Adventures of Naletia: Back to Dust

Vensi giggled a little at Iris's mention of her near-death experiences. "Hm, I do apologize for not warning you beforehand. Perhaps in the future I will be more able to warn you about life-threatening situations before they appear." These humans certainly did give Vensi quite the treat though. She had not expected such insanity from such short-lived creatures. Typically the humans would not go insane until much later in life and, much like the elves, would often off themselves should that insanity ever rear its ugly head. The oldest of the elves are those who have overcome their insanity or embraced it.

"That is incredibly barbaric," Vensi says, looking towards Leo as he made a mockery of the dead human. "I just can't help but adore your insanity, dear Leo. I almost feel obligated to condone your behavior." Vensi raises her hands, causing the body of Archer to rise up from Leo's arms and into the air. Vensi gestures to her side and causes the crystals to change shape. From the ceiling a noose comprised entirely of crystals slides down and wraps about Archer's neck, where he now hangs stiffly, blood still dripping from his open wounds.

"That ought to do the trick," Vensi says with a proud smile. She could feel the presence of the other humans grow closer and grew somewhat excited to see their expressions. "Places, everyone, we don't want to make our guests feel unwelcome!" Vensi calls happily, making sure she stood off to the side, letting Iris have the center - which the woman probably wanted anyway. It would paint the best picture due to her intimidating stature.

The back wall shifts and begins rising upwards the moment Vensi finishes and the group of infiltrators take their first couple steps into the main hall. It is a group of mostly men with one girl standing in the very back, holding a strange book in her hands. All four are dressed in pitch black robes that cover their entire bodies from head to toe. Strange attire for a desert, especially since the heat here is far more powerful than the desert on Ermith.

Each one looks up and their mouths drop open at the unsightly image of Iris standing beneath the hanging man - their collaborator. Vensi took this opportunity while the infiltrators were distracted to send a bolt of magic up at the ceiling behind them. The crystal walls collapse, sealing the entrance and preventing escape. Eyes turned to her, and the elf smiles. "Welcome, dear humans, to my father's home. I hope you've enjoyed your stay. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Changling, where did you put the dragon!?" One of the men shouts at her, and the group starts to draw their weaponry.

"I think you misunderstand where this dragon's loyalties lie," Vensi's tone grows dark as she speaks, waving her finger at the humans. "It's been nearly two hundred years since she came here, do you really think she would want to see another human again after what you did to her?" Vensi clicks her tongue and shakes her head.

Encounter!
Imka Vestalis - Crystal Spire Home
Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuOcR_6dhY4
Atmosphere: A Touch of Insanity
Objective: Rout the enemy!


(w) (w) (w) (w) (w) (w) (w)
(w) ( ) (2) (4) (3) ( ) (w)
(w) ( ) ( ) (1) ( ) ( ) (w) A
(d) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (d) B
(w) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) C
(w) (V) ( ) (I) ( ) (L) (w) D
(w) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) E
(d) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (d) F
(w) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) G
(w) ( ) (x) (x) (x) ( ) (w) H
(w) (w) (w) (x) (w) (w) (w) I
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7


Vensi (Invocation)
HP: 34/34
EN: 52/52
MP: 40/40
Atk: 1
Def: 2
Int: 7
Spr: 5
Crit: 4%
Evade: 2%
Move: 2

Iris (Errant)
HP: 40/40
EN: 54/54
ADR: 0/100
Atk: 6
Def: 5
Int: 1
Spr: 2
Crit: 3%
Evade: 3%
Move: 3

Leo (Arbiter)
HP: 45/45
EN: 52/52
MP: 34/34
Atk: 6
Def: 4
Int: 1
Spr: 4
Crit: 3%
Evade: 3%
Move: 3 cells


1 (Warrior)
HP: 40/40
EN: 50/50
Atk: 7
Def: 3
Int: 0
Spr: 2
Crit: 3%
Evade: 2%
Move: 3

2 (Warrior)
HP: 40/40
EN: 50/50
Atk: 7
Def: 3
Int: 0
Spr: 2
Crit: 3%
Evade: 2%
Move: 3

3 (Archer)
HP: 35/35
EN: 50/50
Atk: 8
Def: 3
Int: 0
Spr: 3
Crit: 3%
Evade: 4%
Move: 3

4 (Mage)
HP: 30/30
EN: 50/50
MP: 65/65
Atk: 1
Def: 1
Int: 6
Spr: 4
Crit: 2%
Evade: 1%
Move: 2

(w) - Wall

(d) - Door

(x) - Impassible Rubble

Player Phase

"You called me a Changeling, but do you truly understand that word?" Vensi wonders aloud, smiling endlessly as she rubs her index and thumb against each other. "Have you seen an elf change in front of you? Not many humans are able to comprehend it. Fewer still are able to survive it. Let me show you a secret." Vensi throws her hands forward and tucks her head back. Her dark brown skin warps and changes, growing harder and harder and changing color until the scales start to form. Her body thickens and the rest of her skin turns to scales, dark indigo in color.

Without hesitation, Vensi curls back her neck and unleashes her breath, magic and fire forming together and throwing a giant ball of fire at the grouped up humans. As the fire explodes around them, Vensi laughs in a hoarse, dry voice. "You invade my home and expect to leave it? Not while I still draw breath! I'll burn every last one of you to a crisp!" Two learge, leathery wings shoot out from behind her and the elven woman rises up off the ground.

Vensi transforms into a Drakkouis! +2 Int; +6 Atk. Grants Flight. All current A-, S-, and R-Abilities are now locked.

Atk: 7
Int: 9

Drakkouis form drains mana every turn for as long as it is active. Two basic attacks are available: Fireball (4 EN - AoE Magic Fire damage); Melee attack (2 EN - Chance of Bleeding)

Vensi attacks A-4! 9 Int Fire DMG! Hits all enemies!

EN: 48/52
MP: 35/40

"My, oh my. The rest of the company has arrived for our little banquet," Iris stated, a morbid air taking over her suddenly deadpan voice. "You'll have to pardon Aster's manners, he isn't feeling so talkative today. Why, he's just a little hung up on how much he misses you. It's alright, he makes a much better chandelier than he does a conversationalist. Would you all like to join him? You don't all have to be chandeliers; I could carve your flesh into a lavish set of curtains, or perhaps you would prefer to have your skulls converted to a stylish drinking cup? There's no need to be shy - it's much better that you tell me ahead of time so I know where to slice. I'm sure corpse furniture shall be the latest craze in all of Amezi, so I hope you all feel honored to be a part of something truly innovative."

Perhaps madness was surely getting the best of them. Memories of the peaceful meadow of fireflies and quiet evenings watching her father forging with steel were fading from her mind. All Iris could see right now were four cadavers awaiting her crude dissection. Vensi now took the form of a scaled creature and unleashed a downpour of flames upon the newly arrived party. She could only imagine the searing pain they could have felt, though her experience with Renvari was a probable indicator.

Wasting no time, Iris bounded forward for the closest adversary she could reach and roared a loud, rallying cry as she swung her blade wildly.

"Your plans have foundered, and now you shall all be put to the sword."

Iris moves to B-4.

Iris attacks 1. 8 Atk DMG.

Iris gains 15 Adrenaline.

Leo blushed a bit at Vensi's comment.  He wasn't insane; it was just some morbid humor, and the weight of sin resting upon his shoulders nudged him in that direction.  The dark path was always an interesting one.  It invited openness and neglected inhibitions.  It was a path of freedom.  He wished to explore it more sometimes, stepping out of bounds to venture forth and discover its truer meaning, but he had to keep step with the light lest he lose his battle to achieve true balance and therefore lose access to great power.  But perhaps he was going about this all wrong.  Instead of going step by step with one foot in light and one foot in darkness, perhaps he should fully devote himself to one path at a time.  To know each path more intimately than having always to be shared...maybe that was the key in and of itself.

Regardless, Leo watched as she added a touch of her own morbidity to the scene as she hung Aster with a crystal noose, and Leo watched as the body served as a horrid beacon of what was to come to those who just happened to enter the room, a distraught group who had just lost everything, their mission and their lives.  The arbiter winced as the wall was destroyed but his eyes were still wide in pleasure.  The fear and desperation in their faces as they were consumed by flame sparked something in him that made his heart dance amidst the shadow and the light.  It sung a song of lunacy but he would not give in.  This was a show!  A performance!  A banquet, as Iris had so cleverly said!

"Who shall we feast on tonight?!" Leo said mischievously, rubbing his hands together.  "Why make them into furniture when we can make them into a meal???  Mwahahaha!" he shouted and laughed, the sound echoing off the shimmering prisms that constructed the home.  His gaze sharpened and honed in on the man who took the lead in their little group.  Leo dashed forth and skidded to a halt, blade at the ready.

"Run, little lamb, whose fleece is white as snow!" Leo snarled and pointed his sword outwards loosing a stream of crying ghouls, the sound of his laughter drowned by the screams of anguish coming from the souls of the damned.  "Into the belly of the beast, your death is nigh you know?!"  

Leo moves to A6.

Leo uses Swirling Sorrow on 1!  5 Dmg! (ATK) [Target is forced to move away from the user if a Move action is taken]

EN: 48/52

MP: 26/34

Leo has chosen to fall into Depravity! [Virtuous skillset is LOCKED]

VICE: 0/45

Epitome of Sin boosts damage to enemies by 10%!  Critical Hit boosted by 10% for single target attacks and skills!

Encounter!
Imka Vestalis - Crystal Spire Home
Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuOcR_6dhY4
Atmosphere: A Touch of Insanity
Objective: Rout the enemy!


(w) (w) (w) (w) (w) (w) (w)
(w) ( ) (2) (4) (3) ( ) (w)
(w) ( ) ( ) (1) ( ) (L) (w) A
(d) ( ) ( ) (I) ( ) ( ) (d) B
(w) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) C
(w) (V) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) D
(w) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) E
(d) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (d) F
(w) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) G
(w) ( ) (x) (x) (x) ( ) (w) H
(w) (w) (w) (x) (w) (w) (w) I
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7

1 takes 7 DMG!

2 takes 12 DMG! Critical Hit!!

3 takes 6 DMG!

4 takes 5 DMG! (Vensi)

1 takes 5 DMG (Iris)

1 takes 1 DMG! (Leo)

1 is afflicted by Swirling Sorrow!

-

Enemy Phase

1 attacks Iris! 7 Atk DMG!

1 waits.

2 moves to B-3

2 attacks Iris! 7 Atk DMG!

3 fires a Seven Star shot! 6 Atk DMG!

Vensi is hit 4 times!

Iris is hit 3 times!

4 casts Magic Shell! All this unit's allies are now protected by a barrier!


-


(w) (w) (w) (w) (w) (w) (w)
(w) ( ) ( ) (4) (3) ( ) (w)
(w) ( ) ( ) (1) ( ) (L) (w) A
(d) ( ) (2) (I) ( ) ( ) (d) B
(w) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) C
(w) (V) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) D
(w) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) E
(d) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (d) F
(w) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (w) G
(w) ( ) (x) (x) (x) ( ) (w) H
(w) (w) (w) (x) (w) (w) (w) I
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7

Vensi's Drakkouis form is conditionally indefinite.

1's Swirling Sorrow will last 2 more turns.

-

Vensi (Invocation) *Drakkouis**Flight*
HP: 18/34
EN: 48/52
MP: 35/40
Atk: 1----7
Def: 2
Int: 7----9
Spr: 5
Crit: 4%
Evade: 2%
Move: 2----4

Iris (Errant)
HP: 33/40
EN: 52/54
ADR: 42/100
Atk: 6
Def: 5
Int: 1
Spr: 2
Crit: 3%
Evade: 3%
Move: 3

Leo (Arbiter) *DEPRAVITY*
HP: 45/45
EN: 48/52
MP: 26/34
Atk: 6
Def: 4
Int: 1
Spr: 4
Crit: 3%
Evade: 3%
Move: 3 cells
VICE: 0/45


1 (Warrior) *SS* *Magic Barrier*
HP: 27/40
EN: 40/50
Atk: 7
Def: 3
Int: 0
Spr: 2
Crit: 3%
Evade: 2%
Move: 3

2 (Warrior) *Magic Barrier*
HP: 28/40
EN: 48/50
Atk: 7
Def: 3
Int: 0
Spr: 2
Crit: 3%
Evade: 2%
Move: 3

3 (Archer) *Magic Barrier*
HP: 29/35
EN: 44/50
Atk: 8
Def: 3
Int: 0
Spr: 3
Crit: 3%
Evade: 4%
Move: 3

4 (Mage) *Magic Barrier*
HP: 25/30
EN: 40/50
MP: 45/65
Atk: 1
Def: 1
Int: 6
Spr: 4
Crit: 2%
Evade: 1%
Move: 2

(w) - Wall

(d) - Door

(x) - Impassible Rubble

Player Phase

God those arrows hurt. Vensi did not show her pain, not to these humans. She got unlucky because of how big her body was now - practically an open target for the man with the bow. She breathes in, feeling the fires surge within her once again. She would not back down from this form, not yet. There were still enemies to roast. That barrier would prove to be a mild annoyance, but if she could get Iris through to the mage, they could tear her apart before she managed to output any of her own damage.

First though, Vensi strokes her wings down, pushing herself closer to where Leo and the archer was. She didn't want the ones with swords rushing up to her. Vensi's scales were mere decorations compared to the dragon these humans were searching for. She couldn't take a hit with them, but she could dish out a mountain of pain with her fire.

Vensi moves to D-6

Vensi fires another Fireball at A-4! 9 Int Fire DMG! Hits all enemies!

Drakkouis form burns some MP.

EN: 44/52
MP: 30/40

"Trying to staunch our assault by hiding behind a barrier? Good. Your deaths will only be that much slower and painful," Iris threatened, still holding her ground from the attacks. She then caught sight of the culprit who had conjured the barrier, and with a searing glare called out to her. "You there. Do you intend to hide behind your cohorts like a frightened mouse? How shameful. Come forward, don't you wish to get a closer look at your executioner? Make this easier for yourself and I'll even let you decide which organ I remove from you first."

Obviously, Iris did not expect this girl to willingly allow herself to be eviscerated, but Iris wanted to make sure there was no turning back for them. She raised her sword once more and made a swing at her initial target while delivering the next verse of her terrorization. "If you keep insisting on sheltering yourself away however, I will revoke my offer and ensure that you suffer all the more for making me put in the extra effort just getting to you. It doesn't matter either way. I don't mind taking first pick at what I remove from you. Curious to know what I have in mind? Well I've always wondered what it would feel like to hold a coward's still-beating heart in my own hands."

If only the chivalric academy could see her now.

Iris attacks 1. 8 Atk DMG.

Iris waits.

Iris gains 20 Adrenaline.

Leo moves to A6.

Protections?  That simply would not do.  Leo frowned as he felt the desire to maim these hooligans rise within him and yet here they were with their little magical protections preventing him from doing so with ease!  The arbiter sidled over to the bow-wielding fool, and Leo had already seen enough bow-wielding for one day.  He thrust his sword at the archer with glee.

"So what'll it be?  An archer-kebab for me?" he said lowly with a wicked grin, running his tongue slowly over his lips as if imagining the taste of the archer's flesh and the feeling of its warmth sliding down his throat.  There was a hunger in his eyes as he withdrew the blade that, if his aim were true, would be dripping with blood.  But of course it was all a facade!  How great of an actor was he?  A mighty damn good one, he would have to say.  The morbid horror he exuded on the outside was but a mask to the delight that filled him within, the delight of being so convincing!  The darkness only served to make playing the role that much easier.

Leo attacks 3!  7 Dmg! (ATK) [+10% Critical Chance]

VICE: 7/45