Lord of Azure Flame Chapter 20: Bait and switch

[Mercakete]

Tas nodded. "Yeah, that's the best plan. Good luck, Irina." With that, Tas was off to the right wing, hunting for anyone he could ask about the hatchling like a hungry wyvern.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An unfamlilliar human was trying to grab him and pick him up! There was no way for him to get away. The hatchling was a frightened animal with nowhere to run... This was abattle he had to win! In his young voice, the little wyvern squawked a roar at the unfamilliar human as he was lifted off the ground, flapping his wings and scratching at the air with his small, black tallons. Then the little, sharp fangs came down with the strength of even an infant wyvern's jaw, crunching into Shamus' hand and jerking this way and that, trying to tear off his flesh.

[Dark Sage]

"Don't judge me," Alferis growled. "Haven't you learned not to trust people? Ever heard of privacy? I trust you enough to work with you. In a world like this, that's more than I can say for anyone else.

What gives you the right to know who it is anyway? I'm trying to save a life here. That should be enough."

[Inactive Account]

"The more you protest telling us, the more suspicious it is," Kelas sighed. "Look, I'd like to believe you, but you said it yourself, we can't trust people. If you're not gonna give us a concrete reason, what's to say that this isn't a trap?"

[Dark Sage]

"Fine. You really need to keep this a secret though. I really need you to this," Alferis said, agitation evident in his voice. Must he tell everyone? He leaned towards Kelas's ear.

"It's Reika. She's dying and I need to kill those demons in order to save her. You should know what I'm talking about. But you know how everyone sees Reika. If they catch word of this, they'll kill her or hurt her you see? That's why I didn't want to tell you."

[Psych]

Pary:

After all of the commotion in the yard, Pary was having a hard time trying to fall asleep. He heard that bandit yelling. About stupid demons too. He got up, passing them and heading outside, before stopping to say something. "Save a life? You saw what those demons did. You'll get us all killed. And I'm not cleaning up your messes. I wonder how Aiya would feel about this plan. Let me go ask her. And where is Morgan? She'll want to find a suitable replacement before Reika passes away." Pary continued out the archway, headed for market.

Edited October 20, 2010 by Psych

[Phoenix]

Isotov

Isotov still didn't turn around to face either Alferis or Kelas. He stared off into the distance letting the images of everyone he ever knew harmed by the demons fuel his foul mood.

Iso: If you don't trust us, then do it yourself like any sane person would. I don't care about your privacy. I don't care who you're trying to protect either. There isn't anyone in this group I want dead. Plenty I'd burn myself before teaming up with, but that's about it. If you honestly think you'll succeed by forging glass fragile alliances with people you barely know, then be my guest, but I won't have any part of it. I've lost too many people to let a weak link drag me and my friends down. Keep your secrets, and keep your offers. I'm done here.

Handling

Shamus: D'OW!!!

The only thing Shamus could say with the little sharp fangs digging into his hand! He reflexively dropped the little wyvern and rubbed the bite mark with his hand, an angry look on his face still.

Shamus: You little ... urgh!

[Inactive Account]

"..I see," Kelas replied, keeping her face blank while throwing Pary a rude gesture over her shoulder. "This sounds... possibly legitimate, but you're still wanting to charge in, I can tell. Unless you come up with a really excellent plan, I've got other people to protect."

[Dark Sage]

"Yes, please forgive me for not telling you my life story," Alferis said sarcastically to Iso, anger bubbling in him. "We're here together, we might as well work together here.

Sure, let people die just to save your own skin. I wonder how your sister got saddled with somebody like you."

Shit.

"Look, I'm sorry for losing my temper ok? I didn't mean it. But could you possibly help me out? That's part of why I asked you. So I can find out more about these demons at the very least."

Edited October 20, 2010 by Yoshimitsu

[Inactive Account]

"Look, all I know about the bastards is that their attacks hurt like hell but my brother's going to live," Kelas replied, starting to run out of patience. "The recruitment speech needs work, you could insult people less," she added icily, turning to join Isotov.

Edited October 20, 2010 by Kiryn

[Snike]

A short-lived journey

The amnesiac merely nodded, then began to walk off, in a new direction. Mere moments later, however, an individual ran into him, from behind. Turning around, he saw the form, a youth, along with another one, a young woman, backing away after the accidental collision. "... Sorry, was I in your way?" he asked, in the direction where their faces would be.

Spellcasting 101

"... You are chanting way too fast," Elle finally said, after pausing for a few moments. "Try slowing down, and pronouncing every word... But, onto other matters, I guess..."

Edited October 20, 2010 by Snike

[Dark Sage]

"I'm sorry, but I don't appreciate being called the weakest link, not to mention you being as unhelpful as possible. We helped you when your brother was sick and dying, you should help too. It's a give and take and it's hypocritical of you to expect otherwise," he growled, getting up and walking away.

[Ether]

As the link was forged, it was an odd sensation.

'Shouldn't it be more... tangible? I suppose the answer to that will come soon enough...'

When Ixion requested Damian sit down, he did so.

'Let's see what he is going to do next, then.'

"Alright, I'm ready."

[Phoenix]

Isotov

Iso: ... ... ....

Iso clinched both of his fists tightly frozen in place. He'd been ready to walk off, but Alferis struck a nerve, and now Iso was nearly enraged. He turned to face the masked man with a murderous look in his eyes. A moment later his irises vanished behind the crimson tint of Proxima's power.

Iso: Don't say another word about Irina. Not. Another. Word. And don't expect my help after saying something like that. "We're here together, we might as well work together here."? If that's the case then go beg someone else. Morgan, Pary, Reika, anybody.

When he voiced how he didn't like being called the weakest link, Iso rolled his eyes.

Iso: You are the weakest link. You don't trust us, but you're so desperate for help you'll come to us and say we should help you, and quite possibly at the expense of the people we care about because some person you won't point out will die otherwise? Too bad. I don't have a stake in your problems, neither of us do.

Kamilla

Kamilla had been thinking hard to herself for awhile as Xaver escorted her. Exactly how would she relay her story to the Grand Cleric. One thing was for certain. She wouldn't lie. That wouldn't help. That was something the group would do to save face, but she wouldn't stoop to that kind of deceptive thinking. She would tell the truth, and justice would liberate the innocent. Just then, she was forced to look up only to bump into a very tall man. He apologized, but she was still bewildered by his height. He definitely reminded her of someone though.

Kamilla: Oh ... it's alright. We should have been looking out for other people I suppose.

Plunge

Ixion held for this hands again, making his mental maneuvering a bit easier. He closed his eyes yet again as he began to submerge his conscious mind into Damians, a very old, and very powerful technique.

Ixion: Close your eyes, Damian. Find the Gae-Borg inside your mind, and face it directly. I need to see it ... this struggle in your mind for myself.

OOC: This is where you write what's going on in Damian's head. Ixion's acting like a spycam right now so he can witness those internal mental struggles first person for the moment.

[Inactive Account]

"Hey, calm down--" Kelas began, noticing the red glow in Isotov's eyes and reaching out to hold onto his arm. Getting into another fight now would inevitably be worse than the one that had just happened with Rita; they simply couldn't afford it.

Then Alferis mentioned Arrin. Kelas abruptly let go. "I didn't see you fighting," she hissed. "The people who helped me volunteered, and you will leave my brother OUT of this. You're giving good reasons to not help you, now."

[-Cynthia-]

"You should really watch where you're going." Xaver said to the tall man, annoyed. "Come on Kamilla. We have a lot of ground to cover. They could be chasing us after all." he said her, as she seemed somewhat dazed.

Edited October 20, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Dark Sage]

"Of course I didn't fight you fool," he hissed back. "How could I when I was with the warp group. I would've helped you out no questions asked if I was able to.

I was a fool to think you would be of any use. I know your type. You're going to use us for your ends, you want us to save people you care about if we can. And now when someone needs you, you just back down? Fact is, demons are going to attack you and kill you anyway. You'd gain a lot more helping me out then not. But why should you? After all, it's the person who I'd die for and would who I care about who's going to suffer, not the people who are near you. Now git. Scram," he said, pointing a finger away.

[Mercakete]

"Excuse me, have you seen a small, red wyvern run through here?" asked Tas to yet annother servant. Like the others, the servient gave him a look that suggested they suspected him of having drunk a bit too much of a frivilous beverage. And again, the answer was that no wyvern had been sighted within the castle. "Ah, I see. Thank you," Tas replied, again disappointed. (If I keep this up I'll be tossed out with the reputation of the down drunk...who somehow snuck into the castle...) With a sigh, Tas pressed onward, hoping that Irina was having better luck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The little wyvern knew he couldn't escape, but then again, he didn't have to. He was a powerful wyvern! And this guy was an unfamilliar human! He already defeated him once by making him let go - though it did end in the little wyvern landing unpleasantly on the ground again - so there was no reason the human wouldn't be afraid of him now. Crouching low, the little wyvern glared up at the human, his tail swaying threateningly as he gurgled his little gorwl not unlike a chihuahua threatening an armed burgler.

[Ether]

As Ixion gave his instruction, Damian began to visualize the Gae-Borg in his mind.

As his eyes opened again, Damian found himself at the beginning of a long hallway. The entire area was blanketed in a deep crimson fog, tinting vision itself with a deep red, lusting for blood.

As he walked down the hall, Damian noticed weapon racks adorned most of the wall space. Dislodging a pike and swinging it with hope to appraise the weapon.

"It will do."

Reaching the end of the hallway, Damian opened the doorway slowly. Stepping inside, Damian looked around before a voice called to him.

"Haha... so you are here."

The voice was deep, holding a demonic tone. The bloodlust was apparent instantaneously.

"Yes... I am not surprised you would mold your surroundings to this." Damian replied, looking towards the direction of the voice.

Sitting in a luxurious throne, atop his head a loose crown, was the personification of Gae-Borg.

Taking Damian's own form as a base, the demonic spear appeared as he did, albeit with eyes aglow a vicious crimson. Draped over his armour was a silk cape of royal violet. In his hand, the spear itself, held by it's own personification.

"You sound... unhappy. What is wrong Damian? This is who I am... who we are."

"You like to say that. You are not me... you are nothing like me!" With a yell, Damian charged towards his alter-ego. Swinging the pike in a downward motion, the enraged blow was easily parried.

"Oh? Are you so sure? This wealth, this fortune. I have all the power you could ever need to attain it... to be everything. Without me, you will never be more than a shadow of your father... we can be more than that man... but not without me."

The pike was knocked aside. As it lodged itself into the floor, Gae-Borg raced to finish it's strike.

"Thanks for playing into my hand kid."

The spearhead found itself inside of Damian's heart.

"Ugh!"

Blood flowed freely from his mouth, a spurt showering the demonic entity. As the spear was pulled back, the bloodied organ fell to the ground as it was pulled from the corpse.

"Haha... you'll heal eventually, being just a psyche and all... but I'll have long taken over by that time... now to oust that watcher."

The druid was close. One of the arcane should be no match at such range. Swinging his fist at the druid, he aimed to hook the man in the jaw while he was still entranced.

"DIE!"

[Phoenix]

Isotov

Iso: Did you just shoo us like dogs?

Iso didn't waste any time and swung around to snatch up Alf's collar and haul him in close with only one hand!

Iso: Listen to me as hard as you f*cking can, Alferis cause I'm only going to say this once. We don't owe you anything. Nobody does. Acting all high and mighty when you don't get your way is going to get you flayed alive. Now stop talking about what we should be doing and focus on what you should be doing, shutting the hell up.

He quickly released him and took a few steps back preparing to turn and leave. He'd had enough.

Irina

Irina asked around for awhile but when she asked guests about the baby wyvern most told her they hadn't seen one and were thankful for it. Apparently some of the nobles thought wyverns to be scary and ugly, something Irina had to keep herself from lashing back at them about. Approaching the guards didn't help either. They insisted that a wyvern, not even a baby would get passed them. They were apparently vigilant. She found herself alone in a hall at some point.

Irina: This sucks. Little guy is a wraith. No one's seen him.

For Shame, Shamus

Shamus: That does it! I'm gonna take you out, ya little critter!

Shamus quickly removed his shoe and held it up outside the cage bars threateningly. In a moment or two, he would begin mercilessly beating the little wyvern with it!

OOC: That guy who left really oughta send someone down here. I don't know how to stall this crazy bastard much longer :(

Ixion

Ixion watched as Damian was defeated within the confines of his own mind by the personification of the crimson lance.

Ixion: (Now I understand. One can only "fight" for so long and so hard. A creation like this needs to be conquered in another way however.)

In the real world, the researchers had been watching to see if anything happened. Sure enough, Damian's body sprung into action against Ixion! None of them had time to protect Ixion from the first blow, but they readied their spells to separate the two to prevent the next. The blow landed knocking Ixion out of his trance and he barely caught himself as he stumbled back! He took a second to wipe a bit of blood from his mouth.

Ixion: If you people are ready, then do it.

They readied and cast a magical barrier around the possessed man that took all three of them to sustain. Ixion wasn't relying on it to actually restrain Damian indefinitely however. He only needed the man to remain relatively still long enough for him to personally subdue him with a spell of his own.

Kamilla

Kamilla: R-right. Okay then, we should be on our way then. Goodbye.

OOC: Not much to put here :/

[Ether]

As the barrier surrounded the crazed man, he began to chuckle.

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha... for a man who considers himself intelligent... you would rely on something like that so contain... someone like me?!"

The crimson glow of his demonic eyes began to shine with greater luster.

"I am not as weak as that man!"

As the lance materialized in his hand, it was twirled in an arc around the man.

A flick of the wrist. The rune carved into the floor about the man began to glow a deep crimson, sparks flaring up the shaft of the Gae-Borg.

"This puny force field, forged of a mere imitation... can it hold up to true hellfire?!"

The crimson spark ignited the air, the inside of the barrier was engulfed in a burst of hellfire, which lashed at the sides as though it were a whip, aiming to shatter the barrier and strike the dark druid.

[Dark Sage]

"I'm calling it as I see it," Alferis growled, swallowing the urge to punch Iso in the face.

KILL HIM! KILL HIM! HE'S IN YOUR WAY! KILL HIM!

What in the-?!

"High and mighty? You're calling me high and mighty? I'm trying to save someone close to me. You hear me? This isn't like I'm trying to get a meat patty or any shit like that. You get it?" he said, pulling Iso's cloak and staring in his eyes.

"You listen. If someone close to you was going to die, and you needed someone to save her, you'd ask somebody. And with you mister, you have the gall to talk down to me? I need your help and you're sneering at me and you're talking to me as if I'm some sort of animal and you're leaving a girl to die. You get it? You're going to let her die! Why are you so desperate not to help huh? You scared? You're just going to sacrifice someone else's life for your own sorry hide?" At the last sentence he threw Iso to the ground.

"Forget it. Now we're going to get away from each other you hypocrite. At least one thing was accomplished. I know never to ask you for help again."

[Inactive Account]

"Perhaps next time you ask for help, you'll ask people who weren't just involved in such a fight," Kelas snapped, clenching her fists behind her back. "Maybe eventually you'll work out that people don't like suicide missions, that you should have a plan and tell people what's going on before demanding their full support. But there's no reason for us to keep talking."

As Alferis grabbed Isotov, she abandoned her attempt to avoid a fight. She ducked in and hooked a foot behind Alferis' knee, throwing him off balance. "Are you seriously going to pick a fight now?!"

[Dark Sage]

"And that was why I asked you for your help! So you could help me plan. Got it?" said Alferis. Kelas managed to trip him though. Falling to his knees, the voices in his skull grew louder, his face growing paler, breaking out into a sweat.

KILL THEM! THEY'RE IN YOUR WAY! KILL THEM! YOU WIMP! YOU'RE GONNA LOSE HER! MAKE THEM DO IT! KILL THEM!

"Agghh! What's with...voices...." Alferis groaned, sinking to his knees.

A very menacing smile spread across his face.

He's gone now...that means I'm in control now

"Won't be needing this..." Alferis said, removing the mask, a slight change in his voice. Slight, but noticable. It sounded more menacing, more wild.

"Hah! Speaking!" said Alferis, a very wide, very psychotic grin across his face.

"Now lady do I have to get rough with you? He won't. He's a wuss. But I'm not."

[Phoenix]

Isotov

As Iso came down on his back a dozen thoughts raced through his head. Alferis was truly getting on his nerves. He hadn't been this angry with someone since Ixion and Ivanko came back into his life. He'd been pushed too far this time. He didn't get up just yet though. He lied down comfortably on the grass for a moment while staring up at the sky. He had calmed down, but the venom in his words came out even thicker than before.

Iso: You idiot. You blind, confused, ignorant idiot. I couldn't possibly help some random iron head who'll only get in the way and risk all our lives for some other random person. I won't do that to my friends, alive or dead. I won't help them by wasting time with a nutcase, someone no different from an entitled noble or delusional bandit.

He finally stood up and stood by Kelas a bit satisfied that she'd stepped in to help. He was in truth about ready to actually assault Alferis but unlike most in the party, he didn't have any intention of breaking the law, not in a place where anyone would see him do it. He took a moment to crack his knuckles just in case things were going to get worse. At this point, he was only on defense.

Iso: How violent this gets is all up to you, Alferis. Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a human. We've got healers.

That's when Alferis began to act ... differently. Iso raised an eyebrow after hearing what he had to say.

Iso: (He really is a nutcase ... fantastic. This is no place to set someone on fire. I hate to even think this but ... I think we might need Morgan's help here.)

Ixion

Ixion waited for a moment. The researchers tried their best but the barrier quickly shattered! The attack stopped at Ixion though, setting off a loud bang that revealed the Dark Druid's own barrier.

Ixion: Hmpf. The barrier wasn't for my protection.

As Ixion spoke he aimed his finger down at a point right between Damian's feet and a small black orb appeared on his fingertip. With one thought it fired down to that exact point, the energy contained within already lashing out. As soon as the orb touched the ground, it disappeared in a massive explosion! The force released would have killed an unarmored target and even the researchers were sent tumbling into the walls! Ixion's barrier deflected most of the explosion and he was only pushed slightly.

Ixion: (I would have used more force, but I'm dealing with Damian's body. I can't risk killing him, though serious injuries may be necessary with this type of entity and are to be expected.)

The smoke had yet to clear and the researchers were already getting back on their feet, though they were clearly injured.

Ixion: Healers. Now.

One of them nodded nervously and then quickly left the room.

[Ether]

As the dark energy erupted from the sphere, it released an immense amount of force.

As Damian was thrown against the back wall, he hit the floor bloodied and beaten.

"Damn... not bad for a fucking human..." the possessed man muttered, crimson glow beginning to fade.

Blood pooling around him, the possessed man used the thick fluid to craft a new rune on the wall behind him.

"You got me this time... but next time you won't stop me..."

Completing the rune, crimson sparks flowed through the walls, covering the walls in pulsating crimson runes.

As the demonic energy coursed into the rune a final time, the possessed man smirked triumphantly.

"SEE YOU IN HELL!"

The entirety of the room was aglow with crimson, as the walls began to shake.

A short warning. As soon as it began, it was over, and the demonic energies collapsed the room in, and out, in an explosion of dark energy destroying the entirety of the research chamber.