The Unstoppable Force and The Immovable Object: Acria Vs Artua

[Tentacle Therapist]

Artua hurried his pace as he drew closer to his destination. The town of Cottswell would serve as his newest base of operation for research. Cresting a hill, Artua sees the smoke from the town’s various fires, but as he draws closer he realizes the true source of the smoke.

“Oh not another arson” thought Artua. He quickens his pace and arrives at the front gate. The houses have fire where thatching used to be and only the center of town, devoid of combustibles, seems to be untouched by the flames.

The town hall was spectacularly up in flames, sending embers to and fro like a torrent of fire, so Artua heads over to it, spreading a blanket of his orange energy over it, to snuff out the flames. “I hope nobody is in there.” He thought to himself again. “IS ANYONE THERE?” He yells.

[Admin]

Acria slowly emerged from a tower of ice and stepped onto the platform of the wall. The town was roughly enclosed by wooden palisades with raised platforms lining the walls. To enter Cottswell, she had raised a pillar of ice to carry her up the wall, used sections of it to quickly kill the posted guardsmen, and then created another pillar to let her down on the other side rather than try to find the stairs in the dark.

Many families had been asleep, and any cries for help were quickly cut short. Methodically, the town had been robbed of its populace, unknowingly playing a part in the greater scheme of things. Acria worked tirelessly throughout the night, despite the growing cries for vengeance from the town's militia once they had discovered her work.

'Fools', she had thought. The thought was almost a justification for her, though. They had no right to have that which they could not protect. The militia had followed the carnage from one side of town to the other, finally finding the well-prepared culprit. The sun rose to the sudden stillness and quiet of the town.

Her work was cut short when she heard the cackle of fire all too late for her to salvage the situation. The militia had carried torches, and she was too engrossed in her work to think to squelch the small flames before they became an inferno.

Presently, Acria lay a large black sack onto the wooden platform, full of her night's harvest. The more lively ones she met, though few in number, she kept close in memory and had marked their bones specifically. They would contribute to the work of her Master, and towards the weapon of her own design. She heaved the bag up again, and stepped forward between the wooden spikes to the newly frozen tower she had used to first scale the wall.

"Is anyone there?"

Acria stopped her movement abruptly, the sack falling from her grip as she almost slipped in her sudden surprise. The likely source of the scream... A man or boy, trapped beneath burning rubble and the bodies of his family. For some reason, the thought suddenly sent a surge of pain through her head. She planted one hand on the wooden platform as her legs failed her, and placed one hand to grasp her head. The motion only brought more pain, and as she removed her hand from her face, she saw the icy residue on her palm colored red.

Regaining herself and freezing her scratches, careful to not also freeze the wetness of her eyes, Acria turned to face the burning town. She could see nothing from her vantage point. She mentally debated on what to do about the situation, before quickly deciding to wait for the man to call out again.

[Tentacle Therapist]

Artua finished his deed, the biggest fire squelched out of existence. He hoped that air had rushed back in quickly enough to any survivors, and ceased his yelling to run inside. The fires had consumed everything, and he found no bones. “The buildings are still standing; it shouldn’t be hot enough to turn bones to ash yet. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?” He gibbers to himself.

He runs back outside, to smother two smaller buildings. “IS ANYONE STILL ALIVE?” He yells. “CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?” He yells over and over again, trying to put out as many fires as he can. He remains blissfully unaware of the danger lurking on the walls, so distracted he is, and his sight so blocked by the smoke of fire and smoldering buildings.

“This just can’t be happening! Why did this have to happen? They had REALLY GOOD PIE HERE. Where am I going to find a place to base my research out of that has pastries as good as that?!” Artua shakes his head back and forth, realizing that he has lost touch with reality there for a moment. He tries to calm himself down by sitting crosslegged in the center of the town square.

“I’ll keep putting out fires and calling for a few more minutes, then I had better leave.”

[Admin]

Acria watched and listened, perched upon the palisade platform. She heard the man call out again, and she could readily discern from his voice that he could not have been a trapped victim as she had first assumed. More interesting, however, was that it seemed that the flames began to die down in the direction she heard the voice come from.

'He's putting out the fires...'

This thought struck her with an entirely different chord than her last. There was a man still in the village who sought to conquer the flame alone. Or at least as best she could assess given that he was the only one shouting for survivors. Perhaps he would soon find her collection of carrion in one of the huts not too far from the square, clearly on fire.

Realization after realization turned to thought after thought about what to do with the situation. Acria looked back at her palm, the blood upon it having turned to ice. 'I need sleep... I am too tired for this,' she reasoned with herself. Yet, she felt compelled to otherwise deal with the situation at hand, for there was perhaps yet one who was deserving of the staff. She could try to approach him peacefully, convince him she was a survivor, help look for others until they both found her work. As he stood confused, she would kill him, and she would continue with her duty to Jericho after having used him to cleanse the flame.

Deceit was not something Acria employed often. She had never experienced it around Jericho, save for the few occasions where he had lied to bless her with the power she now governed. He did tell her stories, though, and in her own experience she could have people believe what they wanted to long enough for her to get what she needed from them. That comprised the majority of her contact with any other human being, with the exception of the times where she would stare into their eyes as they died or as she pried their bones from their bodies.

The plan had a misgiving, however, that was obvious to her. This deceit hinged upon the assumption that he didn't already hear about her or her deeds. The more likely situation was that he hid out until he thought she was far away from the place. If Acria were to approach this man unprepared, she would likely pay the price, especially in her current weary state. Therefore, she decided, she would be prepared and simply deal with things as they happened.

Acria stood up from her crouch, grabbed the black sack and toted it over to the pillar across the wall. She let it down, knowing that it would be safe and where she wanted to find it afterward, even as the ice began to melt. With that taken care of, she turned and stepped onto the other pillar on the town's side, allowing herself to slowly 'melt' into it. The ice compacted itself somewhat, shifting around and under her robes to fit her figure as if armor. She kept a large store behind her neck, which could be well-hidden and extremely useful. The remaining half of the pillar she let slowly dissolve and creep in the wake of her footsteps, covering the ground in frost as she made her way cautiously towards the center of town.

[Tentacle Therapist]

Artua had found a well behind a house, and forced that wonderful orange extension of himself into the form of a rudimentary pump and hose system. This idea had been spawned from his knowledge of blood vessels and anatomy, and so he had been reasonably sure it would work.

As he pumped water onto a smouldering ruin, a woman entered the town square. It took a moment for Artua to notice her, and when he did his head and mind immediately turned towards her, spraying well water in her general direction. He quickly receded his will, drawing the strangely colored substance back into himself, and rushed over to her.

"A survivor? What happened here? And why haven't I found any bodies? Did everyone evacuate the town?" Artua's mouth runs a mile a minute at her, before he realizes his manners. "Uhh, I'm sorry, this must be really hard, I just want to know what happened. Could you tell me and then try and get somewhere safe?"

[Admin]

Acria was taken back by the sudden swarm of questions. She shrank back a bit, flinching at the unexpected flurry, and waited for him to finish.

"I... no... I'm not a survivor. I just saw the smoke and fire, and heard you yelling. I came to help."

She looked around, recognizing the central area of town. However, the flames and their destruction had rendered the surroundings far different, and she was still somewhat surprised with how fast the flames were erasing the town.

Acria looked back to Artua.

"So you don't know what happened here? You're not a survivor?"

[Tentacle Therapist]

"A survivor? That is a strange question. I suppose I am alive, and I am here during whatever this is. I only seem to have arrived half-way through however. I have survived lots of things though, so I must be a survivor!"

He puffs his chest out and beats on it with one hand.

"But you aren't a survivor? So then you are like me, someone who just happened to show up here, on this day, when I did? That... sounds rather unlikely actually, but par for the course I suppose. What are the chances of so many towns suddenly bursting into flames? Did you know that I happened upon such towns three times on my way here? How am I supposed to get any research done like this?!"

Losing himself in thought for a moment, his eyes perk up and meet Acria's.

"Unless you have some means of helping me put out these fires though, it would probably be best if you left. I really shouldn't bother at this point, the fires are getting pretty bad, but if I can save a house to stay in, that would be acceptable."

There was nothing more he wanted to do, than to leave. All things told, he would probably end up being blamed for all these fires if he stuck around, but there was research to be done! He may have a lot of time, but he also had a lot of things he needed to learn.

[Admin]

Again, Acria was put off by the man's attempts at conversation. He spoke erratically and often changed the subject. Of the few conversations she has had over the years with other people, this was one of the most puzzling.

'He doubts my word? Or... is he speaking nonsense..?'

After he finished speaking, she turned to face one of the still-burning houses.

"I have a means."

Acria knew her eyes were different than the eyes of others. When she applied her abilities, the color in her iris would fluctuate. As much as she wanted to keep the stranger in her notice, she turned to the side enough that he wouldn't be able to see.

She had a thought for a moment, mentally debating whether or not to mimic spellcasting. She found her powers worked far differently than those of anyone else, save for Jericho and his murderer. Sometimes, it worked to her favor to imitate spellcasting instead of betraying the difference between her and others, but it depended on whether the audience had a mage or not. She had noticed him doing something out of the ordinary with the well water, so she opted for no imitation.

Acria outstretched both hands towards the burning building, concentrated some of her power, and willed a constant shower of frozen vapor over the fire like an icy wind. She didn't will too much of her power out at once, for she didn't want the stranger to know much more about her.

The method would not be terribly efficient, but the tiny specks of ice melted into water and soon the nearest of the flames turned to smoke. Extinguishing the entire fire would take some time, but this was only necessary to further gauge his response.

[Tentacle Therapist]

"Oooh" Artua manages to get out, suddenly and instantly distracted from the fires. "That is a wonderful little trick, I don't think I've seen anything like that before..." He trails off and stares at the fires, then back to the crystals forming in the air and melting into water droplets, and back again.

This continues for a good 'nother ten seconds before he inquires: "Can you make any crystals bigger than that? I might have an interesting idea for dealing with this blaze if you can! Oh, but I wouldn't want to impose. Hmm..."

"You are awfully beautiful for a human aren't you? I would love to learn more about you, and your ability there. It clearly isn't magic, or Mr. Fire Lord would be rather upset, and complain to me. What do you think?"

Another long pregnant pause, as he seems to realize that he is standing amidst a burning town again. "Oh, yes, fire, forgot. How big can you make those ice crystals?"

[Admin]

Acria stopped manifesting and projecting the ice, and, with hands still outstretched toward the fire, turned her head towards the stranger to look at him quizzically. While doing so, she began charging her power.

This man was ridiculous. He kept talking, making references to nonsense. For example, "... for a human aren't you?"... did that imply he wasn't human? He also mentioned a Fire Lord; could that mean he was talking to whoever held the Elemental Blood of Fire? How would this man know of such a thing?

He was a mystery, and Acria determined he was either insane or knew too much for his own good... or both. She didn't know how long she would drag on this act, but she'd soon have to decide if he was even worth the trouble.

Still looking at the stranger, Acria released the pent up energy in the form of covering her hands in a somewhat thick layer of ice. She willed the ice to break off in sections and fly into the fire.

She stopped, building her power again, waiting for him to comment.

[Tentacle Therapist]

A tendril shoots out and catches one of the shards of ice. It retreats to him, and he thumbs it in his hand. He looks intently at it, sniffs it, and then has a lick as it begins to melt. "No, no, entirely insufficient." He mumbles incoherently for a moment. "-and I was THIS close to a steam-powered water pump... Oh, when I said "insufficient" I didn't mean it as an insult, don't mind me sorry." A little ways away, a thin sheet of orange semi-solid has creeped over a house, and is suffocating the flames there.

"That is still quite an interesting ability though, I've never seen anything quite like it... Does that burn your hands? I mean frostburn of course, I was born in the mountains where it snowed a lot, and that was quite a problem at times. What I wouldn't give to have had ol' Firey around back then. Actually, that probably would have incinerated me! Haha!" The fire in the smothered building has gone out, and the sheet begins creeping towards the next one, like an orange mold growing and dying in fast-forward.

"I honestly have no idea about your powers though! You wouldn't happen to know anything particularly... scientific about them would you? I'm gathering lots of information on "unique" things, and I think what you are doing fits the bill!" A wide smile, though not exceptionally toothy, large and boisterous springs across his face.

[Admin]

The conversation and situation were spinning rapidly out of control. Absolutely nothing the man said made sense, except for small bits and pieces that seemed shrouded in multiple meanings. He also never stopped talking. He was very intriguing but also rapidly approached insufferable.

On top of that, she was able to see more of his power, which caused her to gape in amazement. He was manipulating... something. It appeared to be some sort of viscous wave that just snuffed out the burning buildings. Acria had honestly never seen anything like it, and nothing from Jericho's notes made mention of it.

Two things were determined.

He is likely extremely dangerous.

The Staff is deserving of him.

Jericho's notes were expansive, and while they certainly did not detail the entire world, magical and magic-like abilities were well documented. If he was displaying some power beyond that, he was sure to be an extremely rare individual. Even if his personality was insufferable, his powers would prove far more valuable.

She turned back towards the burning building and pulsed the built up elemental power, forming a thin sheet of ice that rushed towards the lower ends of the inferno. When the sheet was gone, she resumed spraying the small icelets.

"It does not burn...", for the cold no longer bothered her. She looked pointedly at him again, mentally acknowledging the ice built up underneath her robes.

"... and I am not going to give you that sort of information."

[Tentacle Therapist]

"Ah, so you do know something, you just aren't... willing..." His voice goes colder on the last word, and the masses that were snuffing out the fires quickly begin receding into him.

"You are a once in a lifetime discovery you know. That is a very... very long time for me. I am going to have to get... rough. Please don't die, it would make finding the answers on my own much more troublesome." He smiles and tilts his head playfully as if to say 'It couldn't be helped, sorry.'

The playfulness gives way to eyes like daggers and a thin spike, mayhaps only an inch in diameter, streaks towards Acria. It goes wide and long, missing by a significant margin, and thumping against the ground a foot or two behind her. It then goes slack, and swings to try and wind around her leg.

[Admin]

At his reaction, Acria narrowed her eyes in response. She may not have understood what the man was saying, but she clearly understood his actions. A part of her was dismayed that her plan would not go to fruition. Another was overjoyed at the opportunity.

'This will need to end quickly... I am too tired for a prolonged fight.'

Acria readied the charge of power she had been storing, waiting to release it at the right moment. A memory passed in her mind in an instant. Words that were written in Jericho's journal.

"I am nearly speechless in amazement. Acria has managed to surpass some of the greatest known mages in a way! During my studies at the Conclave, I came upon a spell of short-distance teleportation. It was a spell that originated far away from the Conclave, so none of the mages there knew how to truly cast the spell. I read that after the first experiments had failed, even the masters rejected practice and the spell was condemned as a fake and forbidden. That knowledge was one of the things I took when I escaped the Conclave.

She has mastered the spell in such a short time, though I know it greatly taxes her body. I believe she would have been a prodigy if she had matured normally. I'm going to try to give her one of my powers to her in celebration.

I am very proud of her. Acria, if you are reading this, I am very proud of you."

The memory threatened to overwhelm her, but she steeled herself. Her mind focused on a section of ice from her armor she had separated from the rest, as she was taught, and spoke the words of power just as the tendril neared her.

"Magus Nex."

Acria reappeared behind and to the left of her target by only a few yards in a rush of wind. With a mental command, the ice of her armor and the stored chunk underneath her hair and behind her neck erupted from her robed form, tore through her robes in spikes and shrapnel, and raced towards the man in his blind spot.

[Tentacle Therapist]

"Ah..." he says halfheartedly as shards of ice pelt him from behind. Most stuck harmlessly into a thin layer of the extension of his will, but some were slowly soaking in the deep crimson of blood. Suddenly he burns white, the shards flashing away, and the cavities in the barrier fill back in. The color quickly returns to the pale orange, but a wave of wet heat pushes out oppressively.

"That was an interesting little spell missy, but it seems... familiar somehow? Have I seen that before?" He parses his memory, a finger coming to meet his lips. Crimson seeps from wounds along his side, flowing underneath the shell that surrounds him. The blood wells as the wounds are plugged up, and then the fluid is drained away as though through a sieve.

"Oh yes, that is right. I was visiting when that spell was finally worked out! It is really a fascinating thing you know, it actually breaks the caster through the barrier between our world and the elemental planes! You violently force yourself in, and then immediately return."

Blades of orange shoot out, nearly as thin as paper. Two for each limb, the aim for either side, continuing past, their leading edges meeting together and then begin pulling backwards to draw her in. Each limb, like being caught in a noose. It made them easy to cut away, but made it very difficult to cut all of them before one was reeled in.

"Too quickly to interact meaningfully with it mind, but long enough for some of the elements to leak out! It used that plane of air if I recall, the spell that is, and that rather miffed 'Ol Big and Firey. The reason you actually move is because of a little... relativistic tomfoolery. Exactly here does not translate to exactly there, and so it spits you out a little bit further away from where you went in!"

He explains matter-of-factly despite the attempt on his life.

[Admin]

Acria was ignoring him now. Her entire mind became focused on killing and avoiding being killed; every other thought faded away.

Still, she had never seen the type of powers this man was using. She was used to fighting against mages and soldiers, but they had never employed living weapons. Somewhere in her mind, for the briefest of moments, she wondered if he had an Elemental Blood.

The methods of her escape were severely limited. Using her only spell again would exhaust her, and she was surrounded by tendrils. Acria felt her body weigh heavily; she hadn't slept since the day before. This situation had to end quickly.

Acria pulled at whatever ice remained after her attack towards her while pulling her ice armor upwards. Moving her body this way was always painful, but she had no other options. She flew up and away towards a building to dodge the tendrils.

[Tentacle Therapist]

"Really? Are you just going to stay up there, in the hopes that I will give up? Or will you run? Either way, I'm sure I can outlast you. I really would rather not damage you, and I could accomplish so much more if you were cooperative! Join me! Help me! Let me dissect you! It will be glorious!"

In the meantime, he wracks his brain for a way to apprehend her safely.

[Admin]

Acria landed on the roof of a building that had survived the fire thus far and was able to bear her small weight. She exhaled deeply, feeling exhaustion pull at her features. Her body ached all over, the ice forcing it to move against gravity unnaturally. Acria willed the ice to fall from her body and collect on the ground, leaving her unarmored save for her magical cloth robe. No longer burdened by the ice, she reached into her robes and unfastened the Bone Blade.

Acria employed a few tactics that would fell unusual opponents. She often found herself outnumbered, cornered, or in a physical state unfit to fight. Each was a gamble, but few had ever failed her. Teleporting behind her opponent to shred them with her ice hadn't worked, and she ended up far too close to an opponent who was far too strange for her liking. She couldn't afford to make this last any longer; attempt to end the fight now, and if that doesn't work, escape quickly.

As she looked down on the living-magic user, her eyes became covered in darkness, churning with black fury. A very small aura of shadow wrapped around her form. She would focus her power as long as she could, the longer the better. That meant buying time.

She looked him in the eyes with her own swirling black ones and asked, "Why?"

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