The Temple of Mask - Kolis-Tane
General Summary
It's still raining as the group, missing Myra but adding Nari and Ayen, finds their way through the devastated city and into Light's Touch. Between the information they gained from Irik and Nari's scrying they have no trouble finding the dilapidated temple. As they approach the front seems unlocked, as though it has been abandoned, as they make their way into the dusty chamber from Nari's vision.
The church is derelict and desolate as the group enters, dust coats empty rotting pews, caked on from years of disuse. The group crowds in, but the only sound is that of their own footsteps echoing down the stone rows. Investigating the pews they find no hidden levers or passages so they continue deeper into the building. Nari indicates that she felt like they need to go down but doesn't see any stairs.
As the group continues there's a feeling of being watched as they approach the dais, the walls filled with stained glass let in a broken colored light. On the platform stand three large obelisks with locks inset in each of them. Several members step up to the first one. Sarya reads the inscription as the first lock clicks into place, "Locks may hide many things."
Darts fire from the ceiling as three Blades of Akuma appear on the floor, drawing weapons slick with poison. One of the blade throws darkness in the center of the room blinding those inside. Outside the darkness, Nari casts something paralyzing the two blades allowing the group to make short work of them while Ayen handles the third. Nari, noting the poisoned blades picks one up, as the group continues the final click of the lock on the third reveals a dark staircase going down.
The camera pans back to the small room, Thueban an Alsume approaching menacingly as Myra is shackled to the bed. She scrambles backward as they advance, Thueban licking his lips. Alsume asks to go first and steps up, but as he goes to grab her he convulses dropping to the floor. Thueban goes to his aid as Myra reaches down and touches the rotting bed holding her manacle. As she does a trickle of blood starts to come out her nose as the wood creeps up her arm appearing in patches on her skin. She feels the bed buckle but not enough to break the binding.
Thueban picks up Alsume dusting him off, "You can taste her first. You don't have long to get back into it before they run."
Alsume laughs, advancing on Myra again, "You're lucky we have what we need." He shakes violently but manages to stay on his feet. "I need just a little bit," he says with a desperation in his voice as he reaches out toward Myra.
Myra dodges backwards and there's a creak as the already weakened leg crunches breaking.
"Stop moving so he can feel better," Thueban comments as he reaches out a claw raking them against Myra's now bark like skin.
Outside the door there's voices as the camera shifts to the main group, running down a spiral staircase into the darkness. At the bottom they find another long chamber, a number of doors off to the sides, another large dais at the end. Odd crystals of different shades sit menacingly above it pulsing slowly in the darkness.
In the middle of the platform stands Iroh and a bird cage with a shell of a creature vaguely resembling Crypt . In the hall stands Dartina flanked by a number of Blades. "You could just walk away now," she calls out to the group.
Raijun calls out that they could do the same thing.
Dartina shrugs, "We got paid for a job."
"How much?" Raijun asks.
"You couldn't afford me," she smiles.
"But what about her family? The one you got locked up," Adama offers.
"Oh we'll ransom her after they're ... done. Look you should turn back, you lost the things that made you powerful. What are you now?"
Adama laughs, "If you thought the scrolls were what made us powerful you don't know anything about us."
The scene devolves into violence, Nari tries to subdue some of the blades as Ayen, Adama, and Hagren go for a more direct approach. Sarya channels her anger into becoming a fire elemental, rushing into the fray as well.
Ayen takes several heavy hits from swords coated in purple worm poison from the Blades as Hagren, Adama, and Sarya take care of them. Nari passes Ayen the sword she found upstairs and Ayen nods. As he walks up to Dartina, unphased by the hits, he smiles, "You weren't invited to the house the first time and now I'm going to smash your brains in." He unleashes a flurry of attacks causing Dartina to quickly rethink her plan of attack, instead turning invisible and retreating back toward the platform.
Raijun quickly jumps up to the top of the chamber where the glowing gems are as Iroh calls up to him, "Leave and you can still continue to fail elsewhere."
"You know, you taught me everything I know, but I'm going to take you down."
Iroh looks disappointedly between Raijun and his friends, "I had such high hopes for you. But your kindness continues to be your weakness. You could have been one who find the shadows... impermanent." Iroh sighs, lifting his hand to point at Sarya on the battlefield below, "See what powers you could have unlocked," his hand glows black and crimson streaks swirling around it as a line begins to appear between them. Before the spell can complete there's a flash of crimson light as Iroh yells, clutching his hand in pain.
"Master Iroh are you okay?" Raijun asks concerned, before remembering they are supposed to be fighting.
"Why the hell are you asking our enemy if they are okay?" Adama bellows from below.
The camera pans back through the door to an attached chamber, "You're addicted to it aren't you?" Myra asks Alsume trying to use the freedom of the anchor to wrap the chain around him cutting off his supply of magic further.
Alsume laughs, "I can see why my brother liked you. So gullible, it must have reminded him of her." Alsume grabs Myra's arms and as he does they go numb, a searing pain shooting through her as he laughs again.
Myra backs into the corner fear in her eyes, "I told you. I can't control it." She screams, the sound of bones cracking echo through the room, as a white dragon stands where Myra stood. Outside the room the group sees frost bloom on a door as they hear a scream.
Ayen and Nari immediately beeline toward the scream, leaving the others to finish off the remaining blade. As Ayen gets to the door he tries to open it but finding it locked begins to smash it. One of the remaining blades disengages from the group and darts into another side room. Adama dashes to the dais misty stepping up to the upper platform to aid Raijun against Iroh. Raijun takes out one of the blades flanking him but can't land a hit on Iroh, perhaps wrestling with his own conscience. On the upper platform, three blades shepherd someone around seemingly activating different crystals.
Sarya flies over to the door with Nari and Ayen and uses a crack to burn through it in her fire elemental form, finding dragon Myra, Thueban, and Alsume inside. Alsume has retreated to a corner while Thueban and Myra grapple with each other. Myra tries to pivot so she can get both but has little luck as Thueban grabs her in his jaws.
Hagren joins everyone at the door prying it open with his crowbar as Sarya goes to engulf Alsume. Alsume, instead of retreating from the flames, reaches out touching the fire elemental causing Sarya's form to ripple, reverting her back to an elf as she feels some of her magic leave her. Alusme sighs smiling, "Well this was quite a tasteful consumption."
Thueban rakes his claws into the dragon form of Myra taking large chunks out of her as the dragon screams in agony. As he wraps his jaws around her neck, her eyes flutter her form also reverting to that of her normal self. Ayen and Nari watch as she drops into unconsciousness rushing into the room together. Nari circles around Thueban and with a peel of thunder teleports from the room bringing Myra with her to just outside out of reach. Ayen looks at Thueban with a cold smile drawing his sword, "Hey big man, you're gonna die." Ayen and Hagen rake into Thueban, but in the struggle Thueban is able to wrap his jaws around Ayen.
Alsume walks casually around Sarya, still reeling from the forced transformation. He comments, "You know you were very easy to replace," as he sidles up to Thueban and teleports him with Ayen still in his jaws, towards the dais in the main room.
Outside, Raijun is locked a battle with Iroh who has tried and failed to use the necro scroll again. Adama has chased down the blades holding the artifcer captive trying to prevent further activation of the crystals. They've managed to get two online and are working on a third, a portal beginning to form above the dais. Adama attempts to push one of them off but the blade is too quick, sidestepping the attack. As they hear the thunder of Nari's teleport they see that Dartina has also appeared on the dais, visible again. She deposits a large chest emanating a soft green glow. Iroh looks at Raijun and for the briefest second as he hops down to join them a more demonic form bleeds through.
Alsume, Thueban, and Ayen appear at the steps of the dais as the portal opens behind Iroh, Crypt, and Dartina. Raijun makes one last attempt for Iroh's scroll shooting the grapple hook into Iroh's arm, but Iroh resists braking the chain. Ayen struggles to get free of Thueban before delivering two devastating hits bringing him low. He climbs the steps to the dais asking who wants to be next but Nari cracks her staff into the ground. A series of threads that connect everything briefly flash as they wrap around the three at the portal and cut off Ayen and the chest from the portal access. As the bubble forms Nari yells, "You're not leaving her Ayen. And I'm not cleaning up your mess." Through the portal the group can just see the form of one of the void creatures they faced in Vlypeum looking back, cut off by the dome.
Nari throws Myra onto an enlarged Spryg awakening her just after Iroh waves a salute at Alsume before walking through the portal with Crypt and Dartina. Alsume looks shocked for only a moment before collecting himself, reaching down to touch the unconscious Thueban, "I think it is time for us to go." He starts to teleport but a combined reaction from Nari and Adama keeps in him in place.
Ayen turns angrily, his other quarry now cut off, and puts the poisoned sword to Alsume's throat, "I killed your friend. Ran him through. Think how easy I can put you in the ground next."
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