Kawisa channeled his mana and let loose a quick spell. As simple as it was, it usually had devastating effects. It was a spell that just caused pain. It tricked the body into thinking that it was in agonizing pain constantly. At least, if the target didn’t resist that is. Regardless, Kawisa wasn’t willing to wait to see its effect. His original idea of keeping the beast asleep with music was a dud, so it was time for Plan B.
“Raiku, you’re up.” He said to no one other than his mental companion. Kawisa’s body posture subtly shifted into a more forward-leaning aggressive pose. The shadowflame orb contained within the staff he carried flared to life with increased energy. For those sensitive to changes in mana, the magic reserves would have suddenly swelled with chaotic energies. Energies Raiku was quick to channel. He held the staff in one hand as energy pooled in his hand. Once the attack was charged, he threw the bolt of chaos at the griffon’s side. Regardless of the result of the attack, he was already charging another attack.
While the two Night Elves were…talking for lack of a better term, Nil was thinking about the riddle and Orlok was silently looking at the two. Analyzing them through his HUD and slightly judging them before his attention was drawn back to their current predicament. Nil meanwhile had an idea.
“Oh, father can you do this for me? I may have something.”
“You have something Nilanth?”
“Yes. Please stand at the far mark and come to us while taking exactly seven steps. The seven capitalized I’s have got to mean something. Maybe it’s the steps needed. Will you try?”
“Yes.”
Orlok obeyed Nil’s instructions and took his place at the far claw mark. Once he orientated himself and judged the distance appropriately, his took exactly seven steps toward the other claw mark. In his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder if this would prove a deadly experiment. At the very least he knew it was probably gonna be painful.
Kersia heard Nil speak to Orlok and her eyes lit up. “Ah yes! That is most probably the correct course!” She looked down the hall as Orlok set about his work.
Aanka and Vesthi were at it again in the background. Kersia scowled, this was going to be a long maze… that was certain. Interesting to see how others interract, and it helped take her mind off the whole Tianahadachildtitans’knowwhenthatsheneverknewabout business. Kersia shook her head, unsure how she felt about this Stritegos. Tiana wouldn’t have named a female with a male name, so he was more than likely male. Yet the body was female. Clearly, he has some manner of magical control to be in a pandaren form, but the gender was wrong. The could mean a few things, but Kersia was willing to put money on him just not having enough control to get it right.
As Orlok walked down the hall to the other clawprint, each step he would take would send an increasingly painful jolt up his legs. A cry out that the action was an error, at least until he stepped, facing back down the hall, on the clawmark at the far end. After his foot touched that and he started the walk back, a far more soothing sensation would coat his legs. A symbol his actions were correct so far. As his last step reached the clawmark closest to the group, the wall north of the far clawmark faded from view, opening another pathway. The clawmarks faded from view.
“Ah, you did it.” Kersia clapped her paws together. “Now we can go deeper and not starve! Maybe.” She made her way down the hall, no jolts of pain up her legs, and turned to head north into the new passage.
A fog filled the passage making it a little difficult to see, but Kersia could see the end of the hall fifteen feet away with a clear opening both to the left and to the right. Kersia scowled and decided to take her chance in the fog. It didn’t kill her right away, so that was a good sign as she progressed into the hall. Three steps in, however, she was beginning to feel something. It felt like she just ran a race, yet she had barely moved. Kersia paused where she was, not wanting to run across anything she would regret encountering while weakened as she was.
Tolbyas/Laatu/Kora/Darak
Tolbyas scowled as no one answered him. “Well, if no one else is going to volunteer to do it, I am going forward.” He stepped around Darak and started his way down the straight path.
Tolbyas stepped cautiously through the corridor as it shifted right, then left, then right again. He found himself staring down a twenty foot long dead end… Or was it a dead end? Slowly, Tolbyas made his way closer to the end of the hall. As he looked up the wall, well above his head, he could see a fist-sized hole and something shimmer. The hole was fifteen feet above him, too far for him to reach without a good jump, and that would be dangerous without knowing what was truly in the hole.
Damalys/Lynara/Myorga/Kawisa
The griffon was thrown off its attack by something sticking to its side, then exploding. A purple mist began to coat and weaken it. Quickly, the griffon did what most would say a normal griffon could not do. Its tail caught fire with a brilliant silver blue blaze. The griffon spun with its blazing tail and incinerated the chemical mist around it.
And then it took a chaos bolt to the left wing. The chaos bolt struck feather and flesh, causing the griffon to shriek out with a glass shattering cry. The blazing tail dimmed and it began to slam it on the ground repeatedly through the pain. It launched forward towards Raiku as it sensed the swelling mana of another assault.
Aanka clapped excitedly as the door opened. Mist seeped out and swirled through the room, but it seemed lighter and thinner than before. The Night Elf walked towards it slowly and stuck on finger into the fog, smiling when she pulled it out and it remained unharmed.
“We should probably rest. I will pass out some food and we can set up camp here for the night.” Aanka said, already pulling rice and berries out of her bag.
In a fluid motion Vesthi rolls to her side and stands. “Thank the stars. I was getting sleepy.” She stretched her back, then lifted her golden glaives replacing them at her back with her improvised strap. Vesthi casually makes her way down the hall toward the mist. She nods at the armored Sin’dorei and his daughter. “Good work you both.”
Vesthi pushed past the Druid and into the hall following behind Kersia. Immediately she began to feel the weakening effects of the mists.
“Take care!” Vesthi called out to the others. “The mist draws my strength, though it doesn’t seem to cloud my vision!” Vesthi lightly touched Kersia’s shoulder as she neared the Pandaren to let her know she was near, uncertain how obscured the other’s natural vision might be. “We’ve come to an intersection. I’m going to take a peek around these corners.” Vesthi said to Kersia as she stepped past her. “If you feel the mist drawing too much strength then best you step out and recover.”
Vesthi didn’t step fully into the intersecting hallway. Instead she eased forward partially with one foot and leaned forward just enough to peer first to her left and then to her right. Her spectral vision punching through the obscuring mists ((as far as they could be permitted)).
Lynara rolled to the side and drew another arrow. The chaos bolt from Raiku caused the beast great pain an opened up an opportunity for attack. She drew back her arrow, dark energy infusing it as she aimed. The beast was flailing but clearly about to go after the void elf. She took the time needed to ensure her aim was true. The spot left by the chaos bolt.
She waited for the beast to get ready to pounce and loosed her arrow. It streaked through the air at the injured spot a trail of dark smoke left in its wake. It the arrow met its mark it would dig in then explode in a fury of destructive shadow magic.
“For the night?” Kersia glanced back at Aanka. Time was hard to gauge here, but other than the odd feeling of weakness, which she suspected was the fog, Kersia wasn’t exactly tired. The impact of the mist seemed to have reached its plateau of draining power, not horribly debilitating but certainly annoying and inhibiting. However, this fog… being aerosolized meant it will dissipate over time. “My vote is we rest until this fog clears, but no longer. Assuming we are all in a maze like our own, I want to reach the end before the other groups… Specifically my assistant. I don’t think he would let me live it down if they got through the maze completely first.”
Kersia paused. “Well… I mean… I uh want to get the crystal back as soon as possible as well…” Kersia sat next to Aanka and waved her hand. A small conjured bun appeared.
As Vesthi’s eyes stared into the abyss around them, a few peculiar sights might reveal themselves to her. To the left, perhaps she could make out a damaged nozzle where the mist seemed to come out of, however the stream of mist was more of a trickle to a drop, then stopped. There was a pressure plate on the ground, and a rock nearby that seemed to have fallen from the wall and damaged the nozzle and pressure plate. An indicator as to why the mist trap had already been sprung.
However, to the right, Vesthi may wish to pause her progress. Around the bend sat a brilliant aura in the shape of a long and large white snake. The snake’s head alone was at least five foot wide at the base, tipping to 2 feet at the nose, pulsing with arcane blue runes alone both of its sides. The snake length was undetermined as the body coiled and curved deeper into the maze. However, its radius of about 4 feet and head size gave a good indication that it was quite long. The angular shape of its head, and pits along its nose may give some indication of what type of snake it was, besides just an arcane infused monstrosity.
Raiku/Damalys/Lynara/Myorga
The cavern shook with the screech of the griffon as the arrow exploded and decimated its left-most wing. It writhed in pain as its body thrashed about the room. Silver blue flame once again erupted on its tail, coating the full length as it swiped too and fro. The beast danced wildly through the room, striking out at anything near and far with talons, beak, right wing, and tail.
“Father, how do you feel?”
“Like someone gave me a bad massage. My legs sting but it is nothing.”
“Still…”
“It will not delay us in the mission at hand. Please do not worry.”
“…Alright.”
Orlok waved off Nilanth’s concerns and turned his attention to Kersia who turned voiced her objection to resting. Orlok too was against this notion.
“I will not argue with your command Miss Kersia but my personal opinion is that we must not rest here. We are in the midst of enemy territory and in the middle of capture. The risks are too high, motivations aside. Hmm?”
Orlok looked to Nil who was getting his attention to where Vesthi was. The two of them carefully went over to join her and spotted the serpent. His HUD pierced the darkness and he could make out the type and the energy. He then went over to Kersia and Aanka to relay the news.
“Our next trial awaits on our left path. A pit viper possibly enlarged from large arcane infusions. Since we are waiting the mists to clear, we should discuss strategy to deal with it. As a pit viper we can easily distract it to pass. It is drawn to heat. Nilanth can provide such a source to gather its attention to allow us to pass. Even on the chance that it’s drawn to magic from it’s arcane treatment, Nilanth can again provide it as the fire she will use is made of the arcane. We can lead it to where ever we want it to be.”
Nil nodded at Orlok’s first plan with a confident look. Orlok patted her on the shoulder before continuing with a second option. Assuming a military parade rest position.
“Additionally, if battle is unavoidable or preferred then I propose letting me gather it’s attention. My armor is Blackrock, it can withstand anything that’s below an ancient elemental fury’s fire and it’s toughness is proven through service. Also as a Sin’dorei I can absorb the magic of anything and use it for myself. As long as I can touch it, I can drain it of the arcane it was infused with. If anyone has other proposals I am open to them. These are just my options for the situation.”
Myorga frowned. This fight was taking entirely too long. She flicked a switch on her gun and aimed at the beast’s head again. She pulled the trigger and the gun roared to life, unleashing a three-round volley at the beast. If she struck it, the magic in her bullets would penetrate any skin or hide that wasn’t covered in scales more than half an inch thick. Should they break skin or hide, they would have a tranquilizing effect, disorienting and slowing their target’s movements enough that further shots would be easier and have more devastating effects. They would potentially allow Myorga to have enough time to switch ammunition to a more deadly type.
“To the right.” Vesthi corrected the armored Sin’dorei as he spoke. “, not left.” When the elf had finished laying out his two plans Vesthi spoke up. She remained peering down the misty hall at the very large snake. “Both plans have merit. For the first to work however Nilanth will need to mask your heat signature. That Blackrock armor is likely putting off more of a heat signature than any one of us.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “Except maybe me. I’ll need a masking spell to hid my fel body heat signature.” She took one long step backward from the hallway and turned to face the group. “I rather like the idea of leading it along a path. If we’re careful, the beast could be used to some effect deeper within this maze.”
Vesthi reached behind her and pulled free one of the golden warglaives Laatu conjured for her. “Should battle ensue Blackrock Elf and I will be juggling for it’s attention. In battle my core fel heat increases, exponentially so on occasions I metamorphose.” Vesthi turned the warglaive with a nimble touch. She lightly flicked the blade’s edge with her thumb. “I shouldn’t have much issue dealing with the creature’s magical tricks either.”
Vesthi turned to Aanka. “You’re a Druid, yes?” It was a rhetorical question. “Aren’t you able to conjure a gust of wind or maybe move some air, and dissipate that mist?” Vesthi considered the young girl, Nilanth. “Might you have any similar tricks?” She peered back at the hallway where the snake lay beyond.
“Maybe if you were to radiate heat into the walls, enough to mask most of our heat signatures, perhaps that would be enough to blind or confuse the beast. It may even drive him from where he rests.”
Vesthi returned back to the hallway and peered around the corner at the snake. She focused her spectral vision on the creature itself, and as she did so the magical aura it produced would become much clearer to her sight. She wanted to see if she could ascertain just what kind of magic it was producing.
Was it pure Arcane energy, or a clever mix of other energies?
Did the energy have a source?
Was it indeed the snake, or did the power it exude come from another source?
Its runes would become very clear to her. Utilizing her own extensive knowledge of magical sigils, runes, and complex spell work across disciplines, it’s entirely possible that Vesthi might be able to determine the functions of the beasts magic, it’s origin and make-up. Especially if it were conjured or enchanted by another caster since everyone leaves a unique imprint on the magics they wield.
After seeing beyond the bright mana of the arcane runes, Vesthi would discover that the runes are the only source of mana for the creature. The snake itself, should Vesthi be able to discern it, it only a few days old. The runes seem to be feeding power into the snake, amplifying its natural growth to fast and large proportions. However, the runes also appear to be restraining the snake to some degree, as the growth may have had negative impacts on its mind. There appears to be a font of sorts about 20-25 feet down the hall in an alcove in the wall. This font seems to be part of a connection feeding a mix of arcane and natural energy into the snake.
Vesthi spoke loud enough for the group to hear her, while yet being careful not to draw attention to herself as she peered down the hallway at the snake. She also made an awkward had wave to grab their attention. “Listen up, I think I’m beginning to see something interesting.”
Vesthi focused a moment longer before continuing. “Yep.” She nodded to herself. “The snake itself isn’t magical. The runes around it are pulling on a mix of… looks like arcane and nature energies.” Vesthi paused. “Judging by the rune’s layout and weave… looks like they’re feeding into it.” Vesthi pulled back from the hallway and faced the group. “I think whoever cast this wanted to artificially grow the snake. Much like Gul’dan once did with Orcs, only…” Vesthi turned back to peer at the snake. “There’s a series of restraining runes woven throughout the enchantment as well. Why would they also want to be holding it back?” Vesthi muttered to herself.
Vesthi turned back to the group. She spoke to Nilanth, Aanka, and Kersia in particular. “There has to be a kind of font of energy that those runes are drawing from, and it should be close.” Vesthi pinched the bridge of her nose between her eyes. "I can’t pin point it from here. The mana shimmer coming off the creatures enchants are damn near blinding.“It would likely be a mix of both arcane and nature. If either of you can find it, might be worth while to think of ways to either shut it down or tap into it for yourself.”
Vesthi looked up at the group, particularly at Aanka. “Don’t do anything just yet, though.” Vesthi remained silent then, allowing the others time to digest the information she just dumped onto them. She had a few tactical notions brewing in the back of her mind, but she wanted to hear from everyone first before acting.
“Yes, perhaps I can try and move the mist. Depends on how slowly or quickly it grows,” Aanka said, already twirling her hands in a rhythmic motion. She began to pull at the air around her until a ball of energy became visible in her hands.
“Anir’anath!” Aanka whispered, thrusting the ball of energy towards the mist. The concentrated air spiralled outward, attempting to push the mist away.
Orlok almost commanded as she spoke her spell. He wanted to stop her as he had a use for the mist if it could only be pushed. A resource should not be wasted. Nil looked to Orlok to see what he was talking about.
“If you can only move it instead of dissipating it, then move it into the passage where the serpent is. We will claim every advantage over the enemy and if we are lucky, the mists will do our task for us.”
“Oh I see! If that mist can drain a dragon and demon hunter then to an artificially grown serpent it may very well prove fatal.”
“Indeed Nilanth, if nothing else it will severely weaken it.”
Aanka listened to Orlok as she controlled the ball of air, straining as she moved it towards the serpent. She attempted to redirect the mist towards the large snake.
Darak pondered in thought, “What exactly is their goals here?” he looked as the elf passed by him, volunteering to take a straight path.
letting out a grunt he followed him, upon what looked like a dead end he was about to give up an turn around, but he noticed a small fist
getting close, he scratched his chin.
“hmmm, seems something is in there elf, both of us a bit too short to reach without assistance that is.”
turning back to the group he raises his voice at Laatu
"Eredar! get over here, you’re assistance is required." if she came over, he would be pointing upwards at the hole.
Laatu wasn’t very far behind, sighing at the elf. “The death knight had already volunteered his ghoul to the task. I understand your impatience, but please, do not simply rush off like that.” She chastened, before following said death knight’s gesture.
“Yes, I see… Hm.” She reached up, the hole easily in reach, and carefully brushed her hand around its interior, trusting her gauntlet to withstand any traps that may lay in wait.
Kora shrugged, she was perfectly fine with the ghoul going first, or the death knight for that matter. She followed behind the others, pondering about what this Stritegos may be after. Why would he need Vinarion’s soul shard? He didn’t really seem the type to want to destroy everything, though he did come off as a bit manic perhaps, but not genocidal. So why would he want the soul shard of a genocidal dragon? It could be used as a powerful catalyst she supposed, but the risk of releasing the soul seemed too big a risk to use it as a simple catalyst.
She paused in her pondering as she came upon the others to see the eredar reaching up into a hole, “Not sure if reaching in with your hand into the unknown is the wisest decision, but I suppose you are the only one who can reach it.”
The mist did as the mist was expected to do, pooling with the druid’s power and shifting. They guided it to the hall of the snake, and dispersed it over the beast. The snake’s eyes snapped open with a loud hiss. It reared back and writhed as the condensed mist impacted it. Hissing and nearly roaring, it started to slam its head too and fro into the walls before it finally sneezed a spray from its mouth and nose. Two more sneezes, and then the writhing was done. The snake coiled back, prepared to strike at any who enter the hall. To those keen on such things, the snake wasn’t moving as fast as one would expect a snake to move. The mist had weakened its already volatile muscles.
The violent shaking at the start, however, would cause chunks of the walls higher up to rain down on the group in the parallel hall. After avoiding the stones, Kersia clapped her hands together. “Well, that sounded exciting.” She looked around. “Did it die, or is it just calm and biding its time? I wonder if the mist weakened it, I hope so. Weaker subjects are easier to study.” She stood after finishing her mana bun and started down the hall. “Dead end to the left, snake to the right potentially dead or a threat. Should it be living, how best to skin the snake?”
Tolbyas/Darak/Kora/Laatu
”hmmm, seems something is in there elf, both of us a bit too short to reach without assistance that is.” The undead man remarked as he caught up to Tolbyas. He turned and suggested the eredar investigate the spot.
”The death knight had already volunteered his ghoul to the task. I understand your impatience but please, do not simply rush off like that.” The behemoth woman spoke.
Tolbyas shrugged as the eredar addressed him. “Well, saying something but not doing it gets nothing accomplished. I would rather not die in here of old age.” He snickered. “My muscles ache, my bones creak, and I could go for a nice warm bath. No idea how big this place is, but I don’t have infinite amounts of liquid or food.” Speaking of liquid, he took a flask from his hip pouch and had a nice swig as Laatu investigated the hole.
“It is the best decision.” Tolbyas quipped at Kora’s remark. “If it gets us out of this titans’ forsaken place.” He laughed and put his flask back away. “Feel or see anything in there, big lady?”
Laatu
No trap to be sprung, as Laatu caressed the inner cubby. Only a stone of some kind. If she peered into the hole, she could see the stone was a ruby, cut in a dodecahedron shape. Should she feel it, she could almost feel as if there was a crack around the stone. Perhaps it was applying pressure of some kind to something.
Lynara/Damalys/Raiku/Myorga
Myorga’s shots struck into the griffon’s tail, but the fire and scales inhibited their penetration. Still, the effects took some manner of hold on the beast as its thrashing noticeably slowed. Angered and in pain, the beast moved to slam its tail at the gun holder.
Orlok effortlessly dodged the falling rocks and using his warblades, cut away at those that threatened Nil. Replacing the blade Orlok motioned to Nil.
“Nilanth, use your fire magic to conjure a humanoid figure of fire. While the beast may not be dead, we will proceed with the plan as discussed. The conjured figure will lure it out. Then we can ambush it and liberate its head from its spine.”
Nil wordlessly chanted magical incantations before a human sized fire doll stood before her. Rather pleased with herself she then began to gather mana once more. Orlok meanwhile had drawn one of his weapons and hugged the nearby wall. Ready to be cloaked and ready to pounce. He had chosen to use one so that he could use two hand for more leverage on the strike. He only had a single chance and chopping it wasn’t going to cut it.
“For the lure and ambush to work, I’ll need to cloak all of us. Everyone huddle up, we’re about to really get comfy in a second.”
“Nilanth, once you have us cloaked move the doll into position. In fact, make a second one if you can.”