The Wastelands

*A lone lavender feline runs across the blood-stained sands, black boots pounding into the ground rapidly, as if she's being chased by invisible monsters. However, a few paces more and she skids to a halt, unleashing a blast of lightning to the sky, and suddenly many beings in cloaks varying from the colors of red, brown, blue, and white, punctuated by a lone black cloak, supposedly a leader, suddenly appear out of nowhere and encircle the mobian like a trap.

The girl unleashes another blast of lightning, this time in a controlled ring that expands towards them, but the cloaked beings all clap the ground with the circle they've formed, and energy hums in the air, an eerie green circle rising suddenly and absorbing the lightning. The man in the black cloak and blank white mask steps forward.*

Man Cloaked in Black: My dear Mana, I can only wonder what is going in that strange mind of yours. Why would you intentionally draw us out, I don't quite understand. You know the power we have.
Mana: *glaring and constantly shifting her stance to keep a watch over the others behind her, but keeps her eyes trained on the leader in a strange way* Maybe I'm tired of running and want to finish this. You and your stupid group of Descendants have been abusing magicians for far too long, Set.
Set: Hmm... But it's strange.

*the Descendants suddenly take a synchronized step inwards, startling Mana and a flicker of fear shows on her face, to which she quickly hides behind an angry look at Set in vain*

Set: *chuckles in a twisted manner* You fear us, yet you challenge us.
Mana: (angrily) I am not afraid of you!
Set: But aren't you? *his eyes flicker red, to which Mana quickly yelps and looks away, and he laughs again* You flinch at the mere chance that I might inflict those visions upon you once again.
Mana: I-I'm being practical...
Set: Is that what we're calling it?

*suddenly, the Descendants light up a circle of fire, the flames easily over ten feet, making a wall of fire*

Mana: *pales and starts to hyperventilate, unable to control her fear any longer*
Set: *looks around, not affected by the fire at all* By the way, my dear, where is that little cockroach you deem your partner? Your knight in shining armor? I'm sure he's near somewhere.

: Insightful. I guess anybody can reach "Black Cloak" status now....
*Despite the high-rising flames, outnumbered assailants, and the fear-assaulted friend that stands surrounded, the orange leporidae simply stands to Set's side, just beyond his immediate field of view. His arms stayed crossed, and he seems almost unconcerned with the opponent he so closely taunts with his presence*

Mana: *relief is obviously shown by her countenance, and it seems she's trying to swallow her fears* Whip...
Set: *doesn't turn to include the rabbit in his vision* So the hero arrives at the scene. I suppose you're here to make well on your earlier promise?
Mana: *unleashs electricity that catches several Descendants off guard (mostly the ones in red cloaks) and knocks them unconscious* We're here to put an end to this cat and mouse game.
Set: *chuckles* Oh, your word choice amuses me greatly, dear Mana. So you two believe you could ambush us. Seven against two? You're outnumbered.
Mana: Not outmatched.
Set: And you're willing to risk your life on that idea? *chuckles* Very well. We'll have you in our grasps once again, and this time, your magic will belong to us, just as your family's already does.
Mana: Bastard! *flies at Set, her hands charged with electricity*
Set: *eyes flash red and suddenly Mana drops, screaming* How shameful. So easily downed by a weak memory of phantom pain.

*In a flash, Whip finds Mana's side*
Whip: Mana!
*He kneels to her side quickly and offers her whatever help he can*

Mana: *grits her teeth* Stay out of my MIND! *sends a shock into the ground that attacks and shocks anyone connected to the ground, excluding Whip*

*Set and a few of his Proteges manage to dodge the attack, but the Descendants that are conscious are dwindled down to four*
Set: *looks distastefully at his downed men* Pathetic. (to the survivors) I hope you'll prove a little more useful.

*one Protege brandishes a rapier and charges the duo*

Mana: *her gaze seems blank as she attempts to look at Whip with her brown eyes that are muddled by a red glow* I can't see yet...!

Whip: Don't worry.
*Whip stands up slowly, watching the incoming Protege unflinchingly*
Whip: There's not much to see.
*In one motion, he reaches for a slender wooden training katana, and in the next, he appears on the other side of the Protege, Bokken complete unsheathed and a large trail of dust following his invisible path through the Protege*

Protege: *suddenly sways, clutching his or her stomach in pain, but nonetheless maintains his or her ground, charging at Whip again, this time with rapier aglow*

*the other two Proteges surround Mana, but the girl seems to sense or hear the movement and attempts to electrocute them*
Mana: Stay away!
Descendants: *simultaneously raise shields and one of them creates a bind around Mana using the sand below them*
Mana: *releases more electricity, turning the sand to glass and shatters it, and she charges towards them with fists filled of energy*

*Whip spins around with force and strikes at the rapier diagonally*

Protege: *manages a fluid dodge and slashes upward in the air, releasing a wave of energy to fly at Whip*

Descendants: *both cast some type of spell, and Mana's movement is suddenly halted*
Mana: *although her body is more or less frozen, her eyes are able widen in shock, a red glow still clouding her vision* ...!
Descendants: *the duo makes use of their bought time and quickly place a black bracelet that holds some sort of eerie blue jewel on Mana's wrist, which seems to sap the energy in her hands away*
Mana: Nnn...! *her eyes close in pain from the bracelets*
Set: I had warned you, my dear Mana. You are outmatched.

*Whip swiftly sidesteps the energy burst, and upon sidestepping, sees Mana's entrapment. His eyes furrow and his grip on his bokken tightens. In a burst of energy, he leaves the air behind him in a vacuum, ripping his weapon through his own velocity and taking a swing at Set himself*

Set: *manages a dodge from Whip's anticipated attack and locks eyes with the rabbit* Fool. *his eyes flash red, and Whip's mind is filled with a horrifying scene of him failing to protect Mana from a fatal attack, one that almost seems to parallel a common memory of Whip's that is so often burdened by guilt*

*Whip's breathing becomes harsh and coarse as the scene plays through. His grip on the bokken fails, as do his knees, and he falls, holding his head with one hand and clutching the air with a visceral grip in the other. He seems almost paralyzed by the vision*
Whip: No......

Mana: No! *both spells that were previously inflicted on her have either timed out or been overcome, and, to the Descendants and her own surprise, is able to draw up energy that forms electricity and she unleashes it on her captors and on Set*
Descendants: *both fall victim to the surprise attack and are quickly left unconscious or paralyzed on the ground*
Protege: *takes the hit for Set and follows suit in his or her comrades condition*
*with all six Descendants downed, the flames die out, leaving black sand or glass around the group*
Mana: *quickly runs to Whip* Whip, snap out of it! It's an illusion, don't listen to it...!
Set: Tch... *dusts off his cloak and makes his way towards the two* Troublesome vermin... Why can you not simply accept your fate?
Mana: Stay away! *creates an electric shield around her partner and herself* Whip, can you hear me?
Set: You of all people should realize the first illusion is the strongest. And even after experiencing one, the rest will always be painful and will always haunt you, even in your sleep.
Mana: Shut up! *cradles Whip* He's stronger than I am. *glares at Set and the electric shield creates tendrils of extensions that chase after Set*
Set: *glides with easy gestures to dodge the electricity, but does seem occupied by them*
Mana: *looks back at Whip* C'mon... Shake it off, Whip! I'm right here!

*Whip's eyes keep veiled by a red mist, though upon Mana's touch, he reaches for her right arm despite his lack of sight*
Whip: .....
*His breathing calms, and his eyes shut. He moves from Mana's arms to his own feet, eyes never opening, and through the slightest head movement, signals a silent "thank you" to her. The way his brows are creased, he clearly hasn't stopped hearing the vision. He kicks up his bokken to his hand with amazing dexterity*
Whip: ....Are you okay?

Mana: *nods, but realizes he might not be able to see it, so she voices her condition* Yeah. I'm fine. It's... nothing I haven't seen. How abou- *suddenly gasps in pain and is sent flying out of the shield, which quickly dissipates*
Set: *has unleashed a rock tendril to counteract Mana's lightning and force his way through the mobians' shield, resulting in Mana's new injury* Interesting how well your magic continues to work, despite our inhibitor. *despite the injuries he has sustained from the feline's magic, he smiles cruelly* You definitely possess a lot of talent, dear Mana.

Whip: Mana!
*Unable to see where she'd been thrown to, Whip instead readies his blade towards the source of Set's voice*
Whip: I won't let you hurt her anymore!
*He makes a break for Set, blind but still on the proper track*

Set: *unsheathes a sword from his side and meets to intercept Whip's strike with the intention of cutting his bokken in half*

*Hearing the sharp sound of metal being released from a sheathe, Whip reacts quickly by hopping over Set, his momentum carrying him far over the Descendant's head, and he jams his bokken into the ground on the other side to halt his progression, and then charging with the training sword in hand again*

Set: Is that your only ability?! *unleashes a series of strikes at Whip*

*thunder is heard above, but Set pays it no mind*

*Whip matches the swings, heavily relying on their sounds through the air, and by redirecting the blows instead of blocking, his bokken only loses chips and bits. However, one awry swing finds its way into Whip's chest, grazing a spot that, for his reaction, seems more critical than it should have been. He pulls out of the battle, clutching the wounded spot and beginning to blink the red from his eyes. His heavy breathing seems both out of character and leaves him speechless*

Set: *slowly makes his way towards Whip, swinging his sword from side to side* Hmph. Truly pathetic. Not long ago you bested me and promised to kill me the next time we met. You boasted of your superiority. But obviously, you were only following a simple delusion. *suddenly releases a kick to Whip's already wounded chest that sends the rabbit to the floor, to which Set adds insult to injury and stomps on Whip's chest, holding him there* You thought that I had been at my strongest at that time. And you were wrong. *increases the pressure slightly* You thought that I was weak and you were strong. And you were wrong. *increases the pressure even more, drawing blood from his cut* You thought you could protect your precious partner from us. *readies his sword* And that, you little rat, is where you are most wrong.

*suddenly, Set is tackled off Whip by a streak of electric blue, and a thunderous boom echos throughout the sky*

Set: ...!
Mana: Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! *releases the electricity around her and channels it all into Set, letting the voltage do its damage*
Set: *is sent flying further with electricity crackling all across his body and damaging him greatly, until he falls to the ground*
Mana: *electricity is still crackling around her energy and her eyes glow with a faint light that matches the electricity* You're wrong.

*Faintly capable of moving, Whip nonetheless forces himself off of his back and onto his side, arms limply laid ahead of himself. The wound bleeds profusely, though he takes no measures to stop it, and instead begins surveying around for Mana. His vision still blurs, though he catches sight of the enraged feline's presence and can barely emit the most silent of voice*
Whip: Mana....

Mana: *looks back at Whip with a determined expression* Sorry Whip. I know you wanted your turn to beat the crap out of this asshole, but I'm finishing him off now.
Set: *suddenly bursts out laughing-- or rather, full out cackling with what sounds like insanity-- and the Leader of the Descendants gets to his feet slowly with erratic movements, not unlike a rag doll* My my, Mana! What power! *the pristine white mask that had set so proudly was cracked, and as he stood up fully, part of the mask fell, revealing chaotic viridian eyes and an insane grin that stretches his face in a disturbing manner* How cruel of you to not share it with the less fortunate! When you do not even worthy to wield that power in the FIRST PLACE!!!

*Set rushes forward with his sword trailing behind him, and upon his wrist, the black bracelet not unlike the ones Mana has been forced to wear suddenly glows brightly and channels red energy down to the sword, to which it becomes enveloped by flames*

Mana: *although fear stirs in her chest, she grits her teeth in anger at the man* My parents... My sister... My partner...

*the thunderous sounds heard earlier are closer and much more louder than before, and the air begins to crackle with energy and smell of ozone*

Mana: You've hurt me, my family, everyone I love, Set! *raises her hands, and the thunder and lightning above respond to her movements* GO BACK TO HELL!!!

*Mana slashes her hands through her hair forcefully, and lightning strikes Set. A chilling screech pierces the air and the Leader's now decimated form crumples to the ground*

Mana: *narrows her eyes at the corpse* ...Monster.

*Whip, driven by complete worry for Mana, fights to get to his feet. Refusing to allow himself to even appear weakened, he walks as normally as possible as he can to Mana, only a short limp in every other step even hinting that he was hurt in any way. That and the still-bleeding wound on his chest, made worse by the now-deceased Descendant. He ignores this to move towards Mana, instead giving a worried tone to her*
Whip: Mana.... Are you.... okay?