Nix made her way towards the church. Lately she had been taking on quite a few requests back to back, and today was no different. Her current request involved dealing with a supposed demon that was corrupting citizens visiting the church. As she drew closer to the church, she could hear the organist playing a slow melody. Nix stopped just outside of the church and looked up at its architecture. She sneered slightly then scoffed and walked inside. The inside of the church was relatively empty aside from the organist and another man near the altar. She approached the altar, where the man stood reading calmly from a bible. Nix made the assumption that he was the client.
"Am I right in assuming that you're Father Jennings?" She asked and folded her arms just below her breasts. The man looked at her with a gentle smile and nodded while closing his bible.
"You are correct, miss. Are you here in response to the request?" He asked as he took a step towards her. Nix tilted her head slightly then looked away, inspecting the rest of the church.
"That's correct, my name is Nix. That's enough formalities, we have business to discuss. Is there somewhere less public?" She asked as she focused her attention on Father Jennings once again. Father Jennings nodded in agreement.
"Yes, of course, my office is just beyond that door. Please, follow me." He said as he lead her to the office, opening the door and sitting down behind his desk. "So then...I assume you will be able to take on this problem without incident?" He asked curiously. Nix gave him a look of mild irritation and began to speak but stopped when she picked up on a dark magic presence within the church. Nix narrowed her eyes slightly and looked back over her shoulder towards the office's door. "Is there something wrong, Miss Nix?" Father Jennings asked curiously. Nix glanced back at him then got up from her seat and moved towards the door.
"Stay here and meditate, I'll return momentarily." She remarked sarcastically then headed back out into the church. Upon reaching the main area, Nix found several people aimlessly wandering around the church. She folded her arms and looked at the random people. "Well now....this is interesting....just what are you people up to?" She asked with no real particular interest. The citizen closest to her turned his gaze on her, revealing that his eyes were glazed over and dull. The man then began to shuffle towards her. Nix looked at him with passing interest before looking away again. "You seem much too dimwitted to have been the one responsible for that presence I felt. Why don't you be a good boy and go get your master, hm?" She waved him off while looking around the rest of the church. The man finally reached Nix and made a feral lunge towards her. Nix took a step back from him while grinning in amusement while shaking a finger at him. [color=#330066]"Ah, ah, ah! Now now, sweetheart, let's not get ahead of ourselves. You're not worth my time so go find someone who is....or perhaps I will go find them myself." Nix said as she completely disregarded the man and moved towards the altar.
"That won't be necessary, I have seen all that I need to see." A voice echoed through the church. Nix glanced around absently then leaned back against a nearby pew while folding her arms. The area near the altar began to dark then a black mass formed atop the altar. A humanoid shape formed from within the darkness before forming completely into the dark mage responsible for what was happening in the church. Nix cocked an eyebrow in light amusement.
"Oh my, quite the flashy entrance, shadow boy. And just what are you trying to accomplish here in the church? Is this your idea of fun?" She asked smartly while standing upright. The dark mage turned his gaze away from her and towards one of the citizens idling in the church.
"Fun? No...this is about conquest. People of faith are the easiest to corrupt. Once I have finished here, I will move on to the rest of the city, and then the next. I will continue to enslave the minds of all until Fiore is under my control. But first...." He paused while pointing one hand and Nix and the other at the citizens in the church. Magic seals appear in front of both hands then give off a brief flash. Each of the five people within the church immediately turn their attention on Nix and begin to move towards her. Nix glanced around at the people indifferently then let out a low sigh. A magic seal flashed out from the ground beneath her then a vortex of icy mist and ice crystals formed up around her. She pointed her hands towards the small group on her right. The mist began to condense into three shards then she sent them flying at the group. The shards connected, encasing the group in thick ice. She then turned towards the final two, who were in front of the altar with the dark mage. The vortex around her grew thicker then she pointed her hand towards them, expelling the magic through her shield towards the dark mage and two people. Large barbs of ice formed up from the ground and rushed at the three of them. The two normal people were caught instantly and frozen solid, but the dark mage managed to dodge the barbs at the last second. Nix folded her arms again and looked at the dark mage in amusement.
"Well now, it looks like you can be quick on your feet. But..." She paused as the vortex renewed. She pressed her hands together as she gathered her magic again. Violet ice encased her hands as the magic increased. She then split her hands part and slammed them to the ground, causing a magic seal to flash out beneath her. A second seal appeared beneath the dark mage then large spires of ice sprouted up around the dark mage. The dark mage glanced up at the pillars briefly then scoffed, jumping backwards and out of the ring of spires.
"How incompetent do you believe me to be? Did you really expect me to..."
"Think again!" Nix cut in as she shifted her hands slightly, causing the spires to retract into the ground then sprout up again around the dark mage's new position. He was immediately caught off-guard as the spires closed in on him. As the spires crumbled away after impact, the dark mage was revealed to be still standing, though just barely. Nix smirked slightly then pointed her hands at the dark mage again. The vortex once again grew thicker then she forced the ice towards him in a frontal cone, once again sending barbs of ice rushing at him. The barbs smashed into him, knocking him off of his feet and encasing him in ice up to his neck. Nix let out a dissatisfied grunt then headed back towards Father Jennings' office. She pushed open the door then gestured for him to get up. "Come with me, I found who's responsible." She said then turned away and headed back out without waiting for him to answer. Father Jennings looked at her in slight surprise then stood up and followed after her. Upon seeing all of the ice and the aftermath of Nix' brief battle with the dark mage, his mouth dropped open in surprise.
"Good heavens....is this all from you, Miss Nix?" He asked in awe. Nix glanced around at the ice indifferently then moved towards where the dark mage had fell.
"The majority of it, but here's the one you should really be worried about." She said while nudging the dark mage with her foot. Father Jennings made his way towards the frozen mage.
"So then...this is the one who was corrupting the patrons in the church?" He asked while adjusting his glasses and taking a closer look.
"He is, now then....regarding payment?" Nix asked as she turned towards him. Father Jennings, who had been focused entirely on the frozen mage, shook out of his daze and looked at Nix.
"Ah yes, of course. As agreed, here is your payment, Miss Nix. You have the church's deepest gratitude." Father Jennings replied as he removed a sizable money pouch from within his robes and handed it to Nix while bowing courteously. Nix looked at him evenly then took the pouch and turned away.
"Truthfully I don't need the church's gratitude, I was only here for the Jewels." She replied curtly then left the church, heading back towards her guild.
-REQUEST COMPLETE-