Rescuing the Prisoners (Part 2)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls heal: (18)+0: 18 GAME: Kira rolls heal: (6)+16: 22
Eclavdran tilts his head at Halani and smiles a low small smile. "Oh, I knew I liked you for a reason. You have an excellent point, /and/ an offer that I like. Why can't more mortals be like you?" He tilts his head and nods. "We are in the fae lands still. Swear by the Darkness that Devours all things that you will owe me two favors of my choosing and I will... Enjoy myself with what I have already accomplished for a time." His red eyes burn into hers.
Faran's mother is... immovable. She's curled into the corner, batting her daughters hands away as best she can with one arm. Refusing to move.
Zeke groans and shudders as he is moved. His eyes finally closing. In pain, or perhaps some other reason. Blood from one of his wounds reopening pours down Kira's side, and it's blood he can ill afford to lose.
Cryo works with Kira to lift him as gently as she can. Another noise of worry as Zeke's wound reopens. She swiftly tries to support him, staunch the flow, hands over the injury as he is lifted to the table. "Kira, Kira! Zeke."
The music continues, the Gobbo swaying back and forth to its tune. "So that's how it works? You want favours in return for your help?", she wonders of Eclavdran. "Are they still valid deals outside of the Fae lands?"
"Momma... I'm as much here because your stubbornness as... as Daddy's example. We both looked -into- the Everstorm, mother." That's a recent thing for Faran, her hand on Serrendine's shoulder, "You... you need to continue your research, and I can introduce you to the friends I've made, but I need you come -now- please, or nothing will matter!" Not sure if she's reaching her matriarch at all, she calls, "I need help in here, please"
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls diplomacy: (16)+8: 24
Kira can feel it even as Cryo warns her and she gasps. Croaks? "No. Nononono... Stay strong, Zeke..." Now seeing what strength he has left spilling out around Cryosannthia's claws, she grabs the first bandage she can think of. What's served as all of the bandages all this time: her clothes. What's left of her tunic is pulled over her head to be hastily bunched and pressed to Zeke's re-opened wound over Cryo's hands and she presses. Hard. It's not going to feel nice, but a slight discomfort is better than the alternative. "We need to get him out! Now!" She's promised several times that he'd make it out, and she plans to keep all of them. She even puts him to the table to try and get it moving while still pressing down.
So much blood!
Cryo has her hands on either side of the re-opened wound, applying pressure. Once the tunic-bandage is pressed on, she carefully slides them out. The sith was competent, but a real healer is needed. She slips out of Kira's way as the paladin moves in, then shifts to the back of the table, pushing it towards the medical lab. She favours one side of the hallway, giving Kira more room to work. She's moving slowly, to let her work and save Zeke more jaring. "Hold on, please hold on. Kira, I owe you so much. A little further, we'll be there. There's bandages up ahead. Hold on Zeke"
People are crawling out of their cells. They're in terrible shape too, the whitescale avoids looking at them. She can't carry everyone. She tries to be encouraging, "Keep moving, that's it, this way" as she maneuvers the table around them. The going gets even slower.
Cryosanthia hears Faranmidahn's call for help, striking her cold to the core, "I'll come Faran. I need a little more, just a little more. I'll come."
GAME: Kira rolls heal: (6)+16: 22
Eclavdran smiles at Acedia and steps towards her. "Why else should I help you?" His red eyes roam over the goblin and his sword drags his latest victim a few feet. "The Wild Hunt can traverse the planes to find its prey. Such is its nature. So yes, the deals are vaild across the known realms."
Faran's mother looks up at her and her eyes clear. "Baby? Is that you?" She clears the tears from her eyes and leans heavily on her daughter. "Get me out of here. Please." She's still wounded, but she can carry herself, and the words seem to have boyed her enough to encourage her to at least try.
Zeke... is running out of time. Kira's tunic is thick with blood in moments. He hasn't opened his eyes since he was moved, and he hasn't so much as twitched. Even his breathing is raspy and unsteady. It's clear that the sith-makar is on death's door.
"Well, one would think that when offered something beneficial, you would jump at the opportunity. But if it's favours, how many for you to leave here?", the Gobbo says, the music she plays taking on a bit more of a hurried tone. "Without killing the people in here. I figure you won't fight Her because she's got you in a bind somehow. Did she make you swear an oath like you want us to?"
Faranmidahn hugs Serrendine tightly with a yearning sound that almost sounds like a whimper. Acknowledgement. Acceptance... finally... if only father could have seen... Sniff, "S-sir baby, momma... it's sir baby, now....!" she utters weakly and starts to lead her out, "It's not pretty mother, just.. just focus on me, alright?" Then to her other shoulder, "Hold tight, Zephyr, we might have to run!" She'll explain later.
"Please... please..." Kira's pleas aren't loud. Maybe they're just for Zeke? or Althea? She does her best to help push with her legs, leaning against the table, while keeping her hands pressed on the tunic on Zeke. Because he's going to get out of here, out of this. Back to Cryosanthia and many, many happy things beyond.
No, of course he isn't the only one here in need of help... but that's been true for awhile, now. He's just been the only one she -could- help, here. Maybe that's been rather ingrained, but she's not about to give up on him.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls heal: (6)+0: 6
Cryo breaks off from pushing the table to dart ahead into the lab. She really knows how to move through this place. She grabs an armful of supplies, gauze, pads, wraps, catches and runs back. She does her best to help, but putting a pile of supplies on Zeke and the table is less than helpful. She gets back behind it, resuming it's slow, bumpy progress towards the lab. "Please, please, please, Kira, Zeke hold on. A little more."
The sith tells the others in the hall, "Get to the stairs. Help each other. Keep moving."
As people start to move slowly.. but finally!.. Halani maintains her defensive posture but backs away, back towards her companions. Towards the living. Motioning for Acedia to do the same, if she isn't already. "Wait wait wait. Wait. That wasn't an offer... this... " She clears her throat. "I was clarifying.. I owe you two favours." As frantic as she is to absolutely know how the evacuation is going, Halani puts every effort into keeping her eyes on Eclavdran. And his sword. And oh my, that's a large sword. "Why do you even need a deal? If you do this too fast, it'll all be over. If you're enjoying it.. why end it so soon? And if you take your time, you know you'll be technically doing what she told you to do... but also not doing what she wants you to do, yeah?" Another foot slides backwards slowly, trying to put a little distance between herself and the big demon. "And then I'm still around to do those favours you want... Honestly, this would be a win for you, yeah?"
Eclavdran lifts a finger and tisks at Halani. "Disappointing that." His eyes land on Acedia and he flashes the goblin a grin. "I will agree to yoru terms for three favors." His eyes slide to Halani. "An extra just for being annoying."
Faran manages to carry her mother toward the others, though it's difficult to pick a path through those that lay in the hall trying desperately to make their way toward what seems like likely freedom.
Zeke is... possibly stable for now. It's hard to tell. He's not bleeding thanks to the compress, but he lost a lot of blood and you have nothing to replace it. It's not likely that he'll last much longer without some serious healing.
The Gobbo cants her head slightly, and grins toothily. "Ya wanna know something?", she asks of the Demon. "Yanno that this is your future, but our past, yeah? So lessee. I would agree to three favours, but let's up the ante a little, hmm? If we erase those two circles, and defeat little miss snowflake upstairs, then my favours are considered paid off. For each circle we fail to erase, or if we don't defeat her, THEN I owe a favour for each. How's that? Exciting? Means I might still end up owing, or maybe not, and we still end up doing things you want done anyways, right?" The music has slowly moved into a "hurry up and get the fuck out" pace and tone."
Faranmidahn nods affirmingly, "That's good, that's it...!" she murmurs encouragingly, as much for her benefit as her mother's. At a fair gap into liberation rush, she leads her mother into the corridor and hopefully toward safety, "We're almost there."
Supplies! Kira gasps as they arrive, care of Cryosanthia. This time, it's a gasp of more pleasant surprise. "Oh, thank you, Mistress!" She immediately grabs what's immediately useful from it, mostly gauze and bandages, to try wrap them around Zeke. Cinching should help more than just pressing. To try and keep everything in there. Where it needs to be. She even stops trying to push to focus.
GAME: Kira rolls heal: (1)+16: 17 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Kira rolls heal: (15)+16: 31 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls diplomacy: (10)+9: 19
Cryosanthia concentrates on pushing the table into the lab. Slowly. She doesn't trust her healing skill to help. Carefully shoving it inch by inch. She sighs relief when it seems Zeke stabilizes, and then she sees another spreading stain, "Other side, he's bleeding! Kira." She's making her mourning cry again, low and pained, "He just has to be bandaged enough we can get him upstairs, out of the Anti Magic Field, so we can use the potion. Please, I'll need help, then we can use the teleport circle. Bandage him a little more, I'll see if I can help some stragglers."
Cryo darts down the hall, until she's right behind Acedia and Halani, and there's Eclavdran. Anyone crawling here will not be doing well as he advances. She grabs two people by parts she won't rip off, ready to drag them away. "Eclavdran, do you know where Salina keeps the bodies? I do. You'd know if Maraiel was alive down here, right? What if she wasn't. Would be kind of the Mistress' methods, right? Leave her body somewhere it's going to fall into a void and you only find out after you've wasted time having fun? Stay there if that's of interest to you while I move these two."
Halani elects to keep her mouth shut at this point. At least for now. Seeing as how every time she opens it she risks getting further into debt with the absolute worst person to owe money to. At this point she just tries to keep the line moving backwards, remaining between Eclavdran and everyone else. Anyone she might possibly trip over she tries to haul up and push into the arms of their fellows; yeah, they're hurt, and that won't help, but the advancing demon is sure death. When Cryosanthia arrives to do the same, Halani's relief is evident.. though her eyes crinkle in concern as yet another gets close to Eclavdran's reach.
"You've got lots of reasons to slow down, Eckles. I know I'm annoying. But all of the gain comes from backing up a few steps. Not so big a thing to do, yeah?" Yeah, so keeping her mouth shut didn't last long.
GAME: Halani rolls diplomacy: (19)+6: 25
Eclavdran moves forward, the body on the end of his sword finally sliding free and... He he doesn't notice the mess he's leaving in his wake. "No, no. Three favors. No weasling your way out of them doing things I don't care about." He laughs gruffly and seems to be ignoring Cryosanthia's words entirely. Instead he glances over at Halani and smiles at her. "I still have to get /something/ out of it don't you think? What kind of reputation would I have if I simply did things for /free/. I think not."
Faran reaches the examination room with her mother just behind Kira and Zeke. Zeke is stable for now, and there are people crawling into the room hoping for safety.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls wisdom: (9)+0: 9
"So you're saying you'll stop killing people here, and go away? And not come back? For three favours?", the Gobbo wonders, the song she plays taking on a more tranquil tone. "Just making sure I heard right, is all. Is that what you're proposing?" She eyes the scene over her shoulder, and shakes her head at Cryosanthia. "Get everyone out." Her gaze shifts to Halani. "You too. They'll need people to help them versus the cold, and using that teleport circle. I think we'll be okay..."
Kira gets Zeke wrapped up as tight as she dares (he still has to breathe!) and looks around. This is the way out.... right? Others are arriving; walking, crawling, carried, helped. She blinks as the room finally registers; the room where she, Zeke, and many others were... well, horrible things happened. And here Zeke is, again, lying on that same table. Bloodied.
Kira's head whips around, looking frantically for something, as she suddenly feels very trapped. Did she just drag Zeke and lead the others here? For -her-? "Cryo! Where? Where are you?! Where do we go?! Have to go!"
Faranmidahn hears Cryo's declaration about the bodies... knowing one she said she'd find, a promise she dearly wants to keep, "Momma, stay with the others and'we'll get you out of here. I... I have to help them get the rest out!" She turns her chin slightly to her other shoulder, "Zephyr, I need you to protect my mother, can you do that for me, sweetie?" In response, the little white coconut spider emerges from under her hair and crawls across her breastplate to the older Lucht woman, "She's my familiar, Momma, she'll keep you safe. Just be brave for a little longer, please...?" She starts to release her grip, swallowing her heart as she surveys the ruin Salina has left of all these people... of her mother.... of Zeke... and as much too of all who've come to stop her madness, "I love you, Momma." she says in their mother tongue, and moves out into the hallway of fate once more, scooping up her skipball.
Cryosanthia is not staying, not if the Demon is ignoring. She's fast, and a little rough, carrying the two test subjects to the lab. A passionless thought crosses her mind how fortunate it was that the Mistress treated them so terribly they are wasted and light. She passes so many others still in the halls. Bursting into the lab she sets them gently down.
"Kira! That cabinet over there has blood and fluid replacements! Use them on Zeke. Please. We'll get this, we'll get this."
The whitescale sith rushes to a spot on the floor, reaches upwards and pops a piece of the ceiling. "This ceiling panel moves. It's the way out. I can jump through on a good day but we're going to need to help the others."
"Acedia... " Halani starts. A large part of her doesn't want to let the gobber sell herself.. certainly not so much of herself... but then, it's not like Halani is one to talk on the matter. And at the very least the gobber seems to have Eclavdran's attention, and there are so many more people who need help. "I offer an alternative..." the monk says at last after gritting her teeth. "She's just a little thing, Eckles. I'll upgrade one of my favours to a task of your choice, for the same deal.. instead of hers. You've seen me fight."
Eclavdran shakes his head at Acedia. "I may be forced to return. So I can not agree to that condition. But I can agree not to kill anyone else here for a time." He steps toward the pair, looming large and well within his capacity to strike them down. He smiles at Halani. "Both. I will trade her three favors for a... increase to the pair that you already owe me. It is not a good deal, but it is one that I am willing to make."
Faran's mother sinks to the ground, nodding her agreement and willingness to stay. Zeke remains unconscious, blissfully unaware of what's going on around him for the moment.
The Gobbo slowly turns to stare at Halani, her red eyes baleful in their sea of black. "Don't be stupid, I am offering him favours in return for him ceasing to kill people. You are asking him to merely take his time and consider the fun he's already had. Get yourself gone." Acedia points to where others have been running. "I have his attention. I will make him stop by doing what I am doing. Your strength is needed in helping those who are past my ability to help. NOW GO!" The Gobbo hisses, showing off all of her fangs and teeth.
Suddenly, a man's voice echoes through the room. "Self-destruct sequence activated. Five seconds."
Faran makes her way into the hallway just in time for the voice to make it's dreadful intonation from everywhere, and shouts down the hallway, "TIME. TO. GO!" and she hastily tries to grab whoever she can to help them back to the exit.
Kira is eyeing the opening from the moved panel like it is the path to paradise. Even before the man's voice speaks, she's hopping up onto the table under it. She's not as tall as Cryosanthia, so she needs all the help she can get. This also puts her in a decent position to lift Zeke.
"You're going home..." she assures him one more time. Then she works to try and get a handhold on whatever is above to try and get herself and then him up there. Or in the reverse order, if she somehow thinks that's better for him.
"What?" Cryosanthia stands bolt upright when she hears the voice. In desperation she calls out, "Zehier commands abort shutdown!"
The palescale isnt expecting that to work. She's moving to help Kira, grabbing her and boosting her through the panel in the ceiling. Next she moves, lifting Zeke up so the paladin can grab hold of his arms, then getting beneath him pushing. He's heavy, it'll take both of them.
After that, Faran's mother, then she's grabbing anyone else that made it to the lab and shoves them through the hole as well. Cryo calls, "Teleport circle! Think Temple of Daeus, this time." She rattles off time and date check she made earlier, plus a couple hours, including the year and down to the second. She repeats it with each person she shoves through.
"Well.. Scud." In a way the automated voice gives Halani an initial flash of relief. The game just changed, and she felt like she was losing that last one. Badly. But then she registers just what that voice means, and what the melting under her feet means. "Ooooooh... scud." She quickly nods at Acedia, though perhaps not entirely in agreement with the Goblin woman's directive. "Time to go!" Then she is dashing into the nearest cell that remains occupied.. time to grab as many of the incapables as she can.
Eclavdran laughs as the voice sounds. His red eyes peering into Acedia's. "Better make your choice quickly little one. Best make your sworn vow now before I decide to drag all your friends back down this hallway and watch them die in the resulting explosion." He cackles and leans way down over Acedia's form as Halani scampers away. "Quick-quick."
"Four seconds." Says the voice unhelpfully... and notably a few seconds later than one might think given that you're only supposed to have a few seconds left.
GAME: Acedia rolls perform/oratory: (14)+8: 22
Acedia looks up when the announcement is made, and her eyes roll slightly. "Oh, fantastic. Now the building is coming down on us. Well, Eclavdran, if I somehow make it, we can chat later about that deal, okay? I'll try to find something for you to keep on your end. On the upside, I think it means that She is dead, yes? Also, my friends that just beat her are coming this way... You remember the paladin, yes?" The Gobbo points behind the Demon, and a voice calls out, "Stand fast, Demon, and taste my blade once more!" Acedia squeaks and makes for the exit as fast as her feet can carry her. "Gogogogogogogorunrunrunrun!"
GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+30: (11)+30: 41 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+31: (8)+31: 39 GAME: Zeke rolls 2d6+13: (7)+13: 20
The little knight gets the injured person up the stairs to the others and turns to run back down the stairs, hearing the oddly.... prolonged second count, bolsters her resolve a smidge. She enters the hall again just in time to see "Acedia!" get hit, and, spiking herself through the heart offers, "Stay your wrath, demon, and I'll give you the Torthai de Olc!" And, to prove she actually has it, holds the skipball aloft, then stage whispers, "Run!Runrunrunrunrunrun....!" Her bribe once intended for another end... not pressed for this, to allow them to escape.
Once she gets Zeke up and out of THAT DAMNED ROOM, Kira can feel a little more relief. Enough that she's not going to ignore others lifted, pushed, leaping, or tossed upwards. Besides, she can't exactly make good on her word if she gets him out and Cryosanthia is left down there. "Hurry! Hurry!" she calls hoarsely. "Out! Circle!"
GAME: Halani rolls strength: (2)+2: 4
"Kira! Is it working? Are they getting out? Teleport circle, think of a time and place." Cryosanthia continues to shove people up, repeating when they should show up at the Temple of Daeus. She's making quick forays into the hallway, grabbing those that made it close. "The others are coming. So is Eclavdran. I'm coming soon. Is it working?"
Halani pulls a non-responsive prisoner with her.. she's not even sure what race or gender the being is, at this point. And she knows not everyone can be saved. When she gets back into the hall and seens Acedia scampering back towards.. well, safety is certainly too strong a word for this situation.. she tries to scoop up the little woman, but her grip slips on something warm and wet. No time to think about that. Instead, she puts the person she's carrying down on the ground and turns to face the advancing Demon. "So be it."
GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+33: (11)+33: 44 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+33: (4)+33: 37 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d4+7: (4)+7: 11 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d6: (4): 4
Eclavdran lashes out with his whip, wrapping the weapon around the goblin and dragging her toward himself even as he moves forward. "You should have made a deal with me little one. I'm not an unreasonable being." He laughs callously as the tower counts down another second until doom.
"Sssshhsss!" As she asks the question, Cryosanthia realizes, the teleport circle is another floor above. Another panel that Kira isn't aware of. The time has run out. The sith darts down the hallway, grabs Faranmidah, turns tail and runs back to the lab room. The lucht is pushed through the hole, then Cryo leaps and pulls herself up.
"Sorry, sorry! It's the next one." She's punching the ceiling again. "Kira, get Zeke! We're going. We have to go now."
"Yes! Hurry!" Kira hops up to the new opening in the newish ceiling to climb through. Once she's up and braced, she immediately reaches down for Zeke, whom she probably can't lug up on her own. Faran and her mother, though, she might manage solo, but she can and will offer a hand to whomever is coming up. "Everyone! Hurry!"
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls diplomacy: (4)+8: 12 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls diplomacy: (7)+8: 15 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls weapon9: (6)+7: 13
Faranmidahn blinks widely as the whipping starts, seeing the lash ensnare her friend, she cries in more desperation, "Wait! Release her and-!" she exhales a breathless squeak as she's plucked familiarly from her feet and, even as she is being carted off, yells, "Please, just take it!" and she throws the skipball, the fruit of evil itself, to roll to a stop somewhere between the Demon and the item's recently previous owner.
GAME: Acedia rolls use magic device: (17)+6: 23 GAME: Acedia rolls use magic device+5: (12)+6+5: 23
The Gobbo peers at Halani as the demon looms over them both, and shrieks as he flays into her, Acedia holding her arm as blood begins to flow. She huffs and leans against the hallway wall. She eyes the doorway, and then the floor underneath the Demon. "Al...alright Zeheir. Maybe you might hear me this once... and cause a bloody great hole to open up under tall, dark and ugly over there.." She kicks at the wall a few times, swearing in Goblin-talk. "It usually worked for my father."
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+18+2: (6)+18+2: 26 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+18+2: (2)+18+2: 22
"No.. no!" Halani makes a grab at Acedia, fingers closing around the kicking leg in fact.. but when she tries to wrest the gobber free, her other hand prying against the whip, Acedia gets pulled from her grasp. And she can still hear the people moving, yelling behind her.. One could easily imagine something ripping inside of the islander. But she pulls herself away, running back down the corridor to the room with Faranmidahn, Cryosanthia, Kira.. the prisoners Zeke, Farnmidahn's mom, the few others they managed to corral together.
GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+31: (18)+31: 49 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+26: (17)+26: 43 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+21: (14)+21: 35 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+16: (1)+16: 17 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Zeke rolls 2d6+13: (5)+13: 18 GAME: Zeke rolls 2d6+13: (6)+13: 19 GAME: Zeke rolls 2d6+13: (6)+13: 19
Eclavdran grins at Halani as she flees. "This is your doing Halani! You could have saved you all if you were a little less high-minded!" He laughs and cuts into Acedia. Splatters her blood across the ground in a smear. She's dead after the first blow, but he keeps cutting at her corpse until he's done and then he's striding over it like it doesn't matter. "Here I come little darlings! Come to slaughter you all!" He laughs low and easy and the sound of his feet stepping through Acedia's blood haunts you.
"Three seconds." Intones the voice, mocking you. The room half of you have climbed up into seems to be a place for bodies or something. They're laid out on tables with a metal golem in the back. Everyone waits for Cryosanthia to pull the ceiling tile down, their eyes haunted by those still stuck down below. People sure to fall to Eclavdran's blade and whip.
Cryosanthia pulls down the ceiling then jumps up, reaching down, "Pass up Zeke, Kira, then come. Faran! Get your mother, Kira will help you. We have to get to the circle!"
"Here! Take him!" Kira warns Cryo to be ready before she grunts and hefts Zeke up enough for her to grab him, then helps push him up. Yes, that probably hurts, but it's hardly the first time she'd ignored a little discomfort for others' sake. Then she climbs up after, clearing the opening but sticking her arm down as a (relatively short) rope for others to use that are behind her. "Hurry! Almost there!"
Faran, ignorant of the outcome of the struggle in the hall, though her expectations are dire, shakes her head and starts trying to help hoist people up as best she can, including her mother. She makes every effort to help, knowing her dame is disadvantaged climbing for her maiming, "It's ok, Momma, just a little more!" she tries, looking about at all the bodies lain about. So pointless... why, what could ever justify anything like this...?
GAME: Halani rolls acrobatics-2-5+14+20: (16)+28+-2+-5+14+20: 71 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+33: (15)+33: 48 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+33: (20)+33: 53 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d4+7: (1)+7: 8 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d6: (6): 6
"You are dirt, Eckles! The dirt between my grandfather's toes that he couldn't be bothered to clean!" Halani backs further into the room, grabbing one of the few remaining prisoners to hand up to Faranmidahn. Watching the demon get closer, and making another hard decision, Halani leaves the others and jumps up through the hole.
Eclavdran snakes his whip through the hole after Halai, yanking her back through the slender portal and back down onto the ground with a hollow thud. He laughs meanly. "Your friend died for you, but you... You can live to watch me murder the rest." He steps past her and the world darkens around him. A sick feeling emanates from the demon. "At least until this tower explodes. Then you can just die."
"Jump!" Kira calls down to Faran, stretching her arm down as far as she can. She's not tall enough to reach the ceiling without jumping, herself; she hopes her reach, such as it is, will give Faran the edge she needs. Once she's got her hand, she quickly hauls her up. Kira's not strong enough to pull Zeke up by herself, but she can at least manage the svelte lucht.
The Lucht is swiftly out of people she's capable of helping to escape, and so, even as she sees the island woman leap up through the hole, she tries to climb in turn with Kira's help. One of few times her miniscule weight may be a boon, and... Halani is yanked back down like mosquito afoul of a bola spider. She screams out a, "No, wait! But-?" as she is deposited, staggering back toward the circle.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls use magic device+7: (5)+9+7: 21 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls use magic device+7: (9)+9+7: 25
Cryosanthia grabs Zeke and lifts him as carefully as she can. It's a rough lift, as she's moving at desperate speed because of the countdown. "Come on, come on." She's already reaching down to pull someone else up. The circle of people she might save has shrunk, and shrunk. Zeke, Faran, her mother, Kira, herself. As others are lifted, she helps bring them up a level, onto the teleportation circle, "Get up, hurry."
She heard the Demon's laughter and bloody work, hears his whip below, see Halani get dragged back down. Acedia never appeared. Inside gets colder and colder. "Hold someone and listen to me and imagine the time and place I say. Faran help me feel the magic!”
Her cihuaa is unconscious. Cyro wraps her tail around his, lies across his back to hug him as she slams her hands down on the teleport circle. She begs aloud, "Zehier's Tower! Zehier's Tower listen to me. You know me! You're my Home. I've cleaned your stones day after day for years. I'm Cryosanthia, Zehier's Tower, Zehier commands emergency evacuate teleport everyone, living and dead, to the Temple of Daeus. Teleport EVERYONE Temple of Daeus. NOW." The sith calls out her selected time and digs her fingers against the stone, seeking the inner feeling in herself and in it, the magic she knows is there, united through the oozes that were both a part of them, through the snowflake mark on her hand. Wills it to hear her, activate, and send everyone away before it destroys itself. The white sith starts to glow, all her highlight scales become brilliant, "Zehier Commands the Tower send us away now!"
The magic circle activates.
Halani doesn't appear to be struggling, though it's certain being constricted in the demon's whip must hurt. Alot. Instead she closes her eyes. Perhaps to deny having to watch said murdering of her friends. Then, suddenly, her eyes snap open, and she bares her teeth in what could only charitably be called a grin. Then, she mirrors the gobber minstrel's final farewell before... simply not being in the whip anymore. In that same instant, Halani appears just a little bit above the ground, amidst those in the circle, and she falls the few inches to land neatly on her feet. "Uh.. time to go, yeah?"
You're not out of it yet. Eclavdran appears in the circle that is activated beneath you grinning. Immediately, everyone is transported to the temple of Daeus, just as someone's voice says, "One second."
Eclavdran looks around and finances. "Do you think that coming /here/ will save you?"
GAME: Cryosanthia spends ONE point of PANACHE. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (4): 4 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls acrobatics+9: (4)+9+9: 22 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+17: (9)+17: 26 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 4d6: (14): 14 GAME: Kira spends ONE use of LAY ON HANDS. GAME: Kira rolls 8d6: (29): 29
The Temple of Daeus appears! Yes!
With Eclavdran. Cryo is immediately on her feet, tumbling and slipping past the others to crouch where she has a good line of sight. Her hands turn to claws, her jaw fills full of teeth. With a crazy look in her eyes she stretches her neck out, and screams!
A hurricane of cold and ice erupts from her mouth to envelope the demon. Ice shards bounce off, he appears unaffected, his sneer still filled with oiliness.
The whitescale sith follows up with a prayer, bellowed at the top of her lungs along with a call for help. "DRAGONFATHER THERE IS A STAIN IN YOUR HOUSE! WE NEED YOUR HELP! SUNBLADES! LOCK THAT DEMON DOWN AND DESTROY IT ERR YOU DARE WEAR THE NAME ONE DAY MORE.”
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+5: (16)+5: 21
They are free! And alive! The one nearest not being so is still foremost in Kira's thoughts, and she immediately crouches at Zeke's side to check on him. The sight of fresh bleeding initially terrifies her.. but wait... they are free! Now that they are, she calls upon The Healer's Grace to mend him and ease his suffering. It is something she wanted to do so many times, for so many, in the past weeks.
The transport goes... reasonably well, considering, barring the presence of Eclavdran, of course. There's a quick glance and she moves at once to try and open distance pulling the new cold iron blade from her sheath, glancing again over her shoulder as her sister moves and... a wide eyed stumble as she suddenly breathes-What the hell? She turns, then, 'I was tasked with freeing your mistress, clod!' Her hand comes up, fore-and-middle fingers extended as the power grows within her. "By will in strife" she starts to traces an eternity sign, "I send might's shard" Her fingers suddenly trail brilliant white, "Go forth" and as she closes the figure eight she roars defiantly "AND STRIKE!" Three bolts of white force streak across the chamber at the demon lord, trying to draw him away from the civilian, though, for not, as she bolts fizzle scant inches from his skin. <halfling>
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+20+2-1: (16)+20+2+-1: 37 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+20+2-1: (17)+20+2+-1: 38 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+20+2-1: (7)+20+2+-1: 28 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+20+2-1-5: (7)+20+2+-1+-5: 23 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+20+2-1-10: (18)+20+2+-1+-10: 29 GAME: Halani spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST. GAME: Halani spends ONE point of KI POOL. GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2+2: (4)+2+2: 8 GAME: Halani rolls 1d4+2: (2)+2: 4 GAME: Zeke rolls 6d6: (16): 16 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+29: (9)+29: 38
Halani looks at Eclavdan in.. well, not disbelief. A resigned acceptance, maybe. And the way he keeps looking at her... well, she could run away. But instead, she takes a deep breath and steadies herself. When she looks up, her face is.. not calm, almost serene. And then she dashes forward, fast. Under his sword she leads with an elbow, following up with a spinning backhand against one of his massive thews. But speed was her enemy this time, perhaps, for even as the burning flame ignites about her, it's too late for her to stop her follow up attacks. And each only makes the flames burn brighter and hotter, completely enveloping her until what's probably still a body inside the wreathing flames drops to the ground.
Eclavdran looks down at the crispy corpse left by Halani and seems to consider something. He grins at all of you and leans down a little. "I could take her corpse with me. Make it more difficult for you to bring her back... So remember my kindness adventurers." His red eyes resolve around and then... he's gone.
Cryo experiences several surprises. First, all those magic bolts coming out of Faran! She's gotten good. Next, Halani's flurry of attacks and the fiery result. She was in the process of raising her left hand, and freezes, staring at the charred remains. Finally, the nice surprise, Eclavdran leaves. He's gone.
Her claws and teeth vanish, she looks around, at Faran, at Kira, at the Temple of Daeus. "Is his true name Dingleberry? I don't even have hair. Are we... I think... we made it."
The sith rushes to the paladin's side, and the prone bluescae, "Is Zeke ok? Did we get him out? I owe you, so much Kira. I... where are the others? Did the Tower listen, did everyone come or just us on the circle?"
The Temple area is big, they could be anywhere, or... not.
Faranmidahn is singularly consternated by the magic's lack of impact, and she starts to ready her blade for a desperate charge as the island woman, Halani rushes in... and explodes in fire. She starts to surge forward, as if her martial prowess would ever hold back such a monster, when the demon regails them with his charity and vanishes, and the little knight staggers to a vaguely bewildered stop. She sheaths the blade and moves, first toward the brave woman's remains and sags to her knees beside her.
Now that Zeke is free and stable, Kira finally feels... accomplished? Somehow. Her smile, absent the entire time, finally flickers to Cryo. "Yes, he will be alright..."
Then the nascent smile dies on her lips as, just as she's able expand her circle of concern... she sees Halani... "No!" Now she's rushing to the monk's side batting out flickering flames and smoldering bits. "No..." So many lost. Prisoners. Acedia. And now Halani... after all that?!
No. Nope. Nada. Kira can't do anything for Acedia, right here, right now, but maybe she can for Halani. "Please, Healer... share with her the Grace that she deserves.”
The charred, twisted body remains still for a moment, but healing light flows into it nonetheless.. and slowly some of the blackened, cracked skin softens, reforms. As these repairs continue the body jerks, then gasps... a terrible sound at first, for just as the body had been charred the lungs had been seared as well. But soon enough the breathing normalizes as well... and eventually what is left is a young, islander woman, no longer charred but still rather burned tender. Her eyes flicker open briefly, though she doesn't seem entirely lucid.. and a hoarse voice asks, "Vardama? We have to stop meeting like this..." and then she passes out again. Also? Most of her clothes are burned away, save for the more resilient magic bits. And all of her hair. Now.. she's a true monk.
The group of adventures taken by Salina is here in the temple of Daeus. Minus Acedia who... is gone. However there is no sign of a demon who clearly everyone was fleeing from. Instead just this group of battered adventurers. Zeke lays still on the ground off to the side. A lucht woman huddles near him fearfully. This... is all you've managed to save. Halani lays where she was once a charred corpse, the men enter just in time to witness her rejuvenation.
Cryosanthia crouches beside Zeke, simply being with him, watching him breathe. Inhaling his scent and staring at his terrible injuries. A part of her can't believe he is there beside her, and she won't leave him. The other arrivals draw her curiosity. She looks their way.
Seldan strides through the door - no, comes through at near on a run, Reunion in one hand, flecks of dried blood on the blade, a thing very much unlike the Elunan. He stops short at the tableau, looking around, searching the faces, looking for the worst injured. Cryosanthia ... Faranmidahn ... Halani ... Zeke and Kira! ... and yet is there a face missing. "You made it...who is hurt, and where is Acedia?"
Mikilos is much calmer than he might be, but looks around in curiosity. "I take it Eclavdran was here? Did he leave on his own, or driven away?" He frowns mildly at Seldan's words, and does a second look himself. "...what happened? I take it you all went to the dungeons, and.... What?"
Faranmidahn unfastens her cloak, thoughtfully considering her broach for a moment, then sets it aside to draw her cloak from her shoulders as Kira settles next to her. Her lips part, words failing to come forth at first, before she moves to drape her cloak over the poor woman's remains as Kira's prayer begins. With the effect apparent, she gasps in surprise, then, glancing quickly around, instead offers the spiderweb pattered cloth to Halani, "Ah... here, you might need this." Ahem, then she looks toward the door, the Elunian and, at his question, her ashen face lowers, "She's... she's gone... I'm so sorry..."
Malik looks around, his face blanching a bit. "So then where did you put her?" he asks, eyes moving around the temple. "Summon one of the priests. I'll pay whatever gold they require."
Kira doesn't appear in much better shape than Halani. Her robe is gone, clothes in tatters and likely wholly indecent or immodest. While not as bandaged as Zeke, she bears no shortage of freshly-covered or freshly-stitched wounds. As Halani is restored, the smile started with assurance to Cryosanthia, interrupted by Eclavdran, now returns. Some contentment, at least in the current scope that she can tolerate. A lazy smile, too, as she wobbles and topples over. Between her wounds, exhaustion, hunger, and, now, draining a bit of herself.
Seldan looks positively stricken at Faran's news, his eyes lowering. "Malik, you will not bear that burden alone," he manages, after some silence, a hard swallow, and a deep breath. "Where is her body?" Even as he echoes Malik's question, he begins to see to the worst of the injuries, tending to whom he can and finally pulling out a wand for the purpose. It will take him some time, but he seems in no hurry, his shoulders set, eyes focused.
"Eclavdran was there, in the dungeons, slaughtering the test subjects." Cryosanthia says quietly, raising her head and looking at the men. Her clothes are dirty with blood and other substances. "Acedia and Halani were brave, facing him, delaying him. There was an anti magic field. I... was occupied with Zeke, with helping Kira. Faran sought her mother. He kept advancing, killing the subjects. We tried to get them moving, help them. It's two floors up from the dungeon to the teleport circle. He was on our heels the entire way, dragged Halani down even as she climbed through. The others couldn't make it and we had no time. Acedia was bargaining with him, when the self-destruct started. He slaughtered her, there was no way to grab any remains. Even as we teleported to the Temple, he appeared with us. Acedia's body was left in the dungeon."
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls strength: (9)+1: 10
Faranmidahn winces under the pressed query, opening her mouth to reply when her sister, clearer headed, begins to explain. She sighs, her eyes finally beginning to uncork their truths in glistening trails around her facial gems in time for the shifting sound of the collapsing Kira catches her attention. The little sorceress twists with a yelp and leans in to catch her and, limbs trembling with exertion, eases her to the stones, "Somebody, help her!", even as she starts fishing through her pouches for a potion…
Mikilos tsks mildly, murmuring softly as he steps over to the slumped Kira. A gesture, and the woman's clothing kints itself back together, rips stitching back up, burns marks fading. It's not as helpful as healing the flesh, but magi can only do so much. He nods as Cryo clarifies, and frowns. "Eclavdran left on his own? We found Salina, or thought we did. Fought, killed the Simulacrum. It set off the destruction. Ran up the stairs to the control room, had some troubles, ended up in a wash room. I'm not clear what happened after that."
"It matters little what happened after that," Malik answers, looking between the ones in the temple. "How noble of you. Rescuing the ones you loved, and leaving behind the one that allowed you to do so." There's a hard, bitter rage in his voice, steely eyes focusing on each of them in turn. "And how utterly un-selfish. Commendable." That tone drips hurt and sarcasm. "Perhaps one day, someone will do the same for you." Looking to Seldan, he says, "I'm going to seek Harandel." As if that were all the explanation he needs to give the paladin. And all the explanation that will be coming to the other half of the team, at this time.
The whitescale nods at Mikilos, "I tried to activate the teleport circle to take everyone to the Temple of Daeus, even the dead bodies. It only took us, on the circle. The Demon left on his own. Were you able to get the Tower to respond? I almost did, it was so close but I needed to be in the control room. A wash room?"
Cryosanthia stares at Malik, "Really! So quick to judge something you weren't present for. Never speak to me again."
Seldan, already thoroughly engaged in tending to the wounded, looks up only when Malik speaks. "I will find you presently." That is all he says, turning back to the tending of wounded as swiftly as he can manage.
Faranmidahn rises to her feet, then and turns to look at Malik, "Don't you -dare- mount that high horse, Malik! I tried to turn him aside. Halani tried to stop him!" Her voice hot with the accusation, "Your loved ones are already dead. Wasn't that what you, so commendable, said to -US-?" She steps closer, "Cryo ordered the Tower to send everyone, alive or dead back here. I LEFT MY FATHER BACK THERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
Mikilos looks between Faranmidahn and Malik. "Perhaps it's best to rest and recover before giving judgement to anyone's actions. Heated words aren't going to bring those truly at fault to justice."
"Mikilos, this one appreciates your hospitality. It was very difficult to move Zeke and I don't think I can take him far. I'll take him to the room that was set aside here, tomorrow I'll come for my things. Your guest room was wonderful. I'm grateful." Cryosanthia says, looking at the mage. Faran has a little of her attention, most of it directed at Zeke. "I'll find places for Kira and Halani too. In a few minutes, a few minutes..."
-End