In this world, Magic is Everything. All people, all races, are granted with the power to perform mystical and magical feats via grimories, mystical tomes granted to each and every child on their 15th birthday. Those blessed by the mana can have their names written down in legend.
Shattered Grimoires is the work of the mind(s) of Ardere & Shattered Grimoire's staff. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Black Clover is owned by Yuki Tabata and published by Viz Shonen Jump. All images belong to their original owners. The theme you are currently viewing was made by Eliza of ElizaCodes exclusively for Shattered Grimoires.
A suspicious adventurer in the form of an old lady has requested help. She’d dropped her valuable treasure chest in the bottom of a lake and needs somebody to help fetch it. She says she can’t do it alone because she can’t swim. “Would you be so kind deary, to help an old woman in need?”
[attr="class","shadowsSub"]Details
Minimum Number of Players: 1 [break]Minimum Word Count: 2000 [break]Location: Nairn [break]Rewards: For the next mission that the Citizen does, one stat of his choice gets increased by 10.
[attr="class","shadowsSub"]NPC Information
What NPCs are in this mission? Please fill out the template for any notable NPCs. While those you have to socially interact with during the mission are not required any enemy that is presented in the mission must be listed in here. [break][break] Name of NPC: Siren x 4 per person
Health Limit: Senior [break]Physical Speed: 5 m/s [break]Physical Damage: Junior [break]Magic Element and Types: Song | Restraining [break]Combat Style: They tend to wrap their long tails around whoever enters the lake and render them immovable. [break]Additional Information: NA
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
Hans has found himself in the Common Region's town of Nairn, currently standing in front of its massive church. The merc was just walking about, exploring more places since he had the means to do so easily in the form of his magic broom, strapped against his back. His dark eyes fell upon the church and he found himself captivated by its appearance. There were many people in the kingdom who went to these churches, worshiping the four main spirits. This stuff never really interested the merc, never seeing a reason to travel to one of these places of worship. Even his mother hasn't spoken about them to him when she was alive.
Still, Hans does find this building to look interesting, and it sort of reminds him of a priest of one of the churches he had met. Augustus, a Ravencrest noble who surprisingly bares the same element as the merc. The two only met once, but Hans couldn't shake the feeling that he'd see him again.
With that thought out of the way, Hans placed his hands in his pockets and started to walk off and as he did, an elderly woman walked passed him in the opposite direction. "Errm?" The woman stopped and turned around to look at he merc. "You there, young man?" The merc stopped and turned his head to glance at the lady curiously. "You look like a capable swimmer. So young...and quite the looker." she claimed with a nod before walking over to Hans. "P-Pardon?" Hans turned to face the woman, appearing a bit confused.
"Oh fu fu, where are my manners? My name is Dorothy and I'm in a bit of a pickle you see." the woman claimed, placing her hands behind her back while Hans slightly raised an eyebrow. "There is a beautiful lake on the outskirts of town. I went to admire it, but nearly tripped in, and dropped my...most precious treasure chest into it." the elderly woman said, making little dramatic gestures much to Hans' confusion. "A...treasure chest?" Hans was growing a little suspicious of this. There was just something that didn't seem right. Still, despite his obvious skepticism, Dorothy nodded and continued. "I would get it myself, but these old bones of mine don't work like they use to." she claimed with a frown which quickly turned into a peaceful smile. “Would you be so kind deary, as to help an old woman in need?”
"...Sorry, but I think I'll have to pass." Hans claimed as he turned to walk off. The woman made a rather intimidating scowl that of course the merc didn't see with his back turned. It was definitely a contrast from how sweet she looked. Despite that, her tone remained the same. "Oh don't worry Mr.Merc. You will be paid handsomely for this." With that, Hans immediately stopped, and gasped lightly, turning once again around, but by the time he looked at the woman's face, it had that sweet smile again. "How do you...?" It was very unlikely for folks in the common and especially the noble regions to know of Hans and his mercenary life. Only ones who'd really know this would be the people who live in the forsaken region, but even then, it would not be that many people. "Tsk, tsk. Won't even help a poor old woman out for free? Ahh it doesn't matter. Come along now, deary." the woman said as she walked past Hans, expecting him to follow.
The man was a little more curious now. He stood there for a few seconds, pondering if he should actually follow, before letting out a sigh of defeat. "Alright..." As he started to walk, the woman immediately placed a hand up before yelling, "Stop!" causing Hans to once again stop in his tracks. "Uh?" The woman started to stroke her chin, thinking of something. "Now that I think about it, we might need an extra pair of hands for this. Not saying that you aren't capable, deary...just that those Sirens can be quite the hassle...." Dorothy added, casually as she started to look around as if hoping another capable person will drop into her clutches.
"Wha-Sirens!?" Just what in the hell did Hans sign up for...and who's gonna be the unlucky soul who gets caught up in this as well?
POW
26
DUR
30
STA
20
SEN
10
CON
22
Battle: *pew pew pew* Spells: Show us your stuff Items: Magic Broom and Dark Edge Notes: Blah blah blah
Hmm... Light blue eyes scanned the list up and down. That one was cute...I think that was the one with a garden in the backyard...but that one has an additional room where I can store my instruments... With a little sigh, Suna noted where the next entry was, and memorized the address. Rolling up the list carefully and tucking it in the little pouch by her side, the elf started her way down the street. For the past few days, she had been traipsing all through the Common Region, looking at possible places where she could move to.
Thanks to her magic broom, the travelling had been light and quick. However, there were too many places, and she was having a hard time deciding where to settle down. She did not need a lot of space, as she was frequently outdoors. But one of her criterias was that her new place had to be secure, and preferably near the forest. It was a hard balance, as living in town would probably ensure her safety. But at the same time, some habits die hard, such as her love for nature.
Nairn, though, was a nice town, and the elf had noted that it was located in a fairly central area of the kingdom. That meant easier access to books and music stores; and most importantly, to news and information. Of course, she was curious as to a certain individual, but always did it in a covert and subtle way—it would be extremely awkward if she was found out asking about mercenaries when she looked and acted like the opposite of one.
Since their last encounter, the blue-haired mage had found herself wondering what he was doing, and her hands would unconsciously touch the necklace around her throat. She had not had a chance to use it yet, but had found some of its abilities. It was surprising how easily she was able to connect with the heirloom, and how her healing spells could be channeled through it. It led her to believe that the original owner must have also been some sort of healer. Curious, as the Vera she knew did not have any sort of healing power...or did she?
"Dearie!"
Suna jerked her head up to see an elderly lady across the street, who was waving her over. "Huh?" Her first thought was confusion, as she did not know her. However, the other’s age spoke volumes, and manners was manners. She looked both ways before she crossed the street. As the elf drew closer, she noticed that there was someone behind the woman. Why was the form so familiar? "How may I help you, ma’am?" She asked politely, then she caught a glimpse of the person’s face. Her jaw dropped, and her hand flew to her necklace.
"H-Hans?"
The old woman was looking between the elf and the mercenary now. "I see that you two know each other. Perfect!" She clapped her hands together, then explained similar things that she had said to the other mage earlier. "The lake is not far from here. It's always best to start at the beginning, and all you have to do is to follow the yellow brick road." There was an indiscernible twinkle in her eye, but it was lost on Suna.
"Uh, okay." The sound mage nodded a few times, but in truth, she had barely heard what the other woman had said. She was still in shock at seeing him there. She would have thought he was out and about somewhere else, but he was here. He was really here in front of her. Suna was about to turn and ask the woman how she found him, but to her surprise, the lady had conveniently disappeared.
The elf was suddenly struck by a bout of bashfulness, and was tongue-tied as to what to say. After a few seconds of indecision, she gestured towards the yellow brick road that the woman had mentioned. "I...I suppose we should start walking?" A major part of her wondered how she get roped into all this... Although she secretly did not mind, as the dark mage was involved. She needed a break from house hunting anyways.
WC: 700 ⊹ TOTAL WC: 700 ⊹ TAG: @morty2 NOTES: Apologies that this is a lil lackluster ^^;
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
"Hmm?" The elderly woman looked back at Hans after hearing his rather shocked question. "Ah yes, Sirens! Rather rowdy little devils they are, but I'm sure you can handle em juuussstt fine." She claimed, waving dismissively at the confused merc before turning to look for someone else again. Hans placed his palm over his face, quietly questioning this odd woman and her behavior.
Even as the woman called out to her next 'victim' Hans continued to not look, part of him contemplating if he should just walk off since the lady was off her walker clearly. But of course Hans wouldn't be much of a mercenary if he just walked off on jobs, plus he did need the money...assuming that she'd pay him. Fortunately for the dark mage, another reason for him to stick around had just popped up...in the form of a certain musical elf.
Upon hearing that familiar, soothing voice, Hans lifted his head up from his hand, eyes slightly widened with an eyebrow raised. "Suna?" is the name he muttered under his breathe questionably and just as he turned his head, their eyes met, the woman speaking his name as well albeit a lot more audible. The merc was not expecting to see her again or at least not here! As the woman spoke to the blue haired elf, Hans' eyes shifted from Suna's face to the necklace around her neck...the one he had gave her which caused the man's cheeks to glow lightly before quickly turning his head away. Hans still couldn't believe he actually gave that to her.
Formerly belonging to his mother, it would've made sense for Hans to keep that necklace...but it just felt right to hand it to Suna instead, yet he wasn't sure why it felt right, only that the idea of this tied his stomach into knots.
Hans zoned out a bit, but he managed to get it together in time to hear the ending part of the old lady talking, reminding him why he was here...and that poor Suna has gotten caught up in this madness. Hans turned to where the old woman was once standing just as Suna did and noticed she seemingly vanished as well. "The hell...?" He looked around, finding it hard to believe that someone of her age could be already out of view. Of course the merc didn't dwell on this for long as Suna opened her mouth again. Looking at the mentioned yellow brick road then back to Suna, the man nodded with slight hints of hesitance before saying, "Y-yeah." and then started on the path...
Now half way on the path and assuming that Suna was also there, the merc remained silent, not sure what to say. He wanted to focus on this odd job, but how could he with this elf beside him? Normally when it comes to women, Hans really only gets awkward when they try to make some sort of advance on him...but just being in Suna's presence caused the same affect. At the same time, he wanted to strike conversation with her which is something he rarely pursued. This short blue elven girl was making Hans do and feel all these things that he had never dealt with before, not even sure what to call it!
"Er...so..." Hans broke the silence, but it still felt just as awkward. This would be his first time actually trying to strike a conversation with the sound mage since a lot was going on in their previous encounters. The poor guy rubbed the back of his neck as he walked, trying to find the words but they just couldn't be found. "You look...I mean, how are...errmm..."
At least their destination was drawing closer, the area around them looking a lot more open with trees instead of buildings while a certain old woman was waving at them from afar with a pleasant looking smile. "Get your keisters into gear, slowpokes!"
POW
26
DUR
30
STA
20
SEN
10
CON
22
Battle: *pew pew pew* Spells: Show us your stuff Items: Magic Broom and Dark Edge Notes: Naah it's chill!
Ah, so it seemed like the mercenary was a bit ruffled to meet her again as well. Well, that made the two of them. Suna could not help but smile at that, as she used to be incredibly awkward and timid in any type of social interaction. Though the elf would consider herself an introvert, there was also this paradoxical attitude she would have when around those who were even more shy. When she was around flamboyant characters, she would naturally shrink back into her shell. But when she was with the quieter personalities, she herself is emboldened to connect with them, as she understands how hard it is to reach out unless someone was there to encourage it. Besides, all the people she has met up recently were not as talkative, which had pushed her out there to start the conversion and to keep it going.
Seeing how he glanced at the necklace at her throat, the elf tilted her head questioningly. Was he regretting that he gave it to her? She would not put it past him if he wanted it back—after all, it did belong to his mother, and if she was him, she probably would want to hold on to a family heirloom. "Did you want it back?" She asked softly. She would not hesitate to hand it back if he did, although a little part of her would miss it. She did not know if it was just the sentimental value of the necklace or if it was related to its magical properties, but its presence had comforted her. Perhaps its healing characteristics went beyond the physical.
Now that they were on the path down to the lake, her companion seemed uncomfortable. Maybe more than a little uncomfortable, as his body language seemed to imply. More like shy. But at least he tried to start a conversation. If anything, she found that quite endearing. She had been learning how to make small talk, but figured that the dark mage was not the type to engage in such frivolous conversations. Yet, she heard herself speaking in a teasing tone, "I look...what? The same?"
She paused for effect, letting him sweat for an answer. Thanks, I hope I look the same!" A laugh escaped from her. "I’m doing well, how about you?" She really should not be teasing him if he was feeling bashful, even though she could not imagine why. She should be the one stammering and being shy all over him.
Suna decided to get straight to the point. "I think that old lady is hiding something. How did she just drop something in the middle of the lake? And she mentioned a treasure chest? That sounds like a suspicious story." Focusing on their common goal would take her mind off of other thoughts...such as how close he was walking next to her, among other things.
Thankfully, the lake soon came into view, and so was...the old woman?
"Isn’t that the same woman we saw just now?" The elf murmured, incredibly confused. But at the same time, it only solidified her suspicions about the old woman. "Hmm..." She did not know if Hans shared her doubts, but her gut instincts told her something was off. The closer she drew to the lady, the more on guard she became. However, on the outside, she maintained a cheerful air.
"How did you get here so quickly?" She asked innocently, and pretended to look around behind the old woman as if she was looking for some magical item. "Did you get here by a magic broom or something? Or are you a spatial mage?" The elf did not think she could get an accurate mana reading of what kind of element the suspicious lady had, but at least she could try getting some information from her in some seemingly innocent questions. She also noticed a little rowboat bobbing down by the side of the lake. How convenient. It seemed like everything was prepared for their little dive.
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
"Oh no no. It's just..." Hans looked at the necklace once more. He wanted to tell Suna how fitting it looked on her...how it compliments her beautiful blue eyes, but the words just couldn't make it out. "It's nothing." he claimed before starting their walk. How was it so easy for Hans to draw his sword on others yet so difficult to just compliment one girl!?
Not noticing that the elf was teasing at first, Hans pinched the bridge of his nose, a little annoyed with himself at how he continued to make a fool out of himself. Striking up small talk felt so foreign to the man. He had a feeling that it should not be this hard to talk to others yet that didn't stop his nerves from riling up, plus it didn't help that the person he was talking to is exact same individual that causes his heart to race for reasons unknown to the guy. "Ah no, I meant..." Hans paused as the elf broke into laughter which helped the poor dark mage realize that this was all just a joke...albeit taking him a few seconds to actually notice. "Ah..." Hans looked at the Suna, blinking a few times. "Right er...cool." he responded, looking away again.
Hans was totally a smooth operator....
Luckily for the dark mage, Suna quickly changed the subject to something more up his alley. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing." Hans claimed as he looked back at the blue woman. "There's something off about her. Stay on your guard." he added with a nod. The man decided not to mention how this elderly woman supposedly knew of him being a mercenary since he felt like that they had more to worry about without adding that in. For all he knows, maybe she just heard about him from others since it wouldn't be the first, but it still bothered him.
Speak of the devil...
Turning his head at Suna's question, Hans had a baffled look on his face. They made it to the lake...but it looked like the woman beat them there already, and with a rowboat prepared. "Yeah..." Hans answered in a questioning tone. "Here I thought youngsters were suppose to be quick on their feet." the old lady jested, placing her arms behind her with that same sweet smile. With the two approaching the woman, and Suna asking her questions, Hans silently observed the elderly person. She appeared to have the same attire and everything...but her gray hair was different. Previously, she wore her hair down which went to her shoulders, but now it was tied in a ponytail. Maybe it was just getting in the way?
"Eh? What are you talking about? I was here all morning." the woman claimed, causing Hans to raise a brow. Clearly that was a lie...or so he thought.
"You youngsters...sure are....fast." A familiar sounding voice came from behind the two mages. Turning around, Hans' other eyebrow rose as his eyes met with...a second old lady!? She appeared to be completely identical to the one in front of them except for the hair which was not tied. She looked a bit winded as if she ran all the way here. "How did yo-""One minute I wander off to use the lady's room, and the next you two are gone." she claimed, managing to catch her breathe. "Almost thought you both up and vanished on me." she chuckled, an interesting choice of words. "Ah, I suspected that these two were here to help. Nice job sis...but we could've used someone who had more meat on their bones... These two are practically toothpicks." the ponytailed woman claimed, despite that not being true. "Sis...?" That's when Hans finally put it together. Twins...or at least he assumed they are. "Oh, Agatha, you were always quite the jokester." the woman added with a chuckle. "Hush, Greta! I wasn't joking."
The sisters then looked at Hans and Suna, not even bothering to give them any further explanations. "Agatha secured a boat for you both, so whenever you're ready~" Greta pointed at the lake. Hans gave the two one more look before looking at Suna and with a sigh, he decided to go along with this and made his way to the boat.
Now on the boat, and assuming that Suna had followed, Hans took the paddles and rolled the boat towards the middle of the lake while the elderly sisters looked towards them before whispering something to each other. The merc had his eyes on those two, but once he got the boat to the center, he stopped rowing and placed the paddles down. He looked down at the pure looking water. No sign of those Sirens mentioned before, but then again they were probably deeper down.
After his brief observation, Hans rose his head back up and placed his sheathed sword onto the boat. He didn't feel that it would help him underwater, and he still had his spells. He then removed his shirt, revealing his toned muscular build....and some lashing scars that run down his back and right shoulder. Placing his shirt beside the sword along with his boots, Hans looked at the water once more before looking at Suna. "Ready?" If she was then Hans would go ahead and dive into the water, making it splash on impact which would catch the attention of some of the aquatic creatures that call this place home...some less friendly than others.
POW
26
DUR
30
STA
20
SEN
10
CON
22
Battle: *pew pew pew* Spells: Show us your stuff Items: Magic Broom and Dark Edge Notes: Blah blah blah
Suna plays a soothing melody on her instrument, enveloping her target(s) with her sound magic in a circular area. Upon contact, her healing spell will attempt to cleanse target(s) of any debuffs, hexes, curses, poisons, or venom. Archangel’s Blessing allows healing on multiple targets without dropping in potency. At the same time, the force of her spell causes enemies to be knocked back by 4 meters. For every 10 Power she has, the knock back range will be increased by 5 meters. Following ammo rules, for every 10 Control she has, she may knock back enemies another time, as long as the spell is sustained.
The sound mage had to hide her smile behind her hand, lest the poor mercenary thought that she was laughing at him again. Which she was not—she was merely amused at his shy behavior, and thought it was really endearing. The more bashful the other was, the more emboldened she would be. Two introverts would probably not make the best conversation, hence why she would push herself more to be out there.
Her guard was up when the seemingly same woman greeted them. However, her voice sounded a little different, and she also had on a different hairstyle. Interesting… However, it all became clear when another voice came up behind them. Suna was just as surprised and dumbfounded when the original lady appeared. "There’s two of you," she stated, looking from one to the other. She had never met a pair of twins before, much less identical twins, and it was baffling to see two of the same person in front of her. It seemed that Greta was the one who recruited them, and Agatha the one who prepared the boat. Their movements and body languages were all strikingly similar, and if it were not for the hairstyle, she would not be able to tell them apart.
Suna listened as they gave a brief explanation of themselves, though it did little to lessen her suspicions. However, Hans was already making his way down to the rowboat, and after one last look at the twins, the elf ran after him. The boat seemed sturdy enough, and big enough so they could sit facing each other with still some distance between them. That was a good thing, as she was suddenly overcome with the situation.
A man and a woman. Alone on a boat.
Honestly, it would have been romantic if it were not for the two elderly ladies watching them from shore. Nonetheless, it did not keep the slight flush from her cheeks. As Hans rowed them out to the middle of the lake, she peered curiously down at the water. It was fairly clear and still. What could go wrong?
Suna did not mean to look. She honestly did not. But she was not prepared for the man to take off his shirt, and her eyes had shot straight to his bare shoulders and chest. He had a fit body, and she could not help eying the muscles that rippled underneath his skin. She also noticed a few scars on his back and right shoulder. Though they looked like old scars, it looked painful. Oddly enough, they did not look that terrifying; in fact, it only made him look more manly.
A true crimson hue leapt up to her cheeks this time, and she nodded faintly when the dark mage dove in. Get a grip on yourself! She would not be able to concentrate if her eyes kept wandering. She took off her shoes, and thanked the heavens that she had dressed casually today. She had on a simple blue and white polo, and her shorts will give her plenty of leg freedom underwater. Taking a deep breath, the elf dove in after the mercenary. The shock of cold water was abrupt, but refreshing. She opened her eyes to see Hans already ahead of her...and something else.
There was another figure a few meters off, and it looked inhuman. Well, not completely. It looked like a human, but where there should be legs, there was an extremely long tail. Whatever the creature was, it was heading straight for the mercenary. Suna immediately let out her sound magic, and let the vibrations ripple through the water. She did not know whether he could hear her or not, but at least it had alerted the creature to her presence.
The inhuman face turned towards her, and when it opened its mouth, Suna’s eyes widened. It was…singing? Her mind raced, connecting all the dots. It was a siren. Those mythical creatures that she had only read about in books...one was right here in front of her. From what she knew about sirens, they could lure their listeners away with their enchanting songs, and drag them underwater to their fateful ends.
Being a sound mage, she was extremely sensitive to any type of sound or noise. This music that she is hearing, it was in a language she had never heard before. It was completely different from the human tongue or even the witches’ tongue—it was wild and unrestrained, lilting and alluring all at the same time. For a few moments, the blue-haired woman was caught in its beautiful melody, drawn into its otherworldly music. But seeing a movement on her left snapped her out of her daze. Immediately she hummed a C and her harp materialized in front of her. Another one had swam up to her side, and for a heartbeat, the two femmes stared into each other’s eyes.
Blue versus black. Land versus sea. Sound versus song.
A Tempo. Fingers struck, and her own melody emerged. Azure magic swirled around the elf, and her eyes started to glow. This particular spell, though it was a healing spell, also had the capability to knock back her enemies. And knock back they did. The force of her sound unleashed, it pushed the two sirens away by 19 meters. With the creatures momentarily stunned and some distance away, Suna kicked at the water, her legs propelling her downwards towards where she assumed Hans was. She was sure that the sirens would be coming after her, but at least it gave her a few seconds to reunite with her companion and alert him...if he was not already engaged in a similar battle like hers.
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
Within the lake, Hans started to kick his feet as he swam deeper down, the way he swims showing that this isn't his first time. The merc was already turning his head, searching for this apparent treasure chest. After a few seconds, the merc's eyes would fall upon something that was shining. It was still a little ways away so he couldn't exactly see what it was, but it was definitely something...and it gave off a mana signature.
Starting to swim towards it, Hans came to a slow stop as he started to hear...humming? No, it was more like singing. Turning his head once more, the dark mage saw a figure a bit deeper than the glowing object. It was hard to describe, but from the shape of the silhouette, it appeared to be feminine...with a fishes tail. It continued to sing a calm and enchanting melody, giving a gesture to the mage to come closer. Unknowingly, Hans found himself getting closer to this being, unsure of if its him swimming towards it or the other way around. He was completely captivated, almost in a trance like state.
The two would continue to get closer until a soundwave rippled through the waters, causing the creature to stop which knocked Hans out of his trance. Blinking a few times as if he just woken up, Hans turned his head and noticed Suna before turning to look at the creature responsible for this. A siren...The merc should've known, but he was caught off guard. If it weren't for Suna, who knows what would've happened next.
Hans quickly took notice of the second siren approaching the elf's side. The man attempted to warn her, and reached for his sword only to remember that he didn't bring it with him at the last second. Sill, Hans was not completely defenseless without it and attempted to swim up to them, but was quickly grabbed at the leg by a third siren! He looked down at it with his eyes widened as it dragged him down while three other sirens followed after! As the two sirens that Suna was dealing with were knocked away, two more rose from the depths, gunning it for the elf! Eight...there were eight sirens in total with four on each of the mages...
Still being in the middle of getting dragged, Hans kicked at the siren's face with his free foot which caused it to let go and hiss. That beautiful figure and voice was quickly replaced by the true nature of these nasty creatures. The merc sensed the mana of the other three, and was able to quickly maneuver out the way of one that tried to claw at him. As this happened, another siren started to sing, but it wasn't at an attempt to lure the male but to restrain him.
The siren's voice created an aura that tied the merc's legs together. At first, Hans tried to swim up, but the restraint was keeping him from doing so. The other three sirens once again were swimming after the man while the fourth continued to sing her tune. Thing would start getting real bad if Hans didn't think fast enough, and that is when an idea came to him.
Hans may not have access to his sword, but that wasn't the only blade he has in his arsenal...
With his grimoire floating up and opening, Hans conjured a sword of darkness that appeared medieval in nature, floating idly by him, in waiting to be used. The merc grabbed it by the hilt and threw it tip first at one of the incoming sirens and upon impact, it caused a massive explosion of darkness, wide enough to hit the other three sirens, and big enough to be seen from the surface.
~~~
As Greta and Agatha were talking among themselves about this mysterious treasure, the two took notice of the water shaking violently and witnessed a burst of darkness that sent a small wave their way, drenching the two women and knocking them on their keesters! "Well now...They must be having a grand time down there." Greta commented with a chuckle while Agatha spat some of the water from out of her mouth.
~~~
The four sirens were knocked back in different directions and seriously damaged by that spell. Fortunately this put an end to the restraint on Hans as well as he was able to swim freely again. Just now remembering about Suna, the merc started to swim to where he last remembered seeing her...but it looks like he wasn't coming alone. Those sirens weren't finished with the guy just yet...
POW
26
DUR
30
STA
20
SEN
10
CON
22
Battle: Did Int. Damage to four of those sirens using an AoE spell. Spells:
Name of Spell: Dark Magic: Ira Scelesti Elemental Type: Dark Rank & Spell Type: Intermediate - Attack Creation Range & Speed: 20 meters - 10 meter AOE - 15 m/s Mana Cost: 20 (Initial) - 10 (Sustain) Stats Effected: +6 Power (Battle Knight) Applicable Perks: Quick Shot/Battle Knight Description:
Similar to Vulpes Corvum, the user conjures up a sword of darkness (Can conjure an additional sword per twenty control gained) that will float idly beside him with a blade length of 70cm. Either by using the spoken command of “Ira” or by grabbing onto the hilt and throwing it them self, the user can send it flying up to twenty meters and the moment it comes into contact with something solid, it will explode in a wave of darkness roughly the same shape of a cylinder that raises up to ten meters, striking anyone within ten meters of it, knocking them back up to four meters (an additional five meters per ten power gained) with the user them self not being affected by this spell.
Items: Magic Broom and Dark Edge Notes: Blah blah blah
Suna plays a soothing melody on her instrument, enveloping her target(s) with her sound magic in a circular area. Upon contact, her healing spell will attempt to cleanse target(s) of any debuffs, hexes, curses, poisons, or venom. Archangel’s Blessing allows healing on multiple targets without dropping in potency. At the same time, the force of her spell causes enemies to be knocked back by 4 meters. For every 10 Power she has, the knock back range will be increased by 5 meters. Following ammo rules, for every 10 Control she has, she may knock back enemies another time, as long as the spell is sustained.
Suna shapes her pure aura into a silver topaz-set ring that may be worn by herself or the target of choice, increasing the wearer's power stat by +4. If the ring is thrown at an enemy, it will burst in a singular aura explosion and deal intermediate damage to its target. Additional targets are buffed with +2 Power. Apex Predator gives an additional +3 Power stack-able buff caps after 5 attacks or +15. Buffed allies must stay within the spell's range, otherwise the ring will dissipate.
Before she could reach the mercenary, Suna saw two more figures shooting straight towards her. These sirens were native inhabitants of the sea, and moved at a much faster rate than the land-bound elf. Still, desperation lent her a boost of adrenaline. She released A Tempo once more, and knocked back the two new arrivals. However, they did not seem done with her, and were undeterred from the knock backs. It seemed like she needed something stronger, something that would actually deal damage.
She quickly formed her aura into a ring for her Crescendo. The aura ring glowed in her palm, and she could feel the sirens’ sudden shift of focus. Like with the healing spell from before, this particular spell was primarily used for buffing her allies, but it had dual purposes. Once thrown at a target, it could also explode in a grand display of aura. And that was what she did now. She waited until the two sirens were closer. When one started to open her mouth and start whatever type of spell it had, the elf threw it straight at its face. It traveled a bit slower underwater than it would have on land, but as soon as the ring hit one of the sirens, it exploded.
From above the surface, there only seemed to be a disturbance on the water’s surface, a ripple and lots of bubbles, but that was all. Underwater, the elf had immediately continued swimming downwards. Did it work? She did not dare look back, but she did not sense any mana signatures following her, nor did she hear anything. In truth, she was a little afraid to see what she had done to those beautiful but deadly creatures. An aura explosion in one’s face was nothing trivial, even at her low intermediate rank. She doubted that she had killed them, but at the very least, she has damaged them enough so that they are not following her anymore.
At the explosion, she had been able to get a taste of their mana flavor with Vampiric Magic, replenishing her own mana supply. It had tasted wild, but not unpleasant. Strange, but strong. She would keep that in mind for any future reference. Perhaps she would look more into it the next time she visits the Grand Archives.
There were still the first two sirens from before, however. They were nowhere in sight, but she knew they would be back. Perhaps they were already at the treasure chest? Speaking of which, something shiny caught the edge of her eye, but that was blurred away when an incredible explosion of darkness disturbed the water, not too far from her. Hans! It was clearly one of his spells, but she did not see the owner. That is, until she caught sight of his familiar form swimming up towards her.
Her shoulders sagged with relief. He looked none the worse for wear, at least from what she could tell. That was good. What was not good were the other shapes shooting out of the area of disturbance caused from his dark explosion. The elf’s eyes widened, and she pointed behind the mercenary, then quickly shaped her aura for yet another ring. This time, it would appear on the dark mage’s finger, and he could choose to either throw it at his pursuers, or utilize the power buff. Whatever he decided to do, it would hopefully be enough to stop them for good this time.
These sirens were persistent, if anything. Annoyingly so. But she was suddenly struck with the realization that there must be a reason for their relentless attacks. The treasure chest. Of course. They must have sensed that the two mages had the intention to take it away from them, therefore they were doing their best to guard it. What was inside that chest? It must be something important, seeing how they were so furiously against the duo from even nearing it. An even better question would be: who really were those two strange old sisters? Suna made it a note to question them bluntly after all this, if she did not find the answer before then.
WC: 693 ⊹ TOTAL WC: 3,062 ⊹ TAG: @morty2 NOTES: Useless text here whoot yay hi
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
Hans continued to swim up to Suna's direction. After noticing her, the man was relieved that she was okay, but it didn't appear that the duo was out of this just yet!
Raising an eyebrow, Hans turned his head to where Suna was pointing, but just as he did, one of those sirens swam past the merc with one of their arms stretched out, using their sharp claw like nails to scratch the man's bare side, leaving a nasty looking claw mark that bled into the water. The merc winced but managed to get a hold of himself just in time to see another one coming up! This one instead was attempting to restrain Hans again with her musical spell! Fortunately, Hans was prepared for it!
With his dark grimoire on the right page, the mage faced his palm out in the direction of the incoming beam and formed a black hole that absorbed the spell with ease. While the siren was taken off guard by that, Hans coated one of his arms in darkness, similar to what he does with his sword, and with a horizontal swing of his arm, the merc fired his Flying Chaos Slash at the siren, and with the injuries it already had, the spell was able to slice the creature in half, both pieces now slowly descending to the bottom. One was down, but the other that scratched the merc earlier managed to catch Hans off guard again, grabbing a hold of him from the back and attempting to bring the mage to the bottom with it!
Hans struggled with the creature and was able to free one of his arms from its grasp. He then noticed the ring that was now on it, before looking up at Suna. From the corner of his eye, Hans took notice of the that shining object from earlier. It was a treasure chest, and most definitely what the two came down here for. Pointing at the chest, Hans wanted Suna to try and get, and hurry back to the surface. Whether she got the message or not, Hans would ram the back of his head against the siren's face, causing it to let go. The final two sirens were now hot on Hans' trail but before they could reach him in time, the man conjured up two ravens made of darkness, and with a gesture of his hand, he fired them off at those two sirens which exploded on impact, putting an end to those two.
There was only one left on Hans' side, and despite its injuries, the siren was still ready to kill. The womanly fish like creature charged at Hans, causing the two to lock hands in a struggle, constantly trying to bite at the man's face. Quickly releasing his grasp on one of the siren's hands, Hans balled up his fist which bore the ring and punched the siren clean in the face! What Hans was unaware of however was the....explosive qualities of this buff spell, and the moment it made contact with the siren, the ring exploded, ending the siren but damaging Hans as well.
The merc was knocked back, the impact causing him to open his mouth where he then started to struggle and gasp for air...until his movements started to slow...
Name of Spell: Darkness Magic: Black Hole Elemental Type: Dark Rank & Spell Type: Intermediate - Defense Creation Range & Speed: 30 meters - 15 m/s Mana Cost: 20 (Initial) - 10 (Sustain) Stats Effected: +6 Durability Applicable Perks: Quick Shot, Skilled Sniper, Self Repairing Description: After landing on the correct page, the user creates a black hole that is twenty meters in size which floats idly beside them which they can control up to forty meters around them. Other spells of the same rank or lower that come into contact with the black hole will be absorbed so long as the user has +5 Durability over the opposing spell. This spell still follows the Defense Creation health and spell clashing rules. An additional black hole can be formed for every twenty control the user gains. (Spell gains +5 Durability)
Name of Spell: Darkness Magic: Flying Chaos Slash Elemental Type: Dark Rank & Spell Type: Intermediate - Attack Creation Range & Speed: 30 meters - 15 m/s Mana Cost: 20 (Initial) - 10 (Sustain) Stats Effected: +6 Power (Battle Knight) Applicable Perks: Battle Knight/Quick Shot/Skilled Sniper Description: As the user's grimoire flips to the page of the spell, the blade of the user's sword (or their arm if no weapon is in use) will be wrapped in a pitch black aura. The user then swings their sword (arm), releasing the dark aura from it in the form of a wave of darkness taking the shape of a waning moon with a length of five feet. The slash is capable of leaving painful cuts and bruises to those struck with it, the dark aura fading away shortly after. The user can follow up with an additional slash every twenty control gained.
Using their grimoire, the user conjures up a raven (an additional can be formed per twenty control gained) made out of darkness that flies idly by them with a length of twenty-six inches and a wingspan of four feet. Upon a spoken command of “Percutiens” or a gesture of their weapon, the user sends the bird flying at their target(s) exploding on impact, dealing blunt damage as well as knocking them back up to four meters (an additional five meters per ten power gained).
Items: Magic Broom and Dark Edge Notes: Blah blah blah
Suna plays a soothing melody on her instrument, enveloping her target(s) with her sound magic in a circular area. Upon contact, her healing spell will attempt to cleanse target(s) of any debuffs, hexes, curses, poisons, or venom. Archangel’s Blessing allows healing on multiple targets without dropping in potency. At the same time, the force of her spell causes enemies to be knocked back by 4 meters. For every 10 Power she has, the knock back range will be increased by 5 meters. Following ammo rules, for every 10 Control she has, she may knock back enemies another time, as long as the spell is sustained.
Water everywhere. Sirens coming straight for them. One clawing at his back. Red mixing in with blue and darkness. Violet. Blood in the water.
Horrified, Suna sucked in a breath on instinct, and immediately regretted it. Water flooded into her nose and mouth. Don’t move, don’t panic! Easier said than done, but she managed to not suck in any more water. The lake water stung, though, with all its saltiness and sudden chill. Out of the corner of her eye, she once again saw that flash, that glimmer in the deep. That must be what they were looking for.
However, she only had eyes for the man currently fighting off his attackers. Hans was dealing with the sirens single-handedly, and even sliced one of them in half! It was a gruesome sight, but the elf could not keep her eyes off him. The dark hole, the ravens, everything. He looked dangerously beautiful in action, and his dark spells only augmented the raw power from within. She never really got to see him fight like this, and he was impressive. She was pretty sure he had not casted any sort of restraint on her, but she could only hover in the water like one spellbound. During a brief moment when he was not being attacked, she locked eyes with the dark mage. It seemed like he wanted her to go for the treasure chest.
Like heck she was going to leave his side in a fight!
When her ring exploded, bubbles clouded the area briefly. The elf anxiously waved them away, trying to see what happened. What she saw almost made her heart stop. Her aura explosion had knocked Hans back as well, damaging him. It was not supposed to harm her allies, but apparently, things worked differently underwater. It had knocked him up towards her, and now she swam down to pulled at one of his arms. He seemed to have swallowed too much water and seemed to have gone limp. She needed to get him back up to the surface for air.
The fastest way was A Tempo. Once more, her healing spell was used again in the most unconventional way. She unleashed her sound magic once again, this time not to knock back enemies, but to send an ally back up to the surface. Hopefully, the force of this spell would not damage him even further. Hopefully.
------------
During this time, the two sisters had been eagerly looking at the middle of the lake, waiting for any motion or sign of the two mages underwater.
"Do you think they’ll fail like the last two?" Agatha glanced down at her outfit, now soaking wet from the wave from Hans’ spell earlier.
Greta clucked her tongue. "These two won’t kill each other before the sirens do, so it should be fi—" A large ripple from underneath the boat cut her off, and the twins leaned forward eagerly to see what was about to unfold.
------------
Assuming that her spell had worked, the man should be somewhere close to where the boat is. As soon as her knock back effect had happened, the elf swam up towards the light, and the shadow of their boat. If Hans had indeed been propelled back up, he would be able to breath now, if he awoke. As soon as she broke to the surface, the elf also coughed and gasped for air. The water in her throat had been irritating her, but most likely not as bad as her companion. If Hans was indeed near the surface, she would then grab his arm and attempt to pull him up to the rowboat.
Trying to haul a wet, half-naked and passed-out man up from the water onto a boat was no easy feat.
He was too heavy, and she would only be able to get half of him up, so that his two arms and head would be dangling over the side of the rowboat. She could not get him completely up, however. The craft would be in danger of tipping over completely at the weight imbalance. Suna bit her lip. What could she do?
Her eyes traveled to the dark-haired individual next to her. She wanted to look away, but could not. There were some old scars over his back, and they looked extremely painful. What kind of past has he had? What kind of suffering had he gone through? His latest one looked awful, and the female’s heart went out to him. If only she could comfort and heal it at least...
As her hand reached out to gently touch his back, Sapphire Heart began to glow, and light blue puffs started to form around the gash. Suna gasped, and looked down at her necklace. She did not know how it activated, as she had not been able to trigger its effects until now, but it seemed like the necklace knew Hans. Of course. She would venture to guess that Hans’ mother had used it on him before, so of course it would activate for him. Unbeknownst to her, in addition to physical and mana skin restoration, if there were any poison or venom in the gash, the necklace’s healing properties would cleanse it.
What should she do now? They still needed to retrieve the chest. As she was thinking, her hand slipped off his back, and the spell suddenly froze, as if unable to function. Hmm... Suna placed her hand on back on his back, and the light puffs started to move once again. It seemed like she needed to be in physical contact with him in order for the healing to work. She just hoped he would wake up soon. He had seemed to inhale a lot of water, and she could not try to hit his injured back to help him cough it out. At least, that was what she has read in books.
"Wake up, Hans..." She whispered. If he did not wake up soon and get that water out of his system, she just might do something drastic...
Greta #da6e19 | Agatha #da4719
WC: 1,017 ⊹ TOTAL WC: 4,079 ⊹ TAG: @morty2 NOTES: Poor Hans also got hurt from Suna’s own spell?!
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
Hans' body slowly descended. He managed to take out the siren, but at the potential cost of his own well being. The merc had taken in too much water and started to lose consciousness, but before his eyes could fully close, he noticed a blue blur heading in his direction. 'Suna...' the name ran through his head, wanting badly to say it out loud.
The elf managed to save Hans from his descent by the use of a spell. It knocked the unconscious man upwards...while also unintentionally freeing the treasure chest from the area it was stuck on, and sent it up as well.
Hans was now back on the boat, or at least a part of him was as Suna managed to get his lower half onto it. Still, the man laid there motionless, grasping to stay alive despite he water that has invaded his lungs. The merc's mind was blank, but the moment Suna started to use the necklace's magic to heal him, visions of the dark mage's mother had started to fill the blank canvas of his mind. It was so familiar...so soothing, yet Hans could still not wake. The necklace was able to heal his injuries...but it couldn't do anything about the water.
Agatha and Greta watched the two from land, looking both curious and confused. "Looks like you spoke too soon." Agatha claimed as she glanced at her sister. Greta simply sighed before cupping her hands around her mouth to yell out, "Did you find the chest!?" clearly more concerned about it than the other other two. As she said this, the treasure chest surprisingly surfaced, floating idly in the water. "Greta, look!" the elderly woman said before pushing her sister to grab her attention.
Agatha looked at where Greta was looking and eyes widened as they saw the chest, but it was still far from reach. It was closer to the boat however. "Deary! Sorry about your friend...but would you mind grabbing that chest for us, please?" Agatha this time yelled out, sounding more sincere....or at least trying to.
POW
26
DUR
30
SEN
10
STA
20
CON
22
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Sorry if it's lackluster. BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
What a predicament she was in. What could she do? Suna could hear the two sisters calling out to her from shore, saying something about the chest and such. Like she was concerned about any of that right now. It was tempting to yell back at them, to say that a person’s life was more important than any treasure chest. But she chose to ignore those two for now, and blocked out their voices.
Sapphire Heart had been doing its work beautifully, slowly healing the wound from the siren. But she was more concerned about the water he swallowed. She needed to get him up to the boat first. With that, the elf quickly left his side, swimming to the other side. With him hanging on the opposite side, she was able to clamber up to the boat with little difficulty. Now, she tried pulling him up, careful to keep the boat balanced and from tipping over.
"Unhhh…oomph!" With one last pull, she was able to get the man up and over in the boat. Slender fingers pressed on the side of his neck, checking for his pulse. Still beating. That was good. He did not seem to be breathing, though. Suna tilted him to the side, trying to get some of the water to drain out of his mouth, then she checked his breathing again. Still apparently nothing. Then she forcefully shook the mercenary.
"Wake up, Hans, wake up..." If there were any spirits around her, she would have definitely called and prayed to them now. Her hand lifted in the air, right above the gash on his back. It froze, then she lowered it, sighing in frustration. It was so easy, so simple, but she really could not bring herself to wake him up by hitting him at his wound. There was no way she was going to inflict more pain on him. The elf rolled him so he was on his back, and tried pressing down on his chest, hoping to jump start his lungs into breathing again. About a minute passed, and she was becoming frantic at the lack of response. Either she was too light, that her weight pressure was not enough, or maybe she was doing it wrong.
There was, however, another way.
Suna wiped her mouth with her arm, suddenly nervous. She felt extremely self-conscious, even though the man was as good as passed out and would not even know or feel what she was about to do. The young woman was kneeling by his side, and brushed back a wayward strand away from his face. He looked so vulnerable, so innocent. Yet the scars on his back and the lines on his face spoke volumes of his painful past. Her heart fluttered. There was no way she was going to let him go like this. Time was ticking, and she could only hope this way would save the dark mage, even if it did mean breaking some personal boundaries.
Suna gently pinched his nose shut. "I'm so sorry to do this without your consent, Hans," she murmured. Then, before she could lose her courage, the blue-haired elf leaned down and placed her mouth over his. His lips felt cold. Probably from the water. Hopefully not because his life was ebbing away. Carefully, she breathed into him, keeping her eyes on his chest, watching it rise and fall with her breaths. She did this a few more times before pulling away, gauging his body’s reaction. If he still did not respond, she would try again. Hopefully it would be of some effect, because she was at her wits’ end...
WC: 606 ⊹ TOTAL WC: 4,685 ⊹ TAG: @morty2 NOTES: Yay for some more "serious" action! ;P
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
With the faint visions of his mother gone, all Hans could see now was darkness...
'Is this...the end?'
He could not feel anything, he could no move, nor could he see nothing but the pitch black void. There were faint mumbles, but other than that, there was nothing. Was this how it feels...to lose everything? There was still so much that Hans didn't get to do, many people he'd never get to meet again...especially Suna. At least the merc will be able to reunite with his mother...
Then a light could be seen, glowing within the darkness. It started to illuminate more. This was usually the sign of one's demise. "Don't head towards the light" People usually say...but Hans was ready to embrace it.
'Mother...I'm coming home...'
As the light grew more however, it was not the afterlife calling...but the sun beaming down.
Hans' closed eyelids shook some before he suddenly started to cough, spitting out water as quickly sat up! After the coughing fit was over, the merc held a hand against his bare chest as he started to breathe heavily, looking at the surface of the boat with blurry eyes. Once his vision started to settle, the merc quickly looked up and around the area until his eyes set on those familiar blue eyes looking back at him, causing the guy to calm down some. "What...what happen?" the merc asked before placing a hand on the side of his head before looking back down.
Right, there was an explosion...and he almost drowned.
As this happened, the chest that floated in the water suddenly sank as if something pulled it down. Agatha and Greta who witnessed this both gasped before flailing about, or at least to the best of their ability due to their age in an attempt to grab the two mage's attention. "The cheeesssttt!! Get the chest!" Greta yelled out once more before quickly hunching over, getting all winded from yelling like that while her sister lightly patted her back.
POW
26
DUR
30
SEN
10
STA
20
CON
22
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Sorry if it's short! Didn't think Hans could add much in the state he's in haha. BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
Suna shapes her aura into a lightweight, rapier-like sword that is 45" / 1.1m long, its blade 40" / 1m in length and 1" / 2.5cm in width, weighing 2 lb / 0.9 kg. Its sharp blade is narrow and two-edged, and its handle is embellished with ornate swirling designs and a single indigo crystal for accent. This weapon is able to deal intermediate damage to its opponents, and Apex Predator gives an additional +3 Power stack-able buff caps after 5 attacks or +15. It will dissolve when broken by a higher-tiered spell or weapon.
Suna had leaned back, a little breathless. It was not until she pulled away that the full force of her actions hit her, and a rosy shade colored her facial features. Even up to her elven ears, she was tinged in a hot blush. Her lips felt extremely sensitive from the physical contact, though it could not have been more than a few seconds and with a mindset that was anything but romantic. She never would have thought that she, an ex-witch, would ever have that first experience, much less find a partner whom she would share it with. Though she really did not know what else to do back then, she did not regret it. A tiny part of her had blossomed, and there was no going back from here.
It was about now that the dark mage twitched and suddenly started coughing. All her awkwardness drained away when he sat up and coughed up a good amount of water. She had snapped back into the business mode and was patting his back, careful to avoid the wounded area.
"You’re okay, you’re okay..." She murmured, although it was probably more to reassure herself than the other. It was such a comfort to see those beautiful dark eyes again, and to see him sitting up and apparently sane. "Yokatta..." Her shoulder slumped in relief. He would never know how tight her heart felt back there, how worried and tense she was just a minute ago. It did, however, awaken her to a new realization.
To his question, she immediately thought back to what she did and flushed again. It would probably be for the best if he did not know exactly what she had done. After all, it was not like she had a choice to ask for his permission, and honestly, she had not thought twice about giving her first one away like that. Besides, it would be her own little secret, one that she could savor upon and remember fondly. Until he pressed for details, she would keep things vague.
"You were hurt, so I brought you back up here," she said simply. "Are you okay? Can you breathe all right? Does the wound in your back still hurt?" She ran her eyes up and down his person, checking for any additional wounds she might have missed before.
Her study and concern for the mercenary would be interrupted by the two voices from shore. She had almost forgotten that they were on a job. Right, back to business. Something bobbing in the water nearby caught her eye. Was that the treasure chest? Oh right, the pair of twin sisters on shore had said something about it. It seemed like her knockbacks spell had also unearthed it. But now, right in front of her eyes, it began to disappear under the water, as if someone was pulling it under. It must be the two sirens from before. They had been cunning, waiting until the two intruders were out of the water before going back for the chest.
She looked back at Hans. He was breathing, he was sitting up, and he was looking fine at the moment. Actually, more than fine, with his wet tousled hair and bare chest and… Stop, Suna! She averted her eyes, hiding her face with her long hair. He could easily have caught her staring, but how could she not, even though he had just come back from the brinks of death? With him around looking like that, there was no way she could concentrate. "I-I...I’ll be right back!" Without an explanation, she dived back into the water.
As Suna swam towards where she last saw the chest, her aura gathered around her right hand, forming into Cadenza. The blade felt just as light underwater as it was on land, and did not slow down her swimming speed too much. The blue lithe form rippled through the water, almost blending as invisible in hue. There! The chest was clutched on the chest of one of the sirens, and the other one was swimming besides the first one, not doing anything but seemingly waiting for something.
Waiting for her.
The pure aura mage narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip on Cadenza. Here it comes... The one who was not holding the chest shot towards her, its otherworldly eyes fixed on its target. The sharp claws were coming her way, and Suna had lifted her blade to protect her front. However, she was immediately swept from beneath her with the creature’s long tail. Thrown off balance, the elf struggled to regain her bearings quickly. She was barely able to right herself before her attacker came again.
Instead of blocking, this time, she went on the offense, and swung her sword down at where she assumed the tail would be. It hit its mark, though it did not cut too deeply. Just enough for blood to flow, but not enough to sever it. She had seen its fathomless eyes, and whether they held a soul or not, she would not kill in cold blood.
The creature screeched, a high-pitched cry before it sank into the deep recess of the lake, definitely too injured to pursue her yet not dead. The elf took off after the other one, the one who had been in possession of the chest. It had continued its descent down, even faster now that it heard its companion get wounded. Strong kicks brought her closer and closer to the creature, and she was close enough to hear the swish of the tail’s powerful motions. She would have to hurry though; she did not know how long she could hold her breath if she accidentally swallowed some, and she could feel the pressure intensifying the deeper she went.
With Crescendo held out in front of her, tip pointing forward, Suna swiped at the scaly tail in front of her. Despite the moving target, Lady Luck seemed to be with her today, and the blade cut into the tail. The siren also gave an ear-splitting cry, releasing the chest. Immediately, the blue-haired woman snatched it, and without a moment of hesitation, turned around and shot back up towards the surface. She let Cadenza dematerialize, freeing her hands and focusing on getting back up above water.
Time had seemed to stand still underwater, and she felt reality hit only when she broke through the surface, gasping for air. She looked around for the boat, and seeing it only a few strokes away, waved at Hans, whom she assumed was still in there. Then she held up the chest triumphantly above her head, a big smile on her face. It was lighter than she thought it was. Suna aimed to throw it over into the boat, or to the mercenary, if he was ready to catch it. They had successfully retrieved the chest.
Now, the burning question—what in the world was inside?