Exam Time Boiis

Desierto, huh?

A fitting name for a place as desolate and inhospitable to life as this one. The sun was bearing down on a sea of sand that expanded as far as the eye could see, dunes rising and falling like waves frozen in time, and only occasionally disturbed by the harsh winds of the desert. The young Dragon Slayer wondered how anyone could feasibly call this land their home, but it was evident that people quite readily did so. The great cities and towns nestled into the sands, as if making it part of their identity, flourished and prospered between the wastelands of death and dunes. The great desert Sultans of Desierto wielded considerable political power, as she had learned, and the people of this nation were proud of their origins. Aspen could understand that, in a sense. She, too, hailed from an inhospitable land known for its harsh climate and unforgiving wastelands, though home was quite a bit different in other regards. For one, Pergrande wasn’t exactly known for its searing heat. The opposite, much rather. Aspen, in her time in Fiore, had also read that the wastes between the settlements were not only dangerous based on the lack of water or shelter from the merciless heat and sunshine, but also raiders and bandits that sometimes robbed, sometimes killed, and sometimes enslaved anyone they came across.

Well, if she happened upon any raiders today they could certainly try to rob her, kill her, enslave her, but the mage had fought hard to obtain her freedom. She would take them apart and scatter them across the sands to be ground to dust. Now that she was thinking about it, raiders really wouldn't be a problem for her anymore, would they? It was strange. There had been a point in her life where hypothetical circumstances like that one would've prompted worry from the young Dragon Slayer, like when she had stumbled into the Phoenix Mountains and, by extension, Silver Wolf all those months ago, but ever since then, she had grown confident in her magical abilities, and had become strong as a mage. Perhaps it had been the constant work she had been putting into missions, maybe it had been the research and studies, or perhaps, she thought, it had been other factors. She had, of course, not been idle, not in the least. Maybe it had finally paid off, huh? She felt like she was ready to accept her identity as a magus more than ever. This was why she had come travelled here today, after all, the small encampment on the edge of a rocky plateau coming into view on the horizon. A small smirk would spread across the Slayer’s expression, which was normally locked in a state of perpetual stoicism, the shadow cast over her face by the turban covering her head obscuring this change of mood, though. Perhaps this day would serve as her as some kind of metaphorical waypoint in her career. She would try to test out her capabilities today, see how far she could go, and see if she could go beyond that limit.

Of course, while that would be fun, she wasn’t here purely for entertainment. A job, after all, was a job. Aspen had accepted this call for aid and travelled to Desierto to assist a group of archaeologists and researches in what was apparently an operation to uncover long forgotten ruins of an ancient civilization, which were located in a massive, flourishing oasis, that, up until now, had been hidden from the world by an insurmountable sandstorm. The research party, though, had been driven off by what had been an excessively hostile fauna as well as natives of this secluded enclave, people exceedingly xenophobic to the outside world and violent in their desire to drive them off. Well, it was understandable. They did essentially invade their land with their studies, but it would be the stronger one who would get to assert their will. And well, the group paying Aspen, and apparently a few other mages as well, would make sure that they were the stronger ones in this instance. And who knew, ancient civilizations and previously undiscovered ruins? Perhaps she could swipe something up for herself or Silver Wolf. It was probably a good opportunity to scout the area out for the guild and report back or something. Maybe other members of the guild could accompany her on later expeditions … or something like that. Perhaps, she thought, she’d just let Theo know and see if he was interested.

Naturally, though, she wasn’t the only one here for this mission today. The monsters, apparently, were pretty strong, which would not be a problem in and of itself, but the nature of these things was, due to their secluded evolution, unknown, which posted a danger in and of itself. Further, they had been numerous enough to drive the research party off previously. Well, no biggie. Fighting monsters would be no issue. She had done it before, and, for the right reward and the right kind of thrill, she would do it again.

Making her way up to the camp, she spotted the figures in the distance, her smirk returning for a second once again. That would be the mages, then. Somewhat excited, though not showing the emotion whatsoever, she focussed her gaze on the group, eager to see who exactly she would be joined by.

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Word Count: 905
Word Count Total: 905

The heat, Cassius reckoned, would be quite deadly for any mortal that frequented these sandy planes and flowing dunes, or were unfortunate to stumble into them unprepared, that was. Desierto appeared like a dangerous place to those living beings, and the wraith found himself admittedly confronted with a certain curiosity that longed for an answer to the question "why exactly would mortals choose to live here?". Undoubtedly, they knew that the conditions that their societies built upon, agriculture, cattle herding, and commerce, to name a few, were less than ideal here, and still, they chose to build their settlements here, build their villages, their trading posts, their cities and, as Cassius had learned, their empires in this desolate, inhospitable land. Not only that, but they seemed to thrive, too, the bustling market places that the locals called "bazars" were busy around the clock and sold wares from all over this planet. Artists focussed all of their energy into producing great statues, dedicated to the enigmatic rulers of this even more enigmatic nation, architects constructed buildings of a quality and grandeur that was worthy of legend.

They were like a pest. Everywhere they went, they would destroy the natural balance and nest like a filthy, stubborn plague that refused to be exterminated, and felt right and righteous in doing so. Detached from most emotion, and as someone who was not really human, he held nothing but contempt for them. The worst part was that they multiplied like a plague, too. For every one of them that he killed, two more seemed to pop up. The only thing he shared with them was his lust for power, though his power would come from himself. He would fight for it and attain it by himself, for himself, and only for himself alone. The most efficient way possible, and by any means. Sadly, most mortals didn’t part willingly with what gave them power within their societies, money, of course, so the wraith would put his skills to use. It was only a natural conclusion.

Naturally, passing up an opportunity to make easy money would be almost criminal. A group of these mortals had run into an issue while trying to spread their infestation to a region they had not yet claimed, and naturally, as soon as the rightful inhabitants of the region resisted, their first impulse was to pay other mortals to exterminate the danger to themselves without any regard for the former or the balance, the equilibrium that had established itself over hundreds, if not thousands of years in this sacred oasis. Well, it wasn’t like Cassius had morals or principles to judge them, per se, meaning that he was certainly fine with exploiting this opportunity. Their jobs, he would once more be part of a group of mages, an advantageous situation for himself, was to take out whatever lurked in the way to some kind of temple structure. Easy enough.

Braving the merciless sun and the unending sands without the slightest hint of exhaustion, without a physical body it was hard to feel exhausted, to begin with, Cassius had walked for miles and miles, the armor he possessed leaving distinct footprints in the fine grains before he would finally spot the encampment in the distance, approaching swiftly to join the rest of his group.

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Word Count: 552
Word Count Total: 552

The heat of the hottest summer day in Fiore was nothing compared to Desierto, the young Rune Knight realizing that he was terribly ill-prepared for this mission. Never had he expected this land to be so harsh. Of course, it was Shen's first time outside of Fiore today. He had never travelled much before, if at all, for that matter. The young man was very much a shut-in and avoided going out too much if he could avoid it, never mind making the trip to different nations altogether, the biggest distance he had gone before this being the trip he'd taken from Cedar to Era when he joined the Rune Knights a while back. It had been ... well, Shen didn't remember exactly, to be honest, but it had to be more than a year at this point, if only by a little. A lot of things had changed in that time. He felt like he had started taking steps in the right direction, started to make something out of himself. In honesty, even as part of the Rune Knights, he had felt useless for a long time. A failure, with everyone around him simply overtaking him like it was nothing while he feared that he would be left behind. He had done his best, though. With the advent of his discovery of his own magic, that, of course, had changed, and slowly, but gradually, he had worked his way up to an officer position, gaining a little bit of confidence along the way. And some comrades, as well, it seemed, the young Staff Sergeant being grateful that he wouldn't have to make his first international journey alone.

Approaching the encampment in the distance, Shen was here for the same mission as the other mages present, naturally, he would let out a sigh of relief, pearls of sweat dripping down the young man's forehead. "Finally!". "You appear relieved, Staff Sergeant", Sergeant Bradley commented, the tall, short-haired blonde man shifting his blue eyes to the Rune Knight offer walking next to him, hard features remaining locked in a seemingly ever-serious expression. "Of course he's relieved, dipshit. We've been walking through this heat for hours", a young man with brown hair and facial hair replied in a snarky tone. He was shorter than both the Sergeant and the Staff Sergeant, but made up for it with sheer ... "passion", it seemed. Corporal Sherman wasn't known for his manners, but Bradley, despite being higher in rank, often overlooked these kinds of outbursts, as did Shen. Privately, that was.

The two were childhood friends and had known each other for almost all their lives, enlisting with the Rune Knights at the same time. Somehow, the two had ended up under Shen's command, this fact proving to be a challenge all of its own. Leading obviously wasn't one of Shen's talents, but he viewed this as any other aspect of his job. He'd just have to deal with it, learn, and get better as much as he could. Still, he knew that he could rely on these two. They had their quirks, but both of them were capable, and the three had quickly become friends. "Will you two knock it out? I don't want the other mages to see you guys go at each other, ya know?". Bradley remained silent, the stern look on his face focusing on the approaching tents by the oasis in the distance that grew bigger with every step. Sherman replied with an annoyed tone. "Yes, yes, understood". Shen sighed once again, the heat not being the cause this time. The two were good guys, but sometimes they were a lot to deal with. Regardless, that wasn't the most important thing right now. Bickering could wait for later, the group of three arriving at the camp, 6 eyes scanning intently for the rest of the mages.

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Word Count: 645
Word Count Total: 645

Taylor had been the first to arrive at the archaeological site, not exactly intent on wandering through the unbearable heat of this sandy desert and instead choosing to utilize some of her magic to get here at a pace matching that of thunder. It was her first time in Desierto, and the eager girl was obviously infatuated with the land. She had read about it, but the descriptions didn't come close to experiencing it for herself, the seas of endless dunes and the quite strange culture, practices, even the language were fascinating to her, and she was incredibly eager to learn more once the opportunity would arise. Before fun would come work, though. She knew that, now that she as an official guild made, there were certain expectations placed on her. Guild mages were people that travelled the world, of course, but they would also help people in need and fulfill different missions and contracts for clients, in exchange for monetary compensation, of course. This was how guild mages, and further, guilds at large made their income and living. Some guilds and certain mages even got so popular that they became rich! Not that Freya, now firmly set on calling herself by her alias "Taylor" wherever she went, had any real need for money. She was, however, quite easily starstruck, one of the reasons she'd joined Fairy Tail. The added benefit would be, of course, that she would be able to use her magic in a much more hands-on and practical way. Sure, training could help you improve, but it would only get you so far, and the young girl and magical prodigy longed for a scenario in which she could apply the knowledge and skills she had acquired. Who knew? Perhaps such a scenario would force her to become stronger even faster, and strength was something she wanted, and knew she wanted. Most people did, for one reason or the other, making admitting this fact to herself anything but difficult to do.

Now sitting on a blanket stretched across the sandy rocks of the oasis' edge, a cup of tea before her, all she had to do was wait for the rest of the mages to arrive before the mission could start. The girl would wonder what kind of things they would have to deal with. She had a basic understanding of both the flora and fauna of Desierto, she had read up on it in preparation for the mission and had retained, of course, retained the knowledge of the various books she'd read back home. If reading was all you could do all day, it was surprising how much information one could absorb. Still, she knew that this task wouldn't be easy. The oasis in question was an enclave that had been hidden from the influence of the outside world for a long time by a massive sandstorm, possibly produced by magic. If there was magic this powerful at work, then it was entirely possible that the creatures that had attacked the researchers here were anything but normal. While she was still thinking about that, though, the entryway to the tent would open, the first of the other mages arriving.

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Word Count: 532
Word Count Total: 532

Well, if those were the other mages they all appeared a little bit ... unseeming, to say the least. Aspen arrived in the camp, walking past tents and different crates containing all manners of supplies for the temporary excavation that had been planned towards a small group of men and women, some of them, judging by their appearances, being locals, they were wearing the same kind of turban-style head covering that she was, while the others appeared like, well, not exactly like fighters. The girl would stop before the group, that was standing around one of the larger tents. "Are you guys the other mages?", she would ask in the usual cold voice, her Pergrandean accent giving her words a slight twist, giving herself unimpressed with what she was seeing. Two of them would look at each other, one hastily stumbling over his words to get a swift reply and simultaneous clarification out as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Oh no, no, by no means, Miss. We are the research party here for the oasis. I take it you're one of the mages who accepted the contract we sent out?". Ah, that made more sense. If these were mages, that would've been somewhat pitiful. Aspen would nod. "Please, why don't you come inside so we can talk about the job specifications? A cup of tea?". The Slayer resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. She'd come here to complete a mission, not for a fucking tea party. Of course, she wouldn't make any of her thoughts overt, eeping the stoic, neutral expression she always had and shaking her head, though stepping inside the tent. It would suffice to deny the offer.

To her surprise, it seemed like a number of people were already present and waiting inside the tent. Was she the last to arrive? Well, no matter, really. She had walked here, after all. Her eyes took a second to adjust to the light inside, her gaze wandering over those present with curious surprise, immediately recognizing 2 of the 5 people present. Her eyes would first wander to the young man in the onyx uniform, her stoicism giving way to the lightest of smirks. "Well, well, if that isn't our stuttering Rune Knight Officer. Are you following me around or something? See you brought company, huh?". She wouldn't listen to any of the protest the man or his fellow Rune Knights, from the looks of things, would raise at her, instead shooting a glance over to the enigmatic man in full armor. How was he wearing this without seeming to mind despite this omnipresent heat? "Our mercenary friend is here as well, hm? Guess that'll make this job a breeze". The armored individual didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge her presence. She had expected that much. The man was just as enigmatic as he was silent. Aspen didn't even know whether the person under that suit of armor was a "he". At least they looked the part, so that's what she'd stick with. Aspen also spotted a blonde young woman, perhaps even a girl, she couldn't quite tell her age, that seemed to shoot her a friendly smile. Wasn't she a little too young to be a fighter, let alone a mage? Further than that, with her stature, would she be able to even handle herself? Well, appearances could certainly be deceiving, but if the girl fell behind Aspen sure as hell wouldn't fix her mistakes.

"With everyone now here, why don't you get acquainted with one another before we discuss the mission?", the archaeologist with the glasses would say, stepping into the tent behind the Slayer from Silver Wolf. Well, she could certainly do without that, but knowing the capabilities of every mage in the group certainly helped, this, coupled with the fact that she was already familiar with two of the mages here, meaning that she would reluctantly accept that proposition. "Fine. My name is Aspen Azarov and I'm from Silver Wolf. I can shoot and I rarely miss. What about you people?". She figured that would suffice as a basic introduction without surrendering too much information. Listening to the others introduce themselves one by one, the armored man she'd met on Shadow Island before would begin. Of course, he had already introduced himself on a similar surface level to her once before, the things he said easily summed up as "His name was Cassius, and he was a mercenary". Well, it would be good enough for her. Apparently he was also a close-range fighter, which was more than welcome. Looked like they would get together a fairly balanced party here. Next was the Rune Knight, Aspen taking note of the title and name, "Staff Sergeant Kadokawa", as well as "Sergeant Bradley" and "Corporal Sherman" in his company. She couldn't help but be reminded of her own time in the army, though Pergrande's military forces were a far cry from Fiore's. Perhaps the officers of the Rune Knights were worth something in contrast to her own experience. She had certainly gained a little bit of respect for the young man back on their first mission. The last girl was bubbly and excessively friendly, scanning everyone in the room with constantly curious eyes. A mage from Fairy Tail called Taylor Akerley. Aspen had never heard of her, but if she was really from Fairy Tail that would be explanation enough. Those mages were unique in their eccentricity, the ones she had met for the mission back in Tsak Ordahic more than proving that fact to her. She, too, was a close range fighter. Perfect. It looked like they had a couple of people who would engage their targets in close quarters combat while the rest of the fighters would pick the distracted ones off from afar one after the other with little to no risk to the overall group. Seemed simple and efficient enough.

"Great. With that out of the way ... let's talk about the details of what we came here for", the girl would say in her accented voice when everyone was done with their small introductions, eager to go ahead and begin the mission. The earlier they started, after all, the earlier they would be finished.

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Word Count: 1,045
Word Count Total: 1,950

Cassius, though, would not be greeted by the group of mages he expected, instead being confronted with the group of mortals that had organized this contract. Well, he couldn't care less, to be honest, simply confirming that he, too, was here for the job before being led into a tent, denying the invitation to tea with a simple shake of the armor's empty helmet, a gesture that, as he had learned, held much power over the communicative aspects of human life, along with a simple nod. When used right, these two gestures alone could constitude a conversation, something that Cassius, who still struggled with human speech, appreciated in some unconscious way. It seemed that a group of mortals was already present within the tent, his ghostly senses, which were incorporeal and undetectable much in the same way as his body was, looking all of them over very intently, though wordlessly. Now was the time for one of those nods, Cassius moving the armor to form the simple gesture. He had learned that, under the right circumstances, a nod could also constitute a wordless greeting, the intricacies of human culture being lost to him, though he would accept this as a surface-level fact. He had no reason to doubt that particular piece of information, after all. Still, none of what he assumed were the mages that would join up for this mission seemed particularly noteworthy, Cassius deciding to forego logging any details or other info on them in his conscious memory. It would be a waste to do so, considering these people, apart from their immediate assistance in the mission at hand, had nothing to offer him. He would forget all about them as soon as their job was over, and in fact, he was entirely missing the fact that he had met one of those present here before.

Much in the same way as he intended to do now, he had purged the memory of Staff Sergeant Kadokawa from his mind, writing him off by categorizing him as just another mage in a world of endless mages. To Cassius, he might as well have been a stranger, though whether the other felt the same way was unclear.

Cassius, as always, would keep to himself, despite one of the mages seeming very intent on bombarding him with questions with complete disregard for his silence. Mortals were always so drastically different from one another, so inherently individualistic in nature that it bothered the wraith having to categorize all of them with separate labels and descriptions, though he realized that, the more he learned about the way humans categorized each other, the more he learned about their way of thinking, their culture, to some extent, as well as various other implications stemming from language and such. Still, the creature possessing the suit of armor couldn't help but prefer silence over constant chit chat that, at least on a level that was no deeper than what he took it for, served no obvious purpose. Finally, though, it seemed like the last mage would arrive, introducing herself, Cassius similarly not recognizing her from his brief excursion to Shadow Island, either, though when prompted, he would "introduce" himself in the only fashion that was known to him and he was comfortable with. "Cassius ... mercenary. Cassius fights ... with ... axes ... swords ... weapons". He hoped that that would be a sufficient explanation for them and simultaneously offer enough of an explanation to make his role in this mission clear: He was here to kill, nothing more, nothing less.

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Word Count: 594
Word Count Total: 1,146

Contrary to expectation, it wasn't the group of the other mages the three Rune Knights would meet first, but the temporary inhabitants of this camp at the edge of the vast oasis. Apparently, they were archaeologists accompanied by their team, the group of Knights dutifully introducing themselves before being lead to what seemed like the biggest tent around and guided inside. It seemed like one of the mages who were meant to form the group on this job was already present, a young, blonde girl waving them excitedly when they entered, swiftly anf eccentrically introducing herself as Taylor, a mage from Fairy Tail. Shen would be the first to stutter out a hasty reply, sheepishly introducing himself as well. "I-I'm Staff Sergeant Kadokawa f-from the Rune Knights. T-this is S-Sergeant Bradley-", he would point at the blonde, tall man next to him before pointing at the shorter knight with the brown hair to his other side, "-a-and this is C-Corporal Sherman. N-nice to meet you". Bradley would give the girl a firm nod, cold, uninterested eyes looking at her only for a brief, passing moment before returning to a professional apathy. Sherman, on the other hand, would whistle under his breath, leaning over to the officer before poking him in the ribs with his elbow. "Hey boss, isn't she a real cutie? You think I'd have a chance with her?". Shen, with whispered, but agitated tone, would reply swiftly. "Stop it, idiot! We're here for the mission, not for you to pick up girls". Sherman scoffed. The Corporal was right, though, Shen had to admit. She was pretty cute.

The Staff Sergeant would go ahead and sit down on the blankets that covered the rocks and sand serving as the tent's base, gladly accepting the invitation to tea, the archaeologists coming back shortly after with 3 cups of steaming liquid. Shen had read somewhere that cold drinks were actually kind of bad for you in hot weather, which was why he was all the more ready to accept the offer, sipping the jasmin-flavored beverage, his fellow knights doing the same. "S-so, uh, Taylor, r-right?", he would address the other mage in an attempt to pass the time and prevent awkward silence, the girl, though, apparently more than eager to partake in conversation. "W-why did you come out to D-Desierto? Pretty, uh, pretty desolate place to, ya know, make some money, n-no?". Taylor would give him a pretty decent answer, Shen nodding swiftly, though it didn't seem like there was much more time for idle talk, the next mage in the group arriving swiftly, and, much to Shen's surprise, it was someone he'd met once before. The armored mercenary from Shadow Island! If the Staff Sergeant remembered correctly, the man really didn't like talking and acted more like a machine than a person, but Shen guessed there were all sorts of quirky figures around. Even those so obsessed with their work that they'd forgotten to be human, or, perhaps, weren't even human to begin with? What a silly thought. The man must've had a past like everyone else, but it wasn't his role to inquire about stuff like that. He would simply eye the other, who greeted the mages in the tent with a nod, and watch as he sat down and remained quiet and unmoving. Shen guessed he was somewhat like Bradley in that regard. Maybe it was a manifestation of professionality, then?

The young man would've loved to ponder over this question some more, though they would, once more, be interrupted by another figure entering the tent, and once again, Shen knew the arriving mage from his expedition of Shadow Island. His cheecks flushing slightly with red, he would raise his hand, dismissing her accusation with a sheepish, but insistent rebuttal. "I-I'm not following you around! Why would I even do such a thing?!". She didn't seem to pay too much mind to that, the Staff Sergeant sitting back down from his state of agitation, gritting his teeth. What a strange coincidence. If the two of them were here, though, that pretty much guaranteed their success. Shen had seen both Aspen and Cassius fight on Shadow Island, and calling them beasts was entirely appropriate. "As some of you know, I'm Staff Sergeant Kadokawa. Rune Knight. These two are my subordinates, Sergeant Bradley and Corporal Sherman", he would explain once more, repeating himself when it was his turn to introduce himself to the group at large. Now that was out of the way, meaning that they could talk about what they had come here for: Assisting the people of this expedition in their goal.

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Word Count: 774
Word Count Total: 1,419

Actually, it seemed like it was a group of other mages who would all arrive together, Taylor's golden eyes glowing with curiosity. Three men would enter, the one on the center wearing a uniform that was somewhat different from those of the other two ad both of his sides, but she figured that it was reasonable to assume that they were all part of the same organization. The design of their apparel shared enough similarities for that. She raised her hand, waving at them with a gleeful "Hi!". A wide smile would spread across her face. "I'm Taylor. I'm a guild mage from Fairy Tail! Who are you?". The one in the middle, most likely an officer, would swiftly introduce them, confirming that he, indeed, was their commanding officer, at least if Rune Knight ranks were to be taken into consideration, calling himself Staff Sergeant Kadokawa, naming the other two as Sergeant Bradley and Corporal Sherman. No first names, huh? She supposed that was part of the deal when talking to Rune Knights. She'd never spoken to one before, of course, she hadn't been in Fiore long enough for that, but that made this encounter all the more interesting, did it not? "Yep!", she would respond with cheerful tone when the officer addressed her, her golden eyes focussed on his very intently, missing the fact that the eccentric eye-contact made the sheepish man somewhat uncomfortable. "Oh, I'm here mostly for the fun of it. I really like discovering new things, so naturally, an oasis and an ancient civilization that haven't been explored in a long time caught my interest. I can't wait to see what's waiting for us down there!", she would answer his question with a bubbly tone, a smile across her face as she talked. She was being entirely honest, of course. The prospect of discovery, if knowledge hidden away in these dangerous lands was very enticing for the young Fairy Tail mage. The mission itself, as well as the reward, were only secondary concerns for Taylor.

Before they could go deeper into their conversation, however, the girl would be distracted by the next mage entering the tent. The man, dressed in a full suit of armor, would give a curt greeting before sitting down on the same blankets the girl and the Rune Knights occupied, the Fairy Tail mage eyeing him with a curious smile. "Hi! I'm Taylor. What's your name?". The man didn't answer, and in fact, didn't even seem to acknowledge her presence. Of course, that wouldn't discourage the talkative girl. "Isn't it a little exhausting to march through the desert in armor? Why are you wearing it, despite the heat? Oh! Can I ask you why you've come here? Is it the prospect of discovering great, long-lost truths? Or-". She would be, once again, cut off by another mage, followed by the archaeologist, entering the tent, the last one to arrive, another girl not too much older than Taylor, introducing herself as "Aspen Azarov" from Silver Wolf. She didn't know much about the latter, but she definitely seemed interesting! Everyone would once more introduce themselves, even the armored figure, this time, Taylor's excitement skyrocketting before finally, it was her turn to introduce herself. "Hey, everyone! I'm Taylor. Taylor Akerley, and I'm a mage from Fairy Tail! Uhm, I don't really know what to say about my fighting style other than the fact that I use this sword here". The girl would point at the blade in the scabbard tied to her hip. "I use electricity, too! I hope that can be of use to you. To good cooperation!". With all introductions out the way, it would finally be time to sit down and talk about the oasis itself, as well as what lurked within. Undoubtedly, Taylor could be of use exploring what exactly they would have to expect, the archaelogist occasionally joining in with their first-hand impressions of the beasts that lurked there. Perhaps they could even devise a sound strategy, too. Now that the time for planning had come, everyone would suddenly get serious. This would undoubtedly prove to be fun.

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Word Count: 688
Word Count Total: 1,220

Now that the mages were talking, dividing their individual roles would be a fairly easy task. The close range fighters, Cassius, Taylor, and one of the Rune Knights, Sergeant Bradley, would engage their opponents in hand to hand combat, while the mages that focussed on, or at least had the capabilities to be effective at range would whittle their foes down and attrition their numbers slowly, if not outright sniping them and taking them out that way. The Slayer from Silver Wolf new that, under the right circumstances, she was more than capable of that, as was Staff Sergeant Kadokawa. She had seen it first hand on the expedition back at Shadow Island. His unseeming appearance was hiding a capable mage, but he most likely knew that. The two would be assisted by the officer's subordinate who went by the name of Sherman, Aspen taking note of the fact that the Corporal's eyes periodically wandered places where they shouldn't, giving her the idea that one of her stray bullets might accidentally take out one of the man's oculars if he wasn't careful. Anyway, with that cleared up, it was time to discuss the sort of threat they would likely have to deal with. The girl from Fairy Tail explained that there were all kinds of creatures in Desierto that lived here even without separation from the outside worlds for millennia or the influence of strong magic, massive scorpions, snakes, and other beasts lurking in the sand. Apart from that, the threats they would encounter would likely be magical in nature. The archaeologist had spoken of statues that would come to life, something that certainly wasn't impossible and, if true, would likely constitute an obstacle. Still, with their combined firepower, that shouldn't be an issue.

So, after some discussion, the mages would find themselves marching through the oasis, desert sands gradually giving way to more solid ground, a massive lake, surrounded by what was almost a forest of exotic plants and palm trees, stretching across the horizon in the distance. A blue jewel amongst the unending sands of the desert. It was a beautiful sight, that much even the Slayer from Silver Wolf had to admit, her eyes wandering over the vast, blue expanse of water before her. She'd never seen anything like that in her life. It would seem that the world still had a lot of things to show her, huh? Anyway, that wasn't the point of their little adventure. Out of nowhere, as soon as the group had approached a temple-like structure, several threats would emerge from the surroundings sands, the water, and the temple itself simultaneously, as if they had somehow coordinated themselves. Off to one side, Aspen could spot something that appeared like a massive crocodile rising from the lake and letting out a resounding roar, the armored mercenary and one of the Rune Knights splitting off to deal with that foe. On another side, oversized, hissing snakes emerged from the sands, the Fairy Tail girl taking care of that threat. From cracks and crevices between rocky terrain, huge, monstrous scorpions crawled forth. The Rune Knight officer would take care of those, leaving her and the last Rune Knight, Corporal Sherman, to deal with the two living sphinx statues that had burst out of the temple structure, both of them releasing deafening, animalistic cries.

The creatures Aspen faced were obviously carved from stone, their grey forms possessing the rough texture and appearance of chiseled stone. Still, they were much both life-like and alive, moving, for their size and the material they were constructed of, surprisingly swiftly, the wings of eagles carrying their cat-like bodies across the distance between them and the two mages faster than anticipated. Aspen had to react, and she had to react quickly. Ripping the Iron Key from the chain around her neck, the item would begin to glow with light-blue color in a burst of magic, seemingly liquifying and changing shape before solidifying into a large anti-material rifle, the girl gripping it with both hands as she crouched down, supporting the weight of the weapon with her knee. "Are you just gonna stand there or is ogling me the only thing you can do, Rune Knight?". "Tsk. I'll show you!", Sherman would reply cockily, raising his hand towards one of the two sphinxes. A magic circle would appear in the air beside him, opening up a portal with a large cannon barrel emerging from it, only to explode with a thunderous flash of the black powder charge inside a second later, releasing a solid iron projectile towards the sphinx, hitting it in the torso and knocking it over, stopping the animated statue in its tracks ... though it would get back up. Aspen would whistle. "Nice shot, Rune Knight. My turn". Aspen took careful aim with her own weapon, zeroing in on the creature's head through the scope of the rifle before pressing down the trigger. The muzzle of the weapon lit up with a bright flame, kicking up dust and sand all around the two as it sent the projectile flying straight into the beast, though apparently with little effect apart from removing a small chunk of the thing's stone body. Aspen scoffed. Not enough, hm? Perhaps it was time for different ammunition, then.

"You deal with that one. I'll take this one". It seemed like the Rune Knight had understood their situation, as well. It was logical, given the magic he used. Aspen was surprised to learn that he, too, used gun magic of a sort, though his toys appeared a little older than Aspens in design and functionality, which made sense based on the fact she had built hers herself. With a wave of his hand, the man would open more and more portals, the thundering rumble of cannon fire shaking the ground as more and more projectiles slammed into one of the sphinxes and the ground around it. While the man relied on volley fire, Aspen would pull back the bolt of her own weapon, the empty, still smoking brass casing within being ejected with a metallic clang. Stretching out her hand, a different kind of bullet would manifest in her grasp before she loaded it into the weapon and, only a second later, she would fire once more, again, hitting the creature, though the result was different this time. With considerable force, the explosive round would turn pulverize the thing's head, causing the statue to seize up and crumble into dust. The Rune Knight similarly, through a relentless bombardment, had ground the other sphinx to tiny pieces. Well, that had been easy enough. Two down, and only a shitton of other monsters to go.

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Word Count: 1,117
Word Count Total: 3,067

Well, it didn’t seem like their plans would work out exactly as planned. The mages specialized in close quarters combat were the logical choices to engage their foes at closer ranges, obviously, though it seemed like that particular tactic had fallen apart swiftly, the mages being divided by the simultaneous emergence of monsters and beasts as soon as they had ventured a notable distance into the boundaries of this magical oasis. The wraith in particular, though, didn’t exactly have an eye for the exotic beauty that this place in the middle of Desierto’s rising and falling sea of dunes and sands had to offer. He was here for a single, very specific reason only, and sightseeing was not part of that reason. It never would be, unless it was part of some contract or job, obviously. He took note of the massive lake, though, categorizing it as a potential obstacle and source of unknown danger. Water was something that Cassius disliked for a variety of reasons. Even in smaller quantities, it could make armor rust and thus weaken, which made maintenance of his collection just that little bit more difficult. In larger quantities, it was, as he had noted, an obstacle that he had a hard time crossing while also obscuring and housing all kinds of potential threats that hid in the deep dark and under the blue waves. Within bodies of water, of course, Cassius would sink, as he himself had no mass and his mostly metallic armors were too heavy to float. While he couldn’t drown, navigating the ocean floor would certainly be a challenge, even for the immortal wraith, and while he didn’t necessarily care about time, wear and tear on his possessions as well as his obligations to Hidden Blades were certainly things to consider. About those dangers that lurked in the water …

… well, it would seem that the wraith would be proven right sooner rather than later. From the lake, a massive reptilian beast would rise, creating massive waves that would spill on the sandy ground and abundance of palm trees around the large oasis lake. It resembled a crocodile, though it was far larger, easily surpassing any of the mages in height trifold, at least. It’s green, thick scales would easily double as armor, and its massive maw, if it wanted to, could probably easily devour a human, nevermind the gigantic teeth and claws that appeared like they could easily skewer a person. The beast seemed to spend a majority of its time in the waters of the lake, it seemed, its body covered in underwater foliage, though it nonetheless seemed to be confident enough on land, a low, deep hiss echoing forth from its monstrous mouth.

Since the group seemed to split, it would be Cassius’ job to deal with this threat, one of the three Rune Knights following him as he dashed towards the beast, already summoning the black bow of the Apocryphal Archer into his hands. The mortal’s name had been Bradley, if he recalled correctly, though that hardly mattered to Cassius. It would be forgotten soon enough, he was just another mortal among mortals. What mattered now, however, was that Bradley was a valuable asset in the fight against this creature. He was an advantage to the wraith, nothing more.

The mortal would get to work just as quickly and efficiently as the wraith, though. Coming to a halt a good distance away from the beast, the blonde man would produce, from one of his pockets, a small, black notebook, decorated with artistically woven red lines that covered the entirety of the object. With a practiced motion, he would open it with one hand, a quill materializing in his other hand. And just like that, the man would begin writing. Why exactly the Rune Knight would be writing now and what he was writing the wraith didn’t know, but he wouldn’t exactly find it in himself to care, either. Aiming the bow, an arrow of darkness would manifest within the weapon as he drew back the bowstring, firing the projectile at the beast and hitting it in the flank, though the arrow itself seemed to do little damage, if any damage at all, seemingly ricocheting off the thick, boney plates that covered the massive crocodile. Cassius needed the beast to stand still to get a good shot in at a good angle, not to mention the fact that armor-penetrating capabilities would be a must, too.

Without the wraith having to communicate that fact, though, the Rune Knight had seemed like he had understood, the continuous writing stopping as he made the last stroke on a word that finished his text. Without delay, the sandy ground before him began to flicker, burn, and liquefy into deeply red lava, radiating heat, flame, and smoke, just as one would expect. That wasn’t all, though. With more movements, the man would write once more, the lava beginning to rise off the ground in long tendrils which, the more he wrote, would rush towards the beast with surprising speed and precision, with a sickening sizzle and a deafening roar wrapping around the beast’s limbs. No matter how much it struggled to break free in its agony, it seemed like the tendrils held it firmly in place, which Cassius realized as his chance. Raising the bow once more, another arrow would manifest in the bow, heavier than the last one and made entirely from a glistening metal, the wraith aiming briefly before firing it at the creature’s head. With a loud crash, the projectile would impact and shatter its armor, tearing through the creature’s skull and exiting on the other side, the beast immediately slumping to the ground.

Well, that had been easier than anticipated.

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Word Count: 962
Word Count Total: 2,108

Sergeant Bradley and Corporal Sherman were swift to split off to assist the other mages when the group of Rune Knight had ventured far enough into the oasis and the threats that had been talked about by the expedition would show up one after the other. That was fine, Shen had expected no less. It was their duty as Rune Knights to assist others, after all, and the Rune Knight officer was more than capable of handling himself ... in theory, at least. While he knew that, every other member of the group had split off, the girl and the Corporal dealing with living statues while Taylor dealt with a large horde of snakes and the Sergeant, as well as the man in armor, fought a giant crocodile. All of that was simple enough, he figured, but why would he be the one stuck with the fucking scorpions. Massive ones at that, at least 6 feet in height. Their skittery little legs moved swiftly across the sand and rocks, large claws and oversized, stinger-tipped tails making for formidable weapons. Chitinous plates covered the entirety of their bodies, doing their work to convince the young Rune Knight that anything but the heaviest of blows would simply be resisted, and while he figured that he wouldn't have a problem with that ... they fucking freaked him out. Their dull, black eyes that stared at him from all sides, their constantly-moving, insectoid jaws ... it was really gross. The only way this could've been worse was if they had been actual spiders, which, arguably, were even more terrifying than scorpions.

"Oh god oh fuck oh god oh fuck ...", the Rune Knight officer muttered under his breath as he raised his bow and aimed it carefully at the group of monsters before him, golden glow shimmering in his eyes as cosmic energy flooded through his body. The first one was fast approaching, its tail and pincers raised menacingly as it charged forward, others following closely behind the first one. He knew that he had to do something to avoid getting swarmed, his words, infused with magical power, forming a swift chant. "Gaze of the stars, warmth of life. Reach all!". The area around him, with a flash of energy, was suddenly filled with bright, golden light, the desert scorpions recoiling and hissing in pain as they were blinded, providing the Rune Knight officer with the perfect opportunity to take them out.

Aiming his bow at the space just above the group of massive arachnids, he would pull back the string of his bow and begin yet another chant, though this time, his attack wouldn't be aimed at just incapacitating them. "Nothing to nothing-", he began, a dark arrow, made of a substance that seemed to swallow all light, giving it a deeply black hue, manifesting in the weapon, "-darkness unraveled-", he would release the projectile, swiftly following it up with the end of his incantation, which cast the spell, "-swallow creation!". At once, the arrow exploded, expanding into a miniature version of a black hole. With an immense pull, the orb of gravity would draw in the scorpions one by one before crushing them within its confines, their bodies vanishing within before, a few seconds later, the sphere would collapse in on itself and leave behind nothing but disturbed desert sand. Well, that, and a slightly freaked out Rune Knight officer who, only now that the arachnids were gone and dealt with, could find the will to take a deep breath.

"Gods, I fucking hate scorpions".

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Word Count: 593
Word Count Total: 2,019

Taylor's eyes wandered over the massive lake in the distance as the group pushed further and further into the previously closed off territory, the thick greenery around the large body of water being a sign that it was probably what made this large oasis possible in the first place. The desert sun glistened on the surface of the calm, blue waters, not unlike a sea of sparkling jewels that reflected their light with a myriad of beautiful colors. Taylor's eyes would be firmly fixed on the simply beautiful sight before her, wide with excitement and anticipation. Reading about places like these was one thing, but seeing them for yourself was an entirely different feeling, the girl, through her awe, having to consciously remind herself not to fall behind the rest of the group. Still, it was breathtaking. She was glad that she had come here, even though it didn't seem like she was meant to enjoy the sight for too long, at least, for the time being.

Their plan came almost naturally. It stood to reason that the close range fighters would engage the beasts in close quarters combat while the mages that were more adept at fighting at a distance would wittle their opposition down from a distance, though it would seem that, as soon as the chaos of battle took hold, that particular strategy they had devised in the tent not long before would fall apart. The mages hadn't anticipated the simultaneous attack of the oasis guardians, or what Taylor reckoned would equate to such. Their coordination, for a bunch of animals and desert beasts, was simply too good, to synchronous their attack. They had to be guided by some kind of instinctual desire to protect whatever was hidden in this desert oasis, or they were under some kind of spell or magic, the same that had protected the land previously. That was what the Fairy Tail mage theorized.

The group of mages was immediately attacked, splitting up in the process. The armored mercenary would dart off with one of the Rune Knights to engage what appeared like a massive version of a Swamp Deinosuchus. Taylor was surprised that a creature like this one even existed here. Normally they were found far further to the north, and this one was enlarged quite considerably. Perhaps also a consequence of the magic? As interesting as it was, there was little time to ponder the implications of its presence. The mage from Silver Wolf, accompanied by another one of the Rune Knights, began to battle what appeared like living sphinx statues. Those were definitely magical. The other Rune Knight suddenly found himself in the middle of a group of Desierto Hunter Scorpions. Taylor had read about these. Their pack tactics, along with their massive bodies and deadly venom, were not to be underestimated. She decided to help the young man, but before she could make a move, the sands around her began to shift, large, long forms rising from them with notorious hissing and rattling sounds.

With a metallic zing and a practiced motion, Taylor drew her sword, her eyes darting between the large snakes that appeared around her, looking like a cross between a cobra and a rattle snake. A new species? Or had they been influenced magically? Either way ... it looked like she was surrounded, which, of course, wasn't necessarily good. Mages of different specialization than her would probably have some trouble with these beasts, considering, based on their size, their presumably insanely fast speed. Electrical energy surged across the girl's body, the blade she held firmly in the grasp of her right hand, and, as if on command, the first snake would lunge forward, jaws wide open with its large, undoubtedly venomous fangs exposed. Taylor, though, was entirely too fast to be hit by such an attack, her form, with a burst of lightning and the sound of roaring thunder, vanishing in a blur of supersonic, if not hypersonic motion. Reappearing to the snakes flanks, the wound bring down her sword, skewering the monster and sending a burst of electrical energy surging through its form, which, unsurprisingly, fried the snake beast alive, its form twitching for a few seconds before slumping to the rocky, dry ground, arcs of electricity continuing to dance across its body as strings of smoke rose from charred lines across its scales.

The rest of the snakes would be dealt with in a similar fashion. They were top predators, the girl from Fairy Tail reckoned, but they were decidedly outmatched against her and her skills. This, though, would serve as a perfect opportunity to both train and test out her magical capabilities. With a blur of insanely fast motions, the girl darted between the predators, only to dispatch one after the other, thus defeating the entire group of them within mere seconds. She had to admit, that had been solid work. Perhaps she had more potential as a mage than she thought? Well, it wasn't time to get too prideful. She knew that she was far from her peak, but that only filled Taylor with more determination. The determination to become an even stronger mage.

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Word Count: 862
Word Count Total: 2,082