[Blue]

[Novine]

Novine had teleported into Forgotten Springs, stepping out of the aether as if she were a princess simply alighting from her carriage, ready to cut her way into the world. She held onto Leiser Tad 's hand, having transported him with her as she dragged him from the stream after her, letting go once he seemed whole and present. She turned and grinned at him, walking backwards toward the sand as she spoke.

“So this is probably one of my favorite places in aaaall of Eorzea,” she said, turning around and nearly running off to the sand, sandaled feet sinking into the warm grains as soon as they made contact with it. She visibly relaxed and looked over her shoulder to see if Leiser was following. “It's all empty and stuff, so I like it because it feels like it's full of potential - like it's ready to become something! A lot of people don't like it 'cause it feels dead to them, like the Burn, but that's not true at all. They're all just blind.”

[Tadashi]

Feels himself slip out from the stream and onto the sand of the Forgotten Springs. Wincing as sand immediately begins finding it's way into his shoes and other places, he pauses. “Moment Novine. I would like to attune to the aetheryte before we go.” Turning to do so, Tad then turns back to survey the landscape, seeing nothing but sand. Following for a couple paces he surveys the dunes curiously. “I don't see how the barren dunes could hold such potential, but I disagree that it feels dead. Reminds me of Ishgard… lonely and unforgiving.”

[Novine]

Novine waited for him to attune and catch up to her before she started walking through the desert, her light body hardly sinking into the deep waves of sand at all as she carved her way through the emptiness.

“Really? Hm… letsee… how to describe it. Does it snow where you're from? Or have you wandered around Coerthas at all? It's kinda like a fresh snow. Or maybe that's wrong, 'cause that can only get marred. I guess it's more like… like a blank canvas. It's just pristine and blank and white and just ready to create stuff on, y'know?”

She paused and tilted her head upon seeing some of the sandworm detritus as they crowned one of the ridges of the dunes.

“Well… looks like something's been busy.” She looks across the hands with her hands on her hips looking a bit annoyed. “At least eat all of 'em if you're gonna kill 'em, otherwise it's a big waste.”

[Blue]

[Tasri]

A Miqo'te conjuress far more attuned to sand and sun than the Twelveswood, A'tasri is bedecked in voluminous garb typical to inhabitants to Thanalan and the Sagolii in particular. The shifting sands have felt odd, even from as far as Blackbrush station…it's likely just sandworm- All at once she crests the dune, using her heavy oaken staff as a walking stick to help her footing amid the rough terrain of blistering hot sand. First the sound of the deep bellow, her mismatched eyes dart around from beneath her voluminous good. “What in-” she vocalizes, part of her internal question answered for her. She witnesses the veritable carnage before her, all of the sandworms that lay slain to bake in the desert heat.

Her foci is raised in defense, only just now noticing one of the duo, Novine. They couldn't have made that noise. Already bringing her aether to purpose, a gust of wind carries a thick veil of sand around the head of her staff. Ready to either strike, or hopefully use a gale to push someone out of the way of danger.

[Tadashi]

Tad follows Novine onto the dune, nodding as she responds. “I guess, but it still feels desolate. Unlike home or Gridania, there is no water for life though. At least not for us to reach.” Then, he surveys the carcasses, sizing up the wounds. “You never told me what we were here for, but I don't think we will be able to avoid that thing…”

Tad hears a faint bellow over the sands, and drops his hand to his katana. “Novine, please come back. I can't do much against an attacker with you so far away. And from the sounds of it, that thing isn't far.”

[Novine]

Tad's warning was enough to alert Novine to the strange aether below her and trembling, shifting sands. She manages to summon levin to her feet, using the concentrated energy to propel herself abruptly and quite far off to the side, the large creature emerging from the dust just behind her feet before disappearing back into the sand. The displaced sand rained down upon her, covering the Lalafell's long hair in a sandy mess. She pushes herself to her feet and jogs back over to Tad, immediately touching the little lavender jewel inlaid to the gold ring on her hand. Her dark armor encases her body, neatly folding itself against her lightly clothed shape, a visor extending over her eyes. She immediately places her hand on her forearm and summons three of her aetherial butterflies, the forms fluttering over her and Tad's head as she awaited some other evidence of its trajectory.

“Well, how's that for an attacker? Can you do something about that?” she says to Tad with a little annoyed tone. “That thing's not s'posed to be here. It's never here. I thought we'd come here to relax, but I guess that's not what we're doing.”

[Tadashi]

Tad keeps his hand by his katana, and shakes the dust from his hair. Sizing up the silhouette before him, and then gazing around the desert he shakes his head. “It's certainly an attacker. As for what I can do about it, what do you want done to it?” Opting to keep the blade sheathed, he conjures a small blade of wind to spread the dust to get a better view of the opponent.

Then, he shakes his head. “I don't fully know what about the desert is relaxing, with sand getting everywhere, but apparently I have things to learn…”

[Novine]

“I dunno what I want to do to it yet. I'm pretty sure it's not s'posed to be here. It feels weird. The aether feels different around here.” She scans the sands for evidence of movement. “Probably shouldn't kill it just yet 'til we know what it is, but I'd say to at least keep it from eating us or whatever. I'd settle for making it stop moving for now.”

[Blue]

[Tasri]

A'tasri was new to all of this, she was far too fixated on the duo of Novine and Tad, waiting to make her presence known. Just a friendly hello, should suffice, I think… “Hello, I was- ahh!” She was mid-wave, holding up her oaken staff as the large beast surges toward her in a gale of sand that makes a beeline right for her. WHATTHEFUCKMOMWASRIGHTISHOULDNTHAVELETRINATEACHMETOFIGHT. She shrieks in absolute terror as a large enough whisker coils around her midsection.

“EEEEK! Let me go, I don't taste good!” The Miqo'te trills out, her oaken cane is an improvised bludgeon that she swipes around with all of her meager might at the whisker that has her entangled.

[Tadashi]

Blinks at the newcomer, before getting a face full of sand. Shaking his head, he spits out the sand. Finally clearing his eyes, he sees the unknown figure being wrapped up in tentacles. Moving to assist, he calls back to Novine. “Do you know her?”

Upon arriving at the beast, Tad curls and quick draws, aiming to slice the whisker and cut the figure free.

[Novine]

Novine keeps her distance and aligns her butterflies in a straight line before she summons a spear of levin in her hand, propelling her arm forward and hoping to aim for the creature's center mass. Her butterflies flipped aspects, changing to a light violet color and crackling with energy as the spear drives through each one and ultimately toward her target. She hopes perhaps the electricity would at least stun it so Tad could get a blow in before it disappeared into the sand again.

“Nope! Probably shouldn't let her die though. We get to be heroes Taday it seems!” She says with a laugh, clearly finding this all a bit of an amusing distraction now that the fight started.

She directs the butterflies up above the creature now where they flutter in place for the moment, still and stationary.

[Blue]

The beast snarls in annoyance at the unavoidable cane that smashes into her whisker, leaving the creature distracted as it slows its trajectory to a crawl. It would have continually drawn the miquo'te into its jaws if not for the sudden appearance of Tad and he aims to slice its whisker clean off. And he succeeds! The whisker falls to the sandy floor with little fanfare as the beast recoils in pain- if only to be caught off guard once more by the burst of levin striking its center. The shock of the electricity sends a jolt through the immense creature, and though the spear itself bounces off its hardened scales, Novine has caused something to stir within the beast.

Though it is uncertain as to how it is doing it, visions are suddenly forcefully flooded into the minds of Novine and Tad. Little, minor happenstances from the view of a third party who had been there. Novine would be seeing herself in Carline Canopy what felt like ages past, initiating a small conversation with Luna about motherhood. Tad would see himself in the Hearth and Home, sitting at one of the stools at the counter, expression unreadable yet polite. A'thrasi would witness something completely different from the pair, no visions were for her eyes only, just a soft, sleepy voice tapping gently into her mind. «Keep me safe…»*

The creature hisses, shaking itself off before diving into the safety of the sand, leaving only its tail protruding outwards as it snapped and whipped around for Tad.

[Tasri]

It's…what, what is this voice? A'tasri drops to the sandy ground below, far more fleet of foot on the uneven surface than one might initially think. With a wave of her cane and some focus and she practically glides over the surface of the dunes with unerring ease and control, she is in her element here. “Thank you!” She yells out as Tad and Novine's pair of attacks distract and lead to the severance of a whisker that lead to her freedom. Auntie Miyuki told me, just wait for the land's pulse…and draw!

From the great sandy creature's flank, she harries the beast with wind and sand both. From the grounds beneath, she directs the end of her staff to point at the gnashing beast. Tendrils of solid sand whip up, appendages, tentacles and hands wrought of the malleable earth surge out to grasp at the beast's tail to try and stay it's advance.

[Tadashi]

Tad clutches his head with his left hand, dropping to one knee as the vision comes. 'Why there?' he thinks to himself, before the unknown person's call reminds him of the fight still ongoing. Struggling to his feet, still distracted by the voice, he hears the tail whip around, and attempts to get his guard up. It hadn't registered that the beast was probably far stronger then the Grindstone opponent's or tigers he had fought in the past until the tail slammed into him, knocking him sideways several fulms, bouncing on the sand a little ways. Standing up he groans “Novine, I have sand everywhere, not to mention I am getting batted around like one expects a lalafell to be, AND I am getting weird visions. If we ever come back, this better be very relaxing, because right now I am not enjoying…”

[Langston and Yuyuci]

“Duty calls…”

“What is it this time?” asked Langston, giving his mother a puzzled look. Yuyuci let out a small sigh before handing over her grandson to Langston. Almost predictably, Lorcan began to whine. He was turning out to be something of a grandma's boy. “There is some trouble brewing in the Sagolli Desert.” answered Yuci. “We usually do not bother, as the area is rife with dangerous beastmen and in the vicinity of the U Tribe. However, the Stone Torches are worried. Meaning there is a good financial opportunity.”

“Shaking the Syndicate shrubs for sweet silver?” said Langston with a smirk. “You really are my mother.” Yuci let out a huff in response. “You make it sound so ugly when you phrase it as such. People are in trouble, you know.” She looked down to the whining child and pinched his cheek ever so gently. “Be nice, Lorcan. Put on a bright smile for your uncle.” she said softly.

“Good luck out there.” said Langston. “Good luck in there.” replied Yuci. “If your wretched father happens to be there, do me a favor and step on his foot for my sake.”

---

Atop her trusted Chocobo, Ourania, Yuyuci hovered over the endless sands. Her gaze was greeted by the fleshy and broken remains of sandworms. Before she could even wince in disgust, something caught her eye past her goggles. In the distance, she could see a bizarre creature, engaged in a tussle with two Lalafell and a Miqo'te. “A dragon? Here?” she mused to herself. Taking aim to the skies, she fires a burning arrow, both as a warning to those already engaged with the creature and as a potential distraction to the beast. This arrow was followed by another sharp one that flew in an arc directly towards the creature's shoulder, though this one was lacking a flame.

[Novine]

Novine shook her head as the vision intruded in on her consciousness and she made an aggravated noise when she managed to come out of it, clearly rather annoyed at having her thoughts hijacked once again. She looked confused as well, wondering why she was seeing Luna of all people. Was this one of Pipino's memories? It likely was… but why now?

Novine looked up as the firey arrow shot into the sky and sighs as she brings her hand back to her forearm, directing her levin-aspected butterflies to rain down lightning bolts upon the dragon, clearly not caring much about what other people were doing.

“Dunno why the hells everyone feels like hanging out here Taday of all days,” she mutters to herself, concentrating as she talks to Tad in her aggravated tone of voice, clearly mad at the circumstances not him. “Look, it's always VERY relaxing! I lie down in the sand, no one bugs me, the animals and creatures leave me alone, I soak in the sun and the aether, and life goes along just fine! You'll see! We've just gotta mess up this dragon so it respects us, and then we can experience the desert properly!”

[Blue]

The beast is partially covered by the sand though its tail is fully exposed. It rumbles with annoyance at A'Thrasi as wind and earth combine to land the smackdown on its large scaled frame, but when she tries to grasp up her tail to prevent its swing, she'd find that the tail, though narrow, was far more powerful than it looked, breaking through her confines with relative ease.

It feels itself connect with Tad, and, satisfied, makes toward where the lalafell had fallen, dipping down into the earth and then up again like some giant monster sand dolphin.

This unfortunately leaves it completely open to likes of Yuyuci. While it did not see the flaming arrow, its focus solely upon the new victim being Tad, it soon finds an arrow lodged between two of the rigid scales meant to ward such attacks off- right into the meat of the creature. Before it can properly react, the wyrm is properly blasted on by lightning raining down and forcing it to dive dive dive deep into the earth and trying to leave nothing above ground for anyone to fire at.

[Tasri]

“R-reinforcements?!”'A'tasri yells out as Yuyuci's fiery arrow glints into the firmament. Her mismatched eyes focusing on the chocobo outrider with bow in hand. The display distracting her until Tad takes a blow from the sandy draconid. “No, mister swordsman!” She cries out, distressed that her savior had essentially been punted several fulms. A spray of sand is kicked up on either side as she rushes over toward Tad, aether focused at her feet to make her traversal akin to surfing across the surface of the dunes. Her hand laid on the warrior's shoulder, dully glowing with healing conjury. Focus, Tasri, focus…

Intent to stand her ground with the eastern tiger slayer, she thrusts her staff into the endless sea beneath her to draw out a length of sand that protrudes from the end of her staff. It's a narrow, jagged, and weak spear, not unlike the conjurer herself. But she doesn't budge from the lalafel's back.

[Tadashi]

Flicking his eyes around, Tad sizes up his three companions, wondering where the dragon would strike next. Flexing his hand to check if anything was badly broken, he finds that most of the damage was healed by the healer now cowering behind him. Calling to the general area he remarks, “Be on your ready. I don't know where it will come from next.” Then, more quietly to the figure behind him. “Do you know how to fight well?”

Shifting closer towards Novine, Tad sheaths his weapon once more, and stretches the freshly healed arm. “I will take your word for it.” he calls back to Novine. Then, muttering more quietly to himself, “The sand gets everywhere though…”

[Tasri]

“N-no…” A'tasri shakily answers, from this close proximity it would be blatantly obvious that this Miqo'te was barely a woman.

[Yuyuci]

Yuyuci watches the lightning shower from the strange floating figures above the sand creature. “Impressive…” she said to herself as she continued to march forward. The creature, however, buried itself beneath the dunes, immediately putting her on alert even in the presence of her expedient allies.

“Children…” she said under her breath. “Very well… I shall have to make due with what we have. It will be difficult to predict the creature, unless our Thaumaturge could create a sheet of ice on the surface. Should it attempt to resurface near us, we could see it coming since the ice will crack.”

[Novine]

Novine lets out another little annoyed 'tch' sound before the dragon buries itself again, annoyed that her lightning did not effect it the way that it would normally effect her opponents at the Spellstone. Novine notes Tad's condition, and seeing that he seems to have had his wounds repaired, she directs her attention to Yuyuci, this woman who suddenly appeared and thought she could tell them all what to do.

“Well of course I can do that,” she says in a prideful way, as if a bit insulted. “I'm gonna do it just because that was what I was gonna do anyway,” she explains with the air of a child who simply does not want to be bossed around. She drops to her knees, her butterflies flocking to her and remaining low to the sand as she starts casting, the sheet of ice extending outward and touching her constructs. The butterflies change hue, a dim frosty blue consuming them each in turn before the Lalafell moves a hand to her forearm. The three butterflies move outward from her, casting their own ice spells as she concentrates, expanding the ice's reach to a larger area. The act is a little more complex than she was used to and she furrowed her brow as evidence of the amount of focus it takes to manage the act.

[Blue]

[Yuyuci]

Yuyuci focuses her vision upon the the sheet of ice beneath them, ready to hop back with her steed should the beast be bold enough to emerge beneath them. The moment she sees the clear and cold surface begin to give way, she snatches the white haired Lalafell by the wrist and hovers away with Ourania's assistance. She releases him soon after, hoping the momentum would toss the lad away from the immediate danger.

The reborn creature was awe-inspiring. Perhaps she was in over her head. She didn't expect much from the second head; after all, creatures don't often take on such spontaneous transformations. Indeed, she imagined it was a trick of the eye, an illusion. Somehow a dragon simply glamored a new head. She was immediately proven wrong as the glob of acid shot out and landed on her covered forearm. It quickly began to eat through her sleeve and burned her arm, causing her to yell out in pain. Thinking quickly, she tears off the remainder of the sleeve and douses the affected area in water from her canteen. Her bird was quite aware of the danger and hovered a safe distance away from the action.

[Blue]

[Tasri]

While not accustomed to the rage of war, the sight of the yellow glowing holes threatening something ominous was quite apparent to A'tasri. Her eyes went wide as she looked to her myriad of companions, it's clear she was barely holding it together. But all the same, in her shaky, shrill voice. She yelled out, “I-I can contain it, just make ready to strike after the wall falls!”

Her sand-clad staff whirled in her grip as she traces a magic circle into the malleable earth around her. *Miyuki said there was divinity in all things, down to every last drop of the Ruby Sea.* She plunges her staff beneath the sands and with her ad-hoc ritual complete, the circle around her begins to surge with crackling aether. *Every last grain of sand is a god, I need only…pray!* She falls to her knees in prostration, practically eating the Sagolii beneath her. Grasping deep into the circle, she rises, labored, as if bearing a herculean weight, and with her: eight pillars of wrought of the desert rise around their bestial opponent, each several yalms high.

It's clear this spell is dangerous and potentially lethal to her, but she holds there, curled hands close to her chest. Ready to spread them wide as if throwing wide unseen gates, ready to enclose the beast's lethal attack.

[Novine]

Novine saw the cracks in the ice starting to form underneath her, so she rose up from her feet and made to retreat. However, despite it being her own magic, it was difficult to flee on ice, she found, especially when she didn't exactly specialize in physicality in her fighting. She scrambled pointlessly as the beast rose from the sands behind her. She managed to roll out of the way of the bite, but the whiskers were there soon after, tangling her up easily.

She let out a cry of surprise as she was snatched up from the moors of the earth. But she wouldn't let it get off so easily, heat starting to radiate around the girl before she let out a cry, a burst of flame pulsating out from her body as she attempted to get it to drop her.

[Tadashi]

Tad sees the crack, and moves away, but feels himself lifted from his feet, before being hurled onto the ice away from the blow. Shooting a glare at the mounted newcomer, he then sizes up the altered beast. Making note of the two heads, ability to spit acid, and now the glowing yellow nodes, Tad sighs. Now the unfamiliar, untrained wizard was attempting to immense magic and Novine was getting attacked. Taking a deep breath he thinks to himself, What have I gotten myself into?

Judging by the size of the attack, and his own training, Tad recognizes how exhausting the attack will be. Sighing, he slides into the fray, heading towards the wizard. Grabbing her by the back of her shirt, he growls to her, “Stop casting. You are going to drain yourself, and protecting your unmoving body is too much of a hassle. Go over to the butterfly lady and have her help casting if you want, but don't finish the cast.” Then, he glances up, finding Novine in the grasp of one of the heads.

Taking a deep breath, Tad let's go of the wizard, and drops his hand to his katana again. Curling around the blade, he draws quickly, attempting to once again slice the whisker to free Novine.

[Blue]

`Tadd would see himself as he battled opponent after opponent in Fesca's Wash. From the Arbor to the Bridge, sometimes falling, other times victorious.`

[Tasri]

A'tasri crumpled and fell to the shifting sands after her pillars weathered their intended assault, out of breath and beading no small amount of sweat from her brow. She was incredibly easy to move by the lalafelin swordsman, his words falling on deaf ears as she was rolled and slid some distance down the dunes by him. Unable to do more than lay there on her back, eyes wholly white, she's writhing on the ground and gasping for air. As if she'd been strangled within an ilm of her life and released to catch her breath once more. Alive, it would seem, and fighting to stay in the waking world with all her might.

[Novine]

Novine lands rather toughly in the sand, a cry sounding from her as she impacts the sands which did not give way as one might think. She quickly pushes herself to her knees, her armor bearing most of the impact as the vision strikes her. She looks carefully at the transformed creature, tilting her head in curiosity. Her eyes trace its markings and her brow furrowed as she looks up at it.

She pushes herself to her feet and raises her hand toward the creature convinced that perhaps immobilizing it would be better than killing it for now, especially if it did have something to do with that woman. F'loki would yell at her if she killed the chocobo keeper most likely.

With those practical thoughts in her mind, she positions her butterflies around the creatures legs. As she casts her own large spoke of ice toward one, the three butterflies mirror her attack to a lesser degree, the sharp spears of ice sailing toward it's limbs.

[Yuyuci]

The voice crosses Yuyuci's mind. Her eyes point back and forth as if to look for the source, but found no one besides the other three in the vicinity. “It is but another trick.” she said to herself. Her head tilted to the sky and spotted the glint of raining spears. They fell with no intent, no direction, like weaponized rain. Though they were difficult to predict, Yuci weaves between them with minimal strain.

She spotted the apparently lifeless body of the Conjurer behind Tad, who didn't seem very interested in getting her out of there, or perhaps, was too occupied batting away the creature. Not content with such carelessness, Yuci rolled backward off Ourania. She landed on her feet in the sand and pushed her lips together to make a complex string of whistles. The bird lets out a mighty “Kweh!” upon hearing them, running headlong into the danger to scoop up the Miqo'te with her beak. Yuci doused her next arrow head in a numbing agent, being careful with the nocking of her next arrow. “Stay still, you ornery beast…” she said softly, letting the drugged arrow fly towards the creature.

[Tadashi]

Tad's face twists into a grimace as the beast opens it's maw to eat him, breath reeking of sandworms, and who knows what else. Leaping back to dodge, the bite, he is once more greeted with a vision of the past, one that reminds him… of something? Someone? A glint from above, and sounds of something impacting in the sand let Tad about the projectiles firing towards him. He plants both hands on the ground, conjuring a small dome of sand around him, but slowly. A couple blades slice up his face and arms before the dome is completed, and Tad feels the impacts of more, as they bury themselves in the makeshift shelter.

Taking a moment to sort himself out, he flexes his arms to see if there was any loss of feeling. Checking his wounds, he retrieves a paste from a pouch near his waist, applying it to the cuts while mulling over the two visions. Clearly the beast was trying to remind him of something. The only thing I can think of in common was the blue couple… But why does the dragon have anything to do with that…

Upon hearing the impacts stop, Tad decides to slowly drop the back of his cocoon, emerging in time to see the unfamiliar lalafell coat the arrow in something. Apparently it is capturing time. he thinks to himself. Taking his sheath off his waist, he reverses it, so the blunt side is down, before reattaching it to his waist. Satisfied, he glances up towards the beast once more, watching for it's next move.

[Blue]

[Tretesta]

[Novine]

Novine laughs as the newcomer spars with her butterfly, clearly finding his attempt a bit humorous.

“What, us leave? So you can just die? You can't even neutralize an aetherial construct and you wanna fight that thing by yourself? People are stupid sometimes.”

She channels her aether into her forearm again, causing the butterflies to dance upward out of reach of his sword.

“Show me what you can do and then I'll leave it to you, otherwise, I've got a lesson I wanna teach that thing.”

[Tasri]

A'tasri wasn't in a state to answer the newcomer, nor fight the chocobo who had scooped her up with their beak. Whether in their maw or on the back of the saddle, she sounds like she's finally caught her breath at the least. *Not…dead, I think.* “Thank you, Gust…” She rasps out, recognizing her horsebirds isn't the hallmark of her mental faculties at the moment. More or less bouncing around like a ragdoll in their savior's grasp, it's keeping her awake for the moment!

[Tadashi]

Tad sighs as the newcomer joins the fight. Sand. Mutating monsters. Fledgling combatants. And now someone else to interfere? He shakes his head, shifts to defend Novine, now that the reckless conjuror was moved to safety. “Are you dealing with the new guy or the beast?” He mutters to her once she is in earshot.

[Yuyuci]

Yuyuci caught the man from the corner of her goggles, flailing about at some butterflies like a child swatting at flies. “Feeble children… Squabble amongst yourselves while I collect my purse.” she mutters to herself, nocking her next arrow. The thrashing of the beast ruined her aim, what with stray puffs of sand being spread everywhere and the wild movements in general. Still, she let the arrow fire in hopes of hitting the beast somewhere. Instead of firing a second for good measure, Yuyuci whistled once more in order to bring Ourania closer to her with fading Miqo'te in tow.

[Blue]

[Tretesta]

The man flinched as he was sprayed by some of the blood, but kept the tip of his saber leveled at the others. It darted between each of the three as they moved about and taunted, but he would not answer Novine's challenge. He lowered his free hand and slipped it beneath his robes, searching for something. Then the beast moved. Feeling the sand shift under his feet, the man looked up and back, and then stepped closer to the hydra to avoid the wild spray of corrosion.

Once the beast began lumbering forward, the man charged out ahead of it, bringing his sword back close to his body when he rushed at the group. He yelled and lashed his other hand out at the group of Novine and Tad ahead. “VAS ATHOOL!” A careful eye might catch a flash of white from the man's hand, then suddenly there was a large burst of colors and smoke between the two pairs

[Novine]

Novine sees the incoming nasty looking acid raining in toward her and she looks to Tad and makes the decision to jump in front of him and take the brunt of it. As it sizzles on her armor, she has a momentary look of panic on her face as she drops to the ground and tries her best at her least practiced art, that of conjury, desperately trying to wash the acid from her self, remembering a corrosive episode months prior, the possible damage to her body utterly terrifying to her.

Upon hearing the blue-haired man's shouting, she immediately drops her cleansing mission to summon a barrier in front of her to protect herself from whatever it was that was manifesting before her.

[Tasri]

Something seems to click, between the sounds of conflict, rage of the beast, yelling and being jostled around by a chocobo. A'tasri startles to full attentiveness once more, her gaze darts around, the immense pillars she had roused from the sands of the Sagolii have slumped down to be little more than eight sizeable mounds with massive shards of glass-like blades protruding from them. Drew from my own aether…auntie is gonna kill me when she finds out.

She makes an effort to wiggle free from the chocobos beakly grasp, finding her footing on the dunes near Yuyuci. With her little nap came a degree of introspection. “I-” She starts. “I think this drake is Spoken! I could hear them!”

[Tadashi]

Ignoring the acid that splatters onto his clothes, Tad glares at Novine, before clumsily conjuring a sphere of water over their heads and letting it drop on them, washing some of the acid away. Taking the moment of protection he sighs, and uncorks a bottle of numbing agent, applying it to his blade. He then speaks so only Novine hears, “That is probably a smoke bomb, so your barrier should either wrap around us, or we should attempt to cover for the other two. I don't feel like I can do much against the beast, so if you want to leave the swordsman to me, it would probably play to our strengths better.”

[Yuyuci]

Yuyuci looked up, watching the globs of acid sputter about the land. Not again. She dove to her left and avoided a second helping of corrosion to meet with Ourania who had just dumped A'thasri.

Hearing the young Miqo'te's words made it obvious that the voices she heard were not a trick; Yuyuci wasn't too proud to defer to a Conjurer's thoughts on the matter, even if she was young. The booming voice of the cloaked man caused her to shield A'tasri's body as best as she could with her small frame. “Spoken, you say…” she said, turning back to her bird to fish out a vial of something else.

“The Spoken should not be dabbling with tapping into the strengths of atrocious creatures.” She was livid. Between the children and this strange man coming to protect this creature, her annoyance was at an all time high. Yuci tied the vial to the end of her next arrow. A little trick of aether was all that was needed to heat up the projectile. Releasing the bowstring, she let the arrow fly past the smoke and towards the retreating beast. A little spark. That's all she needed to ignite the oil in that vial.

[Blue]

[Tretesta]

Running into the smokescreen, the man tried to lead the beast through to escape. But he was battered forward by the tumbling hydra, bursting out of the colorful smoke and flying towards the two near lalafels. striking the pair or not, he had no control over his trajectory. He'd catch a bad cut purely by super unfortunate luck from Tad's blade. A slash across the chest and deep cut to his right arm sprayed blood across the sand as the robed man tumbled out over the dunes.

He scrambled to get his feet under him and raise the saber at the pair. The tip wavered though, and he slowly started to back away as his white garmets began to stain red. The sword fell from his grasp to the sand, and the man pulled his hand back, flexing his hand and watching the others warily. As the beast took to the sky, his face followed it up, and he'd turn to take off across the desert, hoping the others were distracted enough by the flying beast to let him run off. Surely they wouldn't shoot an unarmed man?

[Novine]

Novine looks to Tad and lets down her barrier as she sees Tretesta run off.

“Well, if you wanna chase after him, be my guest. Unless you want me to trip him or something. I don't have any issue with him though, just that beast,” she says, watching it take flight above them. “I'm not letting that thing get away with attacking us,” she says stubbornly, focusing up at it in concentration. It soars a bit beyond the range she feels she can control her constructs within, and so she brings them in to flutter close above herself and Tad, ready to summon them to their defense at any moment.

And that opportunity seems to come sooner than later as the creature makes its u-turn. As it flies back around toward them, Novine sends the butterflies to fly in a course underneath the creature, peppering its underside with more of the ice crystals, smaller in nature this time as she monitors her aether.

[Tadashi]

Tad glances to the fleeing figure and sighs. *You won't get anywhere in that condition…* Pulling a simple metal bar from his bag, he jogs after the man, before unceremoniously hitting him on the back of the head, stunning the man temporarily. He binds the mans arms, before dragging him behind one of the mounds of sand. Fiddling in his pouch, he retrieves a bandage and some alcohol, before cleaning the wound and binding it. Satisfied that the man wouldn't be a threat, he emerges from behind the mound to observe what he had missed.

[Tretesta]

Moments later, snorting and spitting sand, the man staggered his way to the top of the sand mound he was hidden behind. His arms were still securely bound and turban had come partially askew, slid down further on his face from dragging himself up the hill. He seemed to barely be standing as it was between the poison coursing through his system and the head injury, shifting a bit on the crest of the small dune. Catching his breath, he'd bellow out “STOOOOOP!”

[Tasri]

A'tasri was stunned the turban-wearing reinforcement was being attacked by the swordsman who'd protected her prior, who was this man, who were these people? At the mention of Yuyuci's grumblings about bestial imitation, she can only offer softly. “They've an entire carnival dedicated to the practice…” And she glides off across the dunes, heading for the mound that Tad had taken a prisoner. *He's hurt.*

Cresting the dune, she was still bedecked in voluminous robes, a willowy thing still growing into newfound height. Her hood only jostles briefly when they yell out for cessation of the violence. The head of her cane pressed right up against the bound man's back, a warm sensation would flow through him. Knitting flesh, purging poison and making the pain a fading memory. She's hushed, conspiratorial and above all, curious, “That thing…is a she, aren't they? What's happening to her?”

[Yuyuci]

Yuyuci furrowed her brow at the Miqo'te. Was she being sassed? Who are these disrespectful children? She wouldn't be surprised if they were all dumped in the middle of the desert on purpose.

Time to nock another arrow. To hells with these kids, she thought. She had no intention of risking her bird again for their sake if some other nonsense goes down. However, the retreating beast's sudden transformation did not miss her gaze. Now it was a creature in flight, darting straight for the man who just yelled out a plea to cease fighting. The bellowing voice caught her off guard and she decided to comply for now, though she kept her arrow drawn, waiting to let loose another shot if it was necessary.

[Tretesta]

The man, startled by his unseen attacker and her stick on his back, whips around to face Thasri. Still blinded by his slid-forward turban, he'd begin to slowly step away. Back now to the other three, he spoke low “That thing is my life…” He jerked his head back to try and slide the headpiece back to see again, but moved too fast. Arms still bound and unable to help balance, the man teetered back. He kicked a leg up and out, trying to keep upright and struggling to not fall backwards down the hill.

[Blue]

[Tretesta]

The man lost his balance entirely, and began his fall down the dunes. He wouldn't finish, however. Like the lowly carp, the robed figure was snatched out of the sandy sea and carried off with a yell of suprise and pain. The white visored turban slowly drifted to the ground near Yuyuci, knocked off from the wind shear of flight

[Tadashi]

Tad ducks as the wyvern flies overhead, feeling its talons slip past him, before grabbing the figure he just bound. As the turban falls off, Tad stumbles back due to the air pressure, before finally arriving next to Novine. “He looks familiar, though the wyvern holding him can't be good for him. But they seem… to know each other? Is that possible Novine?” he asks, still keeping his eyes on the wyvern, prepared to defend if needed.

[Tasri]

A'tasri let out a surprised shriek as her conversation partner was snatched up off of the sound right in front of her. The speed of the beasts descent and passage makes her robe flutter violently. Instinctively does she raise her staff in defense.

“Like your wif-EEEEEEEEEK!”

It takes a moment for her to realize that the man is freakin' gone. Her gaze now passed over for Tad, Novine and Yuyuci. “I think that man has it under control, he knows her!”

[Yuyuci]

Yuyuci took the turban and stashed it away into Ourania's satchel. She looked up to the creature in flight, mostly focused on the man. She squinted. Hard.

Riding on her bird once more, she went back to the shattered, melting field of ice. Her eyes scanned the area in search of the severed whisker from earlier. Amidst the dunes, an object did appear in her vision that resembled such a thing, but it seemed to fade into nothing, causing her to suck her teeth in frustration. She turned to the party to address them. “You lot have it under control, now.” she says. “I am off to find out more about this incident. Those two can do whatever they wish behind closed doors, but disturbing the lands whenever they please can not be tolerated.” Her eyes narrow at A'thrasi this time. “Spoken or not, they must face the consequences.” And then, she rode off, doubting the creature would turn back with its… friend? Master? Lover? Whatever. With its man in tow.

[Novine]

Novine stays poised and watches the flying creature separate from them, hearing Tad's question and giving a non-commital shrug. “Sure. Anybody can know anybody or anything.”

As A'tasri decides to join them she nods. ” I've had a weird suspicion about that thing. It shared some visions with me that show someone seeing me with other people, kinda like a memory from a different perspective. The perspective would belong to Blue, that Au Ra lady that takes care of the chocobos back at the Crowns estate. But… I dunno, my head's been so full of weird stuff lately that I don't know what to make of it.” She pauses and looks to A'thasri. “You're pretty good though. Need some polish but… lemme know if you ever wanna work on your magic. I can teach you if you join up with my organization. I think you'd have a lot of potential.”

She tilts her head, watching its path carefully to see if it would circle back around. “Anyway, If it is her, then we probably should leave it alone. As much as I'm having fun, I think we probably showed it a lesson.” She looked to him and grins proudly, a bit smugly. “Did you see all the hits I got on it? I didn't think the ice'd be that effective, but there you go!”

[Tadashi]

Tad sheaths his sword before letting out a large sigh. Glancing between Novine and the conjuror he shakes his head. “If she joins the organization, someone needs to teach her not to knock herself out in the middle of combat. It looks like some fool decided to teach her magic, but not how to use it in combat…” Focusing back on Novine he shrugs. “If you say so.” Then, he smirks. “I would be surprised if you couldn't hit the thing… It was pretty big.”

Then, he looks away before saying more quietly. “You both did well. Thank you for the healing Miss Conjuror, and thank you for actually damaging the creature Novine…”

[Blue]

[Tretesta]

Once they were high enough, Tret called up to Blue to guide her northward and towards hopeful safety. It wasnt a comfortable ride, but he had gotten away with only a few wounds. They had just passed Zanr'ak when suddenly freefall and screaming. Feeling himself grabbed again, Tret was looking down over Blue's shoulder at the rapidly approaching earth. His arms still secured behind his back, Tret jerked his body around, turning them. He full well intended to take the force of the impact on himself, but was only able to turn them sideways.

[Tasri]

The Miqo'te was a difficult read from beneath her hood at first, A'thasri dipped her head toward Novine as the compliments were offered her way. Though she errs on the side of humility, annoyance present in her tone with Tad's assertions about her teacher. “My failures are my own, master swordsman. Lay them my feet, not mistress Sui and master Sumi-Yan.” A delicate hand pulls back her head covering to show a youthful Seeker girl, offense writ in her mismatched eyes of amber and brown.

After a pause, she relents. “Thank you for the aid, both of you. I should…follow the vague direction of that thing, though.”

[Novine]

Novine lets out a proud little triumphant chuckle when Tad compliments the efficiency of her damage, choosing to ignore the slight about how it was easy to hit because it was big. She turns to the conjurer and nods. “Yeah, no problem. When you find it, give it a kick from me. I'm done fighting it. I'm already bored of it, and as long as it's not messing around here still, I wanna do what I came here to do in the first place and relax,” she intones, turning and walking several steps away and deactivating her armor, the black fabric and plate folding away from her and into the impossibly small confines of the little gold ring on her finger with the simple press of the lavender stone inlaid within it.

[Yuyuci]

Though Yuyuci is correct in her guess to head northward, she lost track of her quarry and banked towards the west, instead. “Burnt Lizard Creek…” she mused to herself. The coincidence was not lost on her. However, the two were nowhere to be seen. It was a loss. The most she could do was confirm the beast's disappearance and claim whatever meager amount of coin that would earn her.

Frustrated, yet still resolute, she took the reigns of her bird once more and rode north once more, returning to Ul'dah to reconvene with her son and grandson.

[Tadashi]

Tad looks at the conjuror skeptically, unsure that she should continue in that state. “You just collapsed, and now you want to track a flying wyvern?I really wouldn't in your condition, but all power to you.” Tad nods towards Novine. “I am done fighting it as well. I don't need you to kick it for me though.” Then, he turns to follow Novine. “This better be REAL relaxing…”

[Blue]

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Home –> Character Index –> Blue — Novine — Tadashi — Tasri — Yuyuci — Tretesta