LucidRain

Kalva was a little bemused by how the situation was transpiring. Gina definitely angry, perhaps one of the angriest he had seen her in a while. But for what reason? Because of the Steenee and the human? The Steenee did hurt Solosis, but she did look like she didn't want to fight, either... His head was also buzzing with the encounter with, now he realised, Gina's husband. Gina did mention her husband once or twice in passing, but didn't quite describe him in detail. Kalva mentally noted the clinic down and decided he would return and say hello to him some time later. Quina tugged at his hoodie, returning his attention to the door ahead. Oh - this was the Magic Door. He recalled the time when he visited the 1st Academy for an excursion. The first thing that the 1st Academy student buddies told him was the rumor about the strange recluse door. One was that it was where they 'created' Nexuses and floated it off like a bubble into the Anti-Space. Another was that it was where the Aether Foundation spied on everyone. The most absurd one was that it was where pokemon secretly controlled society like a puppet master or something. In any case, this simple door bred a mixture fascination and terror in the 2nd Academy boys, Kalva included. He was quite nervous when they approached the door, and felt Quina shifting around in the hoodie behind him. She was nervous too, gripping his hoodie tightly. I-it's alright, Quina. Gina won't lead us wrong. When the two people sprung out, he took half a step backwards in surprise, but quickly returned the bow politely. Phew...it's okay, it's okay.

Wyvis and Melina hitches a ride on the truck. Wyvis observes the environment vigorously, smacking a skeleton or two a little too eagerly. Melina set up a barrier around her location and shot towards him a look of suspicion. "You know something, don'tcha?" Wyvis stared back at her with the friendliest, most innocent face. "What do you mean?" "Tch, don't pull that shit out of your ass on ME! That last bit, with the whole shield business. No way that was human magic; and your face ain't one of a innocent fool." Her irritated jabs was met with calm testimony. "I profess to know nothing. I am only a guard who happens to be a Reaver; there is no way I would have known the extent of your power." "Of COURSE it ain't! No-one's pulled that shit since the Dragon Wars, and I'll have to die 'least 30 times to try and do a Phalanx that big!" "Again - I haven't the education you have received, Melina. I do apologise if my ignorance irritates you." Melina huffed at the stubbornness, but slunk back down, knowing that when Wyvis wanted to keep a secret, he would carry it until the end of his days. "Donno why you lyin, but I ain't likin it. Better we have a nice talk afterwards, you hear?" Wyvis moved his head, though it was hard to tell if he was nodding or it was because of the truck. "In any case... we should focus on the task at hand. Melina - your barrier." Both of them turned to their respective posts, a strange bitter feeling in both of them.

Wyvis stepped up, "It's alright, I'll handle this." Wyvis distributed a healing aura to Sachi, and started to prepare for another burst of power. Things really did look rather grim. Skeletons seemed to be arriving very rapidly, and seemed to be very capable of whittling down the entire party and overwhelming them eventually. It really would take a miracle to save them. [Wyvis uses Blood Heal on Sachi, healing 2d4+9 HP and increasing RES by 3 for 2 turns]

Kalva felt awkward about the situation. He felt like he should have recognised the man (nurse?), but couldn't quite recall. The situation with the Solosis also diverted much of his attention as well. "Sorry sir! I don't quite recall when we've met..."

Memory was a strange thing to Melina. Sometimes it came to her like a light shining through a cave, illuminating dark corners she had searched her for years. Other times, it forced itself unto her, loud and screaming until her own voice was drowned in it all. But there were rare moments where she could catch glimpses of movement. A trace of its existence, an imprint of memory being there, but not quite formed. Such a time came upon Melina when she saw the fog rolling towards her - it was so familiar, too familiar! But so foreign! Quite, but not quite. Wyvis ran towards Melina. She could dully hear him shouting caution, trying to pull her out of the fog's way. But her eyes couldn't tear itself away from memory's cold grasp. Her body instinctively lifted itself up and summoned a shield; her own Phalanx, but larger than any spell she had ever seen before. Its translucent blue light covered the entirety of her vicinity, big enough to fit several houses, and fog burned away at the touch of the shield's intense luminosity. She watched from outside her own consciousness as the shield curved back over and formed a bubble, the fog rolling over the impenetrable magic. Wyvis simply watched in awe, stunned at the magnitude of power. There was some kind of recognition from Wyvis' eyes, like he had seen power like the kind, but whatever comment he had, it never left his tongue. As soon as the fog passed, the shield dissipated into sparkles of light, leaving Melina to watch it all fall, stunned by the power. "Melina - the shield - " Wyvis started, but stopped. It was too risky. "I...don't know...." "Very well, let us discuss it over back when this battle is won, shall we not?" Melina felt uneasy for a bizarre reason, but simply nodded in response. "Sure thing. No-one ain't dyin' on my watch." "That's the spirit!" Wyvis grinned, patting Melina on the back, a little harder than usual. "Let us move out and engage in jolly cooperation!" He gathered all the blood he accumulated and powered up the gold-eyed lady who seemed to be capable of dealing powerful strikes. Wyvis (51/51 HP, 90/90 Blood) [Power Bond + Crimson Power on Mitsu, increasing her DEX and RES by 14 for 2 turns and additional 4 RES for 1 turn] Melina (83/83 HP) [Phalanx on Leon. Summon a shield that has 21 HP and 4 RES, blocks first incoming attack.]

Wyvis [43/51 HP, 15/90 Blood]This warriors must be quite resistant to attacks...we should prioritise downing those heavy beasts as well, they seem to be causing much distress. "Alright - engaging enemy!" Wyvis charged at the beasts and unleashed a bloody strike at them. [Basic attack on Beasts. 1.25(4d4+10) and gain 1.5(Damage) of blood] Melina [81/83 HP] Melina felt a little like trying to fix a pot that was popping holes left and right. When she fixed one, another would be downed. She couldn't possibly save them all... "This gonna hurt, hold on!" Melina transferred life energy from herself to the most wounded, who seemed to be a frost mage. [Sacrificial Heal on Hayle. Transfer 20HP from Melina to Hayle.]

Wyvis Ivenson [43/51 HP, 15/90 Blood] "Tch, heavy on both sides - these dragon beasts are quite the challenge! They are yet to best us, keep up the good fight!" Wyvis shouted as he scanned over the large scale battlefield. "Careful! All who require healing should shout loud and clear so healers can hear you!" He answered Jade, "Keep up the pressure, fellow warrior - this link will be an asset in the future!' [Power Bond on Jade, increasing DEX and RES by 6 for 2 turns.] Melina Whitewood [81/83 HP] Melina grumbled a little as the shield broke already. "I would'a thought that would last!" She quickens her pace as she sees people dropping off left and right. "Betta get to work - Hey, fancy archer! Snake lady! Gold-eyed lady over there too! Ain't dyin now! Git back up!" [Mass Heal on Venus, Dackly and Mitsu, Heal all targets by 10HP and decrease all ability cooldowns by 1]

[Melina and Wyvis enters the fray!] "Woah, what just happened?" Melina exclaimed, then found hundreds of monsters staring her down. "Well. Ain't this some shit." Wyvis laughs. "Well, let us put off the bar until later, Melina?" "Remember, it's own your tab." "Duly noted. Now, come on! Let us strike this enemy down!" "They all dragons, huh? They don't look up to no good. Well, let's go then!" Wyvis draws his weapon and set crimson link between him, Jade and Samantha. [Harvest on Jade and Samantha. Gain [Damage/2] blood from each for 3 turns.] Melina summons a white shimmering shield and sets it in front of Samantha. [Phalanx on Samantha. Summon a shield that blocks incoming attack until it dies. 21 HP and 4 RES]

Visrii's eye flickered with the faintest sign of alarm. "You get hurt doing this?"

"Riiight. Of course Melina set you up to this." Visrii sighed. "Visrii of Kyosis." Visrii crossed his arms cynically. "Well, how does this work? Stand around and talk? Unleash hell in this place?"

Visrii was sorting his crystals, checking over and over again to make sure they were in usable condition. He looked up as Melina and Laver entered, and gave Wyvis a suspicious look. "Visrii~! We gotta docta for yah!" Melina said cheerily. Although she was still worried about Laver getting hurt because of their own little feud, she was pleased at finding such a talent. "What." Visrii growled. "I'm not sick." "Yeah, yah are~" Melina took Visrii up by the arms, fully lifting him by the shoulders like an angry cat, and plonking him down sitting upright on a bed. Although shorter than Wyvis, she was still strong and tall enough to make Visrii's flailing feet have no effect. "Now, siddown an' say hello to the good docta, huh?" "Laver, this is Visrii of Kyosis." Melina said, with a mock condescending look at Visrii. "Don't treat me like a child." Visrii spat. "You're only 2 cycles older." "Yeah, but I'm 10 cycles taller." Visrii said nothing but shot a look at Melina. Wyvis chuckled. "Come on, Melina. Let us give Visrii some space." Melina and Wyvis left a little distance down the hall, talking about setting up a bar in the castle. Visrii looked irritated, but flung no insults at the other Stravagans. He looked up at Laver. "Who're you?"

"Alright, right this way." Melina said, and brought Wyvis on comms. "Wyvis, I got a... Heart Doctor comin' your way. Yah got maps now?" "Acknowledged Melina. And yes, I've managed to acquisition directions in this castle." Wyvis leads Melina and (possibly Laver) out to the Throne Hall.

"Oh? You met him?" Melina said with an unspoken question of 'did he try to kill you?' "Well, he's a little spikey most of the time. That's why I'm askin' for a little smooth-out." And you should have met Reuvin...well, none of y'all wouldn't have believed it if you wasn't there to see it.

Melina stood there awkwardly, completely conflicted on how she should stand on this. It was either she mentioned Visrii and risked the Heart Doctor in lots of trouble... Or on the other hand, if such a treatment did work, Visrii might become less conflicted... Do it for Reuvin. "Well...Doctor, I have this friend o' mine. A guy with red hair, named Visrii of Kyosis. He's seen...some things. Done a few things that kinda made him a little messed inside. I think it's pretty dangerous, so I guess it would be a little bit hard to unwind him...but, yah think yah could help with a few of the lesser Knots?"

"So s'long as they have clear idea of where they goin', they don't have no Knots, huh? And these 'Knots'. How dangerous are they? Ain't it dangerous for a guy to face em alone?" He's doing his job...no...it's too dangerous...

"Interesting. So you...literally kill emotional problems? An' get physical manifestations of...emotional connections?" So much of this could help Stravaga, huh? Well, with the Ios getting more and more haywire, probably should fix that first. But damn the Gods if this ain't serious business! Melina briefly thought of mentioning Visrii. But...considering the scale of trauma, it could be safe to say that she should not tempt fate.

The Heart Doctor, huh? I wonder how such a thing works...Acadamy's got nothin' on these folk! Melina approached Laver. "Hey, I heard you got a talent at seein to people's problems. Say, can yah tell me how it works?"

Visrii - Dream Sequence (1.4) “Do you know anything about this world…?” Reuvin asked again, gesturing at the bleakness stretching about them. Enima looked up from wrapping up Reuvin’s wounds with a roll and a generous dose of a curious poultice. “In truth, I only arrived here moments ago. Don’t know much about it…but, the place seems a little familiar, doesn’t it?” Now that Enima mentioned it, Reuvin could see so much of the buildings’ architecture. Red and white domes of Nivini, grand and grey walls of Kyosis castles, and the humble white buildings of Albitar, all crushed together in one place. Humanity’s greatest triumphs, all clumped together in one broken heap. “Well, I guess giving a name to a place is a start, right? Let’s call it the World’s Crevice.” Enima said. “I think people only get pulled in here when they’re unconscious, or at least for me.” “The last thing I can remember is falling unconscious as well.” Reuvin nodded in confirmation. “Well, that’s hardly a coincidence - this place doesn’t look like a place where one would usually see in the waking world. I’d call it a Dream Land, but that’s too cheery, is it not?” Enima laughed, like thousands bells twinkling in a grand cathedral. Enima then pulled Reuvin up from the ground. Enima stepped back and examined Reuvin, like a father would see a son. “All good now!” “Uh… thanks.” Reuvin said. He felt rather sheepish, having a total stranger do so much to help him. “Where are you going next?” Enima nodded towards the large hole in the center of ‘the World’s Crevice’. “The cavern over there. It’s big and likely where the phantom is going. Anyway, I really should set off too. He’s not going to wait for me, right?” With that, Enima started to set off. “Hey! Where can I find you?” Reuvin said, “You saved my life once. I’d be glad to return the favor. Uh, maybe eventually if I find my way out, I can show you. Maybe introduce to you my friends or something. A drink or two maybe…uh…” Reuvin shut his mouth before he rambled on. Enima looked back, and though the visor covered Enima’s face, Reuvin could feel a knowing smile looking back at him. “I’m sure we’ll find each other sooner or later. Until then, keep yourself safe.” “Sure. You too.” Reuvin watched as Enima jumped down from the balcony. Wyvis and Visrii - Throne Hall Visrii woke up. And it was quiet. For most, it would be taken for granted to wake up quiet. But Visrii had always heard the thumping of hearts, the blood pumping and voices in his head screaming louder than any dragon's roar. But it was quiet, save for Visrii's shallow breaths. And neither could he remember anything, not even a shadow of any nightmares. All he could remember was a vague feeling of warmth. He felt something wet on his face, and he reached up to wipe it away. His hand came away with a tear, a single clear droplet running down his face. Without warning, he erupted into more tears, drop after drop following each other in a rivulet on his scarred face. Why was he crying? There was no reason to cry. And neither there had been for the past weary years. But... here he was. In a foreign bed in some kind of hall, crying like he had just passed cadets. He heard Wyvis approaching, and quickly wiped away his face. “Visrii! You’re awake!” Wyvis exclaimed with a beam. “Your health was very unstable when you arrived back; you required some rest. I stabilised your mana pool, but you should be careful next time; we don’t know when the Fading will hit again.” Visrii smiled back. “Thanks. I should be thankful that you’re here right? And that Melina came instead of Lukas.” Wyvis looked strangely at Visrii, head tilting slightly. “What?” Visrii asked. “Hmm…Visrii. There’s something different about you. You seem a little less dark. Like…something happened, or someone you met.” Visrii gripped his arm, his amber hair shaking a little. “Probably just a little too tired to be dark these days. I just scraped death a few times. But…I really should get back to work.” Wyvis pushed Visrii down back to the bed, and adamantly said “No, no. Rest.” Wyvis placed a water bottle next to the bed as well as some bread rolls. “No getting up until the castle is travelling again.” Visrii didn’t like not working. But considering how Wyvis was 2 heads taller than him and could lift him up by the shoulders without much effort, if Wyvis was adamantly against something other than fighting, well, Visrii couldn’t do much. “Fine. But I’m getting comms back as soon as this flying metal dingy starts again, alright?” “Acknowledged. And Visrii?” “Yeah?” “Keep smiling. I like it. Gives me hope.”

Hello, name's Pigeon and this is one of my few times posting in the main forums (I lurk around the RP zone a lot), so uhh, hi. I'd like to thank all of these nice people: @Bfroger6 GM of Pokemon In Space RP, he's put in tons of work into making the RP really enjoyable and being just an awesome guy in general. Huggles from me~ @IntSys, @Monsieur Divergent, @Empiricist, @ElfCollaborator, @Noir, @Hal Henderics, @Twinwolf, @InnocentSerenity For being great RPers in several accounts, especially in the Trespassers and contributing so much to the RP community @Strider, @DragonRage, @Cronos5010 For giving me tips around RPing, being great friends and pointing out things when I was being a half-illiterate spew monkey @LeonVermillion For being a really good friend and like listening to all my semi-lucid rambles like 1 o clock in the morning @Adamance Ascendant A HUGE frikken thank you from me for organising so many brilliant RPs and like, doing all sorts of stuff all over the RP community that I can't even fit on the page. For all your hard work and effort, this one goes to you, captain! That's about it! Besides the people I have mentioned, there's so many more people I can thank in passing. The entire RP community in general get a piece of my thank yous as well. Cheers everyone! Don't forget to be awesome!

Melina felt a comms crystal ringing. Wyvis, huh? About time he got back to her - she was gettin' worried! "Melina, how do you stabilise a mana pool?" Wyvis' usually cheery voice was quite strained. "What?" "Mana pool - Visrii - he's hurt - hurry!" Melina took a sharp breath. "You mean Reuvin?!" Melina started to run out the common room, into a foreign corridor. In a hurry, she didn't quite see where she was going. "We're not supposed to use that name - quick!" "Ah, just pump aquia in the foundations till it holds - where are yah?" "Down in a hall. I don't have the layouts, Melina - it's most likely too time-consuming to locate; okay, done preliminaries." Melina clenched her fists, feeling helpless at the fact that her friend was dying just a few clicks over and all she could do was to talk. "Cast a clerical spell, an' keep his physical form at rest." "Completed." "Check his pulse. If it's weak, switch to sustenance and just keep him alive till this part's over." After a tense pause, Melina got an answer. "...it's strong. I must thank you deeply, Melina." Melina's legs seemed to give out, heart dropping in relief. Melina laughed. "Jus' next drinkin' game you pay up, huh?" "Anything, Melina. As long as we're all alive back in Stravaga." Melina put the comms crystal back, heart still pumping. She'll have to ask what had happened later... for now, all she could do was sit around and talk. Melina felt a white pulse of mana coming from a nearby room, and a shining light. She turned around at the shining light, and saw some kind of winged figure at its epicenter. It had a strange shimmer of familiarity? Though Melina couldn't quite pin down from where had this sensibility come from. It must simply be deja vu, really. But Melina still felt compelled to meet this strange splinter group. "Well, ain't this somethin'?" Melina muttered as she approached this new figure, who seemed dazed at her own swearing, and a couple others who were surrounding her. "Huh...may be a lil bad time, but hey, haven't seen y'all before. Names' Melina of Runeim."

Kalva quickly catches Emmanuel as he was falling, almost getting knocked off his feet himself. Quina, in Kalva's jacket hoodie, looks over the Solosis if she is okay, and shifts uncomfortably as if she is nervous that she can't do anything to help. It's alright, Quina! After a bit of training, we'll be able to heal people; just you hang tight for now! Kalva finally looks up to see a giant of a man. He meekly smiles and waves, though he isn't brave enough to ask the man what was wrong.

Wyvis - Throne Hall Wyvis set Visrii's body down on a bed and took out his prayer stone. With strained effort, Wyvis stopped shaking, and began a long incantation. White and gold aura started to pulse around them, the lightning coming off Visrii's body getting lower and lower. With luck, it should keep Visrii intact just for a little longer. Perhaps until he could find Melina to heal Visrii better than he could. Visrii - Dream Sequence (Part 1.2) He looked around and took inventory. He possessed no weapon and in particular no tools of any sort. He was dressed in plain nightclothes of a Watcher cadet, barefoot, and he was on some sort of castle wall, upturned into a barren brick floor. Reuvin painfully got up, bones aching everywhere, the bricks under his feet cold and unforgiving. Despite this, he felt somehow…younger? He was only a quarter-century, but recently he had felt a sort of battle-weariness. This edging tiredness had somehow passed, and he could tell some sort of connection with a foreign being had been cut off. As he stood and looked around, he caught a glimpse of green strands floating off in the corner of his vision. “Wait…” He reached up with disbelief and with some force, ripped off a strand of hair. Green. His hair was lime-green, not blood-red. And instead of the short chaotic strand, it was longer than his entire body length. He reached backwards and realized with horror that his long hair was back, flowing in the stale wind. Instead of the symbolic hair of the guardian of the flame, it was his natural hair color, clean of dirt and grime and taint. Same as it was before when he had been bound to the Fire, 5 years ago. He pulled back the sleeves of his clothes and noticed that all of his battle scars were missing, as if he had never fought in a battle at all. “The hell is going on?” He shouted in surprise, staggering back at the sight of his own hair, breathing rapidly in and out. He had somehow been transported back 5 years ago, and in what seemed to be like the world’s end. He stumbled around, a rushing feeling of disorientation filling his mind. “Where am I…” he asked no-one. This couldn’t be some sort of the Beyond? The Ios was far away; and nothing seemed to suggest he had somehow been kidnapped, or teleported. Where was this place? Without any time to give any answers to these questions, the stagnant air was pierced by a shattering scream. His head snapped to its source. Upon a ruined balcony, he could see a red phantomlike form wielding a form of gleaming weapon, striking down at a helpless victim. The screams were accompanied by a splatter of blood, fading every step he took. “Hey!” He shouted, immediately prioritizing stopping this menace over everything else. There was someone who needed help…! As he approached, his bare feet scratched against the floor, he could make out the red phantom’s details clearly. It seemed to have a shimmering red aura, covering its black armor and pure porcelain mask. It did not acknowledge Reuvin’s presence, instead continuously using its metal blade to draw blood off of the body below. “Lexiel!” Lexiel, bloodied, battered and broken. No strength nor life in her to resist the fiend’s wrathful strikes. Again and again, the blade struck down, a splatter of blood spurting out of her. Lexiel’s eyes were dead, her mouth still open from the last cry for help. Around her lay several other team members, Edmond, Halley and Izumi, all face down and covered in horrific wounds. Finally, only when Reuvin climbed up the balcony did the phantom turn around, the metal shank gleaming red. Reuvin immediately put his hand against the air, fully expecting a fireball to be summoned. When he could feel anything at all, he looked at the empty palm in surprise. …where’s the Fire?! Reuvin threw away this confusion to bring out his backup kukri; instead of feeling the familiar weight of his blade on his belt, his fingers found thin air. Reuvin looked at his own empty palm for the second time in a row, realizing that he was completely defenseless. He only had a moment to look up before he felt a hook smashing into his face, sending him plowing into the ground. His enemy had taken Reuvin’s bouts of disorientation to quickly approach and land a critical hit on the head. In a dazed instant the phantom landed a string of attacks, battering Reuvin. Normally, Reuvin would have been able to parry any of these attacks. But his movements felt slow and encumbered like an unexperienced fighter. The phantom didn’t even seem to bother trying to kill him, instead choosing to completely shatter much of his torso integrity. When Reuvin attempted to duck away, the grabbed his long hair and pulled him up, now dangling in the air like a rag doll. The phantom seemed to study Reuvin, before snorting at Reuvin’s strings of profanities. The mask seemed to cover everything physical on the phantom’s face, but Reuvin could tell that a thin mouth was sneering at him under the porcelain. “Ah… such wretched fool… another one of them… I suppose?” A deep voice rumbled from the phantom. It didn’t seem to come from the creature’s mouth, rather resonating from its entire body. “Let them go!” Reuvin shouted, and took a swing against the mask, but it seemed completely unbreakable and unfazed. Instead of anger, it began to laugh…starting slowly but speeding up and ascending into madness, a cascade of inhuman echoes. Reuvin’s anger frothed and sputtered, writhing under the weight of the phantom. Reuvin clawed at the phantom’s grip, but its sheer force felt like it could rip off his scalp just by tugging a little harder. “All are due to expire… await your turn.” The phantom hissed, and with its other hand, clasped Reuvin’s neck and started to choke him. “Damn you-” Reuvin spat at the phantom’s mask. Reuvin gasped for breath, but air seemed to escape him every second. Darkness crawled in from all directions, his vision fading. He had no more energy to swear, only try feebly to escape the impossible grasp. Reuvin wheezed, his limbs growing heavy. Sight seemed to leave him completely, consciousness only hanging on by a tether. … “Hey, over here, china face!” A yell, then a cracking sound. The grip was released, making Reuvin crumple down without resistance. He could finally breathe again. As his eyes slowly regained function, Visrii could hear fighting sounds near him, and finally a shattering. Reuvin attempted to get up, but Reuvin seemed to have lost his balance completely. Reuvin staggered and stumbled, trying to reach the pile of bodies that he had spotted. “Lexiel…” Reuvin wheezed, trying to somehow cover her wounds…“Edmond…”… “Izumi…” ... "Halley..." With vain, desperate hope he ripped off a part of his clothes and tried to makeshift a bandage. Reuvin felt a hand on his shoulder. “Ma’am-” He swatted it away and continued to try to do something. He felt the hand return, but grabbing unto his back more insistently. “Madam!” Reuvin turned around and shouted blindly, “I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care! Just go away!” He didn’t realize until now, but his eyes were swollen with tears, both angry and desperate. “Just leave my team alone!” Wyvis - Throne Hall Wyvis' enchantment slowly faded away, and Wyvis wiped off his sweat. Okay...the pool was stable now, but it was a rather shoddy job. Wyvis had invited Melina over for healing, but she was nowhere to be seen. Wyvis simply had to make-do for what he had. Wyvis turns Visrii over to inspect the quickly blood-treated wound better to discover that Visrii had been muttering something in his sleep. They sounded like... names? 'Ed-', or perhaps 'Hal-'. Wyvis sat a little, contemplating. Perhaps...the Fading did have an effect on people, but not quite what he had expected from Visrii. He then noticed the amber hair. Amber, not grey. ...no, it's too early to say. But it certainly is interesting. Visrii - Dream Sequence (Part 1.3) A calm voice answered, “Ma’am…they’re not real.” Only then did Reuvin register the person who tried to get his attention. Tearful amber eyes stared into a visor of a helmet. The rest of the man was also covered in armor, thick padded leather covering the entirety of the body. The armor was a very old design. Reuvin faintly recalled having seen the armor from Nivini archives, old vanguards of a Champion. “Here.” The man moved over and waved over the pooling blood around Lexiel. “Angels don’t bleed – and I can see, this particular one is blind. Yet it still acted as if it could see.” Sound reason seemed to calm Reuvin down, his heaving chest slowing down, and making Reuvin wipe away the tears on his face. “Therefore, these inaccuracies show that these are simply an illusion.” The man stomped on ‘Lexiel’s’ body. The entire pile, blood and the like, disappeared in a cloud of dust. Spotting Reuvin’s look of disbelief, the man adamantly nodded. “It is okay, ma’am. These mirages seem to be a feature of this place. I myself was tricked after all.” Reuvin, this time regained his strength a little, looked back. “Who are you?” Reuvin croaked. The man looked around for the red phantom, then replied, “Hmm…just your average traveler. Call me Enima for now.” Reuvin stopped panting, but the pain still continued to wrack his body. “Ah…well, thank you, Enima.” “And your name, ma’am?” “Reuvin. Reuvin of Kyosis.” He replied, before he realized he had just blurted out his true name to a complete stranger. “Uh-! I mean, yeah.” …wait, did he call me “ma’am”? “Also…I’m a guy.” Reuvin said awkwardly. It was strange. It had been a rather long while since someone had mistaken his gender. He couldn’t decide if he should feel offended or nostalgic about it. “Ah, I see. It must have been the hair.” Enima replied, though he wasn’t as nearly as awkward about it as Reuvin was. “Yeah. Uh, and thanks, for saving me there.” “Always welcome to help out a fellow traveler!” Enima almost seemed cheerful. And yet the man’s tone seemed to be comforting, like a man who was irresistibly prejudiced in his favor. As they spoke, the grey skies seemed to gain a slow blue, and though the world still seemed monochrome, its colors seemed a little more alive. “I do hope you are okay?” “…well, yeah…a little beaten up, but okay. Do you know who that…red phantom was?” “Ah. Him.” Enima said with a distasteful nod. Enima’s usual mellifluous tone had an undergrowth of bitterness. “He’s a vengeful spirit I have been tracking down since my conception. You could say we are enemies for life. He is a sadistic monster who wants nothing but suffering from everything. I believe he’s set off again, but will return if we’re not alert.” Reuvin groaned at his wounds, and Enima propped Reuvin back up, and drew out a small roll of bandages. One from Runiem, what Reuvin carried in his journeys. It was renowned for its extensive healing properties, even bending bone with enough time. “Here. Sorry about that, your wounds are much more internal than I expected.” Reuvin usually would have pushed away the man, claiming he was fine…but inside this strange foreign world, and a man who seemed to have such deep insight, the desire to conceal so much had faded. That reminded him… as he thought back to his actions, the inability to fight, the way he had cried over mere illusions – that was entirely unlike him. He had always been clandestine, aggressive yet all of his moves were calculated. Detract from any emotion. Something about this place broke all the façade that Reuvin had carefully built up over the years. A certain feeling of exposedness hung about Reuvin, like he had just taken off a mask he had worn for a lifetime.

Upon hearing Venus' inquiry about Wyvis' blood magic, Wyvis' usually smiling face came quite offended, then alarmed and serious, and finally settled back down to a more neutral expression moments after. "Venus, dear sir, I understand the...attraction of blood magic, however it is quite dangerous for one to teach the arts to another. You see - blood magic is not taught; rather it is inherited. I come from a line of blood magi called the Reavers, and such is the reason why I am able to use this particular school of magic, so to speak. Without this inherited proficiency, blood magic may be rather lethal. Even with inheritance, I suffer from particular elements I would rather keep under low discussion. And such inheritance, I might add, must be thought of not a gift, but a curse. Proficiency comes at a cost, more than many are willing to pay." Wyvis contemplates for a little longer. "Hmm...however, I see that you are not Stravagan, so the drawbacks may not be as potent. Perhaps, later, I will find a way to pass some of this knowledge to you." [Visrii enters the room] Suddenly, with a loud crash, a short amber haired man crumbled out of a portal in the middle of the room. He seemed unconscious, his face pale and shoulder bleeding profusely. Wyvis jumped up in alarm and hastily identified the figure. He pulled the man out of the debris and held his head tightly, hands shaking. "Visrii!" He yelled, "Visrii-oh, by the Sun, tell me you're alive!" Wyvis checked Visrii's pulse. Alive - but faint. How in the world did his friend drop out of emptiness, and how did he end up in such a ruinous state like this? Unlike his usual calm and jolly self, Wyvis' chest heaved with anxiety as he shakily applied blood magic to stop the bleeding. His blood - it's full of chaos mana - the Fading...? No, it is too early. He must have expended too much mana at once. His soul is recklessly unstable...! Visrii - Dream Sequence (Part 1.1) Reuvin…wake up! There is no time to lose…seek yourself… To this whisper Reuvin woke up. He gasped and stood up, taking in a lung full of sand as he sputtered into existence. Around him, a pitiful sight unfolded. It seemed like a grey collage of crumbled buildings, centuries of ruin stacked upon each other, rotting into dust like a heap of refuse slowly compounded into nothingness. The whole world seemed to curve in unto itself, all slowly falling into a single abyssal hole, castles wide in diameter, in the center of this mound of buildings. Through the veil of semi-consciousness, Reuvin could hear distant rumblings of a wave of bricks cascading over a cliff. Reuvin dragged himself off the ground, coughing and wheezing. He put up his hand and closed it slowly into a tight fist. Every single fiber in his hand told him that he was alive, and as real and corporeal as he will ever be. “The hell is this place…” Reuvin muttered. It was like many of his dreams. Faint memories told him that he had somehow been into these places before, in his chronic nightmares, but never was the dreams so articulate. Or was this place a dream? It felt so real – perhaps he had really been transported here somehow. And if dreams were so real, then what really kept it from becoming reality? In truth, the irritating nausea kept Reuvin from this paradox. For now, Reuvin took it for granted as a real place. Contemplative questions annoyed him anyway. It kept him from being focused on things that really mattered.

"Well, after all of this is over of course - maybe after all these Trespassers are vanquished, I'll buy ya a drink back in Stravaga, an' you can show a trick or two for the fellows home."

Wyvis returned the bow. "And a fine day to you, dear sir! Indeed, all of our team members performed fantastically at the last battle; I am looking forward to working with you in the future battles." The speech is quite peculiar, I must admit. I wonder what upbringing had resulted in such fluency? "Hmm...say, do either of you know any craftsman on board? We would need quite the dexterity if we are going to produce a brewery capable of handling liquors from many different universes."