lostcarnival | ⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 4 PT2

She can't compete with that. She doesn't think she wants to, in fact, as she watches Steven do his best to calm the enraged and psuedo-possessed 'were' down. To the side, an angel is distracting Ignatius as well-suddenly it seems as if nothing is certain, but if anything can be 'fixed', the struggle of how to stop Strange safely, while handling Nightshade as well, seems more possible all of a sudden.

...It's still impressively chaotic, and Carly looks back to Prudence and the others with a bit of a nervous expression, as if to say I...Tried???

She does at least bolster up that fire wall. It's better than nothing.

When Strange speaks, Taako recognizes his voice; they had a pretty nice chat when he first arrived, confused, in the carnival.

What is he doing with them...? Is that the role this place stuffed him into? Taako can't help but find it absolutely infuriating that he can't do anything right now-- none of the spells he has access to right now would even put a dent on those guys except for Strange, and Strange... it would suck to have to kill him. He seems chill.

Taako does attempt another spell; there is enough distraction going on right now that maybe he can get away with it this time. He focuses on Strange, and attempts to cast Dominate Person. He doesn't assume he'll be able to overpower the fae's control on him, but it's worth a shot, and if Strange is able to tell that something is being cast on him, at least he can't do nearly as much damage to Taako as Ignatius did.

He thinks so, anyway.

Steven kissed him a while back, but it's only now that Axel blinks awake again. At least he can feel his body, but moving might be asking a little much at the moment. He should be immobilized and in hospital, he should be anywhere but on a battlefield. But here he is.

He lets out a low whistle as Peridot steps out, then looks at Taako out of the corner of his eye, then over at the others. "It might be best not to move me, guys, unless it's a lot safer over there or something. Anyone got time to explain what's going on here?"

Meanwhile, Ignatius is howling in rage at the water that has just been dumped all over him, like a bucket propped over a door. The boat is shredded into pieces between his hands, the metal melting like snow at his touch. As for Iulieal...

If he tried to put that shit in his mouth, he is getting burned, and fast. At the moment, dousing him is mostly just contributing to the confusion of the situation and perhaps buying some time.

Peridot pulls her lips back and hisses at both the fae and her servant, but she's not deterred. Sharp claws on her feet hook in to the ground as the wind gusts past her, making her eyes stream. She's completely hulked out now, half-way between bat and human, which would just be hilariously stupid looking if she wasn't basically making the ground crack beneath her feet with all the power the earth spirit is putting off of her.

Strange. She has enough mind to know that she doesn't really want to kill him, but he at least needs to be dealt with. If anyone's a pest, it's him, she thinks ruefully. A winged-hand flicks up, and the poker freezes in its trajectory, abruptly changes direction--

It's Steven's interference alone that gives her pause. Her weapon trembles, and very nearly clatters to the ground.

"Steven," she growls, and at least for now it's clearly her speaking, even through the Earth Spirit's influence. "I can get us out of here! I just need to take care of these creeps!"

And while Taako is trying one tactic with Strange, someone else is about to try another.

It's been through sheer irritation with the whole matter — now even more so with his real memories falling into place, along with that slowly spreading feeling of rage that no one can quite pinpoint just yet — that Childermass has even managed to come to his senses. Well, that and Steven's help, which, admittedly, did help a lot.

More importantly, with his memories, he's remembered how he really, really doesn't want one very particular smug magician to bite the dust.

So when the idiot steps forward to protect Nightshade, Childermass finally makes an effort to push himself up out of the snow and act, throwing out an arm towards Strange. His shadow stretches, as quickly along the field of white as he can make it, trying to latch onto the mage's own shadow and pull a trick similar to what he'd originally captured Steven in, so very long ago. At least, so he thinks. Did that happen? Did it not?

It doesn't really matter. What does matter is he'll try to drop Strange into his own shadow and drag him all the way over to where he and Lambert had ended up dumped.

You tried Taako, but Nightshade's a true fae and her brainwashing runs deep. The most that happens due to the effects of his spell is an odd look passes over Strange's face for a moment like he can't remember if he left the oven on before he turns back to the fight. And oh look, the werebeast had morals. How cute.

Strange takes a few steps towards Peridot, muttering something under his breath, preparing to cast an incantation...when he just straight up vanishes, thanks to Childermass and his shadow magic. Strange at least manages to get out an undignified yelp before he falls through his shadow, reappearing at the other end of the courtyard, downright confused. Guess who hasn't yet realized that Childermass is conscious?

But hey, that provides a nice handy pathway straight to poor Nightshade if somebody wanted to, I don't know, try and beam her with a poker again.

Iuliael is shrieking counterpoint to the howls, somewhere between shiiiiit and damn you. The portal's not a part of his anatomy and is insensate but it can't protect what it's not covering and he can't have it cover him entirely. That timeless ocean it leads to turns out to be extremely important in some metaphysical sense to him, too. Firey angelic nature or not Ignatius is just way too hot! If Iuliael had been able to get all of him in in an instant it might have been manageable, but even the most glancing contact between the fae lord and the water through in the portal caused some of it to flash to hot steam, and he's scalded. He rises erratically, listing and billowing and weeping gold.

Out: fire thugs! The two lackeys who'd had him pinned earlier are flung out, drenched, onto their master, their flames steaming and spluttering where still alight at all. Iuliael's not really thinking at this point but hey, at least this particular fae isn't participating in the other goings on?

It keeps happening. The pulsing, overflowing wash of spirit that drowns out the fragment he searches for. It floats and hovers there and he tries begging with it-please, he must find it, it's integral! They must find it, or the ritual will be lost! Please!

He begs, until something...clicks. The reason they need the fragment-the connection to the spirit of the Earth, the being whom sits at the center of this entire mess. This overpowering, overwhelming energy that suddenly appeared, drowning out what was barely similar to it...

His eyes snap open, and without even a moment's pause, Gongenzaka has stood up. "...We don't need the pendant!" he announces quickly, shouting not only to Yuugo and the two who brought the Angelic team together, but also Yuuya and all those facing Nightshade now. "PERIDOT!" he shouts, the overwhelming pulse of spirit telling him clearly where it is and who it is. "You and Yuuya both can act as the key! WE JUST NEED THE EARTH SPIRIT!"

"What the fuck?!" is all Nightshade can say on a moment's notice. She gives Peridot one frantic look before poofing into a cloud of purple spores and dispersing into the air.

When Strange disappears in a flurry of shadows Yuya throws his small collection of rocks straight at Nightshade. It's terribly ineffective, because she just evaporates into smoke anyway, but he's pissed.

Thankfully, though, Gon's voice is like some sort of trained response to get Yuya to snap out of his own inner turmoil. He turns his attention up and over his shoulder, his glare shifting into surprise. "We... don't? Peridot has the Earth Spirit?!"

He turns back to her, mouth agape. He didn't even realize the spirit was with them! "We can break the Severing now!"

Lambert wakes up and instantly regrets it.

The amount of pain he's in isn't as bad as it could be, but this is second only to the Trial of Grasses, and that had literally involved mutating his entire body with magic. And -- he remembers that now. Everything.

However, it's all mixed up enough in his head still that when a body suddenly pops up right next to him, particularly when it's the face of someone he last saw trying to kill him, Lambert's body moves before his mind can catch up.

With a surprising amount of strength for a recently-dying man, he slams a fist right into Strange's face.

Edited 2017-07-30 05:02 (UTC)

As if summoned by that revelation, and realizing that his control of the situation has finally slipped, a flock of shadowy crows returns. He has, of course, been waiting at the sidelines - perfectly content to just let his enemies destroy each other. Of course, he hadn't anticipated on them finding a way without him.

He'll take the half form of a man, still partially flapping wings and snapping beaks. He hadn't considered this before, but he overheard Gongenzaka's realization, and now he's fully away of how little time they may have.

"Ignatius," he says. "This feud has gone on long enough. We must take care of this... together."

Edited 2017-07-30 05:05 (UTC)

It's amazing how a grownass man can look so much like a lost puppy. Nightshade's gone? But where did she go? Why'd she leave him? He was doing good, he was about to beat up Peridot, and she just left? What the--

And then Lambert wakes up and socks him in the face. Really, this is enough to just knock Strange out completely and he falls to the floor with a thud. Somebody remember to drag his sorry ass to the Ringmaster for de-brainwashing once the ritual's been completed and everybody's back to the carnival.

Damien and Pru look at each other, shocked. Wait... that's right. Damn, he's right!

"GOT IT," Damien shouts, understanding without any further provocation. "Yuuya, Yuugo - same plan as before, but Peridot with Yuuya. She could work just like the pendant."

Damien doesn't even wait. He's already mucking around with the ritual circle, making sure they are ready to go as of right now.

By all the Diamonds--

She was ready. She was so ready to jump on Nightshade and give her the beating of SEVERAL lifetimes, but then Gon calls her name and she whirls to face him, and then when she looks back! The fae is already gone!! She hisses in confusion, now sitting on all this souped up power with nowhere to direct it--

Okay wait a sec why does it seem like everyone is suddenly staring at her all of a sudden!? Rewind a sec! Despite those huge bat ears, she seriously wasn't listening!!

She crouches down next to Steven and eyeballs the room at large with an apprehensive "nyeh?"

Even while possessed by the Earth Spirit. Peridot's gonna Peridot.

NOT GOOD. The minute both fae are on the field, Carly's pouring as much as she has into the violet flames, the shadow practically overtaking their light. These are not true 'fires' that she has spent more than a year practicing with; they look like it, and act like it, but they are not 'it'. Demon fire, a light-bearing haze that is cold to the touch, and eats the energy of whatever touches it.

She had hoped, if she were able to face Ignatius as distraction, that she could buy time in the moments that it ate his flame-if only until the fae no doubt realized it and over powered her instead.

For now, this is all she has. She fuels the shield, and braces for whatever may come.

"This madness is your responsibility," Ignatius roars at the count. "Snow-bred fool!" He points towards the ritual circle now, his flame growing bright again with rage.

"Collect your bloodkin and kill the rest."

And almost as soon as he's gotten Strange to this side of the courtyard, he's out. Childermass looks at the collapsing magician with some alarm as well as some annoyance and then shoots a look up at Lambert.

"Well, that saves me the trouble," he mutters, voice dry and rough from his days in the dungeons, the overall hardship that being trapped here had entailed. Not as bad as being stuck for years, admittedly, but it hadn't been much fun regardless. Anyway, maybe he'll just punch Strange later.

His attention is immediately pulled away when the Count returns, though. Even though he now realizes that thing isn't his father, the spark of fear he feels is still all too real. He wants to flee, but he can't. He doubts he has the energy to do much else after that last stunt.

"No..." He starts quietly, then tries again, raising his voice, praying it'll carry across the chaos around them, "No! Don't listen to him!" As if the Lord of Fire will believe him, but he must try. "He'll only open the gateway back for Winter! You'll still be trapped here!"

Yuya holds his hands out to Peridot. "You have the Earth Spirit in you, right?! You can help us break the Severing! Come here and I'll explain it!"

He glances aside to the starting deal of the Fae, and he's certain then--they're out of time. Out of it to argue, fight, or get the pendant back.

"Trust us! Please! We just need you, Peridot!"

Steven is super confused, too, but it sounds like everyone else is understanding something they aren't. Is the ritual able to happen now? Steven barely knows what the ritual is about let alone the fact that Peridot could fill the requirements.

Yet, there is at least one thing he has a strong opinion on. He glares at the arguing fae, and takes Peridot by the hand - racing back into the circle with the rest, he puts himself between Childermass and the two of them.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" he yells at them, and summons his shield with his spare arm.

Taako is just about to complain about how none of his shit even works here, why is he bothering, when... well, a whole lot of things happen more or less at once, interrupting his hissy fit pretty effectively.

When it's announced that they can undo the severing right then, he just about collapses, exhausted and in too much pain to even bother feeling annoyed by the failure of his admittedly very stupid and dangerous plan.

... and then he hears the return of the Count, and Ignatius's response, and he pushes himself right back up to watch, whining through his teeth as he moves.

"Son of a bitch." But he does ready himself to cast, should he need to-- he might not be able to move, but he can at least try to help keep those assholes off of them.

Ignatius just has to do everything himself, apparently. He figures that Damien's threats about disbanding the ritual must be moot now - there's nothing between him and tearing every one of these assholes limb from limb. He starts marching towards the ritual circle, with the full intent to kill - his aura alone sends waves of hot air in all directions.

If they need to clear the way, then he can do that just fine.

"If you're gonna do it, then do it already!" Rita barks at those needed for the ritual. "The rest of us can hold them off." She takes a fighting stance, putting herself between Ignatius and the ritual circle. If she's ever going to stand up to him, now seems like a good time to do it.

Rita's no fool. She saw what happened to Axel and the others, and she knows she's powerless against Ignatius. Almost all of her offensive magic is just a lesser version of his. So how can she possibly...

She remembers now; the magic. Her blastia is gone... which means there's only one spell she can use. The spirit magic she recently developed, that formula... it should work!

"O countless particles that wander the heavens, rain down and glorify the land!" Standing with renewed defiance, Rita gathers power for her spell. A magic circle, made of light, appears around her in a spherical form as she compiles the formula and chants the incantation. "Meteor Storm!!"

The magic circle around her vanishes, and in that instant... large rocks start falling from above, crashing down randomly in the general vicinity of Ignatius and the Count. They gather heat as they fall, but that part won't do any harm to Ignatius. Rita tries to avoid hitting any allies, but if someone happens to be on the move, there's a chance of them stepping into the path of those rocks.

There isn't really time to confer with Childermass or even contemplate any of the million things he could be thinking about right now, but upon hearing several cries of 'Peridot' where the bulk of the action is taking place, well, he may not understand what's going home, but he can understand what Yuya's saying, and it makes intuitive sense, somehow.

It's only three words that he has the energy for, and it's amazing he gets them out at all, considering the damn state his vocal cords are in.

"Take us home!" he calls out, wincing with the effort, and he curls over Strange's body, looking up at Childermass and manages in a much softer hiss, "Stay close!"

A quick gesture of his hand sends an orange shield bubbling up over him and the thoroughly unconscious mage -- and the changeling (no, magician) as well.

(frozen comment) (no subject)

bananaspeedrider - 2017-07-30 06:04 (UTC) - Expand

(frozen comment) (no subject)

hippocarnival - 2017-07-30 06:16 (UTC) - Expand

(frozen comment) (no subject)

periphrasing - 2017-07-30 06:28 (UTC) - Expand

(frozen comment) (no subject)

lordofthering - 2017-07-30 06:31 (UTC) - Expand