Machigai Teahouse <2>

[RaineScarlet]

Ayasaki Hayate

"Say... I wonder if it's supposed to be snowing in the spring?" The blue-haired bartender mumbled while wiping a dish dry.

The heavyset Caucasian man at the bar grunted in nonchalance and downed another shot of liquor.

The bartender sighed, and smiled somewhat pityingly. "You've been hanging around ever since you lost your Knight ranking. Why don't you lighten up? Enjoy the scenery. It's not every day that it snows in the spring."

A sudden flash and a deafening cracking noise tore through the previously frozen silence.

"... Or thunders."

Ayasaki Hayate put his plate down on the counter and walked around to the entrance. The sky was glowing with an eerie green light and lightning illuminated the thick clouds at intervals. The sea swelled and then receded in a mess of black and blue. The combat butler had seen many things in his lifetime, from aliens to talking "cats," but this was really something else.

New Technia putting up a CG show? Really realistic, I mean, the snow is cold. Oh, I'll have to shovel that... And it's windy.

[RaineScarlet]

Ayasaki Hayate, disheveled butler
“Th-thank... you. I need to repay you for your kindness...” Hayate said, out of breath, to the young man with bronze hair.

“No need. It is my duty.” He replied curtly. Then he paused, tilting his head like a hunter listening for his prey. “My companions are here. May they stay?”

“Of course! They can even stay for free!” The butler exclaimed suddenly, and then regretted it the next second. Urk... my debt. Well, without this person’s magic, my Teahouse would be gone already, but...

The young man shook his head slightly. “I will provide payment. Thank you.” And then he turned around and rushed out of the Teahouse to greet his supposed companions.

“Doesn’t like to talk much, huh. But still, he is a nice person.” Hayate smiled to himself. And then his smile drooped abruptly as he beheld the wreckage of his shop. Fixing all this will cost so much...*sob* Still, he had never been one to give up, so he zoomed upstairs to put the rooms in order, and was back downstairs again in no time, clearing up the kitchen to make food.

Restless Earth Spirit, Davos Majore[/u]
He watched the group disembark through the film of his copper bubble. Luke was leading the way, and some four to six people followed. Most of them looked to be on the border of death. The earth spirit scowled, thinking, They all look like pushovers. How can they possibly heal this world, Luke?

"Alright now," he heard Luke say, as if he were a school teacher leading his students on a field trip, "We're here. I'd advise you don't leave the bubble unless you need a shower." Luke smiled amiably as a huge wave crashed against the bubble, but the copper barrier held strong.

Fool. Davos' frown deepened. Still, he ordered his portion of the bubble to merge with Luke's and walked up to meet him.

"This is my companion whom I mentioned," Luke began. But before he could continue, Davos seized him by the collar and started to drag the unfortunate wind spirit towards the Teahouse.

"Please--cough--rest--cough," he finished, before letting himself get dragged along. He seemed to be used to Davos' quirky behavior.

Once in the lounge, Davos started to speak. "Luke. I can't--"

"Find Sierra, yes, I can guess from your friendly expression," Luke interrupted, straightening his shirt. "Calm down, please, before you scare off some of the only people who can help."

"Why them, Luke?" Davos asked angrily. "We can just go. After using this world's Propella, we were even able to create human forms. We don't need these people!"

The wind spirit waited patiently for his friend to finish before replying coldly, "Why weren't you able to find Sierra then? If you were as powerful as you thought, she should be safe and sound in your arms right now. No, don't give me that 'It's because you were frolicking with humans' complaint. ... It's because you're a spirit that you can't do anything. These people have just the right spiritual wavelengths to be able to survive in the spiritual world right now, corrupted as it is. You must have realized. If you had stayed in the spiritual world to look for Sierra, you would have been eaten up."

Davos listened to Luke's explanation in silence. The wind spirit was right. Davos gritted his teeth angrily and stormed upstairs to the balcony on the second floor. Luke looked at the retreating figure of his companion and sighed.

"So difficult, that one." And with that, he sank into a small couch near another occupant (who curiously appeared to be slightly drunk) and started to clean up the Teahouse with his wind.

[Phagetthree]

Sierra dissipated before her very eyes.

?!

Whirling around, Faranella's eyes searched the cabin frantically, but Sierra was nowhere to be seen, instead, someone else, a male, materialized in front of their motley crew. Piercing through him with her glare, she could tell that he was made of the same spiritual substance that composed Sierra, but with subtle differences.

A spirit representing a different element, perhaps?

The newcomer did not dally, however, quickly introducing himself after a cursory glance of each and everyone, and helping their hapless pilot guide their craft towards a single building below that stood largely unscathed amidst a raging thunderstorm.

Out of the frying pan, and into the fire, it seems.

Hopping off to follow Luke, Faranella entered the reception of a rather shabby (or so it seemed) establishment, quickly registering the faces of those inside.

A butler, or innkeeper, of sorts, who seemed thoroughly distraught at the sight of his wrecked teahouse.

Another spirit being, who quickly approached Luke before hauling him off, presumably for a discussion amongst themselves.

And a slightly inebriated, gruff looking man who sat perched on a bar stool.

Unsure of their actual mission, Faranella took the opportunity of rest to remove what remained of her plate armor, setting them on an unused table as she checked them for cracks and other damages. Still not very familiar with the rest of the group, she also noted that Venser was not amongst them, presumably still out there somewhere, or Goddess forbid, dead.

Constantly under siege, this world is not unlike my own after all...

[schrodinger]

"Goodeven, ladies and gents. I just flew in from ground zero, and boy, are my arms tired!"

As he reassumed a corporeal form, Venser could tell that his patter was falling on deaf ears, but that didn't bother him. He was in a good mood. Life was great. The sun was shining, the breeze was fair...

Except it wasn't. He'd felt the disturbances in the aether on his way to the teahouse, but he'd dismissed them as aftereffects from the banishing - it was to be expected, after such a large-scale magical disruption. He hadn't realised that the impact that they reflected on the physical world had been so dramatic until he'd returned to it.

Further, he hadn't realised that there was a mysterious stranger in their midst.

"Hello there. I don't believe we've met - who might you be?"

[Phagetthree]

I was hoping you'd do that.

?! Who's there?

Oh, don't feign ignorance, my dear. You know full well who I am. You have heard my voice on several occasions, and I must say, you are coming along quite well indeed. The souls you fed me were delicious, though some put up a fight before being devoured, Asius was particularly against it, but even he gave in eventually.

Grandfather... Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?

Isn't it obvious, Faranella? I am here to punish you, to punish you for denying me entry into your precious little world, now I'm trapped in this pathetic little body of yours. I am the Black Contagion on your corpse, and soon enough, you will be under my thumb! But till then, do enjoy the powers I have granted you, no matter what you do, your actions will serve me in the end.

I'll kill myself before that happens!

Stubborn mule, but I suppose that is the product of your indoctrination. Have you not realised? You are already, infact, dead. The more damage you do to yourself, the faster I will spread, and the faster that I will take over you completely.

The specter of the trapped demon lord within her body retracted itself, leaving Faranella alone with her sorrow. Tears fell freely from her one remaining eye, mingling with pools of moisture on the floor. Then she saw it, the blackness had spread on its own volition, moving further down her torso, creeping radially outwards from its heart.

The armor! It must still have had some repelling properties!

Frantically, Faranella grabbed her armor, and saw what had been responsible for helping retain her sanity thus far. The central clasp of her legplates still glowed a faint silver, and she wasted no time re-attaching her armor, stopping the spread once again.

Just then, Venser materialized out of nowhere, promptly striking up a conversation with Luke, their spiritual guide. Eager not to draw attention to herself, Faranella shrunk into a dark corner, careful not to make eye contact with anybody, and instead focused on her own internal turmoil, wallowing in self despair, knowing that she was nothing more than a living bomb, waiting to explode on her comrades.

[edit, OOC: exams ain't over, but, well, bored ]

[RaineScarlet]

Wind Spirit, Lucifer Rose

Luke momentarily slowed in his cleanup of the teahouse as another human (?) materialized.

That entrance... is he...?

But upon closer examination, the newcomer did not seem to be a spirit of any sort--only someone with unique magical abilities. Venser Savoir, the spirits whispered to him helpfully. In addition, Luke could sense traces of Sierra's mana within him. Davos wasn't going to be happy about that, Luke noted with amusement.

"Well, hello to you too. My name is Lucifer Rose, but I would prefer that you call me Luke. I am a spirit, much like Sierra, whom you should ... know quite well," Luke smirked and continued. "I have already introduced myself to your companions, and I have instructed that they all rest for a day before I inform them of the events that have been occurring thus far. But, I will be here if you wish to speak to me, or ask me about anything."

Luke bowed awkwardly, still being in his seat, and continued to clean up the teahouse.

[schrodinger]

"As you say, mein Freund. Let's talk. Nasty bit of weather we're having, isn't it? I could have sworn that it was the skies were clear the last time I checked, but hey, I guess that's just how it is."

Seating himself on a barstool, Venser eyed Luke carefully, getting a read on him. An absent smile played on his face, a token gesture to maintain a veneer of cordiality that his gaze would probably betray (but it was still necessary, there were rules to be followed here). He knew it was bad form to stare, particularly at people he'd only just met, but he also knew that he didn't trust people he'd only just met to any extent, particularly under such peculiar circumstances.

"Unless, of course, it isn't. What's really going on?"

He glanced out a window, watching the roiling sea through a curtain of rain.

"I can surmise that your presence here has something to do with the sturm und drang out there, but that's not all, is it?"

Not by far. Him, his friend upstairs, Sierra - I can see something there. It's just... unclear now, and I can't take the risk of clarifying it myself.

[RaineScarlet]

Wind Spirit, Lucifer Rose

"Hm, I see you're quite an impatient one," Luke surmised, crossing his legs on the small couch. "I could give you a quick taste before I get to the real meat and potatoes of the situation."

The wind spirit gazed casually at Venser, though really, the spirits were doing all the "seeing" for him. By the way the young man stared, and his otherwise dubious reactions, Luke could tell that this one was more cautious, less trustworthy. A good trait to have, but in moderation. I haven't killed anyone yet.

"You are correct, of course. This is not a normal storm. It's the spirits' doing. Right before the Zurean force was banished, a large number of spirits in the immediate area vanished. That is was you humans call 'death.' But that was only the beginning of it, of course."

Luke stopped cleaning the teahouse momentarily to draw out a map with his green mana. The emerald hues twisted into several cities, with Port Orlania and New Manhattan in particular glowing the brightest. "Long story short, there are several 'rankings' of spirits in our world, with the strongest ones short only of being gods. However, in exchange for their power, they sacrifice their control--control which has somehow become compromised as of this recent incident."

Luke then pointed towards five cities, and each rippled where his finger touched them. "This is what is happening now in the spirit world, if I were to give you a visual model. And, left alone..." The ripples on the map intensified and grew in size until the entire map was a conglomerate blob of green.

"Well, that's not very dramatic, but you get the idea, I hope." Luke paused, frowning. "That explanation took longer than I thought. I should revise that for later reference," he muttered to himself.

"Anyway, I'm not forcing you and your companions to do anything. I only wished to plead for your cooperation to remove the contamination in this world. And, I'm sure a certain friend of mine would like for Port Orlania to be the first site of purification--where Sierra is trapped."

((OoC: Tired =.=))

[Carillus]

Kamin had been watching the proceeds quietly ever since their disembarkation, including Luke's swift explanation to the just-arrived Venser, who had quickly struck up a cordial conversation with the aforementioned spirit.

Here, though, she just had to ask.

"Erm, excuse me - " she raised her hand slightly in the process - "but what is this... green blob thing supposed to be? Yes, it's growing, but having no idea what it stands for, I can only see it as what it is - a green blob thing. And a green blob thing devouring our cities doesn't seem to be of the greatest possibility."

The recent events really have been one after the other, though. It almost feels like yesterday... well, three days back, that we just finished off the situation with The World Without Boundaries. The invasion barely lasted a day...

For such a short invasion to have such a drastic impact on the climate... the spirits are really strong...

Kamin wallowed around in her thoughts for a bit. Drifting slightly, she recalled the 'self' she had regained back in the Borderlands - the little bit of herself that felt right at home with the two weapons she had strapped to her back.

Self... I wonder if that really is myself... it still feels so foreign.

Now that she thought about it - Kamin chuckled to herself - this little group of hers really had accomplished quite a bit ever since they had first got together. Only a few of them actually remained; many had passed between, and some had joined in the middle.

Just the few of them - Kamin, Venser, Sol and Sierra, was it? And one of them was now trapped in the aether, in the very place she was standing.

"Well, even if the others don't agree, I'll help you. Sierra's our friend too - I'd like to see her out of this as soon as possible."

Just one little statement of affirmation. Probably - that was all it would take.

[RaineScarlet]

Pleased Wind Spirit, Lucifer Rose

Ah, the angel speaks. Luke smiled widely and listened to her question and comments.

"Thank you for your concern regarding Sierra. She is truly fortunate to have a companion such as you in this world," he said as he slyly ran his eyes up and down her figure.

Not bad, not bad. Could use a little volume though.

"As for your question, the issue here is not that a green blob is devouring the whole world, but that the whole world has become a green blob. Perhaps I should have used different colors to make it clearer, but I have a special affinity for green, you see. The spiritual contamination will cause the material world to rip itself apart. Now, if you have another world to escape to, by all means, go. But if you want to stay in this world, I'd say this affects everyone," he finished, addressing the last bit to the general audience.

Hayate paused in his work as the gentleman in the corner stirred ever so slightly.

"Any other questions?" He smiled amiably at his audience of two. In his peripheral senses, he noted that another member of the group had taken up a post in the corner of the lounge.

There are rooms prepared, you know..

((OoC: *runs away*))

Irritated Earth Spirit, Davos Majore

One day. One day. He's letting them rest while Sierra is...

Davos gripped the railing on the balcony tightly, and the metal bar groaned in response. He closed his eyes and inadvertently recalled his attempts to rescue her.

He had passed, like always, into the spiritual realm at the Tea House, hunting for traces of her mana. The atmosphere was thick with darkness. It threatened to eat him up.

You... I know you.

Sierra! Where are you?

...

Sierra!!

Glassy eyes, blank stare. He saw her standing there in a clearing. Puddles of clear dark liquid surrounded her on all sides.

Sierra, I've been looking for-- And then he froze. There were strings attached to her body--strings of water that came from the puddles.

Sierra turned around to face him. The strings pulled at her lips to form a twisted smile. Davos felt his stomach tighten up, and he suddenly felt sick. Without warning, she leapt at him, hands clawing at him, and he phased out of the spiritual world.

He'd ended up puking into the rolling sea by the Port, but doubted that anyone cared at the moment, before composing himself and introducing him to the Tea House owner.

Thinking back, Davos knew that if "Sierra" had touched him at that moment, he would have been eaten too. But something bothered him. Why had she been consumed so quickly? Was it because she was more powerful than him? After all, the spirit world functioned on precarious levels of power.

Anyway, it doesn't matter at this point. I ... do I really have to trust her "life" to these strangers? Stupid Lu says that they have the right amount of power to not get contaminated and to still be able to purify the spirits, but it won't be that easy...

Davos stared back out through the copper film at the sea. She was in there. He longed to see her again, even if their love was just a fragmented memory.

[schrodinger]

"Questions? No, I'm afraid the only questions I've got in mind are ones that I fear you just might not have the answers to. You're right, though, there are rooms prepared for us, and it would be absolutely dreadful of us to make light of your kindness."

Venser slid off his seat and made to move upstairs, casually letting slip his knowledge of Luke's thoughts as he did so.

"Your hospitality is, of course, deeply appreciated, but I for one am loathe to let time slip through our fingers when we could be out there saving the world. Your proffered grace period of a day is quite extravagant in the face of this awful mess, isn't it? Not to mention that your friend up there seems rather impatient himself, and I'd hate to impose on him. Twelve hours should be more than enough, I think, for us to pull ourselves together."

As he climbed up the stairs, entered a vacant room and locked it behind him, he wondered if he might have been a trifle overbearing with Luke, but after a moment of contemplation quickly came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth worrying about. It would probably sort itself out in the end, really.

Oh, you're in a good mood.

That I am. How'd you tell?

You only make oversights like that when you're feeling happy enough to discount the consequences. So what's gotten you perked up?

Like...? Ah. Yes, I should probably have been more restrained back there. As to why I'm happy, I think the fact that you're communicating with me again is answer enough.

Well, I'm flattered. I had no idea our time together was so important to you.

Very funny. We both know exactly why you left me alone. That you're back means that I'm... better.

Glad to know it. And what are you going to do about this?

About this? I'm just going to do what I can.

...Unfortunately, for you, that's not exactly an exhaustive list.

Oh, my friend, that is completely untrue and exactly what I aim to take advantage of. I need some things.

You can bally well come and get them yourself. Trying to scribe spells to you from this distance is like using a half-dead messenger pigeon to transport gold bullion.

I can't, there's too much interference in the aether here. Planeswalking isn't an option at the moment.

Hm. You're going to have to be selective, then, I can't just send entire grimoires into your mind. Interference is likely going to mess with any large transmissions, so one spell's all I can guarantee you.

What, one!? You're supposed to be helping me here, not cramping my style!

Hey, if you'd rather risk having Magic Missile shoot monkeys for projectiles, then be my guest.

Ugh, don't remind me of that. It took some very cunning planning to cover that particular cockup... up, I can tell you.

Come to think of it, I never did learn how you managed to get rid of all those apes in the laboratory after that spell of yours went awry. How did you manage it?

Oh, I just turned them into scales, stands, that sort of thing... they fit right in with the rest of the equipment.

...Say, that gives me an idea.

...Would I be right if I hazarded a guess that you are at this moment in the possession of another one of your cunning plans?

Oh yes.

...Wouldn't it be a much better idea to stick with something safe, like Mystic Restraints?

Oh no.

[RaineScarlet]

Lucifer Rose

And there he goes. My, wouldn't want to get on his bad side.

Luke watched as Venser retreated up the stairs. The young man was making a valid point, of course, seeing how grave the situation on this world had become. But Luke never did anything without a good reason (other than chasing after pretty girls).

You'll need all the rest you can get for their 'tests'... He thought, as the activity in the lounge stilled.

Lu's eyes glazed over and he leaned back on his couch, staring out the window at the patchwork sky of gray and blue. Ever since he had stolen that woman's memories, he had changed. When silence prevailed, his mind wandered into darkness.

[Phagetthree]

Huddled up on her own in her little corner, Faranella came to realise that she didn't know the motley group very well. Even though they had readily accepted her despite her obvious condition, Faranella felt that she had not done much to repay their kindness. But, then again, with the forces of the world being so much greater than her own, what could she have done?

Insignificant. That's what we all are. With, or without us, the cosmos, reality, carries on.

Deciding that rest would be a precious commodity in the near future, Faranella allowed herself some shuteye, quickly falling into a fitful slumber.

[RaineScarlet]

Wind Spirit, Lucifer Rose
"Good morning, good morning
Good morning to you.
Put a smile on your face,
It's a brand new day

Good morning, good morning
Good morning to you.
Each day is a new gift to open and use.

Good morning, good morning
Good morning to you.
It's a brand new da--"

Luke suddenly stopped singing upon realizing that his collar had tightened considerably. "Ah... Sight... fading..."

"Singing. At. A. Time. Like. This." Davos said, shaking Luke by the collar, his usually calm face bright red and livid.

Lu detached himself from Davos's grip before he passed out. "My... cough. Aren't we running on a short, cough, fuse today."

Davos only glared at his companion and went outside, leaving Luke alone in the tea house lounge. One night had passed. It was still dark and storming outside, but Luke could still see above the cloud canopy with his spirits determine the time of day. It was time for them all to go.

"Today, is the water spirits' trial... Then. I should go rouse them with my song. I'm sure they'd appreciate it."

And with that, he went upstairs into the hallway and started singing again.

[schrodinger]

Good lord, what is that racket?

Venser had been awake for some time, gazing through his room's window at the tempest without. A good night's sleep had done him a world of good, refreshing his mind and body for the new day. He suspected, looking at the churning sea, that he was probably going to need all of his wits about him to get through whatever it was that these spirits were going to do. Then someone had started singing, and he realised just how right he'd been.

Slipping his robe (or cloak, or coat - he was never sure what it was exactly at any one time) on over what he was beginning to think of as his 'work clothes', the same shirt and pants that he'd been wearing when he'd left the Academy (don't be disgusting, of course he had them laundered regularly), he turned to the clothes that he'd been sleeping in, now lying in a pile on the bed. He picked them up at arms' length, admiring his handiwork, then set them in the middle of the room as he dismissed the enchantment on them. Watching them turn back into their original forms - the table and chair that had been standing in the room when he'd first entered it, he made sure that they were properly furniture-ized (no sitting down and finding out that the chair had legs of cotton) before opening the door and moving into the hallway.

Whereupon he immediately met the source of said racket.

"Yes, you're absolutely right, Luke, it is a good morning!"

Raising his voice so as to be heard over the bridge (or was it the chorus) of Luke's strange song, he caught the wind spirit's attention as he closed the door behind him.

"Be even better if you weren't singing, though. I know a 6 o'clock call is customary, but this is unheard of!"

[Phagetthree]

You're mine!

Faranella awoke with a start, grasping at a wrenching pain in her chest, where her heart of flesh and blood used to reside. Her now scraggy hair drenched in a cold sweat, she glanced down at the angrily pulsing mass that now nearly composed half of her body. Shaking her head vigorously to clear her thoughts and drowsiness, Faranella rose and took stock of her surroundings.

It was a new day, rays of sunlight just barely broke through into the humble house, and the air smelled fresher, felt cooler. Their self-appointed guide, Luke, as he called himself, had taken to an eccentric act of singing, then being accosted by another spirit who was presumably his ally, before returning upstairs again, singing ostensibly.

Peering outside, the great storm had shown no signs of retreating, still pounding against the barrier that all but kept them from being washed away. Sustained by daemonic energies, Faranella felt no need for food or water, nor did she have the urge to consume anything (other than souls). While that was a convenience in a world seemingly engulfed in perpetual war and catastrophes, she did miss eating, even if just a little.

Even the little things count, don't they?

Still left with no instructions nor directives, Faranella simply stretched and settled down again, looking straight through the floorboards of the establishment to see that Venser had also awoken, although whether by virtue of Luke's singing or his own internal clock, she had no way to tell. Absentmindedly caressing her great, curved blade with her good arm, Faranella simply looked up at the ceiling in a near catatonic state.

Then it began in earnest. The throbbing in her chest acquired a steady rhythm, there was an urge, a very basic urge, not unlike the one to feed, attempting to hide her growing discomfort, Faranella drew her legs up to her chest while looking up, glancing at Kamin. As her immaterial eye pierced through Kamin, she saw the bright, blazing flame that was Kamin's soul.

Oh, how it glistens. The brighter it is, the more delicious it is, Faranella. That one there is a true delicacy, you ought to try it.

Faranella jerked her head downwards, squeezing her good eye shut in an effort to shove the demon's taunts out of her head, subconsciously, her grip on her sword tightened. It wasn't until the pain finally took hold of her that she released her hold on it and looked at her hand, now leaking blood.

Except it wasn't blood. The same black substance now oozed from the deep gashes in her good hand, dripping to the floor but instantly vanishing before it made contact, creating an image of her hand perpetually dripping dark, dark blood.

It's everywhere in my body now, not simply confined to my left!

Every revelation she made only made matters worse for her. Every new discovery she made about her condition only further assured her about her inevitable damnation. Glancing up at Kamin again, the desire to attack her and consume that pure, burning flame only grew stronger.

Kamin, seemingly able to feel her stare, turned to look at her, but Faranella hastily redirected her sight, putting her head between her knees instead.

Don't... Don't look at anyone, at least not for too long... Till I find a way to curb this, this bloodlust.

[RaineScarlet]

Davos Majore
He heard the irritated voice of one member of the group and mentally thanked the young man for setting Luke straight.

Sometimes, that stupid...

But Davos dared not go against him regardless. Luke was an intolerable flirt and tease, but underneath that, he was also unexpectedly wise and cunning.

"Well, I expect you all up and downstairs in an hour!" He heard Luke shout through the door, for Venser had closed it. "And eat a good breakfast!"

Who are you, his mother?

With that, the wind spirit glided downstairs and started making small talk with the owner of the teahouse, a boy named 'Ayasaki' or was it 'Hayate'? He could never get these foreign names right. The two got along well. Both the boy and Luke possessed optimism that could power whole city for several centuries. Davos just stayed quiet and scowled at the sea, waiting for the humans to get ready. The lesser spirits were gathering.

The sea seemed to bubble in anticipation.

[RaineScarlet]

[Time Skip desu]

Lucifer Rose
"Hem, hem," Luke cleared his throat (rather obnoxiously). "Now that you all seem prepared, let's start!" He beamed at the group as if they were all his children. Davos observed from the side of the room with his signature frown on his face.

"Technically, this particular area should have been optional, but... Sierra, you should know who she is by now, got sucked in. My personal theory is," Luke paused for a dramatic effect. Davos shot a pebble at the back of Luke's head. "Ow! Okay! She gained too much power as she traveled with you, so the deity of water was able to draw her in through the mana streams. We need her in order to ... stop this world from destroying itself. Now then, let's begi--"

"Wait a minute," Davos, interrupted. "Is that all? No more explanation? What if they screw up?" How are we to trust these people?

"But I drew a map yesterday..." Luke began with a sadface. The earth spirit walked forward and placed a hand in front of Luke's mouth.

"Each area on the map is contaminated in the spirit world, and that is effecting the material world, because the two are linked together in a symbiotic relationship. Right now, the balance is shifted, causing the spirit world to be a parasite." Davos took a deep breath, because he had just said everything on one go. "If this continues, this world will implode, because the spirits are consuming any source of power they can detect. It can all be solved by removing the contamination of Fire. But we need Sierra."

Luke smirked as Davos paused for another breath. "Thank you, thank you, professor. Now, can we begin? I need to open the gate soon, or else the spirits will grow tired of waiting."

"... Protect your forehead." Was the last thing Davos said before going outside again, no doubt to stare at the sea.

"He means no harm. Now, let's get started. It's not a difficult journey. You will find yourselves in the Water Chamber in a bit. The spirits there will tell you what to do next. Gather around now~"

[Phagetthree]

Hours passed like seconds that Faranella spent in quiet contemplation (unsure of what the others were doing). Still fighting hard against the bloodlust that threatened to overpower her, she was relieved when their spiritual guide, Luke, came to collect them, presenting a distraction from an otherwise nearly irresistible urge to... feed.

As the two spirits, Luke and Davos, rambled on about the peril upon the world and whatnot, Faranella found that she simply could not concentrate on what they were saying, she only caught a few scraps of information, something about...

"... She gained too much power as she traveled with you..."

Don't know about you, Faranella, but that water spirit seemed to prefer standing about and wasting time instead.

Ignoring the daemon's inane remarks, Faranella strained to stand up straight, working to throw off the great throbbing in her head.

"... and that is affecting the material world, because the two are linked together..."

Glancing up at the two spirits, she could see the connection quite clearly, tethers of mana spread from them like a web, some spiraling into the sky, and others ending into the earth directly beneath them. Small, wispy motes also fluttered about them, moving back and forth as if transferring information to and from them, like a spiritual train of thoughts.

The introduction complete, Davos left the group while Luke hustled them together, and all went white as his transportation spell took effect.