The Dirge spirit of cremation, a four-crystal spirit of the Deceiver grade. This spirit's cauldron of fire could absorb essence, then turn it into bones it would wear. The ominous pendant acted as a link to the dispenser of the absorbed essence, allowing it to heat up the target's own skeleton as it wished. Under normal circumstances, its fights would end in mere moments after wearing the bone pendant on its neck. However, things were not so simple for it against this Noble Seer. No matter how much damage Ivan seemed to suffer, a stab of his dagger would just take it all away. A single one-hit finishing blow should do the trick, and the spirit was more than capable. But with the Kaso-sha's limited range, it can only do a little more than a lion could to a bird in the sky.
As it raced through the forest, razing trees and setting the dry path ablaze, the Dirge spirit of cremation's sight was now fixed on a group of unfortunate prophets. One could not easily tell what is in the mind of an evil spirit, but the Kaso-sha, a spirit with virtually four lives certainly was not desperate for its survival from the chasing ball of flame---- at least not too desperate. So, it was most certainly working up an evil scheme.
Ivan took a glance in the spirit's direction yet showed no intention to stand between the charging demon and the wandering prophets. He healed his bones and flesh to just enough for the little pain to keep him sane as he stood amongst the clouds. There was one Ivanhoe recognized, a man rumored amongst his peers to be on par with 'Where the Monsters Sleep'. If any Believer could claim such prestige, then there was indeed no reason to worry about him going up against a Deceiver with so few crystals.
"Speed is approximately 150 meters per second, acceleration as it approaches is 200 meters per... minute? Wait, Eloise, what's that formula again?!" Conall yelled out to one of the other two prophets running hastily in different directions to avoid the charging spirit.
"Get your pink ass off the road Conall, you stupid idiot!" Eloise gave a not so 'lady-like' reply, quickly turning around to shield the senseless fool from the Deceiver.
The Kaso-sha quickened yet found itself slamming onto a huge bubble. As it collided against it, the bubble shot into the distance, carrying its lone passenger on a very bumpy ride.
Eloise sighed in relief. Her bubble held. But her adrenaline soon spiked with the Kaso-sha now turning in her direction with Saturn still on its tail. "Ah! Ah! Ah! Stay away, mommy plee--ease!" Eloise ran frantically in her bubble, sometimes falling and rolling with the bouncy shell, but somehow instantly getting back up. It was not surprising that she could not outrun the evil spirit, but she had really tried her best.
"Team leader no!!!" Conall had just found his balance, on his knees stretching his arm helplessly at the screaming prophet. The Kaso-sha threw a cross flame right at the shield, still only able to knock the prophet into the air.
Conall slammed his fist on the ground with a pained grunt. "Captain! Damn! I promise you captain! I will avenge you! This spirit's crystals shall be your tombstone's adornments!"
"I'll #### your mother, Mcloughlin!"
Conall teared up at the fading voice of his captain as she ascended to the sky, heading for a better place.
"Where the heck is Godfrey anyway?" The man scratched his head, wondering where the last of their trio had run off to. As he turned around, he was met with a surprising image of the Dirge spirit floating into the air in one of Eloise's bubbles.
"Help from the grave?!" He gasped.
The black sky suddenly began to brighten, then fade; Saturn finally collided with the running spirit, diminishing its flames and leaving the creature a weak skeleton. Just as it lifted its arms to its colorful rib bones, it soon realized it could not touch them--- they had become like smoke, dispersing at touch, yet regaining form after. Those ribs were its essence crystals!
A little smoke hand waved at the creature before disappearing, and it was then the spirit realized just how much trouble it was in. Its ticket out, its four times power boost and its flames were all gone. It was trapped, it was helpless, it was dead.
Sol, the final armament of the Mortal Skies descended upon the spirit like a spear of divine judgement. Light covered the forest for as wide as they all could see, yet there were no loud sounds of an explosion and no shockwaves as a result of the devastating attack. The world simply turned dead silent as the forest got illuminated by a quickly fading daylight.
"Oof!" Eloise exclaimed as she fell into Conall's arms, the man looking down at her with a wink. "The usual red lighting didn't do you good, my prettiest captain."
Eloise grabbed his cheeks and immediately started pulling. "Let go of me you dumb nerd, or I'll rip your face off!"
"Okay okpay! I'll let go-of ja!" Conall quickly dropped her and unclipped her fingers from his burning cheeks. "Oww~"
Cinis emerged from within clustering smoke, turning to look in the direction the arrow had shot from. "You said you know that guy, Conall. You sure he's a Seer?"
Mcloughlin wasted no time responding, "Just thinking of him as a Noble would make more sense. After all, only the top three percent prophets of an Omen prophecy can earn the title. But let me introduce you guys, yeah?" Mcloughlin walked right ahead, towards the center of the field of screams.
Ivanhoe was waiting right ahead, floating several feet in the air as he scanned the forest. 'That damned statue is doing it again!'
"From one of our previous encounters with Where the Monsters Sleep, we know for sure that thing is unbreakable. So, if we want to remove it..."
"... and stop it from bringing more monsters, we'll have to eliminate the Calamity spirit itself." Ivanhoe finished Aos-sia's sentence.
Soon the sound started to become unbearable again, so Ivanhoe began to slowly ascend further beyond the trees.
"Need any help, oh Sullivan?" Conall called out.
Sitting comfortably on a fluffy cloud, Ivan greeted with a welcoming smile. "Hello Conall." He looked at the two Seers behind the man, nodding in greeting, "Lady Eloise, sir Cinis."
"Huh?" Eloise exclaimed.
"Forgive me for failing to give you a proper greeting. Allow me to make amends when this is all over." Ivan said.
Conall nudged the surprised Eloise. "He's a bit of an egghead. Probably knows the names of the thousands of prophets on this planet." He turned up to verify, "Isn't that right, Ivan!"
"... No not really." Ivanhoe denied.
----
"Let me get this straight, you want me to help you deal with Chevreuse?" Conall couldn't help but summarize the Sullivan's long request.
Ivan looked around and replied, "You're saying it like he is my problem and mine alone to worry about. There are prophets, tired and confused, being attacked and tortured because of his actions. Is it not an obligation for you to help?"
Conall shook his head. "I'm only here to make sure my captain makes it past her first anointment. Helping others is a task delegated to 'your' people."
Ivan squinted, already getting impatient with these Omens of Order prophets. "Then leave."
The Seers behind Conall could not help but get their guard up at the Noble's simple advice. It was as if they could see the exact moment a radical thought crossed his mind before immediately being dismissed.
Eloise pulled on Conall's shirt, whispering, "Come on, be useful for once."
"Hm?" Conall turned his head around. "Are you saying..."
"Don't make me spell it out for you, Mcloughlin!" She nudged again. 'Why is this fool acting like he wasn't just begging us to come here!'
"Well!" Conall smashed his fists against each other. "Captain's orders!"
Ivanhoe turned his head to the blonde woman, nodding at her with a thankful smile.
"Hmph! What a hopelessly tamed fool..." Aos-sia drifted like smoke wistfully into his field of view as she crossed her arms around Ivan's neck. "...Why don't you dote on me like that?"
"I only get one chance to remove my Totem's seal by the way. You sure you still want to help?" Conall said, just to make sure.
However, Eloise just spat back an annoyed response, "You ask too many questions!"
Conall suddenly raised his palm up to her face. And without hesitation, Eloise pressed her face onto his fingers. He laughed. "You act like you know how this works...
Your inside rise to the surface as your bones turn to keratin. If your heart starts to beat outside your chest, I wonder, what organ would maintain your form from the inside?"
Eloise gulped. "You wouldn't dare---"
Conall did in fact dare.