She nods as she kneels in front of Jerryl and takes one of her hands for a moment as she looks up at her, "Yeah, the rest is up to you and I know everything will be okay, because I know and believe in you....not just Sarenrae, but you. Maybe if it's okay I'll just wait here for you?" She asks before gently letting go of her hand and sitting on the other bench.
Jerryl nods. "I'll be back shortly."
She gets off the bench and heads through the golden door.
Arista sees a blinding light beyond the door for a moment before it closes again.
Arista averts her eyes from the light and once the doors close she bows her head and prays silently to herself for the safety of those that left to take care of other things, for Jerryl, for the Anizari that Jarrah had tried to completely ruin, for the hopes of everyone in Valwick, on Zahvrohma, and truly all of Vesaria. Lastly....for her family. For those that had become her family along the way, for Alethiro and Celine, for the little girl growing inside of her, for Marie and Lucco as well as their children for her parents and finally for her brother whom she didn't know if she would ever see physically again. She sits quietly with her hands folded in her lap, head bowed and prayed that it wasn't too late to fix some things as she waits for her Goddess.
"Be careful using magic once we're inside. Ther could be all sort of artifacts in there that have effects we couldn't imagine." Sadhana says with great concern.
'That is crtainly going to be difficult.' Celia finds herself thinking as she follows.
Tesia just nods and stays close to the others, unsure of what to think at this point she simply draws her weapon.
The interior of the tower is grandiose. Its time submerged beneath the waves has done nothing to destroy the structure. The room is massive, littered with the bones of several colossal creatures and five freshly-killed Anizari. There is a massive stairway winding upward, each step about ten feet high. You see the shadowy figure from before slowly scaling each step.
She shakes her head in disbelief, "What is this place, and what is that thing? How are we possibly going to stop this? Are we supposed to?" She asks feeling awe struck by the sheer size of it and the implications that such a structure could posses so much power.
"Whatever it is, I seriously doubt it's up to anything good," Drago says.
With a nod to Tarja, the pair take off towards the top of the steps to head off the figure.
Looking at Sadhana for a moment she calls after the dhampir and his companion, "Drago! Wait! You don't have any idea what you're doing and magic could be lethal here! Did you not listen to Sadhana?"
Stopping in midair, he turned, "Yes I did, and I think it best we all get up there before that thing does. Since it's not flying up the stairs, we have an advantage to head it off before it gets up there."
He turned and continued on.
Growling in annoyance at his impulsiveness, not that none of them hadn't been impulsive in the heat of battle before...she just really didn't want to have to explain to Yulia how her baby daddy got himself killed because he couldn't wait for the rest of the group. Shaking her head she looks at Sadhana and the others, "What can we do? We can't let him chase after that thing by himself...but it's not flying or anything but trying to climb up the stairs as well. Can any of you just kinda fly to the top with Drago and keep an eye on him while the rest of us climb up? Or at least try to...I'm afraid of doing anything magical in here at all and I'm worried that if I try to change into something that can fly that I'll be stuck that way." She says sounding a bit worried as she glances in the direction that Drago took off in with Tarja.
"I'm pretty sure inherent or Selfridges affecting magic should be safe, but spells that might interact with the surrounding area could have unexpected effects." Sādhanā replies, her eyes locked on the climbing figure.
The figure continues to bound up the stairs using the wall to catapult its way up the stairs. It seems to acknowledge the summoner and eidolon's approach but pays them no mind.
"Stop right there!" Sādhanā shouts in a commanding tone. At this point the risk of simply being passive was way too high. "If you can fly, go with Drago." she says to her companions as she activates her boots.
She looks at Rhadaya, "Will you still love me if I stay a bird forever?" She asks as she's still not sure about using her magic in this strange place.
"I've got you love." Rhadaya says whispering an phrase in auran and giving her wife a kiss. Tesia feels the winds wrap around her, supporting her as they await her will. "Not quite as good as your eagle form bot just think of where you want to go and it'll happen."
As Rhadaya finishes her spell, an eagle appears beside her and looks at the sylph expectantly. The figure pays no attention to Sadhana and continues its ascent.
"Uhm....." Rhadaya says puzzled.
She looks a little surprised at the appearance of the eagle, but nods her understanding at Rhy. "Okay love..." She thinks about getting up in the air and heads for the top of the stairs.
Taking in the size of the steps, Sādhanā goes down on one knee in front of Ylrhea. "Get on my back love, we need to act now."
Ylrhea nods and climbs on Sadhana's back.
"I guess climb up after us with anyone else that can't fly. We'll head them off." the magus says to Celia before taking flight.
The figure artfully does a backflip as Sadhana attempts to cut it off. "You had best pick your battles carefully, Bladebearer."
The figure looks up at the magus, the necromancer's mask emanating an aura of hunger. "I want to taste your magic."
"Quiet, you accursed trinket," the figure says. "You seek Jarrah. I do not. Go your own way."
Sadhana doesn't know who this person could be.
Sādhanā's eyes narrow, considering their options."If you mean to use anything in this tower to harm the innocent, or empower evil, then you're one of my battles. Whether that happens now or later is questionable. You'll understand if I don't let the lives of thousands rest on the off chance you aren't up to something nefarious with an artifact beyond imagination."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Cyna follows Sadhana using her wall running technique.
The figure laughs. "No, I mean to put an end to this tower, once and for all. The gods buried it beneath the sea and, look, here it is again. You imperil the world by merely standing here and trying to stop me. Did you not feel the land shift beneath your feet? This tower will draw all lands towards it, until Vesaria is one continent once more. But only the land...walls will fall, homes will crumble, people will die. Hold to your beliefs that magic is a tool meant to help, but this magic is meant to harm, destroy and control. I will not stand for it and, if you get in my way, I will kill you."
She lands beside Sadhana and shakes her head, "We don't want those things to happen either. We agree that this thing can't be allowed to keep running....but how are you gonna destroy it without destroying everyone on this island? Can it be done safely? If we knew how to stop it we would. We don't much care for that portal thing outside either, but we don't know how to destroy that either....and how do you know about Jarrah? Do you know where she is then?" She asks her questions quickly, her mind thinking almost too fast for her to keep up.
"I know about all the Anizari. She is a couple of floors above, holding council with her infernal allies," the figure says. "There is a staff in the room at the top of this tower. It is an ancient artifact...perhaps the greatest the Predecessors created. My mask will feast on its power and it will die like all magic should. The gate is useless for the time being."
She taps on her mask before readying herself for another jump. "If you don't mind..."
"I must feed..." the mask whimpers, almost pathetically.
She puts a hand on Sadhana's arm, "For now she seems to be our best option of dealing with shutting down this tower. Why don't we all go deal with Jarrah and her allies?" She suggests as she moves over a bit to make way for the masked woman. She looks at the masked figure after a moments thought, "Will stopping this tower keep the gate from finishing assembling itself, or do we still need to destroy it somehow?"
Sādhanā doesn't immediately stand aside, her eyes narrowing as she studies the necromancer. She didn't like this, not in the least. While there were rare cases like Dillon, people who had been misled or been taken advantage of to lead them to seek such power, the overwhelming and almost insane need to destroy something that was a fundamental part of how the world worked, hinted toward some degree of instability.
"You're right about one thing. This tower needs to be sent back where it came from and if you can do that.....well then today we're on the same side. But understand this, magic is part of the fabric of the universe. It is every bit as vital gravity, or the air you breathe. It is inherently neither good nor evil but can be used and charged in either direction. The folly of thinking that using magic to destroy magic isn't a path to failure is something that deep down you must see. I don't now what magic cost you, than made you feel the need to destroy it all.....whatever it is, I'm sorry, but one of these days you'll see to destroy something good, something that benefits people's lives, protects them, makes the world a better place. On that day, we will be what stands against you, and we will not stop until you have been stopped. If you can, if you believe magic is as dangerous as you say, get rid of that mas and it's dark influence and need before it's too late." she says looking at her companions as she steps aside.
"It seems we're headed in the same direction. So shall we?"