Ember grimaced in pain, almost losing her breath in hope to reply. Struggling for a moment, she looked to Ardais, "One, Irina appeared before me off of my computer, then was like a ghost in my room. Two..." She paused, moving slightly to try and get her arm comfortable, only cutting it even worse. She winced, "I have no clue how I got here. I only remember going to sleep..."

The constricting bonds loosened slightly. "What is a… computer?"

"Er.. um..." Ember thought how to describe her computer for a moment, "Well, the monitor lets you look at things in software and on the internet. It's a big cube with a screen. Then, there's the keyboard, which lets you type messages to others or into word documents. And then, there's the computer, which is a large rectangular prism where you put your programs in and it holds them all, so they show up on the monitor.." She stopped, smiling for a moment, realizing how stupid she must have sounded. She talked through her smile to Irina.
"Did my description make sense to you..?"

Ashi yawned, closing her eyes briefly, then looked to the castle's entrance. Thinking about her drawings and statues, she pushed herself lightly from the wall and headed inside. Stretching her arms out in front of her as she walked, her form shifted into that of the pale, young woman with black hair.. the same form she had been in before heading outside. Turning a corner, she started back to her quarters.

"Hai, made sense to me... But then again... I do know what a computer is...." said Irina, as she struggled, trying to get loose from the constricting bonds. She did not want to end up in the dungeon again.....

"No, it didn’t." The Golem replied to Ember’s question. The blades returning to the metal restraints encasing her. "If you ask then the description is clearly complex and requires further explanation. Something I have no time for."

The two metal cages moved together and bonded into one. The metal tendrils breaking from the metal restraints. The remains shrinking and turning into liquid metal fingers. He reached down and took hold of the cage. His cloak turning into wings again. Turning around he faced the direction he intended to search. Swinging around toward the still unseen Phillip.

Phillip had no clue what to do or what was going on. But when that thing turned towards him, the fear of being seen by it increased. He backed up a few more steps before tripping and falling on his butt, cursing under his breath as he fell. He felt he should do something to help those people that the monster had captured. But what could he do? Run up to it and demand them to be set free? Yeah, then he'd be joining them. He just sat there, staring wide-eyed at the monster. Not knowing what to do now...

Aoi opened her eyes and almost screamed when she found herself in a strange alley. She frantically looked around her, trying to find her sister. Panic started to rise in her, making Aoi want to cry. "Calm," she thought, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She then opened her eyes. The alley she was in was filthy to say the least but it seemed that she had been sleeping on some sort of a blanket. Aoi quickly picked it up the large garment and wrapped it around her like a cloak. Not only would it keep her from the cold but it also made her less apparent. Not being noticed would be a good thing until she could find out where she was and how she got here. But her number one priority was to find her sister.
Aoi stepped out of the alley slowly, her intelligent eyes taking in everything around her. She sucked in a sharp intake of breath when she saw the golem and the two girls in cage. "Where am I?" she thought franticly.
Her eyes caught sight of Phillip, who had a frightened look on his face. His eyes never left the golem. Aoi quickly made the decision that she was going to stay away from anything and anybody until she found out what the heck was going on.

After walking away from the castle, Kankei decided to head off to the nearest town to see what kind of trouble he could get into there. It didn't take him long to get there and he wasn't surprised to find it slightly deserted.
"Damn. I can't torture people if there aren't any around." he muttered under his breath and continued walking.
A few blocks farther and he was now faced with an only slightly odd scene. A golem had two young girls trapped inside a cage, another girl wrapped in a blanket was watching from a distance, and a boy in very strange clothes was sitting only a few feet from where he was standing. He crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby wall, watching the group anxiously to see what was going to happen. It was things like this that really got his interest.

The Golem looked down at the frightened peasant with strange clothes. Noting that they were similar in design to the foreign sorceress that talked of strange things. He studied the strange male for a moment. noting the look of disbelief and fright etched on his features. Something that indicated he knew something of the royal body guard reputation. The strange cut of clothes and his mysterious appearance were enough to give the Golem a reason to bring him in. Especially with Irina’s appearance. Something that always seem to end up causing trouble.
Not having time to waste on questioning this man he simply removed one of his hands. Holding the lattice work bonds aloft easily in one hand. The fingers returning to the recessed holes in his wrist and then coming out again as metal tendrils intent on wrapping around Phillip.

Phillip was about to go insane with fear. It didn't help when strange metal tendrils from the monster came flying towards him. He felt totally helpless. After a split second, he decided to get up and run. He stood up, spun around, and ran as fast as he could towards a group of houses; hoping he could escape. He felt his panic send adrenaline through his body. This gave him a little more stamina then usual. He only hoped it would give him the speed and distance he needed to get away from the tendrils that were closing in on him.

Ardais’ tendrils were far quicker then the fleeing human. The long silver tendrils cutting off his escape as they moved around and in front of him. Curving around to make a circular cage that would trap Phillip.
If this did not work. Then he would just give chase by air and wound the oddly dressed male.

Aoi closed her eyes, not wanting to see any more. This couldn't be happening; it was like some nightmarish mix of a war history book and fantasy. And the worst part was, she couldn't do a thing about it. Nothing....
"Kami-sama, anyone... Please... this can't happen," she whispered as a tear ran down her cheek.
Before the silver tendrils could close around Phillip, three huge icicles sprang from the ground around him, curving over his head. The tendrils that touched the icicles instantly froze and ice started to travel up them to the golem.
Aoi opened her eyes at the sound of a snapping noise and the ice stopped traveling up the tendrils. She let out a startled gasp at the icicles that hadn't been there when she had closed her eyes. Looking around, she tried to see who had saved the boy.

Ardais broke the tendrils when he realized what was happening. The frozen metal shattering with as snap as the remaining three fourths of the tendrils returned to the recessed holes. So, this was a sorcerer after all. Good. He might actually prove to be a challenge.
The second tendrils were in his fore arm again the aimed at Phillip. A large spike springing out of each of the five holes. A mesh like lattice forming between them be fore he fired them. The spikes moved out ward as the mesh and wire connecting them opened like a net. He had made sure to aim so that the mesh would catch the icicles and Phillip. The ice would freeze the mesh making it hard. Thus capturing Phillip and pinning him to either a nearby house or the ground.

Phillip was stunned. He thought for sure he was captured until, somehow, giant icicles appeared around him. He thought the Golem had caused it so the tendrils could catch up to him, but when it actually forced the Golem's tendrils back, Phillip was filled with relief. But now he was surrounded by ice and couldn't escape another attack if the ice didn't hold out. He kneeled down and closed his eyes, awaiting another attack. He couldn't clearly see the Golem through the ice, but he knew that he was in trouble now. But...how did he get here? That was the main question burning his mind. He thought it was a dream, but as hard as he tried to wake up, he remained in this place. Now it was going to cause him to die.

The ice shattered and the heavy spikes embedded in the ground around Phillip. The thick metal mesh froze when it touched the ice. Making a solid cage around the crouching human while leaving him unharmed. Save for a few nicks from the shattered ice.
Ardais approached the cage cautiously. Using the trapped Irina and Ember as a living shield to protect him for any attacks the sorcerer might launch. Tendrils slit out of the recessed holes on his free arm and formed a large heavy scimitar. The blade connected directly to his wrist. The weapon was hidden from sight with in the folds of his cloak.

Phillip winced a little as the sound of shattering glass filled his ears. That was it. He couldn't just quiver and await his death. He stood slowly and looked around to see a mesh cage surrounding him. He faced the approaching Golem, shaking a bit in fear. He had to try anything to live. This thing seemed out to kill him, but he wasn't going to die without a fight. He ran, full-force, into the mesh cage. He didn't even phase it but cause his arm to begin to bruise. He cursed under his breath and leaned against the cage. He growled quietly to himself and was ready to give up. He knew he wasn't strong enough to break this cage. He began to collapse when he heard a load roar. He glanced around and noticed a large cat, unlike any he had ever seen, running down a hill and towards the Golem. Maybe there was still a chance.

Ardais turned his head toward the charging creature. A Displacer Beast perhaps one of the few natural creature he would consider a threat. But, no matter. The giant black cat with what looked like two squid tentacles emerging for it’s back was still some distance off and easily dealt with at range.
The problem with the six legged cats, and what made them so dangerous, was the fact that the visual image was in fact a projection. The actual beast was two to three feet to either the right or left of the charging creature. The spiny tentacles an its back were capable of rending steel with ease.
Not a problem to the Golem. Who simply retracted the sword and brought his formerly hidden arm up. Aiming it at the approaching cat. He moved the cage holding the two girls well back as he waited for the cat to close. When it was with in fifty feet a painfully bright silver and white stream of fire erupted from one of the recessed holes. The incredibly hot fire washed over the area the mighty cat had been in. It screamed and thrashed in the stream of magnesium flame. It’s real body appearing several feet to the left of the original image in the silver fire.
The Golem chuckled with dark mirth as it’s body disappeared. He cut the burning stream off. The last of the fire burning for several long moments before going out. Nothing but glass and a small molten pool remained of the beast.
Turning to gaze down at the sorcerer he inquired. "Any more enchanting diversions?"

Phillip felt devastated when the cat began to burn. He hated seeing animals die, especially if they seemed as if they were about to save his life. He jumped a little when the Golem spoke to him and managed to stutter out "Why are you after me?" It was the only thing he could think of to say.
He glanced around quickly and saw that a couple of people had taken to watch the battle. Interesting. Usually, from what he could tell, they stayed away. But he could see two people, one wrapped in what seemed like a blanket, and the other leaning against a building. Oh well. No time for thinking. He had to stay focused and look for an escape.

Aoi's anger was starting to rise. The smell of the burning cat flesh stung her nose and made her feel like she was going to be violently ill. She looked down at the ground, tears stinging her eyes again. This was just cruel; the stone monster was just toying with the boy.
Something glistening on the ground suddenly caught Aoi's eye. She blinked in disbelief as she just now noticed a trail of frost on the ground. Even her boots had the frozen condensation on them. With a feeling of dread, she traced the single strip of frost from her feet to the boy in the net. But why did it lead to her? Had some God granted her wish...? Or... by some fluke... could she have actually done it?
Aoi quickly checked the golem and the boy. No, the both of them were too interested in each other to notice the frost, which was beginning to melt now. Her blue eyes quickly made a round. The only other people who could have possibly seen it was the two girls, or the man who was leaning against the wall.
"Either of which could make the monster aware of it," she thought silently as she carefully but quickly started to back into the shadowed alley again.

"Don't play stupid with me boy. Or you will share the Displacer Beast's fate." The metal golem rumbled. He hated it when they played stupid. Oh well. The Prince would have it out of the three of them shortly after his return to the castle. After finding the remains of the missing patrol of course. He wasn't stupid enough to return to the castle with out fully investigating things.

"Ember... You do realize why he called you a sorceress, don't you?" asked Irina quietly to Ember.

Ember tore her eyes away from Ardais, looking to Irina, "Besides randomly appearing.. no.."

"That and even I can tell that you have power..." said Irina with a small smile. "I think that you have the power over... Fire..." said Irina, "If my instincts are right... And they usually are..."

"Over fire..? You sure..?" Ember asked softly with a blink.

"I'm pretty sure... Over fire, heat and light..." said Irina.

Ember smirked, "Irina-chan... do you know what happens to metal if there's too much fire and heat..?" She asked coyly in a whisper.

"Hai, it melts," said Irina with a slight smile.

"Exactly.." Ember laughed lightly, her hands resting on some metal. Concentrating with her eyes closed, she felt heat and flames pulse from her palms against the metal.

"Careful..." whispered Irina.

"Hai..." Ember felt only a twinge of the heat she was pouring forth, as she worked on melting the metal keeping her caged.

"I hope this works..." said Irina quietly.

"Hai, I do too.." Ember replied quietly, her eyes open as she watched to see whether it would work or not.