Session 7 of Grancrest Records

### **Session 7 - The 5th Afternoon of the Lone Moon Month - Friday**

Left with just the two of themselves against two powerful witches, Sage and Margaret were in a dire situation. A fireball emerged; it was death sentence for the two. That is, until Agnes, one of the witches and Margaret's aunt, saved them with a counterspell. Just outside, Adku, a dwarven warrior, and Hikari, a druid in disguise as a wolf, were hunting to find and save the children they were acquainted with. Rushing inside, the outsiders quickly found it beneficial to ally with Sage and Margaret, to join the their two causes to stop the witches and save the elven kids. Just elsewhere was Roy, who was battling for control of his body against the Good King Magnus, and of Alaire, who has his own father issues to deal with in his dreams.

Fighting occurred as Sage bravely and stubbornly remained on the circle. Despite all odds and not being proficient in the magic arts, she would manage to save one child and, with the aid of Hikari in his wolf form, save another before being forced off by a wild surge of chaotic magic. This surge hit Adku, who, at this point, also went onto the circle, wanting to help even in the tiniest bit. Adku grew sizes, becoming enlarged in the room and taking the entirety of this circle. A kid vaporizes, as if absorbed by this ritual. Time was short, and Agnes was desperately trying to gain access, only to be denied and knocked out by Adku eventually. Hikari, at this point, would have enough time between dragging the two children to join the fray. Emma, by no means, sat still doing nothing. She abused Roy's body, forcing Magnus to take control and help her, only to little effect. Roy indeed fought hard back, and gained control at times as well.

With the last child saved, and nothing left to absorb, Emma would manage to activate the last phase. The circle began to disappear, and a red stone appear instead. Ryze indeed would finally wake up, shouting "Unlimited Power!" and that "A Dreamworld will not shackle me." A scuffle occurred, and Margaret would allow Agnes to recover, having healed her back up. Emma would lose against the power of Sage and Adku, and Sage herself would find the stone to be in her hands when Adku failed to take it. Victory was at hand as Ryze knew what to do. He went to hug Sage, and a brief interaction happened; both had a magical connection for just a second, and Ryze overpowered her in that moment. Ryze took the stone for himself, and disappeared away.

Not a moment to lose, Hikari went on the chase, as well as Adku and Roy following shortly after. Adku would actually manage, with Hikari, to catch Ryze, choking him and preventing him from escaping. Ryze would only smile, releasing red lightning from his mouse; the philosopher's stone. He would disappear in the next moment, having used the power to be the somatic component needed to escape.

Just downstairs was Sage, left alone and crying for Margaret. It was brief, but as Ryze ran, Emma escaped into the mirror and Agnes forcibly took Margaret with her. Margaret only could do one thing, to shout for help and, when that failed, to give Sage her left earring to do something, anything with. Moments passed in silence until the children, waking up, went to Sage and cried with her as well. It was a tearful moment before the two - Erudorie and Rosie - made Sage realize that she had to be strong, at the least, in that moment.

Taking the two children, Sage would meet with the rest - Roy, Adku, and Hikari - and the new group would have a heart to heart in the back of the hallway, away from the clothes at the ground, the children they failed to save. The two - Roy and Sage - would learn of the other two - Adku and Hikari - and vice versa. A choice was made to meet with Elessa or with Lord Magali, who was fighting just outside. Alaire would volunteer to meet with Magali, but he would never come back. Eventually, they would have to find the lord himself, outside, and fighting against the three other armies of demon toads, chaos beasts, and witch hunters.

Meeting with Lord Magali, the group and army, and most importantly, Halfdan reconvened together outside the castle. All together, they started to make a small retreat back to Riverdale, but not before Roy seemingly expelled King Magnus, finally, out of his body. The spirit of Magnus was a fearsome sight, and went to stab Lord Magali. Adku reacted fast enough, but his weapon did nothing. Lord Magali, however, was mortally wounded somehow through a spirit blade. The group of four - Adku, Hikari, Roy, and Sage - would make a plan to try and avoid the Viking's wrath should Magali truly die. Regardless, they arrived finally to Riverdale.

With the children being entrusted to Elessa and Brigitte, the party slept until they were awakened by a beacon of light. It was Magali's crest, and Tristan would give a hint to Roy that, should he take it, Riverdale may follow. Roy, as if not learning his lesson, would indeed take a dead man's crest yet again. What follows was the such, of Vikings being able to leave Riverdale with most of its riches, and of Adku preventing the Blacksmith's house from being raided.