lokuri

((OOC: Jeez, I said I was gone for a WEEK. :/ Well, prepare for a super long post. >) ))

***Earlier***

Niola twisted her body and applied spin to it as she continued to shoot towards the obscured form of Sanguis, which seemed to be wrapped with the malicious attempts of the beings known as Shade. Unfortunately, only the outer surface of the slick shell of wind that surrounded her while she propelled herself at him grazed the shapes of Alteser, which released a laughter that merely ticked Niola off. Once she took a few steps towards Alteser, though, Niola knew the battle wasn't a complete failure. It seemed Sanguis was fighting to maintain control, something that she herself couldn't do, at least not on her own.

"I'm glade that slender, but deadly blade didn't trace itself through my body," Niola thought, noting the effort Sanguis put up to not do significent damage to not only her, but everyone around him. "But...I wonder how long the mind can resist the terrors that threaten to crack at what it may claim as 'feeble'. After all, this...Alteser, was it? -- Alteser might just plot to wipe the last remnants of Sanguis's 'existance' away at any second."

After pondering what situation might befall Sanguis, Niola dismissed any chance of him crumbling into nothing as impossible. Not only was it a fact that if Alteser appeared before in the past, an opportunity to rid Sanguis forever would have been possible at some point in time, but something else seemed to have appeared. Keeping away at a far enough distance, Niola observed the scene before her. One minute, Sanguis's eyes wavered for control that had been in Alteser's possession, the next, the "normal" hues that contrasted from each other returned in Sanguis's eyes.

"Well, love really does triumphed all, huh?" Niola thought, blushing mildly at the recollection of Cyr saving her from her little "breakdown". "Of course, Nel didn't have to back away so suddenly. Heh-heh."

Niola felt her gaze constantly travel to Sanguis's frozen hand, but she said nothing. Instead, she leaned against a tree, keeping her back from colliding into the rough surface of the trunk by pressing her hands against it as cushions, and listened to his story. Normally, such a tale would seem awkward and dreadful, but everyone Niola came in contact with had a sad past. Maybe that was what made them so strong? Whatever the reason, it helped everyone understand one another and not judge each other as strange or unsusual.

"Jeez, people don't normally make a speech and then faint right afterwards, Sanguis," Niola announced when his legs buckled and he tumbled over. Using her quick reflexives and her power over the wind, Niola easily glided over and caught Sanguis just a few seconds before his head would of connected harshly against the ground. Glancing briefly at the slightly worn-out group, Niola decided to lay Sanguis's unconscious body next to Nel.

***Semi/Now - Finally- ***

Niola clutched her teeth as the invaders upon their small interval of peace charged at everyone. At first, she thought it was going to be a direct attack, but she soon found herself dead wrong. Almost as though they somehow planned out their positions before-hand, the five troops and their leader shifted into what appeared to be some sort of circle. It wasn't the perfect shape ever made, but it did block out any chance for escaping. Such a situation did not phase Niola that much, but she knew she could not afford to be careless. For instance, creating a wind that would sweep away any trace of the enemies would possibly result in harming her friends as well.

"Tsk, and they seem quite capable of holding their ground as well." As Niola thought this, one of the cloaked figures approached her. Shifting her body sideways and moving into a defensive position, Niola observed the person before her. The slinder form and poised stance her opponent took was obviously that of a woman. As though to prove so, a flash of obsidian fabric struck the air before crumbling to the ground.

"I may not be as strong as Sanguis," Niola began, her eyes flickering momentarily in his direction as a heavenly flame marked the beginning of his vengence against the man that tried to harm Nel, "But that doesn't mean I won't be able to stand my ground against the likes of you and all you stand for!"

As though taunting Niola, the woman simply curled her magenta colored lips into a smirk. Perhaps it was the heat of battle, but her skin was like ivory coated with smoke. Intense, yet unreadable wolf-gray hues narrowed at Niola before vanishing and appearing beside her. Realizing that the odds were against her if she did not put up a serious battle, Niola blocked a fist curling from below and up by crossing her arms and bending her back and legs for support. The defensive move allowed her to escape any major damage, yet it caused Niola to slide across the ground and a cloud of dirt to lift from the ground into the air to temporarily blind her. Then what felt like a bullet spiralling into her head left her nearly unconscious.

"D-drat. If I do not get in the air, I might not last long." As if reading her thoughts, Niola felt the ground beneath her shake. Wasting no time, Niola leapt into the air, arched her back, and felt herself flip backwards over the woman. Showing no mercy, Niola lowered herself to the ground as her hands tugged tenaciously at the stream of obsidian hair held in a loose ponytail. The woman screamed as Niola followed through by taking her nearest arm, and, after allowing a whirlwind of wind to keep her afloat, hurling her into someone else.

"Nel, you sh-shouldn't...hah-hah...stand in the m-middle of..."

Her voice trailed off as a sensation ran through her body. It wasn't terror or fear as her eyes focused on the leader, but familiarity.

"D-Dzi?"

((OOC: Dun dun duuuun! Alrighty, now that that is done, I can EAT!~ ...while the computer reboots for a scan... ))

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