Temple of Prometheus

[Maugris]

Maugris only hoped his actions back at the temple hadn't put his companions - however temporary they may or may not be - off. He understood there were going to be cultural differences between then and now. How he dealt with situations like that one back there was one he already knew was considered crude. But at the same time there was also the matter of reputation and the need for discipline to be known. If it was known he would and could do such things, he wouldn't have to and order could be maintained. That was fealty; the closest thing to loyalty some people had. The other half was proper amounts of generosity where it was earned; it helped earn loyalty, as best it could, anyways.

Truth be told his mind dwelt on these ideas rather the the ensuing meeting. It hadn't crossed his mind the two might be considering ideas on how to beat it, he'd already mentioned armies it had laid to waste; only a young fool would believe they could do it on their own. Gattison at least, did not strike him as a fool, but he knew neither of their ages, nor much of Freyja save what he could glean from her mannerisms. She did not like the cold, the damp, but if that was mere personality or an expression of something deeper he could not know. Still, even with the little he did know she didn't seem to be stupid enough to go in fist first into what he had described as nothing less than a meat grinder.

But then the question; a very good one. One that cause him to pause to consider.

"If I told you I knew I'd be lying. I can give you what I think and what others think, but in the end I'm not sure if even it knows. Anyone else that might is either dead, insane, or isn't telling. There was an old book I found it in, ancient really, when it first began to appear in the lands my country ruled. I was a general, and we had bigger concerns. Still, I was curious about the rumors. At any rate, the thing that matched it closest in those was called 'The Sentinel' or sometimes 'Guardian'. This leads me to think it was a being created to guard something that simply...forgot maybe? Hell of a guardian, I don't know a soul that willingly goes to Discordia. If its true, I'd like to know what the hell it was meant to protect." he paused as he spotted some smoke in the distance. They were getting closer. "But then there's others, just as old or older, that call it so many other things. 'War,' 'Wandering Death,' 'Arosai,' 'Yagdobalah,' and so many more. It might not have an actual name. They say its the god of war, it claims sometimes to be the god of chaos. They've called it demon and have worshiped it as an angel."

Another long silence. It was no longer scholarly, nor civil. It was filled with a venomous tinge of hate and pain of loss at this beings hands. It was a voice closer to what the giant spoke in his own mind they most ever heard. "Whatever its purpose, I have seen the shape of its mind. Its us, with all our hunger, all of our want, all of our drive, all of our lust; but all of that is never for another, but only for chaos in the world. It is without love save for love of war. It knows us only as toys, and never as equals. It knows patience beyond bounds, for generations of humans wink in and out in a day to it; that boy is to grow angry over his loss and lust for revenge, for even the so-called survivors of war are not intact. He is tainted; may hap not in mind or in body, as The Red and I are, but in spirit. Tainted with anger; and I fear there is no rest for those that give into that taint. I have seen that taint rip my former country apart until it is no more than a notation in history texts when we once spanned a continent. And meanwhile, this creature simply laughed."

A small sound escaped the man and color drained out of his face. It wasn't something they'd likely notice yet, but soon, soon they'd probably feel it. But it was weak...and that meant only one of two things...

[Ire]

Gattison was not intentionally disregarding Freyja's presence, but his focus, now, was entirely on the task the trio set out to complete at the moment the priest began answering his question. However, to complete this task, which went idly unspoken as to what method or what end would designate it's completion, would be most difficult even in a best case scenario. Gattison was pleased with the information Priest Maugris was sharing with himself and Freyja, but it never seemed like enough. The creature Vivi had holes in it's recorded history, and from what was shared, also some significant tells of what has and hasn't been attempted in the past.

Looking towards Freyja for a moment, to collect a thought or two whilst the priest spoke, the Nomad wondered if perhaps she were also considering anything of tactical value when the time came to confront the creature Vivi. The bog itself was a ridiculous challenge to navigate, with the added factor that ones experience in the territory was null, this proved difficult even for the seasoned diplomat to effort his concentrations to several compromises at once.

"There is an old story about a god of war which has been passed down through many centuries in the kingdom of Renlorn. Historical accuracy has been a key influence in its continuously shared knowledge. With so many holes in the Creature's history it is too difficult to know if they are one in the same." Speaking from a general experience with which Gattison had many to divulge concerning stories of war or combat. "But as legend was handed down, several things were concluded that ultimately resulted in the resting of the beast which haunted our territory for so long." As Priest Maugris had shared a very passionate amount of detail with what was given to him and through his own experiences, Gattison would hopefully shed some light on a manner in which the creature Vivi may be at least contained.

"This god of war thrived from the roots of fighting. Any significant form of violence above the scale of personal altercations could be attributed to its influence. Oddly, though, because of its passion for fighting, violence, and war, it could not create nor could it directly generate physical confrontation. Hence why its influence was so strong. The beast was in no way evil. Its methodology was actually very clever, and some would go so far as to presume its role a necessity across the realm. We found that because this beast could not directly contribute to combat that there was no way for us to confront it on the open plain. Even the Mystics which answer only to our King could not partition their resources in a viable postulate to bring this beast forth for us to have its submission."

As Priest Maugris interjected a more passionate tribute with his tone, Gattison would share no such similarity. His regulation in speech would be presented with an uncanny comfort and rather stark easement, as if reading directly from a manual. "The answer to this beasts eventual defeat, if one could refer to it as such, was a simple endeavor." hesitating for just a moment, glancing between Priest Maugris and Freyja assuming he'd grabbed their attention, "Peace." Pausing for a moment of clarity to which he could divide the many meanings of the word so many were not truly familiar with. It seemed a lost cause, but the experiences Gattison evolved from were a direct line to its legitimacy. "Since it thrived on combat, I took it upon myself to suggest to the High Council that we should end all conflict within our territory, and out. It was a heavy burden to withdraw any and all forces we had from this, but it was accomplished regardless. Soon after, it was almost as if disinterest deterred the beast from our kingdom, since it could no longer influence our people because of the knowledge passed along that it thrived but could not directly participate in confrontation. Inevitably this would occur again, and I do believe the creature Vivi is at least to some degree similar.

The scent of smoke was in the air. Blood as well. Perhaps the other two could not hear nor smell what was ahead of them, but Gattison was satisfied with what lay ahead was nothing more than barbaric. "My only concern is that Vivi can create and also thrives on chaos. It is a creature that seems to think the world a grounds for what It desires. It is strong and there are no qualms about this from what you have shared with us. If it has gone unanswered in this field and answering it seems to fuel it further into finding whatever it truly desires, I only wonder if that perhaps times where it has been left entirely alone that it goes dormant, or if it continues to search and achieve whatever goals it has, if any at all."

[Slayer]

< Must be nice to have a diplomat among us. >

Freyja was still a woman of few words. Very few. The other two went on about what this Vivi was and the theories behind it's purpose in existence. And destruction. A sort of craving of the latter that dwelt within. The ifrit, without the restraint of her own consciousness and body, could wreak the same kind of havoc as it wanted. But, with the deal made to save her life in exchange for a link to the physical world, there were certain prices made.

The cost for breaking those terms and conditions had a high risk in itself. The euphoria Elfric achieved through their union also could just as easily destroy the host. So it was no surprise the woman's thoughts also weighed the limits she had with the confrontation with this creature. From what Gattison suggested that they could try not responding in violence.

< I hope they realize that's a bit difficult given your own skills. Or lack of them.[/i] >

Freyja grew up in violence. The earliest memories was the purging of her family but the details had been blurred over the years. She'll never forget, not while the infernal spirit was within her head, but in the devshirme the children were conditioned to fight for the Caliphate. Degrading acts also hardened the youth, stripped them of shame and fueled them with anger. In the end, the training resulted in the empire's demise.

The land west of the Sea of Salt was much more simple than the realms the redhead has since explored. Most magic was a superstition, as were the infernal spirits - mostly a cause of mischief. Magic was an obstacle and weakness for the woman. She had no special spells or abilities that weren't physical. Strength and endurance was the key. So it was hard to fathom another option, since they were hired on to confront Vivi.

< Maybe he could talk it to death? >

The woman bit back any comments, though Elfric had a sense of humor that threatened to ruin the serious mood. Whatever was decided, she'd do what was necessary to win and prevent further casualties.And then, laced in the stench of the bog water, was the distinct hint of smoke. She drew a deeper breath, ignoring the odor for that one detail signifying that the battle was near. She did not slow her steps until the rest of the group did, turning those brilliant eyes toward the Nomad, and then the Priest.

Under the shroud, hidden by the heavy cloth, her hands came to rest on the hilts of her two swords at her hips. If it was in agreement, until the creature would strike first, she merely anticipated the next move. Within, however, the ifrit rippled.

"I will not stand idle if it's attacking us." A head's up, perhaps, but if this flaming suit of armor was to strike Freyja at least was going on the defensive until a sound strategy was determined.

[Maugris]

Maugris walked in silence for a moment as they approached the walls of the city, from within the smoke was gently lifting into the air. The gate, it seemed, was on the far side, but at least they were on solid ground now. Ground that appeared to be from a lava flow some time ago, black and smooth where it hadn’t been chipped away, it seemed old, but not too old the walls themselves were stone, round smooth ones of varying size stuck together with primitive cement. There was a gap ahead that was clearly a gate

”Your story, it seems, is quite similar. It indeed thrives on chaos and war, it consumes and craves them….but it does take form, it will act on its own without the need for those under its influence. Peace weakens it, but it tries to find new ways to bring conflict, going so far as to steal the faces of those in power if need be. The best I can do is ensure we work as one, that we do not bring more conflict to one another than necessary, then attempt to trap and seal the creature as wholly as possible.” minimize damage, in other words.

He switched trains of thought, perhaps provoked by Freyja’s comment. ”We are fortunate, then, that it has left its body behind to stand sentinel in the town. I cannot feel its mind, and so long as we do not draw the attention of it we need only worry about a weak shell of a creature. But on that idea, I must urge you to end conflict with it quickly if the need arises, we do not want its attention.” He wanted them to know what they were dealing with after all, before agreeing to help, not actually try to end it here.

The goliath stopped by the gate. It had been shut at one point, but no more, it seemed something had ripped the right half of it off and left it laid flat in the street it opened into, the other half hung askew. From this vantage point it was clear the town was built on a small volcanic cone, the smoke coming from it apparently from vents, not from burning homes. The homes, instead, were made in a similar fashion to the walls, and those that were destroyed were destroyed in a much more straight forwards manner; explosion, brute force, and some standing except for the door, in these cases the doorway had apparently been too small, as it was not simply the door knocked aside, but a large portion of the wall around it. Bodies, at least three quarters of them human, littered the streets. The other quarter of them were something odd indeed, and had been headed towards the church at the top of the cone when they died; arrows and swords sticking from their nightmarish insectoid corpses, coated in thick black enamel. Just barely visible; a glint in the light, at the church on the cone was a suit of armor, dented, coated in blood, rusted looking, arrows sticking from its metal. The decrepit suit of armor sat slumped against the doors of the building. Maugris gestured up the road.

”If I go any further, I risk drawing its attention. You two do not share the same connection with it, you can get as close as you like, but if it begins to attack, get out of its way and out of its sight. As I told you, its mind has gone wandering; it’s not very bright, fast, or strong at the moment. Out of sight, out of mind.” And with that, he’d wait. If they choose to call this close enough,  well that was alright with him, If not, he’d wait here until they were done.

[Ire]

He could only gesture a smile for Freyja in the moment she expressed her fealty to the insurrection of the creature Vivi with a simple statement, unlike Gattison and Priest Maugris. Blindly willing to engage a full frontal assault upon the creature at a moments notice or twitch in their general direction. Her anticipation was read quite easily, as it practically seeped through her pores. A warrior woman through and through, down to the core, and this was cause for further attraction from the Half-ling. For the moment, however, just before their arrival into the town, Gattison went temporarily silent and continued to focus on their task.

The ashen hued plumes of smoke which took rise from the encasing embers of the fires which lay low to the ground contrasted sharply against the skyline. Fumes and scents of the bog were distilled lightly and the over encumbering miasma of the fallen life essences were sewn within the soil where they laid for so long. The would-be unsettling imagery of the landscape so littered with abandoned bodies and weaponry weaved through the memory of Gattison; to most this sight may incur a churning of ones gut, yet for the Nomad it was nothing more than a mere wisp in the wind. His senses may be considered delicate to that which was not of the ordinary when finally acclimatized to the territory previously foreign to him. Inclusive in this were the tell-tale signs of what war and plunder accrued even in their smallest samples.

After a just a few moments of allowing those scintillating amber-hues to meander across the plain to which they destined themselves, Gattison spoke only one last time before departing from the immediate presence of Priest Maugris.

"Its ignorance is our blissful endeavor, Priest. Our ignorance of it will certainly merit hostility."

He turned to Freyja; gleaming eyes enabling a tender reflection bestowed upon them by the light which cascaded with an eerie brilliance unbecoming even of her glimmering armor. Stern in posture and stoic in expression as perhaps words would not be appropriate for once; an oddity of the Nomad's overall nature to remain so silent in times of perpetual mental duress surrounding. If he had been more forthcoming, perhaps an invitation for Freyja to accompany his side as he took the initial steps up the path towards the seemingly dormant embodiment of armor. Instead, with that evanescent flicker dancing within his eyes, he turned away from her and began up the path without uttering another sound.

[Slayer]

Freyja wasn't going to let anyone get hurt while they figure out a strategy. If it meant rewarding violence with some of her own then so be it. It was better to protect herself rather than risk provoking the alter ego and be the one to cause harm. Or likely get herself killed.

< Play it smart. >

As they neared the city, or what remained of it in burnt fragments, the smell increased. Along with the burning flesh of the broken bodies. Bodies of innocent lives. Lives taken from this monsterous entity. The redhead rapidly blinked those bright eyes as they stood at the entrance, the scent of blood filled the air as well. For those with a weak stomach it might illicit some dry heaving but Freyja barely parted her mouth to attempt to lessen the impact on her sense. She was not sickened by it, nor by the grotesque sight of the massacred village folk.

On the contrary, she was thrilled by it. More specifically, Elfric was. A sort of carnal pleasure rose up within the woman, prompted by the ifrit's desires. Even if there wasn't a battle to be had, exploring the town was enough to suffice it's violent tendencies.

< It's just like what we left behind at times. Too bad it's not our work. >

It took a lot to keep her breathing regulated, still staring at the mangled corpses, eyes glinting. Trying to avoid looking at either of the two until they stopped briefly. From here on it was going to be the Nomad and berserker. The Priest was leaving it up to them to confront this entity.

No panic, nor anxiety rose at this. Instead she turned those brilliant gold eyes toward Gattison, exchanging a sharp look to that of his. There was no tendernous from her gaze, still influenced by what dwelt within her body. It was a fleeting moment, her shoulders setting back as he walked forward and she followed after a few steps. Then her sight turned, along with her head to look over a shoulder, to Maugris. Sticking to her own tendencies, the woman kept silent, before she turned back to the Nomad.

< What, no good luck? >

[Vivi]

Moved not when the pair began their trespass into the town, but rather when a small girl that had been moving among the rubble saw said trespassers and attempted to run from the relative safety of the shadows towards them. Unfortunately for her, the distance between her and it was not great enough for it to ignore the actions. It was slow at first, lethargic as the creature hadn’t even bothered to get it – why should it? It wasn’t a threat to it, nor a challenge. It was a mere child, an unfinished plaything to the creature that would never grow to be finished. A dull orange glow lit from behind the faceplate of the slumped armor as its left hand raised, and down it raced ripples of heat before a ball of fire erupted at its palm, a swirling ball of destruction.

Its flight was short, departing the hand and covering the hundred and fifty or so feet to the child in the blink of an eye, exploding with a roar of fire upon impact. What was left intact of her skidded to a stop, face down and leaving a black mark on the cobble road. The creature merely lowered its hand and stared down the road for a moment before slumping downwards again.

Perhaps the only thing that could be said is that she was spared the pain of dealing with the death of all she’d known. Still, it begged the question what the thing could have possibly gained from the action, though if what Maugris said were true that was perhaps simply all it was capable of at the moment. Stripped of thought it was but an automation protecting itself, at least that was a possible impression given the utter lack of joy, maliciousness, or anything else expressed upon the annihilation of a harmless child.

The entity wasn’t home, perhaps, but its shell waited, guardian either to its physical form or perhaps the church upon which it rested. Maybe both.

[Ire]

With Freyja in tow, Gattison managed his steps around and through the fallen bodies and debris which littered the grounds encroaching the church. Up the path, he could see a slight movement and had thought he noticed it moments ago. His eyes did not deceive him, nor did he allow the mere presence of the horrific creature, Vivi, a distraction on his focus. < It remains as spoken of. > The representation of what the creature was, to most, would be a shocking value learned all to late once they realized just how easily they could be removed from this realm. As a Half-ling, Gattison felt no fear of death like most others, and with good reason. Not only was this due to the rigorous engagements of countless battles depicted in memoirs, and of the agony experienced through the affliction in the beren during his education, but as well of the conscious ability to decide the outcome of that which lay before him. He had his strengths to which only he could acknowledge their truest potency, and they would likely do well in the coming moments.

"It's too late for the child." preemptively hesitating in his motion, as from the shadows the girl-child began her descent unto them for protection. He would only hope that Freyja held no softness in her heart for those whom were doomed to meet the final death, regardless of their posterity. Expressions aside, Gattison felt no remorse for the lack of effort he placed in any attempt he may have made to save the child; it was in his mind that this was an inevitability after the creature Vivi exerted a force from its embodiment and quite literally charred the human in its tracks. The Nomad showed no signs of pity, sympathy, regret, or rage; he felt none and concentrated solely on what it was they were brought her for.

"Whatever our intentions from this point forth, Freyja, we must not destroy what is left of the church. If it chooses to engage us we surely have an advantage. Let it destroy itself after you've had your fun." Was he perhaps holding a sentiment on the hallowed grounds in which this, likely short lived, battle were to take place? Not hardly, though the conveyance would be harder to determine as the resonance in his voice carried little more than monotony. "I have a feeling," looking over to her, aiming to meet her fiery golden eyes with his own scintillating amber hues, "...it is not a rational creature and it will not know how to exploit our weaknesses. The fire that lay within you will surprise it undoubtedly as I suspect it will not be used to someone with your endurance. We will approach in full stead if it aims us down." Not proportionate words of encouragement, but rather a battle-plan which would utilize two of the Berserkers' immediate strengths.

[Slayer]

The redhead stayed a few steps behind Gattison, not to use his larger frame as a focal point for this creature that rested at the steps of the church. Not so that she felt protected and shielded from Vivi. She'd rather take up the rear just in case something came up behind them. It was a safety precaution and she needed to get used to being so close to the carnage. Blood plagued her senses, the metallic scent with the seared bodies.

< It's like being at a barbeque >

The Nomad before her slowed as he caught sight of the young girl bolting towards them. She too came to a halt at his side, getting a clear view of the youth's demise by the suit of armour. It temporarily became animated again, moving only enough to spout off a ball of fire that consumed the child faster than the woman could blink. The hair on the back of her neck rose by the sudden motion, and a gust of heated air carried to the pair. It felt like a breeze to the fever.

Beneath the shroud her hands tightened on to the weapons at her side, the resulting white knuckles hidden from anyone else. It was the only restraint she had beyond clenching her jaw. More effort was placed on staying still than crying out for the loss. It happened so fast that the girl didn't even have a chance to scream. In a moment, that fleeting hope was wiped away in a soulless act.

Death wasn't anything new to Freyja. She had seen many of her comrades, her fellow kin in the devshirme fall in battles for the Caliphate, and then the rest were taken along with the revolts. Only she remained, partially due to being the cause of their deaths as well. Or so Elfric told her.

< That was a great shot.[/color] > Vivi and Elfric likely could be friends. If it wasn't for the scene before it, the ifrit was doing it's best to provoke the host. Deep within her conscious, with Gattison unaware, the infernal spirit laughed. This was great entertainment none the less.

The halfling's voice drew her gaze away from the smoked remains and to his face. If she hadn't of jumped ahead now to engage a fight, she was to wait. Lips pressed together during her stare, she offered no other indication that she heard or even acknowledged him beyond a nod of her head. Once she looked back to the suit of armour, which had become still, she spoke. "I understand..." a brief pause, before continuing, "I will be careful but remember what was said as well back at the temple."

[Vivi]

The body hadn’t even cooled when something from within the church howled with rage, provoking exactly no reaction from the suit of armor. What did react however, was one of the strange creatures nearby the pair.

An eye opened abruptly as the creature turned under the pile, the functional eye glaring towards the pair as its twisted body began to pull itself towards them, slowed greatly by the damage done by rubble. Its hide was littered with arrow; it was no threat, not even in the loosest sense of the word, save perhaps biting at their ankles. Granted, the rows of teeth in its mouth looked horrific enough just on that note. It hissed, and yet there was something else in that, whispers, languages and mutterings too varied to understand them all, but on some level, most people could pick out their language well enough.

<u>< We must kill. Master left, but he told us to kill. Battle. We want Master’s attention. Obey and we shall rejoin him in our home. ></u> The creature chanted it over and over. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to be natural, and it reeked of sulfur and blood. It reached out with its claws towards them, fell short, and sunk them between the stones of the road, only to rip one of its legs from its hip when it pulled its body towards them. It screeched in pain, but did not stop. Its purpose was singular; its free will either non-existent or overridden by its desire to serve. There was no doubt nor hesitation; whatever this being was, it was willing to truly wage total war at the word of its “Master”

[Ire]

Freyja's words were slightly cut off by the culmination of some guttural howl stemming from within the church. Gattison began to piece together small parts of what Priest Maugris had been telling them along their way, and of what bits this information entailed that could be of use, if any. < He could very well be influenced by  the creature. > A single thought dabbled in his mind; the query and ease to which the Paladin assumed responsibility for Gattison and Freyja would be, for all intents and purposes, heavily disconcerting if not for the fact a fatal flaw had been represented. The air was still thick with smoke and rotting festers; bodies strewn out amongst them...as one of them began, albeit very slowly, towards the pair.

The Nomad did all but ignore the thing entirely, even as its proximity came within touching range, and focused primarily on the creature, Vivi. As if on cue, however, Gattison took a meaningful stride forward at the moment the creatures leg tore itself, bone and sinew alike, from it's conjoining feature. "It can't hurt you." spoken to Freyja with at least some mitigation of haste.

The initial pushing step was practically explosive all its own, yet the grace and elegance in which he propelled himself forth allowed for a fluid transition into another step; accelerating at a rate such as this for anyone else would undoubtedly exude some fashion of brute force, yet Gattison strode silently forth directly in line with the suit of armor. < It is aware of our presence. > Swiftly and patiently Gattison covered a remedial distance between himself and the suit of Armor, leaving Freyja to her own devices and ensuring himself she would do extremely well to fulfill the tactile quality of the plan he meant to put into action. However, his steps froze, abruptly, at half the distance they were from Vivi taking to a crouch at a useless pile of rubble and a few broken arrows. < It will presume hostility. >

[Slayer]

What noises occured in the area drew the attention of the woman, her eyes flicking first to the direction of the church and then to the afflicted soul that attempted to crawl to the pair. The silence that had been present, save for the crackle of the fire, as they ventured toward the church and heap of armour was broken with the guttural chants of what used to be a body. Freyja stared at it for a long moment, feeling the ifrit's amusement continue to grow by the sight. Not at all afraid by the power of what they were to confront soon.

The redhead wasn't either. If by chance this animated corpse might reach her a sound stomp was enough to end it's mission. As well as the suffering. However, again, Gattison continued to bring her back to reality, away from the inner thoughts tormented by her own personal demon. The Nomad was likely aware of the tension of her frame but little was reflected on that hardened face, the right cheek marred so long ago.

Around them ash fell, once embers cast in to the sky from the burning structures of the city. It was a bit strange that the church remained untouched by the force that practically exterminated the city but that was also likely due to what dwelt within.

Gattison again took the lead, seeking to approach the armour but after a couple of strides reconsidered the idea. After all, it had sent forth enough fire and energy to incinerate a small child.

< Best to play it safe? >

Freyja put distance between her and the rambling, detatched body and placed herself against a wall to the side of Gattison, just across the cobbled pathway they had taken up to this point. She dared not crouch down, instead kept her hands on her weapons, but with the shroud about her body. The glinting white plates with gold ornament might grab too much attention if they were to take their time to assess the situation and take the creature by surprise. She had enough speed on her side to throw back her restraints if the time came.

[Vivi]

The creature did stir, but if it was the thud against the door behind it or the two approaching was hard to tell, as they closely coincided. Another roar from within the church as the armored being stood, perhaps eight feet in height in total, and slowly turned towards the great double doors set in the marble frame. It brought its left hand up, clenched it into a fist, and issued a roar of its own – a sound almost absurd from the humanoid creature simply because it could have some from a dragon or wyrm. The creature’s fist flew forwards and collided, causing a reverberating thud to issue froth.

What it had collided with, however, had appeared to be naught but air, but from the point of collision a red ripple ran outwards, crackling slightly as it lost momentum. There was a commotion inside the church, something knocking things over as it moved. The creature outside the church brought its fist back again, slammed it into he barrier again. By the fourth strike, the armor of the hand had grown hot and warped from the barrier, it was unlikely the creature would be able to unclench the fist due to the damage it was doing, and yet it persisted until the hand was fairly well flattened. Then it simply stopped, its hand falling loosely to its side as though it had forgotten what it was doing. Whatever was in the church was once again silent.

The creature in the armor looked left then right, then back towards its left where it moved towards, unceremoniously removing a sword from a dead guard and clutching it with its mostly undamaged right hand. It slowly returned to the door and brought the sword up, swinging it in a wide overhead arc. The sword passed clean through the barrier and lodged in the heavy wooden door, to which the creature responded by trying to pull it out, finding itself lacking in strength, and attempting to brace itself with its foot to pull the sword out, only to have its foot to collide with the barrier, causing it to lose balance and fall on its back. And there it laid for a moment before getting back up and staring blankly at the sword stuck in the door.

[Ire]

It was certainly a sight to see, as almost instantaneously after the initial approach, the creature Vivi responded in an expected, yet unlikely fashion. < Such a simple creature. > Thinking to himself as the sentient suit of armor bashed the church structure repeatedly, with no success of forced entry save for the attempt made with the tool not its own.

Gattison turned his attention to Freyja for a brief moment, knowing full well she had taken reluctantly to cover, well prepared for an assault considering her offensive fighting nature. "I will head to the rear of the church in search of a second entrance." turning his head back towards the creature Vivi, "Neither of us will need a distraction but it will be of great benefit to we three if at least one remains out of mind." He could only presume Vivi was more attentive than what its actions conveyed, and that it was at least aware of Freyja and himself.

He took from his crouch and stepped beside the rubble; the ground before him was littered with debris and the creature which stalked them only moments before had barely come a quarter of the way in its lurching crawl across the ground, prominently chanting the same thing over and over. Gattison then began towards the church in an offset line along the path, trying to remain in close cover should Vivi suddenly turn and aim for him. The Nomad was seemingly no match for the animated suit of armor, outright, so it was in his best interest to leave the brutality to Freyja despite any conscious reluctance she may have against provoking what she considered a secret.

To the church and to its rear Gattison would attempt to go undetected without the utilization of anything other than the natural cover before him, hoping that perhaps the creature Vivi was unable to detect him without otherwise having to see or hear him. But that he could not be sure of entirely.

[Slayer]

Freyja kept her attention divided between the Nomad and the animated armour, though most was drawn to the latter. Inwardly the ifrit released it's gutteral sounds of amusement. How peculiar for a holy structure to be it's one weakness, reducing that metal body to scrap.

But, the woman wondered, if the holy ground held back this demon could it do the same to the berserker herself? She dared not try - wary that her flesh, even though hardened through the years and the infernal's spirits on latent powers, may not survive a siege through the barrier. Instead, she may pull back a stump.

< Though now could always be a good time to see if you can actually regenerate a limb, hm?[/color] > Whatever Elfric was doing, to downplay this whole scene and the creature before them, was a good enough distraction to mask any sort of concern it held. This was merely entertainment.

When Gattison addressed the redhead, she turned those brilliant eyes in his direction after the suit stilled, seemingly dumbfounded by the placement of the sword in the door. Only a firm nod was given to him, keeping to her short responses and a woman of few words. Freyja had no intentions of moving but only allowed herself to shift enough to keep the man in sight, until he slipped behind the structure to investigate what laid within.

If and when he was gone, the woman looked back to the entrance, hands still tightly gripping the handle of each sword.

[Vivi]

Ah, but the events that would unfold, if understood fully, would likely challenge Freyja's preconceptions about the church, good, evil, demons and holy abominations. But that was neither here nor there. If the creature was aware of their presence, it didn't seem to care, be it due to not thinking them a threat or for some other reason that would unlikely go unknown due to the alien nature of its mind in comparison to theirs could be debated. Of course, if it was worried about threats, its elimination of the child showed a good degree of poor judgement if it was to let them pass unharmed.

Its disposition to the door - and more importantly that aura that seemed to repel it, however, was far less peaceable. It opened its unmangled hand and again, fire burst from it, brilliant and orange, blasting against the door ineffectively for reasons unrelated to the aura, rather more closely related to wards placed on it to prevent it from burning should heat become too intense inside the place of worship. In short, it was fireproof. The flames ceased and the creature's hand lowered again as Gattison doubtlessly made his way behind the church to find one of two doors. If he had gone to the right, he would find a side door leading into a storage area of the church, to the left, he'd end up circling all the way to the back where he would find a large set of barn doors leading into a sort of holding pen for a large - and apparently well taken care of - creature of some kind. The decoration and exuberant amount of food and bedding made it quite apparent this was likely the guardian beast of this place Maugris had briefly mentioned. It also was very likely the same beast making a ruckus in the front area of the building.

Meanwhile, Freyja would be treated to quite a boring site of the creature standing there, staring at its arch nemesis, a wooden door. That is, until it lifted its hand again and produced a singular small ball of white energy, which, upon impacting not the door, but the point in space at which its hand had been hitting, promptly exploded, knocking the creature back several feet and once again onto its back. It also caused a ripple effect to wave outwards in the air just around the building, a strange red distortion in the air. Gattison, if he hadn't entered the building yet, would probably notice as well, but the effect would probably be fading like ripples on a pond do by the time it reached him (though, the sound from the initial blow would be damn near impossible to ignore anyways)

[Ire]

The Halfling was bemused at the process in which the metallic beast aimed to penetrate the seemingly impregnable stable. However, as pursuit would cause call to caution, Gattison continued around to the left of the structure, to the rear, away from any sight of both Freyja and as well the creature Vivi.

"Darkened are the halls less discovered...", disinterested in what lay within the structure, and more so focused upon what it was that kept Vivi from entering. Whatever it was that lay behind these doors, it held an odor. It was natural, yet unrefined; the festers of food and the rot of the bodies lying outside along the village, in any direction, were too strong to differentiate. Regardless, Gattison proceeded into the large, barn-like doors at the rear of the building, unknowing of what lay inside, yet prepared for something unpleasant.

Freyja could protect herself, very well, this much the Nomad had gathered from their sample friendship. This thunderous noise, whatever it was, seemed not to generate from within the structure gauging the reverberation against the walls; Gattison's elven ears performed him a service well, yet he could not help but distract himself slightly at the behest of curiosity for Freyja's safety.

[Slayer]

( Passing this round. Apologies. )

[Vivi]

Gattison would experience a wildly different event thent he beast seemed to be when attempting to breach the threshold of the church's rear entrance - nothing. There would be no resistance, no barrier, perhaps a tingle at the back of his neck but not more. Inside he'd find a pen for a creature - lavish for such a thing, meats, hay beds, and another large, slightly adjacent door leading into the main room of the church. The gap between the jam and the door itself cast a thin ray of light into the dim stable like area, and several voices carried from within. One bestial, snarling, both terrified and furious. The others belonged to humans, or at least close enough to, a few children and an older male.

"Another, sacrafice another or we all die!"

"But...there are no more..."

"Then kill a child! One of them are all of them. The barrier must not fall."

"No! You're supposed to protect us, isn't that why we've brought you all that you ask? So you would protect us from those heathens and their summoned demons?"

"I have, haven't I? But you're a fool if you think-"

The beast cut itself short as something changed outside, a sick tearing sound filled the air of the church, from the outside Frejya would likely quickly ascertain the cause of the sound, the barrier was bending inwards near the creature, red arcs ripping through the air surrounding the church as the barrier strained. This was accompanied by a strange feeling to those sensitive to it - the beast certainly among them, though the man within the church was either more or less fortunate, depending on one's opinion of the situation. It was almost like something simply sliding above the surface of the water, and yet knowing that, though the sharks fin may be visible, that dark shape beneath the waves was the dangerous part. The creature spoke, Freyja would be able to hear it clearly, but the barrier had an odd effect on the voice, turning it from common to some incomprehensible gibberish.

"They were not here before.....Are you interlopers." Inhuman, emotionless, somehow otherworldly, even the inclination that should have gone with its question was off, as if forged, making it sound more like a statement, an order, and maybe even a threat. The man in the church spoke again.


"What is that?"

"Its speaking..but not to us. There are others. Find them, we can use them rather then your precious children if you really want to waste our little time we may have."

[Slayer]

Freyja kept her back to the crumbled wall that served as a barrier between her and the creature attempting to enter the holy grounds. The remains itself only served a purpose of hiding her form if only temporary. For all they knew, their presence had long since been sensed. She'd just rather not draw the attention until ready and fully understanding about what this animated armour was.

She only occasionally turned slightly to catch the scene in the corner of her eye, partially to see if anything had changed and if Gattison returned with an update on what lay within the church.

< Well, this is boring... > The creature had been idle for several minutes, seemingly at a loss to this unseen barrier that prevented it's form from passing through the archway. The woman didn't mind the wait, knew the extra time for her and the Nomad proved essential for assessing the situation. If the church contained some properties that kept the suit of armour out, they might use it as a haven and a place to retreat before engaging the metal beast.

Though, just as she checked again, face barely passing the stone wall she witnessed the next attack. A violent explosion, enough to rock back the creator of the attack, made it's to where the saracen stood. Inwardly the ifrit reared, as if bracing for the distortion in the air that followed. To Freyja, it was a gust of wind from a furnace but it did not bring a pleasing sensation that warmth provided to her skin.

A more of a tickle, a tingling, and it only caused Elfric to stir restlessly. For the energy created and the effect it was taking on the barrier. The redhead had taken refuge behind the wall, watching the red haze that carried out like waves break upon the solid forms of what remained of the city, before it disappeared into the orange glow that smoke reflected from the stricken skies. Once it had cleared, she dared for another look.

The same red haze, though concentrated into solid lines, gathered into shapes of cracks around the creature. It had risen since the blast and resumed it's campaign of entering the church. This time, there was a pause and the silence was broken.

< It knows we're here. Now might be a good time to stop hiding. >

Freyja almost protested, having to struggle to understand the distorted comment the suit of armour just made. Not until the thought of Gattison laying within the church with a breached barrier came to mind, thoughts then agreeing to the voice of her inner demon. The Nomad may not be aware of what was happening and, if that barrier was gone altogether, what stopped another blast to demolish the whole building with him inside?

< Your concern is touching... Now move. >

The time of waiting was over. Besides, Freyja had a certain perk that could protect her from a fire attack if it came. She'd buy extra time at this point. A deep breath and the woman released the grip of her swords momentarily, just to part the shroud that lay on her shoulders, an ignored burden until she needed to free up her arms. The white armour the woman possessed, the Scarlet Saracen - the desert warrior - was revealed. Though the brilliance of the bleached metal did not reflect in this poor light and soon enough it'd tarnish under the falling ash.

The shroud itself slipped off completely and to the ground, cast away for now. Freyja placed her hands back to the grip of each sword on her hips, not yet drawing them, but ready for the moment as she stepped out from behind her place and in to the open. Although her heart began to beat faster in anticipation, though encouraged by what dwelt within, that face remained stoic. Gold eyes ahead. She dared to take several steps to the suit of armour.

< Now it begins. >

[Ire]

He could not continue onward. There was a hostility in the air that let the hairs upon the nape of the Nomad's neck nearly stand on end. His amber lit hues searched around the lavish setting of the beast's chambers, to and through a small gape between the doorway and the next room. From within, Gattison could clearly make out what was being spoken, and who between, though he knew not of who these residents were. The Half-elf's ears perked slightly, putting forth an generous amount of effort into concentrating on what he was going to avoid walking into.

Yet, he could not. Gattison was not the type to betray the objective laid forth by himself, and against the trust of Priest Maugris. Truly he desired to continue forth with the exploration, yet the heirs of caution begged him to cease and desist with the effort. < We are missing something in such plain sight. > he thought; something very characteristically obvious about the creature Vivi that, perhaps, Gattison had overlooked during his conversation with Priest Maugris in the temple library. Moving closer towards the door, the eased speakings of sacrifices in such dire need, Gattison, against his best judgement, would do something quite hasty, and perhaps extremely moronic, contrasting his nature.

"You will sacrifice no more...", the door no longer an object in his path, as he simply opened it and stepped through into the next room, "...you are disturbing its balance. If you cannot see this, you are no better a practitioner than it is at disobeying commands. You efforts are being thwarted as we speak."

It was at this point Gattison's placid rage began to boil, beneath the surface; the intensity upon the surface of his being would show no signs begot by the foundation of his internal struggle to maintain his composure, yet as it would lay to rest and he could ease his disgust at this church and those within it, he feared he would not be able to control his actions in the following moments, unless the creature Vivi was in fact proven to be the adversary. His only clear thought would be if Freyja were handling things appropriately, according to what he assumed her strengths could be, after the creature Vivi had spoken. Muttered tongues, practical gibberish, but the intuitive Nomad was much more keen than most should suspect of a diplomat.

[Vivi]

The creature stirred as the first unknown energy signature began to move rather then responding to its query. A mistake if there ever had been one, it was now fairly certain they were interlopers set to disrupt its plans; it had been bad enough they'd forced it to give itself away, but now they were trying to stop it as well.  It whirled around towards movement it caught and began to march towards it, fire danging around the open palm of its good hand as Ire spoke to the beings within the church it assaulted.

Inside, it would be almost as though a pressure was slowly eased from the building as the creature moved away from its doorway. But that was put to the wayside by the creatures within for the moment - there were five in total, one man, three children, and one feral looking beast with a man of fire. It was large, dog-like, with long black horns coming from its head. All five of them simply stared at Gattison for a few moments before any of them could think of how to react. It was the priest man - the man in the black robe, who spoke first.

"You do not understand, it has killed us all, man woman and child. If the barrier falls it will kill the rest of us!" The man practically screamed at Gattison while gesturing wildly to the understandably frightened children off to the side. One of them began to cry, and the priest moved towards him uttering false promises of safety. The beast spoke next

"Oh? And I suppose you know what that thing is? Then tell us, little man..." it moved towards Gattison, its nostrils flaring as its nose wrinkled in disgust at this slight of being offered knowledge by some little humanoid. "What do you know of it that I, one of the longest lived fire demons walking Terra, do not? What does it want? I'll give it if it will go away and leave my life, it has already taken my servants from me, I have nothing left of value here."

Meanwhile, outside, the creature had begun loosing relatively small explosive fireballs in the general vicinity of the other. It was clear fro the roughly correct range and more or less correct direction the armored thing had some idea where the female was, but couldn't pinpoint her exactly based upon whatever sense it may have been using. It spoke again, and the church once again vibrated with strange, glutteral sounds while Freyja got what was more or less Common.

"Interlopers will not be tolerated. Cowards will not be tolerated. Face me or perish..."

[Slayer]

Even though the animated suit of armour spout off fire toward Freyja she did not flinch by the attacks. It's aim was pretty bad, and she was not worried on the off chance she was to take a hit. The woman was after all fireproof.

< It might be a good idea to not give that way so early on... > While the ifrit yearned for the violence that was to come once she closed the gap from her hiding spot to the steps of the church, caution was laced in that genderless voice inside her head. Little was known about what exactly the redhead was facing and there was no certainty that she may harm it. < At least feign some dodges or something. >

Yes, get the damn thing's guard down. It was intent on keeping the woman from approaching the entity. Debris and rubble became scorched from the attacks about her feet and, sensing the trajectory of the fire aimed her way as a wave of heat rushed force prior to the energy. The evasive manuevers were faster than the steps she was taking to close the distance.

Freyja was oddly calm. She in part had to be, to maintain control. Over the release of her adrenaline and the power within. It was way too early to let go, she needed to stall.

That jumbled voice broke through the silence, if you could ignore the crackling of flames that consumed what little remained of this broken village. As the final word sounded, a prediction to her fate, did the woman take action. It was her turn to respond, but instead of answering back she drew out the swords from their hold on her hips. In one fluid motion, tipping them forward as they slid out from the cases and out as her arms extended in front of her. The blades weren't very long, but they had a bit of a curve near the end where the swords narrowed to the point. Once free from their holds, Freyja kept the swords pointed down but resumed her march up the steps of the church, ready for the counter of the beast.
All the while the ifrit swirled with anticipation.

[Ire]

Undaunted by the appearances of those within, Gattison's soul objective was the coercion of the minds which premeditated this failing endeavor, The stoic expression placating his face was of genuine display; beneath the exterior no stirs or tremors betrayed the steady rhythm of his heart, even as the first man dared scream in panic at the misery to come, "It is your doing. You will have died sooner rather than later had it not been for these sacrifices, young fool. You slay innocent lives to protect your own, to protect your cowardly hide within the walls of a sacred establishment. Had you submitted yourself to the creature Vivi, it may never have pursued the ultimate destruction of this entire village. For that alone, I should put you beneath my hand and bury you where you stand." his words, though monotonous is fashion, certainly would have conveyed a sincerity closely related to an underlying maliciousness only those with practiced threats of diplomacy could deliver.

For once, Gattison had released himself of the distraction in which Freyja may have been in danger. Perhaps it was fool hearty of the Nomad to have all but barged in on this sacrificial-like chamber, but he did have a primary goal in sight. Feeling as though the wild-man had little more to say other than hysteric means to his own preservation, he would then address the Flame-Beast before him, "I do have a much better grasp of what Vivi may be, Beast." , as it edged towards Gattison he would not retreat, for the Flame-Beast would find itself locked in stalemate if it were to be a battle of wits and stares; prying for information was a subject the Nomad was all to familiar with having to do, and putting a spin on his words in order to establish a higher ground and let those understanding what he spoke of think he knew more than he did, that was a specialty. He kept his awareness about him, as even the three quivering children could be extremely hostile in these times; conjurers, magician, sorcerer, all had been present at one time or another, and Gattison's oracular senses tingled while within these walls, "It wants you." an icy cold stare which may, metaphorically speaking, extinguish the heat of the Beast before him.

"You know not of how long lived my entity is, Beast. Though our experiences may differ due to our age, the history behind such a creature as Vivi is far too similar to the many incarnations I have had to dispatch, and other I have had to ensnare. No one here is capable of felling this creature, single handedly or with an army at their backs. You, with all your long lived years, are a fool and a coward, just as he, for hiding in  place which will ultimately result in your execution." , choosing his words carefully, his desire was to exert enough of a threat from himself with simple words in order to let the Beast understand the ulterior motive, "Give yourself to it, and take that man with you. At least let these children live long enough to provide us with information of what you have been doing here to thwart it from entry. The price is steep, yet I know you have means of returning which will deter the creature Vivi by confusion alone."

His posture was less erect; that straightened back had been consciously relaxed, as his shoulder came forward ever so slightly. Was he preparing himself for an attack, to defend himself? Or perhaps ready to pounce upon these interlopers in the instance they deemed him ready as the next sacrifice? "Decide quickly. You do not want a second enemy amongst you in this time of peril." , those scintillating amber hues then narrowed down upon the Beast, as not a thing, supernatural, physical, psychological, nor in any way noticeable other than his pupil dilation, would change upon his embodiment; Gattison, though ilk to the grand destruction of many a kingdom in his time, was prepared for a worthy defense in the blink of an eye, literally; the whites of his eyes, upon blinking, will have flooded instantaneously with a deep, saturated crimson tone. This, surrounding the subtle brilliance of the amber iris' and beady pupils would certainly give his calmed expression a much more bestial look. Now it was merely time to judge and act appropriately.

[Vivi]

Did not speak further to the female as she began her approach. That was good, she was brave at least, even if foolish. It boded well for her future. The creature turned towards the door once again and trust outwards with its damaged hand, slamming to the barrier harder than it had before, the metal of its had quickly turning molten under the pressure and heat as the barrier seemed to crackle under the strain. It pulled the hand away slowly, the metal molding itself into an elongated blade that was simply part of the arm, terminating near the elbow into normal armor once again. It turned towards the female and let out a roar. Very well, if she wouldn't fire back upon it and wished to use swords, so be it. The creature began to march towards her as well, swinging the roughly four feet of blade diagonally down and to her left once it was close enough, quickly followed by bringing its still good hands towards her in an attempt to grab and throw her (or her upper half, if he'd split her in two with the strike - something the creature did not consider likely given she was at least confident enough in her abilities to approach the unknown, swords at ready. There wasn't much more to say than that, given it would unfold depending on how she reacted.

Meanwhile, within the confines of the unholy church Gattison found himself in, the preacher man spoke again "I just wanted to save who I could..." he said quietly, still trying to comfort the children as best he could...and eying the back door, but otherwise remaining silent. On the other hand, the flame-beast was, in its arrogance, more than happy to express its thoughts "You know what it is? Then how do I kill it? How do I escape it? I'll give you the riches of the dead here if you save me, for I would like to know what it is that brings such power to bear against this town, and why, so that I might never see it again." Coward. That was the most apt description for the beast, and absolute greedy, pathetic coward.

"Because your words are wrong, its brilliance burns even me from within. I would not return, it would bleach me from existence as surely as I might reduce a forest to ash....though perhaps we should let it in...." the creature turned from Gattison and moved towards a cleared circular area between the main podium and the pews, slamming both paws into holes on either side of an iris-style design that seemed to be generating waves of heat above it. Upon doing so, the iris began to move open with a long, creaking sound, revealing a dully boiling pool of rock below - the volcano that had belched forth the isle of stone within the bog. Yes...the man was right, keeping it out was futile, but that didn't mean he had to give himself up, not for some lowly humans, he could throw it into the heart of the volcano, where the molten metals and rocks could wipe it from existence. "We'll melt its armor and burn its flesh into nothingness...does this satisfy you, or will you turn on me and let us both do the work of the beast for it?"