Hopeless Hearts

Hopeless Hearts
Date of Scene:	25 December 2012
Location:	Traverse Town - Coliseum
Synopsis:	Avira rushes to the Coliseum, intent on rescuing Maira. She is confronted with a series of tests, but will she be able to pass the final one and free her friend? Or will hearts be broken instead?
Cast of Characters:	Ember, Jasmine, Avira, Maira (Aka: Uist), Angantyr Vespar

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No title. (2012-12-20 - Now) No description.

Ember has posed:
The enormous Traverse Clock tower boomed down the hours..10..11..12. Twelve hours at midnight. The silver half moon hangs eerily in the air, shining a shard of silver light upon the Olympic Coliseum that seems to be otherwise empty and dark. A few flaming torches light the main walkway into the arena within which is open and ready to accept its guest tonight.

The place seems otherwise deserted - not even heartless lurk here tonight..

Avira has posed:
Walkway? Hah.

The appointed time comes and the clock chimes...yet the destined combatant does not arrive through the welcoming walkway. The tunnel (or vomitorium, to be specific!) is completely empty. Instead, a dark shape plummets from the sky like a stone, landing to perch upon the archway where the tunnel meets the open air of the arena.

Irritated, Avira stretches her wings out far around her and shakes them. "Where are you..." she sneers, displeased to find this place empty.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
There was plenty of darkness in the stands. In one such shadow, something used a portal of darkness to come into the stadium, and using the shadows, crouched down to hide himself deep within those things. He looked out, down at the stadium itself as Avira would be flying down. The yellow eyes simply follow her...looking around the facility for any heartless, Maira, or Ember.

If he said that he wasn't itching for another chance to completely smash Ember...he would be lying. Only LEXUS' interfearance saved her the last time...let us see if the Program would do so again this time. Angantyr remains still, watching things unfold for now...

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Also, on one of the other balconies overlooking the arena, is a figure cloaked in shadow with flames seemingly coming off the top of his head. For now, he watches, observing what is going on in what he considers to be his domain.

Ember has posed:
Indeed, where is Ember? Where is Maira, for that matter? The place seems empty of any life? Did she forget? No, of course not. The shadow knight would not have forgotten this for the world. She's there in the shadows, waiting, expecting her, and suddenly another corridor of darkness appears and she steps out of the bleachers, peering into the skies towards the descending Avira. "Ahh, Avira. So good to see you again. I trust you're alone?" She peers around warily, making sure they are indeed alone. If there are others here they are hiding well.

Avira has posed:
"Yeah." Avira snorts through her nose. Her right hand reaches back behind her and from the small of her back, she pulls the Spine free of its long sheath. "Of course I came alone. Now where the hell is Maira?!"

Yes. 'Alone.' She explicitly told those who had been warned of this not to come with her since Ember had indeed threatened to kill Maira. Of course, if they happened to come by a little later, that clearly did not count, right?

With a hop, Avira jumps off the archway and into the colloseum bleachers. "Answer. Now."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
The shadow stays still, watching...

Where was Maira? Her safety is important, and once she was safe...

Angantyr is going to completely obliterate the woman, but GOD the urge to just appear right now, to smash her with everything he had. Angantyr shakes the throught off, friends first, smashing second.

The figure with the flaming head leans forward a bit, a bucket of popcorn appearing on his lap. He also casually sips a cup that appears in his seat's cup holder.

Ember has posed:
Ember seems convinced enough after a quick scan, before looking back at Avira again, "Good. Don't worry about Maira, she's safe. We took very good care of her.." Ember smirks, although she's still partially hidden by the darkness. Stil, she steps forward into the moonlight a bit, but she still seems a lone. "I have her hidden but I'll let you speak with her. Maira..."

Ember has posed:
"Maira, Avira wishes to speak to you. Go ahead and talk to her.."

Maira has posed:
Bait. That's what she was. She was a little fish on a hook, wriggling to catch the real prey; Avira. Maira is sure of it. She knew Ember was using her as a lure, and the most likely catch would be Avira, clearly.

Knowing that makes Maira doubly upset. This has to be some kind of trap, but Ember wouldn't tell her anything. While she hadn't been ill treated, she was angry, frustrated, and terrified.

Maira stands in what appears to be a white silk dress. Not for luxury, no no, but because silk is flame retardant, and Maira of course keeps igniting in an attempt to escape; and because she simply cannot help it. She is obviously bound by chains that chafe her skin, rubbed raw from resisting. Around her eyes is a black silk blindfold.

Uist is hovering nearby, seething with anger. Like Angantyr, he wants to rip Ember to shreds and use those shreds to make Maira a new handbag.

She doesn't know where she is, but she can hear Ember's voice, saying that Avira has come.

"Avira!? Get out of here! She's just using me to lure you here!" she cautions, though Avira likely knows this and came anyway.

Avira has posed:
"'We'?" Avira's eyes narrow, growing luminous in the darkness, not unlike that of a Heartless. The mutate takes another step towards Ember. "Just who else is in on this?" She demands, her fur standing on end. It was not lost that Avira has garnered mutliple people that would dare do something like this lately.

More importantly, the 'we' worries her. This was definitely a trap, wasn't it?

Then she hears Maira's voice. Her ears flick all around, as if trying to pinpoint the direction. "I can't!" she roars back, her anger obvious in her voice. "I'm not going to just /leave you/!" Growling, she looks back to Ember.

"So?" she glares at Maira's captor. "Go ahead. Spring your trap!"

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr resists the urge to growl...

He had to wait...but in the meantime he tried to use his position in the stadium and improved ability to see through the dark to try and find Maira. Where was she...he thought, trying to track her down. Spotting her would be the issue...he was sure whatever had her bound would be less so. The monster's strength was something to be feared.

Siiiiiiiiiip.

Jasmine has posed:
And then, walking softly but steadily, there is a person in the tunnel after all. One quiet step at a time, Jasmine makes her way through it; torchlight plays across her slight frame, her now absolutely tattered robe and veil (as opposed to how it was when last seen in Bevelle, when it was merely shabby). The mud ground into it looks like nothing less than the remnants of some sort of intentional camoflauge, and her sturdy SeeD traveling boots, so totally unlike the rest of her humble Agrabah attire, stand out more than ever. The light is caught, and held, by her eyes.

They gleam with silent determination, as she follows her instincts into the arena. Whether it was the sources of darkness that drew her, or their light, who can say? She glances up at Avira, then over to the corridor of darkness, and has to stop herself from broadcasting too much by getting very far into a look over her shoulder in Angantyr's direction.

The changes wrought unto her friends, some seen, some sensed, bring tears to her eyes -- tears of sympathy, tears of frustration, tears of sorrow. There is no question in her mind that even this tragedy can be overcome, but the difficulty of their path is painful to see. She blinks them back, setting her chin and clenching her fists; tears will help nobody, least of all Maira, who sounds like she's in serious danger.

Clearing her throat, she announces herself gravely, her soft, sweet, familiar tones carried clearly across the intervening space by enunciation, not decibel. "Avira came alone, but she will /not/ stand alone. Release Maira /at once/." Her imperious command dares contradiction. Her next words, however, dangerously purred, invites it.

"Or trap us, if you dare to try. I'm done running."

In the general direction of Maira's voice, she finishes, very gently, yet with iron certainty, "Everything is going to be fine."

Maira has posed:
Ember chuckles a bit, shaking her head. "We, the shadow lords..While she was our guest back at headquarters.." She is careful not to give away the location or even the name of the place. She wouldn't want them to storm Hollow Bastion afterall. "However, you can rest assured that it's just you and me. Oh, but I wont be the one to fight you tonight, but I'm sure you'll have no trouble with this!"

She snaps her fingers and the coliseum suddenly lights up in a row of brilliant flaming torches that line the arena. From the center of the arena rise up numerous planks and barrels, walkways, bridges, waterways etc. In other words, it's an obstacle course, of the most deadly kind. Indeed, heartless crocodiles lurk in a river, and under the bridge, and even flying around the monkey bars. Yes, this is quite a deadly obstacle course!

"If you want to rescue Maira, first you must complete this obstacle course. Reach that gold star at the top, and I will free her from her prison. Well, how about it? Your dear friend's life hangs in the balance. I hope you're not too scared to back down now.."

Maira has posed:
Maira knew she'd say that. Of course she would say that. But, now that she is here...maybe, just maybe, Maira can once again try to escape? She doesn't know what to do. She can use Uist. He is her ace, but there is only so much he can do. She needs to plan use of his manifestations VERY carefully.

In short, she is just going to have to wait a while longer and see (figuratively, she's blindfolded) where this leads.

"Avira...please be careful..." she says, hoping her friend can still hear her.

Then another voice is heard, one that is recognized as belonging to Jasmine. Maira looks up, wishing she could see. "Just...look out for Avira and yourself!" she calls. They hadn't really harmed her so far, she has to hope that would continue.

Avira has posed:
Well then. Avira had always suspected that Ember was involved with the Shadow Lords. This, however, confirmed such a thing. "We'll see about you not fighting tonight..." Avira growls again, taking another step towards Ember.

Then something else unexpected happens, her certain 'plant' commenting on just as much. "...what?! No! What are you doing here?!" Avira is certainly alarmed at Jasmine's presence. For good reason, too, since she knows that Jasmine has been targeted herself in the past. Though her desire to help was admirable, the danger the princess was now putting herself in was immense. It was enough to make Avira forget about her and Angantyr's current states.

Thankfully, the 'host' tonight doesn't see fit to strike out at Jasmine. Yet.

Instead there is an obstacle course. "...that's...that's it then?" Her thoughts drift back to Angantyr's words. If that was the case, then- "Very /well/, I will run your course." She huffs, returning her weapon to its sheath.

Jasmine has posed:
"Believe me," Jasmine reassures Maira, "I will."

Trivializing Maira's life over the outcome of an obstacle course horrifies the princess, and after recovering from a breathless, reeling moment, hand over mouth, she pins Ember with a disgusted stare. But then her smile ignites, exuberantly warm, burning more brightly than any of the torches, when Avira protests her presence; she shakes her head patiently, serenely, her great black tail of hair flicking out behind her. Without saying another word, she answers the VALKYRI's question through action, leaping up onto the first rank of barrels.

Go -- her smile says, for her -- I'll cover you.

Ember has posed:
"Yes, that's right. Good girl. You show me what you can do, you show me how far you'd go to save your precious friend and I'll let her go.." She smirks as she watches from the bleachers still, although that cocky smirk quickly fades at the sight of Jasmine. Yes, she's fought this one before, but she does not know that she is one of those pure hearted ones the heartless are seeking.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" Her eyes narrow, glaring at Avira, "What trickery is this? You said you came alone!" She glares back at them, "Well, if that's how you wanna play it, I guess I'll have to play by my own rules then.." She snaps her fingers and more heartless step out of the portal.

"You'll have to work extra hard now. Have fun!" she quips cheerily. The girls' first find themselves on a large pedestal overlooking a large gorge. On the other side is another large pedestal, but between these are ropes hanging from a low ceiling and sparsely spaced stepping stones. Seems they'll have to jump or swing across. There are also heartless in the pit below and heartless flying in the air all around.

Avira has posed:
Anger flashes in Avira's eyes, triggered by quite a few things. That patronizing method of referring to her, not unlike a dog. The smirking. Jasmine being here and the extra complication it brings. The 'extra Heartless' now summoned by the Shadow Lord.

Avira grumbles a few things to herself under her breath and easily scales the platform, leaving clawmarks in her wake. Once atop, she seems to consider the options. Sure, she could try soaring across, but that seemed to easy-so likely a trap.

Nevertheless, she gives a good hop into the air and uses that to grab onto one of the dangling ropes. The wings continue to be a good method for her to generate swinging momentum to let her swing across, hopping from rope to rope.

Any flying Heartless that get in her way are promptly jumped on and savaged.

Jasmine has posed:
"I am called Jasmine, and I walked. She didn't know I was coming -- but don't patronize us by suggesting you wouldn't have 'played by your own rules' anyway, whether or not I'd come," the young woman replies calmly, unwaveringly, when addressed by Ember.

This particular Shadow Lord may not be on Maleficent's 'need to know' list yet, but at the very least she may well be able to put two and two together and get 'hmm' out of the Heartless' probable reaction to Jasmine's presence, which is roughly summarizable as 'moths to the flame'.

At the very least, the princess tries to put this to good use by taking the stepping stones while Avira uses the ropes. If that helps clear the high road, so much the better. She leaps gracefully, staying on each rock for no more than a moment, and doing her best to keep the Heartless in the pit from snapping at her heels by dissuading any takers with a sharp kick.

Ember has posed:
Ember recognizes the flash in Avira's eyes with a smile. "Yes, that's the fire I want to see. Go all out, show me how hateful you can get. I want to see the darkness in your heart.." The arrival of Jasmine and her intent to help out Avira however, causes Ember to frown.

Who is this mysterious woman? She had fought her before, but the woman had proved quite strong and she had ended up stealing the dalmation from under her very nose. Ember knows not to take her lightly.

"Hmph." She folds her arms. "So I suppose you're supposed to be some sort of 'hero' too then, hmm? And yet my heartless seem to be quite intrigued by you.." She makes a motion towards the heartless who seem to make a beeline specifically for her, moreso than Avira.

Still, they attack the both of them, spewing fireballs at them, or body slamming into them. They seem to be mostly giant bat heartless who breathe fire, and attack with their sharp claws. Although many are knocked off balance by Jasmine's powerful kicks and agile moves, there are still quite a lot of them. This may require teamwork.

Meanwhile, most of the ropes suddenly turn into heartless snakes, hissing and biting and spitting poison at the heroes, while the stepping stones below shift and move, some of them suddenly vanishing while others suddenly pop up or simply rushing up or down, making it harder to leap from stone to stone.

Avira has posed:
"Shut up." Avira snaps at Ember, "This fire isn't all for you, but when I'm done with this..." The mutate actually shuts her mouth at this point, realizing that threats really aren't going to help her out that much. Not when Maira is being held hostage at the moment. This Shadow Lord has threatened to kill her friend.

Then again if she killed the Shadow Lord first she wouldn't have a problem, would she?

"...it's just a little darkness." she tries to convince Ember, "Nothing to get too excited about."

The mutate grabs onto a rope and slides down in surprise, nearly falling as the rope turns into a snake that bites deeply into her arm. Shocked, Avira lets out a yowl of surprise and starts to squeeze and grasp it, climbing up it and evading further bites from the snake. She leaps to another rope...which also turns out to be a snake.

Crying out in frustration, she lets herself drop, landing atop one of the giant fireball-spewing bats. She looks down, looking for Jasmine, just to make sure she doesn't fall, before leaping onto a different Heartless, then grasping a rope. Seems this time she's learned from the previous experiences and swings off of it quickly. Quickly enough to avoid being bitten.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr rumbles...there is just a slight noise from his shadows. Anything could have made that though...

It is very difficult to hold back...not because of the darkness, strictly, but because Angantyr has always been someone who lived by his impulses. He watches Avira take to the course...he can see that darkness grow. It is going to be harder the more this happens...and the Shadow Lords seem to be aware of this...

Damn that LEXUS.

However, this woman...she would be his message to the other Shadow Lords. About messing with those who he cares about. He only prayed he would get that chance before something bad happened to Avira...or Maira.

Maira has posed:
Only being able to hear what is happening doesn't give Maira much to go on. All she can do is offer encouragements that feel hollow even as they leave her lips. Feeling helpless is one of the most terrifying feelings one can experience. Not only helpless, but at the mercy of someone who put her life in the balance for what appears to be nothing more than a sick little game.

"I want out," she whispers.

There is still Uist. Perhaps there might be a way...

Ember has posed:
Avira's threats only seem to make Ember smile all the more, seeming all the more eager and encouraged by her anger. "So you say, but..I can sense the anger and hatred in your voice and in your actions. That is the stuff of darkness. That is what will soon turn you into a much more fearsome warrior than you are now. Just think of the possibilities! You limit yourself so much by holding back, by trying to be a hero.."

She laspes into silence now as she watches how Avira and Jasmine deal with the next wave of monsters. How very creative, jumping onto the backs of the very heartless that attempt to drag her down into the pits below. While Avira makes it across safely, Jasmine is suddenly dragged down into the darkness, vanishing into a trap door. Likely, she'll emerge elsewhere, safe and sound.

As for Maira, she sighs and shakes her head. "You poor thing, you are so dependant on her for love and friendship. Butthat is your greatest weakness. Just relax..It'll be over soon!" Avira steps on the other edge of the precipice and faces a dark tunnel knee deep full of water, electric heartless eels and who knows what else?

"Nice work, Avira! Now for your second trial!"

Avira has posed:
Using her claws, Avira scales her way up to the opposite side and hurls herself onto the platform. She rolls over onto her belly to watch Jasmine's progress and her eyes widen as she disappears into the darkness. For a few seconds it actually looks like she's going to hurl herself down there, after her, as she frantically murmurs to herself.

"-no I won't!" she calls back defiantly, struggling to keep the doubt out of her voice. Even now she can feel the darkness inside of her, throbbing and pounding against her head. She seems about to say something when she stops and strains, as if trying to hear. She /really/ wishes Angantyr had done 'that' sooner.

She looks down that tunnel, then looks up, growling. "Love and friendship is my strength and the strength of VALKYRI! It is /not/ a weakness." Nevertheless, she is angry! Drawing herself up, she heads into that tunnel, wading through. Her eyes can be seen in the darkness but despite this, they don't really offer Avira any extra light. For this challenge...

...she figures she'll just have to suck it up and move as fast as possible!

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
There is but a flicker of movement...

Angantyr reaches into himself, seeing Jasmine fall into the depths...which forces him to act. He reaches down, pulling into the cooridor of darkness to disappear, and reappear below her. His hands reach out, despite their size, and catch the falling Princess of Light, Before another cooridor of darkness appears in the stands...

Angantyr knows someone as sensitive to the dark as Ember would realize cooridors were used, so he does not hide his presence now, instead he places Jasmine down in the stands, and levels his gaze towards Ember.

He is silent, not aggrivating Ember...for now.

Maira has posed:
Maira grimaces at Ember's words. Her greatest weakness. Really? Maira doesn't think of herself as strong. She knows she is flawed in a great many ways. Indeed, self-esteem is something she really should work on.

But relying on her friends as her greatest weakness? No. No she does not agree. "You are wrong...so wrong," she replies, her voice filling not with anger by with pity. "I'm so lucky to have people that I know I can rely on. Friends I know will be there for me no matter what...and friends who know I would do the same for them. No, that's not a weakness...and if you think it is, I really...I really feel bad for you," she replies.

Ember has posed:
"You're wrong, Avira. In the end, you're all you have. In the end, your friends might die, or betray you, or grow bored of you. You cant depend on anyone but yourself. Dont you see? That's what I'm trying to teach you here. Instead, you're wasting your time fighting the wrong enemy..But you'll see, soon enough!"

Jasmine disappears but Angantyr manages to catch her, setting her down somewhere safe. The low growl from earlier, coupled with the use of dark energy does indeed cause Ember to give pause, peering intently into the darkness. No, she definitely was not alone but..Who..?

"Who's there? Answer me! Avira, you'd better not have brought another friend..You really have no sense of honor, do you?" She snarls, pondering calling in for backup..

Then Maira says something that makes her stomach churn. She grits her teeth, glaring into the darkness, at that secret place where she has hidden the other girl. "Dont ever feel pity for me.." She snarls. "Pity is for the weak. You're just young and naieve, that's why you think that way, but you'll see..You'll all see!"

Meanwhile, Avira will find that the dark tunnel waterway will occasionally light up as the electric heartless eels in the water crackle and flare to life, sending out shocks of lightning through the water. IT's enough to give a general idea of what she is facing. Up ahead, numerous blades swing from the ceiling of the tunnel. If she doesn't time her movements just right, Avira might just get sliced up by those blades..Or shocked by the heartless eel below! Already, they start to leap and jump at her from the water.

Avira has posed:
"/Teach/ me? Is that what all of this is about?!" Avira growls, still slightly distracted. A few seconds pass and a brief look of relief falls upon her face. "Sounds like somebody needs to teach /you/ a thing or two! Humor me, what is the enemy I SHOULD be fighting?'

She wades through, stopping suddenly and screaming as an eel winds around one of her feet and zaps her. A hand plunges down into the water, rips the Heartless off, and then tosses it down the tunnel. "Now I didn't come with backup. I followed your instructions. If someone happened to follow me here, well-" Avira smiles a cruel smile, "That isn't MY fault. Besides, you're not alone here either."

There's a glance in the direction of a certain balcony where a popcorn-munching god may be watching.

Suddenly a blade swings down before her, shearing off some of her arm fur as she does, and the mutate jumps back. The rest of the tunnel comes to life with whirling blades and jumping eels. How the hell was she-

Suddenly an idea hits her. She backs up a bit to the entrance of the tunnel, then sticks her taloned feet into the side, digging her claws into the stone. With a lot of flapping and swinging, she manages to secure herself, then walks up the side of the tunnel until she is upside-down, her feet clinging to the ceiling. Her hands spread out and magic dances across her palms. A LOT of magic. Far more magic than Avira's ever used as a human, mostly because that darkness inside of her is assisting it. It builds and builds until she unleashes a massive blast of ice down the length of the tunnel, freezing the surface of the water several inches thick, stopping Heartless and blades in their track.

Smirking, she drops back down onto the freshly-frozen ice surface and slides her way through.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
There is a chuckle from behind Ember...when she turns, the voice is gone. But the chuckle remains....all around, the voice of the monster rings, echoing off the walls. She can see through darkness, but Angantyr uses the size of the arena to his benifit.

"Honor? You speak of honor? Did you not kidnap a woman and are using them as a human shield for this woman here to play your game?" it chuckles, taking on a darker tone, "That sounds like the tactics of a coward...someone not confident in their own power." he rumbles again, the voice moving again, this time...

Two yellow eyes can be seen across the arena, staring right into Ember. "And your tone...so desperate now." he says, and sniffs the air... "Ah yes...fear. I can smell it...even if you were to try and run now, dear child...I'll follow you," it chuckles, a cruel thing at best. "So tell me...what protects you from me? Do you have a ...counter offer? Something...or someone to offer me in your place, dark child?"

Maira has posed:
Even blind-folded Maira thinks she can imagine Ember's gesture, even her facial expression. She believes what she's saying, experience has told her so, but there is a seed of doubt there, she thinks...a small bit of hope.

"No, I will not see. I have seen. I spent most of my life alone. I guess you don't know that....I never had any friends save Uist. My mom died young and she never really liked me anyway...I know what it is to be alone. I prefer having friends. Even if something happens, those experiences and memories will always be with me. So...so if that is what you are trying to accomplish with this game, you are not going to reach that goal."

Then Maira hears Angantyr and her eyes widen. "Uh oh."

Ember has posed:
The electric eels continue to leap and bite and zap Avira, although when she freezes the water, the blades also become stuck, at least for a few minutes. They seem quite powerful however and slowly rumble and shake in place..Fortunately Avira is quick as she darts down the tunnel, seconds before the blades cut through the ice and start churning everything up..

Ember's eyes flash as she watches Avira pass her second trial. "Impressive. Your ingenuity never ceases to amaze me. But, there's still one more trial to go.." She grins, snapping her fingers and a massive stone wall rises from the ground, pock-marked by a few jutting rocks in its surface. Giant fireballs rain down from above, and a forcefield from behind rapidly closes in on her, making it hard, at least from the ground, to take off and fly.

She just smirks at her comment. "Yes, teach you. As for your friends, they will not interfere. If they touch me, your friend dies. Hopefully that's enough incentive for you to stay out of this.." she glances over at the shadowy form in the darkness, whose voice is familiar to her. Ahh, of course, that bastard Angantyr. The cocky jerk who was already losing himself to the darkness..She'd heard a bit about Garland's exploits from her fellow Shadow Lords.

"You got that, dark one? Touch me, and Maira dies instantly. So if you try something funny, you'll regret it!"

Avira has posed:
Avira can hear Angantyr threatening Ember now. This is met with a mixed bag of emotions. On one hand, it was great hearing him being so mean. On the other...what if Ember really did follow through and kill Maira?! Avira would be devistated. Heck, so would Angantyr who did like the fire mage's company. "Hope he doesn't go to far-" YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE TO KILL HER NOT HIM. Avira grits her teeth and presses a hand to her chest.

Suddenly, her third trail is presented. Climb the wall, she realizes. Flying was severely limited. Without hesitation, Avira all but 'attacks' the barrier, clawing her way up it. A fireball shoots down in front of her and she scrambles backwards and sideways, narrowly avoiding it.

In fact, those fireballs really slow her down and she starts to struggle and become frustrated. Bits of rock crumble off under her grip, falling to the ground and she pushes herself onwards, holding on to the thought of Maira.

Pain shoots through her body at random intervals, brought on by the darkness. Ember and Angantyr can sense this happening. She's still trying to resist it on some levels.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr moves again, right behind her...

"Poor scared child. Where is your honor now? You question Avira's...but here you are, threatening to kill Maira. Because you didn't count on Maira's friends.." he says, rumbling. He doesn't touch her, but he gets CLOSE. Uncomfortably so, as he chuckles again.

"And how will you follow through on your threats? You are here, nobody is there. You could get there...but if you turn and run...I will follow. Do you think you could navigate the way there AND outrun me?"

He chuckles again, "No you can not. But the point is moot, is it not?" he speaks, "But...if your goal comes to pass, Ember." he says, lowly, staring right into her, "I will destroy you. Not just kill you, I will /Devour your very soul./" he rumbles. The darkness rolls off of him in waves...but something strange is happening. The darkness isn't consuming him, he is...stable somehow. Completely, stable.

Ember has posed:
Ember peers into the darkness, seeming to respond to Maira's words which stir something in her own wounded heart. But is it enough? "Heh..Don't fool yourself. Relying on others is just a comfortable dream that can never last. You were better off when you were alone. It made you stronger.." she shakes her head, trying to shrug it off, although it does bother her now..

"Say what you like. It doesn't really matter. This is something that has to be done. In the end it'll make her stronger, make her realize her true place in the world..As an agent of the heartless!"

She laughs, almost maniacally..Still, she's growing more wary of Angantyr. First Jasmine, and then this chump stepping in to interfere? Ember was not expecting this and so she thinks quickly, summoning heartless behind her, stepping back as Vespar gets too close. Damn, she has heard what he's capable of. Could she take him on alone? Maybe, but with avira here to help? Dammit...

She laughs a bit nervously. "Guess I'll have to even the stakes, call upon my own 'friends!'"Still, who is she kidding? The heartless are no one's friends. Even the other Shadow Lords are out only for themselves. she may be truly alone in the world but she's not about to ask for help from anyone. She'll show them, she'll show them all!

Avira continues up the wall, it's a long long wall, but somewhere near the top the golden star shines..The end of the course. Is Maira hidden behind that door? But first she must overcome this last obstacle! Some rocks jut out and others jut in, shifting, moving, making it hard to stay in one place for long. One some rocks, heartless spiders pop out too, trying to bite at her!

Maira has posed:
Though she can't see, she knows Avira is struggling. She can hear her. Sense it even. Behind her blind-fold tears are forming. She hears the threats from Ember. She wonders if she will actually carry through with them. She wonders if she should call her bluff.

"Avira...hang on! She will goad you!" Maira shouts.

Even as she says it, she's realizing something. The darkness present in the form Avira has taken, done to her by someone. LEXUS is known to be involved. LEXUS is a Shadow Lord.

That's it. That's the reason!

"Avira! This is part of their plan! All of it! The transformation, /this/...they want the darkness to consume you! It won't happen. Whatever you've done to her body...its just the outside. You're not going to change her heart with something like this. Just...Just stop this," she says.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"Do you think these things will stop me?" Angantyr taunts. He looks down at them, pittiful things, he mutters, and turns his gaze back on Ember.

"Listen to yourself. You 'serve the heartless'? Nobody 'serves them'. They have no agents, they have no friends. They /are/! They consume...they are controled, or eat you. They are the very basic impuse of darkness...they very basic impulse of all life. Consume those who are weaker than youself...and serve those who are stronger.."

"You, little girl, are growing weaker of heart. Listen to you...the despiration in your voice as you realize the deck is stacked against you...and none of your allies are here. Face it."

"They sent you to feed someone they find more worthy. Avira and myself are worthy in their eyes, they want our strong wills for themselves..."

"You're just a weak willed prat who thinks she's a shark."

Avira has posed:
Man this is a long wall. Her speed starts to pick up as she seems to adapt to the fireballs falling down, learning how to quickly swing herself out of the way to other portions of the walls. The jutting out rocks are the most useful to her...when they stay still. She has a few misses that make her drop several feet before she's able to dig her claws in and hang on.

Then the spiders come. This receives IMMEDIATE SWEARING. "Spiders?! Why did it have to be spiders!" she wails, grabbing one and flinging it from the wall. Looks like Avira is no fan of spiders at ALL.

Her lips curl back. An agent of the Heartless? "N...no, /never/! I will never serve the Heartless."

With a surge of strength, she claws the edge of the wall and pulls herself up. "Maira..." she says quietly. Avira looks tired. Even with this body, this course is exhausting.

Ember has posed:
Ember narrows her eyes angrily upon Angantyr as he continues to goad and taunt her. "You idiot. What do you know?" She smirks, "Of course I am not fool enough to be lost in the darkness. These heartless serve me, this power belongs to me, no one else." Still he has a point. Why did the others not come to her aid as Avira's friends came to hers? Was this just another test? Yes, that must be it.

"But if you dont shut up, I might just kill her and not even bother to give that girl a fighting chance, so just keep at it, keep on goading me! Do you think I'm just bluffing? I guess we'll see soon enough!" Weak willed? Hah! What does he know?!

Meanwhile, Avira continues to make good progress on the wall although the spiders wear her down, attempting to bite her with her poisonous venom. Some of them are easily hurled away, although there are so many and they are just increasing in number, leaping on her back, attempting to dig their venonmous incisors into her..

And then finally she makes it to the top, to the golden star! It seems to be some sort of door way, standing on a pedestal. Does she have what it takes to open that door, to face her fourth and final challenge?

Maira has posed:
Maira sighs, shaking her head. Ember will not see! She's too steeped in her way, in her experience. She doesn't know that it doesn't have to be the way she thinks it is.

Plus, she knows Angantyr. While she doesn't really know what Ember is capable of, she /does/ know what Angan is capable of. Great violence. He is very strong, and very angry. "I don't think you know what you are starting with this, Ember. They are not going to give up, and neither am I. You won't win, because you don't really believe in what you are doing. Not as much as you think you do," she replies. She's not insulting her, she's just calling it like she sees it. Ember's will to see Avira turned to Darkness is not as strong as Avira's will to save her friend. It is as simple as that.

Avira has posed:
Before she's able to claw her way up completely, one of those spiders does hit her! Left behind is the venom, which churns through her body just as badly as the darkness. She's absolutely shaking as she reaches it.

Shakily, she stands. Angantyr and Maira seem to be onto something with the little Shadow Lord. Why hadn't the other Shador Lords come to stop them? Hmmm.

Now the star. The doorway. Avira hops up and grabs for that star!

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr stands there, still watching her.

All he does is laugh, slowly and mockingly. "The truth hurts, doesn't it? Of coruse, your actions...oh so honorable huh?" he says, knowing she doesn't have the guts to do it. Ember knows her fate if she kills Maira...if she has the power. Even if she somehow managed to survive Angantyr, Avira would be there...then the Ghost.

Then the dozens of people that have been touched by Maira's heart.

Ember has posed:
Ember grits her teeth..D-dammit! She wasn't expecting this at all! Even if her plan succeeds, she may die at the hands of both Avira and Angantyr..And she doesnt look the dark one's attitude one bit! LEXUS had already warned her about what he's capable of, but he'd also led her to believe that Garland had taken care of him..How had he managed to overcome Garland's manipulations...?

She glances around, considering her options..She could escape with Maira, but..Ember was determined not to make such a weak and cowardly move. How would she ever face Seith after this? Furthermore, after all of this hard work, Ember was determined to see this through til the end. She would use Avira as her test subject, and maybe even force her to see the truth about the darkness. That fighting against them was pointless. That joining them was the only way, But..would she lose her life to them both in the process?

Angantyr continues to laugh and his laughter angers her further. How DARE he speak of honor, after he tried to murder that defenseless girl Leida? How dare he speak of fairness when he and Avira would team up against her, two against one..Three if Jasmine hadn't lost conscioussness?

She clenches her fists, and balls of flames engulf her hands. Her eyes seem to burst with flame as well. "You. Have no honour...Don't fool yourself, you are your greatest enemy.." She snarls at Angantyr as she vanishes through a corridor of darkness, appearing at the top where Avira is, simply watching and waiting as she opens that door. "This is it, your final test..Good luck, Avira!"

She opens the door and darkness engulfs her at first. It seems to be some sort of small cave, lit up only by a large flaming torch in the center of the room. Amber flames reflect off of the bound and blindfolded form of Maira herself who continues to struggle against her bonds.

But as Avira approaches her, a second portal of darkness appears between the two of them. The familiar form of Skoll strides out, leaping towards Maira as he pulls out his chain. His strides are cool, casual, as if he were taking a walk in the park. Just another day.."Farewell, Maira.."

Darkness engulfs his form as he swiftly wraps the chain around her neck, tighter, tigher..Then with a quick movement he snaps her neck and her body falls limp, lifeless.."I warned you not to get close to me, but you didn't listen.." He murmurs nonchalantly as he grabs the dead body and drags it through a portal of darkness, quickly closing it behind him..

Maira has posed:
Indeed, Maira struggles against her bonds. It is time to do something about this. Uist can manifest long enough to free her, they are both sure of it.

Then something happens.

Maira screams, but it is quickly cut short.

Avira has posed:
Reappearing in the new area, Avira is immediately bothered. Ember didn't say about going into a new area like this. Then again, it would explain why she couldn't see Maira in the first place. "Finally." she sighs and strides over to Maira, only for Skoll to appear between them.

Then Skoll pops out. She knew him well, knew he could use these portals but did not know he apparently was quite interested in /murdering her best friend/. "...what are you-"

Something /else/ snaps. A noise follows, sounding like a mix between a roar and a vengeful howl that manages to give off a distinct harbinger-esque feeling. Within the cave, the enraged mutate darts after the pair, lunging for that rapidly vanishing portal.

"LIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!"

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
A few things happen in quick succession.

First, Avira gets the star, Ember falls back into a corridor of darkness. It takes Angantyr a moment to follow...did she go back to her home..?

Then he smells her again, the creature turns towards the course, and right as he is about to use his own corridor.

Then Maira screams...the sounds right before then cause Angantyr's blood to go cold...there is a rumbling, not unlike a growl that courses through his throat as he hears it. Suddenly, everything changes. /Everything/. The one thing ensuring Ember's life was not forfit was just taken. A profound sadness pours through Angantyr, he liked Maira...she was a good person, she tried to talk to him when he had nearly lost himself to the influence of the serpent. She was one of the few people who only cared for others, and not herself. Maira had become his friend...

And someone just took her from him. Someone took someone close to him. Again.

Darkness spreads, but Angantyr controls it, he harnesses the anger and rage he feels, it rolls off his body in waves...his eyes snap open, channeling the darkness that surrounded him once more, errupting in a guyser of power.

Once the channel was done, he entered his own corridor. Appearing right infront of Ember, the darkness rolling over him, obscuring his form even more. All she could see clearly were the yellow eyes.

"You will pay." he says, calmly, "YOU WILL PAY!" he then shouts, voice reverbering as the darkness acts like a heat haze all around him.

Ember has posed:
Ember continues to observe Avira's response to Maira's 'death' as she screams and calls someone a liar. "Is he? He is also an agent of darkness afterall. But finally, he has returned to his proper place.." she sighs, "What a shame he had to learn the hard way. As for you.." Carmine eyes narrow, settling back to normal. "I hope you've learned your lesson."

She sighs, "You can't depend on anyone forever, because everyone dies, some day. In the end, you're all you can count on. How will your lofty ideals and silly hope see you through this now, I wonder? Will you continue to preach about how having friends will make you strong, even knowing how easily you can lose them? Hah!"

But, she is interrupted when that madman appears next to her, going crazy and losing control again. She sighs, turning to face him, unsheathing her flaming sword as she stands before him. "You're an arrogant idiot. Let's see if your bite's as bad as your..." But then suddenly Seith calls her back and she frowns. Dammit, not again! But Ember doesn't dare to defy such an order. It's right, they've accomplished what they set out to do, time to leave!

She darts back as Angantyr screams at her, swinging her sword back at him defensively. A burst of blinding blue white flames erupts from her sword, creating an explosion at him as she attempts to distract him, before forming a portal of darkness to escape through. "Sorry, but I'll have to cut this short..Til next time!"

Avira has posed:
"YOU ARE A LIAR! I played your little game, you preached your little crap about honor, you SAID I would get her back!" Avira roars, emerging from the cave, tears clinging to her face fur. She's obviously quite livid.

Still something didn't make sense. How did Skoll know to come here? Know to attack Maira? She'd never said ANYTHING about Maira before. "I PASSED YOUR STUPID TESTS AND YOU DIDN'T KEEP YOUR END OF THE BARGAIN! THE ONLY MISTAKE I MADE HERE WAS TRUSTING YOU!"

One thing is for certain, as she flies after both Ember and Angantyr. She is "smoking" with shadows quite strongly, ones that quickly turn into blue flames. It's something she's used twice before since attaining this form. Notable since Avira...never had fire magic before. This was wrong.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr rumbles...

There is a brief moment where Ember hesitates...

Then he rushes forward, he doesn't look at Avira for that moment, he is just THERE as she tries to run back into the portal...and Angantyr's claws rip out at her...before a barrage of blood soaked claws follow the dark portal after her. She might escape...and even Angantyr knows better to chase her through there, but...

He'll give her something to remember him by. He doesn't say anything...his actions are enough for him.

He will have her blood.

Ember has posed:
"Hmph. I wasn't the one who killed your friend now, was I? It was Skoll. If you should be mad at anyone, it should be him, not me. So save your little speeches for someone else." With that, Ember strides through the portal, but not before Angantyr slashes at her with his claws with tremendous force, causing her to shriek out in pain as it rips through her armour and forces her to stumble to her feet before the portal snaps closed behind her.

Uist has posed:
That. Bitch.

Uist knows what is happening. For the briefest of moments he sees the illusion and a horror so keen rises in him he thinks he must have re-entered the world of the living. But no. He feels Maira. She's a presence in his head as he is in hers. They are tied. Bonded.

She's alive. It is a trick. And if he doesn't do something about it? Avira may just lose herself to the darkness, the very thing Maira warned her of.

As Maira is pulled through the portal Uist feels himself being tugged with her--but he must not go. Not yet.

Pulling from their bond, he borrows the energy necessary to manifest. As many have seen before, a blood red mist forms itself into the form of a large, winged man with rid hair and livid, flame colored eyes. He appears only briefly, weakened by the distance from Maira.

But it is long enough to speak. "She's not dead! Illusion!"

Then he disperses quite rapidly, the spirit rushing to follow Maira to wherever she's gone now.

Avira has posed:
"SPARE ME YOUR SNIVELING! YOU ARE THE REASON SHE IS DEAD! YOU TOOK HER AND RENDERED HER DEFENSELESS! SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ALIVE!" Avira hops onto the ground where the portal was, receiving nothing but air. A scream of rage escapes her and...

...Angantyr might want to back up. Right afterwards her magic is unleashed, which comes in the form of a blast of fire and shadow. Muspell comes to Traverse Town in one concentrated bit. She remains, crouched there for a few seconds, before she collapses to her knees, and starts to sob, hard.

Before the world broke, she never really HAD a best friend. It wasn't until she came to Ivalice and met Angantyr or to Traverse Town and Central Park where she got to know Maira, that she understood what having a real friend was like. Avira's previous life was filled with lonliness and mediocrity.

She doesn't see Uist, her head bowed and eyes clouded with tears. She does hear him, though the words still feel like a knife to the gut. An illusion? Well 'Ember' did say it was the fourth test, but...

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr turns...

He doesn't move. The fire hits him, the fire and shadow burns, causing him no small amount of pain as she burns...he growls, fighting through the pain as he moves slowly, aiming to kneel right beside her. Despite himself, he see's the rising darkness...it's starting to hold on her.

His hand moved to something on his neck, the pearl left to him...

He knew what would happen if he abandoned it...but... the alternitive was worse. He pulls it from his neck...and then grabs Avira's hand.

He places the pearl with the string into her palm. "Ware it. It will...help." he says, after a moment...he can feel it scratching at him again, but he see's Urist for a few moments.

"I'll follow him. You rest." And then Angantyr was gone.

Maira has posed:
Maira is evidently in the middle of a desert somewhere. As if she didn't have enough nightmare fuel for a lifetime, she's been shown an illusion too. To make her scream.

Now she falls through a portal unceremoniously onto he behind, still tied up and blind folded, which is highly annoying. She struggles, trying to determine where she is. It's hot. The sun is shining on her. The ground beneath her feel like sand. Is she on a beach? No, no ocean sounds...

"Desert," Uist informs her, weakly. "Someone will be be coming for you soon."

Maira lets out a sigh, nodding. It's almost over. Every muscle in her body aches from being tied up. She's terrified for Avira and Angantyr. "Almost over..."

Apparently, she needs a bodyguard or five.

Avira has posed:
This time she didn't feel the pain. Maybe this time she was okay with the darkness. It could help her kill Ember the next time they meet, right?

Angantyr shakes her out of these thoughts and places something in her palm. Immediately, she feels the effects and immediately she feels guilty. The pain returns, that extra darkness inside of her feeling alien and unwanted. Her hands shaking, she slips it over her neck.

"T..thank you..." Avira manages to choke out. Once he's gone, though, she resumes crying.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
There were only a few moments...

Angantyr is quickly over Maira. He moves...but all she can see is a presence. The claws move down...

Snapping the bonds as if they were nothing, followed by the blindfold.

"Quickly, we need to leave now. Take my...claw." he says, with some reluctance. He does not like his current form, and remembering the day he had opposable thumbs.

Those thumbs kicked ass.

A corridor of darkness opened again, Aiming to help Maira though it, where it will open back into Traverse town.

Maira has posed:
Uist tells her when Angantyr arrives, she she isn't alarmed when he cuts her bonds (uh, they are CHAINS Angantyr you crazy strong beast you!).

As soon as she can move, she gets quickly to her feet and leaps at Angantyr, practically climbing him. Screw claw holding. Girl needs a hug. "Angan!" she cries, clinging to him fiercely. She doesn't care what form he's in. He's there, and he came for her.

"Tell me Avira is alright. She's alright, right!?" she asks, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks as her emotions begin to overflow.