A Power Lost (Social, Private)

As the magic cart bounced on the uneven road of the port city, Talen sat, arms crossed, dosing lightly as he waited for him and Kariline to arive at the Lamia Scale guild hall. As Talen sat, he had another flash back to the cannon in Bosco, it charging, sucking the magic from... With a start Talen's eyes shot open and he looked to the other seat where Kariline was lying down, apparently sleeping. Talen sighed and visibly relaxed, since she had been used to charge the cannon, draining her of her magic, Kariline had been sleeping, and despite the summoners best attempts he had yet to awaken her.

Talen glanced out the window and saw the marble guild hall approaching. Talen smiled in anticipate of arriving back at the guild hall, his home. To the summoner, it felt more like six months instead of a few days, since he had left the city, and he could not wait to relax in his own room.

When the magical cart reached the entrance to the guild hall, Talen used one of his silver keys to summon Melissa. As soon as the spirit saw Kariline in the back seat, she knelt down with a worried look on her face. As Melissa carried Kariline, with a little bit of difficulty, Talen walked to the entrance of the guild hall and opened the large doors. "Someone get the healers!" Talen shouted, "Kariline passed out in Basco and has not woken up yet!!"

Kihia was working in a large room underneath the Guild hall, he had recently gotten his hands on an advanced ship and was going through checking the systems. He sighed looking around the silver colored interior, the ship was pricy to say the least, but he was happy to see all the systems were present. There were five passenger seats, comfortably padded and would fit everyone on team Serpent Soul. “Icer, running a comm check.” Kihia waited a moment when a voice rang out from the front of the ship by the pilot’s seat, “Understood Sir Kihia, running Comm bracelet diagnostics now.” Kihia lifted up his left arm looking down at a silver colored bracelet that had a few lacrima start flashing on it. When the lights stopped blinking for a moment, he focused his magical power around the bracelet which then lit up the bracelet. “Comm check, Icer are you receiving the signal from the Bracelet?” Kihia looked at the pilot’s seat waiting for Icer’s response, “Yes Sir.” Kihia nodded in approval and then said, “Alright Icer… that is all for now, Prepare for shut down and lock up…” Kihia started to walk towards the loading ramp walking out of the Ikarones as Icer started to shut down the ship systems.

Kihia walked towards the entry way of the hanger and place his hand on it, releasing a small portion of his magic power into it, making the door raise up. He walked into the stairwell and closed the door the same way behind him, “That ship should be ready to fly soon…” Kihia then heard a large commotion coming from the 1st level, Kihia frowned, What is going on?... He then ran up the staircase and entered into the hallway that connected to the main Guild hall, he ran in and then stopped cold at the sight of what he saw. Talen had came with Melissa behind him carrying Kariline, “Talen! What in the world Happened??” Kihia ran up to them, the pain from his own injuries rising up a bit, however he ignored them. He was doing his best not to completely freak out, “Clear a path to the Infirmary! We need to get her there ASAP!”

With his great sword strapped to his back, his black tank top and shorts with the sash and cloak around his waist and of course his red head band, he was ready to leave to go on his next assignment. Some bodyguard duty job for a VIP from Minstrel in a business meeting with Hargeon senators about some kind of energy saving business. It really was pointless stuff, and all of which Naraca would probably not be listening to. Yet the jewel was good, and he'd take what he get doing this job as a wizard. Still so odd to think that he was a wizard now. Times for him were better remembered as a solider, when it was easier. Just a man with his weapons and his wits. No magical nonsense getting in the way.

Going down the stairs, Naraca kept his head down, even when the door was busted open suddenly. Such an occurrence actually didn't phase him. So many people would do that for so many reasons, top that off with the general banter in the Guild hall you generally went numb to what would otherwise be sudden or shocking events when it came to things like this.
In his peripherals however he'd seen a flowing mane of either a redness or...Perhaps mahogany hair color.
Once he walked down the stairs and turned however. His body stopped dead in it's forward movement, like he just hit an invisible wall.
It was Talen, and beside him was one of his summons, he couldn't remember the name but the summon was no doubt holding Kariline over it's shoulder.
He didn't hear what Talen said about how she hadn't woken up, but he quickly connected that something bad happened when he heard Kihia call out that a path had to be cleared to the infirmary.
Out of all the reactions of shock or surprise Naraca could of had, he went with the one his body always did for him: Action.

"Kariline!" He called out in a mix of concern and shock as his feet somehow carried him across the guildhall and right in front of Talen's summon in a matter of 2 seconds. He wasn't sure if he ran or if he might have flew. He could have been flying right now, yet all that was on his mind was Kariline now.
"Give her to me" He said a somewhat shuddered but serious voice to Melissa. His arms going around her so that Melissa would be forced to drop Kariline into his arms which he was sure the summon would enjoy as it looked like it was struggling a little. He'd then gently sink his one arm underneath her legs, and the other on her upper back so that she was being carried much like a princess.
"Hey, hey come on now I gotcha, I gotcha...You're okay. Just hang on" He said peacefully, soothingly, masking his panic with a softer tone of voice.
He leaned back and lifted her up higher slightly so her head could rest on his chest and wouldn't be hanging down anymore.
He started walking as quickly as he could over to the infirmary
"Stay with us now, you'll be okay, just gonna bring you in here and you'll be okay. Just focus, focus on my voice. Just stay with me, right here, right now. I'm right here with you" He said in more of a whisper in her ear now that she was so close to him, an intimate whisper no one else could hear but her.
He made the quick turn to the infirmary, where the healers were already ready for her since Kihia warned them before hand.
"I'm right here with you, right here, right here just you and me okay?" He continued to whisper.
"Don't be going anywhere. You're safe" He added, leaning his head down and gently placing his lips on her forehead and kissing softly.
"You're warm, and...And you're gonna be fine. I'm watching over you"

He got to the bed where the healers would take her in and he gently placed her down onto the soft cushion.
"Stay strong Kariline" He still whispered gently in her ear.
Once placing her on the bed he knew he had to go or else the healers couldn't do much to her with his giant body in the way.
Yet he lightly moved some hair away from her face, his finger tips sliding down from her forehead, going across her temple and cupping her cheek with his hand, warmly caressing it, feeling like the roughness of his hand might help her stay with the real world here and not go anywhere else.
"I'm right here beside you, no matter where you are"
He leaned his head down and placed his forehead right against hers. Like how he did when they were reunited after so many years before.
He kept his forehead on hers, and feeling this he knew that from whatever happened she wasn't going to wake up right away, not without medical aid anyway. Yet he felt like she could hear him, and she could feel him. He knew she was strong, and that it would take more then this, whatever it even was, to bring her down. Yet whenever she might have fallen, he'd have her know he's right there to catch her.
"Wake up Karline, I'm right here, waiting for you" He lastly whispered to her, closing his eye's as he spoke as if trying to send that thought to her telepathically. He'd let that those last words stay in her mind, let them carry her back, so that all she'd think about is waking up, coming back to them, and not staying where ever she might be now.

He knew the healers were no doubt needing him to give them some space. So with a grimace he slowly tore himself away from her. His forehead and hand coming off. He stood back up and took a couple steps back, his eye's staying trained on her as she lay there.
He'd wait for the others to come in, they no doubt would. He recalled hearing Kihia ask Talen what happened, so he'd like Talen answer that on his own instead of asking the question. For the time being, he stood as close as he could while letting the healers work on her. Standing like a guard dog over her.

Quincy was out at her little shack/factory home she commandeered a few years ago napping when she got a sudden ping of fear rush down her back. Her crimson eyes felt something was wrong, something worse than she had ever felt. Normally before leaving she would put on her usual red outfit, but no this time she ran out wearing a tank top and a pair of short shorts. Her arms were bare and all her scars showed as she sprinted across town to the guild hall. When she got there she was short on breath and kicked the door open yelling "Something is wrong!" Normally it wouldn't have been unusual about her freaking out, but this time it only added to the panic in the guild hall. She desperately searched everyone for a clue on what was wrong, because something was amiss.

Xavier felt grateful to have been at the guild hall at the moment so he could help out in this time of need. Before Naraca had descended the stairs he had prepared most of the area in the infirmary for her arrival, carefully readying the bed, and aiding the healers by retrieving items that they needed. Xavier barely knew these people, but what he knew was simply passed from word of mouth, and they were both great and able wizards. He couldn't possibly imagine what in the world could have happened to the woman in front of her but she certainly suffered a great deal. He tried to stay at distance as the healers took precedence in the situation, and found himself backing into Naraca, who seemed to be very much on edge at the moment. Xavier simply put his arm around the giant man's waist as all he could manage, to try and help him remain calm.

This scene was all too familiar, from where he stood, his imagination took over and he was staring at his late mother. As sick as she was they had known the entire time there was no cure for her condition, and over time he simply watched her die. The scar on his left forearm was an eternal reminder of how he tried to help her, and he rubbed it in pain of the memory, tears streamed from his eyes.

Talen stood next to Kariline's bed in the Lamia Scale infirmary, waiting for the rest of team Serpent Soul to gather round. When they were all present, Talen started to explain what had happened. "Kariline and I were in Bosco for a mission that Zuo Cii gave us. We had to learn about a magic cannon that was being built, and stop them from using it." Talen paused for a moment to reorganize his thoughts, the whole thing was still a blur in his head. "We had found the cannon, but we were serounded. Kariline and I tried to fight them off but..." Talen stopped mid sentience, not sure if it was anger or sadness that made it difficult to continue. "We were surrounded," Melissa continued, "and Talen was about to be captured, and there was nothing that I could do about it." A tear formed in the spirits eye, "But Kariline managed to thing fast, unlike me, and sent Talen... somewhere." "Kariline's demon called it purgatory, the place where her demons live. I was safe there until they sent me back, but by then it was already to late. Kariline was strapped into the cannon and her magic power was being used to fuel it, until she was completly drained of all of her magic power." Melissa contuned the story as Talen looked down to Kariline and sighed, "My fellow spirits and I could all feel that Talen was in trouble, and came to help. Together we managed to destroy the cannon, but not before almost every bit of magic inside of Kariline was sucked out." Melissa seemed a little taken aback by how harsh that had sounded and bluched a little. "Artemis tried healing her, but having your magic sucked out is not a naturel wound, so her magic had little effect."

Talen looked up to everyone gather and shook his head, "From what Artemis said, Kariline is in almost perfect physical health, but she has no magical power left that we could find," Talen took a seat in a chaif next to Karilin;s bed, feeling ecausted.

Melissa stood next to Karline, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I'm sorry for all of those thing I said," Melissa said in a voice ment only for Kariline, "you protected him when I could not. Thank you."

Kihia made sure to clear a path through the cluttered Guild Hall to the infirmary, he watched as Naraca came in and lifted Kariline onto his back and helped carry her inside. Kihia made sure they got in and watched as Quincy rushed in from outside, seemingly coming in short notice from a nap. Kihia glanced at her for a second before following Naraca and Talen into the Infirmary. Kihia saw that a new recruit had gone ahead and helped the nurses prep a bed for Kariline, he quietly nodded in thanks and then turned to the door way and saw a good portion of Lamia Scale was trying to shove themselves into the door way.

He stood there for a moment staring at them before turning his attention to Kariline, she seemed to be having a nightmare, his frowned deepened as he turned to the door way once again. When Talen and Melissa spoke up about what happened Kihia’s shoulders slumped from the shock of the news… Kariline… is drained of her magical power… What… why would those people make such a device! Kihia tightened his fist causing a few popping noises to be heard emanating from his right hand, What can we do… Kihia tried to recall all the knowledge he knew from studying underneath Iarok, however, he was drawing a blank when it came to this situation… Please Kariline… please be ok… Kihia stood there lost in thought trying to make sure not to lose his cool completely, and to stand watch…

[list]Her eyes twitched as her head began to calm. She was hearing people talking around her. Soft tingling touches and her weight shifting. She knew her surroundings were changing, so where was she?? Kariline suddenly recognized a familiar voice, one that reached out to her in her sleep constantly..."Naraca.." She muttered softly. She knew he was there, and soon she was able to hear everyone around her. It felt good to be back.

They were all talking to each other, Talen, Kihia, Quinn, and Naraca... also Melissa; explaining the story of what had happened. Kariline was moved about the things that the spirit had said, and from her closed eye a single tear fell. She wanted to wake up, to tell them she was okay, not to worry about her. She was not dead, but there was something off about her that made her doubt that.

Kariline moaned and opened her eyes, blinking repeatedly to try to clear the blurry vision she had. Her hand shook as she tried to reach out to anyone that would be there. From her parted lips she managed to say, " I. Am. Here...", her eyes gazed around the room as she spotted the hazy images of her friends..