[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/houzIW1.png[/img][/center] In the blink of an eye, Ashley’s energy lance shot forth, vaporizing the vines that had sought to impale her. However, the undead-arachnid-centaur-thing was [i]swift…[/i] Moving with a speed most surprising for a creature of its size, the monstrosity repositioned itself just before the searing beam could blow its head apart. Well, [i]one[/i] of its heads, at any rate… Instead, the neon green shaft of incandescent annihilation pierced the “rider’s” shoulder, slicing off his bound arm in the process. Ashely barely had time to scowl at this turn of events, before she was yanked downwards. It appeared that some of the remaining vines had managed to wrap around her shield and were now pulling her towards the creature’s scythed limbs. A small ray of hope emerged a moment later, as Breacher fired a melody into Ashley’s back, seeking to pull the agent to safety. For a moment, the Knight of Tomorrow was caught in the midst of a strange game of tug-of-war. But only for a moment. The twin forces exerted upon her only accelerating her descent, the high-tech heroine found herself plummeting past the nightmarish beast and into the portal it had emerged from. [color=MediumSpringGreen][i]Oh crap…![/i][/color] Her energy shield glowing as it bounced off the portal’s rim, Ashley could feel herself begin to sink into its inky depths. In a last ditch effort to avoid whatever terrifyingly unknown fate awaited her beyond that dark doorway, she reached out her hand, and, to her immense relief, found purchase within the grasp of Breacher’s own. As the draconic esper strained with all her considerable might, while her greatshield absorbed blow after blow from the undead arachni-centaur’s scythed appendages, Ashley felt herself slowly, but inexorably, rise out of the portal. First her chest. Then her waist. In only a few more seconds she would be free… Unfortunately, it was at that exact moment that the well-intentioned actions of Agent Leroux caused those hopes to be rent asunder. Presumably in an effort to prevent any further uninvited guests from appearing, the armored agent had lobed a melody intended to close the portal, and, naturally, it struck the portal just as Ashley was about to be yanked out of it. Not even having time to process what had just occurred, the Knight of Tomorrow gasped in horror as the formerly still, pitch-black pool was rapidly transformed into a swirling vortex. The increased suction generated by the portal’s imminent demise caused Breacher’s grip to fail, and, an instant later, the portal winked out of existence, taking Ashley Avenir with it… . .. … The disgusting sound of a wet squish announced Ashley’s arrival into whatever unknown place lay on the other side of the portal. Although the space in which she now found herself was pitch-black, the young esper couldn’t help but notice a distinct similarity to the Pax Septimus sewer system. In particular, it had the same vomit-inducing smell… Then she noticed the [i]eyes…[/i] Several dozen crimson pinpoints seemed to glow in the darkness, before the sound of several desperate, half-insane voices reached her ears. Despite her rising nausea and fear, Ashley’s kind heart couldn’t help but ache upon hearing their pitiful pleas and anguished cries. To her horror, the Knight of Tomorrow soon realized what these creatures were- vampiric thralls, tortured souls enslaved to Justin’s dark will. These were the people she had come here to save from such a horrid fate, and yet, she also knew that she might be forced to free them in an altogether different manner than she had originally intended… Bracing herself against the nightmarish sight soon to be revealed, Ashley allowed the energy of her Genre to flow through her body, causing her Instrument and Style to emit an emerald glow of ambient light. If she was to help these poor creatures, the high-tech heroine knew she needed to get a better grasp of her surroundings. In particular, she needed to ascertain if there was an exit, which would allow her to make her way back to her team. If not, then she would just have to [i]create[/i] one… Unfortunately, the neon glow only confirmed her worst fears. She was standing in the center of a fairly small room, which was filled with dozens of tightly packed, emaciated figures. Although chained to the walls, they were still more than capable of reaching her, and several were beginning to do so, their clawed, trembling fingers slowly stretching out to grasp her. Far more worrying to Ashley, however, was the fact that no exit was immediately discernible, although perhaps that was merely because her eyes had not yet fully acclimated to the light. She needed [i]time[/i], even if that was only a few seconds. Preparing a melody, the Knight of Tomorrow raised her shield to block the closest sets of hands. A moment later, the rest of her body was coated in a glowing aura of emerald energy, which would hopefully keep her at least somewhat safe, until she could decide upon her next course of action… [hr] [center]18 | Female | GEMINI | Vision of Tomorrow Implements of Tomorrow | Wand, Shield | Arcane | Tune of Tomorrow Raiment of Tomorrow | Stride of Tomorrow Light of Tomorrow | Light | Power of Tomorrow [Reveal (2), Purity (4)], Damage (2), Damage X (6), Shield (4), Reflect (4), Heal (6), Major Heal (18), AoE (2), Powerful (0), Piercing (2) DAMAGE: C | SPEED: E | SENTINEL: D | 750 (Free Action) [Bronze Self][Powerful] = -0 mana [Silver Self][Shield] = -48 mana PHYSICAL: E | ARCANE: D | CHAOS: C | 534[/center]