[center][u][h1]Cold Comfort[/h1][/u][/center]

[u]Location: Bunker→ Collapse (Blacksmith)→ St. Artyom[/u]

As the group walked down the stairs and toward the Bunker's exit, Roslyn fell in step with Emsii at the back. Being slightly tipsy and hungry, the brown haired girl began to dig into her things. She managed to bring up some of the creamery treats. They looked less than delightful, causing the girl to frown. Still she offered them up to anyone that wanted some. 

After passing them over, she started on the stormin' strawberry herself. While juggling the reminder, her eyes brushed over the strange gift strapped to her side. A long iron tube fused into a stick end about the length of a small cane. Oksana called it a smoking bandit. According to the deaf girl, it could fill an entire battlefield with a burning substance. Trying to imagine it caused Roslyn's chest to tighten. She prayed that Ahn-Dami provided them with a choice to avoid any combat.

Her eyes flickered to her fellow students. Her companions  seemed to have less hope of that possibility. She finished the last of the slightly pink cream then moved onto the heavenly chocolate. She wasn't nearly as fond of this one compared to the strawberry.

[color=ebe7a3] "I'm starting to wonder if I made the right decision staying to help..."[/color] She mumbled to herself, her inner doubts surfacing. 

No point questioning her choices now, she realized. Her ears caught Sven, Penny, and Yuliya locked in a conversation over the church. Not liking the conflict in the group, she pushed past her timidness. 

[color=ebe7a3] “Well, we know about that Blacksmith,”[/color] Rosyln recommended, finding her voice among the large group of semi-familiar people. [color=ebe7a3] “We could try that?”[/color]

The suggestion seemed well received. They rushed toward the collapsed part of town, but soon became side tracked. People, fed by dwindling hope, continued to search the wreckage. The group, either for personal want or empathy, stopped to help. 

Roslyn split off with Esmii, Sven, and Oksana as the others went their own way. Each group started on the surface and worked their way downward. A few times, they had to pause to tend to their wounds. Esmii and Sven seemed the least graceful as they twisted or broke their limbs. If not for the hazy magic, Roslyn wasn't sure how they were going to mend the pair.

By the end of it, the small cautious group had found two of the townsfolk. Seeing the survivors return to their grateful families left her feeling better than before. Meanwhile, it turned out Penny, Yvain, and Yuliya had found Fat Yuri's daughter and also sent her back home. That left their final destination: the blacksmith shop. 

They stepped up the Blacksmith's workshop and home, seeking out new leads. Yuliya, with her expertise of the language, began to translate. Roslyn found herself grateful to get past the language barrier. Her thoughts lingered back to the Hegelans they met in the tunnels. Naturally, her eyes began to wander across the shop to ignore her uselessness.

Her eyes caught sight of the small hegelan boy peeking out. Soundless, he ducked back out of sight and drew a soft chuckle from her. It made focusing on the conversation harder than it should've been. Once the conversation ended, a small bag of coins settled in the blacksmith's hands and she turned to them. It confirmed Penny’s suspicions were right. It seemed any answers they sought waited for them in the place they tried to avoid. 

Roslyn let the others take the lead. They had been here the longest and suffered through this game of chase for answers longer than her. Instinctively, her eyes scanned the front of St. Artyom's.

[color=ebe7a3][i]Please, let this lead to answers.[/i][/color]

Tension built up in her chest as she watched Yuliya step up and knock. The sound echoed in her ears, vibrating in her being. The exchange began when a red cap monk answered. Roslyn's eyes narrowed at the mention of the rescue attempt causing her lips to purse. Something about what he said felt off, but she didn't know why. Following the others inside, she managed not to jump when the doors closed behind them.

Idly, Roslyn continued to watch the exchange. Irritation evaporated the tension in Roslyn, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Quietly she stood alongside the others.

It didn't take long for things to spiral into trouble.

Of course mention of Esmii being called a knife-ear set her boyfriend off. Sven, gentlemen he was, stepped forward and sent a shockwave at the abbot. That didn't seem to matter because once the dust cleared... 

The priest seemed unfazed.

[color=ebe7a3][i]‘Oh shit… what did I get myself into?!?’[/i][/color]

Roslyn stared at the man who shrugged off the attack. Suddenly, her hand felt something pressed into her palm. Her eyes glanced down to spot a mana shot. Sensing someone looking at her, her eyes spotted Esmii's cheeky smile. It clicked in the brewery daughter's mind. Understanding flashed across her expression as she undid the cork and downed it. The glass fell from her gasp and shattered across the stone grounds.

A burning sensation swirled in her gut, her body uncertain about the odd liquor. In moments it settled. The boost flowed through her veins with fresh vigor. She prayed to the gods for strength. From her peripheral vision, she noted she wasn't the only one that downed one. Yuliya did too.

The abbot began casted first. His eyes narrowed on Penny and pointed his wand near her. A stupendous amount of energy swirled and collected at its tip, glowing white with the spell.

[b]"Heavenly Lance!"[/b] He uttered, releasing it at her chest.

Seeing the threat rush at her friend, Roslyn didn't think. Her mana drew in the heat caused by the false abbot's spell and uttered a phrase beneath her breath. She jerked up her palm and released it into the lance. When her spell hit it, the energy spiraled across the shape. Spotting her effort's success at weakening it, Penny latched onto the colossal energy. The woman drew it away and ended its threat. 

Roslyn flashed Penny a timid smile. The pride was short-lived. She spotted monks rushing to the aid of the abbot. Her eyes widened at the number as the courtyard erupted into chaos. Monks launched their spells at various students, including herself, forcing them to defend themselves.

Two monks in blue caps targeted her. They lifted the small chunks of stone then hurled them  at her. Hoping to hurt their aim and get out of range, she drew in energy from the surroundings. 

Gritting her teeth, Roslyn uttered.

[color=ebe7a3]"Light of Ahn-Shune."[/color]

A light flared in the monks' eyes while she rushed to the side, boosted by her kinetic magic. She wasn't fast enough. Both rock edges clipped her, one in the shoulder and the other in her back. Pain flooded her nerves. 

[color=ebe7a3] "Shit."[/color]

A loud snap of wood made Roslyn's head swing to her left. Penny's crutch broke from a kinetic spell sending her toppling backwards. Meanwhile, Yuliya dissipated another spell from a red capped monk. The petite woman then countered with a shockwave forcing her attacker to retreat. She spotted Sven sloppily bat away several boulders, catching one on his shoulder. Blood wet his tunic as he grunted.

[color=385403]"We don't have to do thish violently."[/color]

[color=ebe7a3] "I agree with that. I don't want to hurt anyone."[/color] Roslyn join in, but both of their words fell on deaf ears.

Suddenly a black-capped monk appeared in front of the Eskandishman then vanished repeatedly. It all happened so fast that Roslyn barely caught it. Seven explosions popped off in Sven’s vicinity. Impulsively, Roslyn raised her arm to brace against it. She was in no immediate danger, but she couldn't help the reflex. Her eyes tightened against the dread filling her. She couldn't help him.

[color=385403]"Afraid to show your face?"[/color] came Sven's voice.

Her eyelids cracked open to see a familiar form walk out of the dust. His hand wiped off the blood from his shoulder.

Roslyn sighed in relief.

[color=F7976A] "Hey, watch this."[/color]

Penny's confidence caught Roslyn's attention. She hadn’t expected her friend to recover so fast from the fall. The one legged student balanced herself upright on one crutch.

[color=F7976A] "Shune, bless me with knowledge and perseverance," [/color]she prayed.

[color=F7976A] "Reshta, bless me with good fortune."[/color]

She turned to the nearest monk and shouted. [color=F7976A] "RUPTURE!"[/color]

Roslyn watched the man freeze in place. His face reddened and his eyes bulged. Hands reached up to grasp his head, the back arched, and a shriek roared from his mouth. Blood dripped from his nose and ears. Dark marks and red rashes spread across his body. The monk's final breath rattled from his throat before he crumbled into a heap. 

No one could survive that, Roslyn thought. The image seared itself into her memory. She looked away, unable to stomach the sight. 

During her distraction, another monk got close and reached out to touch her. Assuming he wanted to do a contact spell, Roslyn jerked her hand to her mouth. Her fingers made a ring. When she learned this spell, images of her being a dragon breathing fire rose to her imagination.

[color=ebe7a3]"Wyvern's Breath."[/color]

Fire erupted at the monk. Surprised by her shift from defense to offense, the attack grazed his head. He leapt backwards to avoid the worst of it. Once landed, he batted the minor flames away and smothered them with his hands. Witnessing her spell, one of his companions struck out. 

[color=ebe7a3][i]No you don't![/i][/color] Roslyn thought as she screamed in the monk's direction.

[color=ebe7a3] "Drunken Hell!"[/color]

Anger at the situation, her helplessness, and more leapt into her core. It corrupted her imagery and twisted her intentions. She wanted him to leave her alone. The monk's skin drained of color, twisting into an ashy gray. His eyes glazed over as his feet stumbled. His breath became irregular and poorer with each second. His lips turned blue  as white foam, saliva, gathered at his mouth corners. With a violent shudder, he collapsed. 

Dead.

Roslyn stood there, rattled by the aftermath. She didn't see her fellow classmates dealing with the threat around her. 

[color=ebe7a3]"I-I-I didn't mean..."[/color] She stepped back, but she had nowhere to run.

Seeing his ally killed, another mage uttered a spell. A boulder rocketed at her right side.

The sight snapped her back into the present. Roslyn spoke the first spell on her mind, [color=ebe7a3]"Arcane Lance." [/color]

During the hours of Oraff, she drew in more daylight. Her mana formed it into a bright, white cone shape then she flickered her hand forward at the stone. It struck the center, but didn't seem to stop it.

[i] [color=ebe7a3] I didn’t mean to kill him...[/color][/i] Roslyn's guilt surfaced as she found herself unable to move fast enough.

With almost inhuman speed, one of Khaliun's hired mercenaries rushed to help. He slashed his sword upward, cracking it on the rock's scorched spot. A low rumble broke into a thick fissure. The tails continued to spider web across the surface before crashing into the ground. 

She had little time to breathe when a monk to her left launched another spell. Her insides curled and pain flooded her head. Roslyn's knee slammed into the ground. Her hands clutched her head as her vision blurred.

Roslyn used her chemical magic to counter with a spell.

[color=ebe7a3]"Blessing of Joy."[/color]

Endrophines overwhelmed the pain, drawing from the hurt and dampening it. Her hand pushed on her knee and forced herself upright. In the background, Sven and Oksana fend off a black-capped monk with a combined attack.  

Roslyn started to notice the hints of heaviness in her limbs. She recalled the same ache when she danced for hours on end, but this was completely different. Her eyes closed and squeezed tightly for a moment. Letting the pause center her racing mind, she returned to the fight. 

[color=ebe7a3] "Blessing of Vigor,"[/color] she snapped her spell at Yuliya, buffing the woman.

Among the exchange of blows, Roslyn caught Sven’s pleas. 

[color=385403]"Pleashe shurrender!"[/color] He begged, doing more than she could. [color=385403]"Ish thish really worth dying for!?"[/color]

She wondered the same thing, but her main focus was keeping her friends safe. It seemed the more they killed, the numbers stayed the same. The battle turned when the Abbot reached his limit.

[b]"None of you understand! You fools! You saboteurs! We are trying to save our nation here!"[/b] His voice manic and eyes wild, he began to draw in energy.

A quiet hum turned into a roar. The vibrations shimmered and heated the air, condensing into a spot. Roslyn' wasn't the top of her class when it came to sensing magic, but even she could tell this was a powerful spell.

[b]"If we die, you die with us!"[/b] He spat.

Then, from within one of the mountainside temples, another dull bomb echoed. Muffled voices and shouts followed it. In a last ditch effort, Roslyn tried to cast another Light of Ahn-Shune, but... nothing happened.

The magic was gone. Not that her efforts would've made much of a difference.

She spotted the Abbot's realization entering his gaze. On cue, the ignited spell amped up like a runaway snowball after breaking free of the man's control. Roslyn watched it gather more and more energy, the temperature gradually rising. The magic flipped on abruptly and someone compelled it away. The explosion's effects rumbled into the wilderness outside of the town.

Silence smothered Roslyn as she continued to witness the distant destruction. The pressure pressed against her form before a roar shattered it. A large puffy mushroom of smoke blooms on the horizon. With its presence, heat and light barreled toward them.

Roslyn's eyes squinted against the blinding light as they did their best to resist it. Combining her chemical and kinetic, she focused on aiding Penny with the wave coming at them. She focused on weakening the explosive reactions while draining the momentum. Soon the two girls managed to lessen the damage charging at them.

When the remaining force connected with Roslyn, her feet left the ground. It ripped her scream from her mouth as she was tossed into the air and crashed back into the courtyard. Debris of all kind whipped past her, slicing her arms and clothes. The powerful winds continued to skid her along until she hit a wall. Lungs expelled her breath upon impact. During it, she faintly recalled rolling onto her stomach. Arms reached up to shield her face and head from the slashing debris.

She hunkered down, praying, until everything died down.

Cautiously, she stirred. Her arms lowered causing a few stones to fall from her head. The dust started to settle as she scanned the remains of the monastery. A thick air settled into her chest, slicing into her lungs like glass. Ignoring her wheezing, Roslyn pushed herself onto her feet.

A dryness settled in her throat as she coughed, forced out words between them.

[color=ebe7a3]"Is everyone all right? Ahhh..."[/color] She coughed more, the movement rattling her chest. Her hand balled as it briefly covered her mouth. 

[color=ebe7a3] "Oh, shit. I should’ve stayed at the Academy."[/color]

When Roslyn spotted movement, she jerked to face the source. Pain rippled across her worn neck muscles as she bite down a yell. Her hand jerked up and gently rubbed the soreness.

[color=ebe7a3] "Owww. That was stupid."[/color] The tension lessened when she noted the hegelans.

Slowly, she pressed her back against the scorched wall and slid down. She was grateful to be alive, but every part of her hurt beyond words. 

[hr]
[hider=OOC stuff]
[u]For upcoming fights[/u]
Active Effects
Stormin' Strawberry: just eating this will raise your mood. All weakening that you apply to enemies will be increased by two. 
Heavenly Chocolate: just eating this will raise your mood. All strengthening in a scenario will be increased by two.
Glaring Vulture Jerky: Roll a d4 after each defense. If 4, gain a free counter if the defense was successful or damage reduced by two tiers if it was not. 
Mana shot (given by Esmii)- Stayed down. 
[hr]
On person for the fight and between round care:
Makeshift first aid kit including
Binding bandages- x5: immediately seal and heal any wounds of minor tier or below. Are used up in the process. 
Skinglue x2: from the Bleeding Pine, will instantly seal wounds if applied within one turn, reducing their tier by one.
Snowpepper sniffing powder x2: will instantly wake up any sleeping or unconscious character or beast.
[/hider]