Kaori & Samira: The Desert: B Rank: Private

Samira wasn't one to stay within the halls of the guild of Lamia Scale for long periods of time. Although the building was of a significant size it still felt cramped and suffocating. She preferred being outside, away from the enclosed walls and spaces that made her feel nervous and trapped. Her condition was not so extreme that she could not ever handle being in a small room, but if she could avoid it then she always did and only ever returned to sleep or to sometimes make use of the large library the guild was known to have. Naturally, not spending much time on the hall grounds meant her time spent with fellow members of the guild was short if not nonexistent. It had not been all that long since she had joined the ranks, but she should of had much more connections and knowledge of the member base by that point. It was a disappointment to herself in regards to the lack of effort spent in getting to know those around her, but it was a fact nonetheless. It was time to turn that around.

A return to the guild was planned, one that she had predicted would be a longer stay in an attempt to get to know those also within the guild, but in a matter of moments a different opportunity arrived. Samira had barely stepped onto the guild's grounds when a woman wearing a ceramic cat mask upon her face made an announcement. The name of the guildmaster made her footsteps pause for a moment as her full attention and her green gaze turned towards the speaker, who she had never met but may have seen once or twice in the library. At first the message seemed important, but the way the woman spoke of the possibility of death for what may be a small chance of something valuable was curious. The crowd she spoke to was unlikely to offer many volunteers, especially with the word choice and the firm tone. Perhaps she was just someone that liked giving all of the facts upfront. Some members of the crowd were whispering amongst themselves, probably telling each other it was crazy to take on such a mission if there was the possibility of dying. Cowards. Samira had no issue with a rather high probability of extreme mission failure and technically there was always the chance of death no matter how safe an activity is. The chance of finding something valuable was also of interest to her as she was a person motivated by such things.

Deciding to make herself a volunteer for the dangerous and, at that moment, very vague mission, Samira began to walk towards the mysterious woman and her motorcycle. "I volunteer myself. I have no quarrels with death." The tone of her voice was also firm to match the announcement given earlier and the look on her face was resolute. That is, until it morphed into a sheepish smile as she placed a hand on her hip. "Although, I must say that I lack any real combat experience." It was a true statement. She was a summoner and her spirits would usually do most of the work, but even then she had not really used them in a proper combat setting. The most she had done with them was inconvenience others as of late. Considering the job was going to be rather dangerous it was unlikely she would be considered after admitting she was useless for anything other than distractions and screw ups, but then again she was also the only one that had volunteered. Plus, the woman asking for volunteers seemed to be confident so maybe her own lack of experience would not be much of an issue.

Word Count: 626
Job Approval

Ah, so the crowd she had thought to be filled with those that supported caution actually had one other capable of putting that aside in order to volunteer. Samira gave a quick glance in his direction to get a better look as he approached. He was a swordsman from what she could tell by the sword he carried and no doubt he would be quite proficient with the weapon. Her own experience with weaponry was limited and required much more practice to be decent with any of the sort for both those that required range as well as the close combat sort. She did own a weak pair of chakrams that were given to her for basic practice, but there was rarely enough time spent dedicated to getting better with her usage of the weapons. Another issue she would need to correct if she wanted to prove herself useful to the guild.

Samira did not automatically assume the man would be chosen over her, but she did see it to be the more likely scenario. He was strong physically where she was not, and the experience he had would be of much more aid than her own. The calm words given by the woman in the mask did come as a small surprise as it seemed she had made the decision to allow her to go instead of the more capable man. As true as the words were it was uncommon to find someone that followed that route of logic and kept an open mind towards the abilities of others. Then suddenly she found herself wrapped inside a warm hug, given by the other woman she had barely met. She had taken a step back, more from her slight surprise of the movement than anything else, but otherwise she allowed herself to be hugged even if her own arms remained where they were. Close contact did not bother her but she certainly was not accustomed to hugging someone she had just met. Perhaps it was a normal custom within the guild? Or maybe just for the woman herself.

A nod was given in reply when Kaori made her introduction and then hopped onto the motorcycle. A very unique name she had never heard before, but not much time was given for her to ponder over it further. Her eyes merely silently looked at the back seat of the bike Kay had pointed at. Never had Samira ridden such a thing. The closest she had come to was the vehicle used to get her own license back in Motor City. Well, there was a first time for everything and she saw no reason to go to the desert village on her own. Taking the offered ride with her fellow guild mate was the more practical approach that wasted little time. “Nonsense, I will travel with you, Kay,” she replied, taking advantage of the nickname and making her way onto the back seat of the bike. Doing what was suggested of her, she wrapped her arms around Kaori’s waist in order to prevent herself from falling off the bike as it sped off. “I am Samira by the way. Samira Nassar.”

While the ride on the back seat of the motorcycle was a bit strange at first and took a little getting used to, at least it was one that ran quietly, much unlike those that she had passed during her short time within Motor City. The silence of the vehicle even made it possible to hear each other without the need to shout over it. “You mentioned earlier that you would give details. What will be required of us once we reach the desert?"

(Word Count: 613
Total So Far:  1239)

The voice of Kaori playing through her mind did come as a slight surprise for the celestial mage, but it was quick to pass. Telepathy was not something new in the land of Fiore, although it was her first time meeting someone that had the ability in person. It was not all that different from when her celestial spirits communicated with her from the celestial realm while she had their keys on her person. They had been silent that day so far, and considering she was using her mind as a link to communicate with her fellow Lamia Scale guild member she hoped they remained that way.

Samira listened to the explanation of the enemies they may run into, but otherwise made no comment towards it so she would not be interrupting. It sounded logical enough considering the desert land they were headed to, aside from the rumor regarding some type of sand fish. While it was indeed strange she was not one to completely ignore rumors of that kind. They existed for a reason even if the chance of it being overly exaggerated was quite high and very common. She waited for the explanation on what they would be looking for but none came, instead only the question regarding her own abilities. It was a fair enough question and one she had no problem answering. "I am what many would call a celestial mage. I use keys to open gateways to the celestial realm and the spirits that answer have the power and abilities that I myself lack. I hope my spirits and I will be able to aid you find what you seek with success." Her answer came vocally rather than through her mind, a habit she could never get out of even when having conversations with her spirits when they were not summoned.

As she rode on the back seat of the motorcycle her thoughts went back to Kaori's explanation of her own combat abilities. The masked woman seemed to be more of a physical combatant and from her own words had little magical ability. It was something to respect considering the training that was likely involved to be that type of fighter. Still, she was rather curious about one thing. "Why would you want to avoid using the magic that you know? Would it not benefit you more to include your magic into your fighting style?"

(Word Count: 400
Total So Far: 1639)

Samira listened to the answer given with great interest. To grow up as a mage among a village of warriors must of been difficult indeed. Most mages of Fiore had it easy when it came to training and using their abilities and rare was it that there was a case of spells backfiring after someone learned to use it properly. It was fascinating to meet someone the complete opposite of what she was used to but at the same time she had the feeling Kaori would likely have a better handle on her magic if she used it more rather than try to avoid it. She did not take the other as one to lack any sort of self confidence and instead came to the conclusion that she may just be a creature of extreme caution. Maybe the mind was being used far too much and acted as a barrier to reach full potential. It would explain why using magic that used the power of her heart worked with no issues. Power of the heart... Huh. That topic would require a bit more thought due to having no experience with such a thing herself.

Unfortunately, it would have to wait as Kay's request of raising her hand entered her mind. It came to her as strange for she had no way of knowing about the trap set ahead, but she did as was asked nonetheless. She had no reason to distrust the masked one and so her original hold upon her loosened as she raised one hand over her head. A second later she felt a set of claws wrap around her hand and jerk her upwards away from her seat on the bike. A short yelp came from the green haired woman at the tug and soon the world grew smaller and smaller as the creature that held her took her high into the air. Being more curious than afraid, her eyes looked up to see what held onto her. A great bird creature made of flame and lava is what her gaze caught and yet no pain coursed through her aside for the small ache created from being held. Had the hawk been around the entire time and she had not noticed? The day was starting to hold a number of surprises, including the great lava hawk letting her go in mid-air with the result in her falling and by that point screaming. The creature was quick to move below and catch her with its back but the sudden freefall had terrified her and her heart was taking quite some time to settle down from the rush.

I sense distress. Are you in trouble, Samira?

The rapid surge of both her mind and heart must of gotten the attention of her spirits. One of them had communicated through their key and into her mind and it would not be long before the others joined in. While she was never lonely due to their presence, she did not enjoy the headache of having multiple voices within her head. "I am fine. Inform the others not to worry." Her focus went back towards the ground as she tried to find the location of Kaori ahead. She could see the motorcycle on the ground and while she could only see quick blurs of the other woman the bodies of the bandits were clear. A likely ambush. That explained everything. "Please, let me down," Samira requested kindly towards the hawk, hoping it would do as she asked. It seemed as if the current crisis was over and therefore her need to be safely flying over the fight was no longer required. The hawk acted on her request and descended low enough towards the ground for her to hop right off. They were not far from Kaori as she was going through the dead bandit's belongings but for another trio of bandits it seemed Samira was isolated enough for them to come out of hiding to make a counter attack to avenge their fallen comrades.

A knife flew in Samira's direction, grazing her cheek and causing a thin line of blood to trickle down. From the looks of the ruffians she doubted she was going to talk her way out of the scenario and she did not want to constantly be saved when she came to help and gain more experience. As she backed away from the group she asked for the hawk to retreat. She did not want to see it hurt by the bandits nor was she sure how it would react to water such as rain. Her hand reached down to a golden ring attached to her hip that held onto several keys and, as she grabbed onto one of them, she slashed it through the air to open a portal. “Open, gate of the Avatar, God of Rain! Chaac!”

A small whirlwind of magic energy formed in the air as the portal between the celestial realm and the normal realm was created and as the portal manifested so too did the rainstorm that always followed that particular spirit. The sky and the land would look strange as the storm only concentrated in the thirty meter range surrounding the spirit and everything past that would be dry and clear. As the spirit, Chaac, was exiting the portal, one of the bandits thought it would be a brilliant idea to jump forward and grab onto Samira, but he found himself knocked over by the blunt side of a giant axe. Chaac was a spirit that took on a human form and wore tribal-like clothing and through his green mask his purple eyes lit up with electrified anger. "This is what we should not worry about?" The bandit he had hit a moment before was standing up with knife in hand, earning him another hit from the blunt edge of the axe in the ribs and sending him in the direction of the other two. While annoyed that he had not been informed beforehand of the situation, he was not a heartless spirit and generally did not kill if it was not required. Lacking any sense of self preservation or the ability to see that was their chance to escape, the other two bandits attacked Chaac. He took some damage from their stabs and slashes since they were faster with their smaller weapons than he was with his large one. They managed to dodge his large swings until he finally grew tired of the game. When one had moved back to gain some distance he used his energy to send electrical waves through his axe before throwing it at the bandit. The axe made impact as the sharp edge pierced the bandit's chest and sent bolts of lightning through his body, eliminating him. All that remained was one bandit in top condition and the first one that likely had broken ribs.

(Word Count: 1149
Total So Far: 2788)

MP: 100 (Cap is 110 due to UA)
Chaac Duration: 2 More Posts

The member 'Samira Nassar' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Normal Dice' :

Chaac had heard the voice of Kaori within his mind and nodded, understanding. The woman was a stranger to him, but he did not sense any threat coming from her as he did from the bandits. He also respected her way of thinking. It was no time to wonder about all the details regarding who she was or what was happening though. He would just have to demand answers from his summoner later. For now, there were enemies to deal with. Chaac would push the healthy bandit away as he rushed forward, knife swinging. The bandit tripped over the body of his fallen comrade and as Chaac grabbed hold onto his axe once more he slowly pulled it out of that corpse and soon brought the weapon in a downward swing to create another lifeless body. There was no enjoyment with ending a life, but he dared not leave one alive unless they were too weak to do much more than crawl. Speaking of which, now that the more troublesome bandit was taken care of, Chaac slowly turned to see that the enemy had staggered his way over towards Samira.

The weakened bandit moved very slowly and the aim with the knife was wild and without any precision. It made it easy even for someone such as herself to move out of the way. The ground was wet from the sudden rainfall brought with the summoning of Chaac and the terrain made it easy for the bandit to trip over himself. Samira really did not know of what else to do aside from kicking her boot right into his gut. As he groaned in pain, his grip on the knife loosened and Samira was able to kneel down and quickly grab onto the blade. The fight was over. The bandit had no weapon and in his condition he did not have the strength to do proper hand to hand combat.

Both spirit and summoner watched Kaori as she placed a hand on the living bandit's head and seemed to do nothing more than stating he now owed them. As the bandit was allowed to leave Samira had asked about what had just happened but received only a vague answer she did not fully comprehend. Maybe it revolved around her telepathic abilities but before she could press further Chaac suggested she leave the topic alone for the time being.

Samira's lips formed into a smile as the Lava Hawk nudged her with its beak. She reached out and began to gently stroke his beak. "He is very beautiful." A small laugh escaped her as well at Kaori's statement of the creature having a liking towards her. It would be a very unfortunate scenario indeed if the hawk did not like her. The activity of admiring the great hawk would come to an end though as it was back to completing the task at hand now that the bandit distraction was over. "Agreed. I do not think all of the desert sand would help in keeping your vehicle in proper working condition."

"I must return to my place within the celestial realm as well. Next time call before you get yourself into a fight." After giving a nod of recognition towards Kaori and her Lava Hawk, Samira's summoned spirit then disappeared to return to his usual plane of existence to recover and the storm that came with him also dissipated. The rest of her spirits would likely demand details later on but for the moment and during the travel to the desert village they remained quiet. Samira would also remain silent for the rest of the journey to the village unless spoken to or any other obstacles appeared.

(Word Count: 616
Total So Far: 3404)

MP: 100
Chaac CD: 4

With Kaori taking a bit of time in the village to visit a contact, Samira decided to communicate with her other spirits and fill them in on the small details. While some were satisfied with her taking the initiative to gain some experience with taking a job and even accompanying a more experienced mage, they all had the agreement that she was a complete moron for not bringing a weapon. Did she expect them to do all the fighting for her? Well, yes, of course! She had terrible aim whenever she tried using any sort of weaponry and it would not do well to accidentally hit her ally. Aside from conversing with the spirits of the keys she owned Samira waited patiently for Kaori to finish up her business. Her own opinions of the area were formed as her eyes observed the village citizens but from what she could tell none were interested in doing anything suspicious towards her. However, her sense of caution did not lessen until Kaori had finished up and was returning to the entrance. "Is something troubling you?" She asked curiously when the masked woman paused and seemed to study her by eyeing her up and down. It was an awkward question to ask since the answer was quite obvious and judging by the other's thinking process it had something to do with her. Oh dear.

Shortly after asking her question Kaori would then somehow pull out a shotgun from her sleeve. If it was not the world of magic Samira would of claimed such a thing was impossible. She forced her mind to accept it for what it was, especially considering she barely had time to ask anything about it before the firearm was tossed her way, the other likely expecting her to catch it. Both her hands went out to grab hold of the weapon and, being a bit clumsy with such things, nearly dropped it. Green eyes would then widen as another shotgun fell from the sleeve. There were bags with magical properties like the one she had just witnessed, but never had she seen a sleeve be used in such a way. "You continue to surprise me. I am starting to worry that this will be a common occurrence with anyone else I may venture with in the future."

Samira listened carefully to the lecture given on how to properly use the shotgun. Each instruction had her handling the gun to mimic the ones of Kaori and at the end she did a practice shot out into the desert. Even with the advice she still ended up going a bit backwards from the recoil but practice makes perfect, or so they say. It was doubtful she would ever have her own arsenal of firearms but for the current mission it would do seeing as she had nothing else. "Thank you, Kaori," Samira said gratefully as she slowly bowed her head. Lending a weapon so she would not be defenseless was a very kind thing to do and an action she appreciated.

After the shotgun usage demonstration the two women were soon making their way through the desert. The air was hot and dry and the sand itself did not make for easy walking terrain, at least not for someone that was used to cement and cobblestone roads. She had ancestors that came from desert territories but she herself had never journeyed through one. No complaints were made though, knowing very well she was there because she had chosen to be. There was still a small hope that it would not take too long to reach the ruins though.

An oversized scorpion would soon cross their path and it seemed a little far from friendly. Perfect time to get a little practice with the shotgun. She took hold of the weapon and as the creature got close the trigger was pulled, firing off a small attack of celestial energy from within. The scorpion screeched as the shot impacted and, once Samira took a bit of time to get a handle on reloading, another shot was fired. That particular scorpion was weak and went down easily, and unfortunately unknown to her there were larger ones within the territory they had yet to run into that would be tougher. She was pleased with the kill nonetheless and felt as if she had more self confidence with handling enemies on her own.

(Word Count: 736
Total So Far: 4140)

Edit: 4-6-20
Posts above and part of this one complete the 7k B rank WC for original turn in 3131 + 3869

New WC: 271

The trip to the desert ruins was getting more and more chaotic as time went on. Some more bandits had decided to cross paths with the two women, only this time a boat was being used as a mode of transportation. Taking the vessel for themselves would be beneficial and the fact the ship turned in their direction and stopped made the perfect opportunity to do so. Actions of her own were not necessary as her companion had made quick work of the leader by slicing off his limbs. It was mainly the result of the attack she had noticed since the attack itself was far too quick for her eyes to make out clearly. The pilot was also feared into submission by the actions of the Lava Hawk and the threat made to become his next meal. The whole scenario was quick and dealt with easily, but the fate of the leader was left with her. She could guess the reason behind it was due to the earlier demands he had made. Disgusting. If he had been allowed to do more Samira would not have killed him but would have left him alive for some desert creature to pick at while the hot sun roasted his mind and body. "I would get him aboard quickly if I were you. We are quite busy and do not appreciate delays," she told the second bandit as she walked passed him to board the sand ship. The bandit leader did not get a chance to do much nor was he much of a threat anymore so she saw no reason to kill him. For that, he was allowed to live.

The pilot of the boat then used her wind magic to get the vessel moving in the direction of the old ruins. She knew nothing about how to handle a ship and so she allowed the pilot and the second bandit to do what was needed while she helped herself to a canteen of water. Riding the boat was faster than walking, but the trip would still take a bit of time. The thought of using the time to find out more details about Kaori, as well as the job, crossed her mind and so she took a place near the other woman so a small conversation could be started. "Now that we are well on our way to the ruins, what are we looking for? I remember you saying something along the lines of it being difficult to find." Samira waited for an answer as she watched the boat run over one of the desert scorpions much like the one she shot at before.

Soon another sand boat instantly appeared behind their own, likely using some sort of stealth magic on the vehicle to ambush other smaller ships and travelers. Their ship slowed as a harpoon gun was used to connect theirs with the attacking vessel. "We seem to be popular ladies," Samira stated with a sigh. So many bandits were appearing that even her amount of patience with them was wearing thin. Maybe the one they let escape much earlier sent out some kind of message, or maybe it was just a coincidence. Whatever the case may be, Samira had a method of dealing with them without the need for more death. One of her silver keys was unhooked from the chain she wore along her hip and was used to slash through the air as she called upon the spirit. “Open, gate of the Avatar, Cernunnos, The Horned God!”

The desert sand started to blossom in green vegetation and colorful flowers as the portal appeared and immediately a light mist-like energy started to release from the plants. To enemies such as the ones in the other sand boat the mist was a magical substance capable of putting them to sleep. One of the bandits had used the harpoon rope as a walkway but past out and fell as soon as he made it onto their boat. The other two past out as well. To all allies such as Kaori and the bandits that were operating their boats the mist had no effect. The furry animal-like humanoid that came from the celestial realm was not amused though. He growled as he stared at Samira, annoyed that he had been called to deal with something so simple that only his mist was enough to settle things. Her spirits were such confusing entities. One minute they get mad for not being called and then the next they flip their attitude when they are called. "You can cut the rope?" Cernunnos' glowing green eyes rolled at the suggestion but he used his glaive to slice the rope that was attaching the two boats nonetheless. He had strength enough to remain in the normal plane and so he did just in case anything else appeared.

(Word Count: 811
Total So Far: 4951)

MP: 85
Cernunnos Duration: 4 Posts
Chaac Cooldown: 2 Posts

The member 'Samira Nassar' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Monster Dice' :

Samira's sense of accomplishment with taking out the few bandits on the other ship without bloodshed was cut short. Their own ship was able to move away, but the other was not going to give up so easily. The ones that had fallen asleep must of been decoys with the true fighters remaining inside and ready to fight. She had no time to react when Kaori had shouted for everyone to grab something. Her footing was lost and she would have completely fallen if Cernunnos had not grabbed onto her as he gripped onto the side of the ship with his claws to keep his own balance when the ship jerked to the side. Once her balance had been regained, she did as she was told and grabbed onto the shuriken from the other's back and prepared herself for the signal. She had no experience with ship battles, and it was just best to do what was told by those more experienced than to argue in such dire situations. The ship they rode increased its speed and Kaori's words, spoken both vocally and through the mind, were in the form of speech a general would give an army before battle. They were far from being an army, but with the battle fast approaching everyone would have to give their all if they were to survive, herself included. Once the signal had been made, Samira held the shuriken tighter before throwing it towards the front of the ship. During the motions of her toss she felt an odd sensation course through her. It was hard to explain, but the feeling reminded her of when she was a child and in the care of her family. A barrier was then formed from the weapon she had tossed and that combined with the telekinetic powers of the masked woman reduced the impact of the landing. Was that an ability of the heart that had been mentioned much earlier in their journey? Such a question would have to be contemplated further on later.

Her attention was snapped back into reality when her name was called. Now she was being told to believe in her heart's power when she wasn't even sure what that meant. However, she could agree on the statement regarding her spirits. While she had not been able to use them much for combat purposes they were always there for her in other ways. They would not turn their back on her now. "Of course," she said confidently, her eyes now full of determination. Her attention then went towards a golden katana that had formed right before her eyes. She took hold of it by grabbing onto the blue cloth that had been wrapped around the blade and as she did so she felt a sort of power radiate from the weapon. There was no time to wonder about that either. The barrier had evaporated and the battle had begun.

Blood splattered everywhere near instantly but Samira paid no mind to it even as it rained onto her clothes and body. The task she had at hand was finding the captain and taking control of the enemy ship. The summoner took off across the deck with her spirit behind her. The first likely location for a captain was the captain's quarters. There was what seemed to be a large set of doors for a room right on deck which seemed plausible. Many of the ship's crew made a habit of getting in the way. Cernunnos would cut many down with his glaive only for more to appear in their place. Two bandits had gotten near her and in her state of rushed panic she slashed the katana she held a bit wildly. It did make its mark but not enough to cause a fatality, just minor injuries. She backed up and lowered the katana before just charging one of the bandits and impaling him on the weapon. Cernunnos took care of the other bandit while she was busy pulling the blade out of the body.

'I tire of hearing you think about how physically worn out you are by a few little slashes. Summon me. Cernunnos is not accustomed to handling multiple targets in such a way. Let him recover.'

Kali was actually offering her aid? Well, knowing that spirit she would not be in the normal plane for long. "Cernunnos, return for now. Kali will cover things from here." With the spirit requested to return to the celestial realm, Samira reached for a different key with her free hand and summoned the next spirit. “Open, gate of the Avatar, Goddess of Destruction! Kali!” With the summoning of another one of her spirits Samira could feel more of her magic energy being drained. She took the time to breathe but the tall blue skinned woman did not give her a chance to rest more. "This is no time to rest, girl." Two of the four arms slashed a pair of pet scorpions with the scimitars that they held. A silent nod was given in reply. The agile spirit made quick work of whatever else got in the way, with Samira following behind. The large doors had been reached but when opened no one was inside. At least, that is what it looked like at first.

A knife went sailing through the air towards Samira's head, but was parried by the four armed spirit. Then a male figure made himself known as he jumped out and quickly spun around with the sharp edges of his own set of scimitars aimed at the duo. He was dressed differently than the other members of the crew, indicating that he was a likely candidate for being the captain of the desert ship. "I see you are giving my crew a bit of exercise. Looks to be quite deadly." He commented after his attack had been parried once more by the spirit. "I hope you don't mind if I pay you back for your generosity." "There is no need to pay us back. Your hospitality has been enough." The man barked out a laugh as he used some form of magic to clone himself, making two of himself. One distracted the spirit while the other went after Samira.

Not being used to fighting in such a way she very much lacked the skill and was doing all she could to just parry and block the attacks made by the duel wielding man with the katana she had grabbed onto before. She continued to back up and thinking she had found an opening she lunged forward only for the man to easily avoid it and knock her down. She flipped over and held up the katana in front of her just as the pair of scimitars were coming down. In a battle of strength she would surely lose and as the lead bandit pressed down on his weapons she could feel her block being pushed back and weakening.

'Uh, Kali, we can hear running emotions over here. Do you think you can help out our summoner?'

'She can rescue herself. It's training.'

'Is that why you requested Cernunnos to return and you be summoned?'

'How else will she learn when you all treat her like an infant incapable of defending herself? At least that ninja warrior sees the potential like I do.'

'Kali!'

Realizing an end fate was incoming, Samira got a burst of inner strength from within herself and pushed the weapon she away from herself, resulting in the scimitars pressed down upon it to also move away. She then did what many would consider cheap shot; she raised her boot and kicked upward, hitting him in the groin. The lead bandit grunted in pain as he dropped his weapons and held onto the sensitive area that had been attacked as he knelt down on his knees. This gave time for Samira to once again stand on her two feet and, without even thinking twice about it, swinging the golden katana near his neckline and beheading him.

The bandit that the spirit Kali had been fighting vanished for it had been the clone and without the one behind the magic it could no longer exist.

'Wait a minute. You spent all that time dealing with a clone?! You did that on purpose!'

'Think what you will. She's alive.'

As far as Samira knew, the target had been dealt with. If Kaori's plan worked and the captain really had been taken out, then the rest of the enemy crew would surrender easily enough.

(Word Count: 1425
Total So Far: 6376)

MP: 70
Chaac Cooldown - 1
Cernunnos Cooldown - 6
Kali Duration - 3

The member 'Samira Nassar' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Normal Dice' :

Once realizing the captain was surely dead, Samira lowered the katana she held and allowed it to fall on the floor as she fell to her knees. She was not used to killing in such a way and, even though her mind was quite content with such extremities, actually taking on the action was quite different than theorizing and it took its toll. There was no guilt within her since it was a circumstance of life and death, but it did bother her that she did not feel more for all the loss of life than she did.

"You expected to feel something for the deaths of the mongrels aboard this vessel? Save it for lives that matter. These people are no loss to the world." Kali stabbed the dead body on the ground with the trident held in her third arm to prove how little it meant to her. The captain was nothing more than garbage that would soon rot in the desert sand. "Let us return to the battle field."

Before Samira could stand up, strange particles began to appear all around the room. Kali grew alert at their appearance, taking a fighting stance with her scimitars to prepare for an incoming enemy. The weapons would be dropped as the spirit fell to her knees with hands on the floor to keep herself from hitting the ground completely. A wave of mixed emotions sailed through the hearts of the duo. They both felt heavy and even if they desired to move it would of been impossible. "What..is...this?!" The colliding emotions were enough to make Samira feel as if she were going insane, and judging by Kali's reaction she too could not stand it. The emotions were void of any happiness, leaving only the worst for Samira. Sadness, helplessness, death. Kali's included the weight of what she herself would consider a burden. A great resolve for an impossible task with the expectation of no recognition and being forgotten. For a full minute the two experienced the strange emotions before they disappeared completely. A tear fell from Samira's eye and ran down her cheek. There was no visible explanation for what she had felt just a moment ago, but for the time being she was back to feeling herself.

Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Samira stood up, grabbing hold of the katana with her free hand. Kali stood up as well and surprisingly was not at all annoyed or angered by what had just occurred. The spirit was calm and uncharacteristically silent. The two left the captain's quarters and saw outside that every living member of the crew had been tied up. Surely they all had suffered through the same experience as they. They watched as Kaori went inside and claimed the captain's head as a trophy to show off to the living members of the crew. According to plan, they all had surrendered and the ship had been fully taken over. A sigh of relief was allowed to exit the green haired summoner. Perhaps the rest of the way to the ruins would remain less exciting.

Soon after the crew had been untied and allowed to move, Samira's hand was taken by the other woman and she was mentally asked to follow. She did so unquestioningly with her summoned spirit following behind cautiously. They were led to a room where another version of Kaori was lying on a bed. The one that took her hand said a few words, but before Samira could ask a single question it disappeared in a puff of smoke. Another puff of smoke appeared as another Kaori in the corner vanished. So, the one sleeping was the real one. The battle had been exhausting for Samira and considering Kaori had done much more it was likely she was even more tired than she.

It dawned on Samira that with the ninja warrior resting peacefully she could remove the mask. She bit her lip as she contemplated removing it just for a second to see what was underneath. There was always a curious nature deep within her and it troubled her how Kaori would never say just what they were looking for. How was she supposed to help if she did not know that detail? Was she just supposed to stay on the ship while Kaori looked around the ruins? What if it was found? For a member of a mage guild Kaori was very much an enigma. Samira walked over the bed and stood beside it for a silent moment before reaching out towards the mask. Only the voice of Kali made her stop and pull back.

"Do not."

"Why? She is asleep and she has never said I could not see her face." Samira turned to face her spirit, who was standing near the door.

"True in a way. We do not know what this Lareci Clan law is, however. For all we know it could be surrendering your life. Some secrets that are revealed do come at such a price."

Samira seemed disappointed by that reasoning. It made sense and taking off the mask was not something she considered worth her life. The law was just as vague as everything else about the sleeping woman. "I suppose taking a peek would not help in getting answers either. It would break any and all trust completely if she found out."

"I am less concerned about that. We have no reason to trust her other than you and her sharing the same guild marking. Keep in mind such things are not permanent. I do not like mysteries and that woman is the essence of it." Kali turned towards the door and made her exit. "I will remain outside to keep watch. No doubt the vermin left alive will cause trouble if left to their own devices. You owe me for staying longer than I had intended." The door closed, leaving Samira alone with the sleeping Kaori. She took a seat on a wooden chair that was by the wall and rested as well. Her own energy needed to be replenished from summoning her spirits and the fatigue from the physical action was setting in.

Quite some time had passed but eventually Kali returned to inform Samira that they had reached the ruins. After that, the spirit returned to the celestial realm. The crew had made no attempts to retake their ship and the rest of the journey had been uneventful. Remembering that the clone had told her to wake up the real Kaori upon arriving, the summoner stood from her seat and walked towards the bed. She leaned over the bed slightly and, placing a hand on each of Kaori's shoulders, gently shook the woman. "Kay, we have made it to the ruins." Another gentle shake was given. "Are you awake?"

(Word Count: 1142)

MP: 70
Cernunnos Cooldown - 5
Kali Cooldown - 5

At first Samira had thought Kaori had woken up when she spoke. A thin brow raised curiously when her mind processed the question she had heard. A magic circle? What sort of magic circle? There were many. With the mask covering, the summoner had no idea that the other woman was, in fact, still asleep. A sudden wave of tension and unexplainable fear coursed through her and an instant later Samira found herself lying on the bed, having been pulled in by the person she had tried to wake. A short shout of surprise was all she could get out before she was physically clung to with the addition of having her chest invaded by Kaori's mask covered face. "Kaori?" Samira asked awkwardly, her pale face turning a bright red as the woman latched onto her tighter. Rather than receiving an explanation for her actions she was instead mistaken for Mister Fluffles, which sounded like a name a child would give to a stuffed toy. Samira chuckled at the realization of Kaori still being asleep and likely acting on whatever she may had been dreaming. Adorable had been added to the mental description she had for her fellow guildmate, although she doubted it would be an appreciated remark if it was ever said aloud. It also did not make the scenario any less embarrassing for Samira. She still needed to wake the ninja mage and there she was, trapped in a wrapped hug while on the bed.

Kaori then vanished and before more confusion filled the summoner's mind she had quickly reappeared in the middle of the room. Now that the other had fully awoken another wave of awkward embarrassment filled Samira. While Kaori had a small hint of embarrassment in her own voice while apologizing, she seemed rather composed considering and spoke no more about what had just happened. "You are right. Let us continue our task here," she replied, trying to gather composure as well and resisting the urge to ask about Mister Fluffles. She doubted she would get any decent answer anyway. Maybe later she would inquire. For now, she stood from the bed and left the room, following Kaori out onto the deck and off the ship.

"Agreed." Samira said out loud, her habit of answering mental dialogue vocally rather than with her own thoughts. They had just traveled a long way through the desert to get to the ruins and it was unlikely many had come to explore. While not having a map was a valid concern there was also the fact creatures very unwelcoming could have made the ruins their home. "Do you have a guess as to where the item you seek is within this place?" Due to not having been given any details as to what they were actually there for, Samira had to just go with the flow and follow Kaori's judgement. Searching the entire place did not exactly bother her really since it would be something she could enjoy while getting some information about the ruins themselves and possibly find other items of worth. That did not mean it would be wise to stay long though, and she hoped the other Lamia Scale member had some intel other than it being somewhere in there.

(Word Count: 544)

MP: 70
Cernunnos Cooldown - 4
Kali Cooldown - 4

"Picking locks, no," Samira replied with a small laugh. The trait of being well versed in the art of picking locks was not really something she had considered or even thought about. Considering she did not think she appeared as the shady sort commonly known to be adept at the skill, she thought the question asked would have been in a more sarcastic tone, but it seemed serious. Nevertheless, she did actually have a way to get through the locked door with ease. All it took was to summon another one of her spirits; one more suited for utility rather than battle. "I do have a way to get us through though. I only hope that once his time is up we will not require him later."

Like the few times before, a key was taken from the large keyring she wore and the short summoning ritual was performed. “Open, gate of the Avatar, God of Portals! Janus!” The spirit called upon was that of a more mechanical humanoid. It looked as if he were made of solid metal colored with silver and gold, but he had a sort of transparency that made him see through. He was one that existed in both the celestial realm and that of the normal world. A master of portals. "Oh, dear. So what I have been told was true," Janus commented as he looked at the two women, the ship, and the ruins and concluded the details of the day's events told by the other spirits were fact. "A pleasure to meet you, young lady. Excuse me, Miss Kaori. Your prowess, from what I have been told, is commendable." He bowed his head respectfully towards the ninja assassin before turning to his summoner. "How may I aid you, Samira?"

"Could you make a portal for us, Janus? This door is locked." Samira placed a hand on the door and looked to her spirit before taking a step back. He would do it, she knew that. He had never declined before and there was no reason for him to do so at that point in time except for maybe out of concern for their safety.

"A portal you say? Into there?" Janus looked a bit concerned due to the ruins likely being dangerous. The spirit poked his head through the closed door, his transparent body allowing him to move right through the solid object like a ghost. His head came back through and gave a nod. "A portal it is then!" The spirit placed his hand on the door and upon it a small portal big enough for the woman to step through was created upon its surface. It glowed a bright blue and hummed with a magical presence. A dark inactive portal appeared on the wall next to the door, his portal summonings always coming in two even if not needed. "It is safe," Samira told Kaori reassuringly in case she had any doubts about using the method of travel. With the way to the other side open, the summoner stepped into the portal and found herself stepping out on the other side of the locked door. Once Kaori had joined her she allowed her to lead the way further down into the ruins, Janus following behind in case he would be needed again.

Before long a signal was given to stop and once Kaori had checked for enemies there was a decision to make. In Samira's mind, if a fight could be avoided then it was smarter to do so, even in their case. They had used up a lot of energy just to make it that far and there may have been quite a ways to go until they found what they came for. "We should sneak by them and save our energy," Samira whispered back and then instructed her spirit to deactivate the original portals he had made. Even if portal magic was his specialty he had limits when he was in the normal plane. In order to make the portals appear in a different location he even had to use some of his own health to do so. A portal was made on a wall near the middle of the room, meaning they would have to at least sneak that far. The portal was connected to a second that was farther away on the other side of the room and past the gang of monsters. Once they entered the closest one they would come out of the other, giving them the opportunity to skip most of the room entirely and continue the exploration.

Samira made her way from their hidden position first so Kaori could do what she did best in case she was spotted. She crouched low to the ground and moved slowly. Her eyes switched between the closer portal and the enemies as she moved, hoping none of them had heard or caught sight of her. The sounds of the enemies moving about got louder every now and then, and her body gave a small jump in place reaction when one had bumped into an urn and caused it to fall and break. The sneak method worked though and Samira found herself right in front of the portal. She gave one last look at the group of monsters before standing up fully and taking the portal. On the other side would be another staircase that went down further.

(Word Count: 901)

MP: 70
Janus Duration - 2
Cernunnos Cooldown - 3
Kali Cooldown - 3