4. Windstorm (Southan)

Silence resounded after Yama's last line. Even the storm seemed to pause for a brief moment. Then lightning struck a fence post outside, surprisingly not turning the fence into a molten heap. The ground around the location steamed from the heat though. One of the shadow wolves whined as the smell of cooked ozone replaced the far more pleasant scent of spices. Even the wet-wolf smell coming from Shiki wasn't half so bad. Not all would agree apparently.



"Well, I'm glad she's gone. She doesn't need to hang around anyway. Yama is mine." The words were an explosion from the Nyokan woman, just as violent as the lightning that just connected. Her next words were quieter, less certain. "He promised."



"I think that after we finish talking with Ziana, we need to have a long talk about how long Lizzet has been haunting you guys..." Misami trailed off as she looked between the two estranged lovers. "Clearly, she's not at rest."


Looking to Misami, Yama says, "That'ssss an underssssstatement."



Keeping quiet about what Yama had said, Shiki commented internally, ‘Hell a woman ticked off at ya... that’s never a good thing... and I know that for a good fact.'

As he looks over to where Misami was, "Do you have any idea where Ziana would be at... the sooner we get this done with, the easier we could hopefully rest."

"I think she's the energy center that I sensed that way," Misami stated, pointing towards the hallway that the shadow wolves had been exploring before Yama had spotted Lizzet outside. "It's the most concentrated energy center in the whole house."

As she had mentioned her being the large mass of energy that was in the middle of the house, 'Aw crap... it would go to figure... but for someone that would be able to control the weather, it would go to figure they would have a large magical energy.'


"Well..." as he lets out a short sigh "... shall we make our way to that area."

As he gathers his thoughts he summons the shadow forms near him, and begins to direct their path to the hallway where they were gathering before.

Seeing where Misami was pointing, Yama said, "Well, not gonna get a lot done jusssst ssstanding here."

As the small group headed down the hallway, the smell of ozone faded under the heady smell of magic. At the end of the hallway, there was glass door that led to what looked like a courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard was a dark, hulking shape that extended up into a swirling mass of clouds. That must be the tower that they had seen from the outside.

It certainly explained why Misami had sensed the magic center to be "up".

Looking up at the tower, Yama says, "Well, thisssssss will be amussssing." Looking around, tongue darting in and out, Yama says, "I believe we have company, ssssmellsssss like Rajani."



Terry looks in the direction of where Yama just looked, sparks up a cigarette, lets out a long exhale, and then says, "What does Rajani want?"

Hearing that Rajani was somewhere from the scent that Yama mentioned, Shiki calls forth the shadows and they begin to form their fighting form, with claws ready and fangs bared.

"Well she hasn’t been too friendly to us lately... and something tells me that she might still hold an ill favor to us... " 'or me and Misami' "... so if you see her, might be prepared for pretty much anything."

"Um...I don't really know what Oathbreaker wants--but Rajani wants a family; someone to care about her," Misami explained softly to Terry. Kazuko snorted. Misami closed her eyes and took a deep breath before ignoring the woman and continuing. "But I don't sense her anywhere in the house. She headed away, quickly."

Terry finishes her cigarette and flings it out the window, and pulls her sidearm, "Well if she does come here for a fight, I'm ready to go at it." She cocked her weapon. "Didn't get much excitement with the last fight sadly."

Relaxing a short moment, when Misami mentioned that Rajani's aura wasn't noticed in the house, Shiki thought, 'Well at least that's one thing we don't have to worry for the time being... shes a rather loony one Rajani.'

With the shadows formed up, he motions them to continue looking around for possible threats "Well with this tower here, and whatever is at the top covered up in the clouds, anyone have an idea on what to do?"

'Hmmm, but she was here, well, one less problem to worry about,' Yama thought to himself as he spied something at the base which looks like a door. "Well, it lookssss like there'ssss a door at the basssse of the tower."

Terry places her sidearm back in its holster, "Well I guess that was a false call then, but knowing that we have enemies around keeping up guard would be most wise." Terry looks around to see if she spots anything out of the normal. "So who's going to check out the door up ahead?"

Misami cautiously left the sanctuary of the doorway that they were near and followed the rather cheery white stone path through the dimness. On an unconscious command from Shiki, one of the shades followed closely behind her. She paused a few steps into the courtyard with its hedges and plants. She looked up at the sky, still filled with clouds and sunlight struggling to puncture them. She held up a hand and then looked back at the group.

"It's not raining here. The winds above must be too strong."

Nodding to her motions, and glancing back to Shiki the shadow form looked at him Shiki gave the nod, the shadow vanished leaping from the base of the tower to the shadows and back again climbing the towers wall.

Taking his time, glancing as if to keep an eye on anything that would emerge from the cloud, the shadow continued the upwards leaps trying to scale the tower in a quick but still cautious manner.


As the shadow made its way up, Shiki began to make his way forward to Misami, along with the other shadow form behind him, "Well he hopefully will be able to make it up there, if there is a spot for him to jump to, he will scout it out from there."

As soon as the shadow touched the tower, the darker spot that they could see on the tower moved. Warm light spilled out of the now open door, illuminating the ground in front of it. The white path seemed to glow in the light. So did the pale buds huddled on a trellis near where Misami stood.



"I think she's expecting us," Kazuko said, shifting her grip on her little round blades. Her dark green eyes watched the now-opened doorway carefully.

"It could be set to magically open whenever someone gets close, but it would be better to be prepared," Misami replied. She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. Two shadowy versions of the healer appeared briefly before they absorbed back into her white fur. When she opened her eyes again, the red one glowed slightly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misami activates Animate Shadow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yama just watches, and keeps an eye out for anything to go wrong.

Terry readies herself, "Well a magic opening door or not, I think we should send a little welcome party to greet our host to make sure they're not setting us up."

As the door opened up in-front of the shadow, it relaxed its form, changing into its faster scouting wolf form.

As they all prepared to enter into the doorway, the shadow standing beside Shiki phased into him, and ran through him shifting into the one shadow Misami saw once before during their encounter with Kazuko, though it didn't seem to carry the malevolent aura from before.

"Well if we are being expected, i would guess we shouldn't keep the other person waiting..." as his voice trails as he looked up at the tower's cloud and then back to the now open doorway.

The party entered the well-lit room at the base of the tower. All that was in there was a staircase that spiraled around the inside of the round room with a wrought iron railing around the innermost edge. Looking up from the center of the room, they could see that the staircase went up to what must be the top of the tower.

In the center was a pedestal with a plate on it. The plate was covered in an assortment of cookies as big as Misami's fist. A strong magical aura surrounded the pedestal, so thick it took no special sense to feel it.

Terry looks at the pedestal and the cookies as well, "Well I guess someone was expecting a humble welcoming. All we need now are some chairs, a table, and some glasses of milk, and I think we could get a little comfortable. But even though I'm kinda craving for them, I really want to know who's place this is?"

"Milk would be nice," Misami agreed. "Who knew that Ziana would be so...welcoming?"

"They're probably poisoned," Kazuko said wryly. "That's what I would do for unwanted guests."

"Oh, they seem harmless enough," Misami came back, choosing to ignore the reference to Kazuko's murderous habits. "I mean, you can feel it in the aura of them. They're nice cookies."

Terry looking a little hesitant about the cookies, "I don't know about all that, I mean we need to be on our guard even though they look good. But I think I'll just pass on them until someone else does a quick check on them." Terry then steps back and looks up at the staircase, "But I'm really more so curious about who is atop the tower really. Terry then begins to walk to the stairs and sits on the first one, "I think I'll take a short break and catch some sleep." With that said Terry then leans up against the cold brick and falls asleep.

Yama, not liking this situation at all, walks forward to the cookie platter, 'I wonder,’ he thinks as he takes one of his claws, and spears a lone cookie, enough to puncture it to its core, then he pulls out the claw, taking a piece about the size of a marble and looks to Misami and Kazuko and says, "Keep an eye on me." With that, Yama pops the piece in his mouth.

"Sure, no problem..." The nekomimi trailed off as Yama's eyes glazed over before his lids slid half closed. An involuntary moan escaped the Nyokan as a pale green aura surrounded him. As quickly as it appeared, it sunk into his scales.

"Oh, no," Kazuko cried out. "My love! Are you alright?"

Watching as Yama ate a small piece of the cookies before them all, seeing the reaction as to what had happened, "Well i can probably safe to say, that's why you don't eat strangers food..."

As Yama's eyes glaze over, Shiki looks at the plate once again, trying to figure out what all is going on... "Well if she’s expecting anyone else to eat those things, by the reaction as to what Yama is having now, I’d say they are crazy as hell..."

As Yama comes too, "Ugh, what happened?" Yama looks up and says, "Actually, that wassssn't bad, no posssion that I could tasssste." With that, Yama walks to the cookie tray, finds the one he speared, picks it up, and says, "Down the hatch!", as he puts it in his mouth and eats it in a flash.

Watching in awe as Yama grabbed the cookie he just had a piece of... and downed the entire thing in one gulp, "Still seeing what you had just happen to you.. you still eat the cookie..." as he shakes his head, 'and here I thought I was a little on the odd side... he just tipped the scales'

As he steps back from the plate where the cookies rested, "I think I’ll be fine for now..."

"They really do seem nice--and they smell divine!" Misami reached for one, a gingersnap. Daintily, she began to nibble on it. She, too, half-closed her eyes in pleasure and moaned in delight. A pale blue aura surrounded her briefly before sinking into her white fur. "Oh, in Ozain's name, that's a damn good cookie!"

Meanwhile, Kazuko was feeling Yama's head as if looking for a fever. Her eyes were wide with fright. She had buckled her blades back onto her belt.

"Are you okay?" she asked Yama, worriedly.

Watching as even Misami took a bite into one of the cookies...'Aww... crap.'

Seeing for the brief moment after she ate the cookie the same aura that had once enveloped Yama had appeared and sunk into her fur, the one difference that he saw was that the aura she had, was a bluish tint not the green like Yama's.

As Misami regained consciousness from the cookie, "Well do you feel anything different... you had an aura like Yama sink into you... but yours was a bluish color..." kinda shaking his head trying to figure it out... "and i still stand by my ideal... im not eating those cookies..."

"Oh, I feel great," Misami replied trying to reach for another cookie only to meet with an invisible force. Realizing that she couldn't get another of the delicious cookies, the little healer pouted. "It tasted like my Mother's cookies. What the--"

With an almost-silent pop, the pedestal disappeared.

"Good riddance," came Kazuko's comment. She was still fussing over Yama as if waiting for him to keel over or disappear.

From somewhere above, a loud whistling sound came, like the sound created when you blow over the top of a bottle.

Looking up to the sound of the noise, his ears perk up... 'What is the deal with this noise... wheres it coming from.'

"Well seems that whatever the things were on the table, they are gone now... and with it, this noise is starting to funnel in..."

As Yama recovers from the cookie, he shakes his head and says, "Well now, firsssst I get knocked out by a cookie, now there'sssss thissss wind, what next?"

Terry awakens from her nap, "So umm, what did I miss?"

"You missed the best cookies in the world," Misami explained, happy to share the information. She turned to Yama. "Weren't they great, Yama?"

"Well, that dependssss, did they knock you out too?", Yama says to Misami.

"No--but then you didn't go unconscious either--though, you got lost in the, um, moment," Misami said blushing slightly. "You did glow for a moment while your eyes were closed. I wonder why that was. I don't feel any different."

"Do you feel any different, my love?" Kazuko asked, her hands clenching Yama's shirt and her eyes fixed on his face.

Yama pats himself up and down, and says, "Well, I feel fine now."

Shiki saw that the two are mentioning that they are okay after eating the food that was set out, and the lulling of the wind ringing in his ears.

"Well we aren't making much upwards progress to figure out what all is in the building here... I say since we are all now relatively back to normal " 'I hope.' "Let's make way upstairs and figure out what all is going on."

Terry looks around and gets up and stretches, "Well shall we be on our way?"

Slightly mollified, Kazuko wanders over to the staircase and starts up the spiraling stairs, leading the way onward.

"Onward!" Misami agreed before following the Nyokan woman. Shiki noted that his little healer was peppier than was her norm. It was similar to the few times that Misami had had coffee.

Lightning struck the ground just outside the door. The thunder following right on its heels was even louder than the wind whistling high above their heads. The wind barely paused at the rumbling sound.

Watching the reaction with Misami and how she was a little more active, Shiki thought, 'Well don’t know what it was that was in those things... but seems it couldn’t have been too bad...'

As he made way behind Misami up the staircase, hearing the thunder from the bolt, and the sound echoing inside his ears, he cringed for a moment while trying to get his hearing back form the noise.

“Well hopefully this will be done soon... the noise this place is making is driving me crazy... first a deep sounding wind, and now thunder booms.”

Terry following along quietly trying not to lose focus and is wondering to herself, why Misami seems to be so chipper.

"I hear that Shiki, the sssooner, the better," Yama said while following the group up the stairs.

"I really agree with that. We've had enough rain."

The group was about halfway up the tower now. The steps seemed to stretch on forever above them.

Terry lets out a slight sigh and then says, "This is an illusion from the looks of it, we're not getting anywhere at all."

Rubbing the back of his head, Yama says, "With all the other thingssss in thissss place, it would not ssssuprise me."

Kazuko's forked tongue made a brief appearance before disappearing into the bow of her mouth. She frowned, not liking what she had discovered. Her lips pursed as her eyes grew hard.

"There's a high concentration of magic in this area."

At the same time, Misami closed her eyes and sent her senses out, seeking any illusions. The tracery left by spells was harder for her to detect than people, but it was worth a shot. Like feeling a stare, she could just barely sense the ward over the area.

"It's a room," she announced, opening her eyes. Her red eye glowed briefly before returning to normal. "There's some kind of ward."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Illusion Ward on Room: Must make a Resistance check of 22 or better to disbelieve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kazuko activates Enhance Resistance.

Kazuko rolls Resistance.
12 +8 Resistance +4 Enhance Resistance = 24

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misami activates Enhance Resistance.

Misami resists [insert Magical Attack]
16 + 14 Resistance + 4 Enhanced Resistance = 34

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shiki watched as they both took time to sense what might have happened, watching the surrounding while they were preforming their ability.

As he is watching the groups surroundings the ringing in his ears continues to get louder from the echoing wind, enough to where he isn't making out what all they began to say. Terry readies herself.

"Well, let's go investigate," the sniper said.

Yama looks around and says, "Invesssstigate what? I don't ssse anything."

~~~~~

Shiki Activates Enhance Resistance

11 Roll + 4 Resistance + 4 Enhance Resistance = 19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry rolls to resist

10 Roll + 10 Resistance = 20 [fail]
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yama rolls Resistance

10 Roll +6 Resistance +4 Enhance Resistance = 20 (fail)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That hovering crystal over there," Kazuko replied. Disconcertingly, she stepped off of what seemed to be the stairs into what seemed to be open air. She didn't fall, however. It looked like she was just walking across a room. Misami followed closely behind but off to the side, proving that there must be solid ground there.


"It looks like quartz," Misami said, examining something that must be in the center of the room and slightly above her head. "It pulses with power. I bet that this is the power source." She looked back at the other three, noting their expressions. "It's alright. I know it seems weird, but it really is alright."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+4 Bonus on Resistance rolls to disbelieve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shiki watched as Kazuko starts to walk off the side of the stairs, nearing the edge and watched her lift her foot off the last railing of the stairwell,

As the wind from the building howls in his ears, the ringing continues, watching Misami follow behind Kazuko seeing that she is about to take the step off the edge, he tries to grab hold, but missing, he rears back to the safety of the stairwell.

'What is going on?'

"How are you two able to do that... it is impossible, you’re floating in air..." as he steps forward to look at the overhang of the stairwell, he glances down, seeing nothing but stairs for many, many flights.

Terry watches on in amazement, "I don't believe this! How are they able to walk without falling?"

As Yama sees the crystal, he sees the path following up to it. "Well, if you guysssss can't ssssee it, allow me."
With that, Yama's claws begin to snap, causing something to spread over them, until they looked like they are on fire.

~~~~~~~~~~
Shiki performs resistance

5 Roll + 4 Resistance + 4 Enhance Resistance + 4 Bonus = 17
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry tries to resist again

10 + 2 = 12 [fail]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yama rolls Resistance

14 +6 Resistance + 4 Enhance Resistance +4 Bonus = 29 (Success)

Yama Uses Fire Attack on Crystal
~ Magic check result = 12
~ ~ 12 + 26 Magic + 4 Enhance Magic -1 Hide Armor = 41 total (Make Resistance Check, or deals 50% more Damage)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The fire hit the floating stone and the illusion disappeared like smoke on a windy day. The large quartz point glowed--not any certain color, but all the colors of flames. Then a large black fissure appeared down its side. The magic contained within released suddenly, sending a wave of energy outwards. Close to the crystal though they were, Kazuko and Misami still managed to throw themselves to the ground in time.

Watching as the others dodged the wave of energy, Shiki watches as the blast nears him and manages to dodge the wave as it hit against the now apparent walls around him. Terry looking at the powerful wave coming towards her, "Dammit!" As Yama connects, he can feel the heat increase, and in one motion, drops flat to the ground.

Seeing the illusion of the stairwell disappear with the blast of the crystal they were talking about, 'Well great... now I feel bad for having fallen for something as crazy as that...'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Crystal Anchor rolls Resistance against Fire Attack.
6 +6 Resistance = 12 [61-6 = -55 points of damage.] [-19/36]

Crystal Anchor explodes in a concussive wave.
17 +0 Attack = 17 [must dodge (Defense) or take damage]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kazuko dodges the wave.
4 +12 Defense +6 Ring Blade (via Eye's Wall) +2 Storm's Surge +4 Sixth Sense +4 Acrobatics = 32 [Success!]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misami dodges the wave.
14 + 8 Defense + 7 Sixth Sense + 4 Spring Armor (Fighter) = 33 [Success!]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shiki’s Defense vs Shockwave
6 Def + 1 Vestment + 4 Fighter + 2 Sixth Sense + 8 Roll = 21

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry defends against wave

5 + [light armor] 2 + [fighter] + 4 + 5 [roll] = 16 [fail]
- 1hp

Total Hp: 14

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yama Defends against Shockwave
~ Defense check result = 20
~ ~ 20 + Defense 4 + 4 Hide Armor + 4 Fighter Path = 32 total (No damage)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The now empty room had scorch marks on the walls from where the shock wave had hit them. The walls were still round like the sides of the tower. In fact, they could see where they had come in at--a clear trapdoor had slid over the stairs leading back down to the base of the tower. There was no telling how many times they had walked around the outside edge of the room, thinking that they were going farther upwards.

Arching over the exit was another flight of stairs that led to an opening. Standing at the base of the stairs, they could see the swirling clouds that they had only glimpse from ground. Light and shadows flickered making it hard to see anything else from inside the room.

"I smell rain," Kazuko hissed excitedly. She shifted her grip slightly on her twin blades. "We must be close!"

"Yay, rain," came Misami's comment as she healed Terry of the slight blow she had taken from the wave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misami heals Terry.
11 (Magic/2) + 4 Healer = 15 points

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shiki looked onward as the flight of stairs that they needed to climb had appeared to them finally, and the cooling scent of the rain seeping into the room.

"Well at least we know we are able to get out of here now... thought what would lay beyond the stairs... if it had planned this... did they plan to be friendly to us, or did we fall into a trap for someone else."

"I'd ssssay it'd be a deterent from people climbing the tower." Yama says as he dusts himself off.

"Well with either way, we have managed to remove the ward... making it past here. So that would be a benifit to ourselves, however the people that put it there may not like it that we removed it... but it had to be done for us to move."

As he sees that Misami had finished healing Terry, "Do you feel like you could sense anyone past the stairwell now that we done have much of anything here that would cause confusion like that ward did..."

"Oh, this is much better," Misami sighed after a moment of sending her senses out. Then she got a really confused look on her face. Opening her eyes, she looked at Shiki. "It wavers between one person and then three with a shadow of another two--then there were many more, but those energy centers didn't feel like people. They felt like those things we fought in the ballroom. I don't know what's going on..."

"Obviously, there must be a strong energy bond connecting the people that you were sensing," Kazuko drawled. She glanced at Yama, a sly smile on her face. "Like the one connecting me and Yama. Right, my love?"

"Of courssssse, but I highly doubt that they're gonna welcome ussss." Yama says, looking up.

"Well, if they were anything like in the ballroom... then it should be fairly easy to deal with them, however if there were many of them... then it might pose a problem."

As he glances over to where everyone stood, the shadows bent around Shiki for a moment, and forming beside him were two shadow forms, each with a halo of energy crackling around their wrists.

"Well if we have to deal with something past this area that isnt friendly, then might as well have a little backup eh..."

Kazuko shifted her grip on her twin ring blades. Yama recognized the grin that her smile transformed into; it was the same one that she got whenever Lizzy and her sparred.

"I'm ready."

Misami closed her eyes and shimmered for a second. Two copies of her appeared on either side of her for the briefest of moments before they drifted back over her and disappeared into her lightly furred skin. When she opened her eyes again, the red one glowed slightly.

"I am as well."

"Well, let'sss not keep them waiting then." Yama says as he pops his knuckles.

Terry nodded, before shimmering herself and disappearing. There was no sound from her, nor was there any sight.


=[=]=[=]=[=]=



After some minor shuffling, it was decided that the shadow-versions of Shiki would go up the stairs first. Misami agreed only for safety reasons and insisted on going up the stairs next. Despite preparing for a battle, this was supposed to be a peaceful meeting. Unbeknown to the rest of the group, Terry was slipping up the stairway close behind her. Kazuko rolled her eyes at all the jostling, but when Yama stepped forward to head up the stairs, she fell into step right in front of her fellow Nyokan, murmuring something about protection as she did so.

Yama slowly taking his time going up the stairs, making sure not to make unnecessary noise, which wasn't hard, since Kazuko was in front of him.

Brimming with frustration at how he was fooled by the ward earlier, Shiki’s nerves were a little shot from the constant wind ringing in his ears, now echoing relentlessly as he tried to clear them from his head.

'The one time I had to play the relatively nice guy here and talk to this person, and I have to deal with the wind sounds, of all the things.'

As he lets out a low grump to the notion, 'Though Misami said this would be a ~hopefully peaceful~ talk with this person, let’s hope so.'

As he follows up behind Misami as she was walking up the stairs, his footsteps gradually got quieter, and his form started to take that of the shadows.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misami activates Animate Shadow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Terry activates Invisibility. [1/7 turns]

Terry activates Silence.
1 +6 Magic +0 Silence = 7

Terry activates Stealth.
11 +6 Magic +0 Stealth = 17

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shiki Activates Silence
26 Magic + 4 Enhance Magic + 6 Roll = 36

Shiki Activates Stealth
26 Magic + 4 Enhance Magic + 17 Roll = 47

Shiki Activates Rage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The top of the tower had no roof. The wall along the outside edge was barely up to Misami's chin. There was ten pillars. They fanned around the open area of the rooftop, scaling down from each other like widely placed steps. The lowest two were only three feet high while the highest were about fifteen feet off the ground.



The center two pillars held a platform aloof on which a woman danced with a large fan. The wind whipped at her pale hair and clothing in different directions. The clouds above her swirled with the motions of her dance. In the shadows of the pillars, small whirlwinds copied their mistress's dance. They certainly didn't seem threatening like the ones that had appeared in the ballroom...

The air was thick with the smell of magic and the ozone that follows spent lightning. Still, there was a hint of sulfur and brimstone that had clung to Rajani, but it was fading amidst the scents of the storm that Ziana Yauri was conjuring. A stray breeze may have also brought a hint of desert spices, but that was gone as quickly as it had come.

Watching the forms dancing in the winds they themselves were creating, and the known scents whipping through the wind, familiar scents like the spices that Yama and Kazuko knew, and in the mix, the stench of the sulfuric smell from Rajani.

As he stared further with his eyes watching the forms, still taking caution with what all has been happening, he leans over to Misami as she looked at the figures ahead, "Is this the one that we were looking for, do you know?"

"I don't know...she seems to be..." Misami said uncertainly, eying the dancer. "She definitely the source of the wind magic."

"Yes, that's Wind," Kazuko said with an assurance born of having been in Pathos for the last year. "She comes into the Order house with Water occasionally."

Terry eyed the sinuous motions of the dancer. Ziana Yauri was a powerful woman as the head of her family. Most of that power was political, due to the Yauri sisters’ service to the city of Pathos. Her motives were questionable though, and on more than one occasion.

“So what you're saying is she's here to help us or to prevent us from getting somewhere?"

"Judging by this storm and how long it's been going on, I'd say prevention is her goal." Kazuko's words were hard and flat. There was a light in her eyes that made it seem like she was itching for a fight--and damn whatever Mother Sera might say about it.

"Mother Sera said that the Yauri siblings provide a great service to the city," Misami offered, knowing that the excuse was weak even as she provided it. The longer the storm dragged on, the less help it was to Pathos on the whole.

"Leave," came a whisper on the wind, its demand clear despite the softness. "You aren't needed here. Mistress doesn't want you..."

Hearing the wind whispering in his ear, making it twitch as it did so, Shiki protested.

"Leave... we are needing to talk to her only, nothing more than that... once we talk to her we will leave."

As he grits his teeth together as the voice kept ringing in his ears telling them to leave, and the continued shrill of the wind echoing in along with it, 'This needs to end soon...'

"All we want isss jussst to talk, nothing more nothing lesssss." Says Yama, trying not to get real annoyed.

Readies herself, "Well sadly guys I don't think she's just going to let us calmly talk to her and then turn and leave."



"Leave," demanded the wind elemental closest to the stairs. It grew in size as it came out of the shadows. It now resembled the ones that had appeared in the ballroom.

The others came out of their shadows, watching the group with those suggestions of eyes. It was clear from their stances that they all agreed with the spokeselemental. They were advancing slowly.

"Stop," commanded a dull voice. The elementals halted. Even the wind stopped howling. Ziana sat down on the edge of her platform, her eyes reflecting nothing even as she examined the group before her. "What do you want that you would invade my home while I'm working?"

"A sssstorm lasssting for four daysssss isssss a little excessssssive, can you sssstop what you’re doing?" Yama says, knowing full well that this could turn messy.

"Oh, are you here to stop me? Master said that someone would come to interfere with my work." Ziana sighed as if it was a great burden to have to deal with this interruption. "I guess I have to destroy you then. What a pity..."

Without further warning, she stood up, now floating just off the platform. She brought her large fan around and let loose a burst of magic at the person in front of the group. Instantly a whirlwind similar to the elementals formed around Misami, holding her like a hostage.

"What a pity," she repeated. Laughter echoed from one elemental to another as they circled around the group.

"No elementals, she said," Kazuko complained in a stage whisper. "Just a story to frighten children!"

Watching as they all started to form around the group, and the shadow forms lingering by his side and they shifted to their fighting forms,

"This will not stand, we are only here to talk, yet you force us to fight these things."

As he sees Misami get captured by one of the elementals, he begins to lose himself, the shadow forms take on once what was seen in the Order house, they began to glow with a ravenous malice, one that even Misami had never seen before.

As he looks up towards the creator of the whirlwinds, his eyes glow with a golden red glare, 'This you will not escape from...'

Terry loads up, "Dammit I knew she was going to attack us!"

Seeing what happened, Yama says, "Well, can't blame me for not trying."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 15, 12,
Ziana activates Enhance Magic.

Ziana attacks Misami with Water Attack (Wind).
15 + 22 Magic + 4 Blast Mage + 4 Enhance Magic = 45

Ziana rolls Swiftness.
12 +14 Swiftness +4 Speed Demon = 30

~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 13
Wind Elementals (x6) roll Swiftness.
13 roll +6 Swiftness +5 Group Hustle +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 31

~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 14,
Kazuko rolls Swiftness.
14 +12 Swiftness +4 Speed Demon +1 Precognition = 31

~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 11, 19
Misami activates Enhance Resistance.

Misami resists Water Attack (Wind)
11 + 14 Resistance + 4 Enhanced Resistance = 29 [captured]

Misami rolls Swiftness
19 + 2 Swiftness = 21

~~~~~~~~~~
Shiki rolls Swiftness

8 Roll + 4 Swiftness + 7 God Speed + 2 Deadly Shadow = 21

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry’s Swiftness roll:

[swift] 2 + [r. flex] 4 + [roll] 2 = [total] 8
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yama rolls Swiftness check ; result = 12
~ 12 + 8 God Speed + 2 Swiftness = 22 Total
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Current Combat Order:

Kazuko [Swft 12] (31)
Wind Elementals [Swft 6] (31)
Ziana [Swft 14] (30)
Yama [Swft 2] (22)
Shiki [Swft 4] (21)
Misami [Swft 2] (21)
Terry [Swft 2] ( 8 )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You are a threat to my love. That won't do."

Those were Kazuko’s last words before she spun into what looked like a dance. Her blades flashed in the dim light as they attacked the elementals closest to her and Yama.

The wind elementals began to attack people in the group as if by some silent command. Ziana watched with a dispassionate face as the whirlwind containing the nekomimi healer began to slowly rip the woman apart.

"Master will not be pleased...that is a pity."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 20, 2, 9, 1, 17, 1,
Kazuko activates Enhance Weapons and Enhance Magic (combinable via Augmenter).

Kazuko attack Wind Elemental 1 with Ring Blade 1.
20 +16 Attack +6 Ring Blade +4 Fighter +4 Juggernaut +4 Spell Sword +2 Razor's Edge +4 Swift Attack +4 Enhance Weapons +2 Storm's Surge = 66
~~~~~Autocombines with Poison Attack!
~~~~~~~ 2 +24 Magic +0 Poison Attack +4 Blast Mage +4 Sadist +4 Spell Sword +4 Enhance Magic = 42

Kazuko attack Wind Elemental 2 with Ring Blade 2.
9 +16 Attack +6 Ring Blade +4 Fighter +4 Juggernaut +4 Spell Sword +2 Razor's Edge +4 Swift Attack +4 Enhance Weapons +2 Storm's Surge = 55
~~~~~Autocombines with Poison Attack!
~~~~~~~ 1 +24 Magic +0 Poison Attack +4 Blast Mage +4 Sadist +4 Spell Sword +4 Enhance Magic = 41

Kazuko attack Wind Elemental 3 with Ring Blade 3.
17 +16 Attack +6 Ring Blade +4 Fighter +4 Juggernaut +4 Spell Sword +2 Razor's Edge +4 Swift Attack +4 Enhance Weapons +2 Storm's Surge = 63
~~~~~Autocombines with Poison Attack!
~~~~~~~ 1 +24 Magic +0 Poison Attack +4 Blast Mage +4 Sadist +4 Spell Sword +4 Enhance Magic = 41

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 6, 16, 17, 7, 10, 16
Air Elemental 1 defends against Ring Blade 1.
6 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 22 [66-22=-44 hp] [damage/2 by Etheralness] [-22 hp = -6/14 hp]
~~~~~~~~Immuned to Psn

Air Elemental 2 defends against Ring Blade 2.
16 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 32 [55-35=-20 hp] [damage/2 by Etheralness] [-10 hp = 4/14 hp]
~~~~~~~Immuned to Psn

Air Elemental 3 defends against Ring Blade 3.
17 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 33 [63-33=-30 hp] [damage/2 by Etheralness] [-15 hp = -1/14 hp]
~~~~~~Immuned to Psn

Air Elemental 4 uses Wind Attack against Shiki.
7 roll +6 Magic +5 Group Effort +5 Sentai = 23

Air Elemental 5 uses Wind Attack against Kazuko.
10 roll +6 Magic +5 Group Effort +5 Sentai = 26

Air Elemental 6uses Wind Attack against Terry.
16 roll +6 Magic +5 Group Effort +5 Sentai = 32

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ziana does not act except to maintain her attack on Misami.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wasting no time, Yama attacks a pair of elementals in a flash of teeth and claws!

Yama attacks Wind Elemental 5 with Claw 1
~ Attack check result = 5
~ ~ 5 + Attack 10 + Claws 6 + 4 Fighter Path + 4 Spell Sword +4 Enhance Weapons +2 Razor’s Edge -1 Hide Armor = 34 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Poison Attack (Persistent Poison)
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 7
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 7 + 26 Magic +4 Sadist +4 Spell Sword +4 Blast Mage -1 Hide Armor = 44 total (Make Resistance Check, or lose 2 HP per Round)

Yama attacks Wind Elemental 6 with Claw 2
~ Attack check result = 15
~ ~ 15 + Attack 10 + Claws 6 + 4 Fighter Path + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons +2 Razor’s Edge -1 Hide Armor = 44 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Poison Attack (Persistent Poison)
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 7
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 7 + 26 Magic +4 Sadist +4 Spell Sword +4 Blast Mage -1 Hide Armor = 44 X total (Make Resistance Check, or lose 2 HP per Round)

Yama attacks Wind Elemental 6 with Bite
~ Attack check result = 11
~ ~ 11 + Attack 10 + Bite 6 = 27 total
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Shiki sees everyone else dart off for the elementals, his mind focused on two things, to get Misami out of the elemental, and get payback to the person who put her in there.

Sending off the two shadow forms chasing through the available shadows from the pillars in the area to close the gap, Shiki made his way towards the one elemental holding Misami captive.

Rending his claws as he neared the elemental, his growl sounding more like a roll of thunder as he neared the elemental, "Let her go now or suffer my wrath, and be torn asunder."

~~~~~~~~
Shadowform Shiki #1 (vs. Ziana)
Claw #1
16 Attack + 6 Claw + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 15 Roll = 53
Eldritch Attack
23 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Eldritch Attack +17 Roll = 48
Death Attack
23 Magic + 4 Enhance Magic + 8 Roll = 35

Claw #2
16 Attack + 6 Claw + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 15 Roll = 53
Eldritch Attack
23 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Eldritch Attack + 20 Roll = 51
Death Attack
23 Magic + 4 Enhance Magic + 3 Roll = 30


~~~~~~~~
Shadowform Shiki #2 (vs. Ziana)
Claw #1
16 Attack + 6 Claw + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 16 Roll = 54
Eldritch Attack
23 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Eldritch Attack +11 Roll = 42
Death Attack
23 Magic + 4 Enhance Magic + 6 Roll = 33

Claw #2
16 Attack + 6 Claw + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 15 Roll = 53
Eldritch Attack
23 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Eldritch Attack + 11 Roll = 42
Death Attack
23 Magic + 4 Enhance Magic + 11 Roll = 38


~~~~~~~~
Shiki ( attacking elemental holding misami )
Claw #1
16 Attack + 6 Claw + 4 Ninja + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 15 Roll = 57
Eldritch Attack
23 Magic +4 Ninja + 4 Stealth + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Eldritch Attack +4 Enhance Magic +2 Roll = 45

Claw #2
16 Attack + 6 Claw + 4 Ninja + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 10 Roll = 52
Eldritch Attack
23 Magic +4 Ninja + 4 Stealth + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Eldritch Attack +4 Enhance Magic + 5 Roll = 48

Claw #3
16 Attack + 6 Claw +4 Ninja + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 18 Roll = 60
Eldritch Attack
23 Magic +4 Ninja + 4 Stealth + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Eldritch Attack +4 Enhance Magic + 5 Roll = 48

Claw #4
16 Attack + 6 Claw +4 Ninja + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 6 Roll = 48
Eldritch Attack
23 Magic +4 Ninja + 4 Stealth + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Eldritch Attack +4 Enhance Magic + 9 Roll = 52

Claw #5
16 Attack + 6 Claw +4 Ninja + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 17 Roll = 59
Eldritch Attack
23 Magic +4 Ninja + 4 Stealth + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Eldritch Attack +4 Enhance Magic +19 Roll = 62
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For a moment, Misami was trapped in the vortex of wind. She could feel the wind ripping tiny pieces of flesh out of her exposed skin. She tried not think about the fresh liquid she felt soaking her surrounding skin. Then the deadly energy was gone, replaced by a far more familiar feeling.

As the whirlwind dissipated, she took a gulp of fresh air and staggered forwards a few feet. Running on instinct, an aura of green energy surrounded her. As it faded, the missing pieces were back and most of the blood had disappeared. Traces of it still stained her white outfit, however, a reminder of her previous peril.

Terry loads up and says, "Well this fight is hopefully one I'll get some involvement in.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misami (having already failed her initial Resistance roll) takes 22 points of damage from Ziana's Water Attack (Wind). [2/24 hp]

Misami heals [insert Name].
11 (Magic/2) + 4 Healer = +15 points [17/24hp]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry defends against Wind Elemental 6's Wind Attack:
10[base] + 7[roll] = 17[total] [failed, lose turn]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The female Nyoka flew backwards towards the shallow wall surrounding the rooftop with the force of the wind pushing at her. Try as she might, she couldn't seem to move away the hard stones.

The elementals swarmed the party, only to be knocked away. One elemental, having narrowly missed his quarry before, now charged full tilt towards the wolf demon in question. It was determined that he wouldn't get away this time!

The first shadow ripped into Ziana. Her blood sprayed from the open wound to fall like rain onto the fighting crowd below. Her magic quickly disappearing with her life, she fell where she had previously been floating. Right before she died, she called out one word:

"MASTER!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 5, 18, 17,

Kazuko resists Air Elemental 5's Wind Attack.
x +8 Resistance +1 Precognition +4 Enhance Resistance = 18 [loses two turns]

Kazuko attacks Air Elemental 2 with Ring Blade 1.
x +16 Attack +6 Ring Blade +4 Fighter +4 Juggernaut +4 Spell Sword +2 Razor's Edge +4 Swift Attack +4 Enhance Weapons +2 Storm's Surge = 46 + roll

Kazuko attack Air Elemental 5 with Ring Blade 2.
x +16 Attack +6 Ring Blade +4 Fighter +4 Juggernaut +4 Spell Sword +2 Razor's Edge +4 Swift Attack +4 Enhance Weapons +2 Storm's Surge = 46 + roll

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 6, 5, 18, 10, 7, 12, 14,

Air Elemental 2 defends against Ring Blade 1.
x roll +4 Defense +3 Group Defense +3 Sentai = 10 + roll [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs. unnecessary...]

Air Elemental 5 defends against Claw 1.
5 roll +4 Defense +3 Group Defense +3 Sentai = 15 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs.34-15=-19/2 = -9 hp] [5/14 hp]
~~~~~~~~Immuned to PSN.

Air Elemental 5 defends against Ring Blade 2.
x roll +4 Defense +3 Group Defense +3 Sentai = 10 + roll [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs. unnecessary...]

Air Elemental 6 defends against Claw 2.
10 roll +4 Defense +3 Group Defense +3 Sentai = 20 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs.44-20= -14/2 =-7] [7/14 hp]
~~~~~~~~Immuned to PSN.

Air Elemental 6 defends against Bite.
7 roll +4 Defense +3 Group Defense +3 Sentai = 17 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs.27-17=10/2=-5 hp] [2/14]

Air Elemental 4 charges Shiki!
~~~Air Elemental uses Tackle.
12 roll +4 Attack +3 Team Attack +3 Sentai = 22 (must roll 2 Defense rolls, one against damage, one against being knocked down for 2 turns)
~~~Automatically combines with Wind Attack!
~~~~~~12 roll +6 Magic +3 Group Effort +3 Sentai = 24 (must make Resistance or lose 2 turns)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 7, 18, 13, 16, 10, 15

Ziana activates Enhance Resistance.

Ziana defends against Shadow Shiki 1.
7 + 10 Defense + 3 Sixth Sense + 5 Reinforced Gi (Fighter) +4 Acrobatics = 29 [vs.53]

Ziana resists Eldritch Attack 1
18 + 6 Resistance + 4 Enhanced Resistance = 28 [vs.35]

Ziana resists Death Attack 1
13 + 6 Resistance + 4 Enhanced Resistance = 23 [vs.30] DEAD.

Ziana defends against Shadow Shiki 2.
x + 10 Defense + 3 Sixth Sense + 5 Reinforced Gi (Fighter) +4 Acrobatics = 22 + roll

Ziana resists Eldritch Attack 2.
x + 6 Resistance + 4 Enhanced Resistance = 10 + roll

Ziana resists Death Attack 2.
x + 6 Resistance + 4 Enhanced Resistance = 10 + roll
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seeing that Ziana has already fallen, Yama says, "Well, time to finisssssh up then." Again striking another pair of elementals with tooth and claws!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yama attacks Air Elemental 6 with Claw 1
~ Attack check result = 10
~ ~ 10 + Attack 10 + Claws 6 + 4 Fighter Path + 4 Spell Sword +4 Enhance Weapons +2 Razor’s Edge -1 Hide Armor = 39 total

Yama attacks Air Elemental 5 with Claw 2
~ Attack check result = 15
~ ~ 15 + Attack 10 + Claws 6 + 4 Fighter Path + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons +2 Razor’s Edge -1 Hide Armor = 43 total

Yama attacks Air Elemental 5 with Bite
~ Attack check result = 10
~ ~ 10 + Attack 10 + Bite 6 = 26 total

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the body of the person who summoned the wind creatures in to the room became surrounded by his shadows, his full force of the hits freeing Misami, knowing she got free, Shiki let out a short shallow breath. 'Well at least she is no longer trapped anymore...'

"Hey at least leave one of them for me..."

As he regained his composure and began to see everyone tackling each of the elemental, Shiki glanced around noticing out of the corner of his eye that one was already heading towards him.

'Aww.. crap this one is not giving me a chance to get up, it is one hell of a persistent bastard, ill give it that.'

With quick reflexes he was able to dodge the initial force of the elemental with ease, but with the winds created by the elemental, it threw him off balance and it continued to chase him keeping him from regaining his footing.

Seeing Shiki being attacked, Misami jumped to his defense, attacking the air elemental whose currents were knocking her lover off balance. In her fury, she accidently hit one of the elementals that Kazuko had stunned.

Terry reloads her gun and wipes off her clothes, "Ok, now to get to work here. Now who shall I attack? She scouts the field and sees the one who seems to be just fine. "This one is mine!"

~~~~~~
Shiki rolls Defense vs Tackle ( 22 )
6 Defense + 4 Fighter + 4 Savage + 1 Vestment + 2 Sixth Sense + 4 Stealth + 4 Roll =25 Success

And Resistance vs Wind ( 24 )
4 Resistance + 4 Stealth + 8 Roll = 20 ( Loss, Loses 2 turns )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 19, 20, 12, 12, 7, 3, 20, 2

Misami attacks Air Elemental 4 using Claws 1.
19 + 12 Attack + 4 Claws + 1 Spring Armor +2 Razor Edge + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword - 2 Small Size = 44
~~~~Autocombines with Reverse Polarity!
~~~~~ 20 + 22 Magic + 0 Reverse Polarity + 1 Spring Armor + 4 Blast Mage + 4 Spell Sword = 51

Misami attacks Air Elemental 4 using Claws of Fury 2.
12 + 12 Attack + 4 Claws + 1 Spring Armor +2 Razor Edge + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword - 2 Small Size = 37
~~~~Autocombines with Reverse Polarity!
~~~~~ 12 + 22 Magic + 0 Reverse Polarity + 1 Spring Armor + 4 Blast Mage + 4 Spell Sword = 43

Misami attacks Air Elemental 2 using Claws of Fury 3.
7 + 12 Attack + 4 Claws + 1 Spring Armor +2 Razor Edge + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword - 2 Small Size = 32
~~~~Autocombines with Reverse Polarity!
~~~~~ 3 + 22 Magic + 0 Reverse Polarity + 1 Spring Armor + 4 Blast Mage + 4 Spell Sword = 34

Misami attacks Air Elemental 2 using Claws of Fury 4.
20 + 12 Attack + 4 Claws + 1 Spring Armor +2 Razor Edge + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword - 2 Small Size = 45
~~~~Autocombines with Reverse Polarity!
~~~~~ 2 + 22 Magic + 0 Reverse Polarity + 1 Spring Armor + 4 Blast Mage + 4 Spell Sword = 33

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry Attack WE 4:

6[base]+4[gunslinger]+12[long-arm]+1[sniper's eye]+16[roll]= 39[total]

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kazuko struggled against the wall that she was pressed into. A faint cursing could be heard over the wind. The cursing was distinctively in Nyokan. What Yama could catch of the woman's words, it was something about old goats and fornication...

The last of the elementals returned to being nothing but air, right as Terry's shot went through it. It narrowly missed hitting Misami.

Silence reigned on the top of the tower. Not even a wind stirred the air. The rain previously held back by the swirling wind of Ziana Yauri's dance began to fall softly, just a light drizzle, barely enough to dampen skin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rolls: 20, 3, 4, 7, 5, 18, 17, 7, 17, 7, 1, 3

Air Elemental 2 defends against Claw 3.
20 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 36 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs.32] NO DAMAGE!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~Air Elemental resists (Reverse Polarity).
3 roll +10 Resistance +5 Collective Will +5 Sentai = 23 [vs.34-23=11] [-7/14]

Air Elemental 2 defends against Claw 4.
4 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 20 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs.45-20=25/2=-12] [-19/14] DEAD
~~~~~~~~~~~Air Elemental resists Reverse Polarity.
7 roll +10 Resistance +5 Collective Will +5 Sentai = 20 + roll [vs.33] WOW! STILL DEAD!

Air Elemental 4 defends against Claw 1.
5 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 21 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs.44-21= 23/2= -11] [3/14]
~~~~~~~~~~~Air Elemental resists Reverse Polarity.
18 roll +10 Resistance +5 Collective Will +5 Sentai = 38 [vs.51-38= 13] [-10/14] DEAD!

Air Elemental 4 defends against Claw 2.
17 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 16 + roll [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs. 37] DEAD
~~~~~~~~~~~Air Elemental resists Reverse Polarity.
7 roll +10 Resistance +5 Collective Will +5 Sentai = 20 + roll [vs.43] DEAD

Air Elemental 4 defends against Longarm
17 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 33 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs. 39]

Air Elemental 5 defends against Claw 2.
7 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 23 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs.43-23=20/2=-10] [-5/14]

Air Elemental 5 defends against Bite.
1 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 17 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs.26-17=9/2=-4] [-9/14]

Air Elemental 6 defends against Claw 1.
3 roll +4 Defense +5 Group Defense +5 Sentai +2 Wind Walk = 19 [damage/2 by Etheralness] [vs.39-19= 20/2=10] [-8/14]

OUTCOME: All enemies are dead/not a problem anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Yama looks around, the rain starting to fall, he says, "Well, that went better than expected."

Terry begins to pack up her gun, "That was rather enjoyable."

Finally able to catch his breath from the debris that was constantly being thrown at his feet from the elemental, now that it had dissipated, Shiki said, "Well... now we have finally cleared this out... kinda an unfortunate turn, but wasn't left with much of a choice."

As he begins to look around, "Does anyone have an idea as to what we should do now, we did manage to get the storm cleared out as needed, but still something didn't seem right, she screamed for a ~Master~ as my shadows dealt a finish to her."

"Good Quesssstion, why did ssshe sssay that?" Yama says as he approaches the fallen body of Ziana, "But I have a feeling that her ssssissstersss arn't gonna be too happy about thissss."

Just as the words came out his mouth, Yama caught a whiff of brimstone rising from the body, just a trace like the hint that Rajani left behind whenever he had seen her. The scales on the back of his neck started rising as the smell of magic began to rise.

"There's a powerful person coming this way," Misami said. Her mismatched eyes grew wide. "No, not one--two powerful people...and one is very, very angry!"

Terry lights a cigarette and takes an inhale and slowly exhales. Then she walks over to Misami, “Yeah this isn't going to be much of a peace talking, I can tell you that for sure. The way they're going to be approaching us is for one thing only ....BLOOD.... So unless someone is a master of mind tricks we better just get ready for a seriously tough one coming up shortly."

With that takes another hit of her cigarette and blows out a circular smoke ring, and then rubs out the burning ash and puts back in her pocket.

As he walks up to the body seeing the gash that his shadow sliced into her shoulder almost all the way down to the lower part of her chest, and the searing black sparks that sealed the wound, 'well guess it did go a little overboard... but it was the quickest way to get Misami free.'

As he glances back to everyone crowding around Misami and hearing her speaking that there are more people on the way, 'Ah, hell... this seems an all too familiar event, someone this person knows is going to be pissed and more than likely gonna me be. It happened with Rajani and her robot... and with the guy in the bar too...'

As he walks up to them, "So anyone have an idea... if there is two of them and can feel they are not very good mood from this distance... I’d better say we try to hightail it out of here and fast."

"Yeah, well," Kazuko said from on top of one of the pillars looking back towards the Order house, "I think that plan isn't gonna be happening--"

A flash of lightning cut off her words. It stuck the platform that Ziana had been dancing on when they arrived. The thunder that followed rattled their bones. Surprise froze them for a moment.

"Yeah...um...we are so fucked."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adventures Results:

Kazuko:
~ Experience Hold (No Exp. Gained)
~ ~Total Earned: +0
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 7200/8400

Misami:
~ Showing the Inner Cat: +100
~ Enabling Cookies: +200
~ Circle Room Trap: +200
~ Duty of the Cleric: +100
~ Ziana (Wind) Yauri: +400
~ Wind Elementals (x6): +600
~ ~Total Earned: +1600
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 5200/6000
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Fourth Level!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~Secret Ingredient: Gained 1 Use of Resurrection without the HP Cost!

Shiki:
~ Cunning Strategist (Shadow Scouts): +200
~ Discriminating Tastes: +100
~ Suspicious Mind: +100
~ Circle Room Trap: +200
~ Ziana (Wind) Yauri: +400
~ Wind Elementals (x6): +600
~ Great Idea (Retreating)!: +100
~ ~Total Earned: +1700
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 5800/6000
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Fourth Level!

Terry:
~ Always Ready for the Fight: +100
~ Interesting Time for a Nap...: +100
~ Suspicions into Words: +100
~ Circle Room Trap: +200
~ Ziana (Wind) Yauri: +400
~ Wind Elementals (x6): +600
~ ~Total Earned: +1500
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 3900/4800
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Third Level!

Yama:
~ Because Some Times We All Seem Crazy...: +100
~ First Bite: +100
~ Enabling Cookies: +200
~ Circle Room Trap: +200
~ Ziana (Wind) Yauri: +400
~ Wind Elementals (x6): +600
~ ~Total Earned: +1600
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 5800/4800
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Fourth Level!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~Secret Ingredient: 1 Free use of Potent Poison.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~