Flame roared through the air to no avail, fading to a few sparks and a hiss as it neared the chaos creature. Celeste grit her teeth in frustration. No matter what she tried, fire or ice, lightning or wind, the creature had weathered it like rain on oilcloth. Even the shield she had tried to place about Dugald and his men had crumbled at a touch of the swirling rainbow aura.<br/><br/><em>If I can't solve the riddle of it, I'll be forever at this thing's mercy,</em>she thought grimly. Even worse, Taldor's armies relied heavily upon wizards for support. If these creatures existed in numbers as Maia had implied, an invasion could prove devastating, for they had not the forces to otherwise withstand an assault.<br/><br/>The guards had surrounded the second creature, chopping off bits and pieces as they cornered it against a wall. Maia stood alone against the other, so graceful that Celeste could only watch, entranced by the flow of footwork and staff. But the spell was broken when the other woman gasped in pain and dropped the weapon.<br/><br/>She could not stand helplessly and watch, not when Maia, armed only with a staff as well, fought fearlessly. And so she rushed forward to help, striking with staff instead of spell. A solid hit between two of the creature's eyes sent it reeling, but that hardly compared to what Maia did bare-handed. The force of the woman's attacks crumpled flesh and shattered what lay beneath, and when she was done the creature lay scattered across the cobblestones, eyes staring blankly, mouths uttering their last shrieks and moans.<br/><br/>Winded, Celeste leaned heavily on her staff. She noted how blood dripped from a cut along Maia's arm, and how her skin near the injury seemed discolored. "You're hurt," she murmured in concern. "I have-"<br/><br/>A horrible scream sent a chill down her spine. Turning, she saw that the guards had finished off the second creature, but one of them, a dark haired youth named Malhar, had fallen to his knees. And not out of choice, for his right leg was changing even as she watched, growing bulbous and festering.<br/><br/>Dugald was crouched behind him, protectively holding his shoulders as he moaned and thrashed about. "Can't you do something?" he shouted. "Someone, help him!"<br/><br/>Celeste could feel herself paling. "Can it be cured?" she asked Maia, fearing the answer.<br/>