[Episode Two] Right of Passages

Archives of Occultus Magica's beginnings, ten years prior to the current story.
CadetNewb
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by CadetNewb »

It's not fair.

They have it, but they don't even use it right. Duncan worked the leaver on his rifle, ejecting the hot brass as Miyuki fell. She was apparently power sealed in a can, with no fine control. As it lazily spun through the air, the boy was already reaching for another round while Aurus overflowed with power. Percy had no feel for flow and couldn't tell very well the difference between too much, and too little. The metal cylinder finally fell to the frozen waters below Duncan's feet, hissing as it melted into the ice - the new round was lifted up, but instead of being shoved into the breech, ended up between the American boy's teeth as the miniature fire-being exploded into sharp, flaming giblets. Percy can't stay focused either. And there was the druid, sounding like he was trying to seal something away for the first time. They suck so hardcore at this, it's not even funny!

As he bit down on the bullet, piercing its metal case and inhaling the unleashed firestorm to reabsorb the magic, he felt like burning both literally and figuratively - Raiko, and the others though...they had power, and looked like they knew how to use it. It made him hot under the collar! But, its that balance they have that's damn ideal. Through his wand, the Martini Henry, another white lance of dispelling magic stabbed out at the barriers to clear the way for the others. As the ambient light dimmed at the spell's passing, he finally admitted it.

They're better. Not because they're any good right now, but because they got lots of room to grow, and I don't. They can become better, while I'm stuck like this.

Duncan gritted his teeth at that bitter truth.
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Kai
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Kai »

With all the noise going on, Hana began to stir; finally, at the tolling of the bell that recalled Aurus, she opened her eyes, blinking several times as she took in the scene around her. The girl screamed, and began writhing in place, trying to escape, but she simply could not, bound as she was. Caoranach seemed to roll her eyes, and took a moment to write another rune on a slip of paper, which she simply let go into the squall of magic and wind that was the top of the pillar- it landed directly on the girl's mouth, sealing it shut, and she went silent, but the struggling persisted.

"Ahhh, Just in time" Caoranach crooned "She needs to be awake for the ceremony to complete. Now you shall all be able to see my full power!" With that, she began an evil cackle, having completely ignored Ruarc and Jane, seeming unperturbed by them, or perhaps she was merely ignoring them for expediency's sake; the layers of the barrier were being peeled away much more swiftly now, and she hadn't much more time. In fact, her time had just about run out, and the last of the barriers was defeated- Unfortunately, it was a trap barrier- more than just protection, with its breaking, a huge outburst of force came from the top of the pillar- it knocked Kiki and Ginga out of the air, the pair falling toward the ground at a rather alarming rate, but they managed to save themselves- Ginga teleported herself to the ground before she could hit it hard, and Kiki used a jet of fire magic to slow her descent and land mostly unharmed, though she seemed to have singed her clothes a bit.

Ruarc would be thankful for his little outcropping of rock, and Jane would be glad that she hadn't quite yet pulled herself to the top of Ruarc's stone plinth. The stone protected the two from the burst of force, though the spike Ruarc had sent forth broke off, flying past him, missing him by a very narrow margin. He was now up at the top, with no barrier between himself and his foe, but he noticed something- his pillar was no longer stable. it began to sway to and fro, and would likely fall in a moment, especially unbalanced as it now was.
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Straken
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Straken »

Ruarc was irked about being ignored by the spirit. His demeanor was now completely composed and his eyes were set, he was focused on stopping Caoranach’s plan. When Caoranach pushed back, the Druid did not flinch as the large chunk of stone flew passed his head. Soon thereafter he could see his opening. Caoranach’s barrier was gone and he could make it over.

Intent on setting him back however, Ruarc’s stone pillar began to sway and threatened to fall.
“I need to jump, otherwise I’ll lose the chance,” he said to himself as he looked down to inspect the pillar quickly. Upon looking down, the Irishman saw the cowgirl from earlier hanging on to the edge. If the pillar fell with her still there she could very likely be crushed.

Clenching his jaw, Ruarc reached over the edge and grabbed Jane firmly around her upper arm and pulling her up, at which point he put his hands at her waist.
“Think fast, cowgirl,” Ruarc said as he then proceeded to toss the girl across the gap to the opposing pedestal. The Druid could feel the stone beneath his feet shift drastically after the throw. His own window of opportunity to jump was quickly shrinking.

With a quick step back, Ruarc rushed forward and leapt from his stone pedestal. His cloak flapped in the wind for a short time before he connected with the edge of Caoranach’s pillar.
”Ruarc, she seems distracted. If you are going to do something you should make it quick,” Laoise advised as she circled around the battle. Taking note, Ruarc hoisted an arm over the edge as he began to pull himself over the lip.

Once up on his knees, the Druid quickly reached into his cloak and produced a Purify rune.
“This ends now,” Ruarc growled as he picked himself up and dashed forward at the distracted foe. With fiery intent he thrust the rune in his left hand forward, ready to cleanse the possessed body.
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Mr. Blackbird Lore »

Jane winced at the second gust of wind as the barriers shattered but was otherwise undisturbed- undisturbed, that is, until Ruarc hefted her atop the pillar and seemed to be making a move in his final moments. "Not so fast, fell- WHOA!" In the midst of protesting the Irishman's advances she was flung across the gap to the Evil One's pillar. She landed on unsteady boots, stumbled, and slipped over the other side. "Sonuva--!" she shouted, never finishing the sentence.

That fall would have been deadly if she'd fallen, but by some stroke of luck Jane caught the ledge. She exhaled a sigh of relief, offhandedly commented on the familiarity of the situation, and peeked over to survey the situation. Ah! Ruarc had joined her! So he hadn't just been throwing Calamity to the wolves. Wasn't that nice. "Ey, Irish! I've got the girl, you get- get that one." Jane pointed with her free hand at Caoranach before hauling herself onto pillar. Once more her hands were a blur, drawing guns and placing twelve rounds in the ropes binding poor Hana. With the prisoner loosed, the Colts were sheathed and Jane dashed forward to catch Hana up and throw the girl over one shoulder. She deliberately slipped over the opposing ledge, mentally remarking on the frequency and amount of time she was spending staring at edges and planar surfaces point-blank. Dragging her boots into the pillar could only slow her so much, and there wasn't really any place to land.

Just as she was coming to realize her imminent death, she heard a whinny. The Texan smirked and leaped with all her might. Even so, she was still going to come up short for the ice. Jane was faithful nevertheless. She could have sworn they plummeted beyond the point of no return when something caught her between the legs and surged upward briefly, bringing a freshly bruised Jane and ragdoll Hana along. A great dark mare snorted in hello, and before Jane could respond, they hit the ice and went skimming across its surface, out of control.

There was no way for this to end well.
CadetNewb
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by CadetNewb »

Time.

It was, once again, that time again. That is, time for that special moment where they succeed or fail. The time where someone would live or die. Duncan had been there before, and it didn't end well then, and it looked to be the case now. In all honesty though, even though he just met these people, even though he wasn't actually friends with them, even though this wasn't even his home, and even though he was an ass to them - which in Duncan's mind, was still justified since they seemed to trade their intelligence off for more power, making them stupid in turn - the boy didn't want them to go through that special hell.

Loss.

As the trap barrier knocked back those close to it, Duncan, further off, merely knelt upon the ice and laid the rifle across his lap as he began to chant a spell. Unlike every other piece of magic he had cast so far, this one was not intended to harm - it was made to bind. The air around the woman rippled and wavered for the briefest of moments before coalescing into solidity - invisible manacles attempted to clamp down on her wrists and ankles, immobilizing her - even smaller ones attempted to isolate each and every single finger while a much larger one sealed off her mouth completely to prevent any coherent chanting. There was no guarantee it would work, but he had to try to buy time as the Cowgirl fled with Hana

Though Duncan knew he couldn't fight for very long, he could still support others. And he could still teach. I could do that again.

He just hoped there weren't wards and barriers around her as well - he could crack them easily with his expertise, but that took time, and time was not their friend.
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Kai
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Kai »

Ruarc would probably stop short when he got a good look at Caoranach, from this close up, he would realize- He recognized the girl whom had been possessed from a day in the park not that long before. Now he realized- this wasn't just some random act, She hadn't set this up just before. It was all pre-meditated, and there was likely something bigger going on behind this all.

Jane would figure out just what it was, very soon- As her horse skidded on the ice, it suddenly smacked into an invisible wall, bouncing off surprisingly softly, but completely incapable of passing it. Hana, was clinging to Jane quite strongly, certainly with much more force than her fragile frame could have suggested, though it was mostly from Adrenaline. She mumbled something, and Jane would soon realize why- Hana was still gagged, but didn't seem to want or be capable of taking it out herself.

Duncan's spell grabbed and pulled at Caoranach, or rather, the girl she had possessed, but they didn't seem to stick, lost to some tiny technicality in the science of magic, as well as some other protective magic. The end result was rather than a binding spell, Duncan's attempt turned more into a slowing spell. The girl's movements were indeed hampered, but not completely stopped.

She continued to write, making new runes and sending them down, now starting an attack of her own. Papers danced about in the air before turning into darts of flame that zoomed at everyone, trying to do their best to ignite everyone. Ginga Disappeared from her spot near the bottom of the pillar, and came to Jane's side, producing a barrier to protect her, the horse, and Hana from harm. Kiki took off at a faster than normal sprint to stand in the way of the kneeling Percy, using her own magic to deflect the dartlike flames. Finally, Raiko was the last one doing any protecting, using her umbrella to stop the flames from hitting Miyuki's unconscious form.

Unfortunately, Ruarc, at the forefront, got the brunt of the attacks, and Laiose would notice that he was going to unwillingly make up for not having lit himself on fire earlier.
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Straken
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Straken »

Ruarc was caught off guard, needless to say, when he finally identified the girl possessed by the spirit. It was the kind Japanese girl whom had given him a painting. The discovery left him angry and ashamed; angry at Caoranach for using the girl, and ashamed that he hadn’t noticed it before. When Caoranach’s counterattack came his focus was gone and he took the attack head on.

When the fire runes drove into his chest the runes along the seams of his Druid cloak began to glow as they activated to try and reduce the damage. The intensity of the attack still managed to set bits of his cloak and underclothes on fire. Ruarc could feel the heat singeing his skin and hair. From the initial impact a plume a hot air rushed over him causing him to flinch, and his forward momentum carried the rest of the way.

“I will fix this, I will help you, Aya,” Ruarc said as he extended himself as far as he could. “Please let this work.”
At his full length Ruarc’s purify rune connected with Aya’s back, focused on the rune in his hand causing it to flash with a bright white light.
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Mr. Blackbird Lore »

Jane heaved a sigh of relief and patted the Trusty Steed's neck, smiling faintly all the while. "Good job."

"Mmf Ghffm." Calamity Jane had little time to provide much in the way of hospitality for Hana- up until now the small girl had been half slung over Jane's shoulder, half cradled in her arms. Only now did the cowgirl swing Hana down onto the saddle before her, again smiling. "Sorry 'bout the bumpy ride, lass. Didn't have time to fetch you a cushion or anythin'. Now let's get that clear." Jane untethered and tossed aside the gag. It was about this time she looked up to see fire raining from the skies. Her Steed seemed to also notice for it neighed fiercely and bucked, forcibly dismounting its passengers. Familiar with this maneuver, Jane landed on her feet with Hana in her arms and turned to face the barrier, shielding the Japanese girl with her larger Texan frame. The Steed also positioned itself between the girls and the fire.

Thankfully the heroics were unnecessary. One of the more powerful girls- by Jane's reckoning, anyways- came to the rescue, forming a barrier. "Thank ya kindly," she said with genuine gratitude, and then glanced to Hana. "S'pose I could put ya down now if ya like."
CadetNewb
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by CadetNewb »

There would be no escape for them, and success or failure may just be what determined if they lived or died.

The gravity of the situation finally fell on Duncan at this moment - she wasn't some dunce who suddenly became enraptured with black magic and decided on a whim to perform a human sacrifice. No, she wasn't like those people at all. She was well prepared, with layers upon layers of defense. None of them were as intricate and skillfully crafted as Duncan's own would have been of course, but they were enough to slow them down and buy her time.

The American boy continued to kneel in the distance and shifted his spells. The girl wouldn't let him act on her with magic, but just how far did she think ahead? He'd have to play hell with her all at once - he had to find a kink somewhere in her armor now! Air around the tip of her brush suddenly fled, leaving it in vacuum - the water or liquid solvent would suddenly come to a boil as the boiling point was lowered, drying out the ink and preventing her from writing more runes. What's more, light bent around her head, distorting what she could see. And to add insult to injury, a force knocked over her ink well too, splattering what was inside over the papers and ruining them before flash drying them as well.

If this wasn't enough. If worst came to worst...Duncan loaded the least special caster round into his instrument and took aim, praying he wouldn't have to pull the trigger.
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Kokuten
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Re: [Episode Two] Right of Passages

Post by Kokuten »

"Percy!"

Percival Caxton twitched, breathing heavy breaths as he burdened himself on Unity.

"Zulan?"

"Thank goodness, Percy! I thought we had lost you for a moment."

"I feel... so very tired..."

He felt a thump in the back of his mind, as if being reprimanded.

"There's no time to be tired, you need to stand up! Your friends are still fighting!"

The Welshboy stood, looking up to get defended by Kiki. She had threw herself in front of the projectiles, but had thankfully spared herself injury with her magic. Indeed, Percival felt weak, in body and in mind. What he had done, causing Aurus to overload like that, had strained him immeasurably. Yet, despite the situation seeming so too intense to him, the others were still pressing on. He wasn't strong like them, he didn't have their magic or their control, but... He wasn't weak either. This boy was a Caxton, a Caxton who had vowed to keep Hana out of the hands of any vile wizard or witch.

Hmmmmmppphmmmm...

Unity hummed with energy, and broke ground every time the tip of its shaft tapped the ground. The staff resisted everything except Percival's touch, moving aside air, water, earth, and fire as if declaring itself above such matter. This was why when he stabbed it into the earth again, it nearly exploded in force, cutting a half-foot into the earth. Percy pulled himself up and looked forward onto the battlefield, and then called forth a god.

"Prota! O Madan O Aqua!" commanded the summoner, energy from the staff convulsing until it turned blue and shot up the staff to the head, exploding and almost literally firing Zulan straight up into the air. She was spinning, her chin tucked into her little knees before coming back down right in front of Kiki, sticking the landing. Percy could see Ruarc at the fore, under the most stress of fire, and Percival aimed his staff at him. "Zulan, cover him! Shield up against any attacks and press forward!"

"Hoi!" affirmed the small blonde goddess, charging forth, her armor clanking heavily with each graceful, extended step. With a quick dash she hopped off one surface to hit a slightly higher one, before bouncing off that to sail over onto Ruarc's shoulder's. Zulan herself wasn't too heavy, but it was surely to be a surprise. The small mini slammed her shields together and activated her shield, putting the Druid under her express, professional protection.
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