>>39095483

Very dangerous… But that’s often where the most interesting of things happen. Maybe this time you can get by just being a spectator?

You scoop up the mugs, return to the kitchen, and let out a long sigh when you finish cleaning them. You understand full well the risks of over zealousness, but some deep part of you feels incomplete when you’re not delving.

Practicing your Necromancy or Pyromancy would get your mind off it, but you wonder how effective either of them will be in the rain. At least nothing will burn down, and maybe there’s something to be learned from practicing in the rain.

You look out the kitchen window. Well, it isn’t raining quite yet. You see Laurent and Ellie covering their part of their garden with a tarp. You don’t pay enough attention to their hobby to know why they’re doing that, but the sight of them brings up another issue in your mind.

Laurent’s return back home was suspicious, and Ellie’s delving and post-delving issues are concerning as well. But they seem perfectly fine right now, and you’re not sure if you actually have to make an issue about it anyway.

>Practice Pyromancy. (Write in how.)

>Practice Necromancy.

>Talk to Ellie.

>Talk to Laurent.

>Write in.

>>39095538
Just one bump~

>>39095538
>>Practice Pyromancy. (Write in how.)
Try to expand our fire beyond our hand/forearm

>>39095538
>>39096078
I'll back this. Necromancy feels no fun inside, unless you have a super awesome lab or basement to do it in.

>>39095538
>Practice Necromancy.
We should get some guards to warn us of any invasions into our house.

>>39095538
>>39096078
Thirding this.

>>39096078
>>39096146
>>39096194
Pyromancy to start the run.
>Writing

>>39096218
If they’re perfectly fine as they are, no sense in bringing anything up.

You invoke a small flame in your right hand. Its warming light and gentle swaying absorbs your attention for a few minutes.

It’s beautiful, but it’s still a shame that it’s stuck to only existing on your right hand. Well, it's about time you changed that.

You bring the usual stuff you use to practice; matches, paper and the like, then head outside and stand under the dark grey clouds.

You roll up the sleeve of your cloak. If this flame is going to be invoked beyond your hand it’s going to need some goading at first.

Which means…

You stare at your forearm. You’ve already seen your flame chain together with introduced fires. So maybe if the fire was just out of reach, it would invoke further up your arm to reach it.

You shudder, not only from the cold air.

This would almost certainly require you to burn yourself with foreign flames if you want your own to reach it. You wonder if someday you might be able to invoke your flame on any part of your body.

Now you shudder with excitement.

But accomplishing these sorts of things takes sacrifice, a fact that you’re more than well aware of.

Then again…

Your eyes trace back to the tips of your fingers. Perhaps taking the other path might be more useful, if not at the very least less painful.

You have experienced the sensation of your flame branching out from your arm, now maybe if you apply the same concept of forcing it to reach further for what it wants, you’d be able to invoke your flames further away completely on your own.

It’s not as if you’re limited to any one path, although, a rolling boulder is hard to turn around, but certainly not impossible.

>Get your flames to invoke further away from you.

>Get your flames to invoke further up your arm.

>Write in.

>>39096883
>>Get your flames to invoke further up your arm.

>>39096883
>>Get your flames to invoke further up your arm.
Duh

>>39096934
>>39096983
I hope you guys packed your aloe vera.
>Writing~

>>39097062
It won't leave scars will it?

>>39097086
No physical ones!

>>39097098

You’ve never been one to take the safer path when it comes to gaining power.

You take several deep breaths to prepare yourself for what’s to come. You make sure to bunch up the sleeve of your cloak high up your arm, it would be a disastrous if it caught fire, and even worse if anyone saw it happen.

The match ignites and you hold it tentatively, close to the roll of paper you have tied around your forearm.

Here goes nothing…

The stinging heat of an unfamiliar flame causes your whole body to jump in shock. The thought of invoking your flame doesn’t even occur in your mind, as now you instinctively shake the flaming paper off.

A cool sweat forms on your skin as you observe the damage, it’s superficial, only a small bit of your wrist lights up pink in protest to your normally unwise actions.

It’s just going to have to endure the sensation. –You’re- just going to have to endure the sensation.

You set up again, the anger of your previous failed attempt fueling you to ignore your pain. This time you wrap paper tightly around your forearm and then hold the lit match to it once again.

You’re not going to make the same mistake twice…

You fight every instinct in your body to slap the flame out. With eyes clenched tight in pain, you hold your shaking arm out straight, and invoke your flame.

The pain dissipates.

You open your eyes to the sight of the familiar orange flame, now dancing and lapping about most of your forearm. The flame feels like one solid piece as you feed it life. Now to see whether or not this little experiment worked.

You extinguish the flame, and moments later reignite it with a smile.

The flame stops short a few inches of your elbow. Your flame stops a few inches short of your elbow.

You laugh warmly at your success, and feel a slight temptation to cradle your flame.

A few drops of rain begin to fall upon your skin, you rush inside to enjoy the sight of your flame for a few moments longer…

[1/2]

>>39098102

~

“This really won’t let up will it?” Ellie stares out the window in amazement at the downpour that has been coming down non-stop since yesterday. She sways side to side with her arms folded behind her back. “I wonder what Marissa is up to right now?”

Continuous rain, long work hours, working with only one other person, you can at the very least guess at what she wants to be doing right now.

“She’ll be back soon.” Laurent says assuredly. “Then you can pester her all you want for the details.”

“I’m not going to pester her!” She says defensively and makes a derisive face at him.

“She will be back soon.” You lean back in your chair. “We’re delving today after all.”

A firm and polite tapping catches your ear even with the rain, and sets your hair on end.

You recognize that knock, you signal for Laurent to settle down. With great hesitation you rise and approach the door.

You find exactly who you were expecting to find beyond the door. Now clad with transparent raincoat, yellow boots, and matching umbrella; Carmina gives you a slightly disheveled, but no less bright smile.
[2/3] (Just barely doesn't fit in one.)

>>39098146

“Hello!” She starts. “I’m sorry to bother you again, but I just wanted to drop by before I left town to thank you!” She practically has to yell to be heard over the sound of the rain.
You wrinkle your brow in confusion. “Thank me for what?”

She clasps her umbrella shut to keep it from being blown away in the wind. “You pointed us in the right direction, and with your help we were able to apprehend the person responsible!”

You’re still free, so someone is taking the blame for you. Not that you really mind, but you’re slightly curious as to what reason they used to apprehend them.

She looks behind her slightly as if perceiving something only privy to her senses. “Anyway, that’s all! You have a wonderful life, and may fortune be with you always!” She begins to turn to leave.

It’s good that she’s finally leaving town, less chance for trouble to come up with all the visitors this place has been getting lately. Your wrist stings slightly under your cloak.

>Let her leave.

>Write in.

>>39098194
Umm can you explain please? Responsible for what? Who? I appreciate the thanks and blessing but i'd like to hear about what I helped with. Besides it has to be cold and wet out there you could try and relax in here.

>>39098282
Looks like this is what we're going with.
>Writing~

>>39098380

A few more questions can’t hurt, so long as you don’t implicate yourself.

“Excuse me!” You call out to her before she can open up her umbrella.

She turns to you with a polite smile and tilts her head slightly to one side.

“It’s quite cold and wet out there, would you like to come in for a moment to relax?” You ask with an unusual amount of sweetness to your voice.

Carmina’s expression turns conflicted, she turns to look behind her and then back to you. “Oh, I shouldn’t...” Her smile turns devious. “But I rarely do as I’m told.” She wipes off her boots and proceeds inside.

She removes her wet gear and stares at your house in awe. “I love it!” She breathes in deeply. “It reminds me so much of my old house.” She traces a finger over the aging wallpaper affectionately.

You quickly fetch her a towel and bid her to come into the parlor room. With your unexpected visitor, all of you are introduced to each other, complete with names.

She sits excitedly on the couch, clutching her small white bag, as she waits for Ellie and Laurent to prepare cocoa for the four of you.

You put on your best consoling face. “You said that you found the person responsible. I hope nothing terrible happened to your friend.”

Immediately her expression turns melancholy, she fidgets with her bag. “He probably didn’t think me as a friend, but I cared for him like family as I do everyone in my order.” She takes a long time to collect herself, but finally looks up and smiles sadly. “He was…taken from us. Murdered, terribly.”

You put your hand on your chest in mock surprise. “Oh. I’m so sorry.” You place a hand on her shoulder in sympathy.

How annoying it is that you have to beat around the bush.

“I know it’s probably of little comfort, but at least you found the person responsible. What’s going to happen with them?”

[1/?]

>>39099309

Ellie returns with two steaming mugs and hands one to each of you. She quickly reads the mood, and returns back to the kitchen where she can be heard whispering fervently to Laurent.

Carmina takes a sip of her drink and lets the hot liquid sit in her mouth for a moment before swallowing it. “I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you any of the details of that.” Her expression lightens slightly. “But rest assured that she will meet with justice. Not all of what you hear about an Occultist is true, but some of it is based in fact.” A small grin forms on her face.

Again she looks outside and sighs. “I really should be going.” She takes a long drink from her cocoa and then stands up. “You’re a good friend, Sophia.” She points a thumb to herself. “I take care of my friends, so if we ever meet again, I hope to repay your kindness.”

You stand up and put on a warm smile. “Thank you, but please don’t feel obligated to return the favor. I was simply doing what anybody would.”

That’s good, that’s something the person you’re pretending to be would say.

Without warning she wraps her arms around you in a hug. You lightly drape your own around her back, feeling your wrist sting as you apply pressure to it.

You say your good-byes as if you’ve known each other for years, and watch as she runs out into the rain, and then out of sight.

You close the door.

Ellie comes in from the kitchen. “That was…” She spins a finger in a circle, pointed at you. “Disturbing.”

You collect yourself, and walk past her. “It worked, didn’t it? My curiosity was sated, and she’s none the wiser at my involvement.”

You walk over to the clock and watch as it approaches the impending hour.

Not much to do before it’s time to delve. Perhaps there’s some last minute activity you want to squeeze in before the hour arrives?

>Just relax. (Few hour time skip.)

>Write in.

>>39099400
It says so in the first update.
>>39099335
>Just relax (Few hour time skip.)
I have a bad feeling about everything that's been happening. Let's keep Laurent close by.

>>39099400
>>39099309
"With your unexpected visitor, all of you are introduced to each other, complete with names."

I panicked for a second thinking that I may have forgotten to put that detail in, haha.

>>39099335
>Just relax. (Few hour time skip.)
Have Laurent and Ellie investigate tomorrow, hope Marisa and the other occultist aren't caught in this.

>>39099468
>>39099520
The calm before the storm!

>Writing!

>>39099551

The steady ticking of the clock makes you drowsy, there’s nothing really that you want to do before the delve.

You head upstairs for your room, but call out to Ellie halfway up the stairs. “Make sure everything is ready for the delve.”

You turn your attention to Laurent. “You be sure to feed the leech one more time before we go, I’m going to need my tub to more concentrated than usual.”

“Roger that!” Ellie responds for the both of them eagerly, and gives you a salute.

Good, good. With any luck you’ll venture willingly into one of the inner realms, nothing too extreme, just a survey of the area. Then your other apprentice will be back with the details of whatever work Sayuline is up to.

Speaking of which, Marissa should be back by now…Whatever, you’ll send Laurent and Ellie to look into it tomorrow if she doesn’t come around by then.

You settle into the comforting embrace of your bed. Ever since you were a child, you always got sleepy whenever it rained. How pleasant it feels in the warmth of the covers doesn’t help that either. So you drift off for a quick nap.

[1/2]

>>39100120

~

Sounds like screaming, faraway screaming, but you want it to shut up, so you can get back to sleep.

You wait…

Damn it. It’s not going away. You get up and approach your window to figure out what in the world is good enough to scream so much over.

You see nothing but the rain, but hear much more than that. It sounds like multiple people actually, all coming from the same direction.

You adjust your cloak, and for whatever reason decide to take the rusted dagger with you downstairs, in hope you’ll find out what the source of all this is.

Ellie and Laurent are staring out the front window, trying desperately to find out what’s causing all the commotion.

“Look, look!” Ellie exclaims as a group of about a dozen people come into view. All fleeing from the same place.

A fire grows from a building in the area the fled from. The group of people rush past your house, but one of them stops at your door banging for you to open it.

“IT’S ME!” Marissa screams with an amount of distress you never thought possible from her.

Laurent rushes to open the door, and Marissa stumbles to the floor.

“W-we summoned them! IT’S OUR FAULT!” She crawls to a corner in absolute terror.

Your attention is taken away from her as yet again, someone bangs at your door.

“SOPHIA!” Matthias pleads desperately from the other side of the door, causing you to push Laurent aside and get the door.

Matthias appears before you with a nasty open wound on the side of his head. “T-they took her! YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!”

Outside the storm rages on, showing no sign of relenting any time soon.

~

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>>39100185
Okay! That's where I'm going to have to end it for tonight, for obvious reasons, hahah.
I want to thank everyone that played today, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to post them in the thread, and I will do my best to respond to them.

If not, then as always, I wish you a good day/night, and hope to see you again next time!


>(Twitter)
https://twitter.com/QM_Auri

(I just kinda felt like posting one of Aya's pics.)

>>39100248
So what? Water spirits to her fire? Sayuline summoned them up and can't put them back? Or worse?

>>39100268
Just to clarify, Matthias and Marissa weren't talking about the same group.

>>39100285
Oh. Well fuck then. Aya is accused of the murder being a fire spirit and all and Marissa help Sayuline do something stupid. Well This is going straight to clusterfuck. So would letting the putz we killed live have made this worse or better?

>>39100285
oh my god, the occultists took Aya and the other two summoned up some shit. And of course all this is happening at the same time.
Damn, thanks for running Auri!

>>39100328
I can't say whether it would've been better or worse to have let Manolo live, since that would've taken you down a completely different path. But, as the situation stands, there's many things you'll be able to do to try to fix things.
>>39100329
You're very welcome!

>>39100412
ok, Well thanks for running Auri.

>>39100567
You're very welcome!