Spirit's Resolution: The Invasion of Mana

The Acuatl Marsh was as vivid and beautiful as it often was, resting just on the outskirts of the large city of Myridan and growing outwards to the west for quite a while. However, the marsh was just as dangerous as it was beautiful, harboring all sorts of ill-mannered creatures that lurk beneath the waters and hide within the mossy trees. The Myridan city planners wanted not for this nature to go to waste and invested in a long walk that skirted around the outer portions of the marsh that followed along the Novarian River that snaked through the west and around the south side of the city. It was the main water source for many cities in Lyreth, the small pocket dimension that harbored all of this natural beauty. The path was constructed and used constantly, but even with it being so heavily trafficked, it was still visited upon by quite a few monsters. City police and marsh wardens teamed up to crack down on the creatures, but every once in a while a casualty finds its way into the news. 'Tis always a tragedy.

This day, the sun was high in the blue sky with various puffy clouds drifting about lazily. The past week had been full of rain so this was a welcome sight to all the denizens. The path was filled with the sounds of harmless marsh animals--the croaking of frogs, and the calls of different species of birds. It was so peaceful. A young woman on the walk dressed in a gorgeous black dress hummed a solemn tone as her heels clicked against the reinforced wooden boards that made up the walkway. She had taken great care to make sure her eyeliner was perfect that morning, along with her black lipstick and the rest of her makeup. She had brushed her hair, so straight and lustrous now, the gentle breeze lightly picking it up and dropping it against her shoulders and back. It would be messed up for sure by the time she made it back to Myridan that evening but she cared not. She stopped and placed a hand on the wooden railing, her violet painted nails reflecting the sunlight as she gazed across the large, clean river. It was a sight she would never get tired of.

Looking down at the river bed, something caught the young woman's eye. Were those...people? Lying in the sand? It wasn't completely uncommon but something was very off. She couldn't sense a psyche in any of them. That was bizarre. Too bizarre. What was this weird feeling she was getting? It was...frightening. Her heart started to beat faster. She had to get to the bottom of this. Without even a moment's hesitation, she ran farther along the walkway until the sandy riverbed became present at the base of the cliff as opposed to just being water earlier on. She hopped over the railing and slid down the dirt cliff slope, kicking up dust as she hurried down. Coming to a stop on the sand, she ran closer to the trio of people just lying perfectly lined up just out of reach of the lapping waves of the river. All of them had different manners of dress. One had light clothing on and a bow and arrow. She was reminiscent of a hunter of old, granted many hunters of that sort still existed today. The next fellow was a bit scary looking with his vest and police-like gear. Was he a police officer? He wasn't wearing any uniform that she recognized. The last girl was wearing very skimpy clothing, but it was...fitting. The glasses...was she a student? The people didn't look like they belonged together at all. And again, the could sense no psyche, and even worse, no Spirit.

The young woman waved a hand in the air and produced a goblet made of brass. Concentrating for a few moments, she tilted the goblet and looked inside to reveal a strange light green liquid. Perfect. She took enough time to visit each one of the people on the sand, tilting up their heads and pouring some of the liquid down their throats. They were so cold to the touch--lifeless almost. Where on earth had they come from? They couldn't have washed up on shore--they were completely dry. There was no sign of them ever being wet. With the glasses girl taken care of, that completed her task. All that was left now was for the overwhelming warmth from her potion to well up from within them all and revive them from their coma-like states. She crossed her arms and patiently awaited the answers she would make sure she received.

"Just for tonight Nastasia, darling." The slurred words rang in her ears like the cruelest of bells. A wooden door slammed shut in her face. She wanted to fume! The giggles that resounded from behind that cruel wooden door, shortly followed by heavy drunken kisses made her absolutely furious! The girl dressed fittingly for her position removed her glasses to pinch the bridge of her nose––no, now was not the time to lose her temper. There would be nothing gained from yelling now, not when the fool had enough gin in his system to block out a hundred person symphony orchestra.

Nastasia sighed. Her shoulders slumped in the most uncharacteristic way, but she did not collapse in on herself. She merely readjusted her glasses and turned, rather sharply, away from the door. "Gods damn you, Aaron Strider," she muttered under her breath as she retreated from her client's dressing room, her beautiful red heels clicking against the beautiful hardwood floor with each step. Her mouth scrunched up into a sour puss. The dancer had really done it this time; sure, he had the night to himself after the wedding had been attacked by assassins, but had it really been necessary to seduce that poor girl...? No. Nastasia shook her head. Her client's companion was not poor, nor was she girl.

She was a woman. A slut. One of the girls hanging out on the corners looking for some gold. Aaron was lucky to have a capable manager, such as herself, to keep his expenses in check. Otherwise he'd quickly find himself shit out of luck! Nastasia scowled, eliciting a growl as she slammed her heel into the ground. The air around her stirred. Mana collected at her fingertips, but quickly scattered as she did nothing with it, continuing on her way. The man was lucky she didn't just quit with how much trouble he gave her. All day long she put up with his demands and antics––something she knew no other person on this planet would do, not even if they were paid double her salary––all the while making sure that nothing was out of place and that he had gigs booked well in advance.

Again, Nastasia sighed. All in a day's work, I suppose, she thought glumly, having drifted into the nearby inn. Aaron had the special feather bed he requested sitting in his extravagant dressing room––she slept in one of the shared room with the other members of his entourage. Tonight she would share a room with Cas and Helena. When she entered their assigned room, however, she found that she had it entirely to herself. The young woman blinked, wiping her glasses off with her dress to make sure she was not seeing things. She wasn't.

The room was empty, save for the bed which held a little white note. Nastasia picked it up. She smiled almost immediately as she read the small note left specifically for her. It seemed her roommates had given her the room to herself for the night. They said she looked like she could use it after the long day's travel and frustrations. "How sweet," the manager whispered, immediately setting the paper aside. She fell back on the bed, sighing in relief as she felt the soft cotton beneath her. She could almost fall asleep right... Without even realizing it, Nastasia closed her eyes and drifted into the soundest sleep. The day had, after all, been more strenuous on her than she could have ever realized.

The feeling of something warming the pit of her stomach, however, roused her. "Helena? Cas?" she mumbled in her sleep, feeling the warmth spread throughout her entire, sleepy body. Nastasia stretched, a yawn escaping her mouth, but she stifled it when it seemed to grate her throat. Wh-what?! she thought, eyes shooting open as the warmth reached a climax and then faded away. She swallowed harshly, vision a blur despite her corrective lenses. Her dainty hands flew to her glasses, removing them before she kneaded her eyes to try to make sense of the chaos that was the world around her.

The air smelled different. Was that... swamp? Nastasia shook her head in disbelief, rubbing the haze from her eyes before putting her glasses back on. The sight of what was, in fact, a swamp flooded her vision. "The hell!?" she cried out suddenly, clutching the sand around her in a desperate attempt to make sense of her current situation. Her eyes shot down to the sand. She looked between it and the swamp, before her eyes settled on the woman who had (albeit not to her own knowledge) rescued her. "Ohhhhh..." she scowled, fists clenching. "Aaron Strider, I swear to the Gods if you're behind this you will not live to tell the tale!" she growled, pulling herself to her feet. She approached the woman, arms crossed over her bosom. "Alright, how much did he pay you to do all this? You know what? Never mind. Can you just point me in the direction of Archaea? I'll deal with him myself." The frown on her face said she meant business and nothing less.

"Mother!" The girl called out, ducking beneath the low canopy of leaves and leaping to the next branch available. The forest was dark, but she could see everything just fine. After all, she was her mother's child. Natalia Thorn swung from one of the branches down to the next level below her and found herself in a small enclosure of wood, 300 feet above the ground. "Mother, I'm back!" Natalia called again, looking around in the dark for signs of her mother. Strange, she couldn't find her. And she had promised to be here too! Disappointment first ran through her, then a slight hint of worry.

"C'mon Netta, pull yourself together," the girl said to herself, shivering a little bit from the chill in the air. It was getting steadily colder now, and finding game to hunt was getting more difficult. She was worried that something happened to her mother now, what with her negligence to show up and all. The forest groaned around her as the wind started to pick up and Netta moved further inside the enclosure. She took off her gear and laid it by her bedside made of twigs and dried moss. Her mother would show up for sure, she just wanted to take a short nap.

Lightning crashed and the thunder boomed in her ears, eliciting a scream from Netta's throat as she was shocked into wakefulness. She jumped out of her bed in that instant with wide and pale green eyes. She glanced up and saw that the enclosure had begun to catch fire directly over her head. It was no longer safe here. Natalia snatched up her gear and put it on as quickly as she could before the next bolt could strike. She reached the opening of her home and was about to jump over to the nearest branch when the trees her home was attached to began to sway unevenly.

Netta nearly lost her balance there, but she barely managed to keep herself up...until another bolt of lightning shot down right in front of her and snapped one of the trees in half. Netta screamed again, feeling the branches beneath her give way and she fell. Three-hundred feet was no small distance, but it closed within a fraction of a second, and Natalia knew nothing but darkness then.

Then, life was brought back to her. Something warm and wet was sliding down her throat. She remembered this feeling, it reminded her of her father. But that couldn't be it, he was long since dead. That nightmare was long done and gone. And she was too, wasn't she? Unless...

"M-Mother?" Netta murmured weakly, her eyes fluttering open and she saw that she was not in her forest any longer, nor was that woman hovering over her resembling her mother at all. Netta swallowed. She closed her eyes again and curled up into a ball and wept.

It was another night in Paragon City, and another job for Wolfgang Scargrip. Despite its name, the city was far from a virtuous society, and far from being qualified as legitimate governance anymore. It was closer to a savage jungle than anything else, overrun with the stink of blood and the foul dealings of corrupt politicians and mafia drug rings. To anyone else, it was an utter hell hole of lawlessness, but to Wolfgang it was a horde of opportunities. It didn’t matter if his client was a corporate pig in a finely-pressed business suit, or some wrinkly old mob boss that could stand to lay off the cigarettes, work was work and morality was no issue… except he always brought his targets in alive. The one thing Wolfgang would never do is take a life in his own hands, and he trained himself only to pummel opponents within an inch of their lives… no further. Gaining such a reputation, many employers valued the idea that targets were worth more alive than dead and often paid for his services to bring in people that rivaling factions could use as leverage.

Life for the young mercenary was as simple and elementary as it could get for someone of his profession until this very fateful night. He had been trying tracking a particularly elusive man in the city over the course of weeks and at last engaged in pursuit in the abandoned district of Paragon. Something was peculiar about this target, though. It was almost as if the man expected Wolfgang to chase him from the very beginning, and deliberately left a trail of clues to track him. It was almost as if he wanted to be caught. Still, Wolfgang never questioned a client’s word and did what he was told; the target making himself easier to find just meant easier pay.

At last, the target ran inside a dilapidated cathedral with nowhere else to run. Wolfgang kicked down the doors and followed suit, finally confronting his target.

"You got nowhere left to run... Vergil. It's time to take you in."
"...Wolfgang Scargrip. I don't think you know what you're dealing with."
"Yeah? That's supposed to scare me? Too bad for you pal, I don't rattle easily. Just come with me peacefully and I won't have to rough you up. I was already warned by my client that you'd try to mess with my head. Save it."
"You damned fool. You're too blind to see you're being played, aren't you? You're just a pawn in an infinite stalemate."
"Heh... I'm just here to do a job, nothin' more. If all you're gonna do is talk all this nonsensical bullshit then maybe you should just give up now. Doesn't look like you're gonna come quietly though. Oh well, that just makes things a little more fun."
"Predictable. I thought you would be different from the rest but it turns out you're just another puppet. How boring. I wonder when you will realize that you're only here because of me?"
"You're startin' to piss me off, pal. I'm done talkin'."

Mock Mission: Showdown

Location: Paragon City - Abandoned Cathedral

Objective: Uncover the truth.

Atmosphere: Fated Battle - Result of this battle is predetermined.

Music: Versus Vergil

Spoiler:

{ } { } { } { } { } A
{ } { } { } { } { } B
{ } { } { } { } { } C
{ } { } {V} { } { } D
{ } { } { } { } { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } G
{ } { } {W} { } { } H
-1---2---3---4---5

Combatants:

Wasting no time, Wolfgang drew out his baton and flicked out its electrical component, charged and at the ready. Rushing towards Vergil, he delivered a swing.

Wolfgang moves to E-3.
Wolfgang attacks Vergil! 5 ATK DMG!

"Is that really all you're capable of? I expected a little better."
"Watch it... I'm just gettin' started."
"Your foolhardiness is at least somewhat amusing to me. If only you knew the extent of this world... and the many worlds and planes that exist. I simply allowed you to be a part of this one."
"I thought I told you to cut the crap."
"Soon you will understand the power which I grasp... and those like me. Maybe then you can break free from the puppeteer's strings and become something more. For now, I grow weary of your presence, so I shall put an end to this trivial confrontation. Begone."

Vergil uses Flood of Lethe!



E̸͉̭̖̤̱͈R͇̙̀ͅR͙̙̰O̷̦̬̬R͙̟͈̘̥͈͓͞.̢̳͇ ̣̭̠̲ͅB͈̬͙A̷̻̖̝̙T͖̙̦̯̗T͎͔̟̜L͓̦̬̗͞ͅE͜F̬̯̝̭̱̕ͅĮ͇̥̱̫̼ͅE̪̟̞̹̰Ḷ̴͈̣̹ͅD̢̻̻ ̥͎̺̺͔̙̩C̤͍̬̮͚̜͟O͇͓̟R̖̱͉̲R̷͍͚̝͍U̩̭̗͔P̠̩Ṱ͉̥̮̮̙͟É͚͇̹͙Ḍ̛̯̪̖̻̘̪.̣͈̲͖̭̜̱



Darkness. Nothingness. All was engulfed in the spectral flood as Wolfgang felt himself drown in a sea of void until he slowly closed his eyes. Soon he woke up, violently shaking in spasms and sweating as he coughed up the liquid that was poured down his throat. He could not remember where he had been, nor what had happened the night before. In his groggy state, he tried to regain his wits, getting up and walking over to a nearby river. He stared at his reflection momentarily, oblivious to the fact that he was no longer in Paragon City. He splashed water on his face, trying to snap into a more alert state. He continued doing so until a small fish flopped out of the stream and smacked him in the face. It was then he knew something was off. "Wait a minute," he began to realize the situation that was setting in. "This isn't my apartment... where am I? Why am I in a swamp, Paragon City doesn't have any swamps unless... shit." He looked back and forth at his surroundings, noticing absolutely nothing familiar. He spotted three girls nearby, two of which seemed to be talking about shoes or some shit while a third was crying.

Judging by the clothes, he was somewhere very, very far away from his home. Normally, his priority would be to gather his bearings and try to find a way home, however his home was to be frank: total shit and it would be a wonder why anyone in the right mind would voluntarily go to Paragon City. Perhaps he could live somewhere in a nearby town, find an honest job and make a good living without all the crime. He was certain they probably wouldn't take his currency, so he'd be starting from scratch. It was fine for him, as he had recovered from a burn notice before. In the meantime, he would have to figure out where the hell he was... perhaps the women would know.

"Excuse me!" He called out as he made his way back over to them. "Do any of you ladies know exactly where I am?"

It was just as the young woman had expected. All three of them were lost--displaced. They possessed their memories; that was a relief. But from where had they come? And how? For now it seemed as though they had answers of their own they were interested in attaining, save for the hunter girl lying in the sand crying. There was no telling what distress she may be experiencing. Without a clear grasp on what was going on, it was hard for the woman to offer much aid. She would start with addressing them and their most immediate concerns and see where that would go. The woman rubbed her temples in thought before gazing into the eyes of the feisty girl in front of her claiming this to all be some sort of ill-mannered trick, but by the gods this was no simple trick.

"To be blunt, I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea who 'he' is, but I assure you I have been compensated by nobody. Additionally, I know not of this Archaea of which you speak," the woman explained, gesturing to the surrounding area. "It is not any place that I've heard of, unfortunately." She spared a glance to the man in the distance who had the rather humorous encounter with the river fish. The alleged officer. Though he didn't look very official. Perhaps a hired hand?

"I'm...sure this will be irrelevant to you, but you are in the Acuatl Marsh, right outside the great city of Myridan," she answered truthfully, more than willing to divulge such information because it would be a test. She was starting to garner a hunch--that these people were not of this world. Anyone in Lyreth would know of Myridan. It was one of the largest and most important cities in the entire dimension. If they were not of this realm, then that could only mean one of two things: they were displaced Spirit users from other worlds and dimensions, or they were beings of Mana. Her heart skipped a beat at the mere thought. Mana could not find its way here. This dimension was hidden and hidden well. Sealed. Neither Mana itself as an entity or those who wield it could make it to this place. And yet, here lies the possibility. She crossed her arms once more and held her breath, but she stopped being so tense when she realized the hunter girl had not stopped crying.

The woman knelt by the girl's side and wiped some of the tears from her cheek. "Hey there, don't cry. I know things aren't very clear for you right now, but not all hope is lost," she crooned gently, trying to soothe this sorrowful soul. She couldn't understand why but she felt so sad holding this weeping girl. The woman wasn't always so kind, but her heart could not help but melt at this sight--at these displaced souls. They had certainly met with an interesting fate.

A sniff. Netta looked up at the woman who was doing her best to calm her down. The flow of tears stopped for a moment. Netta sniffed again, feeling congested, her eyes reddened already in the short time she had spent crying. She's nice, Natalia thought to herself, watching the woman through those murky green eyes of hers. And pretty. I wish I was pretty, like her. Netta found herself wishing, despite herself. Netta still had her hands wrapped around her legs, but she did stop crying for the moment, her stress somewhat forgotten.

Netta glanced around her. A swamp. This was definitely not her home. Her home was destroyed, for all she knew. She didn't have anywhere to go back to; that storm destroyed the place where she lived and her mother probably died in it too. Thinking of that made the tears flow again. The place where she lived didn't really have a name other than "forest." Her mother never really let her go outside the boundaries of the wooded area, staying as far away from civilization as possible. After all, that's what her mother had tried to do, and she ended up getting whisked away on some grand adventure that started with her looting some random ruin.

Natalia sniffed again. "You're nice," she said. "I didn't know nice people lived outside my forest."

It looked like his fears were confirmed and now he was in a different world altogether than the one he was used to. Too bad the first place that he ended up in was some marsh whose name he couldn't even pronounce. Chances were, finding his way back would be nigh-impossible considering the fact that he didn't even know how he managed to stumble upon this world to begin with... not like there was anything to really go back to. This world seemed so simple, at least at first glance. It reminded Wolfgang of the movie he once saw about fictional swamps and how ogres and talking donkeys live in them. The question that bothered him the most was what was he going to do if he planned on staying in this realm for an indeterminate amount of time? There was doubt that anyone of this world would require a man of his particular skillset, though he wasn't going to rule out the fact that it could change. It was probably really fucked up for Wolfgang to hope that this world was not exempt from the concept of crime and that someone would appreciate becoming one of his clients.

Wolfgang decided the best place to start was to get to know the locals, or rather the only person that actually knew where he was. The other two seemed just as lost as he was. All impressions had to begin with the introduction. "My name's Wolfgang," he announced, sweeping aside a lock of his bister-colored hair that had fallen out of place. "This may sound crazy, but I'm not from around here. I don't technically know where 'here' actually is. You don't think you could take me to the nearest town could you? The city of... Myr... i... dan... right?"

Nastasia blinked. Did the woman just say she knew not of Archaea? "What?" she asked, her voice only adding to her disbelief. The woman went on to explain, comments directed at another individual seemingly lost like the manager herself, that they all were currently in the Acuatl Marsh. Again Nastasia blinked. Acuatl Marsh? Just outside the city of Myridan? Where the hell had she been taken too?! If any of them had been paying close enough attention to her, they would have noticed the slightest outline of a vein in her forehead.

"Did he send me to some other continent?" Nastasia growled to herself, unable to halt the swelling of mana that accompanied the comment. The substance foreign to this world practically sharpened the very air around her––her perfectly manicured nails tore right into her skin like claws when she clenched her first. The young manager held her breath, rage bubbling just barely beneath the surface. She stamped her foot causing the energy to fly and shoot through the very sand she stood on, sending a stream of malleable earth snapping at the water only to dissipate into nothingness.

Nastasia exhaled heavily. Everything: mana, rage, and all dissipated into a calm as she pinched the bridge of her nose yet again. When this motion fell to the side, the sorceress offered a stoic glance at the woman who had rescued her. "I don't know particularly what is going on here," she stated evenly, "but I'd like to find out. If you haven't heard of Archaea, then perhaps someone in this city––this Myridan––has. Can you take me there, please?"

The woman had continued to cradle the girl that had been crying but it seemed as though she calmed down a bit now.  That was definitely for the best.  She mentioned something about a forest of sorts.  At first the woman might have hypothesized that the girl was from the Evrud Forest to the north, but since she was grouped with these others who were clearly otherworlders, she ditched that theory rather quickly no matter how much she wished to believe it.  "There are plenty of nice people in Myridan," the woman assured the girl she was holding so gently, but her eyes darted up towards the other girl who had used something that the woman wished she hadn't.

Mana.

The woman brushed the girl's cheek one more time before gently lying her back on the sand and standing up.  "It is clear to me now that you all are not of Lyreth.  That is the name of this dimension.  It is also clear to me that you are no users of Spirit."  The woman trembled and she gripped the handle of her goblet tightly.  It was her duty to eliminate them or turn them into the authorities.  That had always been the plan in the case that something like this happened.  However, these people just seemed lost.  They were no invaders.  No destroyers of dimensions.  Certainly no harm to Spirit...right?  There was a bigger problem here and that was even if good Mana users could enter, it meant bad ones could as well, or even Mana itself as an entity, and that would spell out demise for the realm.

"My name is Claire Connors, and I regret to tell you that you will not find your Archaea here, nor anyone who has heard of it.  I can take you to Myridan City, but not only that, I must."  She ran a hand through her raven black hair and turned on her heel to face the slope leading back up to the wooden walkway.  "I must inform the Cordelian Council of the situation however I will refrain from turning you over to the authorities.  You would do well to trust me and lay low unless you wish to lose your lives.  It is as simple as that.  Your kind...is not welcome here."  She wasn't sure if they fully understood but if they didn't they would certainly be made aware in the near future.

"Just follow me for now.  In the case we come across any marshland creatures, you'd best prepare yourself.  Your Mana is not very effective in this realm.  Don't be devastated if you are not as powerful as you once were," Claire explained as she moved off towards the slope, expecting the others to follow her...or not.  What other choice did they have?  Where were they honestly going to go in a world they did not know?  In a world in which they had nothing?

Claire ascended the slope with ease and crawled over the railing to reach the walkway once more.  She did not bother looking down to see if the others followed.  Already she could tell there was trouble brewing farther back the path towards the city.  Perhaps the monsters had been waiting all this time to ambush a young lone woman.  They were in for a rude awakening.  "Show yourselves, cowards," she muttered as the waters of the nearby marsh bubbled, and from underneath the surface arose several strange plant-like creatures, their bell-shaped violet and orange flowers emitting a strange purple smoke.  Long roots helped them mobilize, and long vines acted as their appendages.  They made strange noises as they advanced.  High above, a single bird kept watch over all the goings-on.  Of course things could never be so easy.  Claire raised her hands: the brass goblet from before appearing in her left while an oaken wand appeared in her right.  These pushovers would not live to see tomorrow.

Chapter 00: Arrival in a New Dimension

Location: Acuatl Marsh - Riverbed Walk

Objective: Defeat all enemies!

Achievement: Grounded - Take down the Marsh Pecker with an attack or spell of the Earth element. [3 AP]

{ } { } { } { } {r} A
{ } { } {F} { } {r} B
{L} { } {H} { } {r} C
{ } { } {T} { } {r} D
{ } { } { } { } {r} E
{ } { } { } { } {r} F
{ } { } { } { } {r} G
{ } { } { } { } {r} H
{ } { } {C} { } {r} I
{ } { } { } { } {r} J
-1---2---3---4---5

Claire (Thaumaturge) *GOBLET: 0%*
HP: 15/15
SE: 30/30
DD: 0/10
Atk: 1
Def: 2
Psy: 6
Fai: 4
Evade: 1%
Move: 2 cells

Fetaro (Marsh Pecker)
HP: 15/15
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 4
Def: 2
Psy: 1
Fai: 2
Evade: 5%
Move: 4 cells

Lily (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Tulip (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Hydrangea (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

{r} - Railing
[No Occupy]

Players may start in rows I-J!

Lyreth.

Another dimension. She had been transported from that tiny little inn in Archaea to a foreign dimension. This was clearly beyond the doing of her frustrating client. Worse than that, the woman had said that they were not welcome here––in this world they should have been turned over to the authorities for merely existing in the confines of its reality! Nastasia felt as if Death himself had just passed over her with that very thought. The little color she had drained from her face but she forced herself to stay coherent. Passing out or having a panic attack right now would get her nowhere.

When the woman began climbing the slope, the young manager quickly followed suit. "Not as powerful?" she echoed in response, thinking back just those few moments to when she had almost lost her cool. Her mana seemed to connect with her desires just as easily as it did the previous night. "I'm sorry, but could you–"

Her words cut to silence as the creatures suddenly stormed the area. Nastasia's eyes flew to each one, mentally adding up the totals on each side. So long as those other two came with them they would have a total of four. It would be an even match. But if... the sorceress' eyes returned to the woman who had summoned a wand in addition to her goblet. Another practitioner of magic. "I'll take your word for it," Nastasia stated calmly, trying her best to prepare herself for the inevitable fight.

Nastasia starts at I4!

There she went on again, the woman apparently known as Claire was using more names of places that Wolfgang could not mark on any map he had seen. According to her information, the locals weren't going to take kindly to his type either. That didn't bother Wolfgang however, as he was used to making it onto the hitlist of several gangs and businesses just because he had happened to be working with clients who also had enemies. He was used to fending for his life against bounty hunters and assassins, yet never dealt the finishing blow, allowing them to fight him again another day in eternal rivalries. The girl was more than willing to guide him and the other two girls to the city, and it would be there that they would be judged by some sort of council, at least that's what he had figured.

Claire had also mentioned something about the authority figures and Wolfgang began to wonder what they were like. If they were similar to the cops in Paragon City, then they would be people no citizen, innocent or otherwise would want to meet. In such a dystopian place it was easy for someone to say or do the wrong thing and get their throats slit in a heartbeat, and in this new world it appeared just the same could happen... there was just no winning, but it wasn't like he had a choice anyway but to follow along. Claire suddenly stopped to call out to the distance for something. Momentarily, a group of moving plants made their presence known while a winged creature observed them. Judging by Claire's expression they weren't here for a cordial meet-and-greet, as she somehow conjured a goblet and wand out of thin air.

Wolfgang honestly wished he could have said that was the strangest thing he saw all day, however he stopped questioning things the moment Claire said something about the word "Mana". For whatever reason the word stuck in his mind more than anything else, yet he could not comprehend what it was. For the time being he would just assume it was all just magical nerd shit and move on; he had these plants to worry about after all. "Damn, I left my string trimmer at home. Guess we're doing this the ol' fashioned way." Wolfgang reached for his belt, retrieving his baton. With a quick flicking motion the baton bared its long probe which let out an electrical buzz.

"Nobody's gonna die while I'm around."

Wolfgang starts in I-2

Chapter 00: Arrival in a New Dimension

Location: Acuatl Marsh - Riverbed Walk

Objective: Defeat all enemies!

Achievement: Grounded - Take down the Marsh Pecker with an attack or spell of the Earth element. [3 AP]

{ } { } { } { } {r} A
{ } { } {F} { } {r} B
{L} { } {H} { } {r} C
{ } { } {T} { } {r} D
{ } { } { } { } {r} E
{ } { } { } { } {r} F
{ } { } { } { } {r} G
{ } { } { } { } {r} H
{N} {W} {C} {A} {r} I
{ } { } { } { } {r} J
-1---2---3---4---5

Claire (Thaumaturge) *GOBLET: 0%*
HP: 15/15
SE: 30/30
DD: 0/10
Atk: 1
Def: 2
Psy: 6
Fai: 4
Evade: 1%
Move: 2 cells

Netta (Artificer)
HP: 20/20
MP: 20/20
DD: 0/10
Atk: 6
Def: 3
Int: 1
Spr: 4
Evade: 5%
Move: 4 cells

Wolfgang (Restrainer)
HP: 25/25
MP: 20/20
DD: 0/10
Atk: 5
Def: 4
Int: 1
Spr: 2
Evade: 3%
Move: 3 cells

Nastasia (Sorceress)
HP: 15/15
MP: 30/30
DD: 0/10
Atk: 1
Def: 2
Int: 5
Spr: 4
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Fetaro (Marsh Pecker)
HP: 15/15
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 4
Def: 2
Psy: 1
Fai: 2
Evade: 5%
Move: 4 cells

Lily (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Tulip (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Hydrangea (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 10/10
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

{r} - Railing
[No Occupy]

Player Phase 1!

Claire moves to G3.

Too far away, Claire thought as she wasted no time in hurrying forward.  She was pleased to see that all three of the others had decided to accompany her.  It was wise if they valued their lives.  If any other person had chanced upon them there was a large chance that person would turn the strangers over to the authorities for a generous bounty.  Claire could honestly do the same but she was not interested in essentially sentencing these people to death.  There were more important things to look into like how they came to be in this realm.  The Cordelian Council would no doubt launch a full scale investigation.  Just how much would she reveal to them?

Waving her wand and goblet through the air, she let loose with two bolts of energy from her psyche, watching as they collided with the plant just a few yards away from her.  She hated how limited the range was on her only attack spell, but she was not the type of magician to falter in that situation.  Others would stand in the rear where they were safe, and perhaps that would be a method she would resort to when she gained new spells, but for now she would be on the frontlines with the others.

Wolfgang, Netta, and....the other girl.  

Haha, she didn't introduce herself yet, Claire chuckled mentally.  There would be time for that.  For now they had to overcome this current obstacle.  She needed to get to Myridan and fast.  She wondered if he was off work yet...

Claire attacks Tulip! 2 hits! 6 Dmg per hit! (PSY)

Nastasia moves to G4!

Nastasia stuck close to the woman's side as she approached the creature, expertly felling the first plant with a fairly basic attack spell. The young sorceress could not help but stare. "That's pretty impressive," she offered with a small smile––not to say she was happy about her situation, but for once there was someone around who could appreciate her craft. Sure, she enjoyed––well, she tolerated handling Aaron's career, but she never got to simply discuss magic with anyone. Although between the two of them they had different approaches, clearly using different energies, she could not help but feel a connection.

It was at that moment that she realized the woman, Claire, had given them her name. She, herself, had failed to return the favor. "I'm Nastasia, by the way," she stated, emerald eyes darting to the line of foes which still stood in their way.

There was just something about fighting plants that seemed unusual to Wolfgang... other than the fact that they were plants. Up until this point he had been accustomed to fighting opponents with more rigid limbs and pressure points, making it easier for him to use their own bodies against them. How in the world would he go about choking a plant? Perhaps he could wrap his hands around the stalk and shake it vigorously until it stopped moving, but the idea was stupid. He would try anyway at some point, because he figured "why not"? Wolfgang suspected these weren't going to be the only enemies he'd encounter while in this world, so he was prepared to treat each one as if they were humans in order to simplify his attack plan every time.

Now all he had to do was figure out which enemy to strike first. The bird was too far in the distance to reach even if he dived for it, so his only options were the somehow-sentient flowers. He lifted his finger and scanned it across his field of vision for a good target to attack until he stopped at the hydrangea. The hydrangea was a favorite flower of one of his ex-girlfriends, so he ultimately decided to go for the creature that resembled it as it made the most sense in Wolfgang's own mind. He began to charge down the line and leaped, performing a shoulder block takedown at the plant.

Wolfgang moves to F-2.
Wolfgang uses Dive Tackle on Hydrangea! 5 ATK Dmg! (8/20 MP)

Lily takes 5 Dmg!

HP: 5/10

Tulip takes 10 Dmg!

Tulip PERFECT KILL!

Hydrangea takes 4 Dmg!

HP: 6/10

Chapter 00: Arrival in a New Dimension

Location: Acuatl Marsh - Riverbed Walk

Objective: Defeat all enemies!

Achievement: Grounded - Take down the Marsh Pecker with an attack or spell of the Earth element. [3 AP]

{ } { } { } { } {r} A
{ } { } {F} { } {r} B
{L} {W} {H} { } {r} C
{ } { } { } { } {r} D
{ } { } { } { } {r} E
{N} { } { } { } {r} F
{ } { } {C} {A} {r} G
{ } { } { } { } {r} H
{ } { } { } { } {r} I
{ } { } { } { } {r} J
-1---2---3---4---5

Enemy Phase.

Fetaro attacks Wolfgang!  4 Dmg! (ATK)

Fetaro moves to B4.

Lily moves to D1.

Lily uses Poisontouch on Netta!  5 Dmg! (ATK) [Netta is Poisoned]

SE: 9/15

Hydrangea uses Poisontouch on Wolfgang!  5 Dmg! (ATK) [Wolfgang is Poisoned]

SE: 9/15

Hydrangea waits.

{ } { } { } { } {r} A
{ } { } { } {F} {r} B
{ } {W} {H} { } {r} C
{L} { } { } { } {r} D
{ } { } { } { } {r} E
{N} { } { } { } {r} F
{ } { } {C} {A} {r} G
{ } { } { } { } {r} H
{ } { } { } { } {r} I
{ } { } { } { } {r} J
-1---2---3---4---5

Player Phase 2!

Claire (Thaumaturge) *GOBLET: 25%*
HP: 15/15
SE: 30/30
DD: 2/10
Atk: 1
Def: 2
Psy: 6
Fai: 4
Evade: 1%
Move: 2 cells

Netta (Artificer) *POISON [2]*
HP: 16/20
MP: 20/20
DD: 1/10
Atk: 6
Def: 3
Int: 1
Spr: 4
Evade: 5%
Move: 4 cells

Wolfgang (Restrainer) *POISON [2]*
HP: 21/25
MP: 8/20
DD: 1/10
Atk: 5
Def: 4
Int: 1
Spr: 2
Evade: 3%
Move: 3 cells

Nastasia (Sorceress)
HP: 15/15
MP: 30/30
DD: 0/10
Atk: 1
Def: 2
Int: 5
Spr: 4
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Fetaro (Marsh Pecker)
HP: 15/15
SE: 15/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 4
Def: 2
Psy: 1
Fai: 2
Evade: 5%
Move: 4 cells

Lily (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 5/10
SE: 9/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Tulip (Marsh Shambler) *PERFECT KILL*

Hydrangea (Marsh Shambler)
HP: 6/10
SE: 9/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 5
Def: 1
Psy: 1
Fai: 1
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

{r} - Railing
[No Occupy]

Claire moves to E3.

"A pleasure, Nastasia," Claire took care to reply, acknowledging that the girl had offered her name at last.  It felt so foreign upon the thaumaturge's tongue, but it was a rather pretty name.  With that out of the way, Claire continued her brazen advance as her courageous compatriots engaged the enemies in their own way.  Her best way was through magic, so that's what she decided to focus on now.  Standing very near to one of the plants, now was the time she could unleash her magic.  A glowing red-orange light emitted from the end of her wand, and she waved the magical object through the air towards the plant creature.

"Time for the first spell!  Feiru!" Claire shouted as she waved her wand.  Small embers flickered to life in the air near the plant, but they glowed brightly and exploded without trigger creating a blistering blaze around her unfortunate target.  The fire had no special effect as could be seen when it dissipated, but its raw power was enough to put the plant into absolute submission."

Claire casts Feiru on Hydrangea!  8 Fire Dmg! (PSY) [Hydrangea is Burned]

SE: 22/30

Wolfgang moves to B-3.

A nauseating sensation ran through Wolfgang's being as a result of the plant retaliating against his tackle. He tried to regain his bearings, first propping himself up on one knee and then maintaining his full standing. Claire had conflagrated the floral nuisance by some means of sorcery. This would be a hell of a lot easier if I could do that, Wolfgang assumed, approaching the winged creature. He could already start to tell having no magical capabilities would leave him at a disadvantage to his enemies when he was so used to just being shot at or attacked with a knife.

Hopefully this bird was nothing more than well... just a bird. If this beaked monster started breathing fire at him or blasted him with lasers from its eyes then he would just be about done existing in this world. Again, it wouldn't be the strangest thing that he would have ever witnessed, but it might make it on his list as the most annoying. Claire had also mentioned that the other girl's magic wouldn't be as effective here. Could that have meant that there were multiple degrees of these bullshit powers? It was giving him a headache just thinking about it, so he focused his attention at the final enemy. Raising his baton in his hand, Wolfgang brought his weapon down to strike the creature.

Wolfgang attacks Fetaro! 5 ATK Dmg!

Nastasia moves to E4!

Once again, Nastasia tailed the magic casting woman, pupils widening as the latter managed to envelop one of the pesky plants in a bath of flame. The sorceress frowned. "I suppose a fire spell would be more useful against the plants," she murmured, cursing her lack of foresight when it came to acquiring the knowledge of new spells. She was not prepared for this type of enemy! Her eyes, however, quickly darted to the bird which was currently being assaulted by the man with the baton.

A smirk crossed her face. "I have just the right spell for you, however," she muttered, channeling her mana once more. A simple tap of her heel into the wooden bridge below caused the earth to rattle slightly beneath her before a stream surged from the depths of the murky waters to strike the winged beast. Her assault did not stop there, however, for the sorceress spun back around and clicked her heels together. A ring of mana appeared around her, colliding before firing off at the bird as she intended.

Nastasia casts Gaia Lash on Fetaro! 2 Hits! 5 Int Earth Damage per hit! [Progressive]
---Nastasia chains Aura Pulse on Fetaro! 5 Int Damage! Nastasia's Int and Spr are increased by 15% for Two Turns! [Reactive]
Remaining MP: 16/30

Nastasia
Int: 5 --- 6
Spr: 4 --- 5

Fetaro dodges Aura Pulse!

Fetaro takes 11 Dmg!

HP: 4/15

Fetaro evades Stun!

Lily takes 5 Dmg!

Lily PERFECT KILL!

Hydrangea takes 7 Dmg!

Hydrangea KO!

Chapter 00: Arrival in a New Dimension

Location: Acuatl Marsh - Riverbed Walk

Objective: Defeat all enemies!

Achievement: Grounded - Take down the Marsh Pecker with an attack or spell of the Earth element. [3 AP]

{ } { } { } { } {r} A
{ } { } {W} {F} {r} B
{ } { } { } { } {r} C
{ } { } { } { } {r} D
{ } { } {C} {A} {r} E
{N} { } { } { } {r} F
{ } { } { } { } {r} G
{ } { } { } { } {r} H
{ } { } { } { } {r} I
{ } { } { } { } {r} J
-1---2---3---4---5

Netta is Poisoned for 2 more turns

Wolfgang is Poisoned for 2 more turns.

Nastasia's Aura Pulse has 2 turns.

Enemy Phase.

Fetaro uses Swoop on Nastasia!  5 Dmg! (ATK)

SE: 9/15

Fetaro waits.

{ } { } { } { } {r} A
{ } { } {W} {F} {r} B
{ } { } { } { } {r} C
{ } { } { } { } {r} D
{ } { } {C} {A} {r} E
{N} { } { } { } {r} F
{ } { } { } { } {r} G
{ } { } { } { } {r} H
{ } { } { } { } {r} I
{ } { } { } { } {r} J
-1---2---3---4---5

Player Phase 3!

Claire (Thaumaturge) *GOBLET: 50%*
HP: 15/15
SE: 22/30
DD: 3/10
Atk: 1
Def: 2
Psy: 6
Fai: 4
Evade: 1%
Move: 2 cells

Netta (Artificer) *POISON [2]*
HP: 14/20
MP: 20/20
DD: 2/10
Atk: 6
Def: 3
Int: 1
Spr: 4
Evade: 5%
Move: 4 cells

Wolfgang (Restrainer) *POISON [2]*
HP: 19/25
MP: 8/20
DD: 2/10
Atk: 5
Def: 4
Int: 1
Spr: 2
Evade: 3%
Move: 3 cells

Nastasia (Sorceress)
HP: 12/15
MP: 16/30
DD: 2/10
Atk: 1
Def: 2
Int: 5 --- 6
Spr: 4 --- 5
Evade: 2%
Move: 2 cells

Fetaro (Marsh Pecker) *CRITICAL*
HP: 4/15
SE: 9/15
DD: --/--
Atk: 4
Def: 2
Psy: 1
Fai: 2
Evade: 5%
Move: 4 cells

Lily (Marsh Shambler) *PERFECT KILL*

Tulip (Marsh Shambler) *PERFECT KILL*

Hydrangea (Marsh Shambler) *KO*

{r} - Railing
[No Occupy]

Claire moves to F2.

So that was Mana at work.  Claire stood moved back as Nastasia unleashed her Mana-driven spells.  They were elementally effective against the wind-primed bird, but significantly weaker due to the fact that the spells originated from Mana.  Now, if it were of Spirit, that would be something to fear.  She wondered if it would be possible to convert their usage of Mana to Spirit.  Scientists had theorized that as long as a being of Mana could develop a psyche, they could draw in the power of Spirit just as long as they were surrounded by it.  Lyreth was all Spirit.  There were no traces of Mana save what had just breached it.  They were technically surrounded by it, but how would one develop a psyche?  Claire thought back to all the research she had done on it back in school.  She would definitely need to recall that information in order to carry out her experiment.

In the meantime, she idled near Netta who seemed to be taking the poison damage pretty hard.  Claire offered the girl her goblet.  Previously empty, there was now a strange green liquid within like the one she had given all three of them before.  "Here, drain it completely.  I can guarantee your health will fully recover with as much liquid there is in the goblet," she explained, keeping her eye on the other two to see what they would do to finish off the bird.

Claire uses Taste of Health on Netta!  Half Full Bonus!  [+7 HP Recovered]

SE: 17/30

Nastasia eases back into Alignment! 3% Max MP Recovery!

Nastasia
MP: 17/30

Nastasia's confidence did not falter as her beam of energy flew just slightly off course. The whips of earth mana had managed to fly fast and true––those were the attacks she had been counting on. Nor did she allow herself to buckle as the creature flew at her in a dive. She merely forced herself back to her feet and stood true against the avian. Again she tapped her heel into the ground and spun forward, sending more lashes of earth flying at the bird. She did not, however, with an extra pulse of energy as she did last time. "That ought to do it," she murmured to herself, taking a breath.

Nastasia casts Gaia Lash on Fetaro! 2 Hits! 5 Int Earth Damage per hit!
Remaining MP: 11/30

Fetaro takes 8 Dmg!

Fetaro KO!

Chapter 00: Arrival in a New Dimension

Location: Acuatl Marsh - Riverbed Walk

Objective: Defeat all enemies!

Achievement: Grounded - Take down the Marsh Pecker with an attack or spell of the Earth element. [3 AP] {SUCCESS}

{ } { } { } { } {r} A
{ } { } {W} { } {r} B
{ } { } { } { } {r} C
{ } { } { } { } {r} D
{ } { } { } {A} {r} E
{N} {C} { } { } {r} F
{ } { } { } { } {r} G
{ } { } { } { } {r} H
{ } { } { } { } {r} I
{ } { } { } { } {r} J
-1---2---3---4---5

All enemies have been defeated!
CHAPTER COMPLETE!!

EXPERIENCE:

+2 - Marsh Shambler x2 PERFECT KILL
+2 - Player Phase completed less than 10
+2 - No D-Abilities used
+2 - No Items used
+2 - No Player Character KO
+1 - Marsh Pecker x1
+1 - Marsh Shambler x1

TOTAL EXP GAIN: 12

Claire: 0/12 --- 12/12
Level UP!
3 Stat Points gained!
Next Level: 0/16
Current DD: 3/10

Netta: 0/12 --- 12/12
Level UP!
3 Stat Points gained!
Next Level: 0/16
Current DD: 2/10

Wolfgang: 0/12 --- 12/12
Level UP!
3 Stat Points gained!
Next Level: 0/16
Current DD: 2/10

Nastasia: 0/12 --- 12/12
Level UP!
3 Stat Points gained!
Next Level: 0/16
Current DD: 4/10

Skill Points Awarded!

+1: Claire, Netta, Wolfgang, Nastasia

Achivement SUCCESS!! [+3 AP]

The Party finds 5 Coin!

Items found:

---Sticky Petal x2
---Thick Vine x3

Edit your profiles, please~  Update will come shortly.

So it seemed that the creatures were rather easily vanquished. There were some of the milder ones; Claire made a note of that to herself. Usually powerful ones didn't stray this close to the path where people tread. Claire had already tended to Netta, so she approached Wolfgang and offered him her goblet which had amassed some more of the strange green relieving liquid within it. "You will want to drink this to get your strength back. The poison of the Marsh Shamblers can be quite potent if left unattended," Claire explained somberly, practically pushing the goblet upon the well-built man.

"It seems you all are no strangers to the struggle of battle," Claire spoke aloud to all of her new strange companions. "Count your lucky stars for this world is a dangerous one just like any other. You will need to continue to defend yourselves for quite some time to come, so I hope you are ready." She wanted to make sure they were fully aware of what would be coming. What was even better was that with their combat-knowledge and decent control over their home energy, Mana, perhaps it would be easy for them to develop a psyche after all and convert to the usage of Spirit. It was such a farfetched idea, but this would be their only hope. Their lives depended on it.

As the winged beast fell before her magical assault, Nastasia sighed––now that she had less adrenaline in her system she realized just how much she had tainted her mana supply. She could feel it regenerating, sure, but it seemed weak. This world, being unmade of the substance as Claire claimed, obviously did not aid in her restoring her supply. Better keep that in check, she thought to herself, a bitter frown painting itself on her face. She caught the heart of Claire's comment, but she could not bring herself to answer. Not at first. Her mind remained focus on the thin connection to her mana in an attempt to urge it to restore itself faster.

It worked. Some. The amount was negligible. No more than she would have gained in skirmishes back in Alidaire. Still, she supposed, allowing the frown to fade, better than nothing. Thoughts drifting away, her emerald green eyes refocused on the thaumaturge. Perhaps she might have a solution for it. But then again, that was a incredibly small issue on her list of current dilemmas.

"As I'll ever be," Nastasia finally responded, lips reshaping into a thin line. She knew she would ask later.