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"To win a war means to fight in multiple battles," Tessa said, unfolding her legs and looking directly at Runner. "If we can knock out anything happening in Costa Rica, that's one point for us. One step at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day."
He kept eye contact with her for a few moments, then nodded. "Well, the sooner, the better. Are you ready to go?"
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Her eyes gleaned as she smirked. "I'm always ready for a fight, especially if it involves fire and explosions."
"Alright," he said, slapping his legs as he got to his feet. "Cast a spell my way and we can get going."
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She got to her feet with minimal effort, flinging a small sun beam his way as she did so. Her blood was already humming with anticipation.
He reached out with his left and and swiped at the spell before it could reach him, slapping it to the ground at his feet. To complete the portal, he jumped up and slammed both feet into the ground. It was almost like the ground beneath him was hollowed out, because he fell right through the ground and ended up on his back on a Costa Rican beach.
"It worked!" he called through the portal, "Hop on in!"
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She snorted at the dork she was working with, then hopped through without a word. Unlike the doofus, she landed in a neat crouch. Her fingers pressed into the sand as she took a look around her. Luckily for them, it was relatively empty—and anyone that might've seen their entry made quick work of looking away thanks to Tessa's glare.
"I need to work on my landings," he grumbled, rolling over onto his stomach and getting to his feet. A frown immediately chiseled itself onto his features as he regained his composure. "Something's here, for sure. Powerful enough to be felt from across the island."
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"It takes a lot of pain tolerance and lower body muscle," Tessa said in response to his grumbling, having heard him clearly. She swiveled her head around, nose flaring as she scented the air around her, still in a crouch with one hand braced against the sand and the other draped over her one knee. "Think you can get a general direction? I don't particularly care for trekking over the entire place in search of a something."
He closed his eyes in response, taking a deep breath and holding it in. He stayed there for almost a full minute before he finally exhaled and snapped his head to the North.
"There," he said, pointing in the direction. "It's burning the back of my throat. Like smoke would if I inhaled some. Does that mean anything to you?"
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Tessa looked in that direction and cocked her head, thinking. "Unless Rae's going on a rampage or my father randomly decided he doesn't like Costa Rica, I have no clue. But I think we might be up against something related to fire—and perhaps anger as well." She reached up and messed with her lips, thinking harder. "Or something from Khogar, the savage realm. They're not exactly the friendliest bunch, and if the Titans were swayed, then there's a high likelihood of those nasty bastards switching sides in a heartbeat."
"So bad news, either way," he sighed, rubbing his hands and wincing. "Well, let's get on with it, then."
He headed off down the beach, sniffing the air as if he was a tracking dog.
(What about this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enenra)
(Heart-wrenching story)
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((Yeah, I like that!))
Tessa stood up and jogged after Runner, eyes pealed and ears open for anything unusual. She remained by his side as they searched, playing bodyguard as usual. If anything happened to that sorceress's son, who knows what hell she'd unleash.
"I don't think this is anything from your realm," he said, taking another whiff of the air. "This smells familiar."
He glanced over at her as they walked. "I'm feeling cloth on my fingertips, too."
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She rose a brow and held up her hands as if in surrender. "You're looking at me as if I should know what the fuck you're talking about. I'm the battering ram, not the brains. I have no clue what's out there besides what I've fought."
He had already stopped listening to her, obviously connecting the dots in his head. "Cloth…smoke…fire….Oh!"
Runner studied the beach ahead of them, and found exactly what he was looking for: a pillar of smoke, as if from a bonfire.
"An Enenra," he grumbled and brought his speed up to a fast jog, the best he could do in the sand. "We gotta hurry up."
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"Never heard of it, but okay," Tessa said with a shake of her head. She sped up to keep pace with him, then flared her nostrils and went into improv mode. She shifted into her half-dragon form and went on ahead, running on all fours.
"Show-off," he called after her, frustrated that the sun still hadn't gone down. He'd used up all of the energy he had in the reserves earlier in the day. The bonfire glowed ominously ahead of them, its orange glow shining like a beacon from hell.
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She shot a grin over her shoulder, then came to a sliding halt when she reached the ominous bonfire. Her nose flared, and she returned to her crouch to scan the area.
Runner arrived 2 minutes later, breathing heavily and scratching the top of his head. "It's close by," he said between breaths, "Really close."
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"Okay, any ideas on how to deal with the thing?" She asked, reverting back to her human form and folding her arms over her chest. She stood back up to her full height and looked around some more.
"In concept it's pretty simple," he explained, frowning, "We just put out the bonfire. But, it is gonna try its hardest to stop us."
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"I'm weakest at night," she gently reminded as she tipped her head to gaze at the setting sun. She still had some stored magic, but she'd have to primarily rely on strength alone once the sun was completely set.
"That's when I'm strongest," he said, "So I guess we even out."
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end when a figure slowly walked from behind the bonfire, hands clasped behind its back in a regal fashion. It towered over the both of them, easily taller than 6 foot, with strikingly white skin and eyes that were pure black. Its clothing was a traditional pure black kimono that rippled in a breeze that only the Enerna seemed to feel.
"They said you would come, young Princling," it said, its voice the sound of a light summer breeze. "It was only a matter of time until your interest was peaked."
(Do you want the Enerna to possess Runner or Tess?)
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((Well, Tess might pose the biggest threat being as she sorta loses most of her sanity/morals when she's fighting))
"Y'know, I'm getting tired of all the royals being picked out every goddamn time something bad happens," Tess muttered under her breath, "Us peasants and street rats can be worthy opponents too." As she complained, she studied the strange creature. It would be difficult for her to attack something that wasn't exactly solid. Maybe strength wouldn't quite cut it this time. Bummer.
(Hm, Runner can't take her in a fight, though. How would he get out of there alive?)
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((Lock her up. Tess is deathly afraid of being underground, and bonus points if she hears locks turning to trap her inside))
(Sounds like something Runner would do. Plus, he's fast enough in his dragon form that she probably couldn't catch him either way)
"Well, Ms. Theresa," the Enerna said, his lips twisting into a devilish grin, "today's your day to shine."
The form slowly faded back into the smoke that trailed from the large, unattended fire.
"You will be remembered, Ms. Theresa," it continued, its voice seeming to come from all directions, "for killing the son of Rhianon, and giving Earth to Lord Agdrin."
The figure suddenly sprouted up behind Tess, and before she could react, it forced itself up her nose in the form of smoke.
