The Stolen Sword Session 3

Princess Guard - The New Era 2017/23/03 	 Titan Natasha Wolf 44

Natasha looks rather queasy, finding there's rather more mana than she was expecting....

Wolf turns about in a small circle on all fours, facing back down the corridor to Guard Natasha from any unhelpful surprises that may come their way.

Titan continues flying along, following the others. He gets to the control room and crosses it, getting into the next hallway.

Natasha braces herself and tries to drink the rest of the magic.

Natasha drinks the last of the spell, looking ready to burst. But the glowing DEMOM symbol flickers to darkness.

Wolf stands on "guard dog" duty, *pointing* his nose to Titan in greetings as he stands in the corridor with all four feet planted firmly and tail swishing to and fro. Wolf *whuffs* softly in encouragement and support to Natasha in her efforts, and grins toothily when she succeeds and the Door-Wards fall!

There's a heavy looking door ahead, with the mystical acent of fae magic coming from beyond it. However that's not the only magic in that direction. There's a wide range of magical 'scents', from the sweet lightness of the fae to the foulest of dark magic. The magical trap that was on the door has been eaten by Natasha,who might be due for a dose of indigestion. Natasha and Wolf are at the door, and Titan is quickly catching up to them.

Natasha nods to Wolf indicating she's done her work on the door. She's a bit wobbly on her feet, though, and doesn't look at all well.

Wolf *wag wag wag* 's happily, *pointing* his nose in respectful salute to Natasha for her excellent work in clearing away the teleportation trap -- that could have been a very serious problem for our heroes indeed.

Wolf *noses* the tiny dragon reassuringly, staying close enough to shield the dragon from any further fiery explosions the other side of the door might be concealing, and also just in case she needs a hand/paw to help regain her balance and equilibrium.

Natasha starts to hiccup. Each hiccup gets bigger. Then suddenly she sneezes, releasing, rather surprisingly, a cloud of iron filings, which clump as they fall to the grounds, suggesting they're magnetised,

Titan continues flying along, finally catching up to the other two. "Ran into a slight delay upstairs. Door's safe to open?"

Natasha nods, her snakey form swaying overly still in the wake of the sneeze.

Titan nods. "Good enough, then." He goes ahead and opens to door, not really worrying about what's on the other side.

Wolf *nods* to Titan, and < >: Natasha's work has cleared the way: The portal is now safe to breach. Beyond the door lie magic-scents: of fae and demon, some of each

The opening of the door, a heavy reinforced and likely soundproofed item, catches the people inside by surprize. The chamber beyond the door is circular and a good 50 metres in diameter. It's also high enough that the ceiling is hidden in darkness. Which is a bit amazing as despite the down ramps to this point you cannot be more than 50 ft below ground level. But you can see at least 150 ft before darkness conceals further details above you. ...

The interior of the chamber is clearly a magical workshop of some kind. There are clear crystal cases around the perimeter, varying from a couple of feet to fifteen or twenty feet across. Suspended inside the crystal cases are items, which Wolf and Ntasha can tell are magical. The item you are seeking, the stolen faw sword is hovering thirty feet up in the center of the chamber, surrounded by a darkly ominous web of visible magic threads. Two human figures in red robes are manipulating the threads, while a brutish demon stands at the side - offering nonsensical suggestions in a snarky voice. It might be a good guess that the demon is hoping to distract the robed fingures. But to what end is unclear.

In the moment of surprise, the heroes can hear a oddly distrubing chittering sound come from the darkness high above.

Titan does his best to distract those inside...and to draw attention to himself, rather than the others with him, "HEY! I suggest you all surrender now! I'm here to recover what you've stolen!"

Natasha's sensitive sensory abilities manage to penetrate the darkness to an extent. There's magic above the chamber, foul dark magic, and the sound is very akin to the ultrasonic sound made by bats, albeit much louder.

Wolf looks at the circle of glass cases and wonders if Titan will eventually need to be more specific re: "What they've stolen" while Wolf considers the mages carefully to see if he can tell if interrupting them would be a Good Idea or a Bad Idea, as far at any effects on the stolen fae sword would be concerned. ..

Natasha takes to the air, figuring grabbing the sword is the main thing! She eyes up the dark magic web and tries to weave her way through the shifting threads to the sword.

Natasha weaves her way through the black magic web till she reaches the fae sword!

Natasha grabs the magic sword, delicious-smelling, sword. She's tempted to try to eat it, though she's had more than her fill. Or collect it for her hoard. But the fae want it back. She's trying to show them dragons can be good and heroic!

Titan floats forward, toward the encased sword, again taking his time, trying to draw attention. Though that might be difficult, given where Natasha just went.

Wolf closes his eyes and Remembers. He opens his Mind, and < >:

In depths below the streams of time,

there was nay aught but shade.

But to that blackness, Light was born!

. . . and, thus, the world was made.

A Word was spoken to the stars, to their first flames ignite.

This Word has passed from lips to ears, of All who've known the Light. . ..

Wolf quietly and peacefully *whuff*'s out a single soft exhalation as he Breathes the Word of Amaterasu's Creation. Quietly, but with great strength, the Word occurs to the demon. It, then, also Remembers the Light of Creation. It wavers, a bit, in the presence of the memory of the Divine.

The demon, remembering its creation out of the darkness, the end of peaceful non-existence to a foul subservience, roars in anguish and starts to lash out in rage at everything near it.

Natasha weaves her way out of the evil web, sword in her grasp, and flies hard for the exit, figuring she's just made herself a target!

Titan moves to cover Natasha's escape, trying to interpose himself between the small dragon and any potential attackers.

As Natasha flies out of the web with the fae sword... the fae magic that was stopping the web from collapsing in on itself is taken away. The web falls into itself, twisting through unknown and unknowable dimensions as it does. And the demons aim is partially archieved. Although without the sword to power it the warped way-path to hell cannot sustain itself for more than a fraction of a second. Still that's time enough for the two Morbanes next to where the web was to be pulled screaming through the way-path. The brute demon digs in foot claws and manages to resist the pull. Natasha finds herself flying at full speed... and slowly going backwards. But the way-path breaks apart before she is sucked in. Wolf and Titan are subject to the intense pull.

The warped way-path snaps shut. The two DEMON Morbanes are gone to Hell. And the brute demon is enraged and growing bigger as the magical backlash feeds it.

Encouraged by the battle-demon's flickering instability, Wolf silently continues to Sing, extending the demon's journey back toward the solace and surcease of its peaceful pre-existence, unmanifest and unenslaved.

Natasha doesn't know what the demon wants, but figures if this sword is so special (and it smells it!) she'd better make sure it's safe. So she flies back to the other room and hides it before returning to help the others.

The brute demon roars and goes for the creature nearest it. Wolf. It leaps at Wolf leading with clawed hands and feet.

The brute demon lands on Wolf with claws ripping and tearing at he preoccupied hero.

Wolf is slashed, as claws of darkness and sharpness find their mark. He is squashed flat underfoot, but he remains conscious and un-stunned, and his mind remains clear.

The demon roars with anguish and pain and anger.

Wolf's body is crumpled underfoot, but his mind-voice soars as he < >:

To rising breaths of Life's vast Song,

I now lend my whole frame.

May reaching upward to the Light

become my heart's sole aim.

Within me blazes strength of oak,

and patience of grey stone.

I draw down GreenSong's fervent pulse -

the truest sound I've known.

Bright falcon's cry o'er snowy peaks,

White lightnings striking sea,

The winds' swift touch that's born of sun -

these songs I call to me. ..

The demon roars again but it's voice seems weakened, and he almost loses its balance.

Titan launches himself at the demon, hoping to plow through it, leading with his shoulder.

Titan slams into the demon, and it disappaars much like the first one he fought. It beomces liquid and evaporates, leaving behind a nasty odor.

Titan looks around for any more possible combatants...like...whatever was above them.

. . . And to that chorus I do add

the notes that are my own:

The winding forest paths I've trod,

the soaring heights I've known.

And in my heart, I hold the Light

of Truth and Love a-flame,

to bring to song, the living strength,

of God's Eternal Name.

Wolf finishes his prayer-song with the earnest wish that, if possible, the demon's spirit be re-woven by its trip to the Void and back, so that next time it need not be re-born into a life of servitude and suffering, but instead be reborn as one Alive.

Natasha flies back to help the others - only to find the battle done.

Titan makes sure to gather up as much as he can to return to someone who knows more about magic than he does.

Wolf canters about here and there, *sniffing* at this and that, closing his eyes at intervals as he works to re-knit the damage done to the fabric of Creation where and how he can.

Wolf < > a caution about the Evil Artifacts. . . Perhaps those are best left in the cases?

The spoils of War are yours to take,

as victory we've gained.

But those that smell of Hell itself. ..

'twere best if those remained?

Titan raises a brow, "Uh...no. Definitely not. I think either the fae, or...one of the other magical heroes in town, of which there are a handful, could figure out how to dispose of the really evil stuff.

Titan says, "I don't want to leave evil artifacts in the hands of demon worshippers. That just seems like a mistake."

Wolf nods, < >-ing a Mental Image illustrating how he mainly wished to convey how they should remain. . . in the protective cases.

Titan says, "Ah. Well, fine. It's not like we can't take the cases too, right?"

Natasha nods. Well, Titan can, no doubt. He's strong!

Wolf grins toothily. Having seen Titan lift major portions of a natural-gas -carrying ocean vessel, he has no doubt that would be completely do-able.

Wolf sets to work, *digdigdig*-ing a burrow / tunnel sufficient to accommodate the bulkier artifacts-plus-cases-plus-wards, including a safety margin if possible.

Wolf volunteers to remain on-site to guard the buried half of the treasure while the more portable (and less dangerous) items are evacuated via carriage.

The agents still on site aren't foolish enough to resist, but more than one warns the heroes that this isn't over. That the heroes have made themselves marked men, and wolf, and dragon, today. There will be consequences.

Titan doesn't look concerned about it, in the least. "You know where to find me."

Natasha sticks out her tongue at the agents.

Wolf takes the threat seriously, *listening* mentally to any stray images or clues in the agents' thought patterns that could warn of what exactly might be coming after them,. ..

. . . and/or where, how, or when.

The images and clues that Wolf gets revolve around DEMON being a large distributed organisation, with very significant resources. And this setback will bring retaliation.