Her eyes blaze at Joshua as she seethes with anger.
"Fool!" She hisses at him, "Why would I care about an insect like you?"
She raises a hand, drawing some kind of energy into it.
Her eyes blaze at Joshua as she seethes with anger.
"Fool!" She hisses at him, "Why would I care about an insect like you?"
She raises a hand, drawing some kind of energy into it.
Joshua didn't have time to think. He didn't know what the woman was about to do, so he loosed his arrow, aiming for her heart.
As much as he wanted answers, he had to protect Rhys, Mandy, and himself. He readied himself to dodge, should his arrow miss or should the woman be able to complete her spell before she was struck.
Joshua didn't have time to think. He didn't know what the woman was about to do, so he loosed his arrow, aiming for her heart.
As much as he wanted answers, he had to protect Rhys, Mandy, and himself. He readied himself to dodge, should his arrow miss or should the woman be able to complete her spell before she was struck.
The woman sure was a charmer. Rhys' eyes narrowed at the woman while Josh prepared to release a second spirit bolt. The woman, instead of trying a bow again, raised her good hand and began to gather energy.
A warmth spread in Rhys' hand, causing him to glance down at all the various rings in his hand. One in particular stood out to him...a glowing purple stone that seemed to pulse as if signaling him. Without understanding why, Rhys slipped that ring onto one of his fingers just as Josh released his second arrow.
The woman sure was a charmer. Rhys' eyes narrowed at the woman while Josh prepared to release a second spirit bolt. The woman, instead of trying a bow again, raised her good hand and began to gather energy.
A warmth spread in Rhys' hand, causing him to glance down at all the various rings in his hand. One in particular stood out to him...a glowing purple stone that seemed to pulse as if signaling him. Without understanding why, Rhys slipped that ring onto one of his fingers just as Josh released his second arrow.
The woman's energy becomes a shield in front of her, absorbing the arrow.
"You took my arm, little insect, I'll take your life!"
It's hard for anyone to tell what she's doing. If you couldn't feel the energy she was building up, it wouldn't look like she's doing anything at all, but you can tell she's building up for an attack of some kind.
The woman's energy becomes a shield in front of her, absorbing the arrow.
"You took my arm, little insect, I'll take your life!"
It's hard for anyone to tell what she's doing. If you couldn't feel the energy she was building up, it wouldn't look like she's doing anything at all, but you can tell she's building up for an attack of some kind.
"Protect the goalie..." Rhys muttered in a rhetorical response to a voice only he could hear. Though it didn't seem like it, the ring fit to his finger perfectly...almost as if it were the One Ring.
The woman looked rather silly just standing there with an upraised arm, but after all that he's seen so far in the past hour or so made Rhys believe that she was definitely doing something. The voice he heard from the ring corroborated that theory. Josh's attack was blocked, and there probably wouldn't be enough time for him to charge up another spirit arrow. Rhys lurched forward in front of Josh, protecting his teammate.
"Protect the goalie..." Rhys muttered in a rhetorical response to a voice only he could hear. Though it didn't seem like it, the ring fit to his finger perfectly...almost as if it were the One Ring.
The woman looked rather silly just standing there with an upraised arm, but after all that he's seen so far in the past hour or so made Rhys believe that she was definitely doing something. The voice he heard from the ring corroborated that theory. Josh's attack was blocked, and there probably wouldn't be enough time for him to charge up another spirit arrow. Rhys lurched forward in front of Josh, protecting his teammate.
Joshua muttered a curse as his arrow vaporized on the woman's shield. He could sense her building power as she threatened his life. Adrenaline surged through him. Was this it? Was this where his life ended? He never could have imagined that Justin's mysterious note would lead to this.
Even though he didn't think it would work, Joshua was about to ready another arrow. He wasn't going to just stand there, waiting for the end. But then Rhys jumped in front of him. "No," he yelled. "Just get outta here."
He thought perhaps that Rhy and Mandy could still make a run for it. He's the one who shot the woman. He's the one she was mad at. Maybe he could distract her long enough for them to get away.
Joshua muttered a curse as his arrow vaporized on the woman's shield. He could sense her building power as she threatened his life. Adrenaline surged through him. Was this it? Was this where his life ended? He never could have imagined that Justin's mysterious note would lead to this.
Even though he didn't think it would work, Joshua was about to ready another arrow. He wasn't going to just stand there, waiting for the end. But then Rhys jumped in front of him. "No," he yelled. "Just get outta here."
He thought perhaps that Rhy and Mandy could still make a run for it. He's the one who shot the woman. He's the one she was mad at. Maybe he could distract her long enough for them to get away.
Only Rhys can see the glowing from the dark purple ring, but everyone can see the giant purple shield that pops up in front of Rhys. It's massive, like a tower shield from ancient Rome. Except bigger. And dark purple. And ghosty ethereal like everything else has been.
It springs up just in time for a dark red ball flies towards Josh. For a moment the ball tries to push through the shield, but the shield remains strong and the ball finally fizzles out.
"You impudent--"
"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON," a voice booms from behind you guys. And it didn't say 'heck'.
A big burly man stands with his arms crossed in front of the inn, glaring at everyone.
Only Rhys can see the glowing from the dark purple ring, but everyone can see the giant purple shield that pops up in front of Rhys. It's massive, like a tower shield from ancient Rome. Except bigger. And dark purple. And ghosty ethereal like everything else has been.
It springs up just in time for a dark red ball flies towards Josh. For a moment the ball tries to push through the shield, but the shield remains strong and the ball finally fizzles out.
"You impudent--"
"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON," a voice booms from behind you guys. And it didn't say 'heck'.
A big burly man stands with his arms crossed in front of the inn, glaring at everyone.
Joshua stared at the purple shield. So, it wasn't just him that could use these strange powers, but apparently Rhys had tapped into it too. He flinched as the fireball hit the shield and feared it wouldn't hold. But it fizzled and he breathed a sigh of relief, though the woman seemed more enraged than ever.
"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?"
Joshua whirled around, trusting Rhys to have his back, as yet another stranger appeared. From his body posture it looked like he was annoyed, but the magic didn't seem to surprise him. Maybe he was in on all of this. But was he friend or foe?
"This lady killed Jack, and now she's trying to kill us," Joshua blurted out. He didn't have time to beat around the bush. If he was a friend, maybe he could help. If he was foe, well, Joshua hoped he wasn't... but he was ready to summon his ethereal bow if he had to, though he didn't know how many more times he could use it before he collapsed.
He just wanted this nightmare to come to an end.
Joshua stared at the purple shield. So, it wasn't just him that could use these strange powers, but apparently Rhys had tapped into it too. He flinched as the fireball hit the shield and feared it wouldn't hold. But it fizzled and he breathed a sigh of relief, though the woman seemed more enraged than ever.
"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?"
Joshua whirled around, trusting Rhys to have his back, as yet another stranger appeared. From his body posture it looked like he was annoyed, but the magic didn't seem to surprise him. Maybe he was in on all of this. But was he friend or foe?
"This lady killed Jack, and now she's trying to kill us," Joshua blurted out. He didn't have time to beat around the bush. If he was a friend, maybe he could help. If he was foe, well, Joshua hoped he wasn't... but he was ready to summon his ethereal bow if he had to, though he didn't know how many more times he could use it before he collapsed.
He just wanted this nightmare to come to an end.
Rhys ignored Josh's cry. Somehow, this just felt right...and right it was. The woman launched a fireball towards them, but it was deflected when a massive purple shield materialized before them. This seemed to anger the woman more, but at that moment they were interrupted.
He spared a quick glance over his shoulder. Rhys let out a little sigh, feeling a bit drained, but never letting his guard on the woman down. Well, this just complicates things more. Now what? The man obviously didn't seem surprised to see glowing weaponry and fireballs, but was he friendly. Would he even know who Jack was, now that Josh told him.
"I don't know what the hell is going on, I just want to make it out of here in one piece!"
Rhys ignored Josh's cry. Somehow, this just felt right...and right it was. The woman launched a fireball towards them, but it was deflected when a massive purple shield materialized before them. This seemed to anger the woman more, but at that moment they were interrupted.
He spared a quick glance over his shoulder. Rhys let out a little sigh, feeling a bit drained, but never letting his guard on the woman down. Well, this just complicates things more. Now what? The man obviously didn't seem surprised to see glowing weaponry and fireballs, but was he friendly. Would he even know who Jack was, now that Josh told him.
"I don't know what the hell is going on, I just want to make it out of here in one piece!"
"You!" He points at the woman, "There's one rule on MY property. You've broken it. I suggest you leave," Though his cold voice implies it is not a suggestion.
"I--"
"NOW!" He lifts a booted foot and slams it on the ground. A crack appears, charging from where his foot hit, splitting to to around the car and two of you, straight for the woman. She makes a surprised strangled sound and then books it as fast as she can, her arm still hanging loosely.
"In all my years, such blatant disregard--and you," the bearded man glares at Josh, "There is to be no offensive magic in or around my premises, do you here me? That's your only warning," He glances from Josh to Rhys, "Now get inside."
From behind the man, you can see the door. Being held barely open by Mandy.
"You!" He points at the woman, "There's one rule on MY property. You've broken it. I suggest you leave," Though his cold voice implies it is not a suggestion.
"I--"
"NOW!" He lifts a booted foot and slams it on the ground. A crack appears, charging from where his foot hit, splitting to to around the car and two of you, straight for the woman. She makes a surprised strangled sound and then books it as fast as she can, her arm still hanging loosely.
"In all my years, such blatant disregard--and you," the bearded man glares at Josh, "There is to be no offensive magic in or around my premises, do you here me? That's your only warning," He glances from Josh to Rhys, "Now get inside."
From behind the man, you can see the door. Being held barely open by Mandy.