\ Haven:Mist and Shadow Plotlogs/To The Bidder Go The Spoils Sr Lucas 240828
Plotlogs

To The Bidder Go The Spoils Sr Lucas 240828

In an enchanting, otherworldly forest clearing, a group of adventurers gathered at the behest of a whimsical, child-like Fae. Among them were Fayad, Ash, Freya, Selina, and Isaiah, each from unique backgrounds, bearing arms and abilities as diverse as their origins. Directed by the Fae, they embarked on a quest for a key that promised entry to an enigmatic, supposedly rewarding auction.

The adventurers, despite initial disarray and the dark undercurrents of personal agendas, managed to enter the heart of the maze. They encountered its guardian, a formidable Minotaur hammering human-shaped figures into stone. The sight was horrifying, yet the Minotaur's attention was soon torn between the group and Selina's ice magic, which briefly ensnared it but ultimately provoked its wrath. The ensuing chaos saw Fayad attempting to race for the key and subsequently becoming a resented pawn in his companions’ strategies. Isaiah, in his wolf form, displayed unwavering determination to safeguard his newfound pack, while Ash and Freya demonstrated quick thinking and resourcefulness.

Selina’s magic, though taxing, proved crucial. She created a pillar of ice to bring the sought-after chest to the surface from a hotspring, its waters heavy with an enchantment that sought to pull them down. Working together under Ash’s coordination and with Fayad’s reluctant contribution, they freed the chest from its icy prison. Freya, possessing the key, unlocked the chest to reveal — a simple wooden slingshot.

The Fae’s return marked the culmination of their quest. With a mix of satisfaction and a touch of regret for the easy completion of his challenge, he accepted the slingshot, now evidently significant beyond its appearance. In exchange, he tossed the group a set of ancient, goblin-featured gold coins, hinting at their importance for the forthcoming auction.

The adventure, ripe with trials, tension, and an underpinning of uneasy alliances, thus concluded. The chest’s simple content, juxtaposed with the journey’s complexity, left the adventurers with lingering questions about the true nature of their agreement with the capricious Fae and what lay ahead at the auction. Yet, it also forged an unspoken bond among them, a shared resilience amidst the Fae’s unpredictable whims.
(To the Bidder Go the Spoils(SRLucas):SRLucas)

[Thu Aug 22 2024]

At Deep within the Forest
This is a small clearing, naturally formed amongst a large copse of densely gathered conifer and spruce trees far away enough from the town that the sounds of traffic and the shine of the clocktower and the lighthouse cannot be seen. The grass is just as dense but short, springy and resillient underfoot.

It is after dusk, about 90F(32C) degrees, There is a waning gibbous moon.

SRLucas says "Waiting on 2, but they have a few based on my starting time announcmenet! Prep an intro, grab a sammich, we'll be rolling shortly."
SRLucas says "Another add, so still waiting on 2! Should be in, in the next 10-15 per the start time. I'll be throwing a complete introduction once everyone's here. "
SRLucas says "Alright, one more who should be good to go in the next 5, I'll throw a proper introduction here in just about five minutes! Everyone was directed to this place via GPS nothing special in that, though expectations are for some level of Fae/representative to show up."
Fayad trudges through the woods sullenly, dark eyes full of disappointment and anger as the travel fails to cheer Fayad from whatever has Fayad in such a terrible mood. Rifle slung over his shoulder, spear in one hand being used as a walking stick, he's very armed,

Ash glances over the others, humming softly as they approach. "What a diverse group this is... I'm not surprised that you two are here so much as I am surprised that there's no blood to be seen. Even if you just got here." They look between Fayad and Freya with a look of quiet amusement, as if having expected them to attack on sight. They are holding an umbrella in one hand over their head, and the other's in their pocket. They have a couple of bags on them, but otherwise unequipped for violence.

Freya leans against a tree at the edge of the clearing. A low amused glance is given to Ash given Fayad probably hasn't noticed her yet in his trudging. Her own eyes are narrowed, gleaming teal slits as she yawns, showing off her rather long, big and sharp canines. Nothing like the thin needles of a vampire these teeth are designed to rip flesh.

Freya reminds everyone she's at work so slow responses (ooc)

Fayad walks through the woods sullenly, dark eyes full of disappointment and anger as the travel fails to cheer Fayad from whatever has Fayad in such a terrible mood. Rifle slung over his shoulder, spear in one hand being used as a walking stick, he's very armed, and he leans against a tree, checking his phone with squinted eyes to make certain he's at the right place.

The night air is warm, blowing mildly through the tops of the trees that grow densely around the small clearing, here. One by one, people begin to arrive from all walks of life and the words that come from Ash seem to strike a point. It's true enough that those who've shown up are all varied, and it's no surprise that enemies might fall among them. From the shadows above, the almost-full moon is still shining quite brightly as the rare Super Moon that's just passed still shows itself strong; providing a faint, pale glow that makes it mostly easy to see out here, even at dusk. That won't last long however, and into this sense of quiet and stillness that these people step into.

Selina is actually capable of providing her own pathing bridge to the location. Perhaps not on the first try, but eventually, she lands somewhere close by. To the under educated or the uninitiated, she appears to be a lost swimmer, clad only in a wet suit. But the way she carries herself and the fact she is the current border lord of the Godrealm certainly gives the impression she belongs, even when she does not. She finds her way in to the gathering and looks around. Her pale blue eyes find Fayad amongst the attendees, and she snickers behind her impassive mask of neutral emotional expression.

Ash hums cheerfully as they wait, looking around between people and the environment with interest. They look over Selina with a tilt of their head, examining her carefully, but it's Isaiah's arrival that catches most of their attention. "Oh, hey," they say, raising their umbrella-free hand out of their pocket to wave their fingers at him. "I'm surprised you came, you know... considering."

"But that would mean paying attention to your own squabbles, instead of me!" These words come out with a voice from the dark that seem in reply to Ash himself, as the last people begin to trail in. Selina makes an entrance that seems understated and yet perfectly appropriate for someone carrying her status, carried by her own stature and carraige as much as anything else. Another seems to be entering the clearing now as well, and that mystery voice grows quiet in pause.

Ash turns their head towards that voice, tilting their head slightly. There's a slight rattling of beads as they turn the rest of their body, part way, then not much else for a bit as they try to pinpoint the voice's owner.

Isaiah moves through the trees in a half-and-half of lackadaisical carelessness and the quiet stalking of a predator. Occasionally when the moonlight glints through the trees, there's a reflective red sheen to his eyes, metallic and murky, and it's in the moment of that red refraction of light that his irises jolt to one side, shifting to view Ash in their crimson spotlight. He steps forward once more, into the shade of many leaves, and red becomes blue as the light leaves that reflective barrier on his retinas, leaving only glacial hues in its place. "Considering?" he wonders, stinking of cigarettes and coffee and, well, sweat. Not /dirty/ sweat, but the sweat of exertion. He snorts hard sucking something from nose into throat and swallowing with little care to the aftertaste of the tuck. Then he looks at Freya.

"Selina Brightwood. It is your pleasure to make my acquaintance," Selina says when she 'feels' someone' eyes upon her. She was not even looking that direction, but she sniffs the air and hears practically everything around her. When she does look toward someone though, she gives a small nod and says, "No ill-will for bullets slung during phantom fights." She then turns back to surveying her surroundings, relaxed, but aware. She draws in a deep breath to huff out a sigh then asks, "Has our Host made themselves known?"

"Selina Brightwood. It is your pleasure to make my acquaintance," Selina says when she 'feels' someone' eyes upon her. She was not even looking that direction, but she sniffs the air and hears practically everything around her. When she does look toward Ash though, she gives a small nod and says, "No ill-will for bullets slung during phantom fights." She then turns back to surveying her surroundings, relaxed, but aware. She draws in a deep breath to huff out a sigh then asks, "Has our Host made themselves known?"

"Selina Brightwood. It is your pleasure to make my acquaintance," Selina says when she 'feels' Ash's eyes upon her. She was not even looking that direction, but she sniffs the air and hears practically everything around her. When she does look toward Ash though, she gives a small nod and says, "No ill-will for bullets slung during phantom fights." She then turns back to surveying her surroundings, relaxed, but aware. She draws in a deep breath to huff out a sigh then asks, "Has our Host made themselves known?"

Teal eyes swing across the shadows of the glade to meet Isaiah's for a moment and the woman lounging with a foot on the tree behind her usings it to push off. Her heels make soft crackling noises as she walks, breaking up the leaves as she makes her way towards the trio. "Hello Selina." She greets as she comes to a stop next to Isaiah, "Ash." Her head flicks to the side to Isaiah and she gives a fanged grin. "Jr." Freya's turns to look over at Fayad, the odd one out mayhaps and her grin grows wider, shows more fangs.

Ash shrugs, just vaguely saying, "Last time we did something like this." They follow Isaiah's gaze, finding Freya, then considering for a moment. They're shocked, for a moment, when Selina introduces herself. Their head stapping back to look at her again. "Oh, word? Nice to meet you, you're sort of a big name, nah? Ash Starling, rock-huddling darling. And glad to hear it, I hear you make a lethal enemy." As to her question, then nod toward a mysterious voice that had spoken up, but add nothing more. They walk over to join Freya and Isaiah, back facing away from the voice.

"Some people did not get the memo, or decided to ignore it," Selina says to Ash with another nod, but how could anyone be intimidated by some twenty-something blue-haired woman in a wetsuit? And yet. Selina then turns to look at Freya. She offers a hand for a wrist-grasping shake with the woman and asks, "How is my second favorite ex-Knight?" She then regards Fayad for a moment and then waits, patiently, for the host to arrive or get things kicked off.

Some might expect thier benefactor to arrive or come into view at ground level, or to appear in some drastic fashion but it's somewhere in between. Through the branches of the upper boughs, rustling comes now much more noteable than that mystery voice. Freya, Selina, and Isaiah will see it first. The form of a child or a small humanoid, ten or twelve by human measure the mind would call it. Dressed in what should look like ragged clothing stitched from leaves, vines, acorns and pinecones. The child-being wears it like the robes of an emperor however, and that too appropriate. "And I wouldn't like that very much, nope." Sitting down on a branch, Fayad, and Ash will catch a better view of it as the moonlight shifts and brings it more into view. Sharp features that could be called human, but a sharp eye can see the oddities. Angles slightly too sharp, a nose too shallow, needle-sharp fox when it smiles. A smile that's bright and beautiful despite that, and charming to boot. "But so many! This IS a surprise. I LOVE being surprised." He at least speaks like a child, in the cantor and manner of simple yet direct words. He waits as the group continues to settle with itself and for them to approach.

Ash tilts their head at Selina before saying, "I think I missed it, what-"

Ash looks up at their host, and smiles softly. They slide their free hand back into their pocket, and watch through their shimmering lenses, tilting their head slightly, but saying nothing.

Fayad glances up towards the fae, as a survival mechanism placing all of his attention upon the reason he's here. He inclines his head, making sure to show respect to the being.

Selina dips into a slight bow toward the child fae figure and says, "Selina Brightwood." The first time since her arrival in Haven she has not used her typical line about it being the child's pleasure to make her acquaintance. So that is how she acts when there is someone around that could potentially kill her with a thought. When she straightens up though, she tucks some of her hair behind her very much rounded ears. Once she has finished, she stands straight and proper, regal even in her skin-tight outfit.

"Fucking Fae..." Isaiah mutters under his breath with gritted teeth as he stands at the head of his trio, containing himself Freya, and Ash, as though he enjoyed taking the helm in some small way. But not now- now, that crimson metallic sheen is back over his eyes as they cast their oily gaze upon the child-being. He inhales sharply through his nose, then blows out long and slow through slightly parted lips that eventually become an exasperated raspberry. "Always is with auctions, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Oh well," the ginger laments, twisting up his lips to demonstrate that he is perturbed.

Ash glances at Isaiah, murmuring, "Yeah... that's what I meant. Thought you knew."

Freya clasps Selina's wrist with her own hand, smiling over at the other woman. "I could be better but I'm getting there. We worked well as a team today." But then the fae appears and she turns to give her attention to the boy. Her silver hair, tipped with pink gleams in the moonlight as she studies the boy. "Freya." She murmurs in introduction of herself, staying by the side of Isaiah and Ash for now with Selina nearby as well.

To their host, Ash bows with a flourish, one foot stretched out behind the other, their free hand out to the side, wiggling their fingers. They grin, widely, at the fae child.

The nature of Fae is no secret of course. Those that show deference and crane their necks bring a brighter smile and a small bit of approval in the form of clapping his hands together lightly. "Oh no, I'm not the fucking kind" he says with this child-like matter-of-factness that sounds almost comical until you realize that the misinterpretation might be legitimate. "I'm the taking children kind!" He says equally as matter of fact without his smile ever waivering. "But tonight, no tonight I'm the DEAL making kind" he says, shaking his finger as if at himself with a more humorous expression settling onto his features. "Brightwood? Oh, well you are topic of conversation! But that wouldn't be fair tonight, no! Tonight we're hunting." He hops up a little bit to stand on the branch, hand reaching out to steady himself easily against the tree. "So with so many let's make it all or nothing, yeah?! Yeah! So, if you succeed, you all get to go! If you fail ... well. Then you all LOSE. Agreed?"

OOC: I've deferred to He by mistake even though I was trying not to. Disregard that. The child should look something like a mixture between elfin and lupine features that have softened into a humanish face - but very amorphous in that regard.

Ash looks over to Selina and Fayad as the terms come up, watching their reactions as they twirl their unnecessary umbrella a few times.

Fayad hesitantly inquires, "And the penalty for losing is not getting your spot at the Auction, exalted Fae?", he ass-kisses.

Having spoken, this Fae child leaves the group to mull things over and talk it amongst themselves. An apple comes off of a branch of a tree that is not at all an apple tree and they sit back down, content to munch it down to the core. "There are lots of ways to lose" he says in between bites.

Freya turns to look from Isaiah to Selina, wondering how they would take the terms. Her fingers reach up to tug on a lock of her silvery hair in front of her curves.

Ash smirks in amusement as they ask politely, "Do we all have to lose for all of us to lose? If any of us succeed, do we all succeed?"

(As an SR I will generally only put someon's character in actual mortal danger for Story Death / Behavior reasons, never for failing the plot. And I've never had to.)

Selina does not seem surprised by a Fae delivering a twist to a situation. She takes it in stride as she does most things, without any expression touching her facial features. "If we are doing this together, will we be doing so under a Venetian Truce?" she asks of her companions. And Fayad, perhaps to a lesser extent. She glances around at the others then nods to Ash and their additional query, but she offers no questions of her own.

A quick snap of the fingers comes at Ash's question, next. "Yes! If one of you finds what you're looking for, then all of you will succeed even if all of you don't make it!"

Fayad quietly nods. "Very well. All-or-nothing for the entire group," he comments. "This is acceptable." He glances towards the others present, a hint of malevolence in his eyes - he's not great at hiding his intent and pretty much everyone here would be able to read into it that he's thinking 'maybe I should sandbag to fuck it up for them', eyes lingering especially upon Selina and Freya.

Another snap of the fingers to Selina this time. "You're a team tonight. Any bickering over your mortal concerns doesn't make this any fun for me! Shucks, seeing if you can swallow it down will be half the fun at this rate! He agreed. He Agreed." The child now points quite vehemently at Fayad.

Rather than answering Selina's question directly, Ash looks to Isaiah, to see what he says. It seems that, once he arrived, their goal has shifted from whatever it was before to assisting him, and not particularly bothering to be subtle about it. They hum softly, though, as the fey gestures at Fayad, and they ask, casually, "What's the condition of success? What do we find? Or do we just survive?"

With a brackish kind of a cackle laugh, the Fae tosses the apple core over his shoulder and snaps his fingers. A thin line of light materializes into being in the air then twists on itself in a way that /hurts/ the eye like staring too long at a screen to watch. That expand from four points like a diamond and rotates into place as a rectangular door. "First you find the key! Then you unlock the box! What lies inside is the prize. Fitting, right? Now shoo!" With that, a great gust of wind begins to pull them all toward that door like a vaccuum of suction! The other side shows only tall walls of grey, bleak stone.

OOC: People may emote at this for reaction and pose, then join up to the maze when you're ready!

Fayad unslings his spear from his back and heads into the maze, his pendant glowing against his neck as he mutters wards underneath his breath, attempting to protect himself from the suction so that he'll have his feet steady when he enters the maze willingly instead of being sucked in.

Selina presses her lips together into a line for a moment to consider what is before her. "Pull your weight, or you'll regret it," she warns Fayad, then she lets out a startled yelp when the suction occurs, instantly flipping into a form to be better for handling it.

Selina(argenti draco hybrida) turns into the suction, tucks her wings, and goes flying into it with a bit of a barrel roll, trying to avoid hitting anyone else along the way.

Ash brightens at the word 'key', and seems like they're going to comment before the sucking happens, which - given their umbrella, results in an almost cartoonish display as their short, light body is pulled long by it. Rather than looking panicked, they jump slightly, taking advantage as they sort of Mary Poppins their way into the doorway, laughing slightly at the silly opportunity given. Their bare feet lift off of the mossy ground and lands again within the maze, where they promptly put their umbrella *away*.

Freya casts a glance over at Fayad as if wondering what would happen if she shoves him into the wall of the maze but she resists the urge. Her lower lip is taken as she reaches out to grab Isaiah's hand so they won't get seperated given everyone else has already been sucked in.

That done, Freya lets the winds draw her in with everyone else.

"Hunting is fine by me," Isaiah says, digging his hands deeper into his jacket pockets and taking on even more of a goonish slouch. "Mazes.. Not so much," claims the ginger-headed fuck as Freya takes his hand, peeling it out of his pocket and causing him to grumble, but resign. The other is set neatly atop Ash's head, tangling loosely in dreadlocks and pulling him closer, fingers massaging against his scalp in a combination of adoration and affection as he, also, squeezes Freya's hand. "I'm all here now. No full moon driving me fucking crazy. Let's win it," he declares.

Stepping in, the wind dies down immediately and the door vanishes once they're all pushed through. The wind isn't a gale, so nobody has much trouble over keeping their footing and then there they are. The walls stretch along, but there's a sense of purpose and understanding for them now. Find the Key - that's their first step and it seems reasonable that their entrance into this maze leaves that task pretty straight forward.

Freya is a predator. A hunter attuned to the senses of her wolf so that she is only half human most of the time. Her nose sniffs the air as her keen vision looks around the maze. "We should stick together. Easier to get each other out of trouble. Her hand squeezes down on Isaiah's and she glances over at Selina. "

Ash hums softly at Isaiah's touch, coming in close as they nod along. "Fantastic. And I'm a good hand at... games. I hope - no, I'm sure I can help." An absolute simp, and they don't even seem embarassed by the display. Their eyes wander, and their nostrils flare... trying to catch something, anything. "I doubt we'll remain together," they tell Freya in an aside, "But I plan to try."

Freya is a predator. A hunter attuned to the senses of her wolf so that she is only half human most of the time. Her nose sniffs the air as her keen vision looks around the maze. "We should stick together. Easier to get each other out of trouble." Her hand squeezes down on Isaiah's and she glances over at Selina.

Fayad mutters something that sounds like "Left," as he gestures with his spear towards the end of the corridor. "You always go left in mazes."

Freya gestures for Fayad to go first.

Once the wind dies back down, Selina crouches down and retakes her human form. "Rule one, never split the party," she points out as she stands back up, clearing her throat. "But it often happens anyway," she says thoughtfully. She sniffs at the air for a moment, then says, "I doubt our Host will make it that easy for us, but very well." Like Freya, she gestures for Fayad to go first. If he dies, she can claim she tried her best to prevent it!

Having settled, it appears that most of the group here can easily recognize this maze for what it is. More than a maze, it's a home, and a trap, and a safe-guard. A Labryinth. Some will have more knowledge than others, from experience or books and study, but all here seem to be at least vaguely versed in lore that will help them in this place.

Fayad seems to be fine with that - he uses his spear as a pole to check the floor ahead of him before he goes. Tip. Tip tap. Tip clack tap. It makes the going extremely slow as the human expresses as much caution as possible in the unknown labyrinth, considering he has absolutely no supernatural senses to fall back on.

Ash hums, saying, "I heard that it's the 'right-hand rule'. Not really arguing, though, they shrug. "I can offer whoever leads the way a blessing...," they murmur, eyeing Fayad as it seems that the group has chosen him. "Or we can have some of our summoned pals explore for us," they add, even as they watch Fayad pick his way through."

"You always go right," Isaiah mutters to Fayad, rolling his eyes. "So long as you keep your hand to the right side touching a wall, eventually you'll find your way out. If it's a normal maze," he goes on to say, inching towards the entrance with a bravado that is quite unusual for him where Fae and their ilk are involved. "But this isn't a normal maze. It's a Fae maze. I doubt it will be one solid shape the whole time- it'll be more like that fucking Harry Potter labyrinth that keeps changing the paths and trying to kill you. Fucking bastard ass fucking piece of shit goon-ass fucking fairies and shit," he rambles, taking his ire out on a nearby rock that he kicks past the entrance with gusto, testing the walls, the floor, the echo. Then, he listens for any audible response to the noise.

"The transformative magics can render such a thing quite annoying to overcome, but we will be vigilant and prepare," Selina says, slowly following with the left-hand wall-walking method without much protest. She stays quiet and stealthy, keeping her ears and other senses open to the world around them in an effort to keep tabs on anything that might attack. As she goes, she goes ahead and pulls some of the water vapor in the air around her in to start forming some armor and weapons, just in case she might need them.

Turning, a kick with gusto sends that rock careening down the unreasonably long stretch of hallway with force and speed. The rock smacks off of a wall with the natural sound of strone striking stone and the further away it travels the softer the clack of skipping down the stone tiling beneath their feet grows. Still, the echo travels back - clack! Clack! clack ... clac.. While Ash offers alternatives for scouting forward, Fayad's wisdom will prove itself useful quickly. A couple of those tiles will indeed feel as though they can be depressed or will outright give way beneath the butt of his spear to see a trap or blade come firing out a scant pace or two ahead of them. But after a short stretch of this they'll reach a cut-off that leads into the maze not connected to the outer wall. Or they can continue on. Just by quick glance, it's not easy to tell when the next turn or offering may come.


Ash looks over Isaiah as he curses, but with their eyes hidden behind their shimmering lenses, they say nothing. Instead, they murmur in annoyance, "Fuck, I should have bought some mandrake tea before coming." Snapping their long fingers, they simply continue behind their chosen leader, doing little but observing, for now.

Fayad stumbles backwards and falls onto his ass the first time a blade comes within inches of shearing his face off, and he swears under his breath as he uses his spear as a balance pole to get back up. He wipes at his brow and glances into the labyrinth, exhaling. This is going to take a very long time with him in front, because instead of taking any kind of risk he turns to continue the left-wall stratagem. It is likely they will be going through the entire place, inch by agonizing inch.

Freya follows after the others keeping their tail and glancing behind of them often to notice if anything changes behind of them. She relies on Isaiah to lead her, with her eyes more focused on their rear.

It's starting to look like rule number one is going to be broken real quick, because the look on Isaiah's face when Fayad nearly gets impaled is maniacal joy that might even rival that of the fickle Fae themselves. "Pfffft!!" he raspberries in amusement, feigning an attempt at holding back laughter, then sniffing at the air. "Hey, Freya, you smell that? It.." *sniff* *sniff* "Pretty sure Fayad just wet himself," cackles the greaser-esque goon, who leans right without touching the wall as his eyes search for a path around the stabbing knives, the collapsing tiles, and the other various traps that the unfortunate victim of his bullying has uncovered thus far.

Selina follows along in her stoic silence, maybe even following Fayad's steps out of some sort of ingrained adventurer instinct from her past. And when Fayad stumbles, she stops and looks over at one of the stones in the wall. She puts her glove-covered hand against it and brushes her fingers across it a little bit. "People?" she says thoughtfully, glancing over at the others as if to clue them in on what she is feeling.

Ash smirks at Fayad, and more so at Isaiah before their attention is caught by Selina. "People?" They ask, curious. Their bare feet dance lightly over the floor as they move, walking on the toes and balls of their feet as flit along. They look over to see what she's talking about, having not caught whatever she had.

Under touch, they feel as but stone. Making his way around Fayad, Isaiah will look to create a choice it seems. His inclination to go right will see him moving toward the opening in the far wall rather than following the long corridor down. Will the group be separated already?

Fayad gives Isaiah a death-glare from his position, and he makes a threat - "I'm gonna piss YOUR pants if you don't shut the fuck up," in an extremely serious growl. Maybe he should have picked a different word choice, because that's. That's not a thing. People say.

Freya follows Isaiah, glancing over at Selina for moment as the woman calls for the other's attention. At Fayad's words she snorts softly before reaching down to pluck his rifle from his shoulders. Her hand briefly leaves Isaiah's to pull open the clip and steal a few bullets before she shoves the rifle way too hard back into Fayad's arms.

Ash moves after Isaiah immediately, however, not straying from him as they look over at Selina while they pass. Pressing a hand against Isaiah's back, they ask, "A blessing, if you're going ahead," they offer, splaying their brown fingers across his shoulderblades. They don't comment on Fayad at all, then blinks as Freya tries to take Fayad's bullets unsuccessfully.

All the while - the whole group can all but feel eyes watching them in distant amusement.

Fayad says "Hey! No, fuck-"
Freya steals the bullets given there's no way Fayad is faster or stronger than her.

Fayad emits an oof as his gun gets replaced.

Freya bounces the freed bullets in her palm.

Ash seems amused as Freya just tries again, successfully. They don't ask, "What did you do that for?" Though they might be curious. But, chances are it's just to ensure that he doesn't snipe the group as soon as they turn their back on him. Instead, they comment softly in their Tejano accent, "So, we're splitting the party, then?"

Freya takes Isaiah's hand again as she tucks the bullets into her pocket bar one. She plays with it with her hand and peers down the split in the path.

SRLucas says "I think it's a syntax issue I think it's emote attempt "
Fayad grimaces as he begins to walk again, tapping away at the floor and walls.

SRLucas says "If you aren t in a room with an SR or don't include 'with' then attempt instead attempts a potential emote.'"
SRLucas says "It's because I'm here. "
SRLucas says "b8ut the other one worked. Hrm. "
"HEY!" Isaiah yells at Fayad with a mock-glare that's eventually cracked by a smirk and a little wink. "Don't threaten me with a good time, you kinky little freak." There's a shit-eating grin all over the ginger's face as he says that, partnered with an expression of challenge. A dare. A double-dog-dare, even, for Fayad to come close to trying as Freya steps in for him. Then, eventually, he's looking at Selina. "People?" he asks, reaching out, slipping his fingers into Freya's hair as she harasses Fayad more than he has, and giving her a gentle but quite firm tug backwards. "Play nice, mamas," he mutters, though sweetly, his voice like honey. "We're here to win, not infight. Save it for Haven. I can handle myself in the meantime."

As Fayad starts moving down the hallway that continues on(did I get that right, he was continuing straight?) the way will seem pretty clear, a good stretch of stone tiles that show no signs of traps on this side at least.

Fayad sure why not

Selina stops messing with the stones on the walls and turns to follow along with the others. "Transformative magic," she points out to the others before rolling one shoulder. "We're surrounded with suffering," she explains, still getting used to that particular sense. She does not comment on taking Fayad's bullets or anything, just continuing on where the others are going. She glances up to see how high the maze is, perhaps gauging whether or not she could jump up there or climb and perhaps get a better view of the maze. She can of course fly, but given the wind that sucked them into the maze, perhaps she is being cautious with that particular ability right now.

Fayad casts a glance back, quickly confirming his initial impression of Selina's words with "So the bricks are people."

"Maybe," Selina says to Fayad, rolling her shoulder once more. She seems rather hesitant to commit to that, but she has voiced as much information as she has on the topic for the moment. She keeps her rapier and armor solid for the time being with an occasional burst of her own magic.

Freya turns to glance at Isaiah as his fingers tangle into her hair and tug her backwards. Her breath catches for a moment but she nods her head sullenly, perhaps pulling her hair even more in his grasp as Fayad gets to go. She lets out a breath and at the admission that there's people all around them and it seems like her original plan is shelved for a moment.

Fayad emits clicking noises as he nervously clacks his talontips together, the massive gaudy gauntlet on his left arm serving as the brace for his spear as he continues down the corridor.

Ash raises their eyes at Selina, looking surprised as they turn to the wall, touching it to feel for themself. "Because why not, I suppose," they suppose, tapping their nails against it. "Or maybe there's a purpose... can't tell if that's a good or bad thing. You can feel their suffering, or is this the result of it?" They tilt their head, ashen dreads sliding to follow gravity as they clarify, "I mean, are they suffering *right now*. That's what I want to know... and how they might be freed from it." Despite their inquisition, they don't neglect a glance over at Freya, and especially her reaction, glancing over again at Isaiah before following on as the party is further split.

Looking upward, the walls might stretch up a good twenty feet. With the ability to leap great distances, it could be managed and with flight certainly though something tells Selina that caution is probably for the best right now. (If I have it right) Isaiah has kind of put himself in front of the others to semi-lead the way along with Fayad, the way going a little quicker as the traps seems to be done ofor the time being. Time is funny in places like this - they seem to stretch on for hours, walking down that path. Long enough to wonder many times if they should've just done into the opening but eventually they'll come to the corner of that outer wall as it turns right by their perspective and stretches on once more. The group will take time to make it forward - between animosity and dysfunction it's slow going. Arguments on directions to take nonwith standing between the saavy and the intelligence of all involved eventually will begin to find what they believe to be the right path inward and toward the center of the maze that holds what they seek, plenty of time for them to discuss this macabre topic.

OOC: Ah! If I'm mistaken and people did in fact split let me know, I have a little bit for that.

Fayad thinks we all decided to take the opening Isaiah went for?

OOC: Okay! Proceed and assume that instead, the rest of the emote should be fine. I'll have something coming up here shortly however as an extra so don't mind the probing.

"Fuck 'em," Isaiah replies to Ash when he seems to feel sympathy towards the bricks, crinkling his nose again as he sniffs hard. "My dad used to work with a guy that did this shit to people. Put them in chemical vats and fleshformed them into talking person-goop. But one thing I do know," he claims as though an expert on the shit, "Is that where there's a condensed amount of suffering like this, especially in large amounts, there's a fucking Demon." Isaiah isn't taking the lead, per se, because where Fayad might go left, the ginger most definitely goes right, but if there have been no splits as of yet, then the group, for now, remains together. He does at the very least lead at the front of Ash and Freya, acting as some form of impromptu Alpha Wolf, at least in his own mind, occasionally snagging one of them by the hair when they get too far ahead of him, too far behind, or start to veer in a direction he just plain doesn't like.

confirmed through the opening. Caryr on.

Fayad says "Might be one of those banished demon-type fae. Probably giving away the ticket in a spot of fun because they're not allowed in the auction anyway but got one anyhow, somehow. "
Selina has let the others lead for lack of desire, hanging back a little when she inspected the stones. She makes quick, if quiet, work of catching back up. Only to find someone going left and someone going right? She sighs at that point. "Because not sending the invitation would be the greater breach of Hospitality," she points out, knowing how royal etiquette and such would work in her world for that anyways. Perhaps not here. She shifts into her smallest, most agile form a moment later.

Then Selina(argenti draco) bounces up and off the walls a couple of times until she can get to the top, peeking over with the longer craning of her neck bring her head just above the top of the wall while clinging to the cracks with her claws as gently as possible. If she can find space to walk up there, she clambers up and starts shadowing along with the larger group if they are indeed splitting up.

Ash tilts their head at Isaiah, then explains, "It could be relevant, is why I ask. Wouldn't it be more fun if sad little humans have to interact with blocks of human suffering? Could be that they move, or that they're sentient, or something like that." They don't counter his knowledge on demons, though, just assuring him that it's not sorrow, but curiosity. They nod to Fayad, slowly, in acknowledgement of his words, and focus on thinking about what sort of game the fey may be playing - outside of wandering occasionally just to get Isaiah to pull them close by the hair.

With the choice made to scout a bit more effectively, Selina(argenti draco) will confirm that while there are more than one path to the center, taking the split here will result in a much shorter walk as it were. It seems that the group led still by Fayad with Isaiah short behind will remain together. As the group grows nearer, the corridors grow more narrow, smaller and shorter in length as the twists and turns grow sharper and more tight. Now the sound of something ... breathing, can be heard. Something big. Also - they'll find themself a moment of pause at a passage that appears too long and too straight to be in this segment of the maze, now. To that end, they have no choice but to traverse it, to discover tiles that will begin to drop out beneath their feet! Selina(argenti draco) and Freya will be able to react to this and speed along the pathway and past the others with ease. Ash will find it more difficult to manage but shouldn't be pressed to escape without suffering insult, if not injury. Isaiah and Fayad may not be so lucky.

OOC: Have Isaiah and Fayad make some emote /attempts for this.

Freya follows Isaiah but she does scout the path ahead of them somewhat. The way she does it? Her hand flicks one of the bullets in her palm towards repelling it from her before changing the tragectory so that it bounces back and forth along the walls back to her, testing their solidity. She doesn't let Isaiah get far infront of her though and when the floor drops out underneath her she hisses and grabs Isaiah by the waist as she dashes towards safety.

Fayad yelps and does his best to break into a sprint to try to outpace the crumbling tiles behind him, a mantra of "shit shit fuck shit" spurring the tiny man onwards. Thankfully he runs normal and not like a cartoon ninja.

SRLucas says "Note. Probe is not working quite right I could swear it reported Fayad at 0 running."
"See? Never doubt me again. I always know the safest rou-oooooh shit!" Sproing. The floor falls out from beneath Isaiah like some kind of Warner Brothers cartoon, and he's scrambling in mid-air to catch himself- and then shifting as he does so, wicked claws grasping at the next closest plate as he attempt to drag his mighty weight upwards, snagging Freya or Ash's clothing between his teeth only if it seems that one of them, too, is about to take a plummet, then bolting at full speed- if he makes it, that is- with his little package of people meat in tow, and certainly getting salivated on.

Selina(argenti draco) makes some chirping noises and points with her fledgling wings for the path that will result in a shorter path. And then she follows along for that way if everyone goes with her. And then she is bouncing along the path with the rest as the floor starts to crumble, having gotten down to avoid the winds over the top. But she is light, agile, and even without flight, so, annoyingly, freaky FAST! Angelborn wish they could move like her, slithering through like silver lightning, touching two or three stones for everyone one the others might, even using a couple of wall bounces to avoid hitting people on her way. When she gets to the other side, if anyone is having trouble making it...

Selina falls back into her human form and makes a motion toward the ground, attempting to solidify a thick sheet of ice where the floor WAS to ensure that no one goes down with it. She is an adventurer first, a Havenite a distant third, after all.

Ash takes their studying of dance and utilizes it to jump lightly from tile to tile, breathing through their nose as they focus. They are able to keep above the holes in the floor, but don't have much time to look out for someone, as the challenge takes their focus. Fortunately, there's little need to. someone helps them, Freya helps someone, and between running, pulling, jumping, transforming, tugging, and more - they all make it through.

Ash takes their studying of dance and utilizes it to jump lightly from tile to tile, breathing through their nose as they focus. They are able to keep above the holes in the floor, but don't have much time to look out for Isaiah(wolf), as the challenge takes their focus. Fortunately, there's little need to. Isaiah(wolf) helps them, Freya helps Isaiah(wolf), and between running, pulling, jumping, transforming, tugging, and more - they all make it through.

It all converges into a beautifull mess. The ice forms, while those are still dashing and Isaiah(wolf) is shifting mid being hauled by Freya It results in a relative tumble slash of people that pile onto Fayad in a dogpile. All but Selina who naturally, was far too graceful to be caught up in this disaster. The clanking of gauntlets and armor and weapons will rattle down the stone hallway.

Fayad squeaks as the air is compressed out of his form, like a slowly deflating balloon.

As the group re-gains its bearings, and prepare to move forward - they'll note the sound of that breathing has stopped. Predator, Adventurer, and Animal instinct alike they all scream out for that deer in headlights reaction. An urge to be quiet and still.

Freya growls softly as the man she could easily carry under an arm turns into a wolf she can't really that easily carry but somehow the tumble of them make it past all to tumble ontop of Fayad. She gets to her feet maybe using Fayad as a brace to push herself up.

Freya stills after she's gotten to her feet, one hand tangled in Isaiah(wolf)'s fur as she looks down the hallway way towards the clanking of armour.

Fayad is fine here on the ground wheezing to recover his breath. Unfortunately that process isn't very quiet, but he tries to stifle it with limited success.

Selina finds the nearest wall, alcove, or depressing to squeeze herself into it, while lifting a finger to her lips in a gesture for silence. Though it may not be noticed, she then plasters her back against the wall in order to try to pretend to be invisible. Sadly, her magic no longer allows her to do that here. Oh, how different her life would be if she were an illusionist...

The sound that comes next is a snuffling. A huffing a breath - a snort. And the ... clop of hooves?

Isaiah(wolf) shakes his fur out and pops a squat after that tumble, certainly needing to regain his bearings after that shitshow of an event. Freya uses Fayad as a crutch to lift herself up, and Isaiah(wolf) uses that same, poor man as a seat when he drops his ass down, full wolf-balls to face-cheek as his ears go on a swivel, listening for those wayward breaths and finding that they have stopped. He starts to growl low in warning, but something causes him to stop- those hooves. This labyrinth. The wheels are turning in his lupine head, and then his ears droop along with his tail as though realization hits him.

Freya casts a sideways glance as she simply stays still. There is no place that would hide the jumble of people here even if Selina manages to hide herself. She reaches out to touch between's jr's ears as if trying to work out what he had seemingly figured out.

Fayad says "Seems...our host...fan of...classics."
Ash stays still and quiet, trying to control their breathing after the sprint to stay still and quiet as they stand to Isaiah(wolf)'s other side, hand also in his fur. They seem, though, like they'd stomp on Fayad's neck as he speaks up but, alas, there's a wolf's nethers in the way. They have yet to ask if CBT is on the table, so instead, they give a silent snarl, listening carefully.

Staying quiet ... the sound seems to retreat and then eventually fade away. Then soon after a loud scream of something animal being torn into pieces reaches out into the air, the smell of blood on the air for those sensitive to it. MOre quiet ... and then from what sounds like only a few twists and turns away the sound of a hammer falling onto stone.

This sound now becomes somewhat rhythmic, coming in one and two-bursts of sound like someone working in the quarry. It's hard to say exactly how close or far, as the sound travels and echos off of the walls of stone.

Is there a look of disappointment in Freya's eyes? It definitely is given she was looking forward to repelling some armour straight off of a horse. She lets out a breath as the new noise fills the hallway around them. "We should move on." She hisses softly.

Fayad taps on Isaiah(wolf)'s flank for air, or to get them to move, or any number of desires

Isaiah(wolf) waits for a time as that hammer starts to beat out a rhythm like a drum, the Wolf keeping his ears pinned back for longer than perhaps he should before, eventually, starting to creep forward. He's keeping low, nearly bellycrawling with his eyes and ears turned towards the last direction he'd heard those hooves in. He makes no attempt to decide if Freya and Ash follow him or not, letting them decide for themselves as he makes a scouting attempt. But one thing is for certain- whatever that creature was, Isaiah(wolf) seems to have an idea that he cannot voice, and he's determined to avoid it as much as he can. This means, naturally, that his partially-furred nutsack is no longer stopping Fayad's ability to breathe or speak, and the weight of his wolf tushy is off of the poor guy. Thank the Gods for small miracles, right?

Freya follows after Isaiah(wolf) again, flicking another bullet from her down the path infront of the wolf to see if it can trigger any traps.

Ash tries to catch the scent of both the predator and the source of that sound before it's washed by the thick rich scent of blood. But when Isaiah(wolf) moves, they follow, glancing around occasionally to see if anything has changed.

Selina waits until the brief bit of immediate danger has passed to slink out from her hiding spot and start scouting around with the others, following, but maintaining a distance with the source of the stone hammer pounding noise. She does not seem inclined to talk out her plans, but it seems Isaiah(wolf) has similar thoughts as her perhaps. She nods to him as she paces with him along that path, trying to find the potential aggressor that is in the maze. She may not want to engage directly, but she also does want to get the key and the box, as everyone present seems to desire.

Growing this close to the center of the maze now, no more traps to be found thankfully! As those re-gather and move more cautiously now, unfortunately the hammering only grows louder as they move closer to the center. Eventually Isaiah(wolf) will creep to a corner the sound almost right on top of them despite taking each twist and turn that seems like it might move them further away. But around that corner is both success and perhaps doom. A large central chamber of sorts with a circular wall that encompasses it from either side of the cooridor's end. The center holds the fabled creature himself and while inferior versions of this creature can be found aplenty this one seems more true to the legend of old. Standing well over ten feet to twelve feet in height, the bottom half of this creature is bovine, hooves and back-bent legs obscenely musculared. The top half is human but muscled like the rest, and the head is that of an ebony-black bull. Horns that stretch out impressively from his head. He's hammering on something laid out on a gigantic table with a rock hammer sized for it. What's onthe table? Human beings. They scream, but no sound comes out but the sound of hammer hitting stone as the hammeer falls. However, behind him lies a doorway - glowing and showing a lush green glade beyond. Next to it hangs on a gilded chain - a key.

Fayad trails behind and assesses the situation, face an expression of sympathetic anguish as he winces at the sight of the forger.

Ash looks over the massive minotaur, then down at the humans... then at the door, and key. But, their eyes doesn't stop there, they examine the entire chamber from what they can see, looking for any advantage, any weakness, and any *clue* that may help them. A battle is not between two groups of people, after all, but between the groups of people and the *environment*. They don't move, however, without orders - somatic, if not verbal - from Isaiah(wolf).

Freya glances at creature that has appeared infront of them but her teal eyes are fixed on that key that swings gently back and forth. She doesnt move, letting all the others catch up to make a plan.

The one thing that stands out right away to Ash is the space of it. It's big enough for this thing to move about so there's definitely room to scramble. The table might also be a useful something to put between yourself and the hammer-wielding Minotaur.


Fayad drops his voice to a whisper. "If it was up to me, I'd kill it. But I'm not sure I can... could summon a distraction, but not sure how long he'd last.."

Isaiah(wolf) has a look in his eyes that says the Minotaur he's staring at is exactly what he was afraid was going to happen. He hunkers down even lower, suppressing a whimper in his throat to avoid making any sound at all. His eyes dart to the side, eyeballing that key, as well as the door. Easy enough, right? They're right beside each other. They just have to get there without making a single fucking sound. Not a peep. Quiet as a mouse fart. No that easy for a Wolf that weighs over three-hundred pounds. It seems hat, perhaps, his decision is made then and there. His head turns towards Ash and Freya with a remorseful expression, and then jerks towards the key- and the door by proxy- to indicate that they should move in that direction. The autumnal wolf, however, with those freckle-like speckles on its pelt, instead starts creeping towards the beast on his belly, still keeping low to the ground, as silent as possible, potentially deeming himself a worthy distraction to get the rest of his 'Pack' to the door and out.

Selina(argenti draco) slips back into her human form and starts every fight the way it is meant to be started: With ice and magic. Instead of going straight for damage though, she goes for limiting mobility, her anklet flashing with white-cyan light as she freezes the water vapor in the air around the minotaur in an attempt to freeze him in place, knowing it will only slow him down. She points to the left side of the room to go around the monster, then she becomes a silver streak heading to the right, letting out a defiant, draconic roar to call the attention of the creature toward her while giving the others a chance to sneak around. She does not waste time trying to decipher whatever Isaiah(wolf) has come up with. Dogs do not have their own language. Dragons do. Even if she can't use it in her various forms for any real good reason.

Fayad's chin lifts in shock as he appraises the wolf creeping towards the minotaur, and then his big eyes and exagerrated frown and nod of 'yeah that's cool I'll accept that' is disrupted by someone beginning to conjure sorcery. "Oh shit fuck fuck shit-" and Fayad's off to the races, hoping to sprint along the edge of the room furthest from everyone fighting it to grab the key.

Fayad's chin lifts in shock as he appraises the wolf creeping towards the minotaur, and then his big eyes and exagerrated frown and nod of 'yeah that's cool I'll accept that' is disrupted by Selina(argenti draco) beginning to conjure sorcery. "Oh shit fuck fuck shit-" and Fayad's off to the races, hoping to sprint along the edge of the room furthest from everyone fighting it to grab the key.

Ash reaches out immediately, grabbing at Isaiah(wolf)'s fur to pull at him. Not to pull him back, gods no, not with their noodle arms. But to catch his attention, so that they can show him their charm bracelet, allowing a small rainbow to play as they wiggle their fingers. This, this is what they can do. Illusions. That's the magic that they've been learning - they may actually be able to do this better than Isaiah(wolf). Though, of course, then Fayad starts cursing and sprinting to the door, ruining any coordination. It's fine, they can work with this.

Isaiah(wolf) was hoping to use himself as a distraction, but Fayad works too, and as the guy starts to swear and take off running, the wolf chuffs, extends a foreleg, and trips him up, causing him to come crashing down right onto his face. A hot, wet nose starts rolling the guy towards the center of the room- without getting too close. An offering, maybe. And then he's pushing his head against Freya and Ash's legs, urging them towards the door- slowly. Quietly. And this time with himself following.

And so it begins. With a mighty roar, Selina(argenti draco) takes the most immediate and direct attention. A layer of hoarfrost and ice begins to form and creep over and around the giant thing rapidly as that sorcery begins to take effect. It brings a roar in response from the Minotaur in response and with a jerking motion he upheaves all that ice with a mighty shatter! Meanwhile, Isaiah(wolf) and Ash remain undetected for the moment as they move toward beast before shifting their design! Sadly, it seems Fayad is destined to take his lumps tonight because he finds himself tripped up, and rolled before he knows what's going on! But for the moment it works out because the Minotaur is focused on argueably the largest threat to it in the form of the ice-covered warrior standing ready. Ash and crew will have to figure out their next move and move fast, or risk being squished under hoof as the ice shatters and it begins lumbering forward to cross the distance.

Ash moves with Isaiah(wolf), having started foward already. They don't cast anything yet, pulling out their rifle in case they need it, slinging its strap over their gray dreadlocks, swinging their head so that their dreads aren't caught uncomfortably beneath it. They continue on their bath for the door and key, keeping an eye on the minotaur, in case it decides to focus on them. Their hand is up, charm bracelet at the ready, so that they can *react*. They keep pace with Isaiah(wolf), their light movements allowing them to match a massive wolf in speed. They don't seem concerned with Freya - after all, with her speed, they expect that she'll be the first to the key.

Fayad simply lays on the ground, a puddle of blood spreading from his nose, quietly contemplating his life and how he got into this situation.

Selina(argenti draco hybrida) may not be a wolf, but she knows a thing or two about hit and run tactics. That is pretty much how she fights. She slips into her more humanoid form and launches herself toward the minotaur, trying to land on its head and start shredding at its eyes with her claws, hoping the unexpected and savage attack will catch it off guard and perhaps stagger it enough to fall over. If it does, she can use it as a launching point to fly away again and taunt it into following her instead of the others. If not, she will cross that bridge when she gets there.

Freya provides a distraction or few distractions. First she overloads the fallen Fayad's phone so that it starts sparking. Wiping the drive and all. Maybe the shiny sparks of things electric will keep the minos attention. Next she runs towards Isaiah(wolf), keeping to his side. Wolves do not abandon pack. The hammer of the minotaur is focused on and repelled back from her as she gets closer, hopefully to fly out of the minotaurs grasp. Finally, with her burst of speed, she goes for the key trying to snag it with her hand.

This engagement proves to be a blessing for the others. Freya on her feet will be the first to make it behind the Minotaur and to the key. Isaiah(wolf) with Ash trailing him continue to roll Fayad and after a moment or two he'll be able to get back up or scramble up and make for the key and the door, though minus his phone as it starts sparking and smoking uncontrollably from his pocket in another cruel twist. The push of the hammer swings it forcefully enough to play the beast off-kilter as Selina(argenti draco hybrida) tries to land on it's head and scrape and shred at its eyes. The thing amazingly feels like stone under her claws but she does indeed manage damage as it rakes and furrows into its face. Shouting and roaring in pain and battle are running rampant and filling the room and bouncing off the walls until nothing can be heard through it all! The good news is that the rest of the group is in easy reach of the doorway now, meaning a quick snatch and grab is still within reach.

Isaiah(wolf) is eager to urge his Pack towards that door right now, and having Fayad as a human sacrifice and someone going into melee range, God dammit the Wolf seems pretty sure that they can win this. He watches as his compatriots fuck shit up, Freya all but lighting a road flare by Fayad's face to draw attention to the free meal, and Ash ready to fling a few spells himself. He doesn't go far from them, but this time rather than keep up, he hangs back, letting those two lead while he brings up the rear, keeping himself between them and the danger. Seems he's still ready to sacrifice himself in case things get hairy for them. Or furry. Kekw.

The moment the minotaur starts to do anything to hinder this 'Pack' - inasmuch as Ash counts in such - their bracelet glows as they call forth an illusion of a second draconian flying from the corner of his eye, heading for him in the opposite direction. This one is red, steam coming from his nostrils, the orange iridescence on his scales making it seem like he's burning with an inner fire - and he likely is. Fortunately for Selina(argenti draco hybrida), Fayad, and Freya, who might react most to this Gonthorian-aspected draconian - only the minotaur can see it. Or, would... if he wasn't blind, making Ash useless. They can only huff in annoyance, and sprint, accepting that it's not their time to shine after all.

Isaiah(wolf) is eager to urge his Pack towards that door right now, and having Fayad as a human sacrifice and Selina(argenti draco hybrida) going into melee range, God dammit the Wolf seems pretty sure that they can win this. He watches as his compatriots fuck shit up, Freya all but lighting a road flare by Fayad's face to draw attention to the free meal, and Ash ready to fling a few spells himself. He doesn't go far from them, but this time rather than keep up, he hangs back, letting those two lead while he brings up the rear, keeping himself between them and the danger. Seems he's still ready to sacrifice himself in case things get hairy for them. Or furry. Kekw. Isaiah(wolf) is sure Ash is doing amazing things, regardless of if he can see them or not, but right now all the Faeborn gets is another head shove to keep him moving towards the key. Go go go, move it, maggot!

Not blind, the illusion swoops down and the Minotaur turns, forcing Selina(argenti draco hybrida) off-balance from her aggressive perch and the rest of the crew will find that path open and ready. The key dangles and border of the door shimmers like lines of pure energy.

Freya catches the key in her hand if she can.

success!@

Freya picks up the key but like the other wolf she doesn't jump through the doorway. She stands next to it and waits, teal eyes glancing at the minotaur, waiting for it to swing or do anything before sending another repelling force towards it. "Get through!" She yells at Ash and everyone else really.

Selina(argenti draco hybrida) dismounts from her perch and tries to fly through the door toward the key. She may not realize Fayad is back there. She did her part, distracting the minotaur. Now it is time to move, and she is more than happy to get out of there as quickly as she can. Maybe not as quick as when she is a hatchling, but certainly fast enough for most.

Fayad groans and tries to crawl towards the gate, desperately.

Ash seems like they're ready to flag, starting to turn to make sure that Isaiah(wolf) is coming, but changes their mind, sprinting through to the doorway with their arms raised to cover their face - as if expecting to painfully find it a Roadrunner door. The best way to make sure that Isaiah(wolf) is safe is to get safe, so he has no reason to try and protect them, and so Ash moves with that in mind, planning to be the first one through the door, since Freya is waiting.

Those waiting behind are those left while the Minotaur is turning around to snarl with blood streaming through what look like furrows carved into the rock carving of it's face. Selina(argenti draco hybrida), Ash, Fayad all make their way through the door to safety, leaving Isaiah(wolf) and Freya to follow while they can!

OOC: Join up to the hotspring when you're ready! This is almost done so thank you for hanging in there! This last one should be super easy to get done between ice and vampire.

Freya clutches the key firmly in one hand as she watches Fayad crawl towards her with a look of distaste. She reaches a hand out trying to grab the ruffle of fur between Isaiah(wolf)'s shoulders as if telling him they're going to go through together.

Freya plunges into the doorway once shes assured Isaiah(wolf) is coming with her

At the last opportunity, Ash cloaks Isaiah(wolf) from the minotaur's eyes - just in case.

Stepping through, they all find themselves now in what can only be described as an idyllic piece of tranquil paradise to most. The pool draws attention and a cursory inspection will denote that past the bubbles that roil up - a box, a little chest really, can be see at the bottom of the pool. Only a scant five or six feet down, but any test of the water will reveal that it has a gravity property that tries to suck down whatever is inside of it.

Fayad observes this after dropping in a nearby stone. "Sank like a rock, " he comments. "So going for the chest might cause issues. I don't suppose anyone can drink an entire spring? "

Uno Momento.

OOC: I have no doubt you guys will manage this. Does anyone have objections to having me throw the finish here, so I can pass everyone before they have to pass out?

SRLucas says "That being said, nothing is certain. I defer. "
Fayad would be fine with that? Fayad still has time though

"I could just freeze it and we could shatter it?" Selina(argenti draco hybrida) offers as her one-stop solution for everything of course.

Ash has time, but doesn't mind, not wanting to keep anyone else up.

"I could just freeze it and we could shatter it?" Selina offers as her one-stop solution for everything of course.

SRLucas says "I just meant the mechanic. Can still finsih the scene"
Freya doesn't have time constraints either

Freya also doesn't mind what happens

It's good, Isaiah is gonna stay logged in safe, so we can finish!

Ash suggests, "We could put the key in there, and let Freya turn it. But if it didn't work, we'd lose the key. Selina's idea doesn't sound bad, though."

Selina says "Or pillar of ice to lift the box out..."
Selina says "Ice is flexible."
While they discuss their options, the glade itself does seem just so peaceful. It's just the right temperature for each of them somehow, the kind of ambience that just invites the desire to sit down and take a load off, or forget your worries.

Freya pretends she dragged someone through and sets the wolf on the side. "Try the disc of ice. Ice floats. If not.. I'll just shift and wade in."

Freya pretends she dragged the wolf through and sets the wolf on the side. "Try the disc of ice. Ice floats. If not.. I'll just shift and wade in."

Ash asks Selina thoughtfully, "Can you choose which parts you're freezing? I've probably played too much Zelda - ah!" They grin at Selina, saying, "Great minds, right?"

Isaiah is presumed to be recovering or beleagured off to the side but out of action, yes.

Ash frowns at Freya, explaining - presuming that she missed it - "Nah, Freya - something in there sucks you right down. You might even be compressed, which does *not* sound comfy, girl. You shouldn't risk yourself like that."

Fayad drily states, "No, I like that plan. Feel free." in an attempt to get Freya killed.

Freya wraps her hand around the key and smirks over at Fayad. "Nothing stopping me from chucking you in."

Fayad says "Only sanctuary, thankfully. "
Selina takes a slow, deep breath and steps up to the edge of the water. She starts to move her hands in a fashion that absolutely are not necessary for magic to work in this reality. Her anklet flares white-cyan for a few moments, and she shouts, "Heleg thavan!" She thrusts her hand down flat in front of her focusing her attention on the box and specifically the area around it as she works her magic. She slowly lifts her hand, willing more and more ice into the mixture down below, trying to lift the box on a nice, circular, pillar of ice.

Ash plays over the possibilities in their head absentmindedly before asking, "Heyo, Gamemaster? Do you know how to dance?" They glance at Fayad, eyeing him - he thinks that they're still in Haven forest? Well, it's possible that they are - no reason the Fae could not have just set it up in the forest instead of making a mini portal to the Other. Regardless, they shrug, and watch Selina work, listening for an answer.

Drawing forth the energies required to draw that heat from the water is no easy feat, being a hotspring after all. But with a push of effort (perhaps more than she rightfully wishes to expend) that ice begins to form like a cylinder that begins to stretch its way downward toward the box. The longer it takes the more it will begin to drain on Selina, but it is within her power. Once completed it will feel like she's run a marathon (even for her!) Now, they just have to cut it out.

Fayad knows that when you go to another world the protection still lasts since it's so close to the gates.

Alas, no reply comes to Ash's quip for the time being.

Ash has no idea if they're in a border region, or further out. When the box comes up, they stand, putting their rifle away and pulling out a sabre, instead, offering Freya the handle.

Fayad eyes his spear and comments, "Can use the butt to lever it out once it's a separate piece."

Fayad is going to apply MECHANICAL ENGINEERING to this.

Selina has been known to push her limits with magic, before this reality and after. She probably pushes way too far, but when she is done, she staggers back from the pool and falls, inelegantly on her ass. She pants quietly from the exertion, but she will certainly not be doing that again any time soon. Regardless, she is not going to be assisting with the chiseling it out of the ice portion of things. Though theoretically, she could just turn the ice back into water, but doing it in pieces can be draining too. Still, she sits back to catch her breath and recover while watching what happens from here.

Ash thinks that Fayad is going to go one about the regions in the Other - for some reason - before looking over to see what he does instead.

Ash hands over the sabre by the hilt, saying, "You could probably cut right through the ice, then Fayad can melt the rest off."

Fayad grimaces. "Yeah, I can do that, can't I," he mutters having completely forgot that he can do magic. To be fair it's a very recent development.

Freya doesnt really use sabers so she uses it like a kitchen knife, sorry Ash's blade. She uses her free hand to bring the sabre down to the side of the box, hacking at the ice.

Ash winces, then says, "Grab the ice at the top to hold it steady, then cut underneath it - fast and hard. Then you just give it to Fayad to handle."

Freya is having a bit of difficulty working out if the box is stuck at the bottom of a pillar of ice or at the top...

Luckiily for Selina, she has Ash, Freya, and Fayad to handle the rest of the muscle work now. Intent on this, Freya takes to the ice to begin hacking at the ice to bring the column-like cylinder down to size. Granted, Fayad could probably deal with the rest from here, the chest seen through the clear ice serves as an incentive to keep on chopping! Eventually they'll manage it, though. Somewhere about the middle of the pillar given the chance for the chest to rise during the freezing process!

Freya shrugs over at Fayad as she reduces the ice to a reasonable thickness around the chest and offers Ash his sword back. "Make yourself useful I guess." She tells Fayad, curling the top of her upper lip to show her fangs for a moment.

Fayad moves towards the chest, entombed as it is in ice, and begins to heat and melt away what Selina solidified, now that it's on solid ground.

This process goes much more quickly of course, the ice melting away little by little until all that's left of it is a puddle of water that's quick to splash across the feet of those gathered. There it is ... the chest lying on the grass. It's wooden though certainly more since the water doesn't effect it. It's strapped with some kind of iron or dulled brass-bound bands that wrap around the chest. And of course - the keyhole.

Ash looks to Freya, and grins. "Moment of truth, Freya."

Freya glances at the others then at the key down in her hand. Her silvery hair shifts about her shoulders as she kneels down to the side of the chest rather then infront. Her hand reaches over to insert the key within the chest, turning it hopefully with a soft click.

Ash shifts immediately to be on the other side of the chest. Juuust in case, just in case.

Fayad steps to the side for similar reasons.

The click comes with a sense of relief perhaps. It opens slowly, and inside .... a simple wooden slingshot. Of course it is. But as the chest is opened, the sound of clapping comes from somewhere and nowhere before stepping from ... somewhere, comes the child-like Fae that had sent them here. "Ah! Well, look at that. I was almost sure at least one of you wouldn't make it" he says, sounding equal parts impressed and disappointed. "If you please?" He holds out his hand, expecting clearly for the prize inside the chest to be proffered.

Fayad immediately assumes a position of appropriate groveling, upper torso bending deferentially.

When the Host returns, Selina manages to get back up and onto her feet, coughing, and perhaps swaying a little from the exertion. But she bows toward the child slightly again and then silently waits for Freya to do the thing to finish it off. Hopefully.

Ash sings, "Ba ba ba baaaaa!" in a playful manner. So long as no one stops them, they lift the chest, proffering its contents to the fae with a soft smile, kneeling as they do so.

Freya looks slightly apprehensive as the chest opens but relaxes slightly once she's able to gaze upon its contents. She picks up the chest as Ash does and the two of them walk it the fae although she doesn't kneel.

Freya does bow her head slightly though.

With a little pluck, the child takes the sling shot and takes a quick hop back, playfully pulling it back and aiming, shifting his squinty eye between them all. No pebble in the pouch of course but ... in his hands, will it matter? He nods, and tucks it into his waist belt, vines and simple twine rope. Then he tosses out a handful of coins. One for each of them, though one extra toward Freya for the recovering lupine. They're small but dull and golden. Old-looking, they have a simple but grotesque goblin's face stamped onto one side. The other side is blank. "Oh, this is gonna be so much fun! Oh, man oh man ..." the Fae seems to have now almost forgotten them entirely, their business done and his satisfaction attained.