Vault Hunters (Finished~)

[Sisyphus Happy]

Health: Healthy
| Toughness: Background Ability (10) + Armor (1) [11] | Spell Power: Background Ability (14) + Knowledge (4) + Equipment (1) [19] |Manna: Background Ability (4) + Knowledge (6) [9/10]
Condition: 1 | Roleplay Points: 1

Χάρων ​

Charon's gaze shifted slowly over the scene of destruction, lip curling down at the memories, the mistakes he made and time cruelly marching onward. Apparently, it marches onward to even more mistakes. Continuing his search to the side of the phenomenon where the gear came jutting out of the ground, he peered down into the hole curiously and the work that had been done. The magical circuits were apparent to him and he considered entering the lower parts to search for the entire length of the wires. Perhaps he could use them to divert power away from that enchantment, or perhaps stabilize the well. In either case, he would have to leave Isa to the mercy of that beast and the curious amalgam within its domain. In spite of his upbringing in the midst of mechromancy and ancient technology, this contraption causing so much destruction kindled in him a minor distaste for it all. He began searching around for some kind of long piece of rubble which he could carry in order to burst the water drops from a safe distance.

His search was interrupted, however, by the sudden destabilization of the situation in the dome. The winds picked up and possibly louder. The effects accelerated. Moving away from the hole, he stood up on his toes and squinted into the bubble to try to discern what was happening. Hair raised on the back of his neck when the possibility of being asked to jump in that bubble to save his acquaintance surfaced in his mind. He wasn't expecting all of this, not even close. He could think of a dozen things he could use right now. Ropes, nails, hammers, manuals, mechromancy reference books. A rope. He turned toward the one fastened over the hole and sprinted over to it, scrambling to get it undone, hoping he didn't require a chain. While he was over the hole, he took a second to multitask and get a look at the things lining the hole and possibly the safest route to the bottom. Any workshops exposed by the destruction, or libaries. Thinking back to the massive pile of books, he may or may not have sobbed out loud. Any amount of preparation could have made this entire endeavor much easier but he was caught off guard entirely.

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

”Wait!” Isa yelled out before he started to sing, alarmed. Calming Titan’s soul again as he pondered about the results. He wanted to sigh. This wasn’t what he envisioned, that’s for sure. This wasn’t the beam of destructive light he saw coming from the other goliath. There must be something he can do- the redhead re-read the runes. Trying to think and remember what caused that laser beam.

He didn’t want to die, for goodness’ sake. Not when he just found a reason to stay alive.

He pondered as the winds calmed around him, the rotting slowed it’s process as his own magic rebuilt his flesh. Moss growing from his pale skin slowly. What can he do from here? That’s when he stared at the instructions. The well can change forms . . . It even says which shape does what and he sighed. Face palming at his impatience. He needs to calm down and think this through better.

So Isa took a deep breath and continued to sing as he made his choice. He’s going to try and manually change the well’s form into — he peeked at the instructions again and nodded. The Star form. Perhaps that will make the laser instead of rotting his flesh.


Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Engine Blade -​

The red flowers became more vibrant when Isa approached, and then the tree moved. The trunk creaked as it widened, roots moving out of the way and loosening their hold on the stone, allowing Isa to turn the rings.

But as he rearranged it like a puzzle, the water within leaked, flaring out from water to wind to a white fire, lashing the rocks, sprouting white saplings that shot up into a line of young trees. It was unlike when he had first seen The Star form, the magic had swirled, but it was contained by an invisible force within the rings, this one was splashing, thrashing out whips of water.

Charon felt the presence within struggle against itself, as the others despaired and were carried off, tossed this way and that helplessly by the massive power. Anger. Pain. Again, and again, and then the presence lost control.

White fire struck Isa.

Katsuya Sisyphus Happy

 

[Sisyphus Happy]

Health: Healthy
| Toughness: Background Ability (10) + Armor (1) [11] | Spell Power: Background Ability (14) + Knowledge (4) + Equipment (1) [19] |Manna: Background Ability (4) + Knowledge (6) [9/10]
Condition: 1 | Roleplay Points: 1

Χάρων ​

Charon worked the knot on the rope loose and pulled it away from the column to which it was fastened, carefully wrapping it between his elbow and hand rapidly to create as neat a coil as possible. An odd noise akin to the scraping of metal in chorus with a modulated buzz of the same tone drew his gaze. Rising from his crouch and spinning around, his gaze locked to the tree and the fury dwelling within. Isa's hand was outstretched then, a touch with uncertainty manipulating those rings. At the sight of them, a grimace curled his lips and sharp teeth peeked from between his slightly parted lips. The magic began flowing differently. Similar to the effects one may see in a spyglass, the image of the magic shimmered, then seemed to fall out of focus, its curl changed direction slightly, and then it rapidly refocused into something different. Though he could not rightly judge the purpose of that configuration, the flow of the magic seemed chaotic and haphazard. It reminded him of a time when he attempted to clasp his hand -- it was human then -- over a hose which prompted water to flow, it was powered by a pump, something he was made to build as part of an examination of knowledge. In the same way that the water pushed and then squirted in harsh, thin ejections from between his fingers, the magic was spurting violently from between the rapidly lapsing device.

Charon blinked and missed it. A spurt of white fire streaked from the device to -- well, many places, but he saw one connect with Isa's form. Already on his feet, Charon leaped off of the column and impacted hard on the ground, his knees buckling a little and bending. He had to put his hands forward to steady himself and the heavy tail behind him almost sent him stumbling off to the left somewhere, but he quickly righted himself and limped up to the edge of the phenomenon, crouching low behind any rock or mound of reasonable size, if there be one, and peering intently toward Isa's form. Before he could even see the result clearly, he shouted over the cover nervously, "Isssaaaa?!" with his wide eyes and ugly hair peeking over the rubble. He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa watched with fascination and marvel as the tree’s roots loosened around the stone. It was like the tree understood what Isa wanted to do and that made him feel relieved. However he is nervous. He didn’t know what will happen once he move the rings, aware that something might go wrong in this ruined chamber. Then again, he already is inside the affected area of manna and haven’t died yet. So there’s that.

Shaking his head, the priest-in-training focused on the task and manhandled the rings. Twisting and turning them to shape the star form. Sometimes looking up to see how the manna changed it’s forms, from water to winds to fire. The threads of manna were swirling too, but it was chaotic; not like the harmonious twirling from before. It looked like a tsunami, crashing down hard only to start again. Still Isa continued to move the rings, frowning and spoke apologetically “I’m sorry, it’ll be over soon.”

Charon would see his figure kneeling close to the rings as the spirits became angry and pained. Lashing out whatever it comes in contact with as he can hear Isa apologizing to them. As if he was trying to comfort them as his hands moved a little faster. Wanting to end this quick and make it painless-

White fire struck Isa as he looked up-

Suddenly the white fire disappeared as a pulse of indigo flames absorbed it and suddenly reappeared on a different spot. Hitting the seal instead. The redhead peeked over his shoulder with a mischievous grin and gave him a wave. “I’m fine!!” That sprout on his head started to grow vines with more sprouts. Moss covering his left shoulder and hip. He had to be quick with using his manna else his body might not take the rotting process well.

Then he looked at the seal to see if it worked. If it didn’t, Isa clicked his tongue and continued to move the rings until it was in the shape of a star.

Zer0 Sisyphus Happy

 

[Zer0]

- Engine Blade -​

The white fire had no effect, just as a brazier holds flames, the well held Titan's vast power without breaking or melting. Come to think of it, when Ester had spoken about the explosion, it would be natural to think that there would have been damage to the well, some sign of more recent metal work to repair what was damaged, just like in Malus, but the well looked whole.

After Isa moved the last ring, the well began to rise, destroying the trunk that reformed itself as it moved upwards, spinning and lashing white fire around the chamber, crashing rubble and sending sand and dust flying. Small saplings shot up from the scars of the flames, as the rain water sizzled and popped around Charon.

Isa suddenly noticed something on the inner loop of one of the larger rings, a bowl shaped recesss with familiar symbols. The Vault key symbols. But reconfigured to show the symbol of a circle with a dot in the center surrounded by eight smaller dots. As it was, with the rings spinning, it was constantly passing through the wild flaring magic.

Charon's recollection of this machine when he first saw it, its light had outshone the other signs of magic around the machine, but he had noticed them, small glows of rune lines powering different parts of the room and the dais. Though those glows were still absent despite the well's changed form.

Suddenly the well shot out the familiar beam of light to the sky, splintering the tree in half.

Thunder clapped. A huge white streak of light, the biggest of the light slashes that were pouring the odd rain began to fracture the sky. And all of Barad Eithel glimpsed the bottom of an underwater world. The silhouettes of great serpents passed between the cracks.

Meanwhile, the tree remained upright, strings of magic holding the trunk together. Charon could feel the ancient presence struggling in vain to stop its own power. The beam flickered on and off, and then a branch of lightning shot off to the south where Pelagia had last been seen moving.

Katsuya Sisyphus Happy

 

[Sisyphus Happy]

Health: Healthy
| Toughness: Background Ability (10) + Armor (1) [11] | Spell Power: Background Ability (14) + Knowledge (4) + Equipment (1) [19] |Manna: Background Ability (4) + Knowledge (6) [9/10]
Condition: 1 | Roleplay Points: 1

Χάρων ​

Charon sighed in relief when that white fire cleared from his vision and Isa stood grinning, professing his health. His emerald eyes turned to the rings and the well, their unscathed forms pulsing still with energy. Eyebrows knitting together, he stilled his breathing and focused on the fluctuating magic. The chaos held in there, the conflict of... sentience? Without even realizing it, it seemed his use of detect magic was interpreting something like emotion and intention to him. In that moment of realization, the sensation of electricity struck at his cheeks and they became cold, a psychosomatic reaction to the implications. Sure, they were creatures, he felt in the beginning that they were problems. The rot and transmutation contained by the well turned his better instinct against their presences before, out of fear of course, having introduced himself to death just the night before he did not anticipate putting himself in such a situation once again. But, that's not the point. These things seemed to be cooing and cajoling toward Isa. They were cognizant, not only of his presence but his intentions. The larger picture that he was missing before suddenly solidified in his mind jarringly, the only conspicuously missing piece being the vast presence inside the well, the coherent one; the tree and its will, he found it all uncanny. Isa continued to fiddle with the rings and his cheeks became flushed with horror and regret while this time he drew from behind his cover and tried to advance into the phenomenon in spite of the danger, pleading a little to late in a weak voice, "w-waait."

He stopped when his wide eyes fell on the boiling water. The moment his face turned back toward the levitating well, a sigh of defeat left his lips when the symbols and magic began brightening intensely. A pain began in his head, similar to the way one feels when staring at the sun. Though he flinched when it began, he bit his lips and stared, unwilling to miss a moment of the consequences they brought. Symbols all over, some of which he did not recognize, or was in too much pain to try to recall from his learning of the ancient languages. He could only spare the will to remember them for later. Conspicuously missing, the conduits of power in the room stayed silent, a defeat taking hold in his chest yet again. Too late to stop Isa, he just grit his teeth and stared at the white-hot, fulminating well. Charon gasped and gripped the sides of his head in agony when the thunderous laser rocked the chamber and exploded toward the sky, the magic coursing off of it making his teeth buzz and brain teem with heated ice-picks. At that point he was low to the ground and looking at the well. Once the column of utter power came from the well, a moment was all it took for his eyes to roll back into his head and him to hit the ground like a rock, paralyzed by pain for a fraction of a moment.

His vision went black, nothing but ringing in his ears and his steady heartbeat, though he could feel the sting of air on his eyes to tell him they were open. After a few moments, spots of color appeared and the scene quickly returned to him since no physical damage was done to his eyes. The shattered mouth of the dome greeted him as the first sight and he had to turn his head a little, plants and fungus tickling his neck while shards of shattered masonry poked his scalp. When the sky was in view, he started and shuddered at the squirming of vast creatures visible through cracks in the sky. Charon just laid there peering toward the sky with a blank expression on his face. Weakly, he turned toward the tree and attempted to discern any presences remaining, the others, the thing in the tree, the power, any and all of it, the nerves in his eyes feeling like hot embers and his brain feeling like butter.

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

The white flames didn’t work. Still Isa took notice of how . . . Not new the well is as he pulled the last ring. It didn’t have new metals like Malus. He wondered if this well is the same original well when Ester lost her memories from the explosion forty years ago. Still he didn’t need to break the well; he needed to break the seal! The redhead peeked over his shoulder when he heard Charon say something, but it was too quiet. He raised a brow, his grin tensed, his eyes spoke of the trust he had on the boatman.

”Let me know if something is up!” Isa yelled out before giving the ring one last tug-

Suddenly a beam of light shone through, ripping through the tree as pierced through the clouds above. Isa covered his eyes for a moment, not used to bright lights that intense— but this was his chance! He uncovered his eyes, squinting them as the winds raged on. “Okay! Let it go! Use your anger and go crazy!” He yelled, backing up a few steps as he grabbed his staff to twirl. The eyes on the Raven statue glowed indigo blue, trailing behind a glowing strand while he used his semblance. Wanting to create two portals; one to absorb the beam of light while the other redirects it to the well.

Time to break that seal!

Zer0 Sisyphus Happy

 

[Sisyphus Happy]

Health: Healthy
| Toughness: Background Ability (10) + Armor (1) [11] | Spell Power: Background Ability (14) + Knowledge (4) + Equipment (1) [19] |Manna: Background Ability (4) + Knowledge (6) + Spellslinger (4) [12/14]
Condition: 1 | Roleplay Points: 1

Χάρων ​

Sometimes times seems to slow down for Charon. Usually, it's because some kind of creature which exists in a state he doesn't understand touches his mind for reasons unknown to him. This time, it's because his life flashed before his eyes and he wasn't under the influence of an insanity-inducing chemical.

With bleary eyes, he looked from the horrid cosmic beasts writhing in the sky and over toward the source of a muffled shout encouraging the beam. Luckily, his jaw was already slack and he lacked the physical capabilities required to appear more dumbfounded. The pacing pain under his forehead, a burning ball being tossed back and forth, called him to the situation at hand. Isa twirled his staff and Charon wrinkled his nose in confusion, unaware of the man's next move. His detect magic spell was giving him some hints, and then the effect took hold fully. This is when his entire life flashed before his eyes and a he sobbed loudly.

When a type of magic which seemed to connect two planes in space, an effect which bewildered him entirely, emanated from the staff, it gave him just enough time to begin screaming as loudly as he could manage when Isa's plan formed instinctively in his mind. This scream, hoarse and girly at the same time, was mangled by the verbal components of a spell. From behind him, a massive boulder scraped across the ground at a breakneck speed and lifted him off of it, sending him sailing at the same speed toward Isa, sitting on it like a powered wheelchair. From his skateboard of rubble, he leapt at Isa and did his best to take him to the ground and hold tightly while his trusty steed slammed to the ground between them and the cauldron of death. An instant later, several truly massive boulders careened into place, forming a half-shell of rugged rock, the centerpiece to which, the massive cogwheel which was previously protruding from the ground. It wiggled, bucked, then popped out of the massive hole and bounced across the ground a couple of times before slamming into place just in time for his world to go white.

 

[Zer0]

- Engine Blade -​

Charon felt the ancient presence let go. There was no looking at the storm through a window, they were about to be in the fury of it.

Right after he covered them in rubble in time, the well exploded with blinding light.

There was only ringing in their ears as the ground shook violently and a scalding heat wave flooded over them like thousands of crawling worms under their skin, raising the hair on their napes. They felt grass and sharp twigs grow and poke all around them, the brushing of twisting branches as the rubble that covered them transformed into a hill of roots and vines.

There was a smell like a field of grass after a rain, and then the shaking lessened, and then stopped.

Eventually the ringing stopped as well. And the first thing they heard apart from the lashing well, were giant splashes everywhere. Like someone was dropping giant water balloons neverendingly. And then a loud unearthly humming roar.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

He was rammed from the left side just as large boulders and rubble crashed in front of him. Landing on his right side, feeling grass and moss on his scrunched up face. He blacked out as soon his head hit the ground.

Next thing he knew, his ears were ringing when he woke up. He couldn’t hear anything else but that ringing and his head hurt-! “OW! WHA-?” He didn‘t realized he was yelling, blinking rapidly to adjust the lighting again; seeing stars. He can feel someone on top of him. Feeling that familiar grip of fear and old habit, Isa quickly sat up; placing his hands on Charon’s thin shoulders and pushed him away slowly, that way they didn’t butt heads before shuffling back. Not wanting to be touched but kept at an arm’s length. The stars batted awa-

Then . . . He can finally hear the humming roar. Finally saw the threads being chaotic as they felt that wave of intense heat over them. Isa was tempted to take his cloak off but he was too distracted with trying to conclude of what happened just now. The earth was shaking- how strong was that blast?! This smelled so earthy too- There’s more grass! That plan f his didn’t work, did it? He needed to check if the seal broke or not. His eyes darted around until he put the pieces together and huffed loudly from his spot. He flinched at how loud he sounded despite the roaring. Then he stared at the man who pushed him out of the way, frowning. He took a deep breathe . . .

“ . . . Okay.” Isa muttered, taking another deep breathe. He placed a hand on his forehead, hair veiling his face. Needing to pause as things happened fast. His worry grew the more he listened to the water ballon sounds outside. He needed to stop. Thoughts running wild inside his head-

“Charon? Can ya hear me?” He asked over the humming before he leaned back. Wanting to peek out one of the jutting rubble Charon smashed in front of them to see how the tree is and if the well was affected at all by that blast. Then he looked at the boatman in front of him, frowning when he saw those tear tracks on his cheeks.

Zer0 Sisyphus Happy

 

[Sisyphus Happy]

Health: Healthy
| Toughness: Background Ability (10) + Armor (1) [11] | Spell Power: Background Ability (14) + Knowledge (4) + Equipment (1) [19] |Manna: Background Ability (4) + Knowledge (6) + Spellslinger (4) [11/14]
Condition: 1 | Roleplay Points: 1

Χάρων ​

In the moment before the wave hit, Charon squeezed his eyes shut with such intensity that they ached. Everything was white and screeching, he thought his skin was trying to wiggle its way off of his body. Unfortunately for him, there was no sleep during the blast. He could feel the pressure against the rocks, he had to struggle to keep them in place so that they were not crushed. Like holding on to a burning iron, since his attunement with the surrounding manna and flow thereof continued. However, after looking at the beam of light, the bit of his brain which interpreted these titanic sources of power as pain was already shot. More accurately, it was like holding on to a hot iron with a hand that was just in the coals which heated it; it wasn't so bad after a few moments. He realized Isa became limp next to him and his heart jumped in his chest while he desperately tried to recall the sparse medical knowledge he picked up during his neglected studies. Anatomy was the most of what he could remember. Once his hands pushed Charon away easily, he relaxed just a little and acquiesced the movement, shakily turning his shoulder to the side, the best he could offer while distracted by the sensation of his skin peeling off and the burning heat which stole his breath. A moment of grief punched him in the gut when he realized that he could possibly be cooked alive by the heat.

It faded, most importantly it faded rather quickly. A sigh of relief rattled his shaking body, pins and needles head to toe. A dull gaze pointed at the roof was his only response to Isa's question. With his lips slightly parted, a pained hissing sigh sizzled out of him. After a few quiet moments, their dome of rubble jostled and some more light filtered in to illuminate the dangling stringlike roots and knotted vines, fresh and green and threading between the massive chunks of rubble. A couple of the pieces were no longer under his control because they were reduced to shards by the surge of roots. Leaves and shoots of plant life tickled the back of his neck. Another heavy sigh drew his eyebrows down into a knitted arch. The shell of rubble shook once more and the sound of leaves rustling and vines snapping protested the removal of a top and side piece of the barricade. The rest of it, a half-nest-like den, was propped up and stitched together by a bed of new plant-growth. Charon winced and his face scrunched up while he released his hold on the rubble to cast his spell of detection once more, through sighing breath. One of his hands lifted to his face, a pained hiss communicating his splitting headache. He swayed unsteadily on his feet and did not respond to Isa's question. Gingerly, he turned a little and tried to get a sense of the state of things. Of the well, of the surroundings.

 

[Zer0]

- Engine Blade -​

They found themselves in the shadow of a grove of white saplings, and there were giant white metallic serpents coiling around the light beam in the sky through a rain of globules the size of garden sheds.

The great blobs of water were crashing down the dome, but still slowing and sliding off the 'invisible umbrella' surrounding the splintered tree. And the well, though still lashing, looked alright. The tree was in pieces, but was slowly reforming itself.

There was the clacking of claws against stone, and Nava appeared through the thin trees by the chamber's threshold, ears immediately perked up the moment she saw Charon. She barked at him, sniffing the air, whining at the well, then hesitantly made her way, hobbling over to him, ducking the wild whips of magic. She was followed by hesitant footsteps and voices.

"I see them, they're alive! Scaled man! Red haired man, are you two still alright?!" the drow with the gash on his face appeared with two others behind him, looking around warily and staying behind a pillar, afraid of coming closer to the whipping well. They were starting to look bewildered at the two, as though it was incredible they were looking at the well and not running away.

Katsuya Sisyphus Happy

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -
“Engine Blade”​

Keeping an eye on Charon’s unsteady form, Isa pushed himself off the ground. Taking a heated breathe as he look past the rubble and up to see the white metallic— metallic?!— snakes coiling around a crack in the sky. . . . There’s a CRACK IN THE SKY?! It’s glowing light too . . . He looked at the split tree and winced. He didn’t think that the light would affect the tree like that, having been the same source, but he is wrong and felt horrible. The spirit residing in the well is probably in pain, he guessed. Either way, he never wanted for that to happen, for the spirit to feel pain nor cause a rather...explosive reaction.

He couldn’t stop his worry about his beau, wanting to rush things in order to find Moss. It’s not like he can flip a switch to stop his worry. However, he should focus on what’s at hand. To somehow release Titan’s soul from the well and it seems like the only method he has to take is to blacksmith it. Or tinker the seal itself. He needed to find something, anything to help with this well, but what?

He took another breathe, ignoring the white stream of steam leaving his chapped lips. Taking a few steps forward but not passing the rubble, pocketing his hands as he pondered. Isa peeked over his shoulder when he heard a clacking of claws scratching the rubble and his brow raised. The coyote is still here? Guess she was worried for Charon despite her fear of going near here.

And then voices followed behind the coyote. Isa took a step to the left, turning his body slightly to see a Drow by the entrance and behind a pillar. He took a deep breathe-

“Yeah, dizzy, but fine.” Isa replied, looking at Charon again before looking around. Is there something? Maybe Charon noticed? He didn’t know. So he walked over to the boatman, at arm’s length, and spoke calmly. His voice low in case Charon’s ears were sensitive after the blast. “Charon? Imma change the well’s form again, return it to what it was before so the spirit inside can relax. Have ya notice anything that we might use to configure the seal on the well?”

”The seal is holding the spirit inside and I would like to release it. Have any ideas?” Isa payed attention to what Charon might direct or point— anything to help. He is willing to listen this time, even if Charon would disagree to moving the well again. There was also the problem with the metallic snakes. Isa didn’t know if it is a good idea to destroy those in order to go near the well because it might agitate Titan even more. Perhaps he could try to lure them but...it doesn’t seem like they are interested in that. Still . . . The chance that those snakes will let him go near the well and tree are unlikely.

Zer0 Sisyphus Happy

 

[Sisyphus Happy]

Health: Healthy
| Toughness: Background Ability (10) + Armor (1) [11] | Spell Power: Background Ability (14) + Knowledge (4) + Equipment (1) [19] |Manna: Background Ability (4) + Knowledge (6) + Spellslinger (4) [11/14]
Condition: 1 | Roleplay Points: 1

Χάρων ​

Charon gained an agitated look in the moment following his stiff escape from the rubble, his eyes dull and distant. Similar features were seen in people suffering from confusion. Disconnectedness from the environment, repeated physical tics which prevented his limbs from resting in one place, rubbing his face, scratching his elbow, touching the ground, tapping his foot. His lips moved silently while he paced in a limited area, looking at the various conduits of energy, the well. His eyes roamed but they didn't seem to fix on every object in the room, as does someone who is present in the situation, they seemed to miss details while he cast his gaze around. At the same time, his eyebrows were knit together and his lips were pulled in a hard frown. While he paced restlessly, if he found a rock of reasonable size clumped with moss and evidence of primary succession, he would kick it. When a stray rock or limb, or other piece of debris covered a magical conduit, he would slap it away with his tail or kick it in a similar manner. Every once and a while, he would cast an anguished look at the sky at the twirling serpents. It's the sort of anguish one could imagine seeing on the face of a person witnessing a tsunami, an indomitable wall of water cast in shadow, bound for them and all they know. But then his face calmed down to the angry agita. This cycle was not suspended even by the people entering. Though he stopped to rub Nava behind the ears in a calming manner, staring at the well and trying to discern on both a physical and magical level what exactly changed in the mechanisms of the seal and flow of energy, if anything.

When Isa first called after him, he seemed to ignore the question, or not notice. He turned to the side and removed his hand from Nava's head, ashen-faced, and placed a hand on his own forehead before dragging it down over his face and resting it on his mouth. With eyes closed he stilled himself and took a deep breath. When Isa called again, his eyes snapped up to him with animus. A few angry paces closed their distance and Charon reached forward and gripped the collar of Isa's shirt roughly, or tried to, his lips curling back into a snarl. Every inch of his arms, shoulders and neck was tensed with a bit of muscle and it seemed he was grinding his teeth. A stormy light shone in his eyes for a few moments, he held it, but it faded and he eventually relaxed into a stormy grimace. It seems he didn't intend on harming Isa, or denied himself the wish.

"YYyyouu..." he began weakly, still tense, "I ooowe yyou mmmy liiife," he growled, a short rasp later continuing, "buut I aaaamm precioussss," he suddenly shook Isa's collar with less-than-impressive force and finished, "doooo nooot waaasste meeee," his face closing the distance while he looked between Isa's eyes vehemently. His tail cut through the air suddenly, the whip-like whistle resounding in a small area around him. Though he finished his piece, his neck was still tense and the arrangement of his eyebrows, knitted together with one higher than the other, indicated that he was in some sort of pain.

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Although Charon did try to pull him down by the collar, Isa didn’t budge. Not because he resisted either, which worried him a bit. Still, the redhead let himself lean down a second later, for a moment wondering if he really was okay as Charon shake his shirt. Isa stared back at the boatman solemnly and nodded. A calm gloved hand reached up and hovered over his thin wrist for a moment before gently pressing his hand on top of it. Indigo eyes darts under his chin and all over his pained face before staring back. Apologetic about his recent actions with hints of fear about something.

”I don’t intent to.” Isa replied back, his voice stayed soft. He gets what he was saying: don’t get them killed. “I’m sorry, I’m worried about losing someon- are ya hurt?” He leaned back a bit to see if Charon has external wounds, forcing the boatman to let go of his collar. He put his own hand down too. Then he looked at his face again, frowning. Other than the grass stains and possibly bruising, Isa didn’t find bleeding. Maybe he should help Charon move out of the affected area, at the safe zone where the invisible umbrella ends. The boatman didn‘t have such a pained face before coming in. He didn‘t have a pained face before he turned the well . . .

”Do ya need to-“ That’s when Isa noticed something about Charon. It was weak from the overwhelming threads of Titan’s manna, but the redhead saw a thin thread of Charon’s manna coming the back of his head. It could have been his imagination, he couldn’t tell since Titan’s manna was swirling around chaotically. He could barely see his own manna at work even when Titan was calm. Still . . . Was he doing two spells at once before? If so, then- he looked at the rubble that shielded them, squinting his eyes a bit. Yep. There it was, within the brushes of white thread is the same colored thread that’s weakly billowing off the rubble, cut off from Charon.

“You’re using a spell?” He asked calmly. Is that why he’s in pain, he wondered. He looked at the well, contemplating before looking at the boatman. Isa lightly tapped Charon’s shoulder with a fingertip, his lips pinched as he realized why the boatman might be in pain. “Ya should rest outside of here. I’ll come with ya.” He suggested carefully. Rest out of the affected area. He rather not give Charon more of a headache than he already did from his actions.

Whatever the answer Charon suggested or said, Isa took out the photos he took of the seal. Wanting to figure out it’s weakspot.

Zer0 Sisyphus Happy

 

[Zer0]

- Engine Blade -​

The drows were surprised and whispered to each other; Nava placed herself between Charon and the well, licking her nose and sniffing the air and then him. She closed her eyes when he scratched her behind the ears and crouched, tucking her petrified paw carefully, and not taking her eyes off the well.

The only magic that changed in the well, was that the Ancient presence was trying to hold itself back again. Its power seemed limitless, as if a mere drop of it was just seeping out, but the others around it were in agony. In agony of being tossed helplessly. But they could not stop the beam, only make it flicker. This well controlled them whether they wanted it to or not.

Isa would recall from Manuel's notes that his fail safe was to unleash all of Titan's power at Loki as a weapon, or at the sky. It formed the notion that Manuel believed that there was an end to this Ancient's power in the well. The star form of the engine blade seemed to be for controlling goliaths, maybe one of the other forms would be the one that will allow Isa to unleash all the power into the sky? Perhaps that would free Titan? Looking at his photographs of the seal, Isa can change it, reshape the metal if he had the heavy tools for this kind of metalwork, into his spell that set souls free. There was also something else he knew that can destroy seemingly unbreakable things made in the old age. Goliaths. Maybe if he controlled Gaius, perhaps the strength of Gaius can wrench this well apart? There was also that curious coincidence about the vault key symbols. In Ester's memory, when they were working on repairing the engine blade, there had been an otherworldly door of clockwork that led to darkness, where they had a rope fastened from their side and the other end leading inside it. That door had the symbol of a dragon eating its own tail.

Meanwhile, the drows called back to the two. "Are you both trying to fix it?" said the one with the gash on his face. "Do you know how to stop what's going on?" they asked hopefully. They looked ready to help them.

Katsuya Sisyphus Happy

 

[Sisyphus Happy]

Health: Healthy
| Toughness: Background Ability (10) + Armor (1) [11] | Spell Power: Background Ability (14) + Knowledge (4) + Equipment (1) [19] |Manna: Background Ability (4) + Knowledge (6) + Spellslinger (4) [11/14]
Condition: 1 | Roleplay Points: 1

Χάρων ​

Isa's even reaction defused him partially. Before he realized it, he was breathing heavily and his legs were trembling, making it difficult to stand. When Isa put his hand on Charon's wrist, he looked away, the steadfast comportment of the taller fellow causing him to flag under his calm. His head leaned away and over the course of a few moments, his breathing slowed and his pupils, which constricted to very slightly oblong slits when he looked away, bloomed to their normal size. His eyes were darting around a tiny region on the ground behind Isa, avoiding the man's gaze still. The headache was slowly fading. Its last few waves of pain keeping time with his heartbeat galled the fields of his mind with fire. From the back of his head to the skin beneath his eyeballs, an intense burning pain kindled and ebbed a few times before it decayed into dull aching between his ears, merely residual as he became used to the output of the well. The light in the room, sparse as it was, stoked that sensation weakly but he made himself look to the well to inspect its state.

When his emerald eyes found their quarry, an anguished look appeared on his face. He could still feel them. In a sense, nothing had changed. An ache erupted in his chest at the thought. He stared longingly at the well until Isa tapped him on his shoulder and his eyes snapped back, lips slightly open with the labored breaths passing between. When Isa suggested he rest outside, he sighed and shook his head, wincing at the suggestion, "n-noo, I nnnedn't leeeave, weee mmust ffix thissss. Nnoow."

When Isa produced the camera, Charon's eyes locked onto it curiously and his head followed the movement of the device up to the well but stopped and shook his head, breaking away from the inspection of it and walking toward the conduits to inspect them. Their integrity was his main concern. He was trying to sift through some of the rubble and plant life, his feet pressing into piles and clumps of moss; he made sure to avoid stepping on a blade somewhere in this garden of corpses. The green grass, fungus and fescue gathering around his ankles provided an irritating distraction from the wires, which he was forced to evict with his feet and tail where necessary. His chief concern was the condition of the conduits on the surface for now, the abyss of petrifying water must wait for a few moments. When the drow addressed him he looked up and met his eyes. Memories surfaced of the weapons of war he allowed himself to make and almost immediately, vomit pressed at the back of his throat. He had to beat it back with a combination of biting his tongue and swallowing hard.

"I hhhhave sssome ideeeas," he commented, glancing at Isa, "Iiii knnowww ooonly thaaat it caaaan beee ffffixed," he sighed, squinting up toward the rain being produced with concern.

 

[Zer0]

- Engine Blade -​

The drows talked to each other again; as they had this quick conversation, Charon saw that in the outside the conduits were alright. The rune lines were tangled and stretched all over rubble, but didn't seem to have large tears. They were thick, seemingly made to handle strong arcane power. Nava got up and followed him around, hobbling, just protectively shadowing him.

The two other drows then bowed at the one with the gash on his face and then quickly ran out. "We would like to help, my name is Lysanthir of the House of ----"

"ISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Moss' worried voice echoed in the hallway beyond the chamber.

There were running footsteps approaching. "ISAAAA!" yelled L's voice; "WHERE ARE YOU, DUDE?!" shouted Vidya's; "Hey, I see some guys! Hey! Have you seen a red haired guy, blue eyes, pale skin come here?!" said a voice they had never heard before.

There was some talking and Lysanthir waved. "Over here! Your friends are here!"

Moss, L, Vidya, and . . . Magni, came running into the chamber, with L yanking Moss back shirt, stopping him from rushing in carelessly. Moss locked eyes with Isa and just placed his hand on his own heart, bowing in relief. They all looked so reassured to see Isa standing, and were surprised to see Charon.

Katsuya Sisyphus Happy

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Since Charon insisted to not leave to rest, Isa sighed and just silently followed behind him. Pocketing the photographs as they went closer to the well, he peeked up to see how the metallic snakes are reacting to them getting close to the well before focusing back. Standing and Watching Charon inspecting the well and the seal. Seems like he wanted to figure it out but couldn’t read the ancient text.

Should Isa tell him that he can read it? What’s down the well and why he was here in the first place? Probably not the whole story, but he didn’t mind to reveal what some of it said. If Charon wants to help, then . . . Isa will accept it. At least someone can keep his thoughts wondering around for now, making him focus on translating the text and what he knows though his uncle’s notes about this well; instead of letting his imagination run wild and believing something horrible happened to his beau from the message cut off. Just as the redhead opened his mouth to translated what it says, new voices appeared, causing the redhead to close his mouth and turn around to see three drows. Charon, after a moment, spoke up. Isa nodded and spoke up as well.

”I can read it. The ancient text.” Isa replied as well, letting the boatman and the trio know. Then he focused on the well, leaning down and sitting on his knees to wipe the moss off the words with a thumb. ”This is the instructions on how to use the well, how to move it, and this is the seal. It can’t be undone without the a strong power source.“ He translated for Charon to hear and basically explained why he did what he did: going inside here to read, wanting to free the piece of Titan’s spirit, and figured it’d be better to destroy the seal with the ancient’s own power. “But that didn’t work and almost killed us. We need heavy tools like some sort of smithing tools and metals and I have none of those to tinker with this seal.” Isa huffed at the end, taking another breathe to calm down. Then he mentioned about his uncle’s notes, saying what he read. About the well supposedly having the power to harm Loki, an ancient, by using Titan’s power.

Just as one of the drows, the one with the scar on his face, stayed behind and introduced himself, Isa perked up. Eyes brightened as they heard voices shouting for the same red headed man that’s sitting there, stunned and relief. His calm breathing became sharp as he whipped around, almost stumbling as he stood up. He cupped his mouth, ready to shout back- wasn’t it dangerous outside?! Did they come here? A new voice? The Templars didn’t catch them! Relief poured in his chest as he listened to the one voice that calmed his anxiety, shouting for him- “MOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!”

Oh thank goodness the other two drows pointed them here-! Unable to stop his feet from moving, the redhead jogged away from the well, past the rubble, and reached the edge of the umbrella effect. He jumped over the small blobs of sparky manna to hug Moss. Practically tackling him and squeezing him tight as he snuggled his flushed face into the crook of the merman’s neck and shoulder. Everyone can see how the slowly growing sprouts and vines on his head and left side stopped growing. Leaves waving side to side from him snuggling while Isa rambled his words. Sounding relieved.

”Itriedmessagingyabutididn’tgetanythingbackfromyaanditworriedme-thoughtTemplarscaughtyaoryawerepetriefied-“ Isa took a deep breathe of Moss’ citrusy scent, his body practically melted from his relief, no longer tense and unsure. He kissed Moss’ cheek noisily. “Charon wants to help with the well.” He explained when he saw their surprised before blinking owlishly at the sight of the new stranger.

” . . . Magni? I’m glad that you’re free.” Isa grinned impishly then he turned to Lysanthir, not exactly letting Moss go just yet. Slightly clinging on his shirt. “Thank you for the help . . . Um how are ya gonna help?” He asked politely, confused.

Zer0 Sisyphus Happy

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss' hands glowed white, blue Atlantean runes swirling up his arms, as he ran forward, and the water around him parted. "Isa!" he caught him, hugging him tightly to his chest. "Ididn'thearyou! Ithoughtyoudiedwesawthebeamandtheexplosions!" he cradled his head. "You have plants! Are you alright?" he checked his hair. "There are people outside that have been turned to stone and then plants."

Liliana was already coming forward, her spell book out and casting a spell. "Let me dispel the magic for you, Isa."

Magni nodded at Isa, she was bald, tattooed, and had the air of a berserker warrior. "Yeah, glad to finally meet you guys! Vidya told me about what you did for me." she looked at the other woman with them, then back at Isa, grinning, showing sharp teeth. "Joints still feel stiff, but," she shrugged, "it's nothing." she seemed to be struggling for something to say to the people who had helped saved her. She was looking at Isa, Moss, and Liliana like they were family that she just realized she had, but didn't know how to express affection to them.

Vidya, a dark skinned, large eared elf with blue hair decorated with golden bangles and wearing cork earrings, was looking around at the grove, and then at Charon. "So you're the survivor L talked about. I'm Vidya, glad we have an extra hand to help, we've been reading up on this thing . . . Did you guys do this? This place didn't look like this last time I was here." she looked at the beam, then her eyes flashed magenta. "What happened to it? . . ." she stared at the well. "It's all funky . . ."

Meanwhile, Lysanthir, who had politely stepped to the side with his hands clasped behind him, quietly observing this reunion of friends, looked to Isa when he spoke. "That is what I would like to know as well. I had my servants call our mages and the ones who had worked closely in this chamber. We were . . . forced to work on this . . . all of this . . ." he looked at the entire chamber with controlled loathing, " . . . for months. But I personally do not know how to fix this."

As they all spoke, the sliver of metallic snakes were hundreds of feet too high up in the sky to notice them, they seemed to be trying to wiggle back through the great crack within the rainbow halo that was growing wider. Like a roof leak, from giant drips, the water from the widening crevices were starting to pour as curtains of waterfalls, and then a larger serpentine shadow grew and slammed against the sky a few miles to the south. From the other side of this other underwater world, a colossal grey tail was wriggling through, sucked by this leak in reality. Its scales were shifting into wisps of clouds, and with every curl, they seemed to glimmer like a pearlescent rainbow, until the crack shattered and gave way to a flooding downpour. The colossal serpent fell from the southern sky.

The dome floor shook with a distant heavy thud. Through the windows of the golden dome, they could see its thrashing silhouette among the sand dunes. It was strange, emanating a cloud, or perhaps it was part cloud, but it seemed to be bringing a storm with it wherever it moved, creating rainbow bridges around the small lake that was growing around it from the downpour above. Its scales glimmered in many colors under the desert sun. HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

It didn't look interested at all in Barad Eithel. It was looking up at the sky.

Katsuya Sisyphus Happy

 

[Sisyphus Happy]

Health: Healthy
| Toughness: Background Ability (10) + Armor (1) [11] | Spell Power: Background Ability (14) + Knowledge (4) + Equipment (1) [19] |Manna: Background Ability (4) + Knowledge (6) + Spellslinger (4) [11/14]
Condition: 1 | Roleplay Points: 1

Χάρων ​

Charon acknowledged Isa's statement in a reserved manner, a curt nod. Gently, he traced his fingers across the etched conduits. The borders of the inscriptions, done precisely and robust against the effects of time, pressed against the curves of his skin and sometimes pulled on the underside of some baby scales which occasionaly emerge on his fingers. Neither time nor the battle which ensued here managed to aberr their effects. Satisfied with their condition, he turned his head toward Isa to request his knowledge. Someone began yelling from down the hall and he stood suddenly, heart pounding, and stared at the door to find Isa's luh-lover running down the hall. His shoulders relaxed and his heart pounded for a few moments more before returning to normal. He looked at the group mingling dully and immediately felt like an outsider. Regardless, he had more important things to work on.

Checking doubly that he had it right, he traced the path of the larger conduits toward the giant hole in the ground, once populated by the huge gear that he used to bear the brunt of the explosion. The rope was looped over his shoulder and under his arm. With a peek down, the odd fluid clinging to it all around, he looked back at the well. He peered down the hole, craning his neck and searching around for some features of use. Namely, workshops left exposed. A glance at the spider machine near him and the well, it's immense power, sparked an idea. Perhaps it was as absurd as Isa's. That step would need to wait. The rooms here could be trivially forded with --

Charon turned suddenly when Vidya addressed him, a short gasp coming from him. He quickly calmed when he realized it was just one of their friends. He shut his mouth and remained in a defensive posture, his arms slightly behind him by his side and his head angled toward her. There was no aggression in him, just nerves. His eyes flitted over her appearance and after a few moments, a somewhat crestfallen expression hung itself on his face while his limbs maintained their uneasy comportment. He ignored her opening statement and replied simply, his voice unusually tight for someone who speaks in such a protracted manner, "Iiiit onnnce poowered thhisss dooome; iit noow haaaas nnno oooutpuut, khhhh, aaand haaas beeen dissssturrrbed," he explained carefully, slowly kneeling down near the hole again.

With an apologetic look toward the well, he searched the room carefully with his eyes, remaining in his kneeling position. Just then, an immense thud shook the floor. He shot up from the floor and ran to an elevated position, perched on a pile of rubble to look across the destroyed dome and out over the desert with his hand over his eyes to mitigate the headache-inducing effects of looking into the sun suddenly. His eyes dilated into razor-thin slits when he saw it, and he gasped again, this time deeply, and shoved his hand over his mouth trembling visibly. Anyone near or attentive enough could hear him whimpering about hating this place and regretting ever leaving the river, and his ship. He pushed his face into his hands, head pounding yet again.

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa took another deep breathe as his voice muffled. “I’m alright~“He comforted Moss, squeezing him before leaning back a bit. Letting Moss tilt his head around to see how much greenery his head grew, leaves waving around. “After singing to rest the piece of Titan’s soul, he slowed the decaying process. Seems like he wants to be free but can’t because of this seal.” He took out the photographs he took of the well and seal up close.

”Charon blocked the explosion with rubble and saved my life.” He muttered to the merman before listening to L and sat down so she can try to break the spell. He didn’t think it was a spell but still, he let her try. Then he tilted his head up to look at Magni being . . . Shy?

Isa’s grin stretched, amusement twinkled in his eyes as he held back his teasing nature. “Of course~ perhaps a few stretches will help.” He won’t troll Magni yet. Then he focused on Lysanthir, mindless thinking that his name sounded similar to Moss’ real name. He nodded heavily. “I see, so that’s why ya- . . . !?” The sudden shake alarmed Isa, quickly standing up to stay close to Moss, L, and Magni in case he needed to teleport with them out of there. Then he looked up to see-

“Oh . . . “Isa didn’t have the words. The beam. The beam was breaking this realm- he looked through the broken windows and spotted a . . . That snake is refrecting the light to create a rainbow effect on it’s scales. Why did his brain have to go to study mode, right now is not the right time for leisure. He noticed that it was staring at the sky and he did remember a scary myth. Of how the giants came to this realm, that a crack of the sky brought them here. Is this what happened long ago? Still if he moved the well again, it might exploded like before and he rather avoid that.

Then he looked at the well before signing, spotting how Charon perched himself on the rubble while muttering to himself. “Those mages need to come soon.”

Zer0 Sisyphus Happy

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss glanced at the photographs, nodding, as he combed through Isa's hair, gently pulling out sproutlings. "He did?" he looked at Charon in a new grateful light. He squeezed Isa's hand. "I'll be back." And as Liliana sent a pink-blue cloud wooshing around Isa's head, Moss made a path through the slowly falling rain, suspending the blobs in an arch above him, and made his way to Charon.

Meanwhile, Vidya was surprised at Charon's voice, and concern flashed over her face for a moment, before it was replaced by shock when they felt the ground shake. Her eyes immediately went to Magni, as Moss quickly went back to Isa, Lysanthir, and Liliana who exclaimed. "What was that?!"; Magni was already following Charon up the tallest rubble, pulling out a dusty wicked axe from her back. His whimpers were joined by her Purrsian curses; Nava, following Charon growled and barked at the direction of the colossal creature.

"Some kind of . . . rainbow snake." said Vidya in awe, climbing up beside Magni. "It's actually really pretty."

"It's staying in place . . ." said Magni, frowning.

"Okay, this situation is getting worse and worse." said L, looking up at the sky. "Isa, what do we do?"

Apart from the snake, now that Charon was looking outside, he could see that the heavy rain was creating widening pools around Barad Eithel. Sand boats carrying people and Purrsians were quickly rowing back into the main ruins, some were stranded on high dunes, and here and there were groups of stone statues covered in green. In the gouges in the sand where the goliaths had battled, there was already a small lake, and his boat was being buoyed up. His boat had specks of green lichen, shrubbery, orange mushrooms and white branches with red leaves. It was bobbing behind the island of Gaius' head and there were people and a familiar purple tiefling on it, struggling to put up a tarp against the rain. Leonid was suspending the rain above and around them like a blobby bubble, while some were hauling what looked like Isa and Moss' hill of books next to a full grown orange tree, the make-shift blue tent of the couple dangling from the canopy.

Katsuya Sisyphus Happy

 

[Sisyphus Happy]

Health: Healthy
| Toughness: Background Ability (10) + Armor (1) [11] | Spell Power: Background Ability (14) + Knowledge (4) + Equipment (1) [19] |Manna: Background Ability (4) + Knowledge (6) + Spellslinger (4) [11/14]
Condition: 1 | Roleplay Points: 1

Χάρων ​

Charon sighed one last pitiful moan of displeasure and sniffed loudly before speaking up, projecting his raspy voice through the chamber, "wwwee mussst not looosse tiiiime, khh, it isss a raainbow sssssnake knnnown to rresssside in Yyyyotunhhheim," he shouted in an impatient tone, "iiiit mmmay beeee reeeasoned wiiith aaaand sssseeems connnnfused, khh, whhho sshall ssstay aaaand worrrk on the wwwwell aaand whho shhall deeal with thissss crreaturrrre," he asked with a more resolute composure. His eyes hardened and his posture became quite straight while his gaze roamed over the room, looking from person to person. His gaze lingered in such a way for a few moments before he craned his neck to look over the flooding desert around him.

He surveyed the field, having recently worried over his boat and the rain. Once he saw it was in the hands of Leonid and some more people, he rested more easily. He intended on flying out there himself to deal with the snake just to have the chance to moor or anchor his boat, but Leonid's presence on it made him less inclined. With mild concern, he glanced over the nature sprouting all over his floating home, but the ship was made sturdily and needn't be worried over, even in this harsh rain. In any case, none of his possessions on that boat could not be replaced. At least with the snake, he had an idea of how to get it back home. As for the well, a concerned look toward the contraption betrayed his feelings on the subject. He sighed morosely and stepped over to the side of the hill of rubble to slide down it, ignoring all of the little scrapes and nicks on his skin as a result. He has sighed more in these past two days than any other time in his life.