Dust to Dust (A.S, OPEN)

[Pink Moon Wolf]

Ace flew to a halt the moment she saw the glowing green energy hand below, knowing full well that it was Patrick's doing. She watched in fear and confusion as he used this hand to attack... Loki? The Marvel movie villain? Well, given the nature of the island, his presence there wasn't beyond the realms of plausibility, but still, it was jarring to see the God of Mischief in the flesh. It would've been more so had the figure not been a simple projection of the God of Mischief.

When the illusion vanished, Patrick shouted for the real Loki to show himself in what was clearly not an empty threat. Fearing the worst, knowing that Patrick had already exhausted much of his magic today, worried about his uncharacteristic burst of anger, Ace swooped down and landed next to the mage, cautiously approaching him from a safe distance. "Patrick! Dude! What's gotten into you? ...Or are you Ray? 'Cause if you are, this is pretty needlessly excessive, even for you!"

As soon as she saw his face, however, Ace knew that something was wrong. It was a little hard to tell in the dark, but it seemed like his irises were still Patrick's emerald green... surrounded by bloodshot sclera. His skin looked sickly pale, almost ruddy. And when he coughed, a puff of red dust spewed from his mouth.

Red dust...

"Oh my God."

Ace backed up slightly, drawing one of her staffs in defense. "Patrick... Buddy... Just calm down, okay? Th-These cocoon spores or whatever they are... th-they must've gotten you sick. If you just relax, we can... um... Okay, I don't know what to do about it, but we can fix this, right?"

[ThePopcornFairy]

"Level the forest, will you?"

A dagger flew right past Patrick, directing his attention to a tree that Loki had stepped out from behind. The Asgardian shot the mage a cold, playful sneer as he tossed another dagger between hands. "Think you're powerful enough to lay waste to this entire stretch of land? I'd like to see you try!"

[ParamountKeymaster]

Patrick whipped around to look at Ace, his aggravated scowl softening into a look of confusion... possibly even concern... his voice lowering to a mere squeak. "A-Ace...?"

SHE KILLED MY CHILDREN.

His breathing picked up again, both in anger and in panic.

KILL HER IF YOU MUST. CAPTURE HER IF YOU CAN. SHE COULD BE USEFUL.

"Ace..." Patrick half snarled, half wheezed. "I-I don't know what... I'm not... I can't think straight... I... HAAAAAAAAACK RRRRRRRRRGGGHHH...!!!"

With a flick of his wrist, a ball of bright blue energy shot from Patrick's hand and struck Ace, binding her wrists, ankles and wings.

"I can't have you interfering!"

He then spun back around and hurled several spheres of scorching light at Loki. It was clear before they even made contact, given how the figure seemed to ripple in the bright glow, that it was another projection, further confirmed when he seemed to scatter and fade away when the balls of light struck him.

"Oh, COME ON! STOP! STOP IT! STOP... TAUNTING ME-!!!"

[Pink Moon Wolf]

"ACK-!!!" Caught off guard and thrown off balance by Patrick's binding magic, Ace fell flat on her back, blue magic effectively cuffing her hands, feet and wings. All she could manage to do was squirm on the ground until she eventually rolled on her side, watching in horror as Patrick continued unleashing spells on Loki's projection.

Ace knew that Patrick and Van knew better than to be so reckless with their magic. Even Ray wouldn't cast spells so haphazardly, especially after spending a whole day draining his magic reserves. The red dust had to be messing with his mind. How exactly, she wasn't quite sure, but if that brief moment before his relapse was any indication, the real Patrick was in there somewhere.

"Patrick, stop!" Ace begged, trying to sound stern but mostly coming across as terrified. "I don't know what this dust has done to you, but you have to calm the heck down before you hurt someone!"

[ThePopcornFairy]

"Young lady, this boy doesn't even pose a threat to a mouse," Loki teased, this time appearing behind Patrick a few yards away...

Then to his left...

Then to his right...

One by one, in rapid succession, a whole mob of Loki duplicates surrounded Patrick and Ace from all sides. Each one grinned maliciously at Patrick. Several of them spoke to him one at a time.

"So you leveled a small section of a forest!"

"Lesser sorcerers can manage such a feat with barely the effort!"

"You boast! You put on a grand spectacle!"

"But your pitiful displays of magic haven't even scratched me yet!"

"If you're so determined to strike me down..."

And then, altogether...

"THEN DO IT ALREADY!"

[ParamountKeymaster]

Patrick growled in irritation and panic as he paced in a frantic circle like a caged animal, wild eyes staring at the horde of duplicates surrounding him. Before he could cast another spell, however, Van decided to step in... Patrick, we're wasting our efforts! Let me try a divination spell! I can find the real Loki!

F*** that! Ray snapped back. He's just distracting us with these puppets while he's preparing to stab us from behind! I'll blow every one of these bastards away right here right now! He can't be far behind!

Ray, don't!

I'm not putting up with this bulls*** anymore! HE'S GONNA DIE RIGHT HERE AND NOW!!!

Forcibly assuming control of their body, Ray surrounded himself in an intense magenta aura, screaming at the top of his lungs, dust and saliva pouring from his mouth. The ground shook as an enchantment circle rippled beneath him, the air growing stiff as an overwhelming, almost suffocating amount of magical energy coursed around him.

With a mighty, echoing cry, Ray threw his arms out, unleashing a devastating wave of magic from his form in all directions...

...........................

The forest went silent.

The mob of Loki projections vanished.

A soft thump was heard as the true Loki fell to the ground a few yards away.

...........................

Another thump as Ray collapsed in an unconscious heap.

[Pink Moon Wolf]

...........................

Can't move...

Ace took a deep breath, offering her a great amount of relief, in and of itself a relief that she could still breathe normally. Every other part of her body was completely stiff, her body rigid, her face frozen in complete terror. Though her brain willed her muscles to move, her body did not comply, paralyzed by Ray's mass holding spell.

After a while, though, with the spells' caster lying there unconscious, the magic wore off, lifting the paralysis and the binding energy from Ace's body. Once free, she achingly sat up and shook herself off, still feeling slightly numb and weak. Then she scrambled over to the fallen mage.

"Patrick...? O-Or Ray, I guess..." She anxiously shook him. "Patrick??"

When the sleeping boy pitifully coughed up another lungful of dust, Ace hastily and wisely backed up, covering her mouth and nose with her arm. Seeing this, it quickly became clear to her, as much as she hated to admit it, that maybe Patrick staying unconscious was for the best. His mind was still undoubtedly corrupted by the dust. Him hacking it up in his sleep was still an issue, but at least now he was significantly less dangerous.

[ThePopcornFairy]

For a while, the spell had left Loki just as paralyzed as Ace, but soon enough, he too was liberated as the magic faded. He was quick to stand up and brush himself off, pleased with his work, impressed by Patrick and Ray's performance... and yet clearly frustrated by the entire scenario.

He turned to observe Ace from a distance, watching as she tried to rouse the boy but giving up on the prospect when it became clear that he shouldn't be roused. As Loki had predicted, the mage's reckless abuse of spells had depleted not only his magical reserves, but his physical and mental energy. Now that he was down for the count, the only question that remained was what should be done about him.

Loki casually stepped closer to the couple, staring down at the mage's prone form with great scrutiny, pondering the next logical step. In all fairness, part of that duel had genuinely been fueled by pride... but even he could tell that this boy was not well.

"These creatures..." Loki eventually spoke up. "This... dust that's infected him. You wouldn't happen to know what any of it is, would you?"

[Pink Moon Wolf]

Ace glared up at Loki, though her expression slowly relaxed when he showed no signs of ill intent towards her or Patrick. Now that Loki was no longer under attack, he actually seemed quite calm and analytical of the situation. Was this his plan all along? To psyche Patrick, Van and Ray out until they wore themselves out?

"Well..." She lowered her arm, nervously glancing between Patrick and Loki. "We... don't exactly know what they are yet. All we know is that the wyrms' presence on the island is a threat to all living things. We've haven't seen what they look like when they hatch out of their cocoons yet. We just smash every one we've found, and that red dust explodes out of them every time we do. If his behavior and physical state is anything to go by, that stuff is just as dangerous as the creatures that produce it."

Mindful of any signs that he may cough again, Ace cautiously reached over and stroked Patrick's hair. "But... there's gotta be a way to cure him, right? These wyrms are a pain to kill, but it's not impossible. It can't be impossible to kill whatever he's sick with either."

[ThePopcornFairy]

"Hard to tell if such a feat is plausible if you don't know the exact nature of these creatures or the sickness they've inflicted upon him," Loki responded rather sagely, thoughtfully looking Patrick over.

"I won't lie... I wouldn't rule out the possible necessity of killing him to keep him from causing further damage..." When Ace naturally responded with a furious look, Loki raised his hands defensively. "...but that would likely yield no answers in the long-term goal of ridding the island of these pests. After all, it's unlikely that he is the only one under the influence of this dust. If you want to save them too, then you may as well take advantage of your predicament by turning your friend into a test subject."

Those who understood Loki best knew that him having ulterior motives was always a distinct possibility. An inevitability, really. But let no one say that he couldn't be of genuine help whenever he felt so inclined, and this was one of those times. This island intrigued him, and he would consider it a true shame if it were laid to waste by these monsters. He had quarreled with them enough that day to know how to deal with them in their first stage of life, and his encounter with Patrick only furthered his knowledge. Besides, if he lent his hand in their extermination, the chances of his deeds putting him in the people's good graces were too tempting to ignore.

Loki raised his hand, summoning a muzzle, one with an all-too-familiar design that elicited a sigh as it brought back unpleasant memories. Then he knelt down and secured it around Patrick's mouth and nose. "So... where do you propose we begin?"

[Pink Moon Wolf]

Ace took a deep breath as Loki covered Patrick's mouth, hoping it would be enough to prevent exposing them to the dust he expelled. "Well, our next step was to regroup with our friends and see what sort of intel they've gathered."

She scooped Patrick into her arms, stood up, and turned to face Loki with a stern expression. "But listen... This 'we' stuff? Gotta take a step back on that. I know who you are. Loki, right? You have a bit of a track record for causing trouble, huh? Well, we have enough of that to deal with as it is. I want to trust you, given that you haven't actively attempted to kill my boyfriend in spite of his condition, and seeing as how these wyrms are just as much a threat to you as they are to every other living being on this island, but I'm a little hesitant to let you get any closer to my friends with the looming possibility of you hurting, manipulating or betraying any of them. So tell me... how serious are you about helping us deal with these pests?"

[ThePopcornFairy]

Loki folded his arms and nodded, both in confirmation that he was who Ace believed he was and in understanding of her reluctance to trust him. He couldn't act like the prospect of public approval for his efforts against this common enemy wasn't on his mind, but he couldn't act like it was the only reason he wanted to eliminate the wyrms either.

"We're all in danger here," Loki spoke up after some thought. "All of us. The threat of being devoured is literally looming over our heads. Such a fate is one that no one wants or deserves."

He began a slow, back-and-forth pace. "This island is fascinating. Though I've been here only a few short weeks, I've found myself enthralled by its unusual nature and the great variety of people and opportunities. Who am I to stand idly by and let it all go to waste at the hands of such vile creatures, especially when it's within my power to do something about it? You need all the help you can get, and for the sake of preserving what I feel genuinely interested in, I feel generous enough to lend such help."

Loki paused in his walk, shooting Ace a coy smirk. "You don't have to trust me. I can't blame you if you don't. Just trust in my capabilities. Trust that even I am not so heartless as to let an entire world die. Do this much, and I will not disappoint you, Miss..."

[Pink Moon Wolf]

"Ace," the fallen angel bluntly responded. She looked down at Patrick, mulling over the insane idea of letting Loki aid in this fight. But to be fair, he offered a valid point. No one was safe from these wyrms, regardless of their own moral alignment. She had long since accepted that much, so what was the point of arguing with him if they both wanted the same thing? Clearly he could handle himself against them, and his specific skill set could prove useful. If he was so willing to cooperate, maybe she could make the most of it.

But...

"Alright, listen," Ace eventually responded. "I'm willing to give you a chance. After all, there's a lot of island to cover, so it's not like we're gonna have to constantly work side-by-side. But I can tell you specifically want in on the situation with Patrick here, so how about this? Meet me at cafe tomorrow between noon and twelve-thirty and we'll discuss a course of action. Until then, gather as much information as you can about these things. More efficient ways to kill them. Where they seem to congregate the most. What they look like post-metamorphosis. Who else has been corrupted by the dust. Anything you think could be useful in getting rid of them."

Ace then leaned closer to Loki, shooting a dirty look right in his face. "Prove to me that you're doing this for the island, not just for yourself, and maybe I'll let you help me save my boyfriend. Deal?"

[ThePopcornFairy]

Loki's devilish grin widened. This girl had fire. He liked it.

"Can't put anything past you, huh?" he chuckled, then shrugged. "Very well. Deal."

He smirked at the unconscious mage in Ace's arms. "Your friend is quite intriguing, I won't deny that. And this dust that has infected him is even more so. I must admit, I'm looking forward to seeing the true depths of the power that both of them hold. Eheheh... This could be fun, now that I think about it."

He stepped back a few feet, nodding to the angel girl. "Noon tomorrow at the cafe. We'll see just what sort of damage to these creatures that putting our minds together can accomplish. As I said, Miss Ace... you won't be disappointed."

[Pink Moon Wolf]

"I better not be," Ace grunted before spreading her wings and taking to the sky, Patrick asleep in her arms, Loki and Bonsai Village behind her.

...........................

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"Ugh... Why am I doing this?"

That was a genuine question, not that there was anyone around to respond to it. Ace honestly didn't know what she was expecting to accomplish by collaborating with the God of Mischief. What was the point, anyway? It wasn't like they were the only ones on the island fighting the wyrms. They didn't have to form an alliance with every single one of them. Loki could easily take care of himself in this invasion. So what about this chance encounter prompted Ace to take such a ridiculous leap of faith and let him work alongside her? Was it because of his skills? His intelligence? Did she think she could come up with an actual plan to beat the wyrms, seeing as how she didn't really have one at the moment? She didn't know, and quite frankly, she was kicking herself for her hasty decision to give Loki this chance.

If this didn't pay off, if he found away to use this crisis to his advantage, Ace knew that she would have no one to blame but herself.

But... hopefully it wouldn't come to that. Hopefully she could trust her enough to at least lead her in a more promising direction than the one she was heading down now.

She looked down at Patrick. Even in his tranquil state, he looked deathly ill, still coughing and wheezing behind the muzzle. She could only imagine the torment taking place inside his body and mind, the unnatural effects the red dust had on him. She knew there had to be a way to purge it from his systems, but she wasn't betting that Loki would be the one to find it. If anything, she expected him to take advantage of Patrick's magic more than his illness, and that was something she absolutely would not stand for.

Ace shook her head, feeling tired, frustrated, lost, confused, and most of all, worried. Everything was chaos. Wyrms were falling from the sky, her boyfriend was possessed, and the God of Mischief wanted to help her. What was she doing?

"I'm gonna figure this out, Patrick..." Ace sighed, reassuring herself more than anything else. "Somehow..."