Strago continued to sit where he was, no sign of consertation at the storm's approach or the other's combat. He had his part to do and he would carry it out no matter the cost. The area around him was thick with magic, first encircling him, then Eiko. It would have to do more than that if he were to help save Narshe, but first things first. Within the storm, the half-Esper within nearly vibrated with magic, buoyed by the swirling chaos around her. She knew neither fear or despair, though it had been some time since she was capable of much in the way of coherent thought. Still, at Eiko's close presence and Trance, something awoke within the long-dormant magic battery....
Transformed by the magic swirling around her and her own emotion stirred by the other one guided by Madeen, Eiko looked dangerously beautiful. In her short-circuited mind, her sister's warm hand, Celes' hollering, and Mog's kupos faded into oblivion. All she knew or understood was her kindred was near. "You are..." Eiko said thickly.
"Here...." The Esper that was Terra responded. Not that anyone else could hear, save Eiko. She was still far up ahead, within the storm that engulfed the horizon and showed no signs of stopping. "I can feel you...." Her voice in Eiko's mind was rough, feral and sounded as though it hadn't been used in a while. But not much communication is available when in the midst of a magic-laden storm.
Eiko suddenly bolted toward the voice. "I... I hear you!" Her horn burned with magical energy. Raising her arms up toward the storm, she cried: "Return to me!" as she hurled a Silence spell at the storm.
The storm easily absorbed the spell, though no noticable change occurred. At least outwardly, though Eiko could feel the magic honing in on Terra. She shuddered with the force of accumulated magics all around her, it felt as though a constant electric charge was running through her, all around her. Somehow, she forced herself to pierce the haze and try to communicate with Eiko again. "Not enough....it's ....not enough...." The storm was bloated with magic, but it needed more....
The tiny summoner continued marching toward the center of the storm. As she grew nearer to Terra, Eiko's eyes glowed with rage. "You... Let go of her! MIGHT!" She screamed at the storm.
The swirling ribbons of magic and the chill, screaming winds ravaged the outskirts of Narshe, soon the area would be engulfed by the raging storm. Terra thought she heard Eiko's voice despite the distance, clear as though she were standing right next to her. "Try overloading....cast something powerful...it's so bloated it can't hold much more...." At least she hoped, not wanting to drain the poor girl.
Eiko took a deep breath. "I... CAN DO THIS! HOLY!" Arms outstretched, Eiko sent her most powerful spell into the storm. As soon as the energy left her hands, she felt Trance leak out of her small frame. She fell to her knees.
Terra winced, feeling the storm absorb the Holy spell. For a moment, nothing happened...then a rumble reverberated throughout the storm. Even the ground shook, as light twisted and flared up above. A brilliant rift opened, and Terra's loud scream echoed in Eiko's mind as pain wracked the half-Esper. It hurt, but it was a cleansing pain. All at once, Terra's clarity returned --only to be snuffed out when she fell through the rift and out of consciousness.
"Where did everybody go?" Looking around dizzily, Eiko scanned the horizon best she could for a friendly face. "Strago..." The young girl laid her throbbing head down on the hard ground. "Strago, it hurts!"
Strago was unable to respond, as his ritual seemed to reach its peak. The ground continued to shake, and the light enveloping Strago continued to increase to blinding intensity. For just a moment the storm seemed to pause, the winds dying down for just a moment--before the light flared, expanded and shot upward in a spiraling column around the old mage in a loud roar. The entire area was bathed in its intense glow, a counter part to the darkness the storm had brought with it. The old man within was rigid with tension, feeling the powerful magic course through his veins. Too much magic, he should have known it would be too much....
"STRAGO!" Eiko shrieked as she felt the old man overloaded with magic. She felt it pushing through his veins, forcing the life out of him... "STOP! Please..."
Strago had known. All along, even if he couldn't fool himself anymore...his ritual was working too well, but as long as the goal was accomplished, Strago's conscience would be clear. He felt the magic drawn out of him, not just the spell but everything within him, his very essence. The column of light reached the storm above and the entire sky seemed bathed in a golden light, shielding the surrounding area from further ravages of the storm. As for Strago, only the force of the magic was holding him upright. He tried to form words to Eiko but with the surrounding noise he wouldn't be heard anyway.
Eiko winced, blinded by the light. Screaming Strago's name once more, she tried standing. She took a few unsteady steps toward the man before the force of the nearby magic coupled by her own exhaustion sent her tumbling to the ground. She weakly reached out to the elderly mage. "Cur... Cura..." It was all she could muster.
Thanks to the protection of Strago's spell, the winds died down in the immediate vicinity for the eldery man to be heard. "Tell her....I'm sorry...." Strago at last managed to croak out a few words, though just after the column of light connecting Strago to the force that was shielding the area from the storm disappeared. Displaced air rushed back downward and the old man fell to the ground, limp.
Transformed by the magic swirling around her and her own emotion stirred by the other one guided by Madeen, Eiko looked dangerously beautiful. In her short-circuited mind, her sister's warm hand, Celes' hollering, and Mog's kupos faded into oblivion. All she knew or understood was her kindred was near. "You are..." Eiko said thickly.
"Here...." The Esper that was Terra responded. Not that anyone else could hear, save Eiko. She was still far up ahead, within the storm that engulfed the horizon and showed no signs of stopping. "I can feel you...." Her voice in Eiko's mind was rough, feral and sounded as though it hadn't been used in a while. But not much communication is available when in the midst of a magic-laden storm.
Eiko suddenly bolted toward the voice. "I... I hear you!" Her horn burned with magical energy. Raising her arms up toward the storm, she cried: "Return to me!" as she hurled a Silence spell at the storm.
The storm easily absorbed the spell, though no noticable change occurred. At least outwardly, though Eiko could feel the magic honing in on Terra. She shuddered with the force of accumulated magics all around her, it felt as though a constant electric charge was running through her, all around her. Somehow, she forced herself to pierce the haze and try to communicate with Eiko again. "Not enough....it's ....not enough...." The storm was bloated with magic, but it needed more....
The tiny summoner continued marching toward the center of the storm. As she grew nearer to Terra, Eiko's eyes glowed with rage. "You... Let go of her! MIGHT!" She screamed at the storm.
The swirling ribbons of magic and the chill, screaming winds ravaged the outskirts of Narshe, soon the area would be engulfed by the raging storm. Terra thought she heard Eiko's voice despite the distance, clear as though she were standing right next to her. "Try overloading....cast something powerful...it's so bloated it can't hold much more...." At least she hoped, not wanting to drain the poor girl.
Eiko took a deep breath. "I... CAN DO THIS! HOLY!" Arms outstretched, Eiko sent her most powerful spell into the storm. As soon as the energy left her hands, she felt Trance leak out of her small frame. She fell to her knees.
Terra winced, feeling the storm absorb the Holy spell. For a moment, nothing happened...then a rumble reverberated throughout the storm. Even the ground shook, as light twisted and flared up above. A brilliant rift opened, and Terra's loud scream echoed in Eiko's mind as pain wracked the half-Esper. It hurt, but it was a cleansing pain. All at once, Terra's clarity returned --only to be snuffed out when she fell through the rift and out of consciousness.
"Where did everybody go?" Looking around dizzily, Eiko scanned the horizon best she could for a friendly face. "Strago..." The young girl laid her throbbing head down on the hard ground. "Strago, it hurts!"
Strago was unable to respond, as his ritual seemed to reach its peak. The ground continued to shake, and the light enveloping Strago continued to increase to blinding intensity. For just a moment the storm seemed to pause, the winds dying down for just a moment--before the light flared, expanded and shot upward in a spiraling column around the old mage in a loud roar. The entire area was bathed in its intense glow, a counter part to the darkness the storm had brought with it. The old man within was rigid with tension, feeling the powerful magic course through his veins. Too much magic, he should have known it would be too much....
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Strago had known. All along, even if he couldn't fool himself anymore...his ritual was working too well, but as long as the goal was accomplished, Strago's conscience would be clear. He felt the magic drawn out of him, not just the spell but everything within him, his very essence. The column of light reached the storm above and the entire sky seemed bathed in a golden light, shielding the surrounding area from further ravages of the storm. As for Strago, only the force of the magic was holding him upright. He tried to form words to Eiko but with the surrounding noise he wouldn't be heard anyway.
Eiko winced, blinded by the light. Screaming Strago's name once more, she tried standing. She took a few unsteady steps toward the man before the force of the nearby magic coupled by her own exhaustion sent her tumbling to the ground. She weakly reached out to the elderly mage. "Cur... Cura..." It was all she could muster.
Thanks to the protection of Strago's spell, the winds died down in the immediate vicinity for the eldery man to be heard. "Tell her....I'm sorry...." Strago at last managed to croak out a few words, though just after the column of light connecting Strago to the force that was shielding the area from the storm disappeared. Displaced air rushed back downward and the old man fell to the ground, limp.
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