Jenny held Seras tight overwhelmed at what she was seeing. Still she would not lie down meekly and wait for the end. Mustering her strength once more Jenny brought Seras into her arms and took to the sky making a beeline for the wall staying high enough that the grabbers and such couldn't reach her.
Jenny stood up just barely, not allowing the sight to overwhelm her "I-it's lost... the Academy has fallen." something the demonology girl couldn't boast. Seras covered her mouth as tears rolled down her cheeks "It's over... everyone..." with that the girl cried out loudly crying in a heartbreaking fashion.
Looking around Jenny knew what would happen to all of these students, their souls absorbed leaving only their shells... all of them friends of this one lone girl.
Before the heroine could speak, she felt a sudden surge through her body draining her of nigh-all of her spiritual energy! The heroine fell to her feet to see Seras collapse and Sir roll over to his side. His bright blue light extuinguished!
Whatever emotions would've overcome her she couldn't muster anything, but the feeling of utter weakeness the air seemingly shimmering strongly, before... it all faded to dark.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jenny opened her eyes in a corporeal form, just a spirit. She was in a room fully illuminated by a bright blue prism atleast 7 feet in it's length as it's spun around slowly. The room was circular with 6 stone bridges leding to the artifact, one of them had a man standing infront of it.
The man wore a long black cloak which he discarded as he approached the prism "Finally..." Jenny recognised him! It was Ernstein! The dark man approached the crystal and placed his hand on it, numerous dark energies starting swirl all around it "After all these years."
"ERNSTEIN!" another mage appeared his robes decorated with numerous intricate weavings, long elegant and exceptionally well made "You do not know what you're doing. Step aside! NOW!" a bright flash later revealed a dark field around Ernstein, slowly dissipating back to it's invisible form blocking the mages spells "Azreal." the dark man coughed out the name as he turned to the Grand Mage.
"I must say I'm a little disappointed in your progress. I imagined you'd be here sooner." he cackled darkly "That spell... you monster! What have---" suddenly the mage was flinged aside a dark hand of magic dispersing after it's attack "What I had to do. When I first stumbled into this chamber, I could never contain the sheer powers at play here." Azreal slowly got to his feet spitefully eyeing the man "Nor can you now."
The dark energies previously coiling around the prism suddenly sank inside as a powerful boom echoed out of the crystal and through the walls of the chamber! The Crystal brilliant light dimmed as it turned violet.
"You are too late, Azreal. The shield will fall, the aliens will come. The academy will fall..." the demonologist slowly descended down the stone bridge, his footsteps leaving smoldering shadows "And -I-..." he suddenly picked up the mage with great force "Will become a god."
"Where you fear it, I will embrace it! Tell me, how did you convince the angels of being a suitable guardian. For all my dealings, they seemed to shun away from my offers... a pity."
"But I found other friends. Friends all too keen to help me in my ascension, friends who saw me for who I truly am!--" "A fool!" Azreal broke the hold and ignited his hands with bright blue flames the demonologist doing the same only with his hellfire as each let loose enveloping the room, the hellfires eating away at the runes as the bright blue flames seemed to restore and heal them.
Though the blue flames soon enough took over, engulfing the mad man "GaaaH!" he covered form the flames before they sent him flying across the room "What hole did you crawl out from demon..." indeed with his robes burnt away, Ernstein had his body altered to become a full-demon.
Azreals hands ignited a brilliant white once more abou ready to end the evil man, only for the numerous cries of his students to reach his ears! That boom! What had it done?!
"C-can you hear their cries?" the demon coughed some blood "My~ you should better check on that." he grinned vilely, when suddenly brightly blue light dimmed completely a dark purple light source floating out of it.
A blink later the demon was withing grasping reach of the object "MINE!--" and rigth infront of him the grand magus grasped the object, making the demons face turn white in fright "No..." the object beamed brightly as numerous wispy trails turned to just sheer force surged into the grand magus hand! Making him cry out loudly in pain.
The demon quickly rolled down the stone bridge looking to the empowered grand magus in fear "M-mercy... Mercy!" the grand magus robes slowly tore themselves apart, taking his flesh along with it, his face dispersing muscle by muscle as he cried out in pain.
Though he would not die "Mercy, my lord!" the demonologist cried out before the now skull-like mage turned to him, his eyes igniting a brilliant blue flame "Shush." with a simple flick numerous dark hands formed around Ernstein dragging him down to the unknown depths.
"W-what happened to me?" the mans vice carried a whisper like echo, Azreal looked to his hands, not flesh left on him as he had become an abomination of magic. He then looked up, the boom of the carrier clear above his academy. His students being torn asunder and their souls ravaged "I'm sorry... my academy." his hand ignited with magic once more as it quickly enveloped his body raised him up. The air shivering strongly----
"And so, Azreal used his new powers to destroy all life within hundreds and hundreds of miles. Ending the alien invasion on the academy and evaporating all the students. Every soul touched by the spell, sealed in the void. Denied harvest and freedom." Jenny didn't even notice the change of scenery as she was surrounded in darkness now, as echo of glass being filled could be heard behind her.
Plothole denial:
Puppets are constructs of flesh. That does not make them living.
Riley, Alice and Jack? Well that has an explanation too ;P
Jenny looked about. "Seras, Maddi, Sir?" Jenny looked for her companions but with the darkness she would see nothing. Though the sounds of a filling glass echoed near her bringing Jenny out of the mindset of the play."So.. thats how it happened?" Jenny tried to stand and looked for the skull man.
Even if she stood right now she couldn't feel it, nor could she see anything else "No. Seras remained the demons concubine, the demonology class was never saved from the orgy, those puppets you slew never died" some footsteps echoed from an unspecific location "Do you think all this a waste? Your actions and heroics were nothing more than something to alter and shape the grand illusion."
It was heart wrenching but Jenny didn't think it a waste. "No it wasn't being true to who you are is never wasted." The blackness around her was disorienting up, down, left, or right had no meaning here. "So what happens next. I may not be able to save the people but I can at lest end this suffering or try to."
"You can try.... but you have the means to do it." a gentle sound of glass brushing as if put down echoed out "Now you return to the theatre. I wouldn't worry about the warrior statue, honestly if he actually knew such a thing existed he'd probably killed off this academy a long time ago. The library will open for you" a light chuckle escaped the voice "Do be careful on your travels, Jenny. Hopefully we won't be seeing each other for a quite a long time now. Well... a long time for you."
Jenny coughed loudly as utter silence surrounded her. God it seemed like she was out for quite some time. The girl flipped on her back to note she was back in the theatre the stage lights long since extinguished, though no sight of Riley or the creeping shadows anywhere.
Looking around she'd only note some sort of block with a what looked to be a brown pack attached to it in the middle of the stage, one of the cardboard decorations 'pressing it down'
Jenny rolled over and crawled her way to what she hoped was Sir. Speaking in a low voice Jenny called out to her faithful companion. "Sir are you okay?" Jenny looked around as her night vision kicked in the soft glow of her altered sight kicking in. She was in the lair of the enemy no telling what spies he had around.
Indeed it was Sir! The lil' guy was not so much a victim of the decoration, as it more seemed like it was shifted on him to hide the little golem. Though for brief moment the companions blue cristal remained dormant, before flickering to life as he heard Jennys voice.
Sir quickly sat up and 'shook his head' and looked around for the heroine. The stage was a mess, the curtains had been closed so Jenny couldn't speak how the rest of the theatre faired, but the main stage had bit of the catwalk slammed into it's wooden flooring, most if not all decorations borken apart or flatout shredded. A huge plain white backdrop closed off the most direct way to the backstage meaning Jenny would have to use the stairs she entered the stage each time.
Jenny hugged Sir hoping that Riley didn't suffer some sever punishment for helping her. Still after a few moments Jenny got to her feet and drew her blade. "Come on Sir we need to get to the library. Jenny put a finger to her mouth as she crept along telling sir to stay quiet. Jenny slowly made her way down the stairs and into the theater proper trying to stay quiet and keep an eye out for danger.
Jenny gave her companion a hug and created their plan, looked like they were done with this place. In fact there was a very short and relatively risk-free route from behind the curtains and through the hopefully empty theatre. The heroine could get out of here, before the dark master of this place knew she was back!
Moving quickly where she good Jenny made her way to the doors to stop and open them only a peak. Not long ago the courtyard was covered with puppets. Eyeing the area Jenny would only slip threw if the immediate area was clear of them or at lest mostly clear. From there it would be a game of cat and mouse any puppets that spotted her would likely alert others if not the master of this place.
Thankfully her route was completely obstacle free and in no time Jenny reached the entrance, gently prying it open to take a peek outside. Thankfully the 'audience and fans' had dispersed, as well as the night had passed.
She was free to take flight and head to the library, leaving the Theatre and it's denizens to their own fate.
Jenny looked out the door it was all clear when Sir pulled on what was left of her dress. Looking back he held up Riley's hat causing the heroine's heart to ache she had almost forgotten. Turning around she looked at Sir. "Thanks little guy I almost forgot someone important. Looking back Jenny made her way backstage sword ready. Perhaps Riley went into the dressing rooms? Still it was the best place to check before moving deeper into the labyrinth of the theater.
Seemed the lil' golem cared more for the showgirl then the heroine herself, his blue light illusion of a top hat dispersing into numerous wispy trails before Jenny turned back.
Jenny approached the seats once more and looked over the area, the shadows all around the ceiling creeping side to side, shimmering with dark unlife. The girl could still turn back, this creature was likely one of the strongest opponents she had ever faced. Not to mention even if it all and illusion she was fairly severely hurt.
The library was unlocked, meaning she could soon enough save Lina! Perhaps this one time the risk was not worth the reward, she could go end her quest here and now! The wind blew the door outside open to the succubus calling her out of the shadows and into the light outside.
No she wouldn't forget Riley she made a promise even if it meant being defeated here. Her stomach flipped flopped the promise of rescuing Lina and being free of this damned place was almost to tempting to ignore. Gritting her teeth Jenny looked up at the dancing shadows. No she had almost forgotten the one person who had saved her life more times in this place than anyone else she owed it to her. She had been so caught up looking at the end she almost made a terrible mistake. Jenny silent cursed herself maybe she wasn't perfect or even a hero but she was damn sure this thing had pissed her off and she wouldn't let Riley down again... "Sir we have any of thoese bandages left? I have a feeling Im gonna need them."
Unfortunately Jenny would have to rough it, as the small golem looked into their backpack only to find one potion of Magic Essence, Ezalors orb and some spare armor?
It was the nigh-divine drappes, while they seemed fairly weak the clothes provided some resistance due to their magical properties. Who knows it might save her life.
Whether she donned the pure white, thin clothing was up to her. The short skirt and loose top, would fit her perfectly. And as if an angel she'd go back into the dark to save her friend.
Some whispers could be heard all around the theatre, but it was hard to tell were they about Jenny or not. The girl quickly got back on stage and slipped into the backstage. Cursing at the sights there.
Quite a number of backdrops were crashed down, numerous parts of stage props thrown all over the area. Aswell as the bigger part of the catwalk had crashed down. Whatever the case Jenny needed to get past the wreckage to reach the dressing rooms. Though would she try to crawl beneath the wreckage or would she try her luck to slip down from following upwards the fallen catwalk?
Jenny frowned and sighed. Still getting some type of armor on was better than nothing at all. Slipping in rather quickly Jenny made her way to the fallen catwalk and looked to see if she could climb over it as crawling under just seemed a bad idea.
Jenny approached the catwalk and looked up. Indeed seemed the robes holding most of it had broken off leaving a sort of ramp leading all the way up top, letting her bypass the wreckage, the only problem was the shadows up were unnaturally dark.
Jenny saw the shadows and decided best not to Risk it just yet. Looking around she moved to crawl under the debris hoping that she would make it unscathed.
Stealth:
45 vs 39 success!
51 vs 34 success!
37 vs 35 success... but close call
Jenny changed her mind and took a deep breath, getting to her knees the girl quickly got to crawling beneath the debris, Sir ,like always, unnoticed would find another way.
As Jenny disappeared under the debris the sounds of feet behind her echoed as someone walked right past her hole, thankfully not spotting the girl in time to grab her in a fairly delicious manner.
Still Jenny crawled through the debris picture of birds, spikes, a window all coming from different backdrops. Till finally she'd reach the other end. The girl almost popped out as two of the shadowy figure strolled past twitching madly and walked away, likely not too far. From this spot Jenny could see the dressing rooms, the Star room the only one being light up.
