howling like an angered aunt Thera. Swallowing a lump in his throat he immediately springs to action!

Also known as running away and assailing the mother mimic with a hail of arrows.

Green, gold, yellow, cyan, and blue-feathered arrows careen through the air. Most are lost within the monster they fight against, but their effects are easily notable. Bits of ice jut out of random spots among the mimic, stray streams of yellow stardust flitting about that inky form.

Throughout it all he'd channel what he could from his patron star. It's not much, but there's faint changes within that brilliant yellow stardust about him. Stray bits of stardust shift hues into a dark azure, the air growing all the colder as the alien mana becomes oppressive with its temperature.

He's not lucky, however.

Upon a turning whirl to send forth a tornado he's blindsided. As the mimic swats him aside like a child would to an uninterested toy he'd let out yip of surprise.

SNAP!

While part of the azure and yellow aura had protected most of his body from the back-breaking impact with a tree the Kang's arm isn't as fortunate. Sima hisses in pain, groaning and growling as he rolled about on the ground for a time.

Pained, squinted eyes peer on up towards the party and mother mimic to assess the situation. Thalia had restrained it, and Keitaro had finished it off.
(Sima Kang)

The colors dance around Aurora as she traverses the battlefield. The lack of flight, again, hurt... But it isn't anything that will hold her back. No, it tries to - but she refuses. She won't let it. She flings multiple comets at the large mimic, each one of those meant to distract, to blind, to confuse - to halt it from hurting her allies.

With an emphasis on her family, of course.
Ilui takes priority. Always. She wouldn't be able to face her real parents if something happened to him.

And as the battle continues, although it's not drawn out for too long. . . It becomes obvious that this was no easy journey, and defeating an angry mimic was not an easy task. It's the first one Aurora had ever encountered, and frankly? It's everything she expected it to be.

Feral. Like a rabid animal.

Not long after her illusion magic captivates the mimic, it went into distress. Just enough for it to begin spazzing around... Confused and startled, evidently. "ILUI, MOVE!" The creature finds Ilui near it, and it almost rolls over Aurora's brother, who's miraculously swift enough to push her brother out of the way-- but not fast enough to avoid being rolled over by the giant monster.

The Elisheva intends to scream-- and that's when a bit of the mimic's goo gets inside her system.

She only wants to scream even more now.
She's forced to endure the pain as it circulates into her system, causing her to feel nausea and dizziness. She isn't getting up from the ground anytime soon.
(Aurora Elisheva)

As the fight raged on, the wrath of the mother mimic seemed to be too much for the Dryad to handle.

Something was coming for him, something bad-- And yet, the only thing he could do in the moment before being sucked up was give a certain someone within their group a literal death stare. Knowing full well what she was probably going to try and do.

Something that he didn't want to have to carry on his shoulders.

As if, without even speaking, he was telling her no.

Seeing as his attentions were elsewhere, it came as a surprise that he was shoved from behind by his sister. Bringing him out of the frying pan while tossing herself into the fire,

"-- You..!"

There's no thank you, there's no running over to her. It's just frustration that he was letting out..

"Why!?"
(Ilui Elisheva)

She dances around this chaos, this not-quite feral blob of clearly carnivorous intelligence.

Yet the chaos of the fight cannot break her transfixed stare upon this creature. To chase it down, enforce will upon the scattering lesser bits of it and those that might follow it.

The way it zaps into her mind, it makes her wonder- but there's no point to that. To wondering, ot curiosities with a thing that will no longer speak- and thing consumed by hunger.

It has to be put down. Has to be taken care of. And she'll... collect ample samples once it's over-- once they've torn this place up and torn this thing down.

Sonja's ability to heal and withstand swallows whole the dark winds of the mass mimic's efforts to down her-- she has clearly wounded the thing some slight bit more for their speaking at hushed tones before, perhaps created some explosive endeavor to wound her specifically-- to swallow her whole,as it to do to the lot of them. A terrifying thought, yet.

It won't come to fruition. Not a chance.
(Sonja)

With some injuries, the expeditionary group came out victorious amidst the rainforest. The hurricane was still picking up, the winds thwapping against the trees as if it was angry that this very violence was taking place.

Keitaro was able to land the final blow; a shrieking bolt of lightning that electrocuted the giant mimic clear through. Unlike the way it had reacted when he hit the building, this time the injuries very obviously sunk inward, and the creature's eyes BULGED out as the electricity exploded from within.

Chunks of sludge were thrown across the space, slapping into wood and grass like a bomb of slime.

Though some of the globules still moved, it was clear that they were lifeless, dead, and wouldn't be able to come back together.

Where Ollie's had stood, however, there came a cry, something bubbly and alien, but still recognizable as a sorrowful sound. There amidst the wreckage of the skeletal structure of what had stood, was a smaller, tinier mimic, one cradled within what was nothing more than a wooden crate filled with moldly towels and blankets.

Its wide orange eyes streamed out black tears as its half mouth was opened wide

Was it mourning its mother? Or was it just scared because of all of the noise?


There's the sound, the twisting on her feet that causes her to give a few blinks. While everyone else was hashing out, once more, she would soon dash forward with a bit of a bite against her lower lip.

Coming to a halt in front of the crying mimic, she would crouch down in front of it.

Was this one MASSIVE? Hopefully not. Thalia was a fucking tiny girl.

"Shhh, shh... Come here."

Carefully, again, she holds her arms out.

It really was free fuckin' real estate.
(Thalia Elisheva)

So it did look like everyone was alright.

Figuring he should take care of himself, Keitaro slowly rose up to his feet, struggling here and there due to apparently broken leg. It's clear as day that even if he were to move, the healthy leg would be doing most of the job and he would be limping. But is it worth it? Hopefully.

After all, he came here to help others.

"Guess that's a yes..."

Seeing Thalia dash to retrieve the mimic, he realized it wasn't all in vain. Although it was weird to just come around and steal babies like that, he figured - hey, whatever does the job for people in here. If they thought this is right, then it probably was. Besides, is leaving that baby in there any better? Of course not.

"I..."

"I hope this was the last. I don't think I can take another fight right now."

With those injuries he had? Oh no, he wouldn't. He so wouldn't.
(Keitaro)