Tearing Down the Walls of Madness (Term, Sondra, Leo)

[Leo Varniak]

And so, they had come across the landmark noted on the map. The path looked like a perfect place for an ambush, and the temple's caretakers must have come to the same conclusion. It wasn't like the newly formed Triad had much of a choice, though. Given that none of them could fly, it was either the path or giving up on the shrine. "The quest resting on my shoulder is far more difficult than this mission. If we can't even defeat these lackeys, then there's no point in continuing."

Leo advanced cautiously, eyes widening as he perceived movement at the edge of his peripheral vision. He was about to mention this to his companions, when he found himself floating in a wave of negative emotions. Leo recognized some of them as ones he had felt before, especially in his childhood. Most of those feelings had been directed at Allistir Varniak, the man he'd mistakenly called father throughout his earlier life, the man he had ultimately burned to death in the awakening of his powers.

So this was Chaon, Leo supposed. It felt powerful enough now that it wasn't even attacking them directly. "This… this awful feeling is probably just a diversion. The enemy is very near. Sondra, this could be a good time to test your 'Tranquillity'." If Sylir's tear could bring peace to the restless emotions it would no doubt make the upcoming task easier. The Azenth walked further down the path, trying to keep his breathing regular, envisioning the conduits in his body by which he would be expelling his Res. Soon. Very soon.

[Terminus Norin]

Terminus noted the broken stone road that was marked on the map. I twas barely visible under the snow and if he had not been tracking as he had seen Avi doing, he would have never found it. Like Leo he assumed that this would be the place where there was going to be an ambush and was watching for signs of movement or presence. It wasn't long before he was rewarded.

The previously silent and peaceful wood suddenly erupted with a presence or presences he could not be sure which. All he was sure of was that there was a lot of negative emotion flowing here, anger, rage,sadness,fear amplified as if they were five times what they were. He also noted that this was not an attack as per say, or at least not one directed at them directly.

He heard Leo hypothesize that this was a diversion and instructing Sondra to use Tranquility. That meant that he thought this might be Chaon at work. Terminus was not sure of that as this didn't seem to be an attack as much as a side effect of something, it was what that something night be that caused him to begin to focus through the flood and begin to prepare his body for res production. He looked at Sondra to see what the Konti was doing.

[Sondra]

Sondra was clenching her hands so they wouldn't shake so much. Cold adrenaline had jolted her system in response to being submerged in the toxin of emotions.

She couldn't pay attention to the others. Her head was bowed and she was stuck between kicking something and running.

"Petch! Petch! Petch!" she lowly repeated searing swears until her mind caught up.

Leo's question ran through her head three times before she understood its content.

"Give me a petching breath," she snapped. Unlike Terminus and Leo, the Konti had never learned to be gracious when in a temper.

"How does this blue piece of Shyke even work?"
Her trembling left hand fumbled with the chain while she gripped her hammer in her right hand.

Sondra squeezed the tear of tranquility in her palm, until it pained her. Better physical discomfort distract her than the lowering fog of fury and hollowing grief. Time to do something, piece of stone.
Regardless, she needed to move.

Through clenched teeth, Sondra said, "This way."
The head of her hammer pointed toward the tree with the marble roots, and she followed the line of it with long angry steps. It looked like a suspicious enough landmark to betray the touch of chaos.

Approaching the base of the tree, Sondra glared at the dark marble. It was foul and unnatural: cold flat stone transmuting ancient roots. The Konti wanted to break it with the thick end of her warhammer. It would be a convenient outlet for this onset of anger.

"Now what? A petching weird tree of stone. Do we just bust and burn everything that looks evil?"

It sounded like a good enough plan to her.

[Gillar]

Collectively, the group became aware of the combination of the ruined path, strange black stone growing at the base of a tree and the flashes of movement just out of sight. The chaotic swirl of emotion permeated the air around them yet it still seemed focused at no particular target. As Sondra held the tiny blue stone tightly in her hand, she didn't exactly feel any better however she got a strange sense that the odd little item would be more effective if she were a specific target of chaos. Regardless, she felt a bit more at ease making contact with the item even if the feeling was "all in her head". The eerie black stone that grew up the base of the nearby tree looked more than a little evil at closer glance. It was almost as if one could see their own reflection within the surface of the inky marble; a reflection twisted and horrific to behold. At Sondra's words of burning everything that looks evil, a dry, broken, echoed voice emanated from a grotesque figure that slid out from behind a tree. It was swathed in undulating, black mist that cloaked the majority of its form. What could be seen past the mist was a creature apparently composed of charred bone, ash and bits of black marble; the same marble that choked the nearby trees. The figure's face periodically shifted appearance from that of different men to one of a woman. Each face was twisted in agony and torment. "We burn in the blackened fires of chaos and so shall everyone and everything else." Without warning, the creature flung a blackened fist outward and a tendril of ash, charred bones and shards of marble short forth toward Terminous; striking and wrapping around the wrist of his right hand. The pain that he felt dug deep past the flesh and bone as it sent immediate flashes of horrifying images into his mind; images of unfathomable chaos, blasphemy, and human acts of such grotesque intent that it was all he could do to maintain what was real and what was not. At the same moment, Sondra saw another of the creatures appear right behind Leo.

[Terminus Norin]

Terminus was acutely aware of the chaotic emotions present and they were disturbing him. Sondra was clutching the pendant in her hand and he could sense nothing happening so he suspected this was a side effect not an attack. The things flitting in the trees caused him to begin to summon res from the depth of his being, the substance collecting in a silver aura around his hand.

Then the evil, rock covered tree, it was as if the rock were trying to consume the tree. Suddenly from the trees the movement took a shape, this figure seemed to slide out from the trees a grotesque parody of human form.

The abomination seemed to be composed of ash and charred bone as well as the same black marble that consumed the tree, it had a face that was shifting between male and female and looked twisted in agony and torment. The majority of the form was cloaked in a black mist or vapor that undulated around it. At this site he concentrated the res into his left hand and prepared to strike, forming a ball to be ignited as the thing got within a close enough range to be accurate.

The thing spoke of burning in the fires of chaos and taking them with it. He raised his hand intending to ignite and throw the res when an inky tendril shot from the things charred hand and wrapped itself around his wrist, it happened so fast that he could not finish his action. He was struck with a searing pain that almost took his concentration right there, but his mind was consumed with horrifying images of chaos and abomination, acts of blasphemy and human corruption so intense that it took almost everything he had to remain in this world and not the one conjured for him.

He began to rage inside, the images repulsed him with such intensity that anger filled his being as his res dissipated. He drew the broken sword Sorimor's Tooth from his belt and swung on the abomination focusing his rage and anger into the blow hoping that what Glav had told him about it was true. This abomination had to die he hated it for what it was and what it was doing to him, he unleashed 10 years of suppressed rage, rage over his treatment at his mentor's hand, rage over losing Sura, rage at the plot of Rhysol that imprisoned his god. He hoped that filling his mind and heart with this rage would give him focus over the chaos as well. His yell was guttural and loud as it echoed through the forest.

[Leo Varniak]

Leo tilted his head as Sondra's words seemed to have given their enemies an idea - burn everything, indeed. The man averted his gaze from the evil tree of stone, its strange reflections distracting in a grotesque way. His pupils narrowed as he locked his eyes onto the despicable form of whatever creature Rhysol had concocted. There was no salvation for the souls that made up this abomination, except in their undoing.

The creature set its sights on Terminus first, shooting out some dark misty tendril at the man as he prepared to unleash some Reimancy. Leo realized there were intense mental effects to being touched by this thing - or maybe it was just bringing out things Terminus already had within himself. Regardless, Leo was not expecting to see him like this, yelling in a less than human way.

The Azenth was about to expel his own Res and ignite it on a path aimed at the monster, but he could not help but wonder if fire would even work on something that was already burning on its own without consequence. That left air, but that was more of support element in Leo's style, being so centered around fire. Was he out of options, then? Only one more came to mind. "Oh, petch." Sondra's lines were catchy.

He quickly fastened the studded leash around his left arm, holding the strap in his right hand. Glav never explained how this thing actually worked in practice. Did he have to focus on a target or touch it or what? No matter. Still oblivious to the creature appearing behind him, he concentrated on the abomination restraining Terminus. "I, um, release thee," he said tentatively and gave the leash a tug. There, he'd done it.

[Sondra]

Sondra gripped the talisman until it made her hand gray. It wasn't the miracle charm she hoped. Her wielding had been vague and confused. She was surprised it did anything. Her thoughts were still cramped and overwhelmed, but she could at least perceive that the onslaught was an outside source. A tactic discerned lost a portion of its effectiveness.

Even when they were staring at the purpose of their search, the trio was at a loss. It was grotesque and suitably wicked looking, but how they obliterated it was an entirely different problem.

What now? Shyke, shyke, shyke... if her hands were free she would bite her nails.

A dry crackling sound made her snap her head up from the black reflection. The thing smelled like the greasy smoke of a funeral pyre, bereft of the purifying quality of fire.

"We burn in the blackened fires of chaos and so shall everyone and everything else."

"Charmed."

While she could quip, Sondra couldn't act fast enough. The thing's tendril was twined around Terminus's neck. Then another appeared, rising behind Leo. Split second choice. Terminus and Leo were already gravitating towards the first, this new one was her dance partner.

Sondra's instincts moved before her mind could. Forgetting about the glittery thing on her neck, primal Sondra bounded forward, swinging the spiked end of her war hammer towards the ghoul's temple.

If it didn't work, at least she'd feel better having done her damndest to kill something with a hammer.

[Gillar]

As chaos swarmed in on them; the air filled with the foul taste of corruption, the trio acted as if they were one being. Or perhaps it was the influence of one being bringing them together. Whatever the case, the three erupted into action against the twisted threats. Terminous brought Sormir's Tooth to bare upon the Rhysol's minion. The glossy, black blade of obsidian felt to Terminous as if it were quenching its thirst upon his anger. It drank deeply, pulling from the man even the most buried sources of rage; calling on memories of the past that contained even the most minute amount of anger. When he brought the blade around and sliced into the despicable tendril of madness that held him. Not only did it sever the appendage instantly, it blasted it into ash and left the minion reeling in confusion at what just happened. Recovering quickly though, the minion howled its own mourning cry of anguish and hatred as it turned a renewed wrath toward the one who brought it harm. It suddenly expanded to twice its size and leaped toward Terminous as if to envelop him. At that same moment, Leo pulled on the odd, barbed strap around his arm, Nikali's Leash. Pain immediately shot down his arm along with a tickling chill of arousal; a masochistic mix that felt horribly uncomfortable and extremely pleasurable at once. At his words, the minion immediately halted its assault upon Terminous. Its form quickly diminished in size and intimidation as the ash, marble and inky darkness fell away with the aid of a breeze that was not there. Its many changing faces turned to ash and faded until in the place of the minion knelt a young woman, covered in blood and grime, shaking and seemingly oblivious to what was going on around her. Before anyone could react to what had just happened, Sonya rushed past Leo; almost knocking him over as she swung her hammer at something behind him. If he turned he would see another minion almost on top of him. The spiked end of Sonya's hammer struck the minion's head causing a small explosion of ash, bone and marble. Perhaps caught off guard as much as Leo was, the minion moved with unbelievable speed as it retreated back into the trees; the feelings of torment and madness that accompanied it also faded until they were no more. This left the three standing together near the shivering, naked woman. Her read hair was tangled and matted, her head down and her arms holding herself as she sat on her knees and the heels of her feet.

[Leo Varniak]

If questioned about what the leash felt like, Leo would be unable to give a satisfactory answer. It was painful, but also pleasurable in a way that was just as likely to attract as to repel. He might have compared it to the pins and needles feeling of an arm falling asleep, though on a larger scale. Whatever it was, Leo was at least comforted by the discovery that it actually worked. After Terminus cut off the tendril, the leash undid the transformation and dissipated the Chaon-powered creature until it turned back into what Leo could only believe was its original form. A woman.

He hardly had a second to consider the new development, when Sondra rushed past him swinging her hammer. Leo turned his head sharply, just in time to see another creature on the receiving end of the blunt weapon. It retreated hastily into the forest, and its presence faded away within moments. "That was close. I owe you one, Sondra. I doubt we've seen the last of that thing, though."

He stopped by Terminus to see if he was doing fine, as he was the only one to touch their enemies and taste of their inner chaos. Once reassured that the Azenth was able and willing, Leo marched towards the young naked woman with grim resolve. This was not the time to be overwhelmed by naive feelings of pity. One did not become a servant of Rhysol by drawing lots. She must have committed great sins to get where she was, and those would not magically disappear with a few tears or a shiver.

"Quit crying and get talking, woman," he ordered, arm pointed at the former-abomination as if he was about to shoot a firebolt at her head. He kept a reasonable safety distance from the woman, just in case. "Who are you, who or what is the temple's guardian and are there any more of you waiting for us?"

[Terminus Norin]

Terminus felt the power of Sorimor's Tooth as it began to pull rage from him he let the rage fuel the sword knowing what Glav had told him about it and what it did. The first thing that happened was that the Chaos was cleared from his mind, the second thing that happened was that the obsidian blade blasted the tendril around his arm and sent the minion reeling. The blade was an extraordinary artifact and he only could wonder what it had been like when whole and in Sorimor's hands.

He did not have time to bring the blade to bear on the abomination again as the thing howled in anguish and hatred and turned on him to attack increasing in size. He began to ready his rage for another attack upon the thing. Then there was a kind of feeling in the air as Leo put the leash on himself and pulled to free the thing. suddenly the ash and marble and such fell away and the thing shrank,revealing a naked young woman who seemed to be unaware of anything.

At the same time Sondra rushed past Leo and swung on the other thing. He turned and saw the other thing rushing them and then she swung on it. The minion s head was injured by the blow and it beat a hasty retreat. The feelings of torment and madness retreated with it and Terminu's reeling senses began to settle

He still had the burning memory of the things he was made to see in his brain and mind. However he could see Leo marching toward the young woman with a look that said he would not be being nice. He knew that Leo saw things in black and white and though he had no real pity on the woman he also knew that the way he was approaching her would not work. He stepped between Leo and the woman knowing that one could be redeemed from ones sins without death.

I don't think shes going to be able to answer you just yet Leo. Shes in shock from whatever happened to her. You also don't know all the facts, she may not be a willing minion. He hoped that they would not have to argue about this as compassion he felt was just as much a part of Ivak as justice. He knelt near the woman looking into her eyes. He took her hands in his and softly spoke even though she had just trued to mess up his mind and kill him

Hello there, I'm Terminus. I know you have had a difficult time and we can discuss that later. However my friends here are not the patient type, anything you can tell us about the Temple and its Guardian would be nice. If not I can turn you over to my friends here and they wont be so nice to you.