[Luna]

The cat knight's boots dragged through the snow, the sound of compacting and crunching signaling the heavily packed frost. She kicked up chunks of it as she moved, having to take labored steps to allow her feet to escape the fallen slush and sleet. The tip of her blade practically dragged along the snowfall and her arms were firmly wrapped together, the thick furred coat held close to stave off the oppressive cold. She stopped for a moment, surveying the surrounding area but given their location, there was little to truly see other than snow, ice, and more snow. “Gair, would you please check the map? I made a notation of roughly where I encountered this damnable magick-user, but… Well… Halone bless this mess.” she says in frustration.

[Gair]

The highlander in tow has a far more favorable arrangement atop a great black feathered chocobo who plods along the powdery snow with powerful legs. Quite content to amble with large saddlebags filled with myriad supplies, a claymore and the rider. Even so, his teeth chatter and the cavalry lance held aloft in his left hand shakes like mad. “F-f-f-fuck, we aren't there y-y-yet?” At the request for a map, he pins the lance beneath his arm and fishes out the map with a trembling hand. “I feel like we've been on the same damnable pass for an hour, now!” He holds out the map to Luna for her to double check his search.

[Luna]

The mi'qote gently takes the map, stretching it out in front of her and comparing as best she can. Even for someone who works in the Highlands frequently, a snowstorm easily strips away most familiarity. “We're getting close. I believe I woke up in a snow drift not *too* far from here.” she says, loathe to admit it. After taking a solid minute to look at the map, she folds it up and pats the chocobo, using that to grab Gair's attention once more. “I believe it was in *that* direction.” she says, pointing due East. “Leave it to Coerthas to summon up a snowstorm when we need to track someone here. The Twelve move in mysterious ways.” she says, handing the map back and rebundling her coat.

[Gair]

“H-hopefully there's more than just him, I could do with a f-f-fucking fight to warm up.” Gair's teeth chatter incessantly between every word, the poor oafish bastard.

In his mind's eye, a black-clad companion trots the same path. Walking atop the powdery snow and leaving no trace of his passage. Expectant of a biting word or insult from them, he is silent as the grave.

He untucks the lance out from under his arm and holds it aloft at the ready, standing more erect in the saddle as he directs Gust eastward. A slight squeeze of his heels into the chocobo's side urges it forward. The Dravanian-native chocobo letting out a contented, “Kweh!” in spite of the snowstorm.

[Luna]

“I daresay any kind of magick-user who could transform one of Ishgard's finest…” she pauses, swallowing a chill, “Would be formidable enough to slake your bloodlust. Not to mention likely have company of some sort. What kind of madman lives out here alone, content to glamour people as they pass by?” she asks rhetorically, trudging forward next to the bird. “I would like to bring this mage in to the temple to face judgment, but I doubt he will have any desire to come back with us.”

[Gair]

“Twelve willing they're a pretty lass, walking is good to stay warm, fighting better.. fucking being the best, I'd wager.” Gair voices his improbable hopes about their shared quarry. A breathy chuckle rumbles his chest, a visible must carrying out from under his faceplate. “At the least, we should start by beating him within an inch of his life and get him to turn you back.”

[Luna]

Even through the dark and dreary lowered visibility of the snowstorm, it's readily apparent that Luna is glaring at Gair contemptuously. “Seriously? This person changes me into a cat and you want to lay with them? What is wrong with you?” she asks in frustration. She continues to trudge as he speaks once more. “That's more what I'm expecting. To force this person to undo whatever foul magicks have been placed upon myself.” she says, trying to sound hopeful.

[Gair]

“The requisite being they're a c-c-comely woman.” Gair's hands lift to cup to his mouth, breathing heavily against them to try and warm them up some more. “C-c-c-cunt.” The selfsame gloves hand brushes at his faceplate, clearing his sight of the snow that has since built up on it.

[Luna]

“If I didn't know you better, you'd have me believing you have ulterior motives. But I know you far too well.” she says, laughing lightly, not wishing to inhale any more frost than necessary. She didn't even respond to the name calling, just smirking to herself. “We should be coming up on the area where I got ambushed, I think. It's so hard to tell in this weather.” she adds.

[Gair]

“Nothing ulterior, if I could fuck a pretty mage to get them to turn you back- my britches would be down before you could scowl!” At the mention of the original ambush spot, Gair quiets himself down. Not laughing at his usually disgusting jokes this time. He tilts his Lance down slowly and presents it forward as the chocobo moves ever more deliberately.

[Luna]

[Gair]

Meanwhile, Gair continues to plod along- his senses dulled by the intense snowfall of Coerthas. Shivering up a storm and begging for something *anything* to warm up on. Clinging desperately to the vital and strong chocobo he perches atop for dear life. “He's had weeks to prepare, he might have something ready.”

Prompting the highlander to buck his chocobo to attention and bare his lance at the ready, “Hyah, Gust!”

[Luna]

“I do not relish the idea of confronting a powerful mage who's had such time to ready himself and his craven magicks.” she growls out, bundling her arms tighter for the moment as she trudges. The now snow-covered knight looks up at the highlander as he draws his mount to action. “What is it? Did you see something?” she asks in confusion, picking up her pace as best she can while still fully lifting her legs to escape the grasp of the snowfall. She tries her best to keep up, having a bit of difficulty but ultimately not falling too far behind.

[Gair]

[Luna]

It takes a solid moment to process what she was seeing, the snowfall making it hard to tell what she was looking at. “Fury be!” she shouts, drawing her sword and shield and taking a defensive posture, shield out in front of her, though she internally questions the use of a shield against such a monstrous creature. She takes in the horrifying visage of the chimera, put off substantially by it. “Gair! Be careful! This thing is… is… I-I don't even know!” she shouts, unable to really get a full grasp on what she was looking at.

[Gair]

“To arms!” With one hand on the reigns, Gair advances on the heavy footfalls of a chocobo. Closing the gap between it and the beast in a matter of seconds, he tilts forward and couches his lance under his arm. Aiming the tip for the fleshy torso of the Yeti.```

[Luna]

Luna approaches, shield up, closing the distance herself rather quickly. She watches Gair's glancing blow, readjusting her gaze to the monster and looking for an opening. She holds her shield up high, anticipating an attack thrusting her blade forward in an attempt to draw the monster's ire and give Gair more chance.

[Gair]

The trained war chocobo plods forward and grabs Gair by the belt, armored to the beak by his rider. He drags him away with minimal effort, awaiting further instruction.

Gair comes to a stand after being effectively rolled through the snow and battered rather roughly. Immediately arming himself with the claymore snugged into Gust's saddlebags. He clicks an order and gestures away from the fray, making a curving gesture before he barks audibly. “GO!” Before he moves in on the chimera's flank, weapon raised. Gust himself racing into the cover of the falling snow and harsh winds without so much as a wark.

[Luna]

She moves her head back a bit from the now heated shield, ignoring the warmth and pushing her shield forward a bit. She bangs the sword on her shield like a drum, making sure to hold the beast's attention fully. She begins to move forward more as she can until she's practically at the creature's 'face', taking a moment to pull back her shield before slamming it into the beast's head, intending to stun with the immense force.

[Gair]

Gair takes clear advantage of the openings afforded by Luna, her having grabbed it's intention lets the man with the big sword do some work on it's right flank. His guillotine doing well to soften the carapace with every brutal strike, rather bullying the cottage-sized nightmare until finally his weapon bites true. A furious wail from the trio of heads as one of it's eight legs falls into the snow and twitches uselessly.

[Luna]

The knightess claims her proffered spacing afforded by her strike, pulling back her shield and two-handing her blade. She quickly surveys the wailing face, doing her best to ignore the screaming and pitched sound. She raises the blade and pulls back, aiming for the head's right eye, thrusting forward with all her might to unleash a hopefully penetrative stab.

[Gair]

This time it's Gair that maintains the defense, bringing his blackened steel guillotine to bare as he charges forward. Ducking and weaving the first few swipes of the massive beak before he finds his in and makes to jam his weapon inbetween that pincer-like mouth and occupy it. Between his own grunts, he makes a loud whistling call- an imitation of a chocobo before he shouts. “NOW!”

A flash of black feathers and steel can be seen in the peripheral of the battle and the telltale sounds of a chocobo beating feet at breakneck speeds can be heard now. Until all at once, a thousand pounds of flesh, iron and feathers leaps in from the creature's flank. Emitting it's own shrill raptor cry, massive steel-tipped talons drive right through the carapace and utterly topple the monstrosity to the ground. Before long, the massive beak of the chocobo begins to make a feast of the monstrosity that is struggling to get back to it's feet.

[Luna]

The unnatural flame singes the knight, the heat quickly warming her considerably more than she'd like. She struggles to put her shield up in reaction but manages after a few moments, diverting the flames. She ignored the singes and burns sustained, pushing forward as she watches the fury of a warbird unfold. Finally able to lower her guard as the monster topples, she quickly two-hands her sword once more, trudging forward to climb on to the forwardmost head of the chimera. Once steadied on it's face, she raises her blade high and plunges it downwards, pushing and twisting as well as she is able, perhaps unintentionally mimicking a technique she knew, yelling out in pure fury.

[Gair]

Gair would break from occupying the gryphon head as the tide begins to turn very violently in the group's direction, as the great spider chimera begins to topple. The highlander shoves forward and slides on his sabatons beneath the arachnid body. Letting out a furious yell as he drags the full length of his guillotine along the underbelly, rending open a massive gash.

[Luna]

She remains mounted to the beast, hand on hilt keeping the blade sunk deep into the chimera just in case. After a moment of it's inactivity, she calls out to Gair. “Are you quite alright? Has it ceased? It appears done but I dare not trust it so.” she says carefully, feeling a bit disgusted by her own mimicked actions as far as the blade twisting goes.

[Gair]

Gair emerges from the snow, half of his blade drooling with ichorous green blood as he comes to a stand. “I don't know what the fuck this thing is.. but…” He clicks his tongue at Gust, whom dismounts the massive arachnid body. “I'll make sure.” He moves to the center-point of the arachnid abdomen and cocks his claymore back. All at once does he drag his weapon along the ground, an unholy and dark energy coursing along his weapon. An inky black aetheric blade portrudes out with his slash through the inert body, a bassy *thrum* of force can be felt in the stroke that completely bisects the inert body.

[Luna]

The knight holds on to her blade as the body flops a bit. “Was that entirely necessary? Maybe it's not as bad as they taught us for decades, but I still don't like seeing that…. *darkness*.” she laments, pulling on her blade for a moment before it is freed from the beast and she clambers down off of it. She seems to strike the air with the blade in an attempt to rid it of the stolen blood, but it clings to the metals. She brings out a cloth from a pouch on her person, beginning to wipe the blade clean which is a tougher task than perhaps envisioned.

[Gair]

“They aren't entirely wrong. Only that it isn't just shadow, it's my shadow.” Gair informs Luna rather plainly. To clean his own blade, he is content to let his claymore drag in the snow behind him. Rounding to the front of the spider chimera, with his free hand he grasps the Lance that was imbedded on his first pass. With a grunt he yanks the cavalry weapon from it's resting place. “But at the least I will be wielding this misbegotten power on those deserving.”

[Luna]

She stuffs the now bloodied cloth back into a pouch on her person, sheathing the now mostly cleaned blade into it's sheath and fastening the shield to her back once more. “As much as I generally agree with you on the matters pertinent to this arbitration, I do have to worry that over time this darkness shall corrupt your views and warp what you see as wickedry.” she responds, following him forward as he retrieves his stabby stick. “I suppose that makes it my job to watch the watchman, as it were.” she half-jokes.

[Gair]

A fan of pedantry lately, Gair poses the question. “But who watches the watchman's watchman?” A deep laugh rumbles his chest, further amplified by the steel of his helm. “I'll not deny you the threat isn't there, but a man's shadow need not be literal for them to do evil. The difference between them and I, is that I wield my hatred for the weal of others, rather than woe.” He steps up to Gust, rewarding the chocobo with a scritch under the beak.

Gust rather happily chirps and whistles a happy tune as if he were an oversized murderous cockatiel. Chomping down on some greens as reward for his hard work when Gair presents it to him.

[Luna]

Luna raises her nose at Gair half mockingly. “There is no one needed to watch me as I act upon the guidance divine of the Fury herself. Unless it is the dark knight way to doubt even the Twelve.” she says, perhaps sounding a bit more truthful than she intended. “What is the weal of one man but the woe of another? One day, that line may be invisible to you.” she adds, hoping against hope she was wrong.

[Gair]

Gair shoves the Lance into the rigging of Gust's saddle, seemingly finding his snow footing after that short but intense fight. Quite happy to spar on his thoughts of divinity. “So long as I live forthright and in the light of Azeyma's truth. I will have the strength to carve my own line.” He looks around for his bearing in the snowfall and jabs his chin further out. “Speaking of carving, we have a mage to find.”

[Luna]

Content to not continue a length discussion on the nature of divinity and self-strength, the knightess nods at the brutish highlander. “Indeed. I do not wish to remain this way for any longer than is necessary.” she says, beginning the trek once more. “Perhaps we should travel in the direction this abomination came from.” she says, heading past it.

[Gair]

With an unerring ease, Gair hefts his guillotine high and rests the base of the broad blade over his shoulder. Like the fin of a blackened steel shark that lurks the snows of Coerthas now, it cuts the air above the duo as the snowstorm roars around them. “Likely a good idea, in my limited experience with books: I've not once read of *that*.” He jabs his chin back over his shoulder as he slowly plods along the large swath of snow the beast had cut in it's wake, only after beholding it's large size would someone believe this was a track to follow, rather than a natural feature.

[Luna]

The knightess follows the highlander, keeping bundled as best she can.

[Gair]

At the mouth of the cave, Gair thrusts the lance down into the snow. Grabbing Gust's reigns, he ties off that big goofy birb who preens himself rather happily.

Gair peers out into the darkness, not quite within eyeshot to spy Clucex. He turns back to the Miqo'te in tow, “I think this is the place, you want me to take point?”

[Luna]

Luna follows the man into the mouth of the cave, peering inside herself. “No, I want to be the one to detain this man.” she said, fury in her voice. She draws her sword and shield and steps forward, but as she does a bottle flies through the air, pelting her left arm and cracking open, splashing her arm with some strange mixture. The liquid begins to burn like an acid immediately, chewing through the bundles cloth and scalding her arm. She drops her shield in reaction, wincing and yelping, quickly using the remaining cloth on her arm to wipe off the liquid as best she can, though there now is a nasty burn on her left arm near the bend.

[Gair]

At the crash of glass and hissing of burning flesh and cloth, Gair immediately presses to the front. Not entirely the best ranged combatant, he creates some threat as the man readies himself to hurtle another vial. With a growl of effort, he drags his claymore along the ground and whips it up toward him. A thrum of force and the smell of iron and blood begins to pervade around Gair as he sends a veritable blade beam of inky black aether that cuts a swathe in the earth on it's way toward Clucex.

[Luna]

[Gair]

The furious highlander bellows out a roar, calling a challenge to the cave as fire and shadow begin to pervade the cave. “RHAAAAAAAALGRRRRR!” Heavy footfalls of his charge are heard clear as day, a warning to anyone in his way. His heavy guillotine is held aloft, swiping a great slash to try and dampen some of the bolt of flame on his reckless advance.

[Luna]

The flame passes through the blade as if unaffected, but the fire of it is also not as expected. The heat is temporary and does not alight any material, but there is a strong feeling of weight that seems to stick to Gair. Additionally, the sound of the flame crackles but also cuts out in odd places, replaced by a deep hum that seems to also stick to the man as it overloads him with umbral aether, creating a false copy of the dark knight's hallucinations, the sound of his soulstone crying out to him to cease.

[Gair]

The sight halts Gair's immediate charge, there is scant context he could expand upon in the moment. “Drank your fill, did we?!” His immediate ire was drawn to the tangible shade, the pair clashing at the halfway point between Luna and Clucex. Two overwhelming greatswords crash, bind and reverberate with shadowy forces in the dim of the cave.

[Luna]

Luna has finally gotten back to a full stance by now, the shield held once more. Her gaze had been drawn to Clucex but she was now locked watching the shade of a 'man' appear from Gair's side. Her eyes narrowed in learned fear at the apparition rose.”G-Gair! W-what did I tell you!” she chokes out. Her mind screams out to her to run but she steps forward. She poises herself next to their intertwined standoff, ready to try her best to separate these two giants, though with but a blade and shield she's not quite sure how to.

[Gair]

Gair growls back at Luna, full well expecting a chiding for what's going on right in front of her. “Don't bitch, this is just a shade!” The highlander and his shadowy mirror were a whirlwind of greatblades, getting in between them would be dangerous at best, suicide at worst. Neither appears wholly capable of landing a solid blow on the other, any telling slash is parried to the side.

[Luna]

The knightess scowls back at Gair twofold. “I know full well what that monstrosity is! Shade or not, to suffer such a manifestation is impermissible!” she shouts back at him. She closes her eyes as the aether around her wraps around her, sealing her in a protective orb, ethereal shields emblazoned on the orb for a moment. She uses this impenetrable orb to get in between the two, facing the shade which towered over her. She plunges her sword into the ground in front of her, causing large wispy wings to sprout from the her back which quickly wrapped around Gair. “One needs divine light to extinguish the darkness that comes from within.” she says plainly, holding her shield up ritualistically. The sealed orb around her held for now, though cracks would begin to show soon.

[Gair]

The duo are like wild animals repelled by a fire. Gair protests almost immediately. “Fuck your light, I'm going to bring that thing to heel and eat it!”

[Luna]

Even if she is safe, the sights and sounds of a demon hellbent on destruction are quite terrifying. Cascades of aetherial sparks fly from the points struck as cracks slowly appear. “Twelve condemn your pride, you fool! Would you rather be the pyrrhic victor and claim overwatch in the Heavens or continue your work in the realm mortal! You need to dispel this malfeasance through self-control, not vitriol manifest by sword!” she shouts back at him, unaware of the origin of it all being a corrupted spell.

[Gair]

Definitely not content to let the shade beat and batter the shell that encases Luna unchecked, Gair begins to wage a war of attrition over the woman. First intercepting direct blows, then making probing thrusts before direct blasts of shadowy aether dim the holy light cast on the cave's walls. Like gunshots going off in alarmingly close proximity. “If I wasn't in control, we wouldn't be having this conversation!”

[Luna]

The heat off the pitched battle mixed with being basically sealed in has caused Luna to begin sweating as she begins to have some troubles holding her shield aloft. The cracks have begun to show more vibrantly as time progresses. “If you had self-control this wouldn't be a problem in the first place!” she shouts back, feeling the pressure as it grows.

[Gair]

“It was his spell, not me! At least, not entirely!” Gair looks down to witness the chinking and cracking of Luna's bubble, the respite giving him a chance to recoup and let the blackened shade tire himself out on the unbreakable* shield for the moment. Finally abandoning the protective cover, he rolls onto and over the barrier and throws the full weight of his guillotine down.

[Luna]

Bright yellow light reforms around Luna just in time for the cracks to circumnavigate the entire orb which shrinks just slightly before shattering in a loud crackling explosion, the aether falling apart entirely. Luna drops her shield finally, brought to a doubled over stance with her hands on her knees, exhausted. Determined to protect the highlander however, she throws out her shield hand, forming a taut but faint green wire to the man. However, it is clearly unstable, but it still does it's job. “I don't care who's fault it is….” she says between breaths.

[Gair]

Realizing the situation and that the shade is going to follow him rather than attack Luna, Gair breaks for Clucex after effectively driving his dark double back with that strike. He folds behind the considerable flat of his guillotine as he charges forward, tucking the weapon back and ready to drive a vicious thrust home on the mage.

[Luna]

Luna half-heartedly stands up, swallowing her exhaustion to trail after Gair, maintaining the cover link as best she can. She is able to stay in range, but clearly affected by her aether usage.

[Gair]

Gair lets out a furious growl as his hands are fused to the hilt of his greatsword by inky black crystal. A wild and murderous stare as he gladly plunges the weapon further inside. A vertiable waltz of goes on as his weapon jostles and further ruins the mad mage's chest cavity, overpowering the man with the heavy steel lever in his hands and forcing a change of position. Putting Clucex in the middle of the brawl now with Luna and the Shade tailing right behind him.

[Luna]

Luna is unable to maintain the cover, resulting in it blinking out and shattering. She ignores the greatly diminished aether in herself, pushing to run up to Clucex. She attempts to slash at the man's arms as they reach out for the highlander, but the mage's body seems to ghost away as the blade passes harmlessly by.

[Gair]

Now the pain can be felt as spectral claws begin to gouge into the man, no matter how steeped the abyss he is. Gair howls out in pain and struggles to pull back, the weapon held in it's place by the crystalline grasp. It's all he can do to will through the pain and keep Clucex between him and the specter.

[Luna]

Luna turns to watch the violence, barely able to process it all before noticing the shade yet stands. She does her best to put her shield up to bear the brunt of it's wrath as Gair is indisposed.

[Gair]

“You're right…” Gair utters, gritting through the pain of his arms being savaged by the profane spell. The tightening grip and flexing of his fingers sloughing off some of the crystals that had fused his hand to the weapon. “I am nothing!” He twists his blade in the man's gut, spilling even more blood onto the cave floor. “And you're going to be devoured by nothing!” The scene is so raw and primal that all but the most seasoned of fighters could look on and not be disgusted. His helmet reverberates with his pained war cry as he finds the strength to shove forward, his heavy boot slamming into what remains of Clucex's chest cavity. Slamming the ruined mage into the shade and sending the duo tumbling to the ground on one another. His blade drools with vicera as he holds it aloft, poised and ready to bring it down like an executioner.

[Luna]

Luna looks on, her eyes gone cold and emotionless in response to the sheer power and presence.

[Gair]

Gair's countenance is a cold mask of steel, his chest rose and fell rapidly as he struggled to catch his breath. Drawn on by the sheer need to put an end to this conflict. His tone rather sinister as the man can only twitch uselessly and accept his fate. “Oh, those were your last words?” He asked disappointedly. “Have it your way.” Before he drops the full weight of his guillotine down, a crimson trail utterly severing the pair for good. Leaving the weapon embedded there in the soiled earth, what remains of the void-tainted aether begins to ungulate like a thousand writhing worms. Finding his broad blade, they seep into it with a ghastly moan of the dead and damned.

[Luna]

Luna walks up to the mess, still coldly detached from the utter brutality, though she looks down at the twitching remainder of a man and just sneers at him.

[Gair]

The ambient corruption abates some as Gair drinks deep of the doppelganger and it's summoner, his forest green gaze reflecting the dull lights of the cave as he watches Clucex's candle flicker before his very eyes. Finally he turns over to Luna to tell her, “I know we were to take him in and restore your form.. but we can only do one of those things now.”

[Luna]

She looks at the man, her own eyes seemingly vacant and the color of long-since fallen snow. “I care not to return this man to Foundation. He is sent back to the very fabric of the world. I care only to return form, but I do not know how.” she says, still frigid-toned.

[Gair]

“I don't.” Gair's wrist flexes as he twists the blade in the ruined chest cavity of the mage whose life hangs by the ambient aether of his spell. “But he does, do you trust me?”

[Luna]

It takes but a moment for her to connect the dots, and she nods at him without question. “There's no one I trust more. Do what must needs be done.”

[Gair]

Gair withdraws his guillotine from a mixture of the blood-soaked soil and sheathes it over his back once more. “Very well.” He turns his attentions back on Clucex, his gauntleted fist snapping shit as a red energy begins to envelop his right arm and coalesce into his fist. He falls down to his knees and with little regard for cleanliness, plunges his fingers into the ruined man's chest cavity. When he withdraws his hand, he does not hold flesh: rather what remains of his aether. Which he clamps down on and crushes, soaking in what little remains. There is a sudden jolt as he comes to a stand, as if he were pinpricked a thousand times over. His head canting and twisting at an odd angle as he struggles to keep ahold of his faculties. “The ritual will work only once… twisting what remains to get him to cast from my hand will snuff the last of his aether out. We will need one of his tables.”

[Luna]

The woman watches, horrified and disgusted, as Gair essentially consumes the man's aether. As he speaks what they need, she is brought back to full attention. “Right, a table…” she says, looking around. She carefully steps over what is a man. Squelching through the viscera and the miserable little pile of secrets that remains. After a moment, she finds a ritual table, calling back to Gair. “There's a table right here. I hope this is what is needed.”

[Gair]

Gair pilfers an ornate athame off Clucex's belt loop, bringing the keen edge of that ritual dagger to his thumb. Pressing it to his flesh to test the sharpness before he bobs his head in a faint nod. “Good, lay down on it. Clear your forehead.” Pensively, he keeps the blade of it resting on his fingertip as he murmurs to himself. “Nald'thal begets dunefolk, Azeyma for Sunseekers, Menphina for Moonkeepers, Halone for Elezen and… Rhalgr for highlanders.” Once he reaches the table, with little effort does he just slit his thumb open.

[Luna]

Luna gets on to the table, trying her best to adjust comfortably. She finds this considerably easier given her short size at the moment, however clearing her mind is much more difficult. She does her best, trying not to think about what's likely about to happen.

[Gair]

The wound gushes some blood as Gair squeezes it, getting enough flow for what is to come. His hand hovering over Luna's face, he odd droplet of blood falling on her pale skin. He begins to incant as his thumb moves across her forehead like the brush of an artist. “O Destroyer, Breaker of Worlds, father of the eighth moon and the Fury herself.” From memory, he paints the symbol of the aforementioned god on her forehead. His hands come together, clasping the athame between them as he takes a knee before the ritual table. “A daughter of yours, much like the Fury herself, lingers in the guise of Menphina. I offer this life to you, blood of my blood!” His left hand begins to quake and Gair's form begins to tremble as his left hand wills a coalescence of raw aether into his palm. With an impassioned cry does he finish the incantation, “BE RENT ASUNDER AND RISE! LUNA, BE AS THE FURY ONCE MORE!” before he plunges that dagger through the aether and his hand. Shattering what remains of Clucex's soul, his own blood pooling on the floor beneath him.

[Luna]

The knightess's face twitches as the odd blood drop but she makes sure not to open her eyes. An easy inaction as she does not wish to see this ritual at all. She can only imagine what Gair is doing as he paints her forehead. She winces at the sound of flesh being cut and begins to find it quite difficult to remain blinded as the atmosphere rises and the ritual reaches a fever pitch. The room begins to feel clouded and congested to her and she begins to cough involuntarily as the gas enters her body. As quickly as it begins to enter, it finishes and the woman bolts to a sitting position, clutching at her throat. Her coughs begin to intensify as horrific crackles and snapping sounds begin to emanate from her.

The skin on her body begins to warp and tear, exposing muscle which begins to fray and expand as well. She buckles over, falling to the ground from the table and shouting in pain. Aether begins to flow forth from her body and wrap back around, cloaking her body in a semi-solid layer of light, still allowing visibility in places. The sound of breaking bones and ripping muscles grows louder as her pained shrieks intensify and her body morphs and jerks. Her form grows unnaturally to that of a highlander woman, muscles expanding and wrapping to fit new bones generated magically. It takes a solid minute or two for the process to complete as the aural horror ceases. Her form has returned to that of a highlander, her previous clothes shredded in the process and decorating the stone floor.

Luna's eyes flutter for a moment as the pain finally ends. She feels herself fall forward onto the stone floor, and for a moment the frigid touch shocks her system before she passes out. The aetheric dust that had coated her falls to the ground slowly, fading out of sight as it does. She lay there as the Fury made her - strong, large, and incredibly naked.

[Gair]

Gair remains there in his stance of knelt prayer, repeating the incantation as the ritual's effect takes hold and it's change is made manifest. It takes a good few seconds for him to raise his head after the pained noises end and the struggle ceases.

“It's been a fucking day.” Gair says to no-one in particular as he hefts up the newly formed highlander, tightly snugging the cloak around her form. Taking her to his raptor companion and slinging her over the saddlebag, ready to put the ordeal behind them and head for a nearby military encampment to rest…

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