The Search For Mana

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Near the top of the large flower, Lazaryos was confounded by what he saw. There were a ton of droplets produced from the pedals. Quickly, he snatched the first one closest to him and brought it to his lips. At first, he was invigorated, and then nothing. Peh, normal water and condensation from the openings in the ceiling. Goddammit, another obstacle, finding the Mana among water droplets.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Ember's eyes widened when she reached the top of the plant and saw Lazaryos drinking a drop but when nothing happened her face relaxed. It was after that that she noticed all of the droplets all over the flower. "You have got to be kidding me..." She thought out loud as she looked around at the huge petals of the flower. With a shrug, she started drinking any drop that was close to her, hoping one of them would be the actual Mana droplet.

[Srgntcuddles]

Dante reached the top with little resistance, he expected Ember at least to try something funny. To his next surprise he saw lots of water droplets around. "Hah! I knew it! It couldn't just have one droplet!" he said to himself. He went over to take one and sipped it down. Standing there for a moment he looked at his paws, wriggling his fingers. "I feel something..." he said lowly. He began to flex, raising his arms over his head. "My power...Is rising..." he continued, looking up all dramatic like. "Nowhere." he said defeated, head hanging low. It was just a drop of water and not the real thing. "Damn it..."

[Vosur Aekira]

Vosur took a bit longer to get up the plant due to the exhaustion still having hold of him and his struggling to just climb. When he got to the top, he saw the many droplets, taking off his waterskin from off of the back of his hips, taking a sip from it before pouring the rest of it out. "So many droplets so little time." he spoke as he started to gather drop after drop into the waterskin. The scent of the dew around him seemed to flood his nostrils as he tried to figure out which drop was actually the real one, not taking any chances as he just gathered the closest ones to himself, one by one. "A big flower, with a lot of dew drops, but none of this actually smells like flowers. I must not be on the right track then if I'm not catching the scent of flower yet." he thought in the back of his mind, trying to not let the others onto what he was planning to do to find the right drop.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

No matter how hard Lazaryos checked, he couldn't find it, when he felt something odd within his body. He couldn't quite pinpoint what the feeling was, but he gripped harder and climbed up and over the pedals, and there, shimmering behind the top petal, was a particularly blue and shiny droplet. Lazaryos' heart pumped fiercely as he scooped it onto his finger, This is it. He licked it right off his own finger and sighed and roared as lightning shot from his body. However, something wasn't right about the Mana. Black steam started emanating from underneath his skin as he felt his mind begin to slip away. "Argh!! Get out of here, now!"

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Ember couldn't find the Mana. Any drop she licked up was just plain old dew and nothing more. When she saw Lazaryos climbing further up the plant over the petals, she followed behind him. Her head was just peeking over the petals Lazaryos was on top of when she saw him lick a shiny blue droplet off of his finger. Her eyes widened at the sight of, not the lightning shooting from his body, but the black steam. She wanted to know what was going on and she finally understood that she felt worried about him, that she didn't want anything bad to happen to him and the result of the droplet was looking bad. Even though he warned everyone to get out, she couldn't tear her eyes away.

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Chrono had stopped dead when he saw the multitude of droplets, not trying to pick any random droplet but not knowing where the Mana drop could be. However, he stopped thinking about his method when seeing black steam come out of Lazaryos. His first action was to slide down the plant, then he caught sight of Ember standing still. He then changed his decision to getting behind Ember, pulling her legs back, then catching her waist as she fell before sliding down the plant himself.

[Srgntcuddles]

Dante watched Lazaryos climb higher, followed by Ember. He followed after them and saw Lazaryos take what looked like the real Mana droplet. Then the black stream came out and he told everyone to run away. "I can't feel pain...But at the same time...I don't really want to stick my neck out for that tiger...Not like I would know what to do anyway. Punching it could very little...Meh...I ain't running. He could just be faking it so he could keep the power for himself."

[Vosur Aekira]

Vosur saw Lazaryos take a drop that seemed out of the ordinary, steaming emanating from his body. "Well whaddya know... the old man did get it first." he spoke out as he took up a defensive stance in preparation for what would be to come. "The legends did not speak of how the ones who achieved the goal of getting the Mana other than who they were. No mention of such a drastic change happening." he growled under his breath. "'Secure the Mana'... sorry old-timer, but I still have a mission to fulfill, which means if you are the Bearer, I have to protect you."

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Lazaryos fell off the plant, and stopped just a couple feet above it as lightning expelled from his back and propelled him onto his hands and knees, his heart no longer beating as the last of his own personal Majicka was expelled from his body. His body was still and lifeless, cold to the touch, and void of any heat. The steam continued to come out of his body, however, for another few seconds, before disappearing.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

"Let me go!" Ember demanded as she struggled in Chrono's hold until he landed on the ground below. She watched as Lazaryos fell off the plant then watched what happened as he hovered in the air as lightning was expelled from his body and forced him to the ground onto his hands and knees. She quickly broke free of Chrono's hold and rushed over to Lazaryos' now still and lifeless body, kneeling down beside him. "Lazaryos..." She said softly as she gently touched his shoulder with her left hand. When he didn't answer, she started shaking him almost frantically. "Lazaryos!"

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Chrono stopped from trying to restrain Ember when Lazaryos hit the ground, and went back to the plant. He cursed under his breath as he looked at Ember's panicked movements. "Another trap, as if the numbers of droplets was not enough." After a few seconds, Chrono walks over to Ember, squatting next to her. "If you wish to continue mourning, do so after the other two kick the bucket or get the Mana."

[Srgntcuddles]

Dante watched the spectacle with Lazaryos, continuing to watch as Ember ran over to check on him. "Who knew she could have a sympathetic side..." Dante thought. He stood there somewhat dumbfounded at what to do. He knew he was dead, there wouldn't be anything he could do. It's not like he had the energy for some crazy life transferring spell. Even so he would likely end up regretting doing it. Lazaryos would probably insult him anyway. He continued to stand there, looking at them from afar.

[Vosur Aekira]

"I was mistaken then..." Vosur spoke calmly under his breath, starting to pour out the water he managed to collect. "So the wrong drop can kill, and only one of us is allowed to get it. What happens to the others if one of us gets it?" he asked to himself as he looked to Lazaryos and Ember, then to Dante and Chrono. His eyes turned back to the rest of the droplets that remained, trying to look for some clue as to what it was that Lazaryos had gotten, and when nothing seemed 'different' about the other drops he could see, he closed his eyes and started to inhale and exhale deeply... now trying to rely on his sense of smell to guide him.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Suddenly, lightning began to emanate from Lazaryos' body, but it was black, and not its usual brightness. He stood up slowly as the lightning circulated around his body. At first glance, one would think it was a miracle, but the sight of his purely white eyes said different, alongside the evil smile on his face. "At last. UNLIMITED POWER!!" Lazaryos' voice was distorted, as if more than one person was talking out of the same mouth. He shot lightning all over ceiling, breaking letting loose the full sunlight, while testing how powerful of a spell he would be able to cast. He laughed maniacally and then noticed the group around him. Without a word, but with an evil smirk, he pointed a palm over to each general direction of the other members of the party and fired streams of black lightning at them.