Description: RIVER OF BLOOD - As a witch and practitioner of black magic, NINON BEART was naturally intrigued by a trip to the demon world. One passing source confirmed to her that an unusual crate that has fallen out of an open convoy headed to the River of Blood. Word has it that the convoy was led by a curious entourage, accompanied by a horde of spider-like darkstalkers humming contentedly to themselves. And the convoy looked to be toting tons of creepy alchemical equipment, leyden jars and whatnot. There's three problems with that crate. The first: it's moving. It's large enough for a human to be inside, just barely. The second: the crate is sealed, and any attempt to open the box results in a rather large explosion of chi. The third: Both NINON and NAEROSE want to find out what's in the box, but it needs to be opened - and thus /moved/ - before the convoy finds out what's happening. The fourth thing isn't really a problem. MIGNON's in the box, and attempting to open the box shocks her too.
The Majigen. A world of darkness and magic, home to all manner of twisted creatures and foul demons. A shadowy imitation of reality that exists in distorted reflection of the light of creation seemingly only to mock its ordered and serene nature. The vast majority of the human world would never have believed in its existence before a few days ago. They would go their entire lives oblivious to the churning chaos that bubbles just below the surface of their perceptions, knowing only through ancient tales and myths of the terrors that managed to slip through the cracks.
Ninon knew of it, ofcourse. As one of the world's only remaining witches she had been instructed in the knowledge passed down through generations by cabals and covens, fell arcane secrets that managed to escape the fiery judgement of religious fanatics and frightened peasants too simple to understand that the world is much more complex than they would like to believe. Magic, true magic, is a dying art.
Her choice to pursue the life of a witch had been an easy one for the young woman. She had never truly felt a connection with the world around her, never expressed any interest in the things that little children should. Quiet and distant, her parents had given her over to her grandmother for caretaking. Her parents didn't believe in magic, neither of them had the gift for it, but her grandmother was a witch and she brought that spark to life within Ninon.
Since that time, her powers have blossomed considerably. Her grandmother's death came far too soon and with many secrets left untold. Ninon had been forced to expand her knowledge through other means. Demons had proven to be the most expedient answer to her thirst for knowledge. They were always eager to impart their secrets - for a price. Sometimes she accepted such bargains; most were refused. Demons tended to be a greedy lot, far too eager to take while giving little in return. It took shrewdness and planning to come out ahead in dealings with such creatures but Ninon is nothing if not prepared.
The clink and rattle of glass is the only sound that precedes the young mage as she carefully works her way down the side of a hill towards the festering river below. A thick layer of red grass stretches for some distance away from the aptly named 'River of Blood', a carpet of crimson that makes the entire area appear to be one giant open wound in the ground itself. The grass waves and clings at her ankles with unnatural writhing motions, almost as if it were alive and attempting to drag her down into the soil where her body might provide essential nutrients.
Ninon pays it little mind, though she is careful to avoid stumbling. Who knows what sort of reaction such flora may have when given the chance to touch exposed flesh. A small sample of the grass wiggles limply within one of the many vials in her pack, a large leather satchel which is slung over one shoulder like a purse. Several other specimens can be found within - a bit of bark from a talking tree, the eyeballs of a six legged newt, some shedded werewolf fur. Naturally, a practitioner such as herself couldn't pass up the chance to enter the demon world itself. Who knows what sorts of powerful reagents she might acquire?
Ofcourse, being on the demon's home turf means she has to be careful. That faint hum of the wards still in place around her stand sentinel against whatever chaotic influences might lurk about in this place. They won't do much against a focused attack but they should give her enough time to escape or prepare stronger counter measures.
Unfortunately, they do nothing about the smell. Ninon wrinkles her nose in disgust as the fetid odor of the river washes over her anew. She isn't some delicate flower, despite her doll-like appearance. Her rituals often called for the use of blood or intestines or some other such viscera; but this is on whole different level.
A small handkerchief is drawn from a pocket and she presses it over her mouth and nose before moving on, her sharp gaze searching the shores and nearby hills. She had overheard a conversation about a convery that had thrown a package loose while crossing the bridge above. The idea of getting her hands on something important enough for demons to ferry about was quite appealing. Ofcourse, it could very well turn out to be little more than some vampire princess' wardrobe or a shipment of food, but even that could provide her with something of use.
Okay so this place has so far been pretty wild. Naerose wandered in on broom stick because apparently you can't walk anywhere, and was like candy! Except nothing she's found so far has been candy, like nothing. This means that it is probably hidden candy or something equally desirable and just out of her reach, she's pretty sure anyway. So this time while wandering around trying to find the secret stash, she encounters what can only be .. the secret stash. A box! A sealed box. Trying to imagine what could be inside. Candy? Filet Mignon? Either way it's gotta be tasty.
Nae Nae had found this convoy by accident which was not unlike how she did most if not all things. A lot about this world she wandered into was strange (like the fact that this river was not coolaid) She still hadn't figured out what it was and being that she moved through life like a drugged out hallucination, she was able to move through this world that also resembled someone's drugged out hallucination thusly. And so for the longest time like hours, or at least enough minutes to almost equal an hour, she had been following the convoy, waiting for a chance to get at that crate which was sure to have all the sweets that this world had thus far been missing. Currently she'd been following along very conspiciously, just a few paces back and walking. She didn't make any attempt to hide which probably is the only thing for her advantage. Despite often looking out of place topside, down here she might actually sort of fit in except for the hijinx or rather aura of hijinx (trust me it makes sense) that just seems to follow her where ever she goes.
Initially the guardians tried to be threatening, but Nae ignored them. As time went on and she made no move except to follow she was likewise ignored, so long as she stay just out of reach , which is to say a good many paces behind. She really didn't like this river that didn't contain coolaid, she knows, she tried.
High on the bridge, an oak tree endures.
The massive tree was new; it's ash white branches were naked. Small flickers of light surround the canopy of the tree. But down here, at the riverside, there was only the roots. Massive roots entangle their way down, down to the blood. If the convoy was trying to cross the bridge... they would have encountered that tree. And whatever guardians the tree had. But where was the box? Where could have it landed, if thrown off the bridge.
The answer comes with a dim light glowing.
The box, sealed with chains and burning violet runes, is nestled amongst the roots. Sitting just above the river of blood, the roots intertwine over the surface of the blood, digging into the riverside muck and mire. A natural bridge, of sorts. Swimming amongst the blood, the wildlife lurks as fish made of human skeletons, and giant albino lampreys the size of men. Both gnaw and latch on to the sides of the roots, making it clear the danger of the river. And yet, it was a simple matter of crossing the roots, and reaching the box that sat amongst the roots.
But what was inside the box?
"Oh oof! Mignon is really in trouble!"
The voice, well muffled from the outside to ever here, was inside the box. Twisted up, with her legs around her ears, was the young Mignon Beart, Ninon's favorite sister. How did she end up in the box? She fell in head first. How did it get closed? Because Mignon fell into it head first, and tumbled it over. How did it end up in a truck? Because it was marked for delivery. Mignon Beart had originally came with Ninon, but naturally without telling Ninon, and naturally by getting lost instantly, and naturally she just fell into a horrible cursed box. It was very likely she was imprisoned now. And what was Mignon wondering, potentially being trapped inside her own personal prison for all eternity?
"Mignon wonders if there is candy in here!"
If Ninon was aware of the actual contents of the object of her current fascination, she'd likely have simply left it there. Or atleast fantasized about doing so. Alas, despite all of her efforts to cast aside affection for the terrible creature that shares her blood, the young witch could never actually leave her sister to such a fate. Ofcourse, she wouldn't have been in such a hurry, either.
The pale skinned girl wanders along the riverside at an advanced pace, the large satchel jostling noisly against her hip. She'd done her best to be subtle and quiet until now but the idea of claiming demonic cargo was just too tantalizing. Unfortunately, she is neither dressed for the purpose of walking swiftly nor possessing of a constitution designed for such hard labor. It's been several hours since she entered the Majigen and the efforts of her expedition are beginning to show.
Ninon allows none of that to show on her face, however, her expression placid and neutral like an alabaster doll. It does not take long for her to find the tree; indeed its sheer size and myriad roots spread throughout the nearby area make it nearly impossible to miss even amidst the rolling hills. The young girl approaches the interwoven tangle of roots, eyeing the natural bridge and the ravenous creatures gnashing and flailing about below it with a look that could easily be mistaken for boredom.
"Well. This presents a problem, I suppose."
"Woah, hey there, like I saw that first and at least you should share the tasty contents with me," Naerose shouts, having started in the direction of the fallen crate herself not long after Ninon arrived there.
"I mean I've been following those guys.. things.. for days, weeks, moooonths and and.. " She puzzles or should puzzle over the fact that a convoy convoying stuff would just let a crate fall off and not investigate or something, this must surely be an annoying crate - is what a normal person might consider. Naerose does not think any of these things.
"Oh my that's a tangled situation," She remarks on getting closer, "What we need is a giant comb, the comb of cooperation, friendship and letting Naerose have some of the goodies inside of that box!"
A problem, yes.
The bridge of roots was, fortunately, wide enough for the girls to walk on without having to keep their balance... but not next to each other. There were many paths amongst the roots to the tangle that was holding the box, however. The creatures moving through the river of blood rise and fall below the rancid river's surface. They were dangerous, yes. But at the moment, perhaps they were more occupied with the tree roots.
The box suddenly rattles.
Shaking suddenly, it jumps from its safe nook, and falls over. Tumbling down, it falls to a lower section of roots, where it comes to rest. But now, it was a mark closer to the river... and should it fall in there, oblivion. It seemed that if the two girls do not act, their opportunity for mystery would not wait for them to decide.
Mignon, meanwhile, lands on her face inside the box.
"Owwie ow ow!" She says. It seemed that in her attempt to find candy, she made the box move. This wasn't the first time she did this. Inspite of her circumstance, she had an awful lot of control over the motions of the box. Of course, why she was left behind was likely not because of the contents of the box; in any case, it is probably safe to say:
Nobody would be happy with the inside of the box.
Except maybe Naerose.
Ninon was in the process of pondering the most efficient and least likely to dump her into a blood river full of undead fish manner in which she might retrieve the crate when the voice calls out to her. The girl turns to regard its source with a frown, eyes narrowing ever so slightly in annoyance. Ofcourse, a prize such as this would attract scavengers. She had hoped to recover the contents and be gone before any competition arrived but it would seem that is not the way of things today.
Lifting a hand from her side, Ninon brushes a few strands of hair from her face with an aristocratic gesture. Every ounce of her being practically exudes refinement and class, her finely tailored gothic dress standing in stark counterpoint to the newly arrived woman's skimpy attire. She waits until Naerose has drawn close enough to hear without having to raise her voice before she responds, her voice as subdued and elegant as the frills on her clothes.
"It would seem that a rat has scurried out of its nest is search of crumbs. How very annoying. Where there is one vermin, there are bound to be others."
Ninon sets the satchel on the ground with a gentle rattle of vials and bottles, tucking it neatly against one of the nearby roots where it will remain out of the way. This accomplished, she turns to face Naerose fully, one hand making small gestures in the air. Power begins to gather around the witch, raw magic pouring into her body as she prepares to drive off this would-be interloper.
"Be gone, pest. I have laid claim to this find and I have no intention of sharing it with you."
Here was an intersting find. A witch! At least a actual gothic one, and while Naerose might lay claim to the title herself, she didn't in fact have a lot of knowledge (any) of actual witch craft. So what does she do faced with the real thing? She doesn't recognize it. This isn't like she's trying to recognize Pallack (is that how it's spelled? Nae doesn't know) painting. It really comes down in Nae's mind to the props and since Ninon doesn't have witchy (at least not enough for Nae) props, she goes unnoticed.
The first thing that strikes Naerose when she does look at Ninon and the way she is acting and the things she is talking is that there must be a pest problem here, that there is something else attracted to the crate and since it is full of food that can only mean one thing.
"Oh hey, wow, is there like a rat problem or a cat problem or I dunno a rat-a-cat problem? That's a thing right? Lately looking around here I kind of thought that might be a thing." She gestures around with the flick of her wrist to indicate the world around them and leans on her broom,
"So I can like totally help you with a pest problem, you see, because I am a geniune article Witch!" She gives a big winning smile, adjusts her black round lensed sunglasses and tries to look cool. She thinks she looks cool anyway.
Every word that comes out of Naerose's mouth only seems to agitate the young girl more. Her placid expression quickly begins to become one of annoyed exhasperation, not unlike that of a teacher being pestered with questions she has already answered. Upon hearing the claim that the woman is a witch herself, Ninon sighs heavily.
"It would seem that the powers of the universe find it amusing to beset me with fools at every turn. However, I have no time to entertain your delusions. My prize is slipping away. I warned you once. I give you now a second chance."
The slender girl holds up a hand, fingers splaying apart as she turns her palm outwards towards the elder woman. Lightning crackles to life at her finger tips, spidery bolts of incandescent blue dancing and coiling into a furious ball of elemental energy at her command. Ninon mutters a phrase under her breath and the lightning ball explodes from her grasp, tearing across the empty space between the two of them. It lands a few feet short of Naerose, sending a gout of blood-colored grass and soft earth into the air in a sharp explosion of noise and force.
"Leave or face my wrath. You shall not receive another warning."
COMBATSYS: Naerose has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ninon has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ninon
COMBATSYS: Mignon has joined the fight here in the center.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ninon
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Mignon 0|-------|-------
But still, despite best efforts, good will efforts, despite everything Ninon tries to do to protect Naerose from being set opun by the pests which are clearly causing trouble here, despite her trying to warn Nae with the greatest of concern and compassion that she might be in danger by a million bites by rats or cats or manbearpigs, oh yes, Nae can see Ninon try, try so hard to warn her. She wipes a tear from her eye in admiration at the humanity of the little girl who is dressed rather stuffy for such a weird place. She can but say,
"T... thank you.." her lip quivers, "Thank you for your concern, you are truly an inspiring young girl, trying to warn me so that the mean scary pests do not set on me and cause me great harm, I will not forget your attempt to help me while I divide up the candy inside. Because I am sure there is candy inside and your will to protect me and the candy must be .... Rewarded."
She says the last word like it is the end of an inspiring speech in a movie, probbably independence day, but she was going for King's speech (neither of which did she have the attention span to actually watch all of).
Ninon doesn't bother to sigh this time. She gives no more warnings. She has no more breath to waste on a fool such as this, save that which she intones as more magic gathers in her hand. Invisible power swirls to life around the witch and she lifts her arm skyward, drawing the essence of thunder into a scintillating orb overhead. It swells in size, expanding until it is nearly as large as the girl herself.
"Michael on my right," Ninon says, her voice amplified with a deep bass note of supernatural power. Her arm lowers and the second thunderous projectile fires from her hand. This time her aim does not go wide. The crackling sphere of magic hurtles through the air with a swiftness at its intended target.
Once the deadly projectile comes within a few feet of Naerose, she closes her hand into a fist and it detonates like a bomb, showering the strangely writhing grass with scorching bolts of lightning.
COMBATSYS: Naerose blocks Ninon's Rites of the Demiurge.
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Naerose 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Ninon
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Mignon 0|-------|-------
So this is strange, at first Naerose was sitting there and just sort of taling to her new best friend, the lady who wants to protect her and then the next moment she is showered in bolts of lightening, the little squiggly ones you see in games that look oh so cute but really do hurt despite their size. So while Naerose is covering herself as best she can with you know, her witches hat (how you know she's a real witch). She is forced to reflect on her initial assumptions.
First, that this girl is her friend. Second that there is some sort of danger out there which the girl is protecting her from and finally concludes this. . .
"This danger must be very serious." Naerose wears her serious face. "You are testing me to make sure I can proceed and be okay, I thank you, truly from the bottom of my heart for this young master, I will not let you down!" And with that Naerose winks, winds up and hops on her broom in order to charge Ninon down. Mid air style!
"I will show you my resolve to be your partner in obtaining this candy, this treasure and defending it from the pests that are surely more dangerous than the cute squiggly lightening thing. "
COMBATSYS: Ninon blocks Naerose's Delphine Charge.
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Naerose 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Ninon
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Mignon 0|-------|-------
Ninon lingers in her casting stance for a few moments upon releasing the spell, channeling the last of the mystical energies from her body to ensure there is no backlash. Fortunately, her opponent appears to be an idiot, giving her ample time to take a moment to recover herself without strain. Unfortunately, it seems she is a bit more resilient than a common pest.
The young witch frowns. Yet more time she will have to waste while her prize teeters on the edge of bloody oblivion. Naerose manages to surprise her somewhat as she comes barreling in a broom like something out of a bad Halloween show. Ninon takes a deep breath and thrusts both hands infront of her, shifting her energy to create an invisible barrier infront of her palms. The tip of the broom handle slams into this 'mitt' and drives the much smaller girl back several feet, forcing her to strain somewhat to keep from being sent flying over the edge of the ravine.
"So you possess atleast some power," she muses. Arcane words spill from her excess breath as she speaks, a trick she learned some time ago. Mystical energy floods through her body, filling her with fresh vigor and strength.
Exhaling sharply, Ninon shifts her weight suddenly, pushing the broom to the side as she takes a step torwards the so-called witch. She lashes out, not with magic this time, but her dainty little fists, which are possessed of a surprising amount of striking power; another gift of her grandmother's, the knowledge of Chinese martial arts. Her hands dart lightning quick at Naerose's midsection, two swift punches delivered in a twirl of elegant motion.
COMBATSYS: Ninon successfully hits Naerose with Quick Punch.
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Naerose 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Ninon
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Mignon 0|-------|-------
Caught completely off guard, Naerose didn't expect the young master to be so adept at deflecting broom charges, but she inwardly scolds herself for not seeing this coming, of course someone so skilled and interested in her success would also know all about broom styles that witches like Naerose are adept with therefore she gets deflected and then chinese face punched.
"Thank you master, for ow the lesson," She says while rubbing her nose and then ducking down and holding her palm out to blast Ninon with unaffiliated (With any particular element) power.
"I will demonstrate my power as you request master, End creation!" She cries, her intonations just .. you know words.
COMBATSYS: Naerose successfully hits Ninon with End Creation.
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Naerose 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Ninon
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Mignon 0|-------|-------
As the two begin to fight over the box... the box begins to rise.
It is slow at first, it is subtle. But as it glides through the air... waves and ripples of blood begin to spread away from it. More and more it comes, as it flies through the air, approaching both Naerose and Ninon. The runes are blazing, the chains are rattling. And a howling begins to grow, as blasts of wind erupts from the mysterious box. It seemed that... it seemed that the box was left alone for a reason. The wind soon builds to the strength of hurricanes, as it very well threatens to blow Naerose and Ninon back...
And away.
Meanwhile Mignon squeaks. "Oh no! Mignon's tummy is full of bad gas! Mignon must have eaten such awful fruits and vegetables!" Mignon groans in sadness and grumpiness. "Mignon wouldn't have such tummy trouble if Mignon was allowed to eat all the sweets and cakes! Mignon's sweetest sweet sister should let Mignon eat whatever she wants! But don't worry! Mignon knows she still has some sweets and cakes hidden somewhere!" Mignon grunts as she wiggles in the box.
"But where did Mignon hide them?"
COMBATSYS: Ninon dodges Mignon's Windstorm.
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Naerose 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Ninon
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Mignon 0|-------|-------
No matter what she does, it seems this idiot is intent on being a nuisance and refusing to get the hint. It reminds her of a certain someone. Atleast /she/ isn't here right now. Two fools of this calibre in the same place might be more than she can endure.
Ninon attempts to withdraw as her punches land home, strike and weave, attack and retreat, in one flowing motion. However, she isn't quite fast enough to avoid the wash of raw energy that follows after her. The prim girl staggers as a fist of pure force slams into her side knocking the wind from her. She teeters sideways in a barely controlled spin but manages to right herself before flopping into the disgusting grass in an embarassing fashion.
The magic continues to work its enchantment and within a few moments the sharp sting of the pain fades from her flesh if not her pride, which is arguably the more severe wound to one such as her. Ninon rises and prepares to cast another spell, however, the sudden surge of life from the mysterious crate gives her pause.
Ninon turns to peer at the now floating container with a curious stare. She can feel the magic building around it. Something must have set off a ward or protection spell around it. "Le Olam, amen!" A short incantation flies to her lips at a thought and the world blurs into nothingness for a few instants as her body warps through space to appear further away from the river and out of range of the burst of shredding winds.
"More complications."
One problem at a time. Turning her attention back to Naerose, the witch brings her hands up and concentrates more power into them. Crimson flames burst from her palms in a rapid stream of scorching 'bullets', atleast a dozen tiny projectiles machine-gunning at the woman in a stream.
"Iyo Iyo Zabati Rakiraki!"
COMBATSYS: Mignon successfully hits Naerose with Windstorm.
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Naerose 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Ninon
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Mignon 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Naerose dodges Ninon's Salamander's Embrace.
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Naerose 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Ninon
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|-----==
The young master is good , but the prize is better. The crate rises and Naerose's eyes widen almost big enough to see around the rims of her frames. Unfortunately she's not fast enough to escape the blast of wind and she is knocked back and only then notices the attack coming from the young master and rolls out of the way. She picks herself up and adjusts her shades.
"M- master, that box is moving on it's own!" she states and points at the crate." She adjusts her shades and peers at Ninon and the crate. She needs to slow down the pace just a little to ensure that she can prove herself as a able student to claim the candy prize.
COMBATSYS: Naerose focuses on her next action.
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Naerose 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Ninon
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|-----==
There was a problem.
The box, now positioned between Naerose and Ninon, floats above the ground, still spinning. It suddenly is covered with static electricity, the charge spasming through it. The wailing of what sounds like a thousand souls erupts from it, distant and far. And as the witches endure the gusts of wind, the storm stops just as suddenly. Spinning around again, the box unleashes a volley of fireballs now, almost mirroring the same style as Ninon's own fireballs... except much larger. Was it learning? Was it copying?
What sort of power did this box contain?
"Oh no!" Mignon states, as the electric shocks run through her. That in itself wasn't bad. But soon, there is smoke inside the cramped box, followed by the smell of burning hair. Sniffing hard, Mignon looks around as suddenly, there is light in the box. "Oh NO!" She squeals! "Mignon is now on fire! And her tummy still hurts! Mignon is helpless, on fire, and can't escape." Desperate, Mignon struggles again.
Outside the box, it suddenly is covered in electricity again.
COMBATSYS: Ninon blocks Mignon's Fire Ball.
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Naerose 0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Ninon
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|-----==
Ninon's magic tears into the landscape with wild abandon, ripping massive divets out of the soft ground and setting the writhing grass ablaze in several places. She wastes no time or effort on visible annoyance at the aggravating nature of her opponent, shifting seamlessly into a defensive stance as the box continues to compound her problems with its own interference. The fireballs impact upon her barrier with muted explosions but they are individually weak and simply fizzle out without much effect.
"Annoying," she says, lowering her arms as the last of the flaming spheres fades, giving voice to emotion that shows very little in her face. Dealing with both the box and this fool is quickly wearing down her stamina.
Ninon utters her teleportation spell once again, this time reappearing behind Naerose. She unleashes another stream of flowing martial strikes almost immediately, spinning around like a ballerina to bring her fists slamming into the woman's sides repeatedly.
COMBATSYS: Naerose blocks Mignon's Fire Ball.
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Naerose 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Ninon
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Mignon 0|-------|----===
COMBATSYS: Naerose fails to interrupt Medium Punch from Ninon with Taurus.
- Unbelievable Failure! -
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Naerose 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Ninon
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|----===
The crate is not going to trick Naerose twice, once it starts to spew fire she's ducking and tugging down on her hat as best she can in order to try and avoid getting burned too bad, but then there is the young master, the one making sure that Naerose is capable of handling this wield world. It's so heartwarming to know someone is looking out for her. She decides to show off to the young master with the most flash tastic thing she can do. She's thinking she'll do the very best she can in order to demonstrate her talent all for the sake of her young master, whom she respects very very muchly.
Okay that doesn't go very well, she gets punched again, which really truly demonstrates something else, "Ow, master, I think I'm supposed to say something like thank you and have anotyher, but umm actually could you please stop hitting me?" She decides whining is the best approach.
The box suddenly falls on the ground.
For a moment, it is lifeless. The runes continue to glow, yes. But for a moment, the power seems gone. It is no longer on the roots, no longer above the river. But now in the muck by the riverside. What had changed? Was it a magic word? Was it an incantation?
Inside, Mignon falls asleep.
Oh, she still burns. She is still actually on fire. But she was suddenly tired, so she decided to shut her eyes and sleep. The only thing that might wake her up now...
Would be another electric shock.
COMBATSYS: Mignon suddenly falls asleep like a bird under a sheet!
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Naerose 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Ninon
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Mignon 0|-------|----===
Being called master is something that actually happens a fair bit for Ninon. Being one of the wealthy elite, her family naturally employs maids and butlers to keep their spacious home clean and tidy. However, every time Naerose speaks that word in regards to her it just makes her angry.
"Idiot."
Whining proves to be an ineffective tactic on the witch. With a sister like Mignon, she has learned to simply tune such things out like white noise in the background of an old television show. Rather than let up on her attack, Ninon presses harder.
"Uriel on my left!"
Magic swirls up around the dainty sorceress at her words as she lifts a hand into the air once more. This time the invisible currents of power become more turbulent and viscious until they begin to rend and tear at the physical world, a swirling maelstrom of iridescent wind rising up around her like a tornado.
COMBATSYS: Naerose reflects Pining Arcadia from Ninon with Lyra Strands.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Ninon
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|----===
With the swirling energies from Ninon gathering, Naerose does a similar motion, twirling her hand and arm and broom , gathering electrifying energies her own and causing a torrent of power to turn Ninon's own attack back at her.
"Oh.. I'm so glad that worked," Naerose admits after the energy makes it's way toward the other woman. She adjusts her hat and her broom and readjusts her stance, waiting for the coming next attack. For the moment there is some possibility that she is being serious or something until she speaks.
"I call that one Lyra strands, I usually do it differently, but you see it uses these neat threads that I pull out of my broomstick and I charge it with some energies, and usually it is shocking but once in a while I like to do something different with it, nifty huh?" She grins. Broadly.
For the moment, there is peace with the box.
Sure, it is starting to smoke. But the box seemed content. There was no wrong feelings, no negativity. There was only silence. That was until Naerose swept her broom. The electrical energy seems to have jostled something up. The chains that bound the box suddenly sweep around, lashing out wildly. Spreading out further and further, the very chains theaten to grab Ninon and Naerose by the leg, like some sort of terrible metal Kraken. And should they get a grip or not... they would still infuse with the crackling energy of pure electrical force.
Inside the box.
"Ma ma ma moooooo"
Mignon snores silently.
"Ma ma ma moooooooo"
Mignon's leg begins to thump.
And suddenly she is given a horrible electrical shock.
"Oh Noooooo! OWWIE OW OW! MIGNON HURTS!"
Mignon suddenly hits the side of the box with her hand, as her hair continues to smolder.
"Just five more minutes, Ninon"
...
"Ma Ma ma mooooooo..."
COMBATSYS: Mignon successfully hits Ninon with Lightning Bolt.
Grazing Hit
[ \\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Ninon
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|---====
To say that Ninon is surprised to have her own magic turned against her by this cheap Halloween reject who seems to have even less rattling around in her head than the witch's dear sister would be the grandest of understatements.
The girl recoils and lets out a shrill shriek of pain as the violent winds combine with the electrical surge to create a brief but effective storm centered directly on top of her. Ninon spasms uncontrollably for a few seconds, synapses firing wildly as the surge of voltage races through her body until a sharp word of power dispels the magic before it can get out of hand.
It takes a great deal of effort to keep from falling to her knees after such a shock. Ninon grits her teeth behind lips pressed thin with pain and anger. She is about to summon up another spell, working violent energies of blackest magic into a form meant to blast the harlot clean out of her boots, when another surge of power lashes out from the box.
Ninon aborts the spell mid-cast and hisses out the words of teleportation. She vanishes in a wink of light but not before the chains brush against her side sending a fresh wave of terrible electricity through her. When she reappears some dozen or so feet away, the witch is already chanting further healing magics, hardly seeming to pause in her attempts to adapt to the constantly changing fight.
"Your parlour tricks will not avail you against true magic."
Calm and demure as always, Ninon gathers her power for what she intends to be the final blow. The air around her distorts with raw energy as she draws the arcane flows from the demon world into her body, shaping and bending its fel substance into a form that she desires. Holding her hand aloft, another ball of shimmering lightning comes into being. This one, however, continues to grow far in excess of that which she has summoned up until now.
The magic swells outwards at an absurd rate until a crackling sphere the size of a small car rests in Ninon's upturned palm. With a grim finality about the task, the witch lowers her arm and brings the massive energy globe into position infront of her, taking aim.
"Behold the power of a real witch. Qaphsiel's Arrow!"
The sudden surge of motion is immediate and swift. The ball of thunder and lightning erupts from Ninon's hand and streaks through the air like a sapphire comet, sparkling and beautiful and deadly as it crashes down upon the ignorant woman.
COMBATSYS: Mignon successfully hits Naerose with Lightning Bolt.
? Strange Hit! ?
[ \ < > //////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Ninon
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|-======
COMBATSYS: Naerose dodges Ninon's Rage of the Demiurges EX.
[ \ < > //////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Ninon
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|-======
Perhaps the greatest insult.. Is that when the possiblity of True Magic or someone of much more like mind has a chance to do it's damage. . . Well Naerose and Ninon might not know what is in the crate, but Naerose gets on her broom and races to try to avoid both attacks, she manages to avoid the true witchcraft as it is called, but totally fails to avoid the crates electrical destruction. Instead Naerose in a shocking revalation of electricity exclaims,
"The candy did not find me worthy!!" And is shocked into a flying arc before splashing into the river of. Eww. Maybe to pick herself up someplace else, maybe.
COMBATSYS: Naerose takes no action.
> //////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Ninon
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|-======
COMBATSYS: Naerose can no longer fight.
> //////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Ninon
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|-======
For a moment, it seemed that Ninon was about to get the contents of the box.
As the chains lash out upon Naerose, the poor witch avoids the lesser magic, only to fall into the clutches of the TRUE magic of the crate. As Naerose is knocked away from the candy, the box sits there, silently.
And very gradually it turns towards Ninon.
It lifts off the ground, floating towards Ninon softly. The overwhelming power within begins to overflow. Ninon might even feel the strange connection with the contents of the box, as if she was the one who deserved the contents, the one who was destined to receive it. All began, and all end with the box. And soon, Ninon would be the one who would recieve it as her reward.
As her eternal reward.
Mignon's tummy begins to rumble. "Uh oh!" Mignon says, as the fire spreads to her eyebrows. "Mignon is not feeling very good!" She whines loudly, as she squirms inside the box. "Mignon is about to get in a lot of trouble!" % R
And promptly, the box explodes.
COMBATSYS: Ninon easily escapes Mignon's Explosion!
> //////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Ninon
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Mignon 0|-------|----===
Grass, earth, and blood erupts into a churning maelstrom of destruction as the colossal spell detonates in the distance. Naerose manages through some turn of luck to escape destruction in the terrible blast only to meet her end at the hands of the mysterious box. Ninon's ire peaks to new levels at being denied the personal satisfaction of sending the annoying woman into the embrace of Hell. However, she is glad enough to simply be rid of the distraction that she does not linger on the feeling.
Ninon runs a hand through her hair watching the wretched woman sink into the river and vanish. Good riddance. Now to claim her... prize.
Ninon turns to face the mysterious crate as it lifts into the air and floats in her direction, hovering tantalizingly torwards her like some piece of loot in a video game. A faint sense of satisfaction rises up from within her. Naturally, she would be the one to come out on top, perhaps whatever magicks keep it sealed recognized her power. Now she has but to... A sudden sense of overwhelming dread washes over Ninon, a haunting familiar feeling that can have but only one source.
"No. Impossi-!"
The explosion engulfs the young mage in a wave of deadly flame, completely enveloping her slight form in hellish magic. The bloody landscape becomes once more bathed in chaotic energies and when they at last fade away there in nothing left but ash and soot.
Ninon glares down at the sizable crater that marks the spot where the box once was with a deep frown, her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed. It is a rare occassion for her to display such emotion visibly but this day, which had been going quite well until recently, has just got up in quite literal smoke.
Besides losing the possibility of interesting demonic artifacts, Ninon's satchel turned out to be the one casualty of the deadly blast. Bits of leather and melted glass litter the riverbed, a long day's work turned to little more than detrius now. Irritating, to say the least.
And who is it that may be responsible for this disasterous result? That energy she sensed. It doesn't make any sense but there is no denying what years of constant exposure tell her.
"...Mignon."
"It's me!"
Mignon is standing tall, arms spread out wide. Her clothes are in tatters, her body badly burned. Sores cover her arms and legs, and her hair was still on fire. And yet, she wore that smile still. "Wowwie wow wow, Sissy Sis Sis! Mignon had an amazing adventure!" The witch skips over to her sister, every step coming with a bouncy squeaking sound. Arms out, she immediately hugs her sister non-consensually. "Sweetest sister! Mignon was in a box! It was very scary! Mignon made poots and it hurt her feelings! Then Mignon took a nap! And-"
"Cookie!"
Mignon pulls a cookie from her shoe.
"Nom Nom Nom Om!" She says, eating the cookie. "Mignon found the sweets! Wowwie wow wow! Mignon really did have the most amazing adventure! But you probably don't believe Mignon Ninon!" Mignon stomps her feet, tears coming up in the corner of her eyes as she whimpers. "But Mignon knows that you believe in facts! So Mignon knows exactly what she will do!"
"Mignon is going to explain her adventure!"
"It all started when Mignon woke up, and saw Ninon leaving..." Mignon begins, sticking a finger at the corner of her mouth. Smoke billows up from her hair, as the girl begins to blather on. She rambles about the story. It seemed.... it seemed that at first glance, the box was containing a great evil. A destructive force so powerful, that it could consume the world. And in spite of its power, Ninon was destined to own it, to be responsible for that incredible, annilhating power.
And now she had it.
And there would be no escape.
COMBATSYS: Mignon has left the fight here.
> //////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Ninon
COMBATSYS: Ninon has ended the fight here.
Log created on 16:59:01 04/19/2015 by Mignon, and last modified on 20:54:56 04/20/2015.