It felt odd, being pulled from two entities. The pull from the two only helped spread the pain, "Thank you…"
"I can free you…but you need to bring that shady jerk to me" in desperation, Ignatius jerks Ignis, "No! You cannot free this…monster!"
She just nodded, hoping she was doing something good as she made her way to the three of them.
"Mhm.'
Evan stopped short, "okay- are you guys alright?!" He smiled softly when he saw the two of them.
Another crowd of sighs. ”Iggy, you have to pull yourself together. Seriously. But yes, your offer is… quite tempting. But you said it yourself, didn’t you? Am I not simply mist? Am I not weakening?”
Ignis felt it again, the sense of forgetting something. It drew him away from his initial train of thought. This made the pull heavier on him. However, he knew he needed to pull through, "Fine. I gave you an offer simple to answer, yet you question it. Ignatius and Fire are imprisoned as well. Not in a temple like the other four. Not free like Light. They are locked inside the active avatar which carries the eternal flame. Me. To be free and reexplore the changing world, to guide your avatars in learning their abilities, or rot here in loneliness and despair. Knowing that there won't be another soul that would step foot in this forgotten temple again."
The words that left Ignis lifted the hold on his body. He was pulled by the strength of Kali, but he made sure to stay with her as they ran to Evan and the siblings.
"What heartful speech. I could say I'm almost moved." Arcanis still shifting around within the mist, "I know that look, 'Iggy'. Your power isn't over exerted, it is depleting. Is that why you needed their help? Why couldn't you do this little crusade on your own?"
Alister couldn’t help but take Evan’s hand in his. “We’re… we’re alright,” he assured him. “Not sure how long it will last, though. Um… do you think you’re strong enough to help us protect the seal?”
Persuasive. The voices spoke inside Ignis’ mind. But you can’t blame me for questioning, can you?
Then, outside of his mind, there was a loud cackling. ”Well, I’m certainly moved! And I don’t tolerate invaders, illusionist. You have come here uninvited.”
When he felt alisters hand in his own he gave it a squeeze, he was glad that alister was alright all that happened before he passed out. He heard some guys voice booming over everything, he didn't know if he had much strength but he would definitely try.
"I don't know, but I'm not leaving you guys to do this alone."
She made sure to keep hold of him, pulling him through until she spotted the rest of there group.
"I won't leave you behind, no matter what's happening. I just care about you being by my side, and okay."
why didn't ignis just telling me his powers were depleting? she thought, before shaking her head.
he has his reasons, I can't doubt him right now.
Ignis remained focused, with a slight smile on his face. His eyes began to glow a slight yellow. Chanting within his mind, he performed a healing spell. I know what I'm doing…let's hope it works.
"As you shouldn't." Arcanis laughs, "So you come to tell me the elemental who locked you away in hatred, hid your temples for humanity, and convinced them you abandoned them, is invited?
”Ha, no.” The voices seemed to chuckle and murmur among each other. ”The only elementals I invited here are my children. He’s just seems to have gained the humility needed to negotiate with me. I don’t see you doing the same.”
Alister nodded. He felt uneasy, but… “I suppose I can’t stop you.” A soft smile crossed his lips when he felt the squeese.
“Hey Evan!” Noel turned and waved to him. “Are Kali and Ignis coming?”
(I might finally respond to this akdkekrl)
"I think they are- but I'm not sure. I ran past them when I was heading here. I saw them heading here though." He spoke to the both of them, he gave alisters hand a squeeze.
"I will try and do my best to help until they get here."
Kali gave ignis's hand a soft squeeze, letting him know she was there for him.
She continues to make her way to the three of them, making her way over to them within the sight of alister and Noel.
Ignis felt the pressure in Kali's hands, he squeezed back. Once his body healed enough to void the pain, his sight narrowed on the siblings and Evan. Ignis stayed silent, regardless of what Arcanis had to say.
"You poor souls. Think about it. Ignis had the power to take care of this himself, so did he need you? He knew how to free your primes from their prison, yet he did not. With such great power, what other lies has he told you?" Arcanis merely laughs, as none still know where he is exactly.
Alister’s eyes searched through the mist. “Ah, here they come,” he said. He squeezed back, then edged closer to his sister out of worry. There was a feeling that he wouldn’t be affected by the gases that lay over the seal, but he made sure that Evan was out of the way.
The siblings glanced at each other, seemed to shrug. They knew basically nothing at this point, who to believe, who wanted what. But there was a feeling of trust in the air that spoke to them, and in each other. Whatever lies Ignis had told, they would have to deal with it later. They barely knew anything about him too, really. They just knew that protecting the seal was of utmost priority.
A single voice spoke in Noel’s mind, a presence drew close. Keep your focus, it said. Remember to breathe. Keep these noxious fumes confined to their dome. There was a faint breeze against her hands, as if another pair was brushing against it, showing her how to move her arms to keep the gases from slipping out of place. Instinctively, she followed its example.
Ignis saw the cloud of toxins surrounding the seal. He immediately stopped once they came close to the siblings, "You know Arcanis, Illusions can hide one's perception, but your mana is still clear!" His eyes shifted in a yellow glow once again as a ball of fire emerged from his body and shot towards the forest, "Be careful, now that I know where he is, he'll be coming."
Arcanis smiled in the shadows. The ball of fire missed, by quite a distance, however it did hit something, "Did you really think I'd come alone?"
Kali kept a firm grip on ignis, making sure she was out of his way when he threw the fireball. She made sure that none of arcanis's words made her doubt. She trusted ignis, and nothing would change that.
She watched where the fireball went.
"I can sense him..in the shadows. There's definitely something else with him though..he's not lying.'
why couldn't he have just come alone? she internally sighed.
She partially wished she didn't have to do this, and just, exist with ignis. Though she knew that couldn't happen.
Evan nodded, making sure to dodge the fire as well, looking into the forest where the fire had gone. He heard his voice and tightened his grip on alister.
(Technically no one would be able to see the gases since they’re colorless but eh)
(Let the other be confused about it. It'll be used as story implications.)
(shrug ok then)
Ignis kept his eyes on the fire, heavily focused, "The water witch. She attacked us a long time ago. She's not a descendant of the prime, so her use with water is weaker." He smiled with a small bit of pride once the fire vanished. He walked within the cloud of gas, leaving Kali outside, "Noel! Alister! I'll need one your guy's help!"
“Ignis, don’t—“ Noel’s words were cut off as she watched him walk within the dome of gas. She blinked rapidly, clearly bewildered, but the affect of the whole situation made her just shake her head and not say anything.
Both siblings heard the sound of Astra grumbling, probably about the newcomer, the witch. Their eyes locked on Ignis, then they glanced at each other.
“I can help,” Alister volunteered. He looked back at Evan. “Stay safe.”
Evan immediately got concerned when alister offered to help ignis, he gave his hand another squeeze, telling him to be careful.
He let go of alisters hand despite not wanting too.
"Please, stay safe and be careful. " He let his hand fall to his side as he looked into the forest.
Kali let go as ignis walked into the circle where the two siblings were. She wanted to follow him, bit she didn't seeing as Noel didn't want him in there. She was still extremely nervous for him, especially after what he said. She sighed. Staring into the forest.
Ignis nodded, "I need to know if this gas is flammable."
Alister cringed. “I think that’s a job for El,” he said, and took Evan’s hand again.
Noel chuckled. “There are three gases here,” she reported. “Carbon monoxide, which is highly flammable. Ammonia, which is somewhat flammable. And sulfur dioxide, which is not flammable at all.”
Ignis smiled, "Great. The toxins around here were mixed with your element. I need you to create a stream from here to where I'm pointing." He begins pointing in two different places, close together, "It doesn't have to be precise, just close to it."
Evan was thankful when he had alisters hand back in his own. As long as he had touch he knew alister was safe, and he even gave him a soft squeeze and smile despite how nervous he was
”I must interrupt here,” a singular voice said, ”and inform you that there’s a possibility that these gases will react to each other. The only reason they haven’t is because they are at the girl’s mercy. Child, when you manipulate the air, use great caution.”
Noel’s heart began to pound, but she felt a breeze blow past her hands again, and she followed it. At first, she was slow, but soon a stream of gas stretched between the points Ignis indicated. She realized that she needed to control each gas separately, instead of all together, to reduce the chances of a reaction.
Alister’s heart also began to pound. The air around him began to cool as he felt himself freeze up, watching his sister. The mist around him began to dissipate as well as a result. But then he felt Evan squeeze his hand, and turned to see him smile. He calmed down a bit, and the air returned to its original temperature. He squeezed back, and tried not to think about what Noel was doing too hard.
Kali honestly is just standing there, almost jealous of the fact that Evan was able to hold hands with alister and she couldn't hold hands with ignis. She knew why they could hold hands though. Even though she Still missed her hand in his.
Ignis looked at Kali, showing his best honest assurance. He knew what he was doing, to a point. Fire can be controlled, mastered. Air is more flexible, complex. Every soul and body required it as a necessity. Ignis needed to ignite the flame, but to control the spread. With proper concentration, he could burn their enemies enough to give them a chance to fight or escape. Keeping the thought of Noel, Alister, Evan…and Kali in mind, he was sure to succeed.
Arcanis looked closely, unaware of the gases that lurked between himself and his followers. He spied on the group closely, "I see… I hope you know what your hearts truly want…"
She nodded back to him, seeing the look in his eyes. She trusted him, trusted what he had planned in that moment. She knew he would do the right thing. She just continues to watch as everything went down and hoped that nothing bad went down, but she hide a hand behind her back just incase she needed to conjure any darkness or perhaps any light…tho she wasn't quite good at that yet.
He kept his grip on alister, a firm reminder he was there for him no matter what went down and if need be he would protect them. Despite him not being as strong as he was, or as strong as the rest of them. He still had his ability to manipulate sound.
He moved to make only alister could hear him.
"Im.with you, no matter what.'
Then he returned everything to normal.
With a fire in his spirit, Ignis conjured an aura of fire. With a snap of his fingers, he braced. Streams of fire of various color shot through the streams, spiraling to keep from spreading. The gas reacted calm near the group, moving with the flames. Once the flames reached farthest, an explosion set the forest ablaze. Arcanis, the water elemental, and several other figures were revealed.
Arcanis shielded himself with his magic. Concentrating the air around him. He feared the air element wouldn't work in his favor, yet he bared no other choice. Once the flames calmed slightly, he waved to the group, "So you found me. Doesn't change anything. You still follow a man who will kill you all-"
Ignis shot a secondary ball of fire, which hit Arcanis, "I've heard enough out of you."