Fantasy MTTS ◘ IC

[revior]

???? Savaellac
The Crimson Three
Appearance: Silver hair, red eyes.
Vitality: 3
Dexterity: 2
Conjuration: 6
Evocation: 2
Abjuration: 2
Enchantech: 4
Demon: Forneus (Sitri)
True Magic Relic: Liberator (Rapier), Amulet of Savaellac
​

"Empyrea..."

The words spoken with dread came from a Demon beside her, one that she did not know. Yet, as if something had whispered its name directly into her mind, Anne knew the Demon to be Forneus, a Sitri.

Where am I? Anne asked herself as she looked at her surroundings, seeing the sky colored with the crimson of the setting sun, of the blazing red from the burning buildings in the distance, and of the blue and green of the miasma that seeped from the rifts between realms. Never had she seen such colorful sky, and never had she felt such a dread towards the formless ceiling above.

Explosions blossomed here and there on occasions, some closer than others, some closer than Anne would have liked. From afar, the sounds of screaming and wailing could be faintly heard. Clearly, something had gone terribly wrong in this town. Of course, what exactly, Anne had not a single clue... Or at least, that should be the case, yet, she could feel the answer pecking at her at the back of her mind.

She stood atop the walls of a tall building, a tower perhaps. She had silver hair and red eyes, not unlike that of Anne's, but this wasn't her, this person is... Savaellac? That was the name that appeared in Anne's mind.

Savaellac's eyes stared into the distance, towards a structure lit by elemental lanterns, a shrine, the Shrine of Yreth. Anne knew, or rather, Saveallac knew, that she had to get there, that Aldarian, her brother, was not far behind. That Avelin, her sister, would be seeing the others through to Calderion towards the west. They had to buy time, time for the others, as the One that should not be was coming.

Anne could not understand how she knew these things, why memories not of her own came to be present in her mind. But, they're there, and Anne could not help but feel that she had to see them through.

A path must be cleared, so that Aldarian may follow, from the statue garden, one that seemed somewhat familiar, to the shrine.

With her fingers, Savaellac began to trace runes of magic as she made her way across the garden. And though wild Demons would attack as soon as she entered their sight, Forneus, taking the form of a massive gargoyle, would shield his mistress with his rock solid body and Abjuration spells while tearing them apart with his stony claws. However, as moments passed, so did the Demons amassed, and soon it became difficult for Forneus to hold them on his own. It was fortunate then, that Savaella was able to complete her spell in time.

"Bladefall," it was called. A spell requiring expertise in Conjuration and Enchantech, a spell that creates floating copies of a Magician's magical weapon that could tear foes asunder as magical lances.

The copies of the True Magic Relic, the Liberator swirled around the red-eyed Magician, repelling the Demons that approached, ripping and tearing those that were foolish enough to wound up within their range. Once those that surrounded her were cleared, the Liberator copies reoriented themselves and pointed forward with a wave of Savaellac's hand. Then, with a twitch of her wrist, the copies shot out in symphonic sequence, mowing down any Demons that came within her vision. Those fortunate, or perhaps unfortunate, enough to survive the barrage were then ripped and torn to pieces by Forneus' jaws and claws.

In time, having carved out a path out of the manifested bodies of Demons, Savaellac arrived upon the shrine. Like the garden before, this place as well, seemed familiar. Enough for Anne to swear that she had seen this place before. The altar with a column of inviolable stone, three statues of warrior shrouded in robes surrounding it, watching over it. Is this it, the very same garden as then one in the institute? Is this place Highover, or rather, Highover in the past? In that case, "the One that should not be unleashed," could it be? Could it be the Demon unleashed by the one known as the Betrayer?

Might this be the memory of the First Reckoning?

 

[NewAgeBlack]

???? Savaellac
The Crimson Three
Appearance: Black hair, red eyes.
Vitality: 1
Dexterity: 4
Conjuration: 3
Evocation: 6
Abjuration: 1
Enchantech: 6
Demon: Jezebeth (Hisa-me) deceased
True Magic Relic: Ambition (Broadsword), Amulet of Savaellac​

"Thank you for..." Velvet awakes into what appears to be a hazy dream. The foreign memories play in her head as if they were her own, projecting Velvet into the body of a crimson eyed Master Magician. Nothing appears with clarity as she sees what appears to be a gathering of figures surrounded by darkness. Indistinct voices echo in her head, both recognizable and garbled at the same time. Two of the figures appeared to be facing each other and appeared to be speaking.

"You will make it won't you?" One of the figures was speaking.

"Do not worry about us <indistinct name>... return to them, it is only right." She sees the figures hesitate, then suddenly gravitate towards each other as they embraced. More words were exchanged, but it slips her mind almost as soon as she heard their watery echoes. Then all turned dark once more.

When she came to, the woman find herself dashing through broken ruins and twisted trees. The time was late, well into the evening, though darkened skies were lit by both natural and ethereal light. The flames of distant burning buildings cast an orange glow into the sky. And where the rifts between realms were sundered, miasma of blues and greens dappled the darkness. She couldn't see these of course, except for the lighted sky, but she knew what was happening. It was the end of Feria. Faint screams and shouts echoed in the distance, as did the occasional sound of explosions. They grew closer and more audible as she made her way closer to source of the commotion; and her family. Then the young woman broke through a cover of trees and finally she could see her destination. Down at the base of the wooded hill upon which she stood, just over a mile out.

The Shrine of Yreth.

She had to get there. She had to be with them, as this could well be the final hours of all existence. She wondered if her sister had already cleared the shrine, Ailorna was surely very capable when she wasn't caught daydreaming. The young woman doubted that she had much time to daydream anyway, after all that had been happening. Then there was her brother, Aldarian. Had he managed to obtain the stone? For all the rivalry between the two siblings, the raven haired magician wished with her heart that he had succeeded. They had volunteered to buy more time for her and the others. But they would no longer stand incomplete. She would stand with them as three, and together they would face the One that should not have been unleashed. She just had to get to the shrine first.

A ruined cemetery and the crumbling ruins of Old World buildings lies between the crimson eyed woman and her destination. One which she could immediately see was covered with an ethereal fog that reminded her of the mists over a rushing river. It was clear she will likely have to fight her way through.

And so, that's what she intended to do. A horde of Utukku demons stood in wait for their target and with the True Magic Relic, Ambition, in hand the young magician rushed forward. She had no spirit of her own with her, and so she needed to deal with this on her own. Fire began to surround Ambition as she quickly and cleanly cut through anything that approached her. She had no worries about getting touched, for the Utukku were strong but they were slow. Their attacks were telegraphed and easily avoidable, even in the thick fog that obscured her vision. Compared to the woman's fluid and precise movements, the large demons slow and brutish attacks were simply outmatched. Systematically dismembering and executing the large demons, the woman would soon find herself surrounded. The woman smirked darkly as she began chanting. A single "Frost Nova" spell was all that was needed. Countless shards of ice materialized, surrounding the young woman as they pointed in all directions. The brutes had no time to react, as a second later they found their bodies impaled and ripped apart by the icy projectiles.

Stepping over the demon corpses, she continued on her way. Thinking to herself, she noticed that they seemed to move with a little too much purpose . Even when unbound, while they were naturally great guards, Demons of this normally loafed around with no purpose until approached. But this bunch pounced on her as soon as she was in sight. It was clear that they were being controlled by some unknown force. She decided against using "Iluma Diuturus", as the fog began to thicken. Soon enough, the light provided by such a spell would prove insufficient. It would be a wasted spell. Instead she began to prepare another spell, quietly chanting to herself as a silhouette came into view.

A tall young man stood a few meters away from her. He didn't seem very fond of wearing clothes, and the woman instantly took notice of the man's black irises, and the wings that sat on his back. A Hisa-me. The demon disappeared into the fog. Just then a hypnosis spell was cast, and the young woman began to feel her sense of self slip away. For a brief moment, the woman felt herself lose consciousness. The demon simply grinned as he reemerged and began to approach her. Almost instantly a torrent of chains materialized, wrapping themselves around and restraining the demon. Almost immediately after, the charm placed on the young woman was dispelled and the fog began to clear.

"How?"

"Monsters of your type are normally difficult to deal with one on one." The young woman explained as she approached, taking care to keep her concentration on the chains that bound the demon. "So I had a Stricture spell prepared. It takes concentration to delay the use of a spell, so when my concentration was broken the spell activated. Now, I'd love to take this moment to bind you to my will and replace my recently fallen Hisa'me demon. But unfortunately, my time is running short. Hopefully you can sympathize." Raising Ambition and bringing it down, she ended the demon's life with a single motion and continued on her way. Eventually, she arrived at the Shrine of Yreth. Peering into the woman's memories, Velvet recognized the three statues as the ones that surrounded the lake.

 

[Matt l ttaM]

???? Savaellac
The Crimson Three
Appearance: Silver hair, red eyes.
Vitality: 5
Dexterity: 3
Conjuration: 2
Evocation: 2
Abjuration: 7
Enchantech: 1
Demon: Gader'el (Daol)
True Magic Relic: Valour (Claymore), Amulet of Savaellac
​

***************
Nathaniel was still coughing and spluttering as the world darkened. Not by his own will, he felt his thoughts conform with that of another voice. The echos of pain and anguish shout through any thoughts that the young Magician tried to muster. Slowly, he lost himself the memories, to a time long since passed...

"Master Savaellac...?" It was the first thing he heard when he opened his still blurry eyes. The exhaustion from the last wave having sapped his strength so much. He must have lost consciousness. Right, he thought, that would make sense...

"Master Savaellac!" The deep sounding voice was more urgent this time, and he finally regained your senses. He turned to face Gader'el, his Daol, stood in its hulking armor once a shining silver, now covered with soot and the dark inky blood of demons. He nodded in understanding as he brought his claymore, point into the earth, to his side. Begrudgingly, the man hefted himself up, his feet finding purchase beneath him. As he hissed, the entirety of his body shouting in aches and pain, he cast his eyes around, the scene a nightmare.

The world around him crumbled.

The time was late, well into the evening, though darkened skies were lit brightly by both natural and ethereal light. The flames of burning buildings all around him turned the scene into one of utter devastation. And where the rifts between realms were sundered, a miasma of blues and greens suddenly appeared and tore holes in the fabric of reality. Where once a building stood, now a gaping portal stood. They closed soon after, but not before twisted red horned demons burst forth from their depths. Screams and wails of terror echoed all around, as did the deafening sound of explosions. He was placed right in the middle of a street, surrounded by death.

"Master Savaellac.. we must leave to the Shrine immediately! Before it comes!"

The man stood fully, hefting his great blade onto his shoulders, "Yes, Gader'al, I hear you. We'll get there. We will make it in time." As though his words were to convince himself, he willed his body to move. His blade, Valour, came from his shoulder, trailing in the air behind him. The twisted gateways giving rise to great threats around him. A surging wave of flames erupted toward him, a menacing beast stepping clear of the most recent portal. The magician came to a sliding stop as his companion, its silvered armor yet soiled in the blood of the fallen and the soot of the city's fall. The flames crashed against the earthen familiar, shielding the master easily. As the flame wave fell passed, the man stepped out from behind his companion and faced down his newest adversary. An Infriti stood laughing on the path to their goal.

The Shrine of Yreth. It was his only hope. A construct of the Old World. He hoped his sister Ailorna had managed to secure it. She had gone ahead while he snuck his way back into the school grounds to retrieve the relic he had seen the Master Conjurer display not a few weeks ago. The stone seemed to warm at this thought and he turned to look down at the smooth crystal ball in his hands.

The laugh of the insurgo demon called out into the burning air, "Burn! Burn! Pitiful humans! You shall burn! Starting with you, magician!" Running came the demon, its hooved feet sending it straight toward the man. In the same instance, the man cast three spells near-simultaneously. Winds surrounded him, his body becoming light and agile. Ice encased his body, an armor forming of clear crystalline material. Finally, a faint barrier surrounded him, the Protect spell the final one of his preparations. The demon was still laughing, a cruel screeching calling in the air, as it collided with the man. The explosion of magical energy was instant and powerful. The Protect barrier shattered sending the creature reeling. The man sighed, his blade coming to his natural readied position. The blade horizontal to the ground and level with the top of his shoulder. One hand outstretched, he watched the demon clamber to its hooves. The man smirked as the demon gave a shout of anger and charged forward. The battle was solved in an instant. With the winds reinforcing his body, his blade moved through the demon with ease. Having moved in a flash, the man simply continued running, the pale white stone in his hands.

The Ardenstone. The only thing that would buy enough time for the Others to get to the mountains. Thinking about the others brought his mind to his other sister, Avelin. Of the two, he fought most with her though they were all born on the same day. Three of a kind. The rivalries were harsh at times but with the land and perhaps all of Feria crumbling around him, he could only wish to see her before it all ended.

But first, he had to get to the Shrine and Ailorna.

With his tank by his side, his trusted servant and companion, he ran. His blade flashed as he ran, demons falling behind him as he carved his way through the scourge flooded city.

A town besieged by portals that were rent through the fabrics of reality lies between him and the edge of the town where the Shrine of Yreth is located. All manner of demons scourge the land and even the mighty Master Magicians of Highover struggle to contain them. All hope lies in the hands of his friends, and it is down to him to buy them enough time.

 

[Lekiel]

Theme: Dead Dieties​

revior
"Thank you Forneus." You dismissed your companion, the Sitri bowing as he faded into roiling smoke, drawn back into the hairpin set upon your head. He'd need the rest for what was to come.

At last, you've arrived at your destination. The hallowed shrine. But as you looked out of crimson eyes that weren't yours you felt a sudden hesitation and your harried strides slowed to a halt. It was as if this Savaellac whose memories you were now partisan to had thought out everything up till this point. You felt her heartbeat racing, as her gaze roved over the darkened stone of the looming warriors, and the pillars with their rune etchings. A slow step after slow step was put forward, then as your booted foot touched the base of the shrine, the once dark stone suddenly lit up with a brilliance that took you by surprise. Runes in an ancient tongue that you did not recognize blazed a fiery azure. A low hum filled the air, like that of audible static. Startled, you whipped your head about and found three smaller shrines blazing at the perimeter surrounding the middle. They each marked a spot about twenty yards out from the centre

"Amin elea lle hin en' amin nosse..."

As you dithered with wonder, a feminine voice suddenly cut through your thoughts. You were sure it sounded in your head, and considering the young Savaellac just abruptly froze on the spot instead of searching for the source of the voice that was very likely the case. It spoke with clarity, but you did not understand a word of what was said. Until...

"I see thee, o child of kin of mine..." One of the young Savaellac's hands moved to cover her mouth in surprise, she had clearly uttered something she did not realize she could understand. But she was not the only one. As you somehow knew what was said, as though someone had whispered in your other ear a scant moment after hearing the foreign speech.

"Mani 'kshona lle a' lye aina' eska."

"What evil hath driven you to seek out my abode." The young woman stepped up to the plinth at the centre of the shrine as she whispered after the haunting disembodied voice. At the centre was what appeared to be a rounded indentation, clearly a holder of sorts.

"Gorga ilten' amin gwaith amin nauva y' tinechor... ri' uma lle merna y' hyanda...?" Before the young Savaellac could speak, another voice repeated spoke up in response. One that was surely familiar.

NewAgeBlack
"Fear not, for my kin I shall be thy shield... Or does thou wish for a blade...? Is this... ghost really asking a real question?" You had finally arrived, after fighting your way through swarms of demons. You had seen the Shrine lit up with a brilliance in the distance, and knew it was your sister's doing.

"Avelin, you came back!" You heard her call your name, seconds before a blurred mass clashed into you for a warm embrace.

"Ailorna..." You buried your face into her silver hair, noticing that the black opal hairpin in your sister's hair still shone with an inner light. It afforded you some measure of relief to know that at least Forneus was still alive. "We got lucky... and the rifts did not seem to be centred towards the Calderion. Plus..." Your eyes drifted skywards, towards the deep expanse of Prussian blue, lit by the glows of umber and orange from the burning city below. A swath of unearthly emerald green scarred its way across the heavens, shifting chaotically into shades of reds and yellows. "If tonight is our last... I'd rather be here..." At that declaration, a sudden feeling of trepidation filled your heart.

"Aldarian-?"

"He'll be here..." Your sister replied with a surety, and you glanced over to see the determined confident look in her eyes. Ailorna offered you a smile when she noticed your gaze, though it quickly faded into horror as she noticed something. "Avelin! Y-your... earring... Jeze-?"

"She's gone." You bit your bottom lip, determined to remain steadfast despite your loss. Instinctively, your hand reached up to your ears, fingers feeling for the sharp edges of the shattered ruby that once housed your companion.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's fine... that whore chose to die an honourable death." Despite your choice of words, you could not help but feel the immense pain you felt when you had to leave your Hisa-me behind. "Now... we need to figure out this thing... I believe we need to answer the question."

--The two of you are to state your answers somewhere in your reply, mark it in bold. Regardless of your answer. you feel something akin to an invisible warm garment descend to encapsulate your being. The disembodied voice continues after hearing your answers.

"Nan' manka amin onari naa il'faarea... sinta san' tanya lle caela a' yamen I'Ondo e'ta yamen, ar' yassen ta, y'taurn elin en' templa. Nan' magha I'Ondo ere ar' ere manka ta'naa umar tanya ilya naa tyela, ten' ta mata ten'i agar en'l Elenishtari."

"But should my boon prove insufficient... knoweth then that thou must place The Stone in its place, and with it, a great source of magic. But useth The Stone only and only if't be true all hath lost, for a sacrifice it taketh, as it doth hungers for the blood of the Brightredeemers." The two of you finished the cryptic message in unison, both exchanging glances as you pondered upon what it all meant. The Stone clearly spoke of a particular stone, and given what you had learned from the past, the Ardenstone had been the clearest candidate. But to use it, they needed a great source of power... and the blood...

of a Brightredeemer...

But before anyone could speak, there was a sudden shout that drew your attention to the edge of the village in the distance. The houses were dark and the orangish glow still seemed a little further out, indicating that the chaos had yet to spread to that point. Two figures were seen dashing through the gates, one considerably larger than the other and gleaming an ethereal silvery glow.

"That's... Gader'el.." Ailorna whispered in a hushed hopeful tone.

"Aldarian! He made it!" Her sister chimed in, as they could now make out the smaller figure. One that the same silvery hair as Ailorna. But in one moment, the gatehouse stood silent, and in the next in exploded in a furious inferno of twisted melting metal and bricks.

Matt | ttam
You saw the shrine ahead of you, shining like a beacon of azure and your heart leapt in hope.

"Gader'el!" You urged your companion onwards. The Daol grunted, heaving its large glaive out from the ruined corpse of a demon, the shining Silverite slicked in the oily black blood of its foes. It turned and lumbered after you, its heavy metallic footfalls pounding on the cobblestones. You cleared past the gatehouse, that was when your world imploded. There was no time to react, and you didn't know how such a terrifying demon could've just appeared so suddenly and quickly. You only had the tingling hairs of instinct screeching on full alert a scant millisecond the entire gatehouse exploded into a flaming inferno. Aldarian, whose body you inhabited, was tossed several feet into the air to land painfully in a tumble by the force of the explosion.

"FOUND YOU!" The diabolical triumphant cry shook you to your bones as you struggled to stand. It boomed with an impossibly dark and basal voice, and as you stood you came face-to-face with-

"He Who Must Not Be Unleashed." Aldarian hissed out the cursed title. It had finally caught up to you, brought about in a merry chase for the handkerchief of stained golden blood you kept in the pocket of your tunic. The Greater Spirit towered over the crumbled ruins, easily over twenty feet of hulking demonic sinew and hellish flame; though its immense presence made it seem so much more than that. Sulphur and brimstone wafted in its wake, the stench threatening to overpower senses. Red hot flames burst from the cracks in his skin as if its frightening power appeared to be on the verge of breaking through its very physical form. The air around it wavered and distorted, the very presence of the demon warping the realms around it. You thought you could glimpse a miasma of cacophonic colours and a terrible hellish plane where the fabric of reality was forced open. The demon took a thundering step forwards, shaking the ground like an earthquake. An impossibly large claw, with molten flaming blood seeping from the cracks, descended upon your hapless form.

"GO, MY MASTER, GO!" In a flash, Gader'el stood between you and the mortal blow.

"RAARGHHHHF!" The Daol roared in agony as the claws crushed down on its armoured form. Gader'el sank to his knees, Silverite armor melting and twisting against the nigh-unstoppable force. The very distortions around the greater demon warped against the presence of the Daol, but through sheer force of will, the demon held his ground. Even the cobblestones buckled and cracked beneath the two combatants.

Gader'el turned just enough to lock its visored gaze with Aldarian's.

"FLEE!!"

--A boss battle is upon you. You are free to state your actions and interactions as it is you three who are painting history as it happened. However, all the effects of your attacks and actions against He Who Must Not Be Unleashed will be determined by the GM.

Aldarian would hear the same proffered boon whispered in his ears as he crosses the threshold of the shrine's grounds. State your choice somewhere in your post in bold.

 

[revior]

???? Savaellac
The Crimson Three
Appearance: Silver hair, red eyes.
Vitality: 3
Dexterity: 2
Conjuration: 6
Evocation: 2
Abjuration: 2
Enchantech: 4
Demon: Forneus (Sitri)
True Magic Relic: Liberator (Rapier), Amulet of Savaellac
​

Finally, she arrived at the shrine. Anne could feel it, the harried beating of the heart, the creeping fatigue, even though it wasn't, shouldn't be, of her own, Anne certainly felt it and wished that she could take a break. However, she couldn't, she mustn't. Too much counted on this. She, Savaellac, couldn't rest just yet.

All of a sudden, there were lights, all of which erupted at Savaellac's eyes upon her taking her first step onto the grounds of the shrine. They were so incredibly bright for her eyes which had adjusted to the darkness. And with the light, it was as if the shrine had come to life, revealing its glory and majesty for all those with eyes to see and even just ears to ear, what with that low humming that filled the air. With the lights, three smaller shrines at the perimeter could be spotted. Anne didn't think much of them, but she did note the significance of the number three. Three statues, three shrines, three siblings. All these things came in a set of three. Could it be a coincidence? Perhaps, or perhaps not, she did not know, at least not for the moment.

"Amin elea lle hin en' amin nosse..."

The words echoed in her mind, and while there's no real way to be certain, it sounded rather feminine. What do they mean? Anne has no idea and neither did Savaellac it seemed, as no information came flowing into Anne's mind. Or so she thought, till...

"I see thee, o child of kin of mine..." said Savaellac, inadvertently it seemed, as she quickly moved her hand to cover her mouth. And as soon as she said it, Anne too was able to grasp its meaning, not just because she heard it translated, but it felt as if in her mind, she always knew what the words meant and had just now remembered it.

"Mani 'kshona lle a' lye aina' eska."

"What evil hath driven you to seek out my abode," it said, apparently continuing from before.

"Gorga ilten' amin gwaith amin nauva y' tinechor... ri' uma lle merna y' hyanda...?"

Like the words said before, Anne immediately knew what was said, however, before Savaellac could put it into her own words, another voice joined in.

"Fear not, for my kin I shall be thy shield... Or does thou wish for a blade...? Is this... ghost really asking a real question? "

Anne did not know this voice, yet, somehow, it was familiar. At this point, there wasn't even a need to ask. It must be someone Savaellac knew.

"Avelin, you came back!" Savaellac called out. Anne remembered that it was supposed to be the sister's name. In turn, she heard someone being referred to as Ailorna, that must be Savaellac, the Savaellac whose eyes Anne has been looking through, that must be her name.

Looking at the one called Avelin, Anne noted her black hair and most of all, red eyes, just like Ailorna. Anne wondered if the brother has red eyes as well. It seemed likely. As for this sister, Aveline, she and Ailorna seemed to be close. Being the only child, Anne wondered if it would be like this too if she had a sibling, but the thought was quickly shaken away. it didn't matter. She didn't have one, and that's that.

At her sister's mention, Ailorna once more turned her attention back towards the shrine. The question asked, shield or sword, it needed to be answered.

Ailorna has no hesitation. She knew what she was good with.

"A blade. I require a blade."

Upon hearing their answers, the voice continued on. "Nan' manka amin onari naa il'faarea... sinta san' tanya lle caela a' yamen I'Ondo e'ta yamen, ar' yassen ta, y'taurn elin en' templa. Nan' magha I'Ondo ere ar' ere manka ta'naa umar tanya ilya naa tyela, ten' ta mata ten'i agar en'l Elenishtari."

"But should my boon prove insufficient... knoweth then that thou must place The Stone in its place, and with it, a great source of magic. But useth The Stone only and only if't be true all hath lost, for a sacrifice it taketh, as it doth hungers for the blood of the Brightredeemers," was what it said.

Brightredeemers, Anne was confused, where are they going to find one? After all, the Brightredeemers were ones that had existed long, long ago. They can't just find one wherever... Wait, didn't the voice from the shrine called Ailorna the child of their kin a moment ago? And this shrine, it's called the Shrine of Yreth... Could it be?

A sudden cry drew Ailorna's attention away, towards the edge of a village in the distance. There, two figures could be seen, one larger than the other, shrouded in ethereal glow.

"That's... Gader'el.." Ailorna whispered, and at the same time, another name floated in her, and subsequently, Anne's mind.

"Aldarian! He made it!" cried Avelin, completing Anne and Ailorna's thoughts.

However, there was no time to celebrate, as the towering figure of a fiery Demon could be seen, a Demon wrapped in inferno and dressed in brimstone. There was something familiar about it, not for Ailorna, but for Anne. She felt as if she had seen a similar form before. When was it? She could still somewhat feel it, the sensation of fiery talons locked onto her hand. It was from the trial of the Ardenstone, the very artifact that Aldarian carries at this very moment.

"I'm going!" Ailorna said, almost in sync with Anne's thoughts. And while Ailorna wanted to go help her brother, Anne wanted to see this Demon, to behold its power through Ailorna's eyes. More than likely, there will be very few opportunities such as this in the future, if any at all.

Lekiel