[Thread; Closed]

[petalwhirlwind]

Characters: Ursula, Kain, Refia, Lilisette
Progress: Incomplete
Summary: Returning the Wind Crystal
Location: The Wind Shrine
Date: June 11th
Warnings: Violence.

Comments

[futurefab]

Lilisette had been laughing with Refia when Ursula spoke, and she looked up to the princess to nod her agreement. She'd not been able to spend much time with Ceodore's lady-friend, and what she had Ursula had been exhausted from her stint with the monsters of the Ronkan Ruins. But the girl certainly seemed like a determined sort, and she could see why Ceodore was so fond of her.

"I trust you'll lead us accordingly," she said to Ursula with a smile. "And I'll support you as needed."

Even if Lilisette didn't know Ursula well, or Kain at all, she knew that they were important to Troia's royal family. And that was enough for her to be willing to give herself fully to protecting them.

[ultimategenome]

While the humans socialized outside, Lufene lounged indolently on the pedestal that Tiamat was guarding. Stupid Garland. She picked up the mirror enshrined there, and lifted it to examine herself. The wind was messing up her hair! She pouted and whined at the guardian, "Can't you turn down the air? You're wrecking my beauty."

[dragoon_rising]

Kain looked to Ursula, glad to see the Crystal safe in her hands. Of all their group, she was the best choice to carry it, and had also been the only one Kain had warned about... himself, basically. He knew it was unlikely that anything would happen, but even so he wouldn't risk it. Ursula at least seemed to know enough about his past- and he realized with dread- his future, to take his warning seriously.

He glanced at the others of the group. He'd been in before, and had the strong wind elemental connection... and of course, was heavily armored as well. He felt very confident about dealing with the shrine again.

"The winds inside are fierce. I can take the lead, but don't let your guards down."

[smallmage]

Refia had taken the precaution before coming out to the shrine to acquire a number of small lead weights to slip into her pockets, trying to weigh herself down - she was the smallest of the group, and the most likely to have trouble with the wind as a result. She was planning on staying behind Kain as much as she could, but she knew from experience that he liked to jump around everywhere and she couldn't count on him for that all the time.

Shrugging into the heavy robe, Refia took up her staff and held her hood over her face to keep it from flying off as she moved up to Ursula. "I'll hold on to that - you're going to need your fists down there." And the crystal was no less important to her and her friends; she had no desire to see it lost if she could help it.

[petalwhirlwind]

Ursula hesitated for a moment, reluctant to part with the crystal...but Refia was right. Her chosen fighting style didn't leave her much choice. She sighed but nodded, handing it over. "I know you'll take good care of it."

She smiled at Lilisette, grateful for her support and wishing they'd had more time to talk. Perhaps after this adventure, that would be possible. Turning to Kain, she nodded. "We won't. Let's go, then."

Departing the ship, the princess waited for Kain to act as their shield, then started forward. She was as ready as she would ever be for this mission, and it was time to do their part.

[futurefab]

Normally Lilisette would have used her Chocobo Jig when facing a trek, but with the winds she did not dare. While it would help them move more quickly, she also worried it would make some of them lighter, and Refia especially could not afford any reduction in weight. Before she left the ship she made certain her own chalice was kept securely on her belt, and that her daggers were tightened and safe at the small of her back.

Like Ursula she waited for Kain before she followed, though she kept a close eye on Refia. In the midst of such winds her arm lifted to shield her face, and she could only hope that the winds would die down as they drew closer. There was no way she could safely dance in winds such as these, and she wondered how a dragoon would manage his jumps under such conditions.

If the winds did not let up, she had an idea of a solution, but until she knew for certain she would not expend the energy. Best to save it for whatever lurked within, after all.

[ultimategenome]

While the rest battled the winds, Lufene sprawled in a lazy lounge as best she could, all the while complaining about the lack of suitable accommodations. Waiting around was putting her in a lousy mood and her tail flicked back and forth in annoyance. There had to be something worthwhile to amuse herself with and she'd thought to tease the group would serve that purpose. But they were taking far too long. Not even examining her face in the Earth Mirror was enough to hold her attention, so she laid it in her lap and took to examining her nails.

Eventually she became fed up with waiting for them and spoke up. "He knows you're looking for him. Just give me the crystal and save yourself the bother."

[dragoon_rising]

Well, Refia had already proven she could stop Kain if she had to, so... hopefully if it came to it she could this time, too. Though he hoped it didn't come to it.

Kain strode forth into the wind, determined and confident. It was slow going at points, when the breeze whipped up to nearly knock even him over. But he held his ground and forced himself to keep moving, always ensuring that he remained well in front of the others to shield them...

...Then he heard Lufene's threat. Startled, he moved into a defensive position with his spear readied.

[petalwhirlwind]

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Ursula stiffened. She remembered it well, since her encounter with Lufene aboard the Lunatic Pandora had not quite been resolved before she herself had vanished from the world. That she was cheated out of helping her comrades never sat well with her. At least there's time to make up for it now.

Thinking quickly, she cast Aura on each of them, granting Regen and Auto-Life. Given that last encounter, she's not about to underestimate Garland's Angel of Death.

[futurefab]

Though it was not a voice that she recognized, the reactions of her comrades told her more than enough. But with the winds still so great, she knew the moment her feet left the ground for a dance she'd be carried off. Not to mention her fighting style relied on her getting off of the ground and moving; as she had learned with the lamiae and the myrrh tree recently, she needed her legs.

So she did the only thing she could think to do. She shuffled her feet and inflicted a shallow cut on her arm, transferring a dance that should have been meant for an enemy to herself--Desperate Flourish, inflicting the effect of weight onto her. Lilisette could battle gravity, but not the elements.

Afterward it was simply a matter of making certain her Thorned Stance--extra defense for herself--was in place as she took a step closer to Refia, both their mage and their crystal bearer. They had to be sure the crystal found its home, and the small woman was essential to their task.

[ultimategenome]

Now these were worth the wait. A couple of them, anyway. That pesky little girl holding the crystal Lufene remembered all too well as an annoying nag. Ugh. She floated off the pedestal, hair still whipping around her, and sashayed up to the man in the front and pushed the point of his spear to the side. "Put that away, I'm not here to fight." If she were, there were only four of them and she could easily make quick work of them all. It'd be far more fun to see what they could do to Garland. But it couldn't hurt to take home a trophy or two.

"I don't want the trip to have been a complete waste." A sly smirk crept onto her face, which shifted into a more sultry one. "I'll have something for my trouble, but maybe that dirty little rock isn't good enough."

Her tail slid up Kain's arm, and then started to curl around it in a possessive way, while she turned her attention to the dancer. "You're a pretty thing. What is it that interests you?"

[smallmage]

Annoying nag or not, Refia was not letting her get that crystal. Her robe was belted around her securely so it didn't fly up and away with her like a giant pair of wings, and the crystal was tucked securely in an inside pocket. The only way Lufene could get it from her would be to literally rip the robe from her body.

While Lufene was busy being a pain in the rear, Refia was casting magic as quickly as she could from her place in the back. Ursula had already given them Regen, but Refia added Haste on top of that and Might to both of their physical fighters. Once that was done, she felt secure enough to say something, setting up a couple more spells while she did.

"You'll have nothing for your trouble, you selfish, terrible person. We're here to stop you!"

And with that she let her spells go - first, Berserk. She wasn't sure if it would be effective, but if it was, that would end this very quickly. Second, a Scan. Whatever weaknesses she had, Refia wanted to know about them.

[ultimategenome]

At Refia's spellcasting, Lufene just issued an annoyed huff. Neither of the spells worked on her, but that didn't stop her from seeing what they were and realizing their intent. "You're an aggressive little pest, aren't you?" Just as bad as the swarms that came after her when she visited Alexandria Castle. Well, she knew how to deal with pests. The little white mage could just have Silence, followed by Stop, for her troubles.

"I told you, I'm not here to fight. If you had a modicum of sense, you'd stop posturing and listen to me."

[petalwhirlwind]

Ursula's gaze remained as fierce as ever. "We're not handing over the Wind Crystal! Not to you, not to anyone!" She used Chakra on Refia, uncertain if it would fix all that Lufene had inflicted on her, but she had to try.

Then she took a moment to charge on of her best attacks: Tenketsu. If she was lucky, it would hit Lufene where it would hurt most.

[futurefab]

Whether Lufene's words were meant to appeal to Lilith more than herself, she didn't know. But for the briefest of moments one could nearly feel the flames of Asgarth leap up around her, the faintest of marks on her forehead. When it passed she only held her daggers more closely around her, and her blue eyes narrowed at the woman

[dragoon_rising]

When that tail suddenly curled around his arm, Kain glared at her. It was the possessiveness in that motion that really disturbed him, on a very deep level. He thought back to his warning to Ursula before they'd even left to come here, and was gripped by a horrific fear. What if he lost control? What if he came under possession again? He wasn't sure if Lufene had such power, but he had no desire to find out.

Kain attempted to yank his arm free, even as Lilisette also tried to free him. Then he pointed his lance at her, but it wasn't that which he was about to use to attack.

"No. The Crystal stays with us."

With that, he focused and breathed out a stream of fire toward her, putting the Dragon Breath technique to good use.