Despair Lost, The Elemental Aftermath

[Seth-Rah]

In time, the bestial spirit had calmed down and largely fell silent, merely pondering whatever it was that was interesting enough and watching Melia's work. The night slowly crept along, eventually falling away completely at dawn. Yet the passage of time went unnoticed to Melia, absorbed in her work and hidden away from the real sun. Not unlike the dawn, Phoenicus's voice went unnoticed.

Melia. She was merely ignored. Far too much focus on that absurd little creature. Melia! Yet again the spirit was ignored, as she had been for most of the night. This called for slightly more force than usual.

Melia

Success. Melia's concentration was broken, and she seemed aware of her spirit's words again. Just as interesting was her physical reaction. As she promptly rose to her feet, there was a rather audible crunching noise coming from one hand.

A moment of silence. She slowly brought her hand up and opened it, revealing the mangled and crushed body of the creature she had been working on.

You might want to wash your hand.

"You idiot! You know how much time I've spent raising him and now you do this! You just completely ruined everything I did developing him!"

Oh please. It's survived worse.

"And now you've managed to kill him!"

Technically, you did. Except not really.

The spirit's comment was reinforced by a prompt chirp. Looking down, Melia saw one of its eyes focus on her. "...fine. So he's not actually dead."

You can fix it, too! Just like you did every other time!

"Stop acting like this is normal!"

There was the time you stepped on it, the time you sat on it, the time you crushed it with a tree root, the time you crushed it with part of the ceiling, the time you crushed it with a chair, the time-

"I get it already!" Yes, she had accidentally mangled him several times, but it wasn't like it happened that often. Yes, she could heal him, but it wasn't like she had that much experience doing it. Her spirit was enjoying that far too much.

Several moments passed as she reconstructed the creature's body before setting it back in the tree. "Now, what was so important?"

Oh, just a call. Supposed to get to the north exit now. We're probably getting started soon.

Wait, wait, wait... soon? Gather at the north entrance? She could not have possibly spent that long working. There were other things she intended to do! Review some of her combat techniques, review what she knew of the city and its layout, relax a little so she would actually be ready! It couldn't possibly be morning already!

It is! And before you ask, I didn't interrupt you sooner because you were so focused. It would have been a shame to have you accidentally stab its brain through its third eye or something.

"Right, no big deal. It's not like I really needed any rest anyway. Besides, just because we're starting soon doesn't mean I can't get any reviewing done before then. We have to actually iron out how we're doing things and then get that ready and get to the city and-"

Calm down already! This isn't one of those damn tests from when you were a child!

Right, calm down. Getting worked up already wasn't going to help, not at all. No, what she needed to do was slightly different. She didn't know quite how long they would spend on the final preparations after they were gathered, since it could easily just be a quick jump to the city when they were all there. Better to prepare before then.

She spent several moments focusing, controlling the flow of magic and manipulating her body. Streamlining certain aspects, reducing others, altering it to fit the situation. The changes were not enormous, and none were visible, but they were significant enough to have some influence over how things might go. After the appropriate modifications were finished, she refocused her mind. She actually remembered where the correct exit was, so that would be easy.

A moment passed.

We're still here. She had noticed.

It helps if you remember that barrier you put up.

She knew that! She was just... fine, she really had forgotten. It wasn't as if no one else did that!

The room was briefly bathed in light as Melia disappeared.

~~~

The tunnels were briefly illuminated by a flash of violet light as Melia reappeared. After a brief moment to reorient herself, she turned to face Seth.

"Okay, so, what now? Are we still going with the tunnel?"

[Karnstantine]

Oberatta was awoken by her spirit, who had heard Phoenicus' message before she did. She arose quickly, and started changing out of her night clothes and into her normal attire. She was going quickly, because she had taken the time to lay out what she needed after her guests had left.

"Do you think you're fully prepared, Ober?" "Yes, I do." "Then let's get out there, and not fail the young master Riosa." Ober stepped out of her room, and closed the door. She pulled out the curious gem she used the night before to unlock the door, and did much a similar thing, locking it this time.

She then decided to take a different means of transportation. She seemed to fade into the light, fading from sight.

She then just seemingly materialized in the northern exit's lobby. "As you requested, I am here."

[Zyros]

Coragat awoke before Azzerare to the sound of their leader's call. No surprise there. She had had more than enough time to change into her necessary attire for the coming day. When ready, Azzerare himself awoke, and shrank down to a size small enough so that he could lie down on the Heretic's shoulder. Coragat retrieved her weapon rom the night before and seemingly vanished from her room, appearing near the others.

"We're all going to die."

[Lern]

"Pessimism!" he cried out loud, laughing more than anybody has ever seen him. Pessimism was perhaps the funniest jokes of life he's ever heard of. Worse, yet, is Irony. Funnier yet, Irony that actually speaks of iron. Irony is when Fate laughs in your face, he always said. He hardly could stop laughing, and after his mysteriously large smile, this seemed to just look ridiculous.

After about an entire minute of laughter, he finally sighed, happily. "Pessimism. Yes. Very." At this point he realized this wasn't even funny. Why he was laughing he didn't know, and why he was speaking this way, no idea either.

He decided maybe after that inappropriately large and out of place laughter, perhaps he needed to sit down. He abruptly dropped the bag which held the bottles of beer and water for anyone to drink.

"You're all welcome to drink something if you want."

[Hidden Fun Stuff]

OoC: Apologies in advance for the character commanding, it's just some movement, really, I doubt you want to risk another massive delay due to total life-fail simply because you all have to post about moving a bit.
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"No, Pierre. Drinks won't be necessary. As for our plan... We aren't tunneling. We're going to march right in. With some outside help, I learned that they somehow managed to hide their entire city away. They're clearly laying a trap, and we must trip it before they have the time to prepare it maximally. I know it's crazy, but it's also our only option that allows us to save Daniel with minimal chance of losses."

Seth didn't even bother waiting for responses, instead melting into an orb of fire and rapidly exiting for Terra City. After a short time, everyone else did the same.
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Terra City

The massive dome over the city was clear, missing the obvious glow of a magic negation barrier. The city was missing, instead only a flat metal plain with an old-looking chair sitting approximately one mile in from the above-ground entrance. The chair had the clear form of a person tied to it.

Everyone entered rather hastily, some entering backwards to keep an eye for potential sneak attacks. Seth ran to the person bound into the chair, who luckily was Daniel and not a dummy of some kind. Seth quickly untied him and smashed the magic-absorbing cuffs.

"...Seth... He... He's alive..."

Seth whispered as he hoisted Daniel to his feet.

"I know, Daniel. I'll explain later."
"I could break a seal and be prepare-"
"No, Daniel, we need your mind, not your power right now."

Seth switched his focus to everyone else.

"We're getting out of here, now! Before they can-"

CRACK. A massive sound, like a cannon firing, blasted through the empty, flat remains of the City. A massive shadow hung across the metal field, natural light blocked by something above.

MOOD MUSIC: Metal Monsters

Suddenly, shards of the dome rained upon the area behind Daniel's chair, as a massive, silvery mechanical claw struck the ground with the force of an earthquake. It was followed by another claw... three more and a massive head. It was the GOLIATH, shining and bright, as if it had never encountered anything. A glowing sphere blossomed from within the monstrosity, perfectly halting at the back legs of the chair. It was the telltale orange of a magic negation barrier.

"N-no... It... How...?"

The head opened up with nary a sound, as a man in gleaming silver armor stood up from the seat within. His cape, emblazoned with the Seven City Society's symbol, fluttered in the first natural breezes to enter the dome in centuries.

"Glorious! The party's all here. Daniel, of course, Seth, Oberatta, Pierre, Coragat, Melia... Or is it... No, I do think we shall keep that our secret for now."

His face held a clear, knowing smirk.

"By the way..."

He held up a red, glittering jewel. It was vaguely round, though difficult to ascertain at the distance.

"This egg you laid so long ago, it hatched yesterday, a beautiful chick indeed. Oh, the newborn is so very innocent. So very innocent, yet trapped within such a pretty body..."

He looked to the side, as if attempting to remember something.

"Oh! Right, there was also this."

The GOLIATH's chest opened up, and out tumbled a mockery of life, a mostly human-looking thing with metal replacing what was clearly missing. It stood on its feet, feebly walking towards the Heretics. Color was difficult to tell through the barrier, but it looked male, tall, and very pale.

"This corpse, who does not yet understand the concept of death... He seemed so attached to the newborn... Perhaps you would know why? Regardless, the Seven City Society wishes to thank you for your great service to them, and in such thanks return your... well, not golden, but ruby egg. I do not understand why it did not break upon the chick's hatching, that is the purpose of eggs after all..." He coldly tossed the jewel in Melia's general direction and sat back down as the cover resealed itself. The shambling body-cyborg suddenly burst into flames, rapidly being reduced to metal and skin paste on the ground.

"The purpose of failures is twofold."

The man's voice boomed through the shattered dome.

"The first is to teach us how to improve. The second is to disappear once we have improved so. You are all failures, and by order of Commander Alaric, you shall be slain here and now!"

The barrier shrank, encompassing only the GOLIATH. Only a short distance from the city, a mass of soldiers was gathered, nearly a hundred thousand strong. The entire group glowed a slight blue. At their head was a mechanical suit that cast a mostly humanoid shape, and crackled with highly visible orange energy.

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Righto, apologies and all. Don't do anything stupid, like trying to punch the Goliath. It's still got a "skin" of the magic negation barrier.

Just an OoC note about the GOLIATH: It is indeed fully repaired. They fast-tracked the whole thing because it's only their best machine.

[Lern]

Pierre observed the goliath. They sure as hell didn't call it "goliath" because of its gigantic forehead. Most likely because of it's gigantic...self. Yes. This monstrosity was the biggest piece of...anything, he had ever seen.

His eyes twitched, his fingers shuddered. His shoulders collapsed and his legs trembled.

This was not fear. This was his way of saying "oh my god i don't even".

He took some time thinking. No. Alcohol and explosives aren't useful. No, I can't trip it. No I can't shoot it. No I can't...

Now there were more ideas flooding his mind of how to take down or atleast weaken said mechanical beast than there was earlier, of how monstrous it was.

But then he had an idea that may help them. He squealed silently;

"I need someone who's quick and willing to risk himself to help me distract this giant...thing. Of course, with your permission, Seth. When I vanish I intend to distract him and I want ALL of you to run. Unless of course you have a plan. I'm not willing to take any chances with this bastard without a proper way to take him down, and seeing him makes me believe there IS no proper way."

He closed his eyes. He was willing to risk himself, obviously, but how would the others react? How would HE react, had he been the fault of anyone's death because of this?

And why...Why did he not notice the mass of soldiers until now?

[Seth-Rah]

Crunch. Crack. Crash. They were all perfectly good onomatopoeia, and could have all been applied to the sound equally well. Similarly, several words could have been applied to the GOLIATH's landing, and the sound of its head splitting open to reveal the man inside. Especially the latter, since Melia wasn't even sure there was a sound with that.

There were not so many to describe Melia's reaction to the man's opening words, primarily because it came largely without sound. His comment drew both her own attention and that of her two spirits. More so than what he already had, at least. What did he know?

Then he pulled it out. Her eyes instantly shifted to it, focusing to a far greater degree than was possible with a normal human eye. Even from that distance, even with the partial obstruction of the negation barrier and its shifting colour, she could tell what it was. He should not have had it.

What was he saying about it? What did he mean? They could not have possibly gotten it open. It wasn't supposed to just open for people. Not for anyone but herself and the dead. Certainly not for them. Especially not for them.

Yet if it hatched... it shouldn't have been possible. But what if it was? What if they had? How much would have changed? What would they do?

Then the GOLIATH opened again. She might have rejoiced under different circumstances. Yet she found that it brought her nothing but horror, which was evident on her face.

He is dead. That is nothing but a body they salvaged. Do not fear for him here. For the first time in a long while, the guardian spirit actually spoke to her rather than simply pressing an idea into her mind. It was oddly calming. Though it probably wasn't just her words that did that.

Then the egg was in the air. It was almost immediately accompanied by a brilliant violet light against the barrier as she attempted, quite futilely, to reach through. Once it began to pass through, it crossed the distance between the barrier and Melia within the blink of an eye, and was in her hands only a moment later.

Empty. It was empty. Utterly impossible. They could not have opened it. Entirely impossible. Even the other Heretics would have had trouble forcing it open, and a negation barrier to destroy the defenses would have ruined its contents.

She glanced up in time to see the last of the thing's body be consumed by fire. Then the man disappeared into the machine and the barrier around it shrank. Then Pierre began to say something or other that Melia really wasn't paying much attention to. She was a bit busy trying to figure out how to break through the barrier and just rip the man out of the GOLIATH. Then she could get some answers about it.

Well now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We have to break through first. Yes, they needed to figure out how to break through first. An annoying little detail, made difficult by the resilience of the barriers. Did they even break without hitting the generators? She didn't know. Now, what were those things...

She began to look out at the edge of the dome, only for her train of thought to be interrupted by her guardian spirit reaching out to another.

Phoenicus, is it necessary to destroy the machine? I can do so within perhaps ten seconds provided it is adequately distracted.

Wait, what? Destroy it?

[Karnstantine]

Oberatta stepped back a few steps when the Goliath slammed through the dome, with her robes bristling in the breeze that was made by the impact. "This should have been expected." What was NOT expected, however, was the Goliath's... Pilot? His speech, which wasn't directed at the Magi... But at Melia.

Oberatta didn't figure Melia a traitor, regardless of how the SCS bigot on the big bot referred to her, but all the things the man had... She didn't know what exactly they were, or who, in the case of the corpse, but she resolved to inquire about them later. If they survived.

"Are you ready for this?" I don't think anyone truly can be ready for odds such as these. What we need to do is adapt. "Very true." Ober prepared to draw the sword her spirit dwelled within. "Remember, through it all, I shall be at your side."

[Karnstantine]

At the behest of the creator, this thread is closed.