The Way Back

*Kari races to climb back up while Kentaro joins Undine in trying to push the statue back.*

*Crowley is hit by the platform and rolls backwards before jumping back to his feet.*

Crowley: <Ha. This old man is becoming quite annoying.>

~Kari, Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

*The ladder desintegrates into red sparkles that fall down the hole, and the statue starts pushing even harder.*

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

*The spheres change direction, shattering the base of the pillar in a small explosion. At the same time, one of them digs upward through the inside of the pillar and explodes upon emerging at the top. Maxwell is still smiling peacefully, looking a lot more serene than he had shown himself to be so far.*

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

Allina: <D'yeah, no kidding...>

Innkeeper: <No more inns available this late. You stay with us? Very comfortable rooms, yes, yes, indeed.>

*He speaks with a chinese accent, for some reason. Allina yawns loudly and sighs.*

Allina: <I don't think we have a choice, Lucy.>

"We could walk. I'd carry you if you got tired?" he suggests.

---

Creed has already appeared behind Maxwell with his sword at the Aeldi's neck. He's standing on what appears to be a mixture of icy mist and pure mana. "Enough Maxwell. I asked for a simple apology and answer as to why you decided it would be funny to mess with me and Celsius. I get it. You're bored. Releasing that boredom in a malicious way is far from healthy, now stop, please?" he pulls his sword away and floats down.

I... didn't know I could do that... Creed thinks.

*Kari screams as she falls down while Kentaro steps away from the statue. Drawing his gun he begins firing multiple armor piercing shots at it.*

*Crowley keeps his blade drawn just in case Maxwell were to pull something, and stays in wait to see what he'll do next.*

~Kari, Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

*The bullets tear the statue apart, the pieces falling down the hole. Kelphy stares at Kentaro awkwardly as Undine vanishes.*

Kelphy: <I didn't think of trying that.>

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

*The platform spins against Creed and Maxwell brings his staff down upon his head at high speed. Several lightning bolts strike Creed and Crowley from the sky.*

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

Innkeeper: <I'll give the pretty lady a discount. Not you, though.>

*He glares at Lucien through his deep wrinkles.*

Allina: <I'm okay with walking or staying... What do you want, Lucy?>

"I think this place is creepy and we should go I swear I just heard a zombie moan and I don't like dealing with undead."

---

Creed stops the bolts and the staff dead by flash freezing the air around him forming a nigh unbreakable crystalline dome interlaced with mana. Its almost as if he's drawing more power from the latent mana of the shrine to enhance his own abilities on instinct alone.

"Getting sick of this shit already."

*Crowley dodges the bolt of lightning.*

Crowley: <This is really starting to piss me off!>

*Crowley charges at Maxwell, appearing behind him a few seconds later, and slashes with his sword, aiming for the back of the neck.*

*At the bottom of the hole, Kari moves out of the path of the falling debris while Kentaro continues blowing apart the statue.*

~Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

*The statue completely breaks into small pieces that fall down the hole.*

Kelphy: <...Kari, are you all right?>

=====
~Kari~

*The hole is actually pretty deepy, though oddly enough gravity seems to be weaker down there and she only hurts herself a little bit landing. It's pitch black except for the little dot of light high above down which she fell, and she barely hears Kelphy's voice when she calls out for her.*

Kelphy: <...Kari, are you all right?>

*She hears long heavy breathing nearby that almost sounds like slight roaring.*

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

*Maxwell grins and rockets upwards, blasting lightning outwards all around him. High up in the sky, he raises his staff and a large purple meteor darts down from the clouds and towards Creed. Soon, three others fall down at high speed as well, one towards Creed and two towards Crowley. At the same time, energy vines spring up from the ground all around their feet and wrap around them, charging electriciity up their bodies.*

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

*Allina nods and turns around, preparing to walk out, but the dude is suddenly standing in between her and the door.*

Innkeeper: <Beautiful girl stays for free, okeh?>

*Allina shrieks and rams a fist into his face with the fury of a hundred volcanoes, sending the old fart flying out the door.*

"Can you get us down there?"

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

"Y... Yes!"

*She looks around for where the growling is coming from.*

"Ja... Jade Rabbit?"

"You go girl" Lucien says as he sheaths his wakizashi and follows Allina out the door.

---

OOC: I was hesitant to post this but damn Tae. No matter how many times I made it clear over MSN that Creed wasn't fighting anymore you keep having him be attacked so I'm at a loss for what exactly I can do to get it through to you that he's done with fighting Maxwell.

"Let silver snow take you into its frozen embrace, invoke the wrath of winter, Absolute" everything, the whole area, is frozen as mana explodes outward from Creed. His hair has turned pitched black and his eyes cold blue. His cloths have taken on a appearance of white. Maxwell is pelted by thousands of long jagged ice shards as the dome protecting Creed erupts outwards probably ending this stupid battle that Creed had already made clear he wasn't a participant in but Maxwell was too much of a dumbass to listen to.

~Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

*Kelphy shakes her head and looks down the hole.*

Kelphy: <Unless I summon Undine.>

*After the summon spell is cast, Undine waalks towards the hole and jumps upward, floating down into it. A few feet down the hall, she touches a previously invisible barrier that glows dark red. She widens her eyes and desintegrates into red sparkles.*

Kelphy: <...I think it's an anti-magic or anti-Aeldi barrier of some kind. If she didn't get hurt, perhaps we can jump as well.>

=====
~Kari~

*She doesn't see anything because it is too dark. She hears something drag along the ground a few feet behind her.*

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

*Maxwell vanishes before the attack. Next thing Creed knows, he's floating in a purple bubble in an area of pure darkness. Crowley, meanwhile, appears on the same grey sand desert from before. The sky is yellow again, with no clouds whatsoever. Crowley has chunks of ice stuck to his body all over. Maxwell is floating in front of him.*

Maxwell: <So, I had to isolate your friend. I'm sorry, but he was kind of grumpy.>

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

*Walking out, Allina sticks her tongue out to the old man, who's sitting in the middle of the street rubbing his bleeding nose. She waves a hand and he's enveloped in a blue aura that stops the bleeding. She then walks off.*

Allina: <Sick. To the capital then, Lucy?>

Creed sits back in the bubble and lets Celsius's mana diffuse from his body back into the pact ring.

"I'm sorry Celsius... he just wouldn't let me walk away and observe. Though I guess this works for now."

---

"To the capital Allina" he smiles and offers her his hand.

Crowley: <Yeah? And what do you want me for?>

*He holsters his gun.*

"Then I guess that's just what we'll do."

*Kentaro begins to climb down the hole, letting go once all but the hands he's using the told on the edge are in.*

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

*Kari turns around and begins to back away.*

"Jade Rabbit?"

~Kelphy & Derek~

*Kelphy nods and prepares to do the same, but as she lets go she lands on the red barrier like it's solid ground. It being only a few feet into the hole she just climbs back out.*

Kelphy: <I c-can't! I think it's because I have an Aeldi with me...>

=====
~Kari & Kentaro~

*As she's walking backwards, she steps on something soft and hears the Jade Rabbit shriek. She then hits something with her back and bright lights go on, lighting up the place. They're in a giant metal dome, with silver walls made of large iron plates and light red metal tiles covering the floor. The bright lamps form a circle around the ceiling. The Jade Rabbit is mumbling in pain at her feet and a large silver tail is slowly swinging around near the arriving Kentaro, coming from behind Kari.*

=====
~Crowley~

Maxwell: <I've been alone for so long... All I want... is to enjoy myself a little.>

*The old man smirks and darts forward, bolts shooting out of the star platform.*

=====
~Creed~

Maxwell: {Your master is awfully annoying, but he is strong, and he does seem to care about you. I feel you're in good hands.}

*Creed's pact ring glows briefly.*

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

*She widens her eyes in surprise and takes his hand.*

Allina: <Lucy, I want to ask you something.>

[Maybe I shouldn't, I don't want to make him sad...]

Allina: <Hum... never mind. We should be there soon.>

*She involuntarily tightens her grip on his hand.*

Lucien responds by holding her hand as tight as she is in a more, I'm here for you, way. "Its alright, go ahead Allina."

---

That makes me feel better about this Maxwell. Was it so hard to do that from the start? I wouldn't have even attacked if you did.

Crowley: <Funny, in a way it's been the same for me.>

*Crowley dodges the bolts and heads directly for Maxwell. He raises his sword and aims for Maxwell's chest.*

Derek: <So, what do we do Princess?>

*He tries to find a way ahead.*

"Sorry!"

*Kari quickly picks the Jade Rabbit up and hugs it before looking at Kentaro who presumably had a rough landing.*

Kentaro:<Kari... Come here. Slowly.>

~Kelphy & Derek~

*There's the door they came in through but that's it.*

Kelphy: <Now we wait... I guess.>

=====
~Kari & Kentaro~

*Whatever has been growlsnoring lets out a louder snore and the tail whips down, striking against the floor beside Kentaro. It then goes back to swinging around slowly. The Jade Rabbit is staring at the creature over Kari's shoulder, eyes widen in shock.*

Jade Rabbit: <B-B-Big d-d-d-dra-dra-dragon.>

=====
~Crowley~

*Maxwell parries the sword with his staff, shooting energy lasers out of its eyes.*

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

Allina: <Well... are you proposing to Kelphy soon?>

*Holding the Jade Rabbit, Kari runs over to Kentaro who immediatly draws his gun and points it at the dragon.*

*Crowley rolls backwards to avoid the lasers, and then jumps into the air and throws knives at Maxwell.*