Arcane Tales

Derek: <Yes, let's.>

*He steps away for a moment and rubs his temples.*

OOC: Wow. You got her name wrong in the beginning in the post, but got it right at the end.

*Kari floats backwards holding the rabbit close to her with one hand and drawing her gun and firing with the other.*

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*Kentaro rolls over and fires at the ice replica.*

~Ice Shrine~

*The replica shatters and one of the statue on the wall's arms falls apart. Another replica emerges from the wall behind Kentaro, strangling him with its two upper hands while jabbing at his belly with its lower hands.*

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~Wind Shrine~

OOC: It happens a lot more often than you would imagine. I just usually notice before posting.

*The shots destroy the statue's face and the rest of the torso just falls apart, falling down the tunnel. Another angel holds its hands out, sending wind blades flying towards her. The gem on the rabbit's forehead glows and a red barrier envelops Kari, reflecting the blades back towards the statue and destroying it. Allina's punched by an angel into the wall, and another one's arms wrap around her from behind.*

Allina: <Kari!>

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*The airship bursts through the skies at high speed, leaving a trail of blue magic like a shooting star. Soon, they're flying over the Alda-Toros border.*

Kelphy: <Master Derek...D-Do you think Crone knows we escaped by now?>

Creed shifts his focus to rescuing Kentaro and attacks the replica with a hardened knife of permafrost he forms in his left hand.

---

Kelphy...

~Flashback~

Lucien is standing over the crumpled body of maid who was holding a knife dipped in poison. Her body had been slashed in half and her neck crushed.

She was an assassin. Just like Lucien.

Kelphy was crying in the corner.

Lucien's hands and face were splattered with blood as where the twin wakizashi he held in his hands.

Guards rushed into the room along with the Aldanian King. Their words were muted out as Lucien walked over to Kelphy and knelt beside her. He reached out to touch her but stopped.

He spoke, "Kelphy... I promise..."

~End Flash Back~

Lucien stared at the minotaur as two shadow hands stop its blades cold.

...I'm sorry... I couldn't keep my promise...

And he begins to draw his wakizashi.

Derek: <He left us for dead, so I don't know. He'll find out soon enough, though.>

~Fire Shrine~

*The minotaur's swords catch fire and he stabs at Lucien abruptly, roaring.*

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~Ice Shrine~

*The replica lets go of Kentaro and takes the blow with its upper right arm, losing it. It punches at Creed with its three remaining hands.*

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*The ship stops, hovering above a volcano in the middle of what is probably the only big forest in Toros.*

Kelphy: <...I think that's the Fire Shrine, home to Efreet, the Aeldi of Fire.>

*A stairway carved out of the mountain leads up up to its top and then down the crater in a spiral to a cave near the lava pool at the bottom. Kelphy presses a button near the control sphere and they hear a "zang" noise as the large half-sphere on the underside of the airship starts glowing intensely.*

Kelphy: <It's ready to let us out. ...What is Lucien doing here?>

Lucien avoids the stabs effortlessly almost as he dodges fluidly. His shadow hands increase number and surround the swords.

---

Creed blocks the attack, "Shoot it in the head!"

*Kari flies at the Angel slashing at its face.*

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*Kentaro fires three rounds into its face.*

Derek: <My guess: Doing the same thing we were doing with Undine.>

~Fire Shrine~

*The swords turn into fire and fly around before returning to minotaur's hands. It opens its mouth and blows scorching flames at Lucien before double slashing at him.*

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~Ice Shrine~

*The replica shatters and another of the statue's arms falls off. The statue's eyes start glowing again and its upper body detaches itself from the wall as it comes back to life, now two arms short. It holds its two arms out and a strong wind starts pulling them in towards it and the deep deadly pit.*

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~Wind Shrine~

*The statue lets go of Allina, screeching, and falls apart. Allina grabs Kari's arm and darts up the tunnel, both enveloped in a light barrier that keep away the statues' attacks. Soon, they exit at the top floor, which looks pretty much like the first, except smaller. All of the angel statues start screeching, the annoying sound echoing up the tunnel into the room.*

Allina: <Shut up!>

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Kelphy: <..W-Well, yeah but... Hm.>

*After they teleported out from the room above the sphere, Kelphy starts going down the stairway around the inside of the crater.*

Kelphy: <Your uncle must be really worried too...>

*Derek shakes his head and follows Kelphy.*

Derek: <He knows I'm safe, and that my job was to keep you safe. That's all that matters.>

Lucien can almost hear Kelphy's voice and it distracts him for a split second. Long enough for the minotaur to get off a glancing slash the cuts into his left arm. Blood oozes gently from the wound. Its painful but not threatening.

"Shit... why is Kelphy here?"

---

Creed slams his sword tip down and roots himself. "Kentaro. Shoot faster!"

*Kari cringes and rather than covering her ears, covers the rabbits.*

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*Kentaro fires three armor piercing shots at the statue.*

~Fire Shrine~

*The minotaur spits a meteorite at him with a roar. Soon, he hears Kelphy's voice coming from the other side of the wall.*

Kelphy: <...I think he is fighting the shrine guardian! ...Lucien! Are you there?!>

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*Down the stairway is the case by the lava pool's surface. It is extremely hot as they enter the cave. Not too far into it they find the path is blocked by a plain rock wall that doesn't seem to be attached to the cave's walls, ceiling and floor, as a red light can be seen coming from the small gaps. On the other side they hear something that sounds like a small explosion and a roar.*

Kelphy: <...I think he is fighting the shrine guardian! ...Lucien! Are you there?!>

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~Ice Shrine~

*The bullets pierce through its torso and it shrieks, the wind stops. It slides over the gap towards them and stops right after the gap, hiding it once more. Its two arms extend in ice swords and it jabs at Kentaro.*

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~Wind Shrine~

Jade Rabbit: <(G-Guardian...)>

*A barrier of green light blocks the tunnel and they stop being able to hear the angels' screeching. Another angel statue floats downward from the room's ceiling. This one isn't attached to a wall (obviously). It's a grey statue of a barefoot woman with long wings, long hairs, a tunic and a claymore. It shrieks, darting towards Kari and jabbing at her. Allina steps in the way and pushes her away with a light barrier. The angel flies upward and holds her hands out, sending wind blades flying towards the two.*

Allina: <...That's great!>

*Kari flies back and shoots at the Angel.*

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*Kentaro falls backwards and fires some armor piercing shots at its head.*

~Ice Shrine~

*The statue shrieks and holds its arms in front of its head, losing them. Now with no arms left, it regains its original position and its eyes stop glowing once again. A replica emerges from the ceiling with no arms as well, biting at Kentaro's neck.*

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~Wind Shrine~

*Allina rolls aside and they both manage to evade the attack. The angel dives down as Kari's shots pierce into her torso and wings. It lands in between the two and swings a wing at each. Allina's thrown into a wall as the rabbit shrieks.*

*Derek draws his sword and stands at the ready.*

Derek: <If things get bad, I'm going down there.>

"Kelphy..." he stands, "Are you alright!?" he gets hit with the attack and slams into the wall coughing. "I- I was worried you wouldn't come back... I had let you slip through my fingers. I failed..."

---

Creed fires more ice shards at the attacking statues.

~Fire Shrine~

*The minotaur statue swings its head at him, trying to stab him with its horns.*

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Kelphy: <It's okay, it wasn't your fault!>

*She turns back to Derek.*

Kelphy: <But how? If this wall really is the back of the guardian, we probably can't break it down easily. ....M-Maybe I can summon Undine to the other side?>

"Kelphy..." he stands and shadow hands bloom from his shadow before turning into claws that slashed out at the minotaur viciously after two of them grab it by the horns.

Derek: <It's worth a shot.>

*The Sephiran airship returns to the Earth Shrine just as Olympe walks out. After picking her up, they fly towards the Fire Shrine*

Aera: <Mission accomplished?>

Olympe: <Yes.>

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~Fire Shrine~

*The claws dig several deep cuts in the statue. The minotaur groans loudly and a flash of blue light blinds both of them momentarily as Undine appears midair enveloped in a sphere of water. The sphere bursts and she lands next to Lucien, holding her trident out towards the minotaur.*

Kelphy: <...P-Please, help Lucien!>

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*Kelphy holds her ring hand out and closes her eyes. A flash of blue light blinds Derek momentarily as Undine appears on the other side of the wall.*

Kelphy: <...P-Please, help Lucien!>

"An Aeldi?" Lucien questions. "Thank you Kelphy" he finished unsheathing the wakizashi.

"I'm breaking my promise, Kelphy. Because of it, I failed you. Now though, I'll make a new one. From now on I'll strive to be a better knight for you" he took of his eye patch as shadows whirled around him forming into more and more shadow hands.

He went on the offensive for the first time now. The blades of his wakizashi caught the light of the flames and he passed by the minotaur. In the moment he did he cross slashed it. He wasn't done yet. He made sure to stop so to make it so the shadow of the minotaur and Lucien's were connected. With a bigger shadow Lucien called forth more shadow claws that assailed the statue. Binding it in place.

"Now, Kelphy, use the Aeldi to attack the statue!"

*Kari shoots the Angel's wings.*

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*Kentaro jabs the guns spikes into the monster's mouth.*

Derek: <Gah!>

*He shields his eyes and falls back, then proceeds to groan.*