Event Log: June, Dragon's Graveyard

[faileas]

Event Log: June, Dragon's Graveyard

I.Dragon of the Spirits Finding the roaming creature is not so difficult; something that large leaves plenty of sign for where it has travelled, with footsteps and broken branches. More worrying may be that it will find you. Even forest creatures are not safe from its rage, and anyone venturing into a certain part of the forest is bound to have the 'dragon' swiftly come to them first. The thing is large enough that its bleached white horns break high branches with each swing of its skull. Moss drapes across the skeletal form, fungi poking out here and there amongst the green, the dragon a patchwork of old bone and soft earthy colors that match the forest itself. But misty half-transparent and half-formed wisps of spirits are swirling around, flitting in and out of its form and lighting the sockets of the skull's eyes with white ghostfire. A haze of spores follows its every footstep, spread further by its howling roar -- pitch distorted by wheezing through 'flesh' of soil and fungus. It moves haphazardly through the forest, steps pulled by a multitude of minds and knocking down the occasional tree and leaving great gouges in the earth from its bony claws. Dragons may be able to calm it enough to speak words, but all other monsters will be chased down, and witches pursued with gusto. This is the embodiment of their fury at being disturbed, stirred to rage by human magic, and not so easily tamed. Though large and sharp of claw, there is one blessing for anyone intrepid enough to stand against the manifestation of the spirits' ire: it breaths neither fire nor ice, only a stench of ancient decay.

II.The Dragon's Graveyard Whether you evaded the dragon itself or destroyed the spirits' construct, the Graveyard can be found with a little careful searching deep within the forests of the Wilde it guarded. The canopy of late leaves fall breaks at the edge of a vast clearing. There's a eerie air once you step out from under the forest's trees; no birds sing, no other animals move through the low-lying growth of moss and fungi. Even the wind seems to have stilled here, leaving a deathly silence but for the faint hisses and flickering of movement half-seen before fading away -- but those have no origin in the physical world. Some of the dragons who passed away long ago were enormous, judging from the size of the bones left behind, old ribcages arching overhead and tall femurs dwarfing you lodged halfway into the earth. But it's hard to avoid stepping on smaller bones that have been left scattered across the ground some time long long ago. a. Hisses Beyond the Grave A hiss or growl; a gust of wind where there should be none. The spirits too distant and too weak to leave this place are still riled from their rest. Angry and feeling only intruders, they can only feel that they want you all gone. Perhaps you or your companions are overcome with a sudden burst of overwhelming fear and a need to flee. Perhaps one enters your body with a chill and forces you to speak fragmented words it cannot give voice to. Either way, they will do what they can to try to make you leave. No one would be blamed if a shifting bone made you a little concerned, given the sight of what their ire had built once... b. What Remains Just outside the Graveyard, a little searching can uncover some gory pieces of what was once a man. Searching through his scattered belongings, one can find some necromantic spell components, and a small notebook journaling his travels and attempt to raise the spirits of dragons of old. It is pretty obvious how well that worked out for him. Burying or burning what can be found of the body away from the Dragon's Graveyard might help soothe the spirits a little. Tracking the disturbance to the area, once there, isn't difficult. Huge bones have been pulled from the earth along the way, leaving loose soil overturned. At the end of this swath of destruction, plant life has been cleared away for a large circle. The earth is ripped up here too, and necromantic talismans hang from bones further away as if thrown by a violent confrontation, bits of string and beads a scattered sign of the disturbance. The sigils in the circle are scarred with massive claw marks, but remain a sign of the disturbance as well, disrupting the natural solemnity of this place of rest. The spirits are more agitated here too, hissing and whispering in your ear fragments of dismay and anger. Removing all signs of human presence may help as well -- if you can stand the spirits whispering and possession attempts long enough.

III.Deny or Pacify a. Sealing Solution The Northern Outpost is the closest mustering point for witches to gather in any effort to seal the area, and some from the Coven have already arrived through the teleporter to discuss details with Wilders and amongst each other. Plan for the journey ahead, or discuss ethical considerations, or even the question of how long such spirits might have to be held back, if it is even possible without a larger delegation from the Coven. b. Offerings for the Spirits A dedicated effort to communicate with and appease the spirits with finally break through their crazed ranting enough that they will accept offerings of gold, silver, jewels and all manner of rare and expensive items. It seems like every spirit wants something different, and few agree on the specifics. You might be able to please some of them -- if you can cough up the goods to satisfy their posthumous hoarding.

Welcome to the player-led event, Dragon's Graveyard! Big thanks to Skai for the amazing idea and for writing up this event log! As always, you're welcome to use this log to play in or make your own, and please make sure you warn for any content that might be disturbing to others! And lastly, please direct your questions here. Have fun!

Comments

QUESTIONS

[moustre]

Rude | FFVIIR | Dragon | OTA

[grandspark]

I. Dragon of the Spirits - Fighting/Defending

[Rude picked a small group of people heading out into the Wilde and traveled with them on the way towards the sightings. He had to admit to some interest in this case purely centered around the fact that it involved a dragon, of a sorts. A year here already and he still had a hard time thinking of himself as one but he was. So he decided to investigate this.

He was content to play bodyguard to those exploring the area, looking for either the undead beast or its origin location. He was ready with a fist and a claw to help defend from whatever got in the way.

Whenever they did run into the large creature he was inclined to fight it till its death. Or, rather, until it fell apart and the spirits controlling it disappeared. Which meant it simply reappeared later like a bad reoccurring boss fight but the Turk didn't seem to care how many times they had to defeat the creature to continue onward.

Except maybe by the sixth time he began to show signs of more aggression than usual. Running at it with a snarl and a fist raised to strike at it, wreathing his hands in fire by a trick he used with his firebreath and special gloves.]

II. Dragon Graveyard

a. arrival
[Upon arriving at the graveyard, even the usually stoic Turk was awed by the scattered remains and massive bones towering high. The whole place had a reverent feeling to it even with the disturbance of the agitated spirits. Distracted by the sight, Rude walked straight in without heed and walked up to a set of enormous bones. He reached out a hand and placed it deferentially upon a giant jawbone. His feelings were a bit conflicted, uncertain, and he took a moment to simply shift them around a bit in silent contemplation.]

b. hisses beyond the grave
[The further in the Turk went the more unsettling the area became. Shifting shadows, hissing whispers, small disturbances of the bones... signs the undead were unhappy with the trespassers tromping through their graveyard.

ooc note: Tag this prompt with either the intent to make an attempt to talk to the spirits or to engage in some possession by spirits shenanigans. Leave me a prompt of what your character is doing when Rude comes across them OR an ooc request for me to write an original prompt just for your character. c:]

c. what remains
Son of a...

[Rude stared at the upturned earth where the removed bones once sat and cursed quietly in his own form of low-burn rage. He was more annoyed at the sight than he might have expected. But it was infuriatingly tasteless what had been done here.

The bald-headed Turk walked closer to the area, ignoring the hissing spirits as best he could now that he was (as close as one could be) used to them a bit by now. All this junk... an ill attempt at flaunting power... failed magic. Good riddance to the punk necromancer that had tried this nonsense. Rude looked around for a bit, investigating on principle and out of habit more than anything else. But it was sort of obvious what need be done.

Get rid of this shit. So, eventually, that's what he began to do. Ripping away bits of trinkets and removing them from the graveyard piece by piece.]

III. Deny or Pacify

[Rude was there for either option. Though he was no Witch so he didn't have much way to help with the ritual other than providing a temp bond if someone needed one for whatever reason it might help, or by simply remaining nearby as a defender/guardian to those setting up whatever it was they were doing.

In his efforts to ward off the spirits, he may have accidentally discovered a way to appease some of them with precious items. He wasn't really prepared for this sort of thing though so he had only a few bits of money and no real items he was willing to give up. Unless, of course, someone could convince him to part with one of his spare pairs of sunglasses... they were precious to him enough that it might appease some that simply liked the idea of him giving up his hoarded item. He also had a few feathers on him that came from a certain harpy that was precious to him and similar idea there, too.]

II. c.

[adventageous]

[On one of his return trips, Rude will find a slight young woman kneeling before the mess of the necromancer's remains. She's folded her hands and ducked her head in prayer and concentration, an open journal with a divination sigil drawn in it sitting next to her. Every now and again, her brow furrows as she feels the chill of another angry dragon spirit pass over (or through) her.

Eventually she sits back and opens her eyes, sighing heavily before startling with the realization she's not alone. It takes her a few moments to realize that this dragon, at least, is very much still alive.]

I thought I was the only one here.

[Alice closes the journal and stands, holding it against her chest. She regards the scene around her grimly.]

I had hoped to make contact with the soul of the man responsible, but there's no sign of him left here. It's possible the dragon spirits tore that part of him apart, too.

[Which, which horrible and not something Alice would wish on anyone, isn't entirely undeserved.]

I suppose there's nothing left but to clean up his mess.

I'm Alice.

[grandspark]

[He was frowning when she turned around to spot him. His anger wasn't quite enough to have him react poorly to her presence right out of the gate, so to speak, but it was clear he was judging her. Gauging what she was doing, to be more precise.

After a moment he seemed to settle. His wings unfurled slightly and folded back into place more comfortably. She was trying to help.

He nodded.] I think that best. It should help appease the spirits some.

[He hoped anyway.]

Alice. [A one-dip nod this time.] I'm Rude.

[adventageous]

[Given what's happened here and the fact that he's a dragon (and therefore likely to take this just a bit personally), Alice can hardly judge him for being wary of her. She's merely glad that her explanation seems to satisfy him.

She responds to his single nod with one of her own.]

Do you believe removing the items should be enough, or should we destroy them as well?

[grandspark]

[Rude frowned as he glanced at the foreign objects scattered here, littering the land with their filth. He turned back to her with a serious expression on his face that wasn't necessarily aimed at her.]

We get them out of here and I'll burn them myself. If nothing else, it'll be satisfying.

[adventageous]

[No offense taken. What's happened here is a travesty.]

That works for me. Fire will be a good way to cleanse everything.

[And cathartic, clearly.]

Let's get started, then.

[Alice isn't able to carry nearly as much as Rude can, but there's plenty she can gather. She focuses on the smaller objects with higher potential harm: talismans, notations, pieces of glass that clearly held some alchemical component of the ritual or other.]

[grandspark]

[Rude was less selective about what he gathered to take away and dispose. He eventually wanted to make certain everything was gone from this place. She could more easily handle the smaller things so he could leave his attention to simply grabbing whatever he could manage in an armful or stuffed into some bag or other object to carry away. He made use of what was there when it came to grabbing as much as he could in one trip.

Eventually though, especially with the two of them, there was nothing left to carry away. At least at this site. After one last look over the area...]

That should be all of it. Let's make certain it disturbs no one else again.

[Time to head out and create a bonfire, unless she had something else to add.]

[adventageous]

[Alice is grateful that she isn't clearing the place alone--Rude is much more efficient in his ability to carry more. She suspects he's also more deeply motivated, given that it's personal to him to a degree. Either way, it's not long before the last of the disturbing remains have been removed.]

One moment before we take care of that, if that's all right?

[Alice kneels, bowing her head again in prayer. She's not able to feel the effects of their work directly, not like she once could, but she hopes that the spirits can feel the difference at least a little. Exorcism is often a series of small steps, and this is the first.

She only remains that way a few more minutes, then sets down and lights a bit of incense before standing up. Its purpose is twofold: one, to help cleanse the energy of this place, and two, to help her find it again later when she has more time to work through the spiritual damage.]

Thank you for your patience. Let's go set this aflame and be done with it.

[grandspark]

[Rude stared at her for the request but made a slight indication that he understood and acknowledged her desire for a moment. He wasn't quite expecting the prayer. He wasn't a religious person himself, but he recognized the position easily enough, and out of respect he bowed his head as well.

When she was finished he rolled his shoulders and fluttered his wings slightly, shaking out the stiffness. He held a hand out towards her, indicating she shouldn't move forward.]

Stay back. I'll take care of the flame.

[He stepped forward and inhaled a large breath of air. Upon his exhale a roiling flame erupted from his mouth. A fire dragon then--though if Alice looked closely she might notice the fire was accompanied by small bits of molten rock. A fire and earth elemental. Rude swept his head slightly from one side to the other as he breathed the flames, hitting as much of the insulting objects as possible in his first sweep.]

[adventageous]

[Alice steps back when Rude holds out an arm, heeding his warning and making sure she's behind him enough to be unaffected by what he's about to do. She watches solemnly as his fire (and rocks? she didn't realize that was possible of dragons) begins to devour the offending human and arcane remains.

She thinks of the London orphanage and the man who owned it, determined to resurrect his mother at all costs. That was horrendous enough, not least because the ritual had failed and spawned something monstrous, but at least there was a purpose to the sins he committed in the name of his attempt at necromancy. This... as far as she could tell, it was done out of hubris. It makes this unforgiveable, and impossible for her to understand.

As he finishes, Alice speaks up to fill the silence.]

You have my condolences. This must be especially difficult for you to see.

Alice Elliot | Shadow Hearts | Witch | OTA

[adventageous]

[Alice learns of the spirit dragon and the disturbed graveyard through her usual networks, and she doesn't hesitate to go see things for herself. Approaching the dragon itself is out of the question--its aggression is something that she knows she's incapable of handling without significant assistance, and moreover it's more symptom than cause.

So she finds herself in the graveyard, more horrified at the signs of what's been done here than at the surging of furious spirits swirling within it.]


I. FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE (aka: the possession prompt)

[Of course, that doesn't mean she's taking the furious spirits lightly. Even without the enhanced sixth sense of her Demon Eyes, their malevolence is palpable and suffocating. Every attempt to communicate with them gains her little, as they speak of nothing more than incoherent rage toward the desecrater and the intruder--the latter being, she suspects, her.

Alice is a witch who's poking around their sacred space and reaching out to them through the metaphorical veil. After what's happened here, it's little wonder that they find her suspicious.

So much so, in fact, that one spirit decides to take hold of the woman herself. It's not a possibility Alice has prepared for, so used to being immune to possession back home, and therefore she puts up no resistance until it's far too late to do so. An icy feeling blossoms from her heart, and from there she's no longer aware.

The dragon, given voice and form, screams.

She rises, moving directly to the nearest other living person, and reaches out to try and grap the intruder by the throat. Her strength and speed are far beyond what Alice's alone are, and she is out for blood.]

Begone.


II. APPEASE AND PURIFY

[Later, after returning to her senses and consulting with other Coven witches back in the Northern Outpost, Alice returns to the graveyard to start the arduous process of repairing the disturbance. While she's not against the idea of containment as a temporary solution, ultimately these spirits deserve peace. So she's leaving the containment discussion to those actually capable of sealing or not, as their magical talents allow, and staying in her own lane.

She is, after all, an exorcist by trade.

There's incense, and prayer, and a carefully-erected seal around herself to prevent further possession. And, most importantly, an offering: a line of gold pieces set in a row in front of her.

Now, the dragons seem to be receptive to her presence. In a cacophany, they demand a plethora of goods--gold, silver, jewels, more of this smelly smoke stuff she's burning, and so on. She's carefully taking all of it down.

Eventually, she sighs at whoever is sitting with her--she's not so foolish to continue working alone here, even with the added protection--and shows the list.]

It seems that even in death, dragons are wont to hoard. Any ideas on how we might acquire all of this?


III. WILDCARD

Feel free to bring any ideas you might have to Alice's Big Scary Adventure that might as well be a Shadow Hearts sidequest. Or, if you'd like to plot something more specific, please hit me up! I'm at asondeiru on plurk and asondeiru#9009 on Discord.

II

[sonnestark]

[Of course, there had been no questioning it— Karin would not have been able to bear the idea of Alice returning to the graveyard alone, and so she accompanies her on her return trip, intent on helping to bring an end to the disturbance. This is Alice's area of expertise rather than her own, but even without their bond, Karin has always had some sensitivity to magic and the supernatural— and has certainly dealt with more than her fair share of ghosts and demons.

This is absolutely in their wheelhouse.

Karin purses her lips slightly as she leans over to get a better look at the list, shaking her head.]

It's a tall order, isn't it?

[Dragons have expensive tastes.]

I've done enough odd jobs throughout the city that I might be able to talk a few contacts into helping out with supplying some of it, but that's not necessarily a guarantee. Do you think we could bargain with them a bit more? Maybe appease them with something more accessible?

[It's not like the average citizen has a stash of jewels tucked away...]

awwww yeah, exorcism girlfriends

[adventageous]

[The only reason Alice was alone the first time around was her propensity to leave without alerting anyone. It's a bad habit, she knows, but sometimes situations are urgent enough to warrant it. Karin, at least, had been gracious enough not to give her too rough a time about it.

Unreasonable list of demands aside, this visit has been much more manageable with Karin there. Which, really, is about what Alice expected.]

I don't think we have any choice but to bargain them down, but we'll have to show a good faith effort first. We're lucky that several of them seem to have taken a liking to the incense--that will be easy enough to purchase in bulk.

[Not cheap, but certainly cheaper than the gold and jewels that many others want.]

Why don't we start there?

[sonnestark]

[It will be a bit pricy, but certainly closer to within their budget than the other demands. She nods in agreement; in any negotiation, effort is essential. If they show these dragons they're serious about working together, the other party may be more inclined to bend.]

I have enough saved to help with the funds, easily.

[If it works, it will be worth it.]

If we start with that, maybe we can talk them into accepting a different kind of offering. [She pauses, just for a beat.] Have you had to negotiate with many spirits before this?

[adventageous]

Thank you. I'll find a way to help you replenish those funds once we're done here.

[Alice feels bad asking Karin to dip into her savings, even though it's not her making these demands. She stands from where they're kneeling, dusting herself off a bit.]

Not with a whole graveyards' worth all at once, if that's what you mean. These sorts of exorcisms and negotiations that I did with Zhuzhen and with my father were more one-to-one.

But I've been in places overflowing with Malice, filled with specters so far gone that there's no choice but to fight them and end their misery. [Karin has too, she knows. She's heard about Apoina Tower.] I'll accept this situation over that.

[There is malice here, and plenty of it, but not of the sort that warps flesh and spirit into something unrecognizable. This place is filled with a myriad of spirits demanding restitution for how they've been wronged, nothing more. It's Alice's duty to help them find it.

She bows her head a few moments, focusing somewhere in middle distance.]

We will return with what we can of your needs.

[Then, to Karin:]

I'm ready to head back to town for the purchase if you are.

[sonnestark]

Oh, don't worry about that.

[As far as funds are concerned, Karin is convinced that things will work themselves out well enough— besides, she and Alice share a home. Their funds may as well be communal anyway at this point.

She nods as Alice explains her experiences a bit more in-depth; she's can only imagine what it must have been like to work as an exorcist, despite having seen plenty of spirits and demons herself. She was prepared to fight just about anything that needed putting in its place, but actually putting a spirit to rest was something else entirely.

After Alice assures the spirits of their eventual return, Karin offers them a smile and nods again in confirmation, then offers Alice her arm as she turns to start back towards the city.]

The sooner the better, I think. We don't want to keep our new friends waiting. [That probably wouldn't work out well for anyone.] You know, if you're continuing the exorcism business here after this, I could be your partner.

[She knows Alice and Styx had a similar arrangement between them, but that was some time ago now.]

I'm not as experienced as you or Zhuzhen, but I do learn things very quickly.

the one with violence

[noblegarnet]

[A monster Ferran may be, but his Fae nature only grants him very minor physical advantages—not nearly enough to match that of a dragon-possessed witch. He only realizes he's about to be nabbed when she's barely a foot away, making it practically impossible for him to do much about it.

So instead, he chokes out a surprised cry, wings flapping with some difficulty thanks to his protective cloak.]

Hey!

[He's only vaguely familiar with Alice—but even aside from the twisted sense he's getting from her, he'd be able to tell this isn't her, whether it's just not her true nature, or if there's something else pulling the strings. Regardless, the truth is the same:]

I'm not your enemy, here!

yay violence!

[adventageous]

[The darkness of the dragon's expression deepens, clearly unimpressed with his response. Her grip tightens.]

That's what the desecrator told us, and look what's happened.

[The spirit is much more coherent in Alice's form than she was outside of it. She's harnessing the witch's power as a grounding tool and borrowing her command of a more modern language to communicate.]

Leave, or your life is forfeit.

yaaaaaaaay

[noblegarnet]

[It gets harder to breathe and speak with that grip, so instead of using his limited reserves of oxygen, he communicates with his magic, instead—specifically an illusory disembodied version of his own voice.]

Do I look like a necromancer to you?!

[He's just a Fae, and as much as he might have been interested in communion with the dead in another world, he has no inclinations towards it here. The Fae might not be known for their respect for anything, but the lack of ability to do anything but kick over a gravestone surely will work in his favor?]

We didn't want that any more than you. We're here to fix this.

[adventageous]

[The dragon doesn't flinch at the disembodied voice, her attention fixed on the fae she holds. After some consideration that takes a lot longer than Ferran would probably like, she loosens her hold enough to allow him to breathe.

It is by no means a gesture of trust, however, as she quickly responds to him with:]

Fae lie.

[Sorry Ferran, your race's reputation precedes you. This soul is ancient and remembers a time when fae were more prevalent and more dangerous.]

And what of this one? [By which she means Alice.] She is here with you, is she not? Poking and prodding and divining, same as he did before...

[Rage pulses just below the surface, and Ferran can surely feel the twitch in her hand as a result from it.]

We cannot suffer more pain from outsiders. We will not.

[noblegarnet]

[Even as he coughs and takes the opportunity to fill his lungs, there's a disdainful expression on his face as his voice continues.]

You're not wrong.

[Fae have to ruin everything, don't they. But for whatever little a fairy's word is worth, he tries:]

She's not like that. [He says it with confidence, however little he may know about Alice.] If I'm proven wrong, then fine—but we can't help if you don't let us. Or are you fine with sharing your resting place with the desecrator?

[adventageous]

[That last line hits a nerve. The dragon screams--it would be a roar, if her host had the vocal capability for it--and throws her weight forward to tackle him to the ground.]

I'll kill you! I'll kill her! I'll kill all of you, if that's what it takes!

[The time for discussion is over. Given the circumstances, it's amazing it went as long as it did.]

[noblegarnet]

[Apparently he used the magic words, but the result is just about the opposite of what he wanted.

He goes down without enough struggle to get out of the tackle, but he doesn't wait long enough to see what method the ghost intends to use for its declared intent. The Fae throws up an illusion as powerful as he can muster, hoping that instead of realizing that the dragon has him at its mercy, it's fooled into thinking that he struggles just enough to break free and fly out of reach.

He really hopes neither ghost nor witch has the ability to see through it.]

I seriously don't have the icons for this...

[adventageous]

[Alice's studies in divination might have given her the ability to see through the illusion, but they give the dragon supplanting her consciousness no such benefit. Snarling, she reaches up to grab at a fleeing figure that isn't there--giving Ferran the chance to actually get out from under her.

When she catches hold of nothing, she screams in fury at the illusion.]

Get back here!

[And she begins to charge it. It seems she still hasn't caught on.]

the eternal struggle of rp

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran maintains the illusion as he rolls to the side to regain his footing, and he dives for the nearest stones and pebbles he can spot. He baits the dragon to stay within the same area, diving and fluttering out of the way within a radius of a few feet, all the while his real self is dragging lines in the dirt and grass as he flies, scattering the rocks behind him.

It's the most makeshift of fairy rings anyone's probably ever seen, but it's something. And given just how new the power is to him, he can't maintain both the illusion and the ring trap. When the circle is complete, he kneels down to place his hands on the edge, his fake copy disappearing and his true self visible once more—pointed ears, red eyes and all.

He really, really hopes this works. But maybe hoping enough will make it happen.]

cw: self harm (she's possessed, but still...); blood

[adventageous]

[The illusion-Ferran disappears mid-swipe, and the dragon looks around hurriedly to try and figure out what just happened. Her gaze eventually lands on him--fully fae now, no more lies and hiding behind glamours--and she glares. She doesn't strike right away, instead holding her gaze on him as she removes Alice's gloves and tosses them to the ground. The witch's fingernails aren't real claws, but they'll have to be enough.

Once her hands are free, she shifts back on her haunches before charging again.

And bounces off the barrier of the fairy ring, tumbling backwards to the ground as the moment of her attack has nowhere else to go but back on her.

The dragon remains still for a few moments after she lands. Then she pounds the ground angrily and starts to rise to her feet.]

Damn you and your tricks.

[For once, she's not screaming. Instead, she speaks with an icy fury. That's probably a bad sign.]

You want to hold me here? Fine. But know that you've trapped her in here with me.

[The dragon reaches for her own throat, clawing at the flesh there until it draws blood. It's meant as a threat--she can, and will, do more to her host if left like this. What does she care about this woman's body? It isn't hers, and the woman deserves whatever punishment she gets.]

oops!

[noblegarnet]

[That threat is met by the Fae bristling, diving into the ring without hesitation, his hands outstretched to tackle the woman and tear the hands away with whatever physical strength he can muster.]

NO!

[Rather than a cry of dismay, his tone is one of a fury that nearly matches the dragon's own—a command that would be magical in another world. For whatever pain these spirits have suffered, to inflict that on the innocent is not only utterly unacceptable, but in Ferran's mind, it makes them just as awful as their original tormentor.

The dragons can hurt him all they like. But as soon as they truly threaten someone else, he will do everything in his power to stop them—in this case, trapping them both in the fairy ring and channeling the rest of his Fae magic into blessing whatever trinkets are on Alice's person against the possession, in the hopes that her own soul can do the rest.]

Get out of her!

[adventageous]

[What Ferran lacks in pure strength, he more than makes up for with speed and surprise; the dragon is tackled before she fully realizes what's going on. She hits the ground hard, practically growling in response to it. She does, however, shift her attention to trying to get Ferran off of her rather than trying to tear out Alice's throat.

The fae blessing is absorbed by the cross around Alice's neck, a memento of her father that has served as a focus for her own power in a previous time of need. It glows, bright and hot, and for the first time there is fear in the dragon's expression instead of rage.]

What did you do?!

[She gives Ferran a rough shove off of her and scrambles to her feet, clawing at the blessed pendant in a failed attempt to remove it and prevent the exorcist's soul from retaking control. Eventually, she screams one last time--blood-curdlingly loud and filled with pained fury--before a bright flash bursts forth from within her and causes her host's body to convulse with the expulsion of the angry spirit.

A few moments of silence follow before Alice crumbles to the ground.]

[noblegarnet]

[So much for the diplomatic approach. Ferran is not nearly as cool-headed as he would like to believe, even though circumstances seem consistently determined to prove it to him.

He doesn't bother to respond to the spirit's question, instead focusing on his efforts to keep the dragon from harming Alice right up until the point he's shoved off of her. He lands painfully on one of his wings, although his wince is more intense at the ghost's final screeching than any of his own injuries. He blocks the shine of light with an arm as he sits up, then watches as the woman is finally released from the dragon's control.]

Ah—shit...

[He stumbles over to her, dizzy and his head pounding from the overuse of Fae magic in such a short time; the thought of reestablishing his glamor comes to him and is thoroughly dismissed by the time he finally puts a hand on her shoulder, leaning down to press a pointed ear against her chest to check for a heartbeat. With that established, he shakes her gently as he turns his eyes to her neck, wanting to make sure no permanent damage was done.]

Hey...

[adventageous]

[The gentle shaking is met with a cough, followed by a wince as Alice's eyes flutter open. They slowly widen, taking in her surroundings as she realizes that she has no idea how she got into this state. Her throat feels like it's on fire, she's scratched and bleeding from the neck, and her body feels heavy and sore. None of the injuries feel like they're especially dire or permanent, but she hurts and she has no idea why.

A fae is sitting with her. She knows who Ferran is but doesn't recognize him without his glamour, especially while she's so disoriented.]

Wha--?

[Her voice is hoarse, and Alice can't even get the full word out before coughing painfully again. Before going any further, she takes a moment to concentrate her magic into a minor healing spell that she casts upon her throat. The wounds on her neck close and, more importantly, the irritation from the screaming soothes.

Now that she can speak, she tries again.]

What happened? And who are you?

[She keeps her tone even, but it's clear she's wary.]

[noblegarnet]

[He watches her heal herself with some relief, his shoulders sagging at the realization that she's both back to her senses and coherent enough to cast a spell in the first place. (Meanwhile, his own neck is probably starting to bruise.)

He would have focused on the situation at hand even if his Fae nature didn't regularly make him disinclined to give out his name. It's not really important who he is, other than not an enemy.]

One of the ghosts was controlling you.

[It's a roundabout way of saying she was possessed, but he doesn't really like the sound of the word, or any of the implications.]

I guess my magic must have helped get rid of it...

[adventageous]

Oh, Ferran. It's you.

[Alice recognizes his voice and focuses in on that, first and foremost. Having something familiar with which to ground herself is proving helpful as she fights through her mental fog.

The rest of it snaps into place as he explains. While Ferran is euphemistic, Alice knows immediately what he means. She sighs softly and idly reaches for the cross she wears, as if some part of her subconsciously knows that's the blessed item that helped to bring her back.]

Possession. I... I should have been prepared for the possibility.

[The statement is more to herself than him, scolding in its tone. Not being used to having to deal with it in her work back home is no excuse for overlooking it here. She hasn't had her Demon Eyes in over a half a year.

After a moment, she looks back up at Ferran.]

Thank you. I'm sorry my carelessness caused you such trouble.

[noblegarnet]

[The belated recognition and reminder of his glamor being down doesn't do much to improve his mood, but he tries not to linger on how exposed and uncomfortable it makes him feel, even if he can't mask the brief grimace in his expression.]

Yeah—hey.

[He shakes his head at her apology, dismissing it entirely.]

Please don't blame yourself. [There's a hint of exasperation and a little more forcefulness in the request than he might have normally put into it, though he knows he'd probably feel similarly. He'll never claim to not be a hypocrite.] I'm just glad you're okay.

[adventageous]

[The exasperation is noticed, but it doesn't faze Alice all that much. Such a temperament is hardly unexpected, given the circumstances and what the angry dragon spirit put them both through. Especially as his lack of glamour suggests that he had to have used quite a bit of his fae magic to help her.

So she lets it go in favor of other concerns.]

Are you hurt at all? I don't remember anything of the last... while... [No need to elaborate on that.] I can provide a bit of healing if the dragon spirit did any damage.

[noblegarnet]

[A small, weary smile comes to his face as he reaches back to pull his hood over his head. It's the only thing he can practically conceal his Fae appearance with.]

I'm fine—just worry about yourself. [The smile fades a little as a thought occurs to him.] I'm not exactly an expert on what ghosts can do to someone...

[Maybe he should be, though. He'll add it to the list of things to research when they get back—after they fix this mess. Although he's not sure he'll be much help on that end, at this point.]

How are you feeling?

[adventageous]

[In Alice's experience, possession is almost always paired with Malice, causing the body to contort and mutate into something horrific and unrecognizable. There's no sign of that having happened here, and her injuries have been tended to already so that she could speak.]

Still a bit... disoriented, but I'm all right.

[Unconsciously, she runs her fingers over the scabs that remain on her throat after the healing spell.]

How long was I possessed for?

[noblegarnet]

That's good to hear...

[Disorientation is definitely the least one would expect from the experience. Without any magic or senses in a spiritual direction, the most he can do is take her word for it. Although he's trying to conceal his eyes from sight, he does catch the motion of her arm, and he can make a guess to what she's doing from there. It doesn't exactly do wonders for his concern, but...]

A few minutes, maybe. It happened pretty quickly.

[adventageous]

That's good. It means the probability of any lasting spiritual damage is practically nonexistent.

[Alice lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and gives Ferran a small smile as she pulls herself to her feet.]

Still not ideal, of course, but if it must happen it's the best case scenario.

It may be in our best interest to retreat and regroup. At the very least, I'd like to look into a ward for the next time I attempt anything here.

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran watches as she gets to her feet, a little surprised she manages it without too much trouble—as far as he can tell. Not that he should be that surprised, if what she said is true, but it's hard to imagine himself being able to shake off such a thing so easily...]

R-right.

[He definitely won't argue about getting out of there; his initial plans might not exactly be doable now. He finally stands himself, letting out a sigh.]

I need to reevaluate a few things, myself...

[adventageous]

[If Alice has to be completely honest, she's more shaken than she's letting on. But it's more borne of frustration with her own carelessness than the idea of having been possessed in the first place.

But that's not the focus right now. They've learned some things by being here, and now it's time to take that knowledge back to better address the situation at hand.]

Then it's decided. We'll be safer walking back together, I think.