Arcane Tales

"So I'm guessing that means my friends paid you a visit Crone" Alto takes a few steps towards him. "So how's the weather up there in your fantasy land where you think its perfectly normal to kidnap the princess of a powerful nation?" he mocks.

---

Lucien keeps the hands steady as best he can and creates more to help deal with the monsters.

"What matters is that you tried. You can't save everyone."

=====================================================

*Kentaro looks back towards the mansion then up to the sky.*

[Hurry...]

*Derek's sleeve is completely burned off and his hand is singed as he collapses in front of the group, motionless.*

Derek: <Why...>

*The rabbit stares at Derek like "What the fuck." before shaking it off and looking over Kentaro's shoulder.*

Rabbit: <Where's my Guardian?>

*Kelphy arrives at the hatch and raises a water tornado around her to push enemies away as she jumps inside. They hear her talking to Aera through the speakers.*

Aera: <They're everywhere!>

Kelphy: <...S-Smoke!>

Aera: <Dammit, why won't this thing fly!?>

*This is followed by a monster's howl of pain. The dragon's silhouette becomes bigger as he flies down from the clouds, circling above the plain. It is only then they realize it is at least as big as the Garuda. A group of Shadow Trodents run up to Lucien and Kentaro, tackling them with their horns.*

=====

Allina: <I was here! Just trying doesn't save a life. It doesn't. And she barely knew me. And she died.>

[For me.]

*She abruptly stands up and wraps her arms around Kari, hugging her in tears. Her legs are soaked in blood.*

=====

Crone: <Well, I must admit kidnapping that obnoxious child was a terrible idea. Cro--I have been playing too many games. It doesn't get any easier than just walking in and getting what I need.>

King Arthos: <What do you want from me?>

Crone: <Show me to the hidden library.>

"Hey, don't call my princess obnoxious! And we're not done here yet Crone!" Alto attacks flinging a single blade of light at Crone.

---

Lucien is knocked back and drops Creed who wakes up slowly.

*Kari hesitates for a moment and hugs Allina.*

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"She'll be back."

[I hope.]

Aera: <Thank you!>

Kelphy: <Let me try to power it myself.>

Aera: <Okay!>

*The dragon flies even lower, blocking the sun, and lets out a really loud roar, causing the ground to shake. The Garuda's enveloped in its usual blue aura and takes flight, rocketing towards the sky.*

Aera: <You did it!>

*Soon, it turns back and flies over the group, teleporting them inside. The dragon finally flies down to its level and dashes towards it. It is an Infernal Wyvern slightly bigger than the airship, a lot larger than the last one the group faced, with large thick red scales covering its entire body except for its back, which is a large brownish rock formation with a cavern entrance. It has black claws and horns and small orange eyes. Inside the ship, smoke is coming from down a hall, more specifically the library door.*

Aera: <There are still monsters inside, be careful!>

=====

*The manor shakes as they hear an even louder roar, Allina letting go of Kari to look around.*

Allina: <We should go...!>

=====

*Crone holds his hands out, blasting the blade with lightning bolts. King Arthos takes this chance to try to stab at his back, but Crone turns around and bitchslaps him into a wall. He slowly walks towards the king, grinning.*

Crone: <Show me to the library. Now.>

King Arthos: <Your monsters... are losing this battle... it's over.>

Crone: <What, those little beasts? I don't care what happens to them. I'm here now, and you're showing me the library unless you want something much worse to happen to your people.>

*They hear heavy rain start falling outside, and lightning hits the room's only window.*

"R... Right."

*Kari grabs Allina by the hand and begins to run towards the doors.*

=====================================================

[I kinda wish that foul mouthed mage was still with us.]

*Gun drawn, Kentaro heads towards the library.*

Alto moves in for the attack firing both light orbs and blades as he closes the distance on Crone.

---

"Creed and I will handle it" Lucien says and Creed nods.

Aera: <They should have given this thing weapons!>

Kelphy: <It's going to attack!>

*The dragon opens its mouth, firing a large fireball at the airship. Kelphy and Aera cause the Garuda to dive really close to the ground, evading the fireball, which flies towards Crone's manor at the top of the hill as Kari and Allina run out. Allina quickly holds her hands out towards Kari and they both grow light wings. She takes her hand again and darts into the sky.*

=====

*Kentaro arrives at the library to find every single bookcase knocked over and burning, the room having become a sea of flames. An elephant creature made of fire with white tusks and black eyes jumps out of the flames and dives towards him, trumpeting.*

Flaring Tusk added to the Monsterpedia, rank [***].

=====

*A light shield springs from the floor to stop the attacks and Crone lifts the King by the neck, taking his rapier before putting him down and standing behind him with the sword pointed to his neck.*

Crone: <You don't know what I can do to you. Leave.>

*Kari lets out a shriek as she follows Allina.*

=====================================================

*Kentaro backs away firing armor piercing shots at the monster.*

Alto's attacks and follow up bounce off the shield however his physical attack visibly cracks it. With a hostage Alto can't do anything against Crone. He tchs, "Dirty tactics" and sheaths his sword.

---

Creed and Lucien work on clearing out the monsters.

*The mansion explodes in flames. The Garuda flies over the girls as it gains altitude, teleporting them both in. Whatever monsters were still on the outside of the airship fall off and there are barely any left inside. The Infernal Wyvern chases after the ship, shooting another large fireball at it.*

Kelphy: <We'll be safe after we cross the magic barrier!>

Aera: <If that thing lets us!>

*The airship jerks to the left, the fireball grazing its right side and causing a small explosion.*

=====

*Most attacks just fly through the monster without damaging it, but one of them grazes its right tusk, blasting a chunk out of it. It rumbles, floating above the fire, and whips of fire rise from the flames and lash out at Kentaro. He hears an explosion and the ship shakes.*

=====

Crone: <The library, fool!>

King Arthos: <Never!>

Crone: <This isn't about you. This is about them!>

*He quickly gestures towards the window with the rapier. Outside, the storm is getting worse by the minute, and the palace is almost shaking from the heavy rain and constant lightning.*

King Arthos: <...>

"What's in this library Crone?" Alto asks.

---

Creed and Lucien make haste to the library.

"Where... Where's Kentaro?"

=====================================================

*Kentaro runs down the hall firing at the monsters tusks.*

*The ship flies through the magic barrier, but the dragon fails to follow suit, being decimated in a flash of light upon flying into it.*

Aera: <Hah!>

Kelphy: <At the library. Sir Creed and Lucien just went there as well. Are... are you all right?>

*She turns to Allina, who will refuse to look away from the floor.*

Allina: <I-Is she here?>

*Kelphy glances at Olympe's body, which I assume is lying around on the floor. A large amount of smoke starts filling the room coming from the hall.*

Kelphy: <I can try to help with the fire, can you handle this on your own?>

Aera: <Sure. I can seal the library down, it should give us some time.>

Kelphy: <Let me try to put it out first.>

*She runs down the hall.*

=====

*Creed and Lucien arrive at the end of the hall, followed by Kelphy. Kentaro is fighting a Flaring Tusk and through the library's opened door, they can see the room has become a sea of flames. The monster swiftly jumps upwards to dodge the bullets, soaring towards Kentaro spitting small fireballs. Kelphy takes advantage of its distraction to run past it into the library, casting a spherical water barrier upon her.*

=====

Crone: <I thought I told you to leave.>

King Arthos: <...I'll take you there.>

*Crone smirks, stepping aside to let the King towards the door opposite to the one Alto entered through. The King goes out and Crone follows him. An Undead Searaptor crashes in through the window, roaring at Alto.*

Alto doesn't even look at it as he walks away. When it tries to bite him 8 large light swords impale it through nailing it to the ground if not outright killing it. Alto walks a bit further to find one of the areas where they were helping refugees and promptly teeters back having drained the last of his mana.

---

Lucien strikes the Flaring tusk with a shadow hand punch while Creed throws ice attacks out in order to help Kelphy douse the fire.

*Kari runs off towards the library.*

=====================================================

*Kentaro out of the fires path.*

"Hey, rabbit, you might want to run off and hide somewhere."

Jade Rabbit: <What? No!>

*The shadow hand goes right through the monster as he continues to soar down, hurling more fireballs at Kentaro. The gem on the rabbit's forehead glows and a red spherical barrier surrounds Kentaro, deflecting the fireballs back towards the monster. He absorbs them back into its body and rockets into Lucien. The whole ship shakes again.*

-----

*Inside the library, the fire is seriously starting to damage the walls, ceiling and floor. An explosion occurs at the corner, near a circular window, and the whole ship shakes. The window isn't damaged. Undine's trident materializes in Kelphy's hands and she holds it out. It starts pouring rain all over the room.*

=====

*A couple of lightning bolts strike down upon him through the massive rain. It hits the ground and roofs like small rocks, which along with the thunder keeps him from hearing the screaming all over the kingdom.*

Alto looks up at the rain and the storm, "If only this were a natural storm I could say something poetic, tch. Just wait Crone, I'll get you back for this."

---

Lucien swiftly dodges. "This thing looks like it'd be a bitch to attack with physical abilities!"

*They fly over the Alda-Sephira border as another explosion occurs near the library.*

Aera: <No...!>

Allina: <W-What's wrong?>

Aera: <I'm losing control of the ship, I think the explosions damaged the engine!>

*Just as she finishes her sentence, two more explosions occur in the back of the ship. It starts sinking through the clouds, shaking violently. Allina is slammed against the wall and Aera falls on the control panel. Olympe's body and Derek, who is still unconscious, are hurled around as well.*

=====

*Kelphy comes running out of the library, having put out the fire, and fires a jet of water at the monster. It rumbles and falls to the group, its body mass being reduced greatly. The ship shakes violently hurling them around as they hear three consecutive explosions.*

"SHIT!!" Creed and Lucien say.

Kentaro:<...Perhaps it is a good idea for you to stick around. You may want to cover your ears.>

*He puts the rabbit on his shoulder and crouches firing at the monsters tusks. By then Kari arrives and mimics Kentaro's actions.*

*The ship starts slowing down, sinking forward. The shots destroy the tusks, causing the monster to screech and Return.*

Aera: <Everyone to the bridge. NOW!>

*Whenever they arrive there, they see shore to the east and Capital Sephira peering out of a massive woodland to the west, covered by a thick layer of pitch black clouds, just slightly higher than the palace's highest tower, pouring rain and thunder on the city. The surrounding area is also dark, and they see little flashes of red light appear scattered across the city every few seconds. Allina steps forward, widening her eyes.*

Allina: <Oh, no...>

~Kari, Kentaro, Lucien and Creed obtained 300 Gald!~

Alto looks up and sees the ship approaching but is too weak to do anything about it at the moment.

meanwhile Lucien falls to his knees seeing the devastation.

Creed speaks, "We were tricked..."