Wyvern EvoStrains, chasing the Husk down mercilessly to R12, delivering a slash across his chest.

Nettle upheavalifies Q13.
Too tired and ow to write more.

Knowing that the Husk is about to go into a new phase, she battens down the hatches, first placing a second Patchwork Totem at L9 (while moving to K9 to get behind it), and putting Cover on K9 and M9.

"Goodness gracious! Can't you two help me get off these roots?" Packo asks, trying to get himself off.

NOWECANTDUMMY

After Packo eventually gets freed, he sees how most of the team has done a great job dealing with it. As such, he moves to Q11 to deal with the Husk. He taunts both idols and then whacks the Husk itself with his flail!

==RP==
Mari.
“I think it’s more that people try to hide it as much as possible, and the people who find out despite the secrecy generally find the entire thing cool enough that they take up studying magic and then keep it secret from everyone else. It’s improbable, I know, and I think people have actually studied how improbable it is that magic would stay this secret for this long, but I’m not one of those people.”

“On another note, I’d definitely be interested in that potion gun; maybe we could collaborate on it once there’s some downtime?”
==CRAFTING==
N/A

==LOGISTICS==
N/A

==BATTLE==
Arthur moves back to O6 and casts Shopping Spree, a completely inexplicable shop window opening up in front of him. He reaches through and grabs two El’ite Knives (Psychic), and two burritoes.

Somewhere
over the rainbow
Chara snarls at having been given no RP section yet again.
The child still takes a moment to giggle softly in the distance at Chloe's befuddlement at the good ol' spidership's existence.

Memories rush back- that sweet, victorious feeling of gazing upon the faded cobalt corpse of a tyrant, entrapped in a web spanning infinity, achieved after so many years of slaving away as a soldier, scholar, madman, madwoman (the previous incarnation did an oopsie and went up in flames), about thirty filthy captains...

But that does not matter anymore, it is all a past world, stripped of its value. This was the new challenge that needed to be conquered. And conquered it shall be.

And anyways, that wasn't even the best question Chloe could've asked.

The better question to pose was, why can Ansem turn into a boat?

8^y

Time for a sermon
Move to L3, knifeyeet the Husk. Easy to understand!

<ROUND ONE-HUNDRED SEVENTY-EIGHT>

Echoss and Pionobot do things. First, Pionobot continues his work in the Everground, ferrying up the Blizzard Regalia up into the inventory. He then drops down a floor, shoves a Mortar Shell into his inventory, and tosses together 12 Iron, 4 Titanium, and 4 Raindrop Crystals to create an entire airlock! That's surprisingly cheap, but hey!

He then sends his golems out, creating another pile of building materials. The golems then make use of the Titanium Lumber Axe, destroying it, but leveling a large area of forest! This yields about 60 Uniform Logs, and 10 Refined Wood. These are then thrown into a pile outside of the house.

He also sends Chaos a notice, saying that his business has been illegally established, and that the owners of the property are repossessing the rooms. Chaos retorts.

CHAOS: well ex[c]use me i go[t] permission from [t]he landowner
CHAOS: you [c]an'[t] s[t]op me from-
OMORIKA: I don't believe the council has given you approval.

A wild Omorika has appeared! Chaos begins to sweat bullets. Literal bullets, which are swept up for individual resale later.

OMORIKA: Ever since t-the... untimely demise of the landowner, this plot has fallen under the dominion of the Council, to do what they saw fit.
OMORIKA: Ultimately, we decided to leave it untouched, in his memory.
OMORIKA: Of course, this building has been... re-purposed as of when the Spherebreakers took it as their base of operations, but I don't believe it relevant to the situation.

OMORIKA: As a member of the council who made that decision, and the one who's been given administrative duty over this property, I must politely ask you to cease your business practices.
CHAOS: wai[t] you [c]an'[t] do [t]ha[t]
CHAOS: [c]an you?
TEMMIE: It seems that she can, yes.
TEMMIE: Besides, I think the profit you've made off of your little motel enterprise has been minimal.
TEMMIE: It would be better to simply not fight it. Legal fees can be quite painful.
CHAOS: fiiiiineeeee

...Chaos stops selling the rooms, changing their price from like 50 Credits a night to 0 Credits per year. That's like, an infinite percent improvement! The golem then uses about 20 Refined Wood to create some nifty flooring.

Chloe is then commissioned to go and grab some crystals and clusters. She opts to focus crystals of the Electric and Ice elements. Chloe nods, and prepares her wheelbarrow. She heads to the Crystillery, eventually returning with a whole load of crystals! She seems a bit rattled, though...

CHLOE: S-So, I figured that maybe I'd be able to find something around the Crystillery...
CHLOE: A-And, I did! It seems like the Crystillery's had an effect on the environment- bunch of random crystals here and there.
CHLOE: T-There was this golem thing, a-and I decided to give it one of the Electric Clusters, and it suddenly started glowing, a-and it zapped me! Or maybe the crystal did?
CHLOE: I... I don't know if what I did was wrong or not, b-but it was kinda scary...

Without another word, Chloe dumps 20 Shock Crystals, 7 Electromagnet Clusters, 20 Frigid Crystals, and 8 Glacier Clusters into the inventory. Anyway, maybe the golem that Toast made warrants more investigation? To round off the post, the Relic Coupon is thrown at Chaos, yielding the Origin String!

---

Maria recovers from snow. She pops out of a snowpile, apparently pleased with the amount of snow to the face she's received. She begins to shiver. R-8733 shrugs, then begins to rummage through a backpack that he now apparently has.

R-8733: Well, if you wear something like that to one of the colder places on Sussui, of course you'll be cold.
R-8733: I normally use this stuff to keep certain volatile explosives dry, but it should work as a nice coat.

He pulls out a roll of some industrial-looking fabric. It's a light blue in hue. He cuts a Maria-sized piece from it, then throws it over Maria. It drapes over her head. It's... not exactly cozy (in fact it's a bit scratchy), but it's certainly quite the nice insulator.

R-8733: ...
R-8733: I don't know how to do clothes.
R-8733: It'd probably work way better if it was an actual jacket.
R-8733: Maybe you can use it as a blanket or something, though.

While Maria's likely doing something with the square of fabric, Venia's Hat sucks some blood. A unit of Fluxblood transforms into a unit of Flux, which transmutes itself into 5 units of Flux. This then enters the inventory.

---

Auth and Chloe continue to talk about spiders. Chloe's Nightmares stat grows at a rapid pace. Maybe she'll be taking a trip to the Royal Bethlehem soon? Anyway, Auth shows off his googles. Violant-lensed. Chloe forgets about the spiders for a moment.

CHLOE: Ooh, pretty.
CHLOE: ...So, is Violant a brand, or what does it mean?

Once that confusion's likely cleared up, Auth notes that there's a whole department dedicated to slaying Sorrow Spiders. Chloe places a hand on Auth's shoulder.

CHLOE: P-Please send them my r-regards!
CHLOE: T-They do an important s-service for the people of London!
CHLOE: ...Also give them flamethrowers! Lots of flamethrowers!
CHLOE: Better yet, I'll make them a flamethrower, a-and send it with my regards!
CHLOE: I-It won't be a great flamethrower, b-but maybe I'll get Xavier or Mari to help me with it! Y-Yeah!

She takes a few moments to calm herself, taking deep breaths in and out. She refuses to ask about the White Well, even though it's clear that she wants to learn more about it. The price of knowledge is a steep one- one that's covered in way, way too many spiders.

Auth also continues talking about books with Nana. The apothecary calms down ever so slightly as Auth notes that he too, enjoys fantasy. She doesn't say much, instead reveling in his "re-accounting" of fantasy novels. He then notes that he's a fan of mystery books. Nana thinks for a moment.

NANA: O-Oh, I haven't ever read a mystery story...
NANA: D-Do you have any recommendations?
NANA: Wait, c-could you even recommend me something? Odds are, you have a lot of books that I don't, since we're from different planets and all...
NANA: U-Um...

Nana looks Auth in the eyes?

NANA: C-Could I have a book? T-That doesn't come from Sussui?
NANA: It'd be interesting to see a story that didn't originate from here, a-and I've never read a book from offworld!
NANA: Maybe it'll be l-like, really different from what I'm used to!
NANA: ...
NANA: U-Um, a fantasy book though, please!
NANA: A good one, i-if you can!

She seems quite excited at the prospect of getting a new book. A new book from offworld, at that!

NANA: M-Maybe we could swap books?
NANA: I... I don't know what I'd give you, as I'm not s-sure if anything I've read is really a-all that great...
NANA: B-But... maybe it'd be fun?

An interesting offer. While the GM probably won't write up a book, maybe he'll get a synopsis of something.

---

Arthur and Mari continue their chat. In Arthur's world, magic remaining secretive is apparently improbable as hell. The scientist shrugs.

MARI: Huh. Weird.
MARI: You'd think there'd be like, one annoying YouTuber named Jake Logan that goes around showing off magic to pretend he's cool or something.
MARI: It's hella improbable, I'll give you that.

Anyway, Arthur indicates interests in the potion gun that Mari's suggesting. She nods.

MARI: Alright, cool.
MARI: See you... dunno, when do you wanna meet?
MARI: I'm open whenever, since... well, it's not like I have anything better to do.

It seems like things are winding down between the two. Odds are, they'll meet after the church raid? But maybe Arthur has something to say about that.

---

<THE CHURCH OF HELIX, ROUND FIVE>
With the Husk seemingly defeated, he falls onto his knees. Crimson mist begins to spew out of his wounds, thanks to the power of the Purge. Then, without warning, another leg punches its way out of his body, a burst of fluxblood coming from his chest as it emerges. Another limb joins it soon after, this one emerging from the socket of his right arm. It sends the arm there flying outward, smacking limply into the walls of the cathedral.

His new limbs take hold of the Armistyx, and an incredible crimson energy begins to surge through it. The metal of the Armistyx begins to bend. The Husk "speaks" for one last time as the weapon begins to morph.

THE HUSK: The Husk acknowledges everyone's fate. It's all over.

The leg in his back suddenly slams into the ground, cracking the floor. He's launched high into the air! As he hits the peak of his launch, he begins to somersault through the open air, his Armistyx twirling around him as the energy within it spikes! The Armistyx grows to a size far, far larger than previously thought possible, complete with windows, wood-panelled walls, and a tiny little chimney.

- = HOUSE SCYTHE MODE = -

The house slams into the stone-brick floors of the church, and the entire building rattles! The Armistyx blows to pieces from the sheer strength of the attack! As everyone recovers from the recoil of the blow, they feel the ground begin to shake.

CHLOE: W-What the hell!?
CHLOE: Why is e-everything still shaking!?

Suddenly, the floor gives way, the ground beneath it fracturing into pieces. Chloe shrieks as she falls... about a meter or three, landing in the basement of the church. Fortunately(?) for the ground of the church, its fall was broken! Unfortunately, the fall was broken by many, many Chairians, who are now but splinters and sap on the ground.

As the dust settles, it becomes apparent that those weren't just Chairians. Some figures begin to shout. Rose Cultists.

CULTIST: WHAT THE HEY
CULTIST: CAN'T WE JUST EAT LUNCH WITHOUT SOMEONE FALLING OUT OF THE <0>DAMNED CEILING FOR ONCE

...A mysterious lady stands in the back, near a statue that depicts Saint Red of the Church of Helix. She's adorned in what resembles a Victorian-era dress, which has been stained a bright crimson. It's probably best that we don't know how. Her mouth is sewn shut into an eternal smile, and her eyes are a glassy red. She swishes back and forth, arms behind her back. The cultist next to her begins to panic.

CULTIST: MAGNOLIA WHO ARE THESE FREAKS

She stares at him, her expression not changing. Magnolia?

MAGNOLIA: ...
MAGNOLIA: Why would I know?
CULTIST: BECAUSE Y'KNOW, YOU'RE MEANT TO BE SMAR-

Before he can even finish his sentence, Magnolia whips a gigantic axe out of her dress. It appears to be made of Fluxtainted Metal, or something similar. It's highly decorated, with a visibly moving eyeball present upon it. A sentient weapon?

MAGNOLIA: ...Meanie.
MAGNOLIA: Anyway, I've gotta go and tell the freakshows in the back that there's visitors.
MAGNOLIA: You guys play nice, okay?~

She approaches the statue of Saint Red, and gives its forehead a gentle boop. It falls backward, revealing a passage of sorts. She hops onto the statue, and once upon it, she pivots around. She holds her axe in one hand, and a strange device in the other. She attempts to address the Spherebreakers, expression still completely unchanged.

MAGNOLIA: Oh, right! You there, new people!
MAGNOLIA: Hi! Welcome to the Rose Cult!
MAGNOLIA: Figure out what this does for me, alright?

She tosses a device up into the air. It appears to be a Rebellion Itisa Bait! She then takes hold of her axe like a bat, and slams it into the room. It slams into a bit of the remaining ceiling, before ricocheting into a banquet table. A burst of splinters signifies its landing, and it begins to whir.

MAGNOLIA: Thank you byeeeeee~

She pivots around on the statue of Red on one foot, then skips off into the secret passage. A crimson glow illuminates the statue, and it sits itself back up. Once that's all over, the Husk makes himself known. Despite the immense effort it must've taken to pull off that attack, he's still standing!

Even though a crimson mist is still spewing out of him, he can't stop clawing at every part of his body. It appears that he's in incredible pain, and is Stunned as a result. A robotic voice emanates from his body- it's likely not his own.

THE HUSK: ERROR: SYSTEMS FATAL.
THE HUSK: BREACH IMMINENT.

A new array of Idols manifest around the Husk- these ones are cracked and frayed. It seems that this fight isn't quite over yet! Suddenly, the Husk goes eerily still, and cracks begin to roll along his body. The mist spews at an even more rapid rate. Seems like whatever's going on, it'll be bad news. As a note, the Husk renames himself to Chrysalis.

...

Anyway, a new phase! Take a look at the Husk / Chrysalis's new moveset- it's mostly the same, but a whole lot stronger! He also has a special, as well as some other neat toys. Fortunately, he's stunned for this round, so maybe it'd be a good idea to focus your efforts on the Rose Cult around you? Odds are, no more Rose Cultists will be arriving in this fight, so you should be free to just focus them down.

Even though all of this has happened, don't forget about the Idols! Polytheism will still increment, so be careful!

Overworld Actions:
Pionobot, having successfully airlocked the spot where the vein of platinum is, mines out the vein of platinum! Now this won't flood the rest of the mine in the process.

Echoss goes to Omorika.
"Thank you Miss Omorika, for your help with Chaos. I was not informed of this property being... notable, in particular to you. Given the new information, I should probably properly ask your permission for a project I was planning to work on. I was intending to construct a sleeping area adjacent to the currently existing main area of the house, as last night the scramble for everyone to find sleeping accomodations was very... difficult.
Given that you are the caretaker of the place, I believe it would be best to get your permission before I continue pursuit of that, and if such is not acceptable find an alternative instead."

Aboveground in Zone 0, the golems toss together another titanium lumber axe and then do more tree clearing, add to the piles of building materials, and create another batch of simple fabric. This is, of course, assuming Omo gives permission to continue working on the stuff. If she doesn't, then they bugger off to do something else.


Echoss returns to joining Chloe on her item obtaining adventures, and requests some light element crystals and clusters!

Purchase Untwist from the Lab.


Battle Action:
Echoss scans Executioner 2

After Crya has gone, Mari is requested to attack Executioner 1 to get the sucker down to lower health.
Echoss's Chibi Nia then moves to S3 and casts the fluxblade scroll, aimed at Executioner 1.

ZIAH: Colour test. Ignore this. cccccc.

ZIAH: Colour test. Ignore this. e6e6e6.

ZIAH: Colour test. Ignore this. d9d9d9.

ZIAH: Colour test. Ignore this. dedede.

ZIAH: Colour test. Ignore this. eeeeee.

ZIAH: Colour test. Ignore this. dddddd.

Laranei wants to upgrade her scarf! But, she's encountered an issue preventing her from upgrading them. Specifically, she can't find good materials to upgrade her scarf with.

So, she does what is in her opinion the most sensible thing, and goes to find someone else to ask them to get something that suits her needs. After all, that's what she's used to doing.

...and after a bit of searching, she finds a person to bother about it. Specifically, Chloe!

Laranei: Hey!
Laranei: You look like you know what you're doing.
Laranei: You're gathering stuff, aren't you?

Laranei briefly waits for a response, with a grin on her face. Assuming she gets a response confirming that yes, that is in fact what Chloe is doing, she continues.

Laranei: Cool, cool...
Laranei: Think you could like... find something for me?
Laranei: I'm looking for some fabric. Fireproof fabric specifically.
Laranei: I want to make my scarf into an improved scarf, you know?

Laranei once more waits for a response from Chloe before continuing. If she says yes, Laranei's grin widens, and she gives a happy nod.

Laranei: Thanks a lot!
Laranei: Makes things so much easier for me.

She's about to turn around and walk away when she realizes something.

Laranei: ...I forgot to introduce myself again didn't I?
Laranei: I keep forgetting...
Laranei: My name's Laranei! Nice to meet you!

-~- Battle Actions -~-

Laranei moves to S10, then casts Ignublight on the Chrysalis

The Battle of the Church
Global Effect: Trait+SPC in effect, all summons in range, except the partisan

Daskter moves to S8 and Commands the Scarred to die.

The C.Officer move to P10 quickly heals up the 1st Katyusha, and also applies Energized 5.

The Vanguard guards.

Coordinating Firepower

The Katyusha1 eats a Celefruit and moves to (L9) and fires a barrage of rockets at Cover E10, Cover E12 and Onlooker1 (Midair Correction, and optionally Onlooker1, if the Kat somehow fails to deal damage to one of the cover. Though covers shouldn't be able to dodge.)

--AFTER BOW KID2 ACTION--
The Partisan gleefully surprises the Cultist... Appearing next to BowKid2 at D15.

Putting Niessence down for the count, then quickly grabbing a blaster to potentially finish Onlooker2 off.
They retreat to E13

The Partisan laves the field (Strategic Reserves) and is replaced by a 2nd Katyusha unit.
The only difference compared to the 1st is that its basic attack is Crushing.

Crya rushes to R17, scans Executioner 2, and retreats to S16.
Chibi Nia moves to R7 and hacks off a Divine Shield from Executioner 1 before retreating further to S7.

Finally, the two Bow Kids break unison.

Bow Kid 2 moves to (C14). She empowers herself with a stored ATTACK beat, giving her +3 Buff Levels. She then Aerablights the Niessence for a hefty Aerablight7 and a respectable amount of damage. She eats a Blockmelon.

NOTE: Daskter's Partisan goes after Bow Kid 2.

Bow Kid 1 stays firmly planted where she is, and... drinks some Candy Corn Liquor? ...That can't be legal. But, it's a battle situation, so whatever, laws don't exist. The she burns her ATTACK beat, and takes aim. The trio are probably begging for their lives at this point, praying to <0> for a miracle, to save them from the childlike monster in front of them, ready to boop their heads off. Bow Kid 1 uses Aerobeam! This fires NorthWest, hitting Onlooker2, Niessence (Turning Turbulence, N/E), and Onlooker1. This also obliterates the cover between them. It then curves North at (H7), ripping the table apart.

TURN ORDER, IN CASE OF CONFUSION:
Daskter and Summons (sans Partisan)
Bow Kid 2
Daskter's Partisan
Bow Kid 1

Nidra retrieves the pillow, Power Naps Venia, moves to K15, and basic attacks Seer2 twice.

RP: The Basement of Helix

Venia was already quite ready for houses to get tossed-just not the one to be on the receiving end. She braced herself as best as she could, and she was happy her shield took most of the blow, but then everything started shaking beneath her, and she was falling, and-

-and it was too orderly a breach, too orderly, the stone did not slide away into a hidden compartment but rather simply compressed itself, as if it were made to no longer be, creating a clean, if square, passageway straight down, overhead lights flickering to life. She followed Brandon, her hand held tight, as she was taken into the interior. Everything was too orderly for a thing that did not have a single brick-it was all the same stone, cut similarly. The stone sealed shut behind her in the same way it opened, making her spine shiver-but with the thugs still around her she dared not scream. That would be it.

It felt like an eternity, a hallway too long, before they made it to the room-an rectangular room with a few other hallways and a single bar, squares of stone for tables. Actual furniture replaced the seats, each of it likely to have been a donation at one point or another. Despite the odds, there was a homely sense, almost lived-in. The faint smell of grains wafted throughout the room, as several men and a few women-including a few people even Venia hadn't suspected to be there, including her, the appraiser-all turned at once, most of their eyes wide.

"... There's so many of you here," Venia said.

"It's a weekend. We discuss operations here. This will also be when you're expected to make the exchanges for anything we pick up. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"...Brandon, this can't be right-"

"No, it is. Unbelievable. It lined up perfectly, though. Rare to be able to make anything permanently and of all the things she could make, its money. Better than money, really. The real surprise is that the IA had regulations for this already set up."

"But like, why don't we just, you know..."

"Why not? It's simple really. The least amount of fuss. Bonita can't neglect reporting it, and someone like that is going to be watched far more thoroughly than normal. Too thoroughly for just to just put her through that. We didn't have an alternative. She's with us-and that'll mean all the rules apply more-or-less, and all the punishments for breaking them. You understand, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, now-"

Reality snaps back. Rose cultists everywhere. Everywhere. The room was crawling with them, and it was luck that more than half were slaughtered before the fight with them even started.

"New hostiles! Rose Cultists! Kill 'em all!"

---

Maria

-LATER-

---

Evergrooound

-LATER-

---

Battle: The Basement of Helix

Venia's Chibi self weaves her way to M16 across the Light Rubble and applies Ordo to Venia proper.

The Socialite looks upon Husk's Absolution of Sin and refuses to despair because it's still more BS than him. She backs up to O11 and uses Pollen Wave, targeting Helix Totem2 and Chrysalis with Uninspired5 for 5 rounds. Ohohohohoho!

Venia will eat the food she's right next to, for starters. She herself marks W9 with Distortion's Dynamite of the Psychic variety, then moves to K18. She fires a bullet right at the Executioner (presuambly sans a Divine Shield due to getting scanned earlier). She then flips back around and pops a shot at Chosen3 with CROSS, applying Unify to them because she needs to, then firing an Electric damage Elemental Blaster shot at them too in the hopes it downs. She then (possibly) goes for a triple with Affidavit Adjudication, which deletes Seer2's HP. She then activates Will To Fight, restoring 5 MP.

"Get Ordo ready, they want to hear OUR brand of diplomacy! And no-one destroy that Helix Totem!" She shouts, pointing at Helix totem 2, the totem that definitely shouldn't be harmed.

Nettle moves to T7 and unleashes a barrage of piercing roots in the form of Hidden Rock. Despite it not being a rock. She then uses Forest Storm until the Scarred is in her Overgrowth Threshold (remember she has 4 free casts), then finishes it off with Rampant Growth.

Lukas stumbles over, somehow taking himself all the way to P8. He falls on top of his Key, and accidentally revs up a Purge.

==RP==
Mari.
“After the raid on the church seems best? See you then -- it was nice talking to you!”

==CRAFTING==
N/A

==LOGISTICS==
N/A

==BATTLE==
Arthur moves to O8 and, if Dome Idol 1 is still alive, throws an Alchemist's Fire at it. Then, he activates Alkahest Admixture!

A sudden fire seems to arise in his eyes, and he pulls a cauldron made of what looks like clear glass from nowhere. A flask made of the same glassy substance appears in his hand, full of a faintly-shimmering liquid, which he pours into the cauldron, filling it. As the first flask disspiates, tossed aside and dissolving into nothing, a second flask full of a different liquid appears in his hand. He pulls out five items from the inventory -- a Fluxblade Scroll, a Mana Vial, a Psychic El’ite Knife from the battle inventory, a Wither Sphere, and an ingot of Rosetainted Metal -- and splashes the second liquid over them; they shimmer and duplicate themselves. The original items return to the inventory, and Arthur sets the second flask, still partly full, aside. He looks at the duplicated items, inspiration burning within him.

He carefully tosses the Fluxblade Scroll and Mana Vial into the cauldron, the ethereal liquid within completely dissolving them in a second, before rippling and disgorging a Fluxblade Scroll crackling with magical energy, clearly charged up by the addition of the Mana Vial. The El’ite Knife and the Rosetainted Metal go in next, producing a knife made of solid Rosetainted Metal, echoing with faint flashes of crimson energy. Then, he tosses the Wither Sphere, charged Fluxblade Scroll, and Rosetainted Knife all into the cauldron’s maw at once, red-gold energy flashing around the vessel as he does so. Once the light fades, the cauldron has created a knife made of solid Rosetainted Metal, whose blade is inscribed with the Fluxblade spell and thus sheathed in crackling Fluxblade energy, and whose edges are dripping with flux-tainted withering liquid that’s evaporating slowly into the Fluxblade sheathing the knife. The last remnants of red-gold power rush into the flask Arthur has beside him, and he takes the liquid and splashes it over the combined knife. The entire setup glows for a second, before the cauldron, the flask, the liquid within the cauldron, and everything else dissolve into power and rush into the knife as it glows and reshapes itself under the influence of the magical liquid. Once everything has faded, Arthur is left holding the original knife; the one duplicated under the effects of the flask’s liquid has split apart into three lesser copies of itself, clearly weakened but just-as-clearly still powerful. A wave of Arthur’s hand sends the three lesser copies into the group inventory as he collapses to the ground, clearly overwhelmed by the abrupt cessation of the rush of power and clarity that came with the special.

Wyvern seems mostly unfazed by the floor collapsing, as he was flying anyway. It mostly just startles him. He glides towards the Seer before realizing he won't make the full distance. With the help of the Warp Ring, he makes it to W4. Three guesses what he does.

Wyvern evolve strains and tears into the Seer with an frightening amount of enthusiasm.

Auth shakes his head at Chloe's question about Violant. Seems it isn't a brand.

AUTH: Nah. You saw how the lenses were very faintly red? That red is a specific shade called "Violant". Colour of blood shed in a spired place, or the colour of troublesome but necessary connections. In reality, it's the colour of Curator's blood. And mine, as it so happens.

Auth thinks for a second, as though finding the words for Chloe as to what it means.

AUTH: Violant... is unique. The colours of the Neathbow have notable physiological effects on those who observe it. Violant, specifically, is especially difficult to forget. It improves memory - a lot.

Auth nods to Chloe's request to thank the Department of Menace Eradication.

AUTH: It's hard and thankless work on Watchmaker'ss Hill. I can do something like that for them, that should be fine. They'll probably appreciate it - can help with rat-catching and dealing with Sorrow Spiders. They'll definitely appreciate the thanks...
AUTH: And the flamethrower.

----

Auth thinks quietly to himself as Nana asks for some recommendations for books. He's not sure how to answer. It's a hard question... for reasons Nana suggests, actually.

AUTH: I can think of a few things but you might not have them around since... different planets, yeah.
AUTH: If we had a way to share so easily... maybe after the Thymefield is gone. My path home might be a little troublesome while the Thymefield is on.

Auth smiles gently as Nana stares him in the eyes to ask him her question.

AUTH: Of course you can, Nana. It might have to be after we finish dealing with the situation here, but... I live in a library that puts the Grand Library to shame. You can absolutely have something when I get the chance to give them to you.

Auth gives a light chuckle... before realizing something.

AUTH: Actually, I might just have something. I would be very, very interested in a book exchange, Nana.

Auth rummages through his personal inventory before producing a large box with not one but FOUR books in it! A big box labelled "The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings".

AUTH: These are a classic fantasy story where I come from. Legendary and ancient, just about everyone's at least heard of it.

Auth gives a smile. He wasn't sure if that was the best choice, but it was also the first thing he could think of to give to Nana. He hopes she likes them.

----

Auth was hoping to get Magnolia to stay so they could talk, as Magnolia has an extremely tasteful fashion sense if nothing else. Auth sighs, and flies to X13, before Liberating the Chosen 4, before giving Taeda the overflow heals.