chapter finale ♔ used the wrong method with the wrong technique

[rituals]

wrong  (memphis extended mix) - depeche mode 

WHO || Constantine, Amara, Zatanna, Giovanni Zatara, Hook, David L., Lila, Emma S., Snow, Gold [Closed]
WHAT || The Knights go to extremes to try to save Amara, with the assistance of John Constantine
WHERE || The Castle, England
WHEN || June 2017 
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

The journey to discovering the truth behind the Homo Magi and the curse laid upon their people, in hopes of breaking the spell that has caused the sorceress Amara to obsess over David Charming for years, has been a long and winding road.  It last led them underwater, to the lost city of Atlantis, once the home of the Homo Magi, where they discovered that the cursed had been laid upon them by Poseidon himself, when one of their kind shared the sacred secrets of Mystra with a mortal who they fell in love with.  This led to a falling out between Mystra and Poseidon, and he cursed the Magi to keep them from ever contacting humanity again.  This curse was said to be unbreakable, until the sea god was appeased, but Lila's protests led to a punishment which Emma Swan took in her place - rendering her a kelpie by night until she earned the respect of Mystra.  This curse would later lead her to kill Killian in the madness of the castle attack.  Zatanna claimed to know someone who could undermine a god's curse, and to that end searched high and low for the mysterious John Constantine, who she has brought to the castle.  

At last, he has gathered them here for a seance of sorts, and they find the room cloaked in candles and drapery, various strange figurines and tiny fetishes scattered about.  

Comments

[unlost]

[Snow has been watching this unfold mostly wide-eyed and definitely silent, all but gripping painfully to the people beside her already.

Needless to say, let's hope she's not crushing anyone's hand (concentration 20, will save 21, fort save 20). At least her rolls have improved.]

[uncurse]

[ Emma is committed to this, ok. Concentration 18, Will 21, Fort 28. But she's also immune to all mind-affecting spells, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, and stun, and resistant to fire, so she'll probably be okay.

She tightens her grip on Hook, though. He's not known for his magic resistance. ]

[undealt]

Well, I suppose that could have gone better. [Gold speaks through gritted teeth (concentration 21; will save nat 20; fort save 9 action point says 21]

[cigam]

[ zatanna lets out a gasp of agony but her eyes go bright blue again (concentration 32, will 24, fort 15... ]

[besmitten]

[ with a nat 20 concentration check - total 44 - amara is practically fucking zen right now, her will save an impressive 30, keeping her from crying out in pain as the spell drains her physically (fort 9). her eyes stay on zatara/poseidon, a triumphant look in her gaze as the waves of magic assail them ]

[unhand]

[Hook squeezes Emma's hand back, holding on tightly as he concentrates as hard as his can (concentration 17, will 14, fort 27).]

[rituals]

[ john got a nat 20 concentration check of his own, total 32, as he starts intoning something in an ancient language, something repetitive and solemn sounding. his 21 will save keeps him from more than just flinching a few times from pain with his 11 fortitude, even as the blasts seem to practically rip away at his skin. ]

[bittersweeter]

[ across the table lila shrieks in agony, a horrifying noise that rips through the room as the magical assault tears away half of her face, blood spilling across her front and splashing across the table as she writhes in pain, her entire body feeling like fire is licking at her skin, as if at any moment she'll burst in flames and burn to ash. (fort save crit fail, 56 damage)

needless to say her concentration is, um, broken. ]

[uncurse]

Lila!

[ Going after her smol child is unfair and counts as cheating. ]

[generaldavideus]

[David is sitting right next to Lila when her face just splits open, and as much as he wants to let her go, allow her to get out and recover, he knows he can't. So he'll just tighten his grip against her fingers and do his best to at least hold the circle together even if Lila's concentration is broken (fort save 25, will save 23, concentration 15).]

1/-

[cigam]

[ broken inside - broken iris

emma's shout draws zatanna's attention and she looks over to see the horror of lila's face being ripped apart, her body starting to glow with intensifying heat, and she leans forward: ] NO! [ she squeezes a pulse of energy through the circle with the incantation: ] Lennahc ti ereh! [ lila feels the heat abating, the tearing sensation dwindling, although the pain of her injury lingers. it is zatanna who begins glowing now, a low guttural scream coming from inside of her as she throws her head back, taking the extra surge into herself ]

2/-

[rituals]

ZEE! [ constantine's shout is wracked with emotion, and it's clear that this has spiraled out of control, beyond his expectations. that he's terrified of what might happen now. ] It's too much for you! You can't hold it all!

3/-

[amazingzatara]

[it's at that point that another voice repeats zatanna's backwards incantation - and the magic surges over into zatara, who speaks in his own voice now ] You won't take my daughter. You will not.

4/-

[cigam]

FATHER! You can't do it alone! Stop! [ zatanna's voice fills with panic, her words a plea ]

5/-

[amazingzatara]

Too late, my love. Too late. [ the resignation in zatara's voice is laced with determination, as his skin begins glowing, the skin burning away on his hands, and then up his neck and across his face. as his mouth begins to burn away, he manages to get out his last words: ] CONSTANTINE - if you do not deliver my daughter safely from this, my shade shall haunt you through all eternity. Is that understood?!

6/6

[cigam]

FATHER! Oh God, someone help him... Father! [ but it's too late, and zatanna lets out a bloodcurdling scream of anguish as zatara erupts in flames entirely

like that

or that.

this guy can never catch a break in any incarnation ]

DAD!

[bittersweeter]

[ lila manages a gurgled, ] No... [ because some part of her realizes zatanna is losing her father, before she collapses against david, overwhelmed with her injuries, blood spilling across his chest. at least... her hand is still in amara's? if it even matters anymore. ]

[undealt]

[HOLY SHIT DID THAT JUST HAPPEN.

Like okay, yeah this is tragic and awful, and later we'll have a good cry about this, but Gold, maintaining his grip, shoots Constantine a look. With Zatara very much not alive anymore and Lila in dire need of medical assistance, "out of hand" seems to be the definition of this situation.

This circle has been super compromised yo.]

What now?

[generaldavideus]

[David doesn't now what to do, and that's probably the most frustrating thing of all.

He's not stupid. He knows the role he plays in most missions. He throws the punches and takes the hits so that other people can do what needs to be done, and he can't help but feel helpless in an area where he's completely out of his depth. His eyes drift over to Zatanna across the circle as her father bursts into flames, and he can't help but think back to four years ago when he carried Sindella out of the Bermuda Triangle himself so that Zatanna could say goodbye to her properly.

Now she's losing her father, and he can't help but feel that one person shouldn't have to lose so much to the same cause.

His gaze breaks when Lila collapses against him and there's another pang of guilt as he is usually the one built to take these hits. While instinct wants him to reach over and catch her, he doesn't move his hand, waiting for Constantine to answer Gold's question before he dares to break the circle, no matter how compromised it is.]

1/2

[rituals]

Don't break the circle! Zatanna, I know how you must be feeling, but you have to keep hold of his hand. [ hand is a strong word, really, as what's left of zatara's 'hand' is a charred skeletal remain by now. ] Keep pouring your strength in, all of you! [ his voice is riddled with pain, as though he's barely keeping it together himself. there's guilt there, but that determination to get the job done remains. ]

[cigam]

[ tears of rage and despair stream down zatanna's cheeks as she snaps back at john: ] If you knew how I was feeling, you wouldn't still be anywhere near me right now.

This is on your hands, John. You did this.

[uncurse]

Hook—

[ She nods for Zatanna, who's ... admittedly distracted, but Emma doesn't want that to happen to anyone else and it's clear that Constantine has lost control of it. So they need to hold on as best they can. ]

Her hand.

[ Somehow she doubts the skeleton hand will suffice for the connection ?? Then she turns to David, frantic. ]

Is she conscious?

[unlost]

Your father made a brave sacrifice, Zatanna. We need to keep fighting!

[She looks at her, eyes pleading, though it applies to everyone. (JFC Nat 20 diplo roll)]

My daughter is here as well. Please.

[She'll make the same sacrifice if she can, if she needs to. She's already probably lost her husband. She can't lose Emma, too.]

[generaldavideus]

[David looks to Emma at her question, before nodding.]

Barely. I don't know how much longer she's going to last. Whatever we're going to do, we better do it fast.

[unhand]

[Hook is holding a burnt skeleton hand too which is... well, really far from the worst thing he's held, honestly. But still, terrible, especially for Zatanna. He casts her a sympathetic look, then nods at David.]

We need to finish this.