[IC] Beacon: Before the Fall

[Azure Flame]

Soon they were at an altar with several chess pieces on it. "Could these be the relics?" he asked.

[lantgreen]

Glas already had a plan in mind when it came time to launch. The landing strategy was important, it would almost define how successful you were. Landing close to someone would mean a partnership, far from anyone would be disastrous. As everyone took off she smirked before springing into the air. Her small lightframe allowed for a long range. 'What if I never land?' She though to herself. She could use her dust infused cape to allow her falling to slow at a rate where she could see the valley, making a mental map of possible locations of the temple. As long as she had a route, whether or not her stops were wrong, she would succeed.

It didn't take long for commotion to start stirring up in the forest. Glas could hear the Grimm echo above the trees. Her decent was rather slow and thank to this she was able to spot a small figure attempt to mount a large Nevermore. She shook her knowing whoever it was, wasn't going to be on it's back for long. Glas pulled out NeverLand in its panflute form, a form she liked to keep it for easy storage, especially since it's primary was twice her size. She started to play a simple tune, controlling strong gust of wind to propel her forward. She was headed for the Nevermore but kept her height low, she was still falling slowing but being pushed forward at a much faster rate, allowing her to cover a lot of ground.

[Misumichan]

The Nevermore whipped back and forth trying to remove Hansa from its back. Hansa tried to take in a quick look around the forest for the temple. “Chill out for two seconds will ya?” He quickly threw Pendulum to wrap around the bird to steady himself but as he did the Nevermore twisted and Hansa lost his balance and what little grip he had failed him and he started to fall. “Oh no…” Hansa saw the Nevermore quickly circle around to try and swallow him whole. He bent his legs and fired a shot to get enough spin to kick it's beak closed. He planted both feet on its chin and fired off it. It was stunned as he rapidly plummeted to the ground. “Too fast! Too fast!” Hansa desperately tried to rotate around so he could use Luck Herald to slow his fall but was struggling to do so, when he did fire a shot it made him tumble more out of control. He knew that he couldn't reel in Pendulum in time for it to help. “This is going to hurt no matter what size I am!”

[lantgreen]

Sure enough the figure started to fall as Glas anticipated, she was getting close but something triggered the fall to increase in speed. Regardless of strength or power, this person was in danger. She started to play NeverLand more violently and it increased her speed. She was now moving more lateral than down. Glas was moving to fast to slow down to a stop but that was her point. She needed to make it to person as quick as possible. Shooting like a missle she released the panflute from her lips. Stretching her arms and legs out wide like star, she collided with her target hard, wrapping herself around it as tight as possible, using her cape to slow them down.

[Misumichan]

Hansa felt like he was tackled by an Ursa until he realized it wasn't that big. He glanced down and saw a tiny little ginger girl holding him tightly as they were now slowly drifting. “My hero!” He winked at her. “Nice catch!” He glanced around the trees and spotted what looked like stone unlike anything he'd seen so far. His ears twitched hearing the giant Nevermore moving again. “Ya know, we might want to get moving… I think I made him mad… I think our destination is that way!” He pointed toward where he thought the temple was.

[lantgreen]

Glas was too busy holding on for dear life, her face buried deep in whoever's chest it was. She figured it was a man considering the lack of breasts. It didn't matter gender anyways, she didn't want anyone to get hurt. The boy spoke to her and he was right, they had to get moving and fast. She took note of where he pointed before looking up at him with her bright yellow eyes. "Hold on to me, anywhere," saying that primarily cause she knew he wouldn't know where to grab her small body and they didn't have time to awkwardly discuss the placement of his hands. Once he grabbed hold she pulled out NeverLand again, playing quickly to get them moving. She started for the direction he pointed in. The weight of the two was causing them to fall a little faster than just herself, they broke the tree line and now glided with the wing through the tree branches.

[Misumichan]

“Ah! To hell with it!” After a bit Hansa realized how inconvenient it was to hold onto the small girl and noticed the weight was causing them to sink fast. So he shrunk himself down to sit on her shoulder just tightly holding onto her collar so he wouldn't fall off. He didn't like shrinking down but he knew they'd get there faster. “I'm Hansa, by the way!” He smiled, excited to have a partner. “Hansa Agouti! What's your name partner?”

[AlternateMan]

Bizz observed the place. It seemed like a decent temple, and the chess pieces were.. obvious.
"Looks like it. Wanna choose one?"
She said.

[lantgreen]

Glas was taken by surprise when the boy shrunk to the size of her hand. The weight had disappeared and she could really go all out. She stopped playing for a moment, spinning and looking at her surroundings, glancing upwards to look if the Nevermore was still after them. He spoke his name and she kindly returned, "Glas Bonsai," she paused for moment, "I guess this makes us partners now huh?" She cheerfully, glad to already have a teammate. The large shadow flew high above them in search, Glas took of playing again, trying to keep her notes quiet but enough to keep them moving below the tree line, hiding from their hunter.

[Casterlyrock]

Zandrea let out a smile laugh and nodded "kinda takes the fierce out of it if I am adorable doesn't it" they continued along their path finally reaching that seems to be their destination, zandrea can to a quick stop and looked around.

[LemonZest1337]

Sarah nodded to Zan "Yeah it does a little. Tho you could use that to your advantage." Sarah then skidded to halt behind Zan and looked around spotting the temple and pointing towards it. "Over there, oh and look some others are here already!". Sarah then started jogging over to the temple. She squinted and she eventually made the people out as Bizz and Lucas. "Oh! Hey Bizz and Lucas! Looks like you were the first ones here!". She smiled broadly then looked at the chess pieces.

[Misumichan]

“That damn Nevermore just won't let up!” Hansa huffed. He was trying to listen carefully for it's position when he heard chatter of some other students, “Oh! I hear voices… We must be close! Maybe they can help us out with our oversized friend!”

[lantgreen]

Glas couldn't hear any voices but took his words for it. She dropped their altitude again, trying to give them more protection and cover. She could barely see a small clearing in the forest and started playing a little faster. Glas stopped playing NeverLand and the two soared out of the trees towards a couple others. Her panflute extended and flipped open to it's normal form of a long spear almost twice her height. She spun around whilst moving towards the group, the tip of her weapon cutting the ground as she held it at the end. "Sorry sorry sorry sorry, didn't mean to bring this but we could use some help," she said quickly and with remorse. She now floated quietly, her cape keeping her from falling while she pushed down on her spear like a staff to hold her up.

[Azure Flame]

"Yeah." he said, grabbing a knight piece. "That wasn't too bad..."

[AlternateMan]

Bizz shrugged. A knight. 'Whatever the knight means, I just hope this works well..' she thought. Then she looked at Sarah, who just arrived at the temple.
"Oh, hey."
She said.
@Azure Flame
@LeamonZest89

[Azure Flame]

"Yeah, so far this hasn't been that challenging." he said. Then they heard another screech, closer than before.

[AlternateMan]

Bizz looked around desperately. The source of the screech was closing in.
"Good news, Lucas, I think it got a bit more 'challenging.'"
She said.

[Misumichan]

“Ooh look chess pieces! These must be the relics!” Hansa jumped off Glas’ shoulder and increased his size, albeit not enough to be his regular size. Hansa ran past the others and quickly scanned the relics before deciding to scoop up the Rook. “Hey Glas! How bout a little castle?!” He looked back waving it in the air and he saw the Nevermore circling around above them. “Oh come on! You really don't know how to let go, dumb bird…”

[lantgreen]

Glas jumped off her spear, knowing she had some time while the giant bird made up it's mind. She now stood her normal short height, having to look up at the group as the conversed with each other. She kept her spear out, for sure standing above everyone's heads as she made her way over Hansa. "I too like the rook," she said with a smile. She reached out to grab one but was stopped short by his calling of the Nevermore, it shrieked in return. Glas quickly spun around pulling a wire out of her staff. Her cape was moved to one shoulder revealing a quiver with many arrows and a mechanism to change the heads as needed. She drew a flame arrow pulling back on the string. Zooming in the bow crunched one size shorter before she let go. The arrow heading straight for the Nevermore.

[Azure Flame]

"Well, we got what we came for, so let's head back to the cliff." he said, starting to run back towards the cliff, away from the screeching. However, as he ran, he saw a figure looming ahead of them, blocking the way. It was a Deathstalker, tail launching at Lucas who, at the last second, focused on it's back and warped onto it, taking his katana and stabbing it, turning the sheath into a pistol, which was still loaded with Ice Dust, and began firing at it's eyes.