World Tree MUSH

    It wasn't as clean a getaway as Vivian would have liked, when she got ahold of the strange artifact recently discovered. It was supposed to be a quick in and out, but this world DID know of magic, even if it was in the shadows. Her illusions were dispelled by the security system, and she was caught on film in her natural form during the escape. Misery.

    Unfortunately, some people could find out exactly where she was going, as well. The statuette was linked with Dagon, and the town of Innsmouth was well-known to have links to that strange word. Most didn't know it was a quasi-deity, as they only knew Dagon Resort. Thirty years ago, the younger generation of the Innsmouth natives had taken part in a power struggle that turned the entire place into a resort, and the tourism was booming now, along with some protections in place for the natural wildlife preserve. There was even an amusement park! Though... that had been shut down after rumors of strange injuries.

    Probably not important.

    The question then, is where is the place it is supposed to go? WIth the bustling of summer vacation starting up, the town was pretty lively, but there were no visible and public shrines to Dagon, nor any explanation of who he was. Or she? Nobody knows! Which leaves... both heroes and villains kind of stuck until THAT can be resolved.

    Earlier, Elise's dominant half demanded some alone time out of concern the submissive half would get in the way of finding a fairly scary target. She didn't argue with the decision.

    And judging from her mood, she really must think it's a scary job her other self is on. She's terrified, and it has nothing to do with Vivian's field trip.

    The Adept is, unusually, already in armor - she could easily be mistaken for a cobra-themed Reploid, wearing that purple and black armor, with those definitely inhuman black-sclera'd purple eyes. She'd probably look more intimidating if she wasn't half hunched over and following after Vivian with nothing but hesitation in every step, though.

    "S-So, um... w-what's the statuette for...?"

Believe it or not, sometimes things happen in rather unfortunate parallel. Sure, the news is out that there's an artifact on the run, but that's not the ONLY thing in Innsmouth of note. 

And that's why a certain bespectacled wizard can be found walking through a locked gate to an amusement part that MYSTERIOUSLY JUST EXPLODED. 

Gas leaks, man. Happens all the time. 

Lezard Valeth (call him a Harry Potter cosplayer at your own risk) strides into the 'shut down' amusement park, scowling at the environment. "Such an assembly of absurdity cannot possibly be used but to distract one from more important matters in the vicinity." He mutters to himself. Kneeling, he pulls out a piece of chalk and marks some very Norse-looking runes into the pavement. With a warping of space, a plain-looking tome appears floating over his hand in an even more obvious display of Nothing To See Here, Citizen. He holds a hand out, intoning a quick magical phease as he works to divine the local leylines. Surely, wherever the biggest local confluence is will be the logical place to be, no?

    Well at least ONE person knows what Dagon is, and Raylene even knows many of the people who might be involved in chasing this down. She's likely bought tickets for anyone wanting to come to the resort via normal and legal means. The less human attendees might find it a little awkward... but only a little, because this world has been Blossomed long enough that offworlders are a known fact, and this IS a waterfront resort. Creatures like Miwa might get some interested looks, but not particularly shocked.

    Raylene herself carries a bag as she gets off the ferry, and regards the place with a sigh. "Well. I suppose we can ask the local government, or just go to the amusement park and look around, if the rumors are true."

Miwa has been wandering again, and found herself in a different yet familiar setting in the waterfront resort area. She gets some food from a boardwalk vendor, and then makes her way further on to the beach, quietly singing a silly tune as she goes. Once she makes it to the beach, she works her way down to the shore and rests on her tail, munching on her food as the breaking waves gently wash over her tail a bit and the sun warms her up. She wasn't expecting anything unusaul to happen here, and was hoping to have a nice relaxing time seeing what different sorts of life lived here and sample some new foods.

    Rydia... Has no clue what Dagon is.
    Rydia has not been well since her last trip off her world. But Raylene said she needed help.
    So the Summoner is here, beside Raylene. And Rydia has been pretty quiet. Between looking pale, the paranoid glances over her shoulders, and occasional twitch of her hand toward the dagger on her belt at even the slightest glimpse of the color red, she should probably be taking a little more time to recover her wits, but here she is, a thin mist lingering around her like it always does.
    Maybe she can enjoy the resort a little to decompress AFTER this business is dealt with. "Mm."
    It is an entirely noncommital 'you decide' sound that she makes to acknowledge Raylene.

    Vivian has done herself up to be a young woman in glasses, wearing a powersuit. No, not power armor, but the business skirtsuit that says professionalism in the 90s! Because it's the 90's here. The statuette is in her briefcase, but her cover is kind of awkward with Elise, armored and cowering, following along. For some reason, she doesn't mind.

    And yes, she's heading for the amusement park!

    "It is some means of triggering the awakening of an ancient being," Vivian answers. "I think-" She stops when she sees smoke rising from the entrance, and then sighs heavily. "I hope this doesn't mean trouble."

    Meanwhile, inside the amusement park, the ley lines are strong all over the area, but yes there is a good intersection right near the ferris wheel. And the power here is... old, very old. Not stagnant, but like it's waiting to be used. It almost feels like it's just the tip of the iceberg though...

    As for Raylene, her senses can also tell where the ley lines lead! Yes, the amusement park is one option. And fortunately, being a teenager people just assume she's here with her parents. Not to mention Rydia, who is possibly a little sister... but the green hair gets a few looks.

    Miwa's looks are strange, but a lot of children in the area stop and ask her questions about what she is and where she's from! They seem friendly enough, just curious, since pokemon aren't really seen in this area of the World Tree much.

    "Rydia, we need to find that statue before... oh. Hmm. This could be helpful." After all, Raylene is not confident on the ability to take on Vivian by themselves. She knew the woman was a powerful mage, using attack magic that was far more quick and powerful than her more subtle curses and the like. Fortunately, she recognized Miwa. The question is... how to approach? She needed to act more like a 'normal girl' didn't she?

    Tugging Rydia's hand, Raylene hurries over toward Miwa. "MIWAAAA! Hiiiii!" Her free hand waving, she greets. "It's me, Raylene! It's great to see you! Hey, Rydia and me are gonna go hunt down an artifact that's going to release an ancient evil that will devour all life on the island, over in the park I think. You should come with us! It'll be fun!"

    That's how normal girls talk, right?

    Raylene is scampering off toward the park right then!

Lezard doesn't know he is like a half step in front of Vivian, but there's a high chance that things are going to draw together quickly in the near future. His boot scuffs out the runes once his divining has revealed what he wants to know. "Of course." He mutters, adjusting his glasses as he sets off towards the Ferris Wheel. 

Once he gets there, he casts his gaze over the mass of metal, looking about. "This power is looking for an outlet. Given a proper way of tapping into it, perhaps..." He sighs. Sadly, his techniques lack a way to really manipulate said lines in any reasonable timeframe. He has no interest in staying in this place any longer than necessary. 

However, there is the matter of finding the proper focus for said energy. He casts about, looking for a passage down. Should he find one, he'll head down. There's too much power here for it to be merely lying out in the open...

    There's a reason Elise has to be in armor right now! She's actually kind of stuck like that until a situation resolves. That's what she gets for letting all the voices out instead of just the sane ones.

    Relatively speaking.

    At least she's not a lumbering beast in power armor. Even like this she's pretty quiet, it's obviously an agility-based suit. More skintight than power armor, even! Reploid-like, really.

    "I-Is that old power going to be f-friendly to us?" That's probably a dumb question. But now she's worried! Good work Vivian, Elise can add being eaten by a cosmic horror to her list of fears. Dying isn't even on the list anymore!

    The amusement park is a nice sight, and for a moment Elise even seems hopeful! "O-Oh, I've always wanted to go to an amusement park, this could be... f-fun..." Ah, there's smoke... and fire.

    Hopes and dreams ruined.

    "M-Maybe it's just a garbage bin fire..."
    Pls.

Miwa loves kids, and happily answers their barrage of questions, even shows off a bit by spraying a stream of bubbles into the air and then following with an icy wind, turning them into glittering frozen orbs as they fly further up into the air before falling into the ocean. Of course, play time must be cut short because all good things come to an end, and Raylene comes up to her. 

 She recognizes the young woman and smiled. "Oh hi! You ran that haunted house thingy..." She starts before Raylene tells her what's going on, leaving her looking a little shocked for a moment. Finally she sighs and shakes her head. "Why can't it ever be an artifact that brings happiness and rainbows?" She says before turning to the children. "Well, I guess fun time is over, I have to go it seems. I'll come back though and maybe you can show me the amusement park, never been to one." She apologizes to the kids, then turns back to Raylene. "So, do we have a plan?"

    Taking on Vivian would present an obstacle yes. Though it's one that Rydia practically leaps at the chance for whenever it arises. The girl still hasn't forgiven the Swan.
    It's questionable if she ever will.
    Still, she could pass for a little sister easy enough. Even if she probably doesn't look related to Raylene in the least. It's when the other girl takes her by the hand that Rydia seems to snap out of her stupor a bit. "Huh? Wha... Oh. Miwa. Hi."
    Looks like she's met the pokemon too. But before Rydia can properly say anything, Raylene proves precisely how much of a normal girl she is.
    Probably in front of all the children assailing Miwa.
    If any of those kids get interested or curious it could be a nightmare.
    "None of you can come, and if you follow us, you'll get eaten."
    Somewhere in the distance a wolf howls ominously.
    Right, so heading to the park with Raylene and Miwa now.
    "Honestly I don't think artifacts like that exist at all." She asides to the pokemon's lament about smile-inducing relics.

    Yes, Lezard isn't far from Vivian... which could be interesting, because she IS carrying an artifact of power, after all. And she probably knows where the entrance is? Not that it's hard to guess. Most of the park is above ground, so obviously one of the few buildings would have an entrance to go down. Most likely the old stone tavern that is the attraction of the park for relaxation. It's also nearer the entrance, which means Vivian and Elise are standing right there.

    And Vivian is saying quite clearly, "Oh, we're going to run, I have no intention of staying around once this Dagon creature is on the loose. We're just letting it loose and leaving, nothing complicated." Even if she isn't totally sure HOW.

    "Oh, excuse me, sir."

    "A plan?" Raylene glances back. "Oh, we just need to steal the statue back. Yes, yes, stealing is bad, but she stole it away. It belongs in a museum." Or under protection. Or in her private collection. Raylene isn't picky, she just doesn't like awakening ancient evils.

    "Of course there are happier artifacts," she points out. "Those are the ones people make MORE of. Like televisions." She sighs. "But for now... this amusement park looks like it may be broken into. I'm going to send my friend in, you should all follow him."

    Her friend being the invisible beast that starts to thud into the place. Negotiation? What's that? Maybe the others should try something.

The thought of simply blasting a hole into the ground to create a shortcut crosses Lezard's mind, but he discards the idea. The collateral damage would be too great and he has no interest in disturbing the local (magical) power grid. He turns back to the tavern he saw nearby, approaching only to see a pair standing there. 

He pauses, looking them over. Him in his 'actually a wizard' suit, them in their more modern (and futuristic) affairs. 

"Well then. You are not here for the tour, one presumes." Lezard states to the pair. "So I will not waste our time. You want to release this creature you speak of. What do you stand to gain out of it? It's clear that you have no intent to establish control. Satisfy my curiosity and perhaps we will see if we have common cause." 

Of course, there happens to be an invisible beast incoming, so that might be a thing.

    Vivian can sense life, so she knows /something/ is coming, but has no idea that it's invisible. So she is not going to see the Horror on the way, which can give the three others enough time to catch up since she has another distraction here. Elise will have to handle any incoming!

    "I see," Vivian says, looking the 'wizard' up and down. She could reach out with her senses to see if he has magic... but he seems knowledgable, and she has better things to do than try to guage power. "We are here to destabilize the area, shifting the balance of power in the balance of these worlds toward something else. Controlling it would actually hurt our cause, and truth be told I have no desire to harm innocents anyway." Says the life-draining witch.

    So just wake a beast up and run away?
    She's pretty sure she can't screw THAT up.

    Not that it makes Elise feel much better.

    Then there's a wizard and in a dramatic costume and cape, and Vivian's already dealing with him! And nothing about the Adept can sense the incoming horror, either. She's too focused looking at Vivian and Lezard and worrying about whatever comes next.

    The more serious Elise might be able to sense something approaching, but that expertise and attentionspan is currently unavailable!

Miwa follows along, trying her best to keep up with the two girls who had actual legs. "You consider a television an artifact? I didn't think that things they sell in electronics stores which people throw away after a few years counted as artifacts, aren't they usually ancient?" She asks Raylene, though when they get to the park entrance, she shifts her attention to the business at hand. 

 "Follow your friend?" She wonders who this friend was, but even though she can't see the invisible beast, she continues on, asking. "Should we stay on the ground out of sight? I could float up in a bubble and get an aerial view, but it will probably attract some attention..."

"You will find there are dreadfully few innocents on hand." Lezard replies dryly. "But very well, I am not opposed to a bit of chaos. I will lend you my assistance if you are willing to agree to repay it in turn." 

Goodness, it seems like the entire group here isn't equipped with Detect Invisible. How inconvenient! He nods to Elise politely, who seems to be acting in a minion or hireling capacity. At least by default, since Vivian clearly chose to speak for them both. So many foreign lands... 

He looks back to Vivian. "Wery well. I will accept your direction. What must be done to accomplish this feat? I trust it has something to do with your case?" He nods to the briefcase. It doesn't take much to tell something interesting is in there.

    Televisions count as artifacts?
    "I don't think those count as artifacts." Rydia says dryly.
    Moving along, Raylene calls upon the Horror, and Rydia's lips purse. She can't see the creature, but she has an idea of where it goes via sound, but...
    Well it looks like there's no actual plan here. And Rydia can't exactly sneak around when her wardrobe motif is varying shades of green. So...
    Rydia just follows the sound of the Horror.

>> SUMMARY[Rydia] >> Probably walking right into the boss encounter with the Horror. #YOLO.

    What kind of plan could Raylene make? She doesn't know anything more of the situation either! Just that Vivian is there and they need to stay AWAY from her! And here, here would be a great time for an invisible thief to sneak in and snatch the briefcase!

    Unfortunately she controls the Dunwich HORROR, not the Dunwich SNEAKTHIEF. So instead of going after the case, there's a low, snarling growl, and ELISE gets pounced, the creature just trying to gnaw at her and giving away its cover. Sigh.

    It would be a GREAT time to steal it, because everything is about to get... messy. Vivian is setting the case down. "Excellent. A little extra magical support would be grand. I'm quite good at reading the magic here, but it is slightly different from my own. All we need to do is activate this, and if you wish you can have whatever other spoils are down below in the-"

    Elise gets attacked right about then, and makes Vivian spin around. But what she does to attack is not aim something at the invisible horror... because right then she turns further, and a storm of razor sharp winds slices through the door of the old tavern, splintering it and causing a burbling screech to rise from within. A pale, slimy fishman hand grasps the edge of the doorway, bleeding ichor, and several sets of glowing eyes appear in the doorway.

    Wasn't it strange that no emergency services came to the park? Apparently while the Horror is pouncing Elise, some of the 'elders' have decided to grab what is theirs.

    Elise is suddenly pounced.
    It's very lucky that Elise's armor is sturdy. Very sturdy! It protects her delicious, fleshy body parts from being gnawed by an invisible horror possibly made of teeths and maws.

    It's not sturdy enough that it can't cause her to yelp in pain as it sinks its teeth into her arm and basically flails her around like a chewtoy for dogs. Life is awful for Elise right now!

    She shrieks, and wails, and remembers she isn't helpless! After an uncomfortably long while. Hopefully Vivan isn't syncing on her too hard, because she's terrified and in pain. ... more than usual.

    Elise produces a short blade, a kunai, and with her non-gnawed arm lobs it at the horror. It doesn't stay a kunai, though.

    On impact it morphs into a battered, barely held together zombie rancor, which engages the horror in a wrestling match. Its skintone is sickly black, its veins purple and glowy, it's missing an arm, it has large holes in its head and back courtesy of Cayde and Thanatos. But that's all the better, because it's leaking that corrosive, blinding purple blood everywhere.

    Don't expect a coherent sentence out of Elise though.
    It's mostly 'WAAAAAH!' right now, and not the Waluigi kind.

Everything promptly goes wrong. It always goes wrong. Lezard does not panic, but he does scowl as Elise is simultanously pounced while Vivian detects that the Deep Ones are trying to pull some shenanigans. "An ambush!" Lezard calls out, his cape flourishing as light flares up beneath him. The tome over his hand begins flipping pages as he begins drawing power. It's slower than Vivian, but the energy is being fed though his focus and amplified... 

His hand draws through the air and points at the incoming Elders. Hey. You guys are all wet and waterlogged. Lezard has a solution for this. 

"LIGHTNING BOLT." He states simply... And with a clap of thunder, a huge fork of lightning blasts into that doorway and begins arcing through the enemies. In the aftermath of the assault, Elise's clever use of her kunai inevitably draws Lezard's attention. "... Fascinating." He says. "It seems I've fallen in with some talented people." That doesn't mean he's backing up Elise though. He's busy clearing the way for Vivian.

>> SUMMARY[Lezard Valeth] >> LIGHTNING BOLT, LIGHTNING BOLT, LIGHTNIIIIIIING BOLT!

    Well, there goes the Horror. Rydia doesn't have to see it to know what it's doing once it gets ahold of Elise.
    The green-haired girl winces. Between the two Elises she knows, that seems like the one that genuinely needs a hug.
    But it looks like Vivian definitely isn't in on this alone, between Elise calling that undead *monstrosity* and the wizard that Rydia has never seen before.
    Hopefully he's just a lightning user.
    It is while Vivian is distracted by the Deep Ones that Rydia curses leaving her bow behind. But it would probably be suspicious to openly carry that around a more modern world like Raylene's. Rydia uses the chaos of the moment to start trying to edge her way closer to the Swan while the fish men and Horror put on a show.

Miwa doesn't seem to get an answer about whether they wanted a bird's eye view of what was going on, but at this point things were underway and it seemed like a moot point anyways. The undead... thing, that Elise sends out is certainly most foul and it almost makes Miwa throw up just looking at it from a distance, though she manages to just gag a bit before trying her best to remain composed. For now, she doesn't join in and attack, but follows Rydia's lead and tries to move in closer while keeping an eye on what is going on, and trying not to go out of her way to make herself a target, though her shuffling movements walking on her flippers and tail are a bit slow so like it or not, she is a bit of a sitting duck.

    The summoning of a RANCOR does make for something the Horror has to deal with! It's the greater threat, and immediately purple blood splatters everywhere! The Horror's shape doesn't seem to be easy to pin down even splattered with something, especially as the blood does eventually fade rather than linger... but its location is now visible, and the inhuman screeching also says that it is possible to burn it with corrossive liquid.

    Yet strangely it seems invigorated by this! It may not be very smart, and bites down on the thing that is bleeding acid all over it, but it's also extremely durable. Raylene peeks in and winces. "Oh come now..." Sigh. "Deep Ones now? At least they seem to be opposed..."

    "Excellent," Vivian laughs, watching the lightning bolt arc through the Deep Ones and sizzle and fry them. Shrieks of pain sound from within, and she is... she is... happy? Why is she happy? She normally doesn't laugh at causing pain. But right now she feels nothing but hatred, burning hatred mingled with panic, which has her sending scything winds funneled right into the building again. It's overkill, really... Lezard has probably caused them to slither back into their hole. It's also left her briefcase unguarded for Rydia and Miwa to sneak up on it. Hopefully Elise can pull together and be useful, because surely the intelligent green-clad girl would grab that given the chance?

    Lezard will find the creatures dying has caused an odd surge in energy though. The leylines react to their death. How very interesting, isn't it? But without a focus, it isn't going toward anything but raising the local mana levels.

    The rancor may have looked like it was going to put up a decent fight, but to call it a zombie is to somewhat overstate its, well, state. It's really half of a zombie, and when the Horror is done with it, it's...

    It's not much left.

    Miwa might at least be happy to find out that instead of awful gore being hurled everywhere by the Horror's mutilation of the rancor, it's harmless black dust and mist. Elise's zombies tend to fall apart and crumble to dust like that. The only thing left behind is all that goopy purple blood.

    In the chaos, Elise seems to have freed herself from the Horror, tumbling towards Lezard and Vivian, only to realize they're dealing with fishmen.

    Between that and the fact the Horror's shape couldn't even be made out when it was covered in purple goop, the Adept is squirming. Hard. So much so, in fact, that she can't manage to to launch an attack of her own back in either direction. She just kind of. Lashes out with her power, a spark of violet, soul-manipulating light fueled by fear and panic.

    The fallen Deep Ones' skin turns black, and their veins light up bright purple and their blood turns into more of that corrosive, blinding goop. The question is, is Elise in control of them?

    To her credit they do try to overrun the Horror. They just... also lash out at everyone else ON the ground, by pure collateral, not intention.

    Rydia could go for the briefcase. She has the perfect opportunity to do so. A good opening, a prime chance... But she also has the opportunity for something else... An opportunity for brute justice.
    A child's hate is a such a pure thing. Single minded simple. A keen focused and tiny fury in which they know they have been wronged and still have the naievetee to believe that everything will be made right again once they attain revenge on their perceived aggressor. Rydia's hate for Vivian is almost utterly beautiful in its simplicity, constantly simmering until this one moment. This one instant in which she believes the Swan's back is to her.
    That hate SURGES into something almost vindicitively delighted and heinously excited as the child draws her dagger.
    Rydia's heart races as she raises the blade. There are no words for this moment. Just the sudden extatic thrill of imminent self-administered justice as the last Summoner ignores the briefcase in favor of letting out a wordless cry, intent to jam her dagger into Vivian's back.

>> SUMMARY[Rydia] >> Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. And attempted homicide.

Miwa saw the briefcase ahead of her, and looked around briefly. It seemed like she hadn't attracted anyone trying to kill her just yet, and Rydia was busy trying to kill Vivian, whom she surmised was the owner of the briefcase, which she guessed probably held the artifact. Miwa couldn't really pick it up with her flippers, at least not easily, and for a moment, considered just freezing it to the ground, but there is another way she can carry it. Moving close to the case, she forms a bubble of water around it and herself, and begins to sing in tones, lifting up the bubble with herself and the case inside it with her aquakinesis and begins heading off into the amusement park looking for a place she could hide the case were no one is likely to find it.

>> SUMMARY[Miwa] >> Miwa takes the case and flees to try and stash it somewhere.

    Oh the Rancor is dying. Again. Raylene starts to scurry out from the gates toward the case... but she sees the magic used by Vivian and realizes it's her. She also sees that the man in the glasses is some kind of powerful mage, casting lightning like that. No, this isn't worth getting killed over! Instead she mentally directs the Horror to lunge toward the tavern, swiping at the walls to try to knock out some support. She knows the exit must be there, so bringing it down would thwart Vivian's plans...

    And also bring the Horror closer to the deaths, where it can soak up that delicious life energy.

>> SUMMARY[Raylene Dunwich] >> Horror is knocking over supports and nomming on Deep Ones.

Everything erupts into chaos around him. Lezard isn't enjoying this kind of chaos. Everyone is all over the place, trying to attend to their own issues. Though, to be fair, this kind of chaos is rife with opporunity... A purple flame erupts in his hand. "Open the gates of Niflheim. More souls await..." He drawls, and reaches out towards the dead Deep Ones... 

But Elise's power strikes first, not requiring a ritual. Lezard actually looks momentarily surprised as the new undead rise, and one of them rushes even him. "A lack of control ill befits you, necromancer." Lezard comments, the book in his hand suddenly interposing itself to block the Deep One. Pages splay out, driving the thing back like they were steel, before whipping back to his hand. "Tch. This is not going the way I would hope." 

Rydia tries to stab Vivian, the invisible horror is battling and trying to smash things... With a sigh, Lezard shakes his head. Time to cut losses and... 

He turns, looking to the briefcase. It's not there. His eyes widen for a moment, and he looks about for it... 

And spies the floating bubble. His eyes narrow. "You will not escape so easily! Let's see if you have the power to escape the wrath of a sorceror..." Lezard cries, stalking towards Miwa and away from the battle. Another circle of power draws itself under him as he channels his magic once more, and he points at the flying Pokemon. "LIGHTNING BOLT!" He cries, hurling another thunderous bolt of lightning into that sphere.

>> SUMMARY[Lezard Valeth] >> Someone's trying to jack a macguffin that isn't Lezard? LIGHTNING BOOOOLT. Hope you're not /actually/ Water type.

    If it makes Lezard feel any better:

    "I-I'm sorry!" Elise weakly intones when he addresses her as a necromancer. It's not wrong, but necromancer probably implies a level of skill this particular Elise lacks.

    On the bright side Raylene's Horror is making the threat of a potential Deep Ones zombie apocalypse pretty unthreatening as it munches and munches on the life that was newly restored into those particular ones.

    They probably taste foul because of the purple blood, but the high-life fiber content of the zombies more than makes up for it.

    That also basically means Elise's zombies aren't able to stop Rydia or do much of anything ELSE, for that matter. It's safe to say one Horror beats a few dozen uncoordinated zombies, even if they have superhuman strength and claws and corrosive blood.

    ... but it would probably be pretty important to make sure not a single zombie escapes, because they're absolutely contagious. Not enough to overwhelm the present company's defenses, but regular folks are another matter.

Miwa doesn't even hear Lezard coming, only alerted to his presence as she hears him shout 'Lightning Bolt!' but by then it's far too late for her to even attempt to do anything about it. The bolt of lightning easily pierces her bubble, causing it to burst and then evaporate from the heat, and in the same instant, strikes her directly. She lets out a blood curdling scream as she and the case suddenly begin to fall to the ground. Fortunately she wasn't floating very high off the ground, so she in the case land with a pair of dull thuds rather than a splat and a crunch. Miwa doesn't move after that as she'd fainted before she even hit the ground.

>> SUMMARY[Miwa] >> Lezard used Lightning Bolt, it's Super Effective, queue the swirley eyes.

    No NOTHING is going as hoped! The Horror is smashing into the wall supports, and the tavern is creaking as it falls... crushing the few remaining Deep Ones that crawled out from under. There are plenty more, but they'll have to come around the long way.

    Also undead Deep Ones are attacking. Fortunately Vivian has dealt with these before. "Ugh, Elise... keep your zombies under control." The one that lurches toward her, she reaches out to... using her dispel to slice its support, and at the same time causing her illusion to fail and reveal the black swan wings and dark skin. Of course, dealing with the oncoming Deep One zombie from her ALLY leaves her open to...

    Rydia's stab. It's not fatal only because her wings whip outward, obscuring the stab, and that is a reaction to the surge of hatred and the realization that SOMEONE is behind her. A last minute twist keeps it from being a deadly blow, but Rydia gets to feel the satisfying bite of steel into flesh. Just before a wing thrwaps at her, trying to clear some space.

    Great, it all went sideways. Well, Vivian didn't have her heart set on this one anyway. Clutching her side, she weighs her options... "Come, Elise. We can do something else. This seems too much trouble." A seething glare at Rydia, and Vivian sends out a torrent of wind, meant to blast away anyone and provide a few moments to get away. Lezard is too much of an unknown for her to feel comfortable engaging enemies right now, especially with an unknown ally(Miwa) here.

Lezard doesn't bother responding to the apology. Elise acknowledged the issue, it's on her to improve. Still, at least she had the wherewithal to acknowledge it was a problem...

More importantly, Miwa is blasted from the sky. Water and electricity don't mix. "What manner of beast is this?" Lezard muses as he steps over Miwa, considering her for a moment. The book in his hand flips rapidly and he looks into it, but no answers seem to be forthcoming. It closes, and instead he picks up the case with the artifact. "This belongs in surer hands than yours." He comments, turning away from Miwa... 

And looking to Vivan and Elise, who might have the chance to see Lezard holding the case with the object Vivian was intending to use for her work. "Perhaps we will meet again in better circumstances." He calls to them, as a circle of light begins drawing itself under him, the Sorceror initiating his teleportation magics as he slowly begins to fade out...

>> SUMMARY[Lezard Valeth] >> Lezard does Villain Things, and picks up the macguffin. Begins teleportation sequence.

    Rydia is thwarted. Denied her justice, the Summoner lets out a sound somewhere between a cry of frustration and a grunt of pain as she's belted back by Vivian's wing. Rydia skids onto her ass on the floor and immediately begins scrambling backwards and away. In a direct confrontration, without another chance for a devious strike like that, Rydia wouldn't stand much of a chance at all against Vivian. Coupled with the fact that Lezard and Elise are there backing her up...
    Rydia meets Vivian's glare with a loathing glower. But the girl is not suicidal.
    Instead, she opts to book it for Miwa once Lezard starts to vanish. The mist around the Summoner detaches from the green-haired girl, coalescing into the semi-solid form of a dragon hatchling, which scoops Miwa up, to make a hasty retreat.

>> SUMMARY[Rydia] >> I'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME GADGET. Also does anyone know where the nearest Pokecenter is?

    You don't have to ask Elise twice, Vivian.
    She doesn't even care Lezard got the thing!
    It was probably cursed and awful.

    As she leaves the last few of her zombies behind to... well, keep doing their thing, which might be limited to getting devoured by Raylene's Horror at this rate, Elise engages her apology engines at full thruster, and Vivian is going to be hearing whimpers and apologies for the next... oh, thirty minutes easily.