The Four Mirrors - Fire

[tidesnpcs.livejournal.com]

Characters: Celes, Tifa, Relm, Ramza
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Defeating the Fire Guardian, Maliris, and placing the Fire Mirror.
Location: Fire Shrine
Date: August 1, 1804
Warnings: Violence
Notes: Particulars for the event may be found here.

Breaking the snowy landscape of the Lost Continent, Mount Gulug jutted up into the sky. An active volcano, simmering with the heat and fire of the inner earth, it continually belched smoke and ash into the air, while filling it with the acrid stench of sulfur. A truly horrible and protected location for the Fire Shrine, and yet fitting.

As the airship grew closer to the center of the mountain, the engines started shaking, threatening to explode from overheating. "We can't get any closer! She's gonna blow!" one of the knights shouted to the team set to conquer the shrine. "We'll drop you off here." Hovering as close as they dared to the rocky path leading into the mountain wall, they lowered the airship for a party drop, then took to the sky, a safe distance away.

The path into the shrine was perilous, narrow and rocky, and surrounded by swirling magma.

Comments

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

If the airship couldn't get any closer, Tifa wondered, how were they supposed to? She could immediately feel the heat of the volcano and it would only get worse the closer they got. Still, she knew that this shrine had been conquered before. It must be possible.

She wrinkled her nose, trying not to breathe in too deeply, and called to the others. "Is everyone ready? Relm, stay between Celes and me, okay?"

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

Celes was more than prepared. This was what she'd done on a normal basis - not counting the whole torching entire towns part, but that was a minor detail at this point. Leading assaults was something she understood and so she immediately took the front, shield out in front of her and ready to push back any flames or any creepy crawlies that made their way over.

"Ready. I'll take the lead. Tifa, you've got middle. Ramza, watch our backs. Let's go."

The journey down would be tricky, but Celes was confident of their abilities. She knew Tifa well enough to be able to work off her should they need to and at least Relm's magic should be useful for the two knights plus her own casting.

"And unless someone else has more experience directing combatants during battle, I'll command. It's what I'm used to."

[valiantsword.livejournal.com]

This realm of magma and fire reminded Ramza much of Mount Bervenia and because of that he looked towards his newly made allies with a hint of worry. He had no qualms with the female knight, Celes, but he was intensely worried for the child they brought along with them. He knew naught of why Relm tagged along, but he was certain that the child would succumb to the horrid heat here within this realm of fire.

"On your lead, Celes. I shall follow suit with my blade drawn." He said quickly. The former general planned to lead this expedition, which is good in his opinion since she seemed to be the wisest amongst them all.

[starprism.livejournal.com]

Relm hadn't quite expected the shrine to be quite so hot (ha ha, she thought to herself mockingly, very funny. Like a fire shrine would be nice and cool) and was suggenly very grateful she'd had to bring the cold-to-the-touch Ice Staff along. She clutched it to her body, keeping the top of it near her face so she could breathe the colder air that surrounded it. She was still more than confident that they could do this, knowing full well that she was brilliant and Celes was strong and the other two at least didn't look like dead weight.

She moved into place between Celes and Tifa, peering around the lady knight to see what was ahead. More magma. Naturally.

"Who's got that mirror...thing? I don't."

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa was more than happy for Celes to take the lead. She nodded, falling behind Celes, making sure that Relm was between them. As they walked further up the path towards the shrine, the air grew hotter and hotter. Tifa was already sweating beneath her leather top. Note to self, don't wear leather to a fire shrine.

"I have it," she said quietly. The mirror was kept safe in her pocket. She could feel a breath of cooler air that seemed to come from Relm and wondered what it was. "Do you feel something cold?"

[valiantsword.livejournal.com]

The air here within this dungeon-like labyrinth was horribly stagnant. The heat that lingered here threatened to suffocate them all. It mattered not how much armor Ramza wore here, he could still feel the flames licking at his heels. Doing his best to ignore his discomfort, Ramza kept his eyes peel for any fiends that may lurk within this magma filled den until a sudden cool breeze caught his attention.

"Ah, she is a mage." He stated with a faint chuckle. "That is the Ice Staff, is it not?" From what he last remembered in his days within the Academy, a mage's power can be amplified by special tools and charms. It seems that this young mage picked a ice staff to help aid her in their quest here at the fire shrine. A very wise decision on her part.

"Now I see why they've brought you." He smiled at Relm.

[starprism.livejournal.com]

"Sure is!" Relm said, holding the staff closer to Tifa for a second to demonstrate. Then quickly pulling it back and clinging to it again.

She grinned, nodding and pointing to herself with a free hand. "'bout time someone did."

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa nodded when she saw the staff. "Good idea. I think we're going to need it..."

She coughed, inhaling too much of the sulphuric air. "It's getting smokier. We must be close."

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

Celes was glad to hear that Tifa had the mirror. Otherwise, she was going to have to question her own clearheadedness. They were only here to place the mirror in the shrine. If they didn't even have the mirror, they were more than a little stupid. And she was slightly annoyed she hadn't checked on that earlier.

At least Tifa wouldn't break it.

The question about the staff was left unanswered by Celes. She couldn't feel its cold air as she was in front of Relm and not behind, and in no way would she admit to wishing she could feel it. She was a soldier, not some commoner.

"Keep an eye out for magma shots. This close to the mountain it would be strange not to have to dodge them, especially with something so important guarded here."

[valiantsword.livejournal.com]

Ramza was just about to speak until a loud rumble caught his attention. Glancing towards the magma-filled pools close by, the knight had to leap away once fire spewed out from the molten lava. "Argh!" He grunted as he unsheathed his sword as the rumbling gotten worse.

"Something is coming! To arms, I say. To arms!" Whatever it was that was charging into the caverns, the creature must have been enormous in size. The ground beneath their feet began to tremble, and the rocky ceiling above them was shaking wildly. Flames continued to spurt forth from the fire pits, heralding the arrival of the Fire Shrine's eternal guardian.

[starprism.livejournal.com]

Relm stumbled back was flames licked the ground where she'd been stood, ctuching her staff tighter. As it became clearer and clearer that something was approaching she darted behind Celes. She took one hand away from her staff, flicking the lid up on a bottle of ink attached to her waistband with her thumb and taking a brush from her satchel. She dipped the brush in the ink and then held it by the handle between her teeth as she closed the bottle and took a battered-looking sketchbook from her bag.

"Re'dy!" She said, noting that it was far more difficult to manage staff, brush and sketchbook than it was to manage just two of them.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Whatever creature guarded the shrine, it wasn't about to come out and meet them. They would have to meet it. Steeling herself, Tifa stepped into the shrine and at once saw the guardian that blocked their path.

Maliris. She rose up out of the shadows, a gigantic serpent-like creature, and with far too many arms for Tifa's liking. Not only that, each of those arms wielded a blade.

"Little girls," Maliris hissed. "A poor show, Sky People. The power of Terra will snap your blades..."

[valiantsword.livejournal.com]

Ramza almost growled at the creature once it referred to them as 'little girls'. Was the darn serpent blind? Tifa and Celes weren't girls, and Ramza knew for a fact he wasn't a girl either! No matter, it was time for their blades to do the talking for them. "Relm, stay back!" He commanded to the mage. "Make sure to strike when necessary when using your magic, but get hasty!"

He turned his sights towards Tifa. "You and I shall lead the attack."

[starprism.livejournal.com]

Relm managed, for once, not to giggle at Malaris' misaking thier companion for a girl. Mostly because she was holding her brush between her teeth. She nodded at Ramza's instrctions, making sure to stay behind Celes, and started to prepare a Blizzard spell in case Ramza or Celes wanted to use Magic Sword.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa nodded and didn't hesitate to launch herself at Maliris, despite the fact that those blades looked really sharp.

She ducked under the creature's guard and managed two hits before a blade caught her shoulder and she was flung back. Gritting her teeth, Tifa darted around Maliris, hoping to have better luck attacking her from behind.

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

Celes was expecting something to attack them, but even she didn't like the sound of whatever it was aiming at them. Being a general though, she didn't hesitate to leap in with her sword and shield, providing cover for anyone who needed it, especially Relm.

"I'm not getting left behind," she shot at Ramza, making sure that Relm could follow her before she launched herself around. Flank attacks always did more damage because the enemy's attention was split. "Someone get on the other side!"

-And that someone would be Tifa. Wonderful. They were thinking on the same wavelength.

Once she saw what Relm was doing, she nodded and waited for the ice to attach to her blade before aiming a quick slice at Maliris's head.

[starprism.livejournal.com]

Relm was, once again, amazed by how natural the black magic had felt to her. There had always been something natural to her about magic, it was in her blood, but actual spells had never come this easily. Was this how it had been for Terra all the time?

"'ilizarrer-" She shouted, paintbrush still between her teeth. It was meant to be 'blizzara' and the magic seemed to agknowledge that, even if her attempts to actually say the name of the spell left much to be desired. Ice shot up from the ground beneath Maliris almost immediatelty after Celes' attack, leaving the monster little time to recover.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa charged with a flying kick, sending the creature off-balance and stumbling forward towards Relm. Maliris let out a scream of rage and flew straight at Relm with her blades scything through the air-

"No!" Tifa cried. But she wasn't in the best position to defend her; either Celes or Ramza would have to do that.

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

Celes darted back towards Relm at just the right moment to catch Maliris' attack. Unfortunately, her aim was off due to the whole movement thing. She did manage to catch two arms on her shield and one with her sword, but the other ripped right into her shoulder, dragging a bloody gash down her body.

The general inside her wouldn't let her scream, but her teeth gritted together as she shoved the creature back using every ounce of strength behind her shield. Once Maliris had moved back, she let herself cast a healing spell, which she knew wouldn't do nearly enough to help, before aiming her sword at the thing's head again. She was not going to lose this battle.