Kareth looses his nerve at first when he sees the corrupted nymph.  What sort of thing does this, he thinks to himself. However, as soon as the urge to run wells up inside him, he forces the sensation down and manages to remember what he came here to do.   He drops his weight into a guarding stance and readies his cord and his cannon.  Should those words be a spell he his determined to capture it.

[Private to GM: 10:22, Today: Isole Kareth rolled 3 successes using 6d10 with ... rolls of 10,5,4,7,2,5. Join Battle.
10:21, Today: Isole Kareth rolled 2 successes using 2d10 with ... rolls of 9,8. Join Battle. (accidently hit enter before changing the number of dice).
10:16, Today: Isole Kareth failed (no successes) using 2d10 with ... rolls of 5,3. Valor Check.

Guess I have to spend WP to not be cowardly.]
This message was last edited by the player at 17:13, Wed 12 Aug 2009.

Zeru does not shy away, like he told the beastly voice in his head, threats only serve to push him forwards. The chalice bearer was being forced, she was an innocent, her every being called for someone to rescue her. The Chalice was forcing her... This makes Zeru angry, very angry. Yet for all his anger, all his knowledge of the necessity of the thing, he just can't move towards it.

He breathes heavily, his eyes locked on the nymph at the center. He pulls at the very fiber of his courage, hoping to pull enough up to break the fear that holds him fast. He reminds himself of the battle that is waging on the outside, he reminds himself of Cinna, Antov, Brogan, Curran, and the wounded but defiant Sunden. He needs to bring this to an end before he loses some of his precious crew. All of the Alliance is embroiled in combat, and Zeru will have none of this cowardice.

[Private to Storyteller: 16:48, Today: Peleps Zeru rolled 2 successes using 3d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 4,4,10. Wits+Awareness.
16:41, Today: Peleps Zeru failed (no successes) using 3d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 3,4,6. Valor.]

"You know what? You're right." Lasuri's response comes, as he continues to make his slow, but determined advance on the creature ahead.

"I mean... These bodies are fragile. They bleed. They break. They age and weaken. They die. But do you really understand what that means?" Another step. All throughout, the Captain's eyes do not leave his target, the monstrosity that has made its nest so far deep within Rakatau.

"It means that we continue to fight, to bleed, and to win despite our weakness and our limits. We're born with a limited lease - even from birth, it's an ultimate certainty that we're all going to expire. It's just a matter of when. And yet, did you ever truly have a look at this world you want to conquer for your masters? The world's full of nameless heroes, average joes whose only power was determination and a will to make a difference."

"Think you can stop that? Think you can compete with that? You can't. And the reason's simple. You and your kind are so stuck on crying for what you've lost that you can't find the strength in what you have."

Turning towards his companions, Lasuri nods one more time, taking a deep breath. "Cobalt Alliance! I have one more command for you. Depending on how this turns out, this might be the last one. I'll go straight for it, but I need a path to do that. I need you to open that for me, so I can grab that chalice..." The Captain turns back towards the nymph, his body tensing in anticipation.

"... And show this parasite the meaning of weakness."

And with that, Lasuri surges forward, like the river flowing strongly towards the seabed, unfazed and unstoppable. This might be dangerous, but the Captain trusts implicitly in his friends and comrades. He is determined to end this, and to bear the burden of this chalice so that no one, friend or otherwise, will be harmed by it ever again. This is the drive that pushes him through water and tentacles, hurtling him ever closer to his target. Once again, Lasuri is the cold-hearted riptide that rips hulls and oars apart, sending the unwary towards an eternal watery grave.

No pause. No hesitation.

No quarter.

[Private to Storyteller:
15:45, Today: Lasuri Leomaris rolled 4 successes using 7d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 6,9,9,9,3,3,8. Join Battle.
15:46, Today: Lasuri Leomaris rolled 2 successes using 3d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 4,10,2. Valor Roll (+1 wp).
15:47, Today: Lasuri Leomaris rolled 7 successes using 7d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 7,10,9,3,10,5,7. Dex + Athletics (just in case). ]

Fists clenched and eyes narrowed, Kiana charged along with the Captain, the shadows in her mind ever shifting and changing thanks to the presence of the demonic entity that laid before them.  The mists cleared and swirled before finally revealing the Nymph.  She was beautiful, of course, bu was horribly twisted by the Cup of Kimberly, but the way in which she held the chalice in one instance, with the beauty of her face, jogged another quick memory into Kiana as revulsion of the sight threatened to weaken her knees.

Kiana was on her back, disrobed most horribly, and had managed to numb her mind to the horror that was being inflicted upon her.  The old General reeked of booze and tobacco as he groped the little girl and forced himself on her, and the pain was, sadly, not the worst she had endured over the years of her mother's care.  She did not think of screaming, or of crying out, but silent tears ran down her cheeks as waves of shame washed over her, as they always did when this particular 'duty' was asked of her.  Such dishonor.  She glanced up, hoping to distract herself with something, anything, when she saw her mother standing in the doorway.  The look on the Woman's face was pure malevolence, the satisfied smirk on her face one that would haunt Kiana for years more to come.  She held a chalice in her hand, filled with her favorite spirits, and Kiana realized just how much she hated her Mother.  It was with as much intensity as she loved her father--and it would strengthen her, she decided.  She would not become mad, or broken--she would endure, as her Father had taught her.  She would endure.

As soon as it hit the memory was quickly ejected from her mind, but not before its effects were felt.  She had endured, and now she faced an evil that threatened not just her, but the entire free world.  Was this a greater evil than her mother?  Kiana didn't believe that--but it was certainly sinister enough to warrant her hate and her determination.  It was revolting to witness, but the presence of her Father's Spirit braced her own sense of bravery and valor--she would not turn back.  This evil would receive just as it deserved--just as her Mother would as well, eventually.

She bent low, power flowing through her being being as she assumed the immovable stance of the Earth Dragon, allowing the essence to cleanse her mind and body, and prepare her for the assault ahead of her.  At the words of her Captain, she have a quick nod, her now shortened black hair swaying around her cheek as she did.  "Aye, Captain!"  She all but roared, charging into the swirling mass of tentacles to give the Captain just as he had asked--a path unto the Chalice.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:57, Mon 17 Aug 2009.

One by one, the Alliance members shake off fear, revulsion or pity to boldly commence the attack! [Private to Isole Kareth: I gave you +1 stunt die but no go :( so, yes, you'll have to spend another WP to avoid running or being frozen in place.][Private to Peleps Zeru: I rolled you +2 stunt and you got 2 sux on valor, so you can still move. I just delayed you a tick (you would have acted on tick 4) to show your hesitation.][Private to Lasuri Leomaris: +2 stunt on valor, woo!][Private to Kiana White-Fist: A +2 stunt for you if you were needing motes or WP back (you can either get 4m or 1WP for a +2 stunt)]

Tageru readies his bow, unshaken at the sight of the once-beautiful Chalice Bearer and the infernal beast that binds her. He aims a pair of arrows at the writhing tentacles, only to find that his mundane arrows disintegrate in the mist! Halfway to their goal, the hafts are consumed completely, and the arrowhead falls uselessly into the tainted water. [Private to Cynis Tageru: I had you fire broadhead arrows, no charm use, this is the result.]

Lasuri rushes toward the mass of tentacles, leading the charge. He advances right onto the shifting, slippery surface, his boots nimbly picking out a path as he ducks, runs and leaps from one tentacle to the next, his eyes piercing right through the cloying mist surrounding him. Danaa'd truly favors him this day, each and every step seemingly guided by divine providence as he rushes toward his goal.

Kiana's movements are not nearly so fluid nor natural upon a surface lacking the solidity of Earth. But she follows Lasuri's lead nonetheless, keeping a precarious balance across the field of worm-like appendages until one of them wrench from right under her feet! She falls into the pool with a splash!

The infernal beast is lethargic, slow, reacting belatedly to the Dragon-blood daring to plunge into their midst. The tentacles around them start to buck and twist, rearing up to attack and seize their limbs! [Private to Lasuri Leomaris: A flurry of 4 attacks! 3 sux, 4 sux, 3 sux, 7 sux. Onslaught penalties apply, and you start at 6-3 = 3 Parry DV! If any one of these hit you, you are clinched, meaning that on your turn, you must roll (Strength or Dex + Martial Arts) in an attempt to free yourself from the clinch.][Private to Kiana White-Fist: You start at 7-2 = 5 Parry DV. Tentacles do a 4 attack flurry on you. So, 2 sux vs 5 DV, 1 sux vs 4 DV, 3 sux vs 3 DV, 7 sux vs 2 DV. This means the last attack goes in with 5 successes. Unless you can get 5 additional sux from a stunt, channel virtues, Martial Arts excellency, etc. you are now clinched, and have to roll (Strength or Dex + Martial Arts) to attempt to free yourself. The action to free yourself will take up your entire next turn.]

Still on shore, Kareth, Zeru and Tageru see their two companions swallowed up by swarming tentacles and (in Kiana's case) acid-water. They can no longer see Kiana or Lasuri clearly, nor do they see more than a faint outline of the shape of the Chalice-Bearer in the mist. However, they can still hear her chanting, and a strange amber light starts to pulse from the center of the infernal beast, where she is held captive. [Private to Isole Kareth: You realize that the Chalice Bearer is still shaping sorcery, you're most certain that the Chalice must be casting *Celestial* magic through its host.]

---

OOC: actions
(tick 0-4 accounted for above)
tick 5 - Chalice-Bearer (shaping spell), Tentacle Beast, Lasuri (30/50 yards, on tentacles), Kareth, Zeru
tick 7 - Kiana (15/50 yards, swimming)
tick 8 - Tageru

Note, if you'll charge (dash) and balance on the tentacles (Dex+Ath) at the same time, your balancing roll is at a -2. If you attack and balance, you still have to include the (Dex+Ath) in your flurry unless you have Athletics 4+.

Also the mist gives you -1 sux to all attack rolls if you are inside it or firing into it.

Kareth can tell from the intricate weaving of the essence patterns and the length of time it's taking to cast this spell that it was well beyond the means of any terrestrial exalt.  "It's using a spell of the Anathama!"  He hated the use of that term and has for such a long time now, but it still came unbidden to his lips.  Old habits do die hard.  But I need to make sure we don't join them, the engineer thought to himself as he began moving and looking for cover.  Cover he found in the form of the entrance way.  He could duck around the corner and at least hold himself against the wall making him a much smaller target to hit.  With a quick flip of his wrist, Kareth sent the cord wrapping around wrist as he moved.  He then leveled his cannon at the chalice and left through the air at the entrance.  He knew the fog hated fire so he thrust out his free hand with the cord wrapped around it, sending a flare towards chalice, both with the intend of knocking it from it's bearer's grasp and to clear a mistless path for his next move... the cannon shot.  His weapon erupted in its powerful way, sending a mass of concussive essence towards the chalise and its bearer.  Hopefully that will be too distracting for the demon, Kareth thinks as he reaches his cover.

[Private to GM: 09:51,

Isole Kareth rolled 4 successes ... rolls of 8,6,8,7,1,6,8,2,2,5. Elem Bolt Attack.

Isole Kareth rolled 3 successes using 8d10 with ... rolls of 8,7,5,6,1,7,3,3. Elem Bolt Attack (right dice).  (Dmg 10L + sux)

Isole Kareth rolled 3 successes using 6d10 with ... rolls of 8,9,6,7,4,6. Attack with Very Small Essence Cannon.

adding 2 sux with archery excellency to both attacks.

Attack 1:  5 sux (10L)
Attack 2:  5 sux (10B piercing)

Basically, I'm trying to cause an essence backlash.  I just hope that the shaping action lowers its DV below 5.  :)

Stunt?
]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:57, Wed 19 Aug 2009.

Zeru snaps back into focus, his cause lending him the courage needed to move. He drives forward following Lasuri, and Kiana's leads, he leaps upon the mass of writhing tentacles searching for an opening. Tempest swings at his sides doing more to keep him on balance than to threaten the beast. As he leans in one direction, Tempest flips to the other, pulling his body back into balance. He leaps, ducks, and bounces his way forward intent on lassoing any tentacles that chase after the captain.

As the Captain goes on his mad advance for the Chalice bearer, something becomes immediately clear to him - there is no way he will manage to avoid all of the tentacles reaching for him. He could very well try his best to slip out of their grasp, using every last ounce of power he has at his disposal to do so... But then, it could also lead him to have to face the potentially dangerous Bearer while diminished and weakened, a situation that his opponent no doubt is trying to push him into.

With that realization, the Captain sees only one opportunity available to him, based on the the way he approaches every problem. If your opponent expects you to jump, duck. If he expects you to advance, pull back. If he expects you to struggle... Don't. And that is precisely what Lasuri does. No doubt the creature expects him to put up a resistance, to try to defend from the many tentacles reaching for him so he can continue unhindered, to expand a large amount of power and energy to remain free - and Lasuri will take his opponent off-guard by doing the exact opposite. Bonus points if that makes it think I'm weak and unable to face it in combat, he thought.

The first tentacle comes, and Lasuri easily brushes it aside, his footing and stance shifting so that he might react to the second one reaching for him... But the action never comes. One might expect a delay for a better defense perhaps, or even a calculated wait to better his position with the next action, but none of these occur. The pause becomes too long, too stretched out to look like a defense anymore, and it becomes clear that the Captain will not move out of the way.

Instead, he looks straight at the Chalice Bearer, through the mass of writhing tentacles that would keep him from reaching his goal. The tentacles start to slither and circle around his body, but the Captain keeps his weapons firmly in his hands as his freedom of movement is taken from him.

One might call it surrender, in the face of overwhelming odds and the looming spectre of defeat. But one look at the Captain's eyes, still focused on the creature ahead of him, show that this is not the case; the dark irises seem to almost shine with a cold, relentless conviction, a belief in the notion that while temporary defeat might be necessary, it only delays the inevitable. That while the Bearer might hold him in place, it will never be anything but temporary. Sooner or later, through the actions of his comrades or his own, he will break free.

And when he does, nothing will save the Chalice Bearer from his wrath.

And as he continues to meet the possessed creature's gaze, the Captain's muscles start to bulge and strain, already seeking to break free...

[Private to Storyteller: Explanation of Lasuri's action, plus the roll for the break clinch attempt at his turn. I don't really like the post so I don't expect stunt (though I'm channeling Conviction through it to gain extra dice), so I just hope that the others' actions might help in reducing difficulty at the next turn, or else I'll just keep on trying to break clinch each tic afterwards.

04:08, Today: Lasuri Leomaris rolled 4 successes using 8d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 5,10,8,5,1,2,1,7. Dex + Martial Arts + Conv (Break Clinch).]

With an angry frown, Tageru curses and spits into the water. "Well, if you can't be hit, maybe you can be distracted" he thinks to himself, and looks at his friends struggling to reach the monster.
"HEY! MONSTER! OVER HERE!" he shouts, and suddenly, his anima flares more strongly, and he starts to move in an almost hypnotic pattern. No, it's not almost hypnotic, it does mesmerize, his every gesture perfect, his grace unparalleled. His moves trail sparks of emerald Essence, and it's obvious that he's using some form of magic.

OOC: using the Unbreakable Fascination Kata to distract the demons. [Private to Storyteller: 13:23, Today: Cynis Tageru rolled 7 successes using 11d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 10,5,5,4,5,7,7,3,5,9,10. Unbreakable Fascination Kata. If there's a stunt value here, just roll that many dice and add the result :)]

There was a fine line between bravery and stupidity, and though there was very little about the Earth Aspect that that suggested that she was not smart, the fact that she had charged so head long into that writhing mass of demonic tentacles, especially given that she was outside of her natural element?  It wasn't exactly the most intelligent thing she could have done, given the circumstances.  Those same circumstances, however, had forced images best left buried into her mind, and while they did not stop her from acting, or make her hesitate or question herself, it DID affect her frame of mind.  This demon had to die--it had to be destroyed, and she could feel a very unnatural hate form in her belly.  Was it right to hate such a thing?  Yes, it was evil, if ever she had seen evil, but hate was something she did not embrace easily.  It was a feeling she reserved only for her Mother...and even then, it was a cold, seething hate, not this fiery flame she felt nestled in her insides.

Perhaps that hate had been the biggest factor in her rushing the demon, but an equal part was easily attributed to Lasuri's request.  Kiana couldn't help but smile as she slipped and fell into the water, surprising the demonic tendrils as they quickly began to search out their new prize.  It had many arms, but how multi-faceted was the demon's mind?  How many targets could it easily attack and keep track of?  Lasuri had the power to take the chalice without being possessed, and he had the power to wrestle it from the poor host--if Kiana's drop into the (normally) deadly waters gave him the extra steps he needed to grasp the damned artifact, then it would be worth it.  What was the worst the beast could do to her, after all?  Harm her?  Injure her?  It could not dominate her mind, and Kiana would be damned if the thing would dominate her body any more successfully.

She felt the tentacles begin to lash and attempt to wrap around her, and despite her focus, her resolve, the recent probe of her mind had loosened her normally stoic mental training, and flashes from the past continued to barrage her.

It was the last night she would ever have to endure her mother's cruelty, but that did not make it any less painful.  Kiana woke up to the unwanted touch of men she did not know.  In the dark recesses of her alien bedroom, she did not even know how many there were around her--only that there hands were upon her, and they were not kind.  This had been the price she had to pay for the death of her Father, as his protective presense was stripped from her life, and her mother started to use her daughter as a bargaining chip in military and social relations.

She felt the hand grip her, felt their hot, repulsive breath wash over her as they began to pull and tear, greedily trying to take her, then eventually share in her misery as they took from her what they wanted--or, for the final time, they tried.  This night was unlike any other, however.  As Kiana felt the tears stream down her face, she felt a strange power start to awaken inside of her.  Her fear and her shame seemed to melt away as this secret strength started to stem from her very being, and for the first time for years, Kiana felt a pure joy rise up into her.  The joy of power, yes, the power of the earth dragon as her very veins began to burn with holy essence, but more still because she knew that this power was her freedom.  She felt the tears streaming down her face turn to crumbling diamonds as she lashed out, finally making her shame and anger felt--

She came to, the vision's magic broken as she realized that the same hands she had felt all those years ago were not replaced by these vile tentacles, and just as she did not allow such things to continue then, she would not tolerate such things now.  Were the tentacles simply trying to strike her or lash out at her, perhaps her response would not have been so strong, but they were trying to grab her, to restrain and contain her, and this would not do.  It would not do at all.

Before the tentacles could grab her, Kiana felt her white Jade boots touch the bedrock, and she quickly ground her feet into the familiar surface, using the touch of earth to strengthen her resolve.  The tentacles came for her quickly, touching and feeling to try and get a grasp of her.  And though the others could not see her action below, they would certainly see the outcome!  Kiana lashed out with her own hand, grabbing two of the probing tentacles and squeezing mightily as she countered their grasp with her own.  Then she quickly moved her arms at the same time, wrapping the tentacles around her forearm as she got a better grip.

And then, with her stance unshakably solid and her conviction strong...she pulled.

Lasuri ducks, weaves, then suddenly stops in his tracks, eyes gleaming with determination, allowing himself to be caught rather than overextend his power. Three fat, toothy tentacles wind around his legs, body and one of his arms, holding him fast. He strains to free himself, nearly prying the slimy mess of appendages apart... but at the last moment they redouble their strength, keeping him held fast. [Private to Lasuri Leomaris: You can roll to free yourself again with another Dex+Martial Arts, or see whether your companions will free you :)]

Kareth hurls his firebolt toward the Chalice-Bearer. The mist in front of him is burned away, and retreats toward the sides of the vast cavern. Tentacle mouths shriek in protest, the infernal beast putting up a wall of appendages to protect the nymph. But the blast is too strong for them to hold back completely, searing glistening green flesh a charred, putrid-smoking black and forcing the tentacles to give way. Reduced in strength, the elemental bolt burrows past the final barriers to impact with the nymph's hand. She jerks in her bonds, her flesh crisping where it holds the chalice, but she neither lets go nor stops chanting. (2L)

The blast from Kareth's Essence Cannon follows, chasing the path of the firebolt before the mist can renew itself. Again the tentacles prove to be an effective barrier, whipping out to block the blast. The first tentacle struck immediately bursts into a messy splatter of corrosive acid, but four more tangle together to catch the rest of the blast, pulping and bruising but holding fast. [Private to Isole Kareth: Gave you a +2 for the entire action and rolled the dice. Your first attack went in with 1 sux but the second didn't go through. :( You did 2L on the nymph but she didn't lose the chalice. I decided to opt for damage since if I just plain subtracted the -2 sux for disarm you would have done nothing at all.]

Zeru, more than accustomed to shaky ground after years at sea, progresses nimbly across the mass of tentacles. Leaping from one slimy whip-cord of flesh to the next, using his chain to swing past those that rear up to block his path, his acrobatics bring him toward Lasuri's position with ease. He can move past Lasuri toward the Chalice-Bearer, or attempt to aid the Cobalt Alliance captain in prying him out of the tentacles' grasp. [Private to Peleps Zeru: +1 stunt for your post, if you need motes back. You have Athletics 4 so can actually cross the tentacles without rolling! Yay! In 3 ticks you've made it about even with Lasuri. You can either act at tick 8 and help Lasuri by attacking the tentacles holding him, or act at tick 10 and try to attack the Chalice-Bearer, try to knock the chalice from her hands, etc. Note: if you try to knock off the chalice you do so at a penalty of -2 successes, as it counts as a Disarm roll.]

Kiana is once again forced underwater as she fends off the tentacles attempting to grab and drown her. She draws inspiration and determination from her triumph over her terrible past, grabbing two of the offending tentacles in a crushing grip enhanced by white jade smashfists. Then she pulls them with such incredible force that they tear right off, leaving two quickly dying tentacle-worms flapping and flailing in her hands. Vitriol spills from the severed limbs, diluting in the water and turning it darker still. But Kiana is garbed in the purity of her jade breastplate, the watchfulness of her father and the pure determination to survive. The acid is too weak to harm her. The tentacle-stumps pull back, writhing in pain, leaving her free to swim back to the surface, or try to make some headway underwater. [Private to Kiana White-Fist: Well, I'll give ya another +3, why not. :) I believe after rolling you pass with 4 extra successes. Anyway, since you're the first underwater, what you see at the root of all those swarming tentacles is some sort of gigantic heart surrounded by a knot of tentacles. If not for its faint, forbidding glow and the visible throb of its pulse you might not see it at all. So, up to you whether you'll surface to help Lasuri (you'll have to punch through the surface level of tentacles to get to him though) or try to beat up that heart, is up to you!]

Tageru's hypnotic kata does not seem to have an effect at all on the monster, as the tentacle worms are completely lacking eyes. They are blind, sensing the Dragon-bloods among them by some other unknown sense, whether it be taste, essence sense or the simple proximity of their bodies. It does, however, affect the Chalice-Bearer. Her spell-shaping, combined with the searing wound from Kareth, leaves her susceptible to distraction. The ball of amber light building up in her free hand suddenly fizzles, much to the chalice's frustration!

Then the captured nymph's eyes start to bulge outward unnaturally. "H-help..." she chokes, plaintively. But the two still in any position to do anything for her are still in the midst of the tentacles...

---

OOC: Ok... at the moment the Chalice-Bearer is distracted by Tageru's kata. Also, until Kareth's turn on Tick 10 the mists are clear enough that they provide no penalties to ranged attacks or visibility. If the IC post doesn't clarify it enough, basically the tentacles are 'parrying' for the Chalice-Bearer. Probably closer to providing cover than actually parrying in the case of ranged attacks though (as I'm not having them stunt to do so).

tick 7 - Kiana (15/50 yards, swimming)
tick 8 - Nymph+Chalice, Zeru (33/50 yards, after first dash)
tick 10 - Tentacle Beast, Lasuri (30/50 yards, trapped by tentacles), Kareth

Tageru doesn't act again till tick 14.

Zeru stops amidst the writhing mass of tentacles, his chain and body naturally keeping him upright. He glares at the chalice itself, but as he swings his chain forward he kicks it behind himself, the chain extending behind him on a course to collide with one of the pitiful worms. The missile sails brilliatly, the blue jade chain following like a jet stream of water.

As he does this he points at the chalice. "You'd best prepare for the end, fool cup. You won't survive this run-in with the Cobalt Alliance" He turns and at the last second changes the angle. The missile turns mid-flight to collide with one of the worms who hold the captain's arms.

"I gotcha Cap'n" He says.

[Private to Storyteller: 18:37, Today: Peleps Zeru rolled 8 successes using 10d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 1,6,10,10,2,9,8,10,6,2. Chain-Missile!. ]

Seeing the casting of the Celestial level sorcery disperse, Kareth breaths a quick sigh of relief.  It would have been problematic had the demon cast a spell of that power.  He still needed to be ready for any castings of terrestrial level sorcery though.  Kareth dropped to one knee and studied  the demonic cup would have it's captive do next.  Cannon and cord in hand, he was ready for anything.

[Private to GM:

I might edit this post based on what the chalise bearer does (since she acts before him).  If she starts to shape another spell, he'll take a guard action so he can use the cord to tie up a terrestrial level spell.  If not, he'll attack.  I went ahead and rolled an attack so you'd know how to resolve it.  There were only 2 sux so it won't make it through.]
This message was last edited by the player at 21:21, Mon 31 Aug 2009.

Despite his gambit having failed, Lasuri does not give in, nor does he stop his efforts. His gaze remains fiercely locked into that of the creature, until the poor nymph regains enough of her own will to make her heart-wrenching plea for help. This has the effect of softening the Captain's stance somewhat, as his desire to help the trapped creature is great... But in no way does it lessen his resolve. In fact, he seems even more determined now to march forward and bring an end to this, and end the suffering for all those who were affected by the chalice...

"Don't give up." Lasuri says, for the nymph's attention. "You won't need to endure that for long." With this, the Captain turns his head towards his allies, and gives them a sharp, grateful nod. The creature, as powerful and fearsome as it is, is also alone. No one will watch its back. No one will cover it when it is hit or in danger. And no one will be there to pick up the slack when it falters.

You guys are the Alliance. You're each other's strength. You're -my- strength.

As Zeru throws his weapon to rescue him, Lasuri gives his fellow Captain another grateful nod, the same one would give a treasured and respected ally. Almost immediately, he throws his body violently in the opposite direction he anticipates Zeru's weapon to hit, in an attempt to help his comrade to liberate him, and to give himself a potential head start in reaching for the damnable chalice.

If Lasuri's bid works as intended, Zeru's attack will not only help liberate him, but might also cause the creature to reflectively retract the nearby tentacles... And cut a small path for the Captain to take.

[Private to Storyteller: You rolled 8 successes using 8d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 ((10,9,5,9,5,10,8,7)).]

Whatever Kiana does underwater is unseen by the group above. Once again the Alliance members must assume she will prevail, strong in Earth Essence and determination as she is. [Private to Kiana White-Fist: I'm basically holding up for you here, since people can't really get a good glimpse of what's going on underwater anyways. When you come back you may even have two turns with which to act. If you can't post after my next post (which should come on Saturday...) I will assume you'll be attacking the heart of the monster underwater. :) The tentacles will end up attacking you again, but I'll wait to roll it for a few days.]

The nymph's eyes continue to bulge, straining out of their sockets. "NEVER..." hisses the demon chalice's voice. "You will not overcome me with simple tricks as these, dragon-spawn!" Its voice is overlaid with the water elemental's shrieking as she is subjected to the pain of her physical form sadistically harmed by the demon, denied the blessed escape of incorporeal form.

Suffice it to say that after the demon-chalice is done, she can no longer see -- her eyes just empty sockets streaming with blood. The malevolent presence strengthens its power over the Chalice-Bearer, and her screaming suddenly ceases. Somehow strengthened by the act of torture, the words of sorcery forced through her lips are stronger, harsher, more certain in its manipulation of Kimbery's infernal power.

Standing atop the writhing tangle of infernal tentacles, Zeru swings his jade chain, the ball end slamming into one of the appendages holding Lasuri. The impact is powerful enough to turn the tentacle into a pulpy, twitching mess, rendering its grip all but useless. It falls away from the Captain of the Dryad, spewing a vitriolic mess that Lasuri manages to avoid by yanking himself clear in the opposite direction, breaking the tentacles' hold on him.

Eight tentacles surrounding Zeru and Lasuri rear back like angered snakes, their acid-drooling lamprey-mouths gnashing in anger. They split in two groups and surge wrathfully toward the invading Dragon-bloods, intent on devouring them alive! [Private to Lasuri Leomaris: Flurry of 4 attacks: 3 sux, 3 sux, 6 sux, 6 sux. Your DV starts at -1. Again, if any one of these hit you will be clinched, but you can stunt, use Excellency, spend WP or channel to help you out. Should you make it through unscathed, you can use the next 2 ticks to dash toward the nymph at full dash speed, but you'll have to roll Dex+Athletics at 4 or more successes to make your way there without falling off the tentacles. Then after dashing you can try to grab the chalice, it will require a disarm roll. This could all be incorporated in a single post if you like. ][Private to Peleps Zeru: Flurry of 4 attacks: 7 sux, 6 sux, 6 sux, 4 sux. Your DV starts at -1. Looks like only one of them get through, the third attack hits with 1 success. You can of course stunt, spend WP or whatever! After that you can dash forward, it will take you 2 more ticks (tick 13-15) to reach the nymph, then you can try to free her, try to knock the chalice away with a disarm roll, etc. This could all be incorporated in a single post if you like.]

The mist renews itself after the tentacle-attack, filling the room with a green-tinged haze. Though out of the reach of the tentacle-beast, Tageru and Kareth realize that the water level from the pool is starting to rise, burbling out onto the cavern floor and slowly, surely reaching for them... [Private to Cynis Tageru; Isole Kareth: Well, you can risk environmental effects or you'll have to retreat further back.]

---

OOC: actions
tick 10 - Kareth
tick 13 - Nymph+Chalice, Zeru
tick 14 - Tageru
tick 15 - Lasuri, Tentacle Beast

After Kareth's turn on tick 10 the mist is renewed (as well as vision penalties and solid-projectile ranged penalties), assuming no more fire chases it away.

Kiana acts at tick 7 and tick 12 but 1) her player is currently busy in RL, 2) she's underwater anyway, so you can't see what's going on clearly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:17, Thu 03 Sept 2009.

Zeru is unperturbed by the mass of tentacles that seek to bring him down. His natural skills are more than worthy to avoid these tentacles. He smiles as he takes a half-step forward in front of one that sought to attack him from the side. Stepping on top of it he flips over the second tentacle that attempted to grab him. The third attacks whilest he is in the air. But Zeru swings his chain to the side and changes his aerial momentum. He now moves in a different direction than he was before. He lands on his feet and bounds forth again over the last of the tentacles. He charges forward once more looking to get at the chalice and save the nymph while there was still something left to save.

After his and his comrades' joint effort to get him free of the angry tentacles, Lasuri is certainly not about to give in, and nullify all efforts previously made.

As soon as he feels his body freed from the demonic creature's grasp, the Captain moves aside, eyes still focused on the figure of the poor, battered nymph ahead. Inwardly, he cannot help but feel pity and sadness at the sight of the wounded being, and once more renews his vows to finish this... And to make certain the creature that caused this pain and suffering to both Rakatau and the beings living inside him, all in a bid to get to Creation.

It stops here.

"Tricks? There's no tricks here but your own." Pushing to one side, Lasuri makes certain he keeps the blind nymph form's firmly in his sight. Just a bit more now... You won't have to suffer for much longer. As quickly as able, the Captain finds purchase and continues to stay on the move, his advance powered as much by willpower as it is by skill.

"You're the one who needed to set yourself in here like a disgusting ulcer. You're the one who needed to possess those beings you call 'inferior' to even manage to get anywhere. You're the one who tried - and failed - to take control of the thoughts and emotions of the 'Dragon-Spawns that have come to challenge you. All these tricks are yours, not ours."

Like rainfall, Lasuri is everywhere at once when the tentacles strike. His footing is sometimes focused, hard as pouring rainstorm, and sometimes as misty and ethereal as gloomy, grey fog. He moves with an unpredictable grace, his dance impossible to divine nor comprehend. Sometimes he seems as light as drizzle, and other times as heavy as a waterfall. Essence infuses his motion perfectly, becoming one with his primal expression of survival. In that moment, Lasuri does not simply embody the physical character of water, but also its spiritual traits; he is mercurial and capricious, chaotic and ever-changing.

Finding purchase on the very tentacles that strive to take him down, Lasuri steps on the lamprey heads, eyes never leaving the Chalice Bearer.

"That's because you're not as powerful as you'd want to be. You may have been, a long time ago, or somewhere other than this. But here, you're not. You act through proxies, because in the end, you can't even admit the truth - that you're not in control. That you're trapped."

He does not know whether the creature can feel fear, or despair. He does not know if it can feel anything but hatred and contempt. But if it can... Perhaps such feelings will worm its way into the creature's heart, at the sight of the Captain's advance. Because no matter what is thrown his way, his advance does not stop. No matter the efforts, Lasuri simply cannot be stopped.

Because as chaotic and manipulative as Malfeas can be, not even it can ever hope of trapping Water in its grasp.

[Private to Storyteller: Okay, spending eight motes total on this one, to gain two successes each on the two attacks that beat my DV. Stunt will cover the last +1 for the first attack, and I'm spending an additional 1 wp to ensure the second one gets blocked.

01:48, Today: Lasuri Leomaris botched using 7d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 1,6,4,4,4,4,6. Dex + Athletics. ]

[Private to Storyteller: Kiana smiled what could only be thought of as a malicious smile as the tentacles came uprooted form their very core--such was her malice.  It brought her a sick sort of satisfaction to hear the sickly suction of the limbs being torn from their body, and she almost lamented the failing strength in those tendrils as they began to quickly lose their grip on her forearms, gripping out of the throes of death only to nevermore move again.  She had not been able to keep up with Lasuri, and that was the folly of earth to try and keep up with the fluid grace of water.  Very much like a stone, Kiana had fallen into the water once more, but much like before, she was quickly discovering, as her eyes spied the dreaded heart of the demon, that she could do much good here, segregated from her comrades as she had been only shortly ago.

The heart of the demon was disgusting, though her eyes could barely pierce the murky water to find it.  Kiana quickly judged her actions--should she return to the surface and help Lasuri?  Or should she remain beneath the cloudy waves and attempt to do her part alone?  When no one else from the Alliance joined her in the water, she quickly made her decision to forge ahead, knowing instantly what must be done.  If the heart was exposed below, where the demon was sure it was safe, then it was Kiana's duty to show the ancient being the error of its ways.  Just as the mountain would eventually become an avalanche to those that did not respect its power, so would Kiana fall upon her foe who was foolish enough to ignore her presence.  She acted quickly and without hesitation, planting her feet against the bedrock beneath and using it to push herself into a dash toward the demonic heart.

 She surged through the waves with unimaginable power as the her anima erupted brilliantly, the phantom diamond specks all the more real now as the water was actually churned by the power of her essence.  And though the glow emanated from all of her, the focus was held firmly in her fists, which glowed the brightest, as she knew what she had to do to ensure victory for the Alliance.  The first blow came from her left hand.  As she dashed toward the heart, her left hand hooked out in a massive blow, striking the vessel with a solid impact, sinking ever so slightly into the bulbous flesh of the infected organ, but not doing any real damage--which was just as well, as Kiana was far from finished.  And though it was hearty, the damage from her Earth Essence was done, as the beast already began to feel the overpowering stillness take hold--the tentacle that had clung to Kiana's forearm shattered into tiny bits, completely enveloped by the diamonds that surrounded her.  Kiana had planned every strike in her her mind before her attack carefully, knowing full well the consequences of each attempt before committing to the series of blows--but once Kiana was sure of her actions, she came as relentlessly as a avalanche, and just as sudden.

The heart could not defend itself now, and so Kiana continued her attack viciously, bringing her left foot up in a mid-height round-house kick, sinking her God Kickers even deeper into the demon, which made a much more satisfied 'thunk' noise under the waves as blood began to seep from the imprints of the the White Jade.  Then, using all of her torque and leverage, Kiana turned her hips into the blow, sending her kicking foot behind her as she brought all of her power into a crushing right hand hay-maker, coming high and striking diagonally down the heart.  The opposite tendril, attached to that arm, shattered as its brother had seconds ago, almost disintegrating under the power of Kiana's blows, and the raw power of the essence that flowed through her. ]

Whatever the Princess of Earth was doing down there, the Cobalt Alliance knew this much--she had proven more than capable earlier, when she had been dove beneath the waves to save the Earth Elementals...so there was little reason to suspect she would be any less capable now.  But then, now the stakes were higher, and there was a little more to contend with than a few infected Elementals and some pesky worms.

Still, there was certainly motions of interest to those who sought the waters for answers for what she was doing.  There was a sudden surge beneath the waves, a large portion that was roughly the size of Kiana, which was quickly followed by a brilliant golden light, which made the entire body of water almost seem to glow.  The Cobalt Alliance would be quick to recognize the shade of Kiana's anima, which was a comfort in and of itself, as it showed not only that she was alive, but was on the offensive.  Following the burst, however, was a strangely beautiful effect--two long, wispy elongations of light suddenly joined the solid glow that had to be her body, darting out behind her in a bright surge.  If one didn't know any better, the trailing light almost looked like glittering wings.

Zeru's agile maneuvering, coupled with the momentum from his swinging chain, keeps the tentacles from so much as touching him. He dances around and between them, as confident as he would be at the helm of the Marlena, navigating an angry, storm-whipped sea. Balancing effortlessly, he springs off the monster's soft, squishy skin, propelling himself toward the poor, eyeless nymph he hopes he can save. [Private to Peleps Zeru: +1 stunt!]

Wielding his paired wavecleaver and boarding axe, Lasuri deflects the tentacles arraying to strike him, continuing his forward momentum. He improvises as he goes along, sinuous as a flowing stream when his opponent expects resistance, parrying with tidal force when it thinks he has let his guard down. His words are a rainstorm pelting at the demon-chalice's psyche, wearing at its patience and certainty. Its wrathful voice retorts, "You should feel fortunate I am thus sealed, foolish child! Even so, I have fended you off this far! Every second you struggle with me is a second your precious crew suffers, as does the woman you love!" Images of Jadira fill Lasuri's mind unbidden, caught in a desperate one-on-one battle with Lintha Hazhain Sul; Zeru sees a glimpse of the Marlena crew fending off a wave of Lintha boarders, Cinna bleeding from a cut across her brow. "Come now, take up the chalice if you dare, should you believe yourself superior to me!" [Private to Lasuri Leomaris: +2 stunt... apparently you hit a soft spot, hehe. Though right now it's not going to amount to much, it may help if you ever end up in a social battle with the demon-chalice. (Likely to happen at some point!)]

Blind and oblivious, the Chalice-Bearer continues her eldritch chanting, words she would never have known if not for the presence forcing her to act in its cursed name. If the Chalice would allow her to whimper, scream or faint, she certainly would, but it impatiently stifles those fragile reactions. All she can do is tremble from head to toe, caught in the slithering embrace of the tentacles twining around wrists, ankles and waist, puppeteering her limbs as her spasming fingers trace sigils in the air. Shaped by ritual word and gesture, a sickly green aura speckled with pinpoints of amber light gathers around the nymph.

[Private to Kiana White-Fist: The fleshy thing Kiana seeks to destroy underwater pulses powerfully enough for her to hear the rush of its vile blood pumping through the creature, up toward where the tentacles writhe and tangle with her comrades. The organ is huge, dominating the space in front of her, embedded with large, fleshy green tubes that expand and contract with the rhythm of the heart. She realizes these are its vitriolic veins, bigger than her legs are wide.

Vulnerable as the heart may be, it is still a tough muscle, stubbornly resisting damage. But Kiana, wreathed in the Essence of her native element, is no ordinary threat! Her glittering white fist (and namesake!) punches through the tentacles guarding the heart, disintegrating them into the same liquid that birthed them. The vast muscle stutters, pulsing irregularly, helpless against the impact of her god-kickers driving into its exposed heart-flesh. Bruises form beneath blackened burns, purpling it like an eggplant under jade-clad knuckles as her devastating haymaker stuns it into cardiac arrest! ]Only then does the pale glow from beneath the water intensify, forming an anima display of glittering sand-hued wings. The tentacle-beast suddenly halts its offensive, its appendages jerking about as if in a paroxysm in pain. Once, twice, thrice, it thrashes with increasing violence, sending Lasuri to his knees just short of the Chalice-Bearer's feet while Zeru fortunately maintains his balance! [Private to Lasuri Leomaris: The beast still shook enough that you would have needed at least a single success, so I ruled the botch made you trip. Just means you have to flurry a misc action (Speed 5, DV -1) to get up before doing anything else.]

Then, without warning, the seizures just stop. The tentacles go completely rigid, as hard and unmoving as stone. The monster appears to be completely paralyzed, providing no further resistance to the Alliance members... for now.

Unfortunately, whatever Kiana has done to the tentacle-beast does not stop the Chalice-Bearer's spell. Her vocal chords strain, shouting the final syllables. The infernal energy descends and infuses all sources of water, converting the overflowing pool into pure, undiluted vitriol that surges above floor level, above the stilled tentacles, to consume the Dragon-blooded in its midst...

---

OOC: Treat this like an acid bath, 5L / Trauma 5 per action. Roll Stam+Resistance. Getting 5 sux means you reduce the damage to 5 bashing. Getting 10 sux or more means you take no damage. You can use only natural soak to reduce damage to a minimum 1 die. Tageru and Kareth are far enough away that if they start running now (removing themselves from the battle) they can avoid the acid bath altogether. [Private to Peleps Zeru: Don't forget you have your Hearthstone, it gives you +Stamina Health Levels and lets you soak lethal with full Stamina.][Private to Kiana White-Fist: Heh, your Form Charm's soak reduces the stronger acid to 1 damage an action. Still, that can add up! Oh, and your last post got +3 stunt, get 6 motes back.]

actions
tick 13 - Nymph+Chalice, Kareth (near border of pool)
tick 14 - Tageru (near border of pool)
tick 15 - Zeru (next to nymph)
tick 17 - Lasuri (next to nymph, but prone), Kiana (underwater)
Tentacle-beast is paralyzed (8L damage) and will remain so for 6 actions.

[Private to Isole Kareth: I thought about this a while, the spell I'm basing on is actually River of Blood, except it makes water into vitriol instead. Technically I'd say the focus of the spell is actually the water, not you, so you can't actually use your Sorcery-Capturing Cord. On the other hand, the tainted water just happens to be overflowing towards you (note, the overflowing is not part of the spell but actually an element-controlling effect the demon-chalice stole from the nymph.) But just this once I am going to leave it to you. If you agree with the 'technical' ruling then don't use the Cord. If you think it's fair to use the Cord then use it, no hard feelings at all! I'm doing this because it's kinda up in the air and I am wary of seeming unfair with my rulings nowadays.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:40, Mon 07 Sept 2009.

The mists swirl around Zeru, his mind filled with Images of his crew battling hordes of Lintha. He smiles at the thought, his crew fought on against unending odds. And he would do what he could to help them. The Acid sizzles against his clothes, and against his skin. His normal clothes start disintegrating in the acidic cloud. His body burns but he refuses to give in...

His mouth curls into a smile. "Of course I'm superior to a loudmouthed fool of a cup." His chain whips around the side not aiming for the chalice bearer but for the Chalice itself. He would rip it from its resting place, if it took all the strength he had left. "You are pathetic, you have a monster of writhing motion and you can't seem to knock me down, you have a tangle of grasping arms and you can't even lay a finger on me." He laughs through the mist. "You have a wall of burning acid that won't hold me away from you. What exactly do you have you failure of a cup? You are naught but a relic of a defeated god." His smile softens as he thinks of the future. "And soon you will be less than that. You will be one more enemy crushed under the keel of the Cobalt Alliance." His eyes fill with determination and challenge. "So bring that which you think you have puppeteer, I will return it a thousand-fold."

[Private to Storyteller: 13:06, Today: Peleps Zeru rolled 8 successes using 13d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 7,1,4,6,7,8,2,4,5,7,7,9,10. Chain Disarm Channel Conv. 13:00, Today: Peleps Zeru rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 3,9,1,2,4. Stam+Resistance. ]

"Dragons protect me!", Tageru whispers quietly before jumping toward the Nymph casting the spell. Fearlessly, he dives into the wave of corrosive liquid as it rises to engulf them all, hoping his powers will protect him. He moves as quickly as he can toward the Chalice and the Bearer, hoping to land a strike that could finish this whole battle.
[Private to Storyteller: Jump, swim, swim some more, until we can reach the shore. :) Then I try to kill the bearer using Soul-Marking strike with my fists, I'll stunt when I get there. :)
Hopefully, I'll regenerate quickly enough so that the acid doesn't kill me. :D]

Kareth saw the monk dive into the water and swore.  He had been ready to absorb the spell with his cord but he couldn't do it unless he was and actual target.  This spell had been aimed at the water.  Noting the acidic properties of the water and his generally weak constitution, he decided that he would ultimately be of better service to the alliance if he didn't get himself killed.  "This is about all I can do for you guys right now," the engineer thinks to himself as he charges his elemental bolt one last time and lets it sail as he begins his hasty retreat away from the incoming acid.

[Private to GM:

Charging his Elemental Bolt one last time. with 3m and sending it towards the chalise.  Using 3m to make 10L damage.  Buying 2 sux with my excellency

Isole Kareth rolled 1 success using 9d10 ... rolls of 4,4,2,4,1,4,8,2,2. Elem Bolt Attack.

Attack:  3 sux, 10L ]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:25, Wed 09 Sept 2009.

Despite the bold talk of the chalice, the nymph herself is exposed without the tentacles to protect her. Now they are her prison, holding her rigidly in place as Kareth's firebolt flares toward the hand holding the chalice! Acid mist burns away in its path, clearing a wide swath on the way there.

Only the demon-chalice's sheer will keeps the nymph from losing her grip on the cup, but her hand and arm burn for it. (2L, total 4L) Freed from the impulse to shape infernal magic, the abused and eyeless elemental screams in agony, thrashing in her bonds, but the cursed vessel remains fused to her hand.

The acid pool rises to fill the entire chamber as Kareth retreats toward the edge of the tunnel, where the jokun wait, surprised and concerned at his sudden appearance. "Chosen of Hesiesh, what has happened to the cup?" a jokun spokesperson asks in Old Realm as he hurries toward them, the flow of acid still at his heels, though diminished the further he goes.

Zeru feels the acid sting and eat at his flesh and clothes as it rises to engulf his feet, up to his shins, and toward his knees. The pain is surprisingly minimal, as if adrenaline and his desire to put an end to this horrific situation have steeled his body where pure endurance do not. Or perhaps the desperate prayer of Tageru, once-warrior monk of the Immaculate Dragons, has invoked their blessing as he plunges into the acid waves. (Zeru takes 1L, Tageru 0L. Lucky rolls!)

The Wood Aspect boldly leaps, dives and leaps again right through the vitriol toward the nymph, intending to end her life if he must. But Zeru is more merciful than that. He strikes the Chalice and not the Bearer, shouting his challenge without a thought that he might fail. Unhindered by tricks or obstacles, the jade chain collides with the tainted orichalcum surface.

The impact, coupled with the nymph's weakened grip, knocks the Chalice forcefully from her hand and into the air!

[Private to Lasuri Leomaris: Lasuri, his legs scoured by the rising acid, has only a second or two to react: catch it in midair, or plunge with it into vitriolic depths, following it down where even Danaa'd may not protect him. Would he trust the Ring, or his own wits?]

[Private to Kiana White-Fist: Underwater, covered by the acid, Kiana's fate is unknown to the others... (OOC: You just took 1L damage. You'll continue to take 1 damage per action you remain submerged in what has now become a pool of pure demonic acid.)]

---

OOC: We're at tick 17, Lasuri and Kiana's turn. (Tageru at tick 17 is only about halfway to the center of the pool.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:56, Thu 10 Sept 2009.

[Private to Storyteller: Though Kiana didn't hear the spell being spoke, she felt the effects as the water began to sting her skin--more so, in fact, it began to hurt.  Kiana was no stranger to pain, and though she took no joy in the feeling, she did smile at what it meant.  The creature was desperate, and was doing everything it could to stop her.  It was folly, however.  The earth essence that swirled around her body, especially her fists, had already done its damage.  The demon had become paralyzed--now the Cobalt Alliance could do their worst.

She did not see what was happening above the surface, and as such she did not entertain the idea of rising to the surface.  Not yet.  The creature was momentarily stilled, but Kiana was not so sure that meant magic was still not a threat.  It would have to end--and now.  She narrowed her eyes at the heart, knowing it was the source of the demonic entities vitality.  She could end it, she was sure, before the acidic water claimed her life.

She surged forward in a brutal 'U' punch, slamming her glowing white fists into the heart of the creature, the punches turning into gouges as her fists penetrated the evil flesh up to her wrists.  Grimacing, she turned her hands into a knife-edge, and then grinding her feet into small craters into the ground, Kiana gave a groan, acidic bubbles flowing from her mouth as precious air was used to accent her strength, as the Earth Princess tried to literally tear the heart in two.]

Where Kiana had dove, the white glow still remained, ever strong and vigilant, though it gave no sign of returning to the surface, despite the danger that now posed even an Earth Aspect.  Instead, a few large bubbles broke the surface, and those of acute hearing might hear the muddled groan of someone beneath the waves.

Kareth stopped just far enough away from the earth elementals that his anima banner would not harm them.  It's eerily weak presence filled with strange green fires was flaring at its maximum capacity.  "I did what I could, but it's up to the others.  It's corrupted a nymph and using her as a vessel to cast sorcery that's more powerful than any in the Alliance can wield," the engineer managed to gasp out as he stumbled to a halt.  "I'm down to my last reserves of essence.  I can't hold out much longer in there."