Chosen Heroine, Ophelia

"Hey, what" —Marni hacks a cough at the foul air— "w-what's so funny? We're gonna kill you punks!"

That being said, they're all starting to look a little rough and it's a little hard to kill the enemy if you're already on the ground. Maybe the healing staff she brought will actually get some use, after all.

To be honest, though, she's never actually used a healing staff and gotten it to actually do anything more than fizzle out uselessly. How were they supposed to work again? Waving it around? Wouldn't it be more effective if she hit Andrei with it directly?

Well, might as well give it a shot!

Marni winds up with the stave as if it were an axe and as magic begins to crackle, she bonks Andrei with it.

Marni 5/10HP heals Andrei 4.5/10HP with Physic. [Roll: 5; 1 + 2 = +3] Andrei 7.5/10HP Marni 5/10HP is inflicted with -4 dex for the rest of the turn! 

...Or at least, she would have bonked him with it if the suffocating air in the bunker wasn't starting to make her a little light headed.

What she actually ends up doing is barely grazing Andrei with the staff. It's sloppy and barely better than anything she'd accomplished in reality, but a heal's a heal, right? Beggers can't be choosers when Marni's the only one here with staves.

Making her way over to Andrei also means she can lean down to snatch up the abandoned thurible, swinging around the chain once more. The other girl, Ophelia, as she had loudly announced, looks fine, but the big guy is starting to look a little worse for the wear. That means it's his turn to get thurible-flailed until she figures out how to get her staff to turn back on.

Marni 5/10HP uses Thurible to transfer 2HP to Dheginsea 7/10HP. Marni 3/10HP Dheginsea 9/10HP

The air must be getting to Marni faster than she thought, because she completely misses hitting Dheginsea with the thurible, metal contraption splitting apart near his feet. Spent incense and charcoal spill across the floor in a puff of dust. It's certainly not what she intended, but spreading the incense is a good thing... probably.

"So, how about it? You guys feel better thanks to me, right?" Marni boasts. She's beginning to seriously feel a bit woozy now, but it's not enough to stop her from fishing for compliments. "Leave the healing to me!"

He goes to get closer, to be able to more effectively assist with killing the monster that were attacking them. However, one of the child creatures lunges at his face, forcing Dheginsea to move his head away, his horns scrapping into the bunkers ceiling, as the dragon attempts to claw the thing in retaliation. Though, with his awkward stance and posture, all Dheginsea manages to claw is the floor as the creature runs towards his flank. Putting away its gnarled knife it had tried attacking him with, and with its hands out stretch, as if to grab something, it lunges towards him again with a laugh.

The thing should have collided against him, should have, but instead the child mearly goes through him as if it was ghost.

“Naughty Child” A uses Got Your Tail to steal Dheginsea 10/10HP’s Short Axe. [Roll: 9 + 2 = 11] Successful

Next thing he knows he finds himself smaller, having returned to his other form not of his own volition. And when Dheginsea attempts to transform, an instinct as natural to any laguz as breathing, he can’t…

He can’t transform… Why…why can’t he transform?

What ever terrible feeling should have bubbles up and ceased him from being unable to do the most basic is quickly smothered and pushed aside at the sound of child like giggling. His eyes locking on to the monster. Now holding something spherical yet flame like in its hands. Laughing and waving it around as if to taunt him. With a grin that stretched far behind its ears. Dheginsea would have attempted to grab the wicked thing. To get back what had been stolen. What is his. But with a rumble of the bunker, the horrible air rushes in.

omen activates! Dheginsea takes 3 damage. Dheginsea 7/10HP

Dheginsea tried his best not to breathe in the air, squinting hard as he tries his best to ignore, trying to locate where that monster that had stolen from him went. However with the stinging of his eyes he couldn’t see a damn thing… and that awful smell…

Marni 5/10HP uses Thurible to transfer 2HP to Dheginsea 7/10HP. Marni 3/10HP Dheginsea 9/10HP

A thurible lands next to him, spewing out its vapours, and the stinging by his eyes lessens. Allowing him to see a little better, to breathe better. He takes this opportunity to see how the student are holding up. Andrei and Ophelia seemed fine but…

“You should heal your self before others. Andrei, make sure the marker girl doesn’t fall.” Dheginsea pick the thurible and swings it around a few times to spread its incense around before tossing it back towards Marni’s direction. The sharpen end of its chain catches his hand, cutting it..

Dheginsea 9/10HP uses Thurible and transfers 2hp to Marni 3/10hp. Dheginsea 7/10hp. Marni 5/10hp

(Boisterous personality aside, she really is much less trouble than he initially expected, isn't she?)

Jostling the incense holder expels more of its fragrance, and the air around them clears a little, enough to see. The dragon had transformed back into the bald man, and the incense that now fills the air seems to be a joint effort between him and Marni. Andrei turns back towards the fray as soon as he could breathe once more.

"Stay back, then," he says to both of them, in response to the man's orders, before leveling his weapon at the child who had attacked him earlier.

andrei recovers 0.5hp with fairy dust! andrei hp: 8/10 andrei attacks 'good child' b with draining blow (17): 3 damage mary mary quite contrary activates! 'good child' b hp: 0.5/6 andrei hp: 10/10

His fan glows oddly white as it connects in another powerful hit against the child's head, and he feels energy returning to him from the hit. The child drops to the ground, like a puppet with cut strings... before slowly getting back up on wobbly limbs, its head askew, smile lopsided.

"It's still not dead..." Taking a step back in alarm, Andrei attempts as best he can to keep himself between the enemies and his injured allies. "Ophelia," he calls, "Finish it off!" Hopefully just one more strike would be sufficient.

Having fully reoriented herself, Ophelia nods once at her comrade in arms. "Verily, I shall do so! Leave all to me!" She begins to condense the magic around her, but she feels a shift in the landscape. Something is very wrong and it breaks her focus. "Whatever could be happening?" The illusion around her shifts and her focus is no longer on the battle but what lies ahead.

She blinks once and no more are they in the bunker. Or at least she presumes it is still the same group. She cannot know for certain as all she sees is the darkness of night all around her. The previous battle was over, but it was clear a new one was beginning.

Approaching the spot, she does her best to not let her nerves show. This was a pivotal moment in the battle, she could not fail! She takes two arrows from the illusory quiver. When the shield falls from their foe's hands, she doesn't even hesitate to loose an arrow. "Arrows of a Thousand Winds, strike true!"

Ophelia 10/10HP attacks Mighty King 10/10HP with Magic Bow. Point-Blank Volley activates! [Roll: 11 + 4 = 15, 12 + 4 = 16; -5.5, -5.5] Aegis roll: 2, 9. Aegis does not activate either time! Mighty King 0/10HP

She doesn't even wait to see if the first hit before she looses the second. When she finally looks over, she sees that she has struck true both times. Their foe stumbles back, having been struck in the chest twice. She was no archer by trade, but here, in this illusion, she had done it.

Mighty King has been defeated!

"Our foe is felled! Tis time to unleash all our might upon our final foe! Stand with me as we claim our assured victory!" It still unsettled her that it used the face and body of one she knew, she had to remind herself it was either an illusion, or barring that, defeating her would regain her senses. That was Ophelia's hope. It had to be or else they would fail.

Clearly, the best course of action is to avoid even crossing paths with her sword. A possible feat for most of them, save the most powerful of his allies. And as much as he would believe that a dragon is invincible to all harm, their previous battle had proved that even he could be brought to the brink of defeat against well-placed attacks.

His own spell isn't nearly as strong as the others' attacks, and Andrei briefly considers returning to his weapon before deciding against it. With how quickly the pink-haired enemy moved, it would take too long, be too much of a risk. His attack would make nothing more than another paltry opening, but he, too, is fighting alongside allies that he could trust.

(It is not an unpleasant thought.)

andrei attacks mighty flower with halahala (17): 2 damage mighty flower hp: 8/10 mighty flower cannot counterattack! mighty flower's buffs are inverted for one turn!

With the distance between them too great for the swordswoman to cross, Andrei manages to slip between the rows of pews before she could even recover from the attacks, and when she does, her movements are slowed, staggering a few steps instead of her heretofore fluid motions. It seems reason spells have their merits, as foreign and uncomfortable as the feelings they brought forth are.

"Quickly, while she is distracted!" he says. Surely, surely, they could manage this, and grasp victory once more.

Making sure at least one pew was between her and Lapis, she began aiming for her again. The bow shook in her hands, but as the moments passed and she breathed, it shook less. It was still unnerving for her to fight one she knew, but this was good practice in case she ever had to again. In case the worst happened and they were drug into a war. "Stars of Fate, be my guide, fly straight and true!"

The bow stilled as she took one final calming breath. Then she let it fly.

Ophelia 10/10HP hits Mighty Flower 8/10HP with Magic Bow! [Roll: 15; -2.5] Mighty Flower 5.5/10HPMighty Flower5.5/10HP cannot counterattack!

Once again, it hits. While not as perfect of a hit as against the previous foe, a hit is still a hit. It would certainly have to do.

"She is weakened, but another will have to claim the glory of taking her down! At least she is weakened!" No, it totally wasn't because she didn't have the heart to do so herself.

Approaching the spot, she does her best to not let her nerves show. This was a pivotal moment in the battle, she could not fail! She takes two arrows from the illusory quiver. When the shield falls from their foe's hands, she doesn't even hesitate to loose an arrow. "Arrows of a Thousand Winds, strike true!"

Ophelia 10/10HP attacks Mighty King 10/10HP with Magic Bow. Point-Blank Volley activates! [Roll: 11 + 4 = 15, 12 + 4 = 16; -5.5, -5.5] Aegis roll: 2, 9. Aegis does not activate either time! Mighty King 0/10HP

She doesn't even wait to see if the first hit before she looses the second. When she finally looks over, she sees that she has struck true both times. Their foe stumbles back, having been struck in the chest twice. She was no archer by trade, but here, in this illusion, she had done it.

Mighty King has been defeated!

"Our foe is felled! Tis time to unleash all our might upon our final foe! Stand with me as we claim our assured victory!" It still unsettled her that it used the face and body of one she knew, she had to remind herself it was either an illusion, or barring that, defeating her would regain her senses. That was Ophelia's hope. It had to be or else they would fail.

Marni, horse still shifting anxiously, finally prepares to send a ball of fire from her lance hurtling at Lapis.

"Hey, I recognize that outfit," Marni says, speaking extra loudly to distract from her own uncertainty. "You think Emblem Roy likes you more than me, huh? Stop trying to show off in front of me! A stupid Corrupted like you is expendable!"

More expendable than me. I'll show everyone that I'm stronger than you, that I'm worth keeping around. It'll be different this time.

But Marni's luck with borrowed toys can only take her so far before it runs out.

Marni 10/10HP misses Mighty Flower 6/10HP with Flame Lance at range. Shatter Slash activates! [Roll: 1 - 4 = -3; 0]. Mighty Flower 6/10HP Mighty Flower 6/10HP is unable to counterattack! 

The blast of fire magic completely misses, fizzling out ineffectually where it lands at the base of the altar. The warmth of the fire seems to breathe life back to the remaining three enemies, their erratic movements starting again once more.

The only figure among them that Marni does not recognize raises his staff and a glow settles over his allies. The wounds that they had managed to inflict on Lapis disappear before their eyes, skin stitching itself back together as if it had never been marred before at all.

Mighty Flower 6/10HP, Wind Sage 7.5/10HP,  and Mighty King 10/10HP are no longer Frozen! Wind Sage 7.5/10HP uses Fortify [Roll: 15; 4 + 2 = +6Hp] to all immediate allies. Mighty Flower 6/10HP -> 10/10hp

Reinvigorated, Lapis rushes in fearlessly, positioning her allies behind her. It's odd behavior for a Corrupted to be so concerned with its cohorts.

Marni blocks her path with her body. It's odd behavior for her, too, to be so concerned about people who weren't even her family.

Well, she would argue if pressed, once they see how masterfully she handles this, they'll think more highly of her. Saving their lives is just a bonus for them. Lady Veyle will be impressed if she tells her about it too, so it's just two birds with one stone.

Lapis, or rather, the Corrupted bearing Lapis's face, sweeps her blade across the ground in a great arc, igniting the floor around the hooves of Marni's horse. The steed bucks wildly, sending Marni crashing to the floor of the cathedral. She rolls out of the way of the flames, leading her back into the path of Lapis's sword.

Mighty Flower 10/10HP critically hits and barely hits Marni 10/10HP with Hagakure Blade [15 - 2 = 13, 5 - 2 = 3; -5 , -1.5]. Marni 3.5/10HP

Marni sweeps her lance at Lapis's ankle, hoping to knock her off her feet, but the other girl merely shrugs off the blow.

Marni 3.5/10HP counterattacks with Flame Lance [Roll: 11 - 4 = 7 ; -2.5 - 3 = 0] Mighty Flower 10/10HP.

Regardless of the effectiveness, it buys enough time for Marni to struggle to her feet. She points her lance tauntingly at Lapis, trying to goad her into coming closer again. The longer she keeps her attention on her, the less she'll pay attention to her allies.

"Mean! At least pretend to play along!" Marni whines, actual pain seeping through to her childish taunt. "It's no fun if you don't also cry!"

Her enemy cannot cry, because she is not capable of emotion at all. She does not cry, nor does she smile. She doesn't get mad. She isn't disappointed that Marni tried attacking her after she already called a second truce.

Her face is entirely devoid of emotion as she runs her blade through Marni's gut.

Pursuit: D10; 7 + 4 = 11. Pursuit Activates! Mighty Flower 10/10HP critically hits and critically hits Marni 3.5/10HP with Hagakure Blade [10 - 2 = 8, 9 - 2 = 7;  -5, -5]. Marni 0/10HP.

Marni coughs up red and a voice in the back of her head chides: the priest is going to be mad you got your blood on the floor.

"H-hey... did I... do good...?" Marni chokes out, addressing her teammates. Or maybe the huge dragon statues looking down at her. With the way her singular visible eye shakes, it's hard to tell exactly where her gaze falls. "Don't tell... him I got blood... on his cape... again... okay...?"

The pink haired girl yanks her sword back and Marni crumples to the ground lifelessly, swathed in armor much too big for her.

Marni has been defeated?

It only took a few short moments for Dheginsea to catch up to the mage. Yet in those few short moments it was enough for him to hear each word loaded with such visceral emotions, and insecurities that peaked from behind them. Normally, it wouldn't be his business nor would he care about what history those two girls shared, or why the red man also want her dead. However, as a student under his watch, hearing this and witnessing her hesitate earlier on this fight alone. To then to block the enemies path, to now a pained and panic filled whine. Dheginsea was concerned.

The dragon spares a brief glance to see at how she and the others are fairing. Only to witness a blade go through Marni's body. With tears running down the girls face, words weakly forming her question, a question that child seeking- wanting the approval of those around them would voice.

The blade is drawn out, and the girls falls onto the ground.

Dheginsea 10/10HP hits and hits Wind Sage 7.5/10HP with Hrungnir. Pneuma Gale activates! [Roll: 18 - 2 = 16, 10 - 2 = 8; -5.5, -5.5] Wind Sage 0/10HP. Wind Sage has been defeated!

His first swipe tears away the tome the mage had tried to pull from his waist. Maiming the arm.

'H-hey... did I... do good...?'

The second swipe kills the mage.

Quickly, Dheginsea gathers the rest of the scene. The pink haired girl and red man's attention where still to Marni, even after she had fallen. With the red man wildly charging towards her, weapon raised. She must be alive then, if barely. Why else would the two remaining be focused on her.

"Ophelia, Andrei, to Marni," Dheginsea commands. He would not be able to get there in time, having been drawn too far away by the mage earlier. “she still lives!”

Now, weighed down by his heavy and unfamiliar weaponry, Andrei feels the battle's flow slipping quickly out of his hands, and he can do nothing but watch as enemies and allies alike dart across the battlefield. The dragon, now freed from his own shackles, unleashes his power once more, comparable to the display that they had first seen within the underground bunker. With a few mighty blows, two enemies fall, but Andrei's gaze is not drawn to the display of divine might.

Instead, it lands upon the exchange between Marni and one of the enemies that she had claimed would wish her dead. She is not wrong, it seems, as sword strikes rain down upon her until she falls to the ground, last words broken on her lips. Andrei stands, frozen in place, even as the dragon calls out his name, to spur him to action.

This isn't real. She will be in no danger at all, once the exercise ends. Only by focusing on the battle — winning — can you be of any real help to the situation. That's what you are here for. Nothing else matters. No one else matters. No one...

"Marni!"

...His shield and weapon fall to the ground with a resounding clang as Andrei runs towards the girl's fallen form. A hand immediately presses against the bleeding wound in her side. Clearly a skilled swordswoman, the enemy had left a deep but neat wound, blade slipping through flesh without a hint of hesitation. It might just be Marni's salvation, if the bleeding would just stop.

Hands occupied with staunching the wound's progress, Andrei's gaze roams over Marni's face, bloodied and tear-stained. He swallows hard around the sudden lump in his throat, the sudden rush of emotion, of familiarity, too powerful to force down.

I have never done a single thing worthy of being praised. He remembers those thoughts, seared into his mind and voiced for the first time when he finally met Lady Sister Brigid once more upon the battlefield. He thinks, for a moment, that he could understand what she meant.

"You have done well." The words burst out before he could second-guess them, and Andrei's voice is shaking, but he presses on, conviction in every word, "And you will — you will continue to do so. You will not fall."

(If it is true of her, perhaps it could be true of him, as well.)

As she approaches Marni, she goes pale at the sight of the blood. It was a sight Ophelia had once wished to never see again after the war, but here she was. This time she would not be helpless! She would at least try to help! It was now her actions from earlier hit her. She had no staff to help heal. She found her hands frustrated going to her dress instead. A hero's vestments were sacred, but wasn't saving a life even more so?

Ripping the fabric, she began fastening bandages. It was the best she had in this moment of panic. Blood was on her hands, getting all over her, but she was surprisingly calm, as if something else had taken over. "Do not fret, for I shan't let you fall here! Come, Andrei, help me put these on to staunch the bleeding. Marni, you will be all right." She tried to keep her voice as soothing as it could possibly go, but some panic still entered it.

She lets Andrei say the words Marni probably desperately wants to hear before adding in her own. "Heroes only truly become legends when they die, but today is not that day for you! Your saga shall continue and be known by all! And should we clean the cape well enough, he shall never know you got blood on it at all! So please, stay with us." The last part comes out more like a plea than anything, but she hopes nobody will call her on it.

He’s aware that the wyverns in Fodlan have 4 limbs, but to see statues of those animals placed on an alter at the head of this cathedral. With the one in the middle- flanked at either side and framed as if it was a deity to worship and pray to- standing on its hind legs as a dragon would… It does not sit right with Dheginsea. Disliking either of the implications that it represents, whether dragon or animal…

Four figures come out by the alter, two of which Dheginsea recognized. Though, from their jittery movements and glowing red eyes, to their scent not being quite theirs. It was clear to him that they are not people, but merely creatures that mimic

With a nod and a task hand, Dheginsea makes his approach towards the one with the purple hair “Be vigilant of the pink girl, and red man.”

His clothes had changed once again and there was no longer any object stuck him. However as he winds his arm back punch, Dheginsea feels small portion of his powers return to him at that moment and attempts to shift.

The yellow glow that comes when shifting does not engulf his entire body, instead it remains every present by his forearms. Extending down and solidifying into large claws and blacken scales where once were hands. Partially or fully shifted it matter not.

Dheginsea 10/10HP hits Frozen Shadow Prince 7.5/10HP with Dragon Claw. [1st Roll: 14; -2hp + 3str = -5hp x 2 = -10hp]. Shadow Prince 0/10HP.  Shadow Prince has been defeated!

Like a knife to a silk cloth, the opponent crumbles and folds as the dragons claws tearing through its body. Its knees buckling and the ice shatters off from its legs. The attack had been enough to kill him, Dheginsea knows this. Yet, he follows it up with his other, swiping down hard. Compelled to truly keep it dead. For it to not rise on its own occur like the beast from before had.

The body hits the frosted ground with harsh thud. It does not move nor even twitch, it’s flesh and clothes remaining torn.

Marni holds the lance like it's unbearable. Holding this lance, wearing this armor, standing in this place, and looking at those faces; this combination of factors makes the pit in Marni's stomach sink ever deeper.

Even if her teammates do not understand the significance of this place, she does. She knows this place so intimately she could point out the individual flaws in each individual window pane from all of the time she spent here waiting for Sombron's revival.

Now here she is back again with a different black dragon tearing through humans as if they were paper.

No, not humans, she mentally corrects herself. Corrupted. These are Corrupted. They're Corrupted, so they have to get rid of them.

Watch out for the pink girl and the red man, Dheginsea says. If only he knew the half of it.

"Yeah, I got it!" Marni says, clutching her lance tightly. "Those two in particular probably want me mega dead. So, uh, there's your warning, I guess. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

The horse beneath Marni, sensing her nervous energy, paws at the ground. Its tail swishes back and forth, unable to escape from the residual heat of the fire burning on her lance.

She's never hesitated before, so why is she hesitating now?

However, she should not have left her guard down. People they knew, or at least one person she knew approached, flanked by 3 others. She had seen something like this before, back in Valla. People they knew could be consumed by the Silent Dragon's power, moving just like this. She felt a shiver run down her spine. It couldn't be the Silent Dragon however, as he was dead. She had been at the battle where he perished.

But these foes could be defeated, as her chosen compatriot clearly showed as his claws ripped through one. They could defeat these enemies and release them from whatever force consumed them. Yet still as she took her new bow, a slight tremor she could feel in her hands as she aimed at someone she knew. She had never had to attack someone she knew before. Yet as she pulled the string back to aim, she found it difficult with the tremor in her hands. "I will free you from the evils that bind you! Glimmering Arrow!"

Ophelia 10/10HP hits Frozen Mighty Flower7.5/10HP with Magic Bow. [Roll: 2 +0 = 2; -1HP +0.5 = -1.5HP].Mighty Flower6/10HP

She still hits her target, but even she can tell her shot nearly missed. Can she be the heroine she was meant to be? No, she couldn't let such thoughts consume her now. She needed to be present for her team. They couldn't stumble at the last moment.

Her ears ring before a swath of healing magic engulfs her, reducing the ringing enough so she can hear again. Without thinking of her heroic mask, she rings out a quick "Thank you!"

Looking back at the monster, and getting back into character, she readies herself again. Seeing the Crack in the hide of the monster that her chosen compatriot had inflicted, she readies her weapon to strike. "O Steel of Seven, strike true! Star spear heaven strike!"

Ophelia 6/10HP critically hits, hit, hits, critically hits, and critically hits Eidolon named Night 14/15*HP with Wo Dao. Astra activates! [Roll: 11 - 2 = 9, 4 - 2 = 2, 7 - 2 = 5, 20 - 2 = 18, 17 - 2 = 15; 1.5 + 1 = 2.5, 0.5 + 1 = 1.5, 0.5 + 1 = 1.5, 1.5 + 1 = 2.5, 1.5 + 1 = 2.5] Eidolon named Night 3.5/15HP* Eidolon named Night 3.5/15HP** is Broken and cannot counterattack, and takes 1 damage from being Broken. Eidolon named Night 2.5/15HP** So Wills the King activates! Ophelia takes 1 damage. Ophelia 5/10HP Black Throne deactivates and all In The Moonless Air stacks are reset! 

She began hacking at the creature some hitting deeply, others not so much. The creature seemed weak now. "Perhaps this time we shall finish it off!"

Turning to her sky bound compatriot, she gestures to the creature. "Friend, I have left it wounded for you! Let us finish it once and for all!"

Turning back to their foe, Ophelia readies her weapon again. The light of the healing magic illuminated the monster for but a moment, showing her where it was. She would hit it better this time. Taking a moment to steel herself, she breathes. In. Out. Then she strikes. "Steel of Seven Swords!"

Ophelia 10/10HP critically hits Eidolon named Night 6.5/15HP** with Wo Dao [Roll: 15; -3] Eidolon named Night 3.5/15HP** Pursuit roll: 5. Pursuit does not activate! Eidolon named Night 3.5/15HP** is Broken and cannot counterattack, and takes 1 damage from being Broken. Eidolon named Night 2.5/15HP** So Wills the King activates! Ophelia takes 1 damage. Ophelia 9/10HP Black Throne deactivates and all In The Moonless Air stacks are reset!

Her strike is true, and based on the shriek the monster lets out, it hurts a lot. Based on her readings, a strike like this would severely wound if not kill a human, but they are facing no human. That much is obvious. Yet it seems to at least be weakening. They can win this. She could have tried to pursue this further, but the monster cloaks itself in darkness and she no longer knows where it is.

That is, until she feels the pain again from it striking her. It's more startling than truly painful this time around, but there are higher priorities right now. "Worry not for me! Focus all your attentions on someone who needs it more!" Like their chosen compatriot. "The battle is not going as well for our chosen friend! Please heal him first before fretting over me!"

She tries looking for the healer of the group, but sees nothing apart from the silhouette of their foe, high and imposing and wreathed in the blackness of night that not even her eyes, adjusted to Nohr's perpetual darkness, can see well through. Yet she calls out to her final companion.

"It grows ever weaker! I believe we may be able to finish it off with great quickness!"

A chill runs up her spine at an entity approaching. Drawing the weapon of, if she had to guess, Hoshidan make, she circled the entity, and it's focus seems to be elsewhere.

Ophelia 10/10HP hits Eidolon named Night 15/15HP** with Wo Dao [Roll: 2; -0.5] Eidolon named Night 14.5/15HP** Pursuit roll: 2. Pursuit does not activate! Eidolon named Night 14.5/15HP** is Broken and cannot counterattack, and takes 1 damage from being Broken. Eidolon named Night 13.5/15HP**So Wills the King activates! Ophelia takes 1 damage. Ophelia 9/10HP

Despite never handling a sword before in her life, it's like a part of her already knows what to do. Her opening comes quickly, but in the dark she doesn't see it and only lands a glancing blow at the entity, not even enough to draw attention. Or so she initially thinks before she is stricken. It doesn't hurt much, but it's just enough to draw her attention that it is there. "It uses the very darkness we are engulfed in to attack us! Be wary, one and all! We are in treacherous territory!"

Just what had she signed herself up for by agreeing to this?

Steeling herself with a breath, Ophelia takes the hint her draconic teammate is giving. Another tome is brought from within her robes. This one will be able to heal her, or so she was told. "Make mine enemies strength my own and show no mercy to those who oppose us! Ophelia Dusk will now show thy true nature! Begone!"

Ophelia 9/10HP hits Hetero-Sapien B 4/8HP with Nosferatu at melee range. [Roll: 12 + 6 - 2 = 16; -2] Hetero-Sapien B 2/8HP Ophelia 9/10HP heals back +2HP! Ophelia 10/10HP Hetero-Sapien B 2/8HP cannot counterattack! Poison Strike activates! Hetero-Sapien takes 1 damage. Hetero-Sapien B 1/8HP

It still does not attack back, even as she approaches it closely to see from where she can strike best. The fact it does not defend itself unnerves her more than she can possibly say. Even the Vallites protected themselves if possible, and those were naught but puppets on a string. These are even lesser than that.

However as she turns to her compatriot, she knows her foe is almost dead. This fact can be exploited. "Come friend! We must make haste and defeat this foe! Alone, I was not powerful enough, but together, perhaps we might yet be! Come, lend me your aid!"

They had been boxed in, chased by shadows down one of the long tunnels of this underground prison until they'd run out of escape routes. It's a fitting atmosphere for a training exercise of the monastery's, especially as he'd once again been given a weapon outside his area of expertise. At least there are no stakes this time, with the firm knowledge that everything they encounter is mere illusion.

(The word still doesn't sit well on his tongue, after Rusalka.)

The older man, who had displayed such optimism a second before, had disappeared, and in his place stands a giant, black dragon, firing off what looked to be a magic attack at the nearest approaching enemy and obliterating it entirely. Andrei freezes, posture slack from shock at the sight before him. This is not like one of the mounts that the Thracians used, nor any of the foreign mounts that he'd been introduced to in Fódlan. No, this looks more like...

Bonk.

Something collides with his shoulder, hard and metallic, not enough to injure, but plenty enough to startle. "Wha—?" Andrei whirls around just as the metal object hits the ground, rolling a small distance on its length of chains, tangled against each other. A faint fragrance, like incense, fills the air. It looks vaguely familiar, but he cannot place where he'd last seen something of this sort. Taking his eyes off the still-empty hallway for a moment longer, Andrei bends to pick it up, inspecting the hollow item.

A weapon? Sure, she's probably not wrong, but swinging this distinctly non-weaponlike ball around strikes him as barely more dignified than using the heavy metal fan in his hand. He moves to give it back when the middle splits open suddenly, dousing him in what looked to be charcoal dust. Ugh.

Andrei 10/10HP uses Thurible to transfer 2HP to Marni 8/10HP. Marni 10/10HP, Andrei 8/10HP

"You use it," he coughs, tossing it back after fitting the edges back together, "I don't see a single weapon on you at all."

The sound of giggling, like the tinkling of bells, draws his attention, and he turns in time to watch two children emerge from the shadows where the earlier enemy had come from. Holding hands and dressed in white frocks, for a bizarre moment Andrei wonders whether they were lost or also running from the enemies.

Then the two let go of one another, turning in tandem towards them, smiles sweet and all too wide on their faces. They reach into their long sleeves, one pulling out a string of bells, the other, what looks to be a necklace of shells. Each movement looks jerky, wrong, and throughout it all, the bright smiles never left their faces for a moment, even as their blank eyes glint with danger.

In the distance, he thinks he can hear more footsteps, accompanied by the sound of more giggling. They had no other choice. Andrei turns to the young woman that he only remembers meeting in passing once, at the Ethereal Ball.

"These are our enemies," he says grimly, "We'll need to fight through them if we wish to leave."

She switches the thurible chain to another hand, displaying her now healed hand for all (who are looking at her and not the enemies) to see.

"Hey, I think we can use these to heal!" A beat. The smile vanishes from her face as her brow furrows. "Oh man, doesn't that mean the staves I have are all useless now? So I really do just have this stupid book and nothing else! How am I gonna show off like this?"

Even if she were to throw her so called stupid book right now, she would only be able to hit one of those freaky children. Their movements remind her a bit of the Corrupted; human adjacent, but distinctly unnatural.

Andrei seems to have faith that the other blonde girl will be able to do something and certainly, she looks far more comfortable with a tome in her hand than Marni does. That's fine. It's not like she wanted to be good with magic anyway.

"You heard him! Explode 'em just like the big guy did!"

But there was no time to wallow in self pity. The people she had been teamed up with were relying on her to be the heroine of this story! She could not disappoint! Steeling herself she faced the enemy and watched as one of her teammates turned into an actual dragon and decimated the first one to turn the corner. "Incredible! I had figured you were among the chosen by the mark upon your head, but to see such power up close is... Moving!"

She'd love to discuss it more, but there would be time for that in the future. For now, two humanoids approached almost like dolls on invisible strings. Or like Valla's soldiers, her mind unhelpfully offers. They were human in form but the smiles were too wide, the movements uncanny. She didn't need her teammates goading to know she didn't want them to stick around. Steeling herself, she gave a reassuring smile to her teammates. "Fret not, for I, the heroine of this story, shall deliver us from the hands of this evil!" One enemy pulled out bells, the other a shell necklace. Focusing on the one who had pulled out bells, she pulled the first of her tomes from her robes. She walks to it, analyzing the best area to strike. "I shall now demonstrate once and for all why one should never mess with the forces of justice! Take this, my secret technique! Luminary Uppercut!"

 Ophelia 10/10HP hits “Good Child” A 6/6HP with Luna at melee range. [Roll: 10 + 6 - 2 = 14; -1.5] “Good Child” A 4.5/6HP

Ophelia feels proud of herself for all she's able to do, but only for just a moment before the "child's" head turns towards her and the smile is trained upon her.

“Good Child” A 4.5/6HP counterattacks with Silver Bells [Roll: 12; -1] Ophelia 9/10HP Ophelia 9/10HP has been inflicted with -2 Luck for next combat instance! Poison Strike activates! “Good Child” A takes 1 damage. “Good Child” A 3.5/6HP

Ophelia barely has time to let out a cry of surprise at the sudden pain that should not be there from an illusion before the thing is upon her again, striking again! But she recovers faster the second time, striking with her magic yet again! "Come, O Legionnaires of Light!"

“Good Child” A 3.5/6HP hits Ophelia 9/10HP with Cockleshells. [Roll: 15; -1] Ophelia 8/10HP Ophelia 8/10HP counterattacks with Luna at melee range. [Roll: 3 + 6 - 2 = 7; -1.5] “Good Child” A 2/6HP Ophelia 8/10HP is no longer afflicted with -2 Luck. Poison Strike activates! “Good Child” A takes 1 damage. “Good Child” A 1/6HP

She can tell the creature is barely hanging on to life at this point. As much as she'd love to finish it off herself, she cannot take all the glory. She must leave some for the rest of the team, as no true hero is a glory hog. She looks to her draconic teammate. "Come, let us join together as a team to annihilate these evils and deliver justice unto this world!"

It was when the teacher called a recess from the activity to regroup that Ophelia approached. “Dimitri, dost thou not feel the aching in thine blood? To demonstrate to all the heroism in thine line? This cannot be allowed to continue unaddressed! You are descended from heroes, are thou not? Why not let thy pride in thine family be known to all? Come! Face me! I shall show thou the pride one canst have in thine family! Face me and show to all thine war cry!” Sure, she was supposed to be playing the role of Saint Seiros, but if it meant getting her partner into the spirit, she could veer a little off script.

She circled him, occasionally poking at him with her fake weapon, trying clearly to get a rise from him, but doing nothing to explicitly endanger the other. An annoyance rather than a danger.

"...not good."

Flora makes the obvious observation while looking back up at the branch that covers the night sky. It was only earlier today that she dug up the pit with the intent to catch the monsters requested for extermination. But now, underneath the moonlight, the traps have been covered up to be even less conspicuous than her original design.

Plus, she does not recall laying that many spikes within the pitfall...or any at all, for that matter.

"These monsters are more cunning than they appear," Flora sighs, turning to the enthusiastic student that requested to be accompanied for the hunt. Or it might be better described that she wanted to rush out nearly on her own, if Flora didn't accompany her at the last second.

"They may very well be hiding out nearby as we speak. We need to be careful."

She sighs that she has to explain this for what she feels must be the fifth or so time. It’s a fight to keep her eyes from rolling. Shiro, while a good and reliable friend, was always rather dense when it came to the mystical arts. “A silver moon is when the moon is at her peak of power! The three days when she is at her fullest! But most especially the time when the moon has reached its own fullest potential! When it has come from new to full, that is a silver moon. Surely you have seen how it gleams?” 

The mine itself is dark and dreary and reminds her of many parts of Nohr. Her eyes adjust easily to the darkness and she can make out distinct shapes. Not quite enough to say she sees well, but she can see beyond them well enough.

________

[castle] for our muses to build sand castles together. what entails “sand castle” is up to you.

[dig] for our muses to dig a hole in the sand together. for extra fun, roll the dice and check if it’ll collapse.

[are you with crab milord/milady] one of our muses is trying to just chill and read a book, but alas, is it just a prank or is there actually a crab...

[yeet] for my muse to throw a crab at yours

[rope] our muses have just returned from a refreshing swim, but there’s something wrapped around their ankles. is it algae? is it some discarded rope? perhaps a squid?

[jellyfish] our muses went swimming, and had an unfortunate encounter with a jellyfish. what to do?

[urchin] ouch! stepped on a sea urchin!

[buried] so, we’ve decided to bury someone in the sand. who’s going to become the sand guardian?

[volleyball] let’s play volleyball together!

[shark] our muses are swimming and have met something that kind of resembles a shark. is it…?

[vendor] our muses have come across anna a beach vendor selling all sorts of trinkets, from colorful shirts to overpriced drinks.

[surprise] you see a coconut! is there anything inside?

[water] the water is nice and cool but then you pass through a weirdly warm spot

[sunburns] ack-! you forgot the sunscreen!

[critter] our muses see a little critter swimming! do they try to grab it? fingers crossed that it isn’t venomous!

[seagull] your muse chose to bring food to the beach, and now you have entered combat.