Just outside the manor is a tall woman with long, red hair. She wears a long, black coat which almost conceals the end of her somewhat blocky rifle. The woman stands there with a cigarette for a moment, taking in a long breath of smoke, before breathing it out. "This looks to be the place alright. Time to get started." with no one else around, Kali heads in, keeping one hand under her coat just in case as she begins peering around the manor

Following from behind silently was a young looking girl with long, purple hair. Her cloak hid her eyes but the girl acted the same as she always did nonetheless. She simply stands idly by until she sees Kali go in. “...hmmm...” With her tome in hand, she floats her way towards the manor, her quiet presence making it look like she was simply a ghost.

* The outside of the manor seems calm enough. The trees blow in a slight breeze and birds can be heard chirping as sun begins to set, turning the sky orange. The way around the manor seems to be blocked off. Unkempt grass, weeds and roots block your passage around the sides of the manor, drawing you to the door. The windows seem to be tinted, preventing you looking in. The Manor itself seems to be just two stories and perhaps an attic. Even so, it was large enough to loom over you, filling the area with shadow. The only way to go was through the front door.*

Kali looks off to her side to find yet another teenager tagging along on her missions. The older woman breathes out a sigh before speaking in a gruff tone "Alright kid, I'm gonna just take notice of a pattern and say you're gonna refuse my suggestion to leave. With that being the case, at the very least stand behind me so you don't get killed. Understood?" Kali would slowly open the front door, leaning against it as she peeks inside. Assuming the coast is clear, she would then proceed through the door

A young woman wanders through the air, eyes trained warily upon the surroundings as she looks towards the manor and speaks to a small red jewel placed around her neck. It glows and replies, too. N: "Go ahead and perform some basic scanning, I wanna know if we can find any mana signatures in there." R: "On it master! Beginning Wide Area Search!" Large bursts of light would emit from the 'jewel'. Covering the house for a moment and aiming to detect sources of magic within and around. They'd also note the signature of Sophia, having fought her not too ago it's logged into Raising Heart's files. Regardless of the results returned from her scanning, Nanoha would then begin moving forward and head for the front door.

A short man was standing on the other side of the manor, eating a sausage. This man who was as tall as- Oi, I amn't no gnome, I'm a dwarf! Okay, my bad. The fiesty, oddly short dwarf, had a blade twice his height strapped to his back, but he didn't bother with that. He also had a "dwarven longbow", as well as an incredibly heavy mace strapped to his side. This dwarf named Gord, was wandering around the outside of the manor, and eventually got to the front of the joint, the place, or, to the seasoned adventurer, the above-ground dungeon.

Nanoha would definitely notice the many sources of magic stemming from the dwarf, all over his body, under that chainmail of his. The little shimmer about his pockets underlied something inside, and the soft glow on his mace hid some strength. "Ello." The dwarf said to the young lady. It was nice to have company once in a while.

“...wait, wha-“ She turned her head to Kali, glancing off to the side and holding her cloak meekly. The supposed annoyance coming from her newfound acquaintance made the girl think she did something to offend her, and started to take on an apologetic tone. “Oh...I’m sorry...” Once again she unintentionally snuck up on someone, only this time she felt on edge. Giving in to her demand, she decided to float silently behind as she advances inside.

Leaping off a nearby tree, the familiar redhead lands around the base of the steps leading up to the front door. "Fancy seeing you here." She would smugly smile at Nanoha, instantly transforming into her red dress and brandishing her spear, holding it to her side "I suppose you'd be investigating rumors as well, huh?" Kyoko grins, stepping forward and turning towards the entrance. "A little big of a crowd, isn't it? Guess I gotta be careful my attacks don't hit any of these guys. Oh well."

The birds would begin to stir for a moment or more specifically they'd stir from a specific direction as something would begin approaching. The sound of many wings could be heard as a swarm of black colored crows would descend, seeming to circle around a larger one in the center that would land near the others. The birds would finally disperse leaving only the beginner one behind. The larger bird would begin to shift in form and shape until a girl with large black wings appeared in its place wearing a long black dress. "So, this is the place the birds in this area described to me. How curious...is everyone else here to investigate as well?" She seemed a tad nervous as she directed the question to the others as if talking to people wasn't something she was used to.

*Nanoha's scan would find that the entire manor would be filled with strange, magical readings. A strange, large and weirdly distorted reading at the back end of the second floor.* *As Kali pushes at the door, she feels resistance, as if some force was pushing back. She still manages to open the door and allow everyone else to venture inside.* *As you enter the entryway of the manor, you would immediately notice how wrong everything was. From the second floor, darkness seemed to seep down to greet you. Everywhere you look, snaking down the banisters, covering the walls, even burrowing under the floor boards, were long, black, thorn covered vines. They seemed to be made not of actual plant life but of the shadows itself. The door slams shut after everyone is inside. Looking at the door, you can see the same vines are grown over them, explaining the resistance from before. The vines cover the back of the door in such away that it can be pushed open but cannot be opened from inside the manor due to the vines covering over the handles. Across the ground, you may notice bodies. Tens of them. They looked like villagers or farm hands. They looked as if the life had been sucked out of them, leaving them as withered, skeletal corpses. As you look around, a voice echoes around the room.* Man, the villagers love to send me more souls, don't they? Heh. Knew dis was a perfect place ta crash. I wonder how long yous'll last. High score is 2 days. *The voice laughs mockingly.*

Gord noped out, moving at a speed enhanced by seven-leagu boots, and a ring of speed. Death could wait. "NOPE!"

Nanoha could say many things. But considering their welcome, she just looks around as a pink light engulfs the room for a moment. Leaving her standing with a staff in hand and wearing a far more fancy outfit. Kali and Sophia mIght know it as the woman gearing up to fight. N:"Oi, I'm sorry to say that dying here just isn't on my agenda. I'd prefer to talk... Is what I'd say if if your victims didn't litter the ground. Instead, I'd rather you just come out so I can kill you more easily. R: "Divine Shooter, firing now!" The cheer her tone usually holds is gone in an instant, grimacing as she glances towards the bodies on the ground. Won't end up like that, can't. Several gleaming bolts of magic rushes forth, raw energy spiraling towards the shadowy vines in front of them from her staff. So long as said vines were indeed physical, even only partly, they'd find her magic at least doing something. Though how much, she can't say.

Unlike Nanoha, Kali is arational person who doesn’t bother firing at the vines. In all likelihood clearing them’s a waste of effort, long as the monster’s around to make more. “Personally my record’s 2 hours.” Kali steps further into the manner, keeping an eye on the vines. After taking another deep breath Kali flicks her cigarette at one of the vines “That’s the longest any of you things have been able to hide. I don’t mind shooting for three though.” Once Nanoha’s blasts are past, Kali lets out a sigh and shakes her head before looking for a staircase. If there was one she’d try to go up it “Take if you don’t fight monsters often. No point in shooting these roots, save it for the main event.”

Unlike both Nanoha and Kali, Sophia herself...is actually a bit nervous. On edge from Kali being Kali, and then Nanoha's sudden appearance (to her at least) as well as the outburst, it made the young girl feel a bit scared. "Uhm...so what's...happening again?..." As much as everyone around her knew, the girl was still pretty clueless about her surroundings. But due to her just being quiet and a dark mage, she at least could put the pieces together without somebody doing it for her. "Oh...we're starting now?..." After taking another look around her she was set on doing one thing. Which was silently following Kali up the stairs after Nanoha was finished firing shots in the dark. Her breathing could barely be heard as she floated from behind her guide.

Faye would remain calm. She was unsure what manner of being the origin of the voice belonged to but preferred not to immediately assume the worst. It seemed to her that the voice had assumed them to be a being with a normal soul. "W-why exactly is it that you desire souls? Are you some kind of dark god or simply a wandering horror of some form?" Her voice would be somewhat shaky but it was less from the ominous nature of the threat and more from having to speak to an entity she didn't even know the appearance of. She'd begin feeling nervous, causing a defensive aura of fear to begin projecting around her, invisible to a non-divine eye. Anyone who so much as looked at her right now would feel a irrational sense of dread. She'd also begin feeling out her surroundings, specifically the darkness that was spreading throughout the area. She was trying to feel if it was actually a form of darkness or something that simply took a dark form.

Uh. Um. Ah. Uh, Yeah. Um uh, hello? You’re… um… y-y-you’re really just… ya just gonna… Uh hey? Are… Are you… Are you even listenin to me? He-Hello? *The voice can do nothing but stammer as Kali and Sophia go upstairs and Nanoha begins firing at the vines around the room. Some of the vines retract but are quickly replaced by others.* Yeah. OK then. You do that. *As Kali and Sophia reach the top of the stairs, they come across another large door and a number of bodies before it. The area is short but looking over the stairs down in the room below shows how dark the area is. You can barely see you’re other allies below you, except from the random bursts of light from Nanoha’s attack lighting up the area. Fayes feeling would bring back strangely nothing. It was if the darkness didn't exist and yet you could see it plainly. As she talked, the voice would groan.* Well, at least someone willin to talk. Over the months I've been here, I've written a script of how things go, y'know? Questions and answers, you know? "Who are you: You're gonna be dead soon, so I ain't sayin." " What do ya want: Ya souls. Why do ya want em: Why do humans need food?" Ya get me? Well, whatever. Guess It's time to test the new blood. *The voice chuckles. On the bottom floor, a crack can be heard as two of the corpses are pushed up into the air by some of the vines. They are lowered to the ground and stand, glaring at the party. One of them is nothing but a simple villager while the other brandishes a pitchfork. On the second floor, the same would happen as the four corpses rise from the ground, looking for a fight. Two of the bodies are unarmed but the other two carry farming equipment of some sort as makeshift weaponry.* Don't die too quick. It would ruin my mood. -Battle Begin. Player Phase- Team A Foes (Lower Floor: Nanoha, Faye, Kyoko) Puppet Body A Puppet Body B Team B Foes (Second Floor: Kali, Sophia) Puppet Body A X2 Puppet Body B X2 OOC: For my convenience, please add an action with move name, element of the move (Fire, Physical, Almighty, etc) and the severity of the move (Light, Medium, Heavy, etc) Also add number of times hit and any added effect the move may have. I'll keep track of HP values, so dn't worry about that. K. Thanks. Bye.

"Using dead bodies against us? That's more sick than threatening. I'd much rather take on the one responsible for this, preferably before they have a chance to start filming." Kyoko, with her superhuman speed and strength, uses the technique known as "flee" on the enemies for Heavy Running damage.

"You're not saying anything interesting or new. so yeah." Kali lets out a sigh, glancing at the teen who followed her, before looking forward to the puppets. Kali strikes a fist against her chest as she shouts. "Henshin!" At least, it felt proper to say it as a series of vines sprout from beneath her body, quickly covering her in a monstrous, wood-like set of armor. She briefly glances back at Sophia "Just stay behind me and you'll be fine." Kali begins by expanding the wood through her arms, rapidly growing a pair of branch-like vines that she aims at the two armed puppets, aiming to push them against the wall and crush, or at least restrain, them. --Player action-- Binding Lash Medium Phys and bind effect to whichever puppet type is armed (probably puppet B)

"...there was...a voice?..." She let out a quiet gasp as she watches Kali do her little transformation in front of her, standing back to watch more vines go ahead and attempt to bind the armed puppets. "...Hen...what?..." At the mention of "stay behind me" once again, she slumps forward in disappointment, and instead of fighting it lets a staff materialize in mid air as it floats around her. "...ok..." She holds her hand out as the staff emits a faint light, soon emitting one of the unarmed puppets in a red glowing energy. Now it feels compelled to attack at it's peers with it's newfound enhanced strength. --Player Action-- Beserk Deals no damage. Inflicts rage and makes foe attack their own teammates.

The woman sighs as their foes appear, what a pathetic way to attack people. Raising Heart glows menacingly for a moment, it takes her only a couple seconds to prepare. R: "Axel Shooter!" With that 8 orbs of light begin rushing through the air, dividing themselves evenly between the targets. Even if they missed or were dodged, the enemies would find Nanoha's magic curving around and shifting directions in order to strike them regardless. --Player Action-- Axel Shooter: Light almighty 8 times in this case, split between the enemies. Cannot miss or be dodged.

"I...uh...my soul is hard to swallow. It'd be like a human trying to eat metal..." Faye wasn't exactly sure what to make of the voices demeanor. It was obvious that it didn't seem to really care one way or another in regards to the situation. It seemed she had something else to focus on anyway. However, she wasn't sure she'd be much use, especially with the strange girl shooting lasers everywhere at once. "Darkness, guide me. Shadows swallow me..." A field of pitch blackness would suddenly begin forming around Faye's body, completely hiding her form within. A sudden whisper could be heard but only by the puppets. The whisper would suddenly fill them with dread despite whether or not they were actually capable of feeling such things. If they had any will apart from whoever was controlling them they might be able to shake it off but otherwise a sudden impulse would be sent into them telling them not to enter the darkness surrounding Faye unless their lives directly depended on it. With that Faye would begin moving to try and pass both Nanoha and the puppets. --Player Action-- Welcoming the Dusk: Create darkness around you in any 30 foot configuration. Can be seen through by the creator and can follow the creator. Unbearable Premonition: One action becomes unbearable or frightening to contemplate for any enemy as long as they can't shake it off through will alone.

* As Kyoko runs away from the puppet corpses, they eventually hit the back wall of the room. Before them is another door. If they wanted to further abandon their allies, Kyoko was free to open the door, though this would mean proceeding further into the manor.* * Nanoha’s Axel Shooter does it’s job perhaps too well. The blasts pass through the corpses, tearing them apart. The tentacles inside them disconnect to save themselves from the carnage, leaving them vulnerable to future attack* Don't worry. I like spicy food. *The voice laughs as Faye tries to inflict fear on dead bodies. However, due to the fact they are both dead and also dismembered, it fails.* * Kali’s whip would successfully strike the farming tools from the Puppet Body Bs. The bodies make no effort to pick them back up, leaving them as Puppet Body As with straw hats.* * As Sophia casts Berserk, she would find none of the bodies affected. From above, the voice laughs.* Let me guess. Ya were trying to control one of the bodies that is both dead and already being controlled. Ya ain’t the first, but it always cracks me up. Man, human logic sure is ass backwards if they think that’ll work. --Player Phase-- Team A: Kyoko runs in a direction Nanoha’s attack wipes out Puppet Body A and Puppet Body B Faye creates a dark void Team B Kali Hits her targets Sophia’s targets are unaffected. Team A: Nanoha: 100% Faye: 100% Kyoko: 100% Tentacle (Both): 10% Team B: Kali: 100% Sophia: 100% Puppet Body A (Both): 15% Puppet Body A with hats (Both): 10% * On the first floor, the two bodies are completely decimated, that parts blown off and scattered around the room. All that remains of them is the two tentacles that had tried to control them.* * On the second floor, the four bodies are made to stifle advance. Three of the bodies pay attention to Kali, swinging their fists at the most apparent threat, while another slips past and charges at Sophia.* --Enemy Phase-- Team A: Puppet Body A: Disconnect (Transform into tentacle) Puppet Body B: Disconnect (Transform into tentacle) Team B Puppet Body A with hat: Swing (Target: Sophia) Puppet Body A: Swing (Target: Kali) Puppet Body A with hat: Swing (Target: Kali) Puppet Body A: Swing (Target: Kali)

"Don't make me laugh." Kali's thick wooden armor resists the puppets' weak physical blows well, so Kali hardly even pays them attention. Instead, the edges of Kali's armor begins bristling as the last one attempts to sneak by her. Kali calls out to Sophia "Get down kid." before thorns burst out from the armor like a grenade, pelting the room with wood-like shards --player action-- Note: Kali resists phys in this form. Thorn burst 4x miniscule phys to all enemies.

"...what?...control?...no...you're so mean..." The puppet that swings at Sophia would find it's swinging arm being bounced back hard by an invisible force, at least was one until it showed itself as a barrier. She didn't actually notice until it slipping past until it made it's...impact. "...I'm sorry...I'll do better...next time..." She merely walked forward and gazed at the corpse that tried to attack her, grasping her staff and emitting a bright blue light that showered it with a pure, rejuvenating energy. Since she was behind Kali any minor injuries that she somehow would've gotten from the puppets would be cured. "...get down?..." Sophia didn't really understand the command well seeing as she was still standing in place, but the barrier would've protected her body for her. She gasps to act shocked, then gets bored again and counts the 4 wood-like shards that had pelted her barrier. --Player Action-- Heal - ...heals. In a short radius.

Kyoko looks back at her allies for a moment and shouts at them. "Yo, I found a new room. I'm gonna go on ahead!" She then turns back to the door and opens it, heading through and stealing herself for what lies ahead.

Nanoha glances towards the tendrils, rather than merely try to press her attack at this point the woman would let loose an attempt at leaving them wide open. She moves a bit closer as pink energy builds up in her staff. R: "Holy Bind!" Their foes would find themselves quickly held in place by glowing pink chains of magical energy, the things do no damage at all. But they're quite capable of anchoring the things in place by sinking deep into the ground and wrapping around and leaving the targets helplessly flailing if all went well. N: "Now'd be a good time to strike, I can't hold that spell forever. But it should be long enough to finish them off." --Player Action-- Holy Bind, holds targets in place. Length of the effect depends on the power of the targets, but is at least long enough to get a good hit in.

Faye would grow nervous as she turned towards Nanoha. She was still enveloped in darkness but she could understand that the time to strike once more was now. Her wings began to stretch out as the darkness seemed to shift in form. It seemed to stretch to fit over her wings perfectly while taking on a demonic figure. Faye's wings would harden into something skin to metal as she hovered high into the air. All at once she's plunge down, attempting to strike both enemies at once with both her wings that would now be as shard as two separate blades. --Player Action-- Talons and Beak - Moderate physical damage if done on the ground or heavy physical damage twice the first time it's used from the air.

* Kali’s attack shred through all the Puppet Bodies in the area. Two of them fall apart, leaving only the tentacles controlling them. The ones without hats stay standing due to taking less damage earlier.* * Sophia’s heal fills the area with holy energy. The energy burns the collapsing body of one of the zombies with a hat though it stops short of hurting the two remaining corpses around Kali. If Sophia and Kali had taken damage, it would have healed them.* *Nanoha’s bind freezes the tentacles in place, leaving them helpless against Faye’s attack. As they are struck, the vanish into a dark mist that soon vanishes.* Not bad. Welp, guess I can be cordial now. Enjoy your safe zone. * The dark haze in the room lifts, floating towards the second floor, which it continues to cover. The lights in the room flicker to life, giving everyone in it a full view of everything. The tendrils that still blocked the front door looked as strong as ever, however the others attatched to the wall and wrapped around the pillars and banisters in the entry hall seemed to shrivel in the light. You could see three doors now. One on each wall, two small ones to the right and left with the largest being on the back wall as the door under the balcony above which clicks shut with Kiyoko passing through it. Sounds of fighting can be heard from up the stairs, though it’s up to you if you want to help your comrades who went up or keep pushing forwards to join with Kyoko.* That was just a warm up though. I do hope you don't think it's all gonna be so easy. Nyah ha ha. *Kyoko passes through the door at the back, being met with more darkness. From the middle of the new room, a growling can be heard. A large dog like beast can just barely be seen gnawing on the bones of one of a fallen warrior. It looks up as it hears the door click shut with red eyes. The bone falls from its mouth as it looks upon Kyoko like she was a new meal.*

--Player Phase-- Team A: Nanoha Binds the Tentacles Faye strikes down the Tentacles Team B: Kali blows wooden spikes out of her armour Sophia heals Kyoko: Kyoko moves on and runs into another foe Team A: Nanoha: 100% Faye: 100% Kyoko: 100% Tentacle (Both): Defeated -- Team A Battle End-- Team B: Kali: 100% Sophia: 100% Puppet Body A (Both): 5% Tentacle (Both): 10% Kyoko: Kyoko: 100% Nightmare Beast: 50% * The two remaining corpses continue to mindlessly attack Kali, uncaring that it wouldn’t actually do anything. The two other bodies fall apart, revealing the tentacles within.* *The Nightmare Beast rises up from it's place on the ground and fills the room with an earsplitting howl, filling the air with a sense of dread.* --Enemy Phase-- Team B: Puppet Body A: Swing (Target: Kali) Puppet Body A: Swing (Target: Kali) Puppet Body A with hat: Disconnect (Turns into Tentacle) Puppet Body A with hat: Disconnect (Turns into Tentacle) Kyoko: Nightmare Beast: Feral Howl (Moderate chance to inflict Fear to all foes)

Nanoha glances around the room for a moment, with their fairly weak foes now dead and gone she's free to take in the place. And make note of all the doors within their location as well. Part of her considers simply blasting the whole house to bits, but that would harm the others as well so its written off... Till she can gather everyone behind her. "So, I think that all of us running off in different directions is a mistake here. I'm gonna go get Kyoko-chan, and if you wouldn't mind getting Kali and Sopha in the other room that'd be great. We can meet back up here, hopefully." There's causal ease as she rattles off these instructions, and if Faye agreed to it or not the young woman would begin walking off towards Kyoko's direction. Aiming to enter the room.

"I-I suppose that would be the most rational course of action. I just hope that the ones you call Kali and Sopha are still with us." Faye was still nervous and unable to tell clearly what was going on. The lack of darkness as well now was also making her uncomfortable as she lowered her own dark barrier momentarily. She'd begin heading towards the direction where Kali and Sophia had headed further in.

"You holding up ok kid?" Kali wouldn't take the time to actually look back for Sophia, instead focusing her attention to the two remaining puppets. At this point their efforts to attack her were actually kinda sad. Not that she'll complain. Kali catches one of each puppets arms in mid-swing, and sends an electric jolt through her weakened foes "Done playing games now or do you still plan on wasting our time?" --Action-- Electric jolt Moderate elec to the two puppets

"...just..." Instead of helping, the girl makes her staff warp away and look around aimlessly from behind Kali. At the same time, she looks behind her and sees if anyone else would come in. "...fine..." --Player Action-- Secret Technique: Doing Nothing

"Tch, get out of my way! Kyoko jumps high in the air and points her spear at the enemy, it extending and thrusting itself straight through the creature --Action-- Spear Stab Heavy Phys damage to one enemy

* As Faye walked up the stairs and back into the dark haze above, she’d be able to see the fight going on from the slight sparks in the air as Kali shocks the puppets causing them to fall limp.* Aw whatzamatter mumbles? You ain’t scared of my powers already are ya? We ain’t even gotten into the real monsters yet. These are just the appetizers to the banquet. Speaking of a banquet, yous have powerful souls goin on. So full of life and resistance. Ah ha ha ha. I can’t wait ta chow down. * Meanwhile, Nanoha slips into the darkened main hall of the manor. In the darkness, if she squinted, she might be able to see movement as Kyoko summons her spear and plunges it into the beasts eye. The beast snarls in pain, backing away before glaring at Kyoko in rage.* I take it ya ain’t a dog person then. --Player Phase-- Team A Faye joined the party Sophia stands by Kali electrocutes two dead bodies Faye: 100% Sophia: 100% Kali: 100% Tentacles (All): 10% Team B Nanoha joined the party Kyoko stabs the Beasts eye Kyoko: 100% Nanoha: 100% Nightmare Beast: 35% * The last of the tentacles are disconnected from the respective corpses, leaving just 4 tentacles swinging in the air. The two that recently disconnected seem stunned from being suddenly thrust back into the open air. The other two however have gotten over the fatigue and swing wildly, whipping at the three opposing them.* * The Beast rears up onto its hind legs and howls before leaping into the air at Kyoko, it’s rage driving it’s assault. It’s claws radiate a strange dark energy before slashing at Kyoko and returning to the ground on all fours, it’s last remaining eye glowing in the darkened room.* --Enemy Phase-- Team A Puppet Body A: Disconnect (Turns into Tentacle) Puppet Body A: Disconnect (Turns into Tentacle) Tentacle: Whip (Light Physical Damage to all foes) Tentacle: Whip (Light Physical Damage to all foes) Team B Nightmare Beast: Nightmare Driver (Heavy Physical Damage to one foe. Severe if foe is afflicted with Fear. Target: Kyoko)

Sophia meekly rubbed her eyes as she looked back up to respond to the voice. "...Hmmm?...Scared?..." She stretched and yawned, merely batting an eye at the tentacles as they strike at her barrier once more. Afterwards, she brought her staff back out and made it glow once more with holy energy, walking up to the tentacles not bothering to put more effort into her healing. "...I'm...bored..." --Player Action-- Heal - "Another one." ~DJ Khalid

"And for once we're in agreement." Kali lets out a short grunt as the tentacles... Do their best. As with the puppets before these weak physical attacks would practically bounce off her armor with little impact. Hoping to get this over with quickly, Kali strikes her hands together, charging up for a moment, before releasing a burst of electricity at the tentacles --player action-- thunder burst- heavy elec to all

As the nightmare Beast rushes toward Kyoko, it would find itself being stopped by a glowing pink barrier. Nanoha having dashed with inhuman speed. N: "Well, that one looks a little tougher than the others were I guess. Not too bad though I'd say." R: "Round Shield!" The gleaming energy takes the shape of a disc with magical runes all over it, holding back a serious amount of force before being made to break. If it broke, or the attack simply ceased and failed, either way the nightmare beast would then be met by an explosion of Nanoha's magic that rushes forward and begins trying to turn it into naught but dust. --player action-- Round Shield: Strong block, followed by heavy almighty upon ending.

Being knocked backwards by the foe, Kyoko quickly gets up and shrugs off the damage. "Tch, typically the minions die in one hit. These guys are tougher than they look, but the second hit's the charm!" Jumping over Nanoha barrier, Kyoko then drives her spear straight down into the foe once more. --Action-- Spear Stab Heavy Phys damage to one enemy

Faye wouldn't have any issues seeing in the dark that surrounded them, although the darkness would seem somewhat murky to her. "Normal shadows don't usually act this way. Just what kind of magic is this?" She chose not to join the fight yet. It didn't seem certain that she would need to regardless. --Player Action-- Shedding feathers on the floor slightly

* Kali electrocutes the tentacles, causing them to writhe around and vanish into shadows. The haze around the balcony dissipates as well, allowing you to see everything. You can peer over the balcony behind you to see the first floor. Before you lies a large ornate set of double doors that the tentacles seem to have been guarding. However, far to the right, once hidden by the darkness, is a smaller door. The voice seems to have gone silent as well. Perhaps it can’t access the brightened up rooms? Or is it just pretending that is the case? Either way, the only way to go is through one of the doors or back downstairs.* * The beast howls in pain as first almighty damage strikes it and then it’s side is struck by Kyoko’s spear. With a low growl, the wolf glares at it’s too opponents with it’s one eye. Even so, it’s shaking seems to suggest it’s not going to last much longer.* --Player Phase-- Team A Kali kills the remaining tentacles Sophia heals the party Faye stands by -Battle FInish- Team B Kyoko stabs the beast Nanoha knocks the beast back with almighty energy Team A Kali: 100% Sophia: 100% Faye: 95% Team B Kyoko: 85% Nanoha: 100% Nightmare Beast: 5% * Ushering the last of its strength, the beast raises up on its hind legs. It’s growls lowly before letting out a powerful howl. Kyoko and Nanoha would find themselves buffeted by a strong wind current caused by the howl.* --Enemy Phase-- Team B Nightmare Beast: Magarula (Medium Wind damage to all foes)

Noticing the battle was now over, she sighs out, lifting herself only a few inches off the ground to travel by levitating from now on. Though she was looking forward, and was about to move on forward, she looked behidn her and saw Faye. "Oh...are you hurt?..." Whatever she replies with would be met with a slight heal from her staff which would patch up whatever kind of miniscule damage that Faye had taken beforehand. Afterwards, she warps her staff away and looks at Kali. "...so...where do we go...now?..."

"Well that went pretty well." With the tentacles gone Kali bumps her wooden fists together once more as her suit of armor retreats beneath her clothing. It was always going to be a little weird, but since the kid with her had already seen her put it on it can't be that disturbing. "Kinda surprised you're actually listening to me. Most of these idiots seem eager to run in head-first." Kali turns back around to look at Sophia, her partner for most of the fight, and finds another, newer girl having joined them. Kali raises an eyebrow "New friend? Hope they're as good a listener as you."

boredly shrugging, Kyoko walks over and kicks the dog --action-- kick: light phys damage

Nanoha watches the beast for a moment, another barrier briefly rising to block the wind aimed at both her and Kyoko. It'd go down a few seconds later though, and be followed up by a heavy slam from the woman's staff. Not even any spell behind, save enhancing her strength. Never the less, if Kyoko's kick didn't finish the job, this blow would likely send their target flying as a bloody mess. --action-- Staff strike: Medium physical damage

Faye would grow nervous talking once more. Kali was enough to intimidate her though she tried to speak up regardless. As for the healing it would miraculously heal all the wounds Faye didn't have. "Uum, d-didn't you technically r-run ahead earlier...?"

* Meanwhile, as Kyoko and Nanoha finish of the Nightmare Beast, causing the monster to dissolve into dark mist similar to the tentacles from earlier, the mist in the room clears. The warped room clears as the beasts den returns to what it once looked like before the demon keeping you here. arrived. What remains is a corridor leading down a hall of mostly boarded up and otherwise sealed off rooms. At the far side of the room, up a set of stairs, is a door, beautifully gilded with figures of mystical animals and fancily dressed people singing and dancing under the light of the room. Just past the grand door is a much smaller, less conspicuous one. Gnarled wood and a low frame would make you have to duck to enter it. Only two doors in the corridor are free to open. Nanoha may notice the similar position of the rooms to the doors in the grand entry hall. Do you go further or do you return to your allies so you can all explore together.* * As both groups decide where they would move on too, a small whistling can be heard along with bad singing. It’s probably bad on purpose.* Que Sera Sera. Whateva will be will be. Da future's not ours ta see. Que Sera Sera. What will be will be. * The entity laughs mockingly.* Seems ya guys have already conquered three areas in my little abode. Just lettin ya know, five is the average. But, don’t let me distract ya with talks of the many, and I do mean MANY, adventurers who have come through here and failed to ever even… Ah. No. I’ll leave ya guessin. But yous gonna see it soon enough. I wanna watch your face drain of colour when you see it. It’s the best part. OOC: Just letting you know, for future fights, I’m cutting out the visible percentage HP values I’ve been using until at least the final boss. I’ll just keep track of them. Well, at least for the beasts of the manor. You can keep track of your own HP. Also, you guys don’t have to be as accurate with your descriptions. In other words, yes I am stealing from Liam now. If it doesn’t work, I’ll go back at the final boss as I said, but I want to give it a try. HAPPY NOW MONA!

Kali would look back at Faye dead-on, her eyes boring into the seemingly younger girl for a few seconds. Before she lets out a laugh. Once Kali’s done laughing she starts to smile “I’ll have you knowI casually walked into danger fully aware of the consequences. I’m not some starry-eyed pup with dreams of glory.” Kali lets out a sigh before staring off into the distance. “Kids like that tend to get themselves killed.” After a moment Kali looks around to the two different second floor doors. One massive pair of double doors, the other smaller, almost hidden. “Now then which one do you two think our host is hiding behind?”

"My, how boring." Kyoko sighs, briefly glancing over at Nanoha. "Where do you think the person behind this is? If we can just take them out, all of this will be over."

"I...I-don't know...what's happening...uhm...hi?" Sophia quietly said to Faye, forgetting to tell her her own name as she looked back toward Kali, and then to the two doors. Though confused, she doesn't really care too much about the outcome. "Uhm...I don't know...again...the...smaller one?..."

Faye felt like she might pass out from Kali's seemingly intimidating glare. It was the kind of situation she had always been rather fearful of. It almost felt as though she couldn't breath before Kali started laughing. She let out a sigh if relief before focusing on the question present. She might be able to see ahead through the doors with her vision but she had a feeling that it wouldn't help much anyway considering the dark haze. She could also possibly summon some birds to account for her but at most she could only call forth one or two without tiring herself out and she preferred not to possibly sacrifice the creatures by sending them into the rooms. "I-I'm not really sure either...maybe if I could feel whatever's ahead fear but I'm not certain anything here has any fear inherently..."

With the other two's opinions in mind, Kali shrugs as she glances between the two doors. "The obvious answer is that the big door is a trap. Its the most obvious place so they'd definitely expect guests. With that in mind." Kali looks over to the smaller side door before nodding to the other two "This one's likely to have nothing, which is honestly what makes it worth checking out. If its safe we can immediately move on with one option filled. If there're guards that means there's something important." with her own piece said in confirmation of Sophia's choice, Kali heads over to the smaller side door to open it.

*As Kali and, assuming they follow, her comrades move on to the next room, passing through the smaller door off to the side, they hear the voice sigh.* Ya know. I think ya really underestimating how much I actually care, Red. But whatever. You, Mumbles and Bird Brain do whateva. I’ll be eatin ya souls by the days end anyway. * Team A enter to find the same dark haze obscuring their view. Around them seems to be a series of tall shelves stacked with tightly crammed books. Between the shelves is a series of slim metal walkways and hand rails wrapped in the dark tendrils. Most of these walkways ended with dead ends blocked by more shelves but a single one ending with a spiral staircase down to the floor below. Only one area has a solid floor, the balcony area the group arrives on, which leads across the length of the room to another door at the far end. Before you can even move, a growling can be heard. Red eyes glow in the darkness. Between you and the door on the far side of the room as a black mess of black fur and red stained teeth. Noticing the new prey it lets out a short bark. A screech echoes out in response and the sound of leathery wings can be heard. Emerging from the forest of shelves, a bat like silhouette can be seen. Both beasts look like they aren’t going to let you move on without a fight.* --Battle Begin: Team A-- Nightmare Beast Nightmare Gargoyle

Wind seemed to circle around Faye as she began to hover in the air, her wings beginning to slap swiftly. She'd stare down towards the silhouette of the flying figure as some sort of power began to fill the air. Their was an odd confidence in her voice as she spoke. "I'll handle the one with wings. As if I'd allow such a horrible creature into the domain of birds..." Darkness would flicker in her hand as it molded itself into the shape of the knife. The knife would shoot out quickly attempting to slice into the shadowy figure before her. The air itself also seemed to part for the knife as if Faye was somehow controlling the air but only for entities that were also flying within it. --Player Action-- Prince of the Air: Always hit flying enemies for max damage; status effects on flying enemies are more likely. Knives of Night: Magical damage with a higher chance to send the enemy to sleep the more damage they've taken.

Though Sophia was merely floating a few inches off the ground, seeing Faye as she asserts her dominance in the air was enough to make her go back to floor level in an instant. She held her tome close to her and spoke as quietly as she always did. "...must I...deal with...the one...grounded?...alright..." She extended her arm out, forming a byzantine magical circle at the mere palm of her hand in order to summon 6 dark fireballs towards the silhouette of the beast. They light up the room faintly with a grim, purple light, but it would most likely be short-lived considering that they only exist to try and hit something. And they won't go away until they do...twice actually. "I'll do my best..." --Player Action-- Fenrir: x6 Medium Curse Damage. x6 light Curse Damage after they hit a foe.

"You sure do talk alot." is all Kali bothers note about the voice as she advances through the door. Kali looks back to see her companions following her, good. That means she has some backup after all. Kali walks through the library, looking at the spines of these books just to see what they're supposed to be about as she breathes out a sigh "Not much of a reader myself, but I'm sure you two can figure it out just fine." soon enough the monsters come out to play. Much more Kali's speed. As before, the woman hits her fists together and shouts "Henshin!" taking a moment for a series of vines to sprout from underneath her clothes. The vines would spread and wrap around her until she's clad in a woody, tree-like suit of armor. Kali would grunt as she looks up to Faye "If you're so confident about the flier, we'll handle the ground." Noticing the quiet girl's fireball thing Kali decides it would be wise not to get directly in the way. So instead of running up immediately, Kali brings her hands together and begins charging up a massive jolt of electricity ++player action++ Concentrate - boosts next attack damage

Nanoha shrugs at Kyoko while aiming to walk back towards the other group. "Frankly, I'm kind of considering just leveling the building and calling it a day. Or at least, trying to. That's kinda why I wanted everyone gathered, wouldn't do to hit somebody with stray shots." She'd raise her staff forward and simply kick open the door if it had shut, if the thing were locked or the like it'd quickly find itself beset upon with superhuman strength. Either way, the goal is naturally to keep on moving back towards Faye. Or at least where Faye had gone.

--Player Phase --Team A-- * The battle gets underway quickly. Kali concentrates hard. As the Nightmare Beast steps forwards, attracted to his seemingly defenceless enemy, it is bombarded by orbs of darkness. It staggers backwards before roaring in rage, it’s attention turned to Sophia. Meanwhile, in the air, Faye would accost the Nightmare Gargoyle with the shadowy knife. It would collide with the gargoyle, sending it falling into the dark haze below.* --Team B-- * Nanoha’s kick opens the door easily, letting her and Kyoko go back into lit up entry hall.* Easy. Those things are expensive. They take at least 10 seconds to repair. You can use da damn door handle, ya know? Geez. Some people… * If Kyoko followed her, both would find themselves back in the entry hall. The dark haze had gone from the floor above them, meaning that their companions had won their battle upstairs. However, their allies were missing as well, likely having moved on to another room. You could still venture upstairs to try and find them or move onwards to another of the three rooms available downstairs. Two small doors to the left and right and the large double doors you just kicked open rather roughly.* --Enemy Phase-- * Glaring at Sophia, the Nightmare Beast howls, darkness dripping from its mouth. It’s approach is slow at first before it suddenly rockets forward, it’s front paw covered in a strange energy before swinging it at Sophia.* * In the air, the Gargoyle, though seemingly defeated, shoots back out of the haze, it’s bident is covered in the same dark energy as the Beast paw. Trying to take Faye by surprise, it swoops up quickly from behind her, before thrusting it’s bident forwards. The dark energy would fire forwards as a beam of umbral light, which would burn if Faye was struck. Of course, anyone with control of the air would easily be able to sense the beast coming and thwart it’s ambush attempt.* Nightmare Beast: Nightmare Driver (Heavy Physical damage to one foe. Severe if that foe is inflicted with fear) Nightmare Gargoyle: Nightmare Canon ( Heavy Dark Damage to one foe. Severe if that foe is inflicted with fear.)

“Don’t ignore me.” As the nightmare beast barrels past her, Kali releases her electricity once more. Now she turns to strike the beast in its side, hoping to blast it off course with a massive wave of thunder “Keep it up Roc, we can handle this one.” Kali gives Faye nickname off the top of her head as she keeps an eye on the beast in front of her —player action— Thunder burst - charged up to Colossal elec on Nightmare Beast-

The Nightmare Beast paw would immediately find it’s striking paw being rebound back towards it, the dark energy coating it merely bouncing off an invisible barrier that decides to show itself due to the impact of the hit actually making an impact. Sophia sighs and floats a little backwards. “...sorry... you’re angry...” She held her hand out once more, seemingly to just want to pet it. Really though, she was just emitting a ghostly energy, releasing it and letting it shower the nightmare beast. If it gets hit, it’ll feel drained of it’s life force. —Player Action— Nosferatu - Heavy Curse Damage, drains hp based off damage dealt.

Faye would of course be able to tell where the creature had moved and was able to keep up with it with speed of her own but she didn't quite expect a sudden beam of energy. She would be able to avoid a direct hit but the energy would burn as it struck her left arm. "D-damn you!" Her anger however wouldn't just remain as words as darkness seemed to begin forming around her body before stretching out and reaching for whatever the creature might have used to see. It would attempt to blind it in any way it could by filling its senses with darkness. --Player Action-- Damn Their Eyes: Divine blindness, normal enemies get blinded no matter what, strong willed enemies can fight it off by expending energy.

Following Nanoha's lead back to the starting room, Kyoko then groans upon the mysterious voice's complaints. "Oh, expensive is it? Well in that case..." Kyoko thrusts her spear into ground and tears through it like Spongebob walking into the Krusty Krab when he couldn't tie his shoes. "That's what you get for boring me." Although, upon realizing that Nanoha was likely going to blow the place up anyways, Kyoko merely yawns afterwards, blinking a few times and looking upwards

Nanoha would chuckle a bit while looking at Kyoko's reaction, she can't exactly blame the girl for being annoyed by this nonsense. If anything, it's entirely reasonable. Either way, she keeps on walking to try and catch up with Faye, plus the others with any luck. "Let's keep moving for now, I'm hoping to find them shortly so that we can get this done with more quickly." She holds her staff forward while advancing. Feet stepping through the room while her eyes dart about, all of it done with military precision. Even though this room was clear, she can't simply take it for granted that it'll remain such forever after all.

-Team A- * The powerful electrical attack slams right into the beast. It hits the rail at the side of the walkway, severely injured. Before it could rise again, Nosefaratu hits it. The impact causes it to break through the rails, sending it to the ground, dissolving into a dark mist as it falls. It never hits the ground. Meanwhile, the Gargoyle would become blinded. It would swing it’s bident around wildly.* -Team B- * Even as she walked, the remainder of the bodies on the ground in the foyer remained lifeless and dead. They offered no resistance. The same could be said about the black tendrils across the walls and wrapped around the supports of the room. The light seemed to derive them of power.* Don’t worry. I ain’t just gonna spring stuff on ya. I’ll play by my own rules. You can relax. Demon’s honor. *Whether you believe him or not, there’s no resistance on your way up the stairs or on the next floor up either. Before you is another large, ornate door and, further along the upper floor, a smaller door. With no indication of where your allies may have gone, whichever door you venture through is up to you. Meanwhile Kyoko’s breaking of the floor would prove to be useless, the floorboards being repaired by the shadows as soon as the spear was removed.* Are ya gonna keep doin that? It’s not even annoying. Just a little pathetic. * Either way, Kyoko now had a choice. Follow Nanoha up stairs or go through too any of the other rooms that she could go through.* -Enemy Phase- * With the Beast out of the picture, all that was left was the flying monster slashing from side to side with its spear. Eventually, it raises it raises it’s spear to the sky and spins it. As it does, Ice forms at the tip. Shards are sent out all over the room. The blinded gargoyle had no real target except hitting anything it could with the spell whilst flailing wildly. However, the likelihood it actually hits anything other than bookshelves is slim.* Nightmare Gargoyle: Mabufula (Medium Ice damage on everyone but with accuracy drastically reduced.)

"Pathetic." Kali doesn't even try to dodge. Instead she simply reaches one hand forward and gathers up what few ice shards that approach her, a frosty mist rolling off her woody hand. Kali extends the vines making her arm and wraps them together to form a spike, which is then frozen by the frost coming off of Kali's wooden armor. Now prepared, Kali brings her arm back, before thrusting it towards the Gargoyle and launching off her frozen spike to impale it. "Looks like we're almost done with this room. Finish it off." --player action-- Frost spike -medium phys + medium ice-

Nanoha sighs slightly, her staff lighting up as she holds it in the air. N: "Raising Heart, I want you to find the others. Or at least Sophia. Search for her magical signature, no need to go wide area though. Just a quarter mile range should do." R: "Of course master, beginning Limited Area Search!" Tracking magic bursts from the staff, rushing out and unless anything blocked it easily being able to lock into Sophia's mana. They did spar before after all, so the data is recorded. Assuming her spell worked, she'd simply walk through whichever door they're behind. Otherwise, she chooses the larger one at random. --action-- Limited Area Search for Sophia, will get location of target unless there's interference or the target is further than a quarter mile out.

"...finish it?...ok..." Seeing the gargoyle try it's best to hit them makes Sophia feel sad, and she floats closer to the gargoyle...after the ice spell misses. "...I must fight..." Sophia feels sad that the thing isn't dead yet, so with the help of her tome, and a little magical circle that forms around her hand, she fires off a beam of dark purple energy once more. In the dark room, the floor erupts slightly and purple lightning comes out from above, but it doesn't change the fact that there is still a beam heading straight towards the gargoyle. --Action-- Eternal Tome - Laser Beam. Heavy Curse Damage.

Faye would...just float to the ground. She didn't feel a need to join in as the creature was most likely not going to survive given its current state. She'd rather instead begin checking her own wings to make sure they weren't damaged previously. ~~Action~~ Low Attention Span: Use the power of bird like reflexes to become easily distracted by something other than what your attention was on before. + 10% Shiny Object Acquisition + 30% Food Supply - 20% Focus

-Team A- * The combined efforts of Sophia and Kali, the blind Gargoyle is shot out of the side and falls to the floor below. No sound is heard, however the room lights up as with the floors before and the haze falls to the lower level. As the room lights up, a book on the floor opens. Crystalline vines grow out of it and rapidly form into a crystal flower. The vines and the flower shimmer and shine in the new room of the light. As the flower grows, a girls voice can be heard. Unlike the demons, who echoes around the room in a taunting manor, always there but just out of reach, the girls seems distant and seems like it whispers in your ear. Like she’s right behind you but you can’t see her..* I don’t like being imprisoned. And yet, why is it that no matter what I do, I always end up in one. Someone. Save me. -Team B- * As Kyoko reaches her, Nanoha would finish her scan. The sense of magic would be able to point out that Sophia at least went through the smaller door off to the side of the main entrance. Assumedly, Kali and Faye went with her. As the scan finishes, the same voice of the young girl reaches both your ears.

Kali reflexively looks behind her, only to find its just Sophia. The other girl was quiet and hard to hear anyways so it wasn't too out of place to have come from her. Though the voice seemed a little different, it would be worth checking. Kali neglects to hide her armor again. And though she is calm Kali's usual rough voice might be a bit off putting as she asks Sophia "Did you need something or are we good to move on? Bad idea to stand around in a monster's nest."

As Kali looks behind her, Sophia does as well for a very convenient way to avoid eye contact. Though when Kali was still looking at her, Sophia points to herself in confusion, jumping back slightly when she chooses to speak. "...uhm...no...I'm fine..." She looks back at Faye, pointing her finger out to make a faint jolt of dark energy to slightly zap the bird girl in order to get her attention, and then floating away in fear.

"Ow!" Although the shock was small it was enough to trigger a reaction of some sort. Sophia might notice that shadows that weren't there before had begun clinging to her feet. They didn't seem to do much besides cause an unnatural amount of unease but they'd remain for a while. Kali would see nothing. Faye having received the shock would continue forward, following Kali. "You lead, I'll follow. N-normally I'd be able to see what's ahead but this darkness isn't natural. It's not...real darkness...or at least I don't think it is...It's odd..."