The Way Back

*Crowley rushes to the thiefess' side and helps her up and away from the creatures, leaning her down up against a tree nearby.*

Crowley: <Try to be more careful, okay?>

*Crowley sighs and turns back to the chaos at hand.*

~Kentaro & Kari~

Staff: <(I'm sorry, I understand you paid 2 hours. Do you intend to stay at the hotsprings or do you perhaps want me to prepare you a bedroom or a meal? Note that if you don't want to decide now, you can always visit the restaurant upstairs or the inn two floors above and request those services later.)>

=====
~Derek~

Girl: <Well, tell us if you change your mind!>

*They head out through the door behind him. Only then does he realize Kelphy is standing near the stairs, staring at him.*

=====
~Crowley~

Blonde Thiefess: <T-Thanks...>

*Spade is swinging his arms around, controlling his flaming knives through the air like they're puppets. They impale several of the monsters, but there are many of them. One of them tackles Crowley, roaring.*

=====
~Creed~

[Celsius: <It's coming from behind it... The power I'm feeling.>]

*A blue aura surrounds Creed's hands and flows into the desk, causing it to shake a little.*

Crone: <Is something wrong?>

=====
~Lucien~

*He hears the Stallion screech in pain and then a loud "splash". It appears behind him and hammers its head down on to him.*

Lucien grabs its head and swings up on to its back and begins to pound the shit out of it with his fists.

---

"There's something behind the desk Crone."

*Crowley takes the full force of the tackle and falls to the ground. His ground starts to blur a bit from it and he almost got knocked unconscious from the impact with the ground.*

Crowley: <Ugh...>

*Crowley's vision gradually begins to fade.*

Crowley: <I can't just die here....>

*Crowley wills himself to roll out of the monster's path, stumbling into a tree and falling against it. He gets up soon after and pulls the Shadow Master Blade out of its sheath and holds it in front of him backwards, regaining his sight, but breathing a bit heavy.*

Crowley: <Everyone who can still move... retreat! And take those still alive with you! We need to fall back!>

"I wouldn't mind staying a little longer."

Kentaro:<I guess we'll go upstairs later.>

*Derek looks at Kelphy, and blinks.*

Derek: <Oh, hello Princess.>

~Kentaro & Kari~

*She smiles, nods, and walks away. The cups are only like 1/6 full, and when they taste it, they realize this is because the drink is strong enough to make an elephant tipsy.*

=====
~Derek & Kelphy~

*Kelphy walks up to him.*

Kelphy: <I have what I came here for.>

*She walks around him and out the door.*

=====
~Crowley~

*No one had any time to get hurt, but they look around in confusion and follow the orders, retreating in different directions. Spade shakes his head and sighs, following them.*

=====
~Creed~

*Crone puts one hand on the desk and drags it away from the wall slightly. There is a square hole they can easily get through if they crouch, covered by a piece of wood sitting against the wall. He removes it and drags the desk further away.*

Crone: <Of course she would have a passage to the laboratory in her house. You do the honors, just in case we're walking straight into the middle of the ocean.>

=====
~Lucien~

*The monster starts stomping around in rage. His back turn into water and arrow-shaped jets dart toward into his face so fast he feels like he got hit by a fucking sledgehammer.*

Derek: <Okay.>

*He follows Kelphy out the door.*

Derek: <How long were you watching me, if you don't mind me asking?>

*Kentaro grimaces and tries not to spit the sake out.*

Kentaro:<Ye gods, that was awful.>

Lucien flies back and slams into a tree then slides down it and lands in a heap. He coughs up some blood and looks up at the sky as he has flashbacks to the time he spent with Lin.

He closes his eyes.

"Sorry... guess my story's over huh?" he chuckles a bit though pained. He had suffered a lot of injuries while fighting that he had largely been ignoring due to adrenaline till now. He was spent.

---

"That's... nice"

~Kentaro & Kari~

*The old people share a quick kiss with lots of tongue and proceed to climb out of the pool, flashing their naked butts around like freaking lighthouses.*

=====
~Derek & Kelphy~

*Kelphy shrugs, walking towards the palace.*

Kelphy: <...Why the question?>

=====
~Creed~

*Crone pushes Creed towards the hole.*

Crone: <Go ahead. I'll watch your back.>

=====
~Lucien~

*The monster makes a run towards Lucien. Someone jumps from out of no where and lands in between Lucien and the monster at the sound of some dramatic-yet-motivational background music, in a moment best described as the epitome of badassery. Whoever it is, they're hidden under a long dark grey cloak.*

Derek: <You've been like this ever since I told you how I felt, Kelphy.>

*He stops and looks at her.*

Derek: <All I'm asking for is a response.>

*The two look away.*

"Maybe... This wasn't a good idea..."

Kentaro:<Not at all. It's been quite the adventure.>

[For lack of a better term.]

Lucien can barely see whats going on.

---

"Thanks... I think..." Creed goes in.

~Kentaro & Kari~

*Good news is: they're alone for once. Bad news is they can hear the muffled screechy voices of the skanky girls from before coming from the changing room.*

=====
~Derek & Kelphy~

*She widens her eyes, starting to blush. The sun is starting to set. She takes a step towards him and just stares at him for a few seconds, feeling her face become warmer as it turns red.*

Kelphy: <I-I-I-I... I...>

*She shakes her head and winces as she attempts to articulate a sentence.*

=====
~Creed~

*He dives into a neverending death pitfall 8 feet down a hole on the ground immediately after crawling into the small door. He's in a tunnel, the rocky walls gradually being replaced by metal ones as he looks further down the path. Crone lands next to him.*

Crone: <And it's dry down here too. Aren't you a lucky one?>

=====
~Lucien~

*He's momentarily blinded by a flash of white light and suddenly feels a lot better. The cloaked person just kind of stands there as the monster runs towards them.*

Derek: <Take your time. It's no hurry.>

Lucien rises and then stands next to the cloaked figure only to bend down and pick up his wakizashi and ready them for round 2 of this fight.

---

Creed screams on the way down and lands on his ass. He gets up and rubs it. "Ouch..."

*Kari sinks to her nose in the water.*

[This isn't going well at all.]

~Kentaro & Kari~

*By some miracle the girls' voices start becoming distant and soon cease completely.*

=====
~Derek & Kelphy~

*She raises her opened hand in a way that could mean "wait" just as well as "I'm about to bitchslap you." and stares at him for a few seconds, holding her breath. She then turns around and breathes out.*

Kelphy: <(P-Please stop. ...Let's go, please.)>

=====
~Creed~

Crone: <Since we have some spare time, what can you tell me about that light wizard friend of yours?>

*He shakes his head and smiles mischievously before holding out a hand to help Creed up.*

=====
~Lucien~

*The cloaked person glances at him and jumps back as the monster arrives near them and raises its front hooves aiming to hammer them down upon Lucien, while roaring.*

Derek: <Okay then.>

*He resumes walking, hands in his pockets.*

Lucien shadow hands its hooves holding them fast setting up an attack opportunity for the cloaked figure.

---

"Not much why?" Creed lies.

*Crowley starts to retreat, still a bit dizzy from the impact.*

*Some bubbles form and pop in front of Kari's face as she sighs in relief and sits back up.*

Kentaro:<You don't have to worry about them or anyone else. There's absolutely no chance of me leaving you for anyone.>

"Really?"

Kentaro:<Absolutely.>

*He puts an arm around her and holds her close.*

~Kentaro & Kari~

*I won't bother them as they're probably getting started on some underwater humping or something of the like. Gross.*

=====
~Derek & Kelphy~

*They arrive at the palace. As they're walking in, a soldier comes running.*

Soldier: <Your Ladyship!>

Kelphy: <Did you... did you find them?>

Soldier: <Hum.... n-no, Your Highness. I am so deeply-->

Kelphy: <It's... it's okay. Thank you, you can go now.>

*He nods and walks off. Another soldier runs up to them from behind, through the door.*

Soldier: <Your Majesty King Derek I, I just came from the aerodrome. Apparently, your airship has been ready and waiting for hours now. Is everything all right?>

*Kelphy looks from the soldier to Derek.*

Kelphy: <You're... you're l-leaving?>

=====
~Crowley~

*Spade looks at Crowley and then looks around, diving back down off of the trees. He makes a run towards the monsters and jumps over one to find the blonde thiefess alone trying to pick the fat bandit up.*

Spade: <You know the rules, you have to leave him.>

Blonde Thiefess: <You can't be serious! You go to hell!>

Spade: <...You better not get us killed. Wake him up.>

*Spade draws his daggers and slashes at two incoming enemies.*

=====
~Creed~

Crone: <She's a very talented wizard, but she is terrible at executing spells, which tells me she has never received training in that area. And light magic isn't very common, unless she is a priestess or nun of Origin.>

*He looks away as he speaks the last word.*

=====
~Lucien~

*The cloaked person steps forward and swings an arm forward. The monster is enveloped in a sphere of rapidly swirling wind and turns into water, which doesn't work so well as the water is dragged with the wind to incorporate the sphere as well. The figure clenches their fists and the sphere bursts, splashing the water every which way. Before touching the ground, the water starts flowing back towards the center, like they're going back in time. The monster's body begins to form again. The cloaked person points at the growing water mass.*

"Oh you meant Allina. I don't know much about her magical style. I thought you were talking about Alto... my brother..." Creed says the last bit with some hesitation.

---

Lucien nods and dashes forward and does a cross slash with his swords.