The Wasteland

The Wasteland is the third round in The Intense Struggle.

Description
The Wasteland is a barren desert. It is part of a world which built more and more advanced weapons until they finally destroyed themselves. The island on which the desert is situated is the largest landmass left on this world. Some of the weapons that wreaked devestation on the world are still here to be used by the competitors. Also some kind of unpleasant creature lives underneath the desert sands, ready to consume the contestants. Further unpleasant creatures might be found in the water that surrounds the island, if the competitors were inclined to find out.

Events
B, feeling guilty for his actions, flees to a distant laboratory. Aph collapses and when she awakes the magic from the mist of The Misty Swamp has become part of her. This change in attitude causes the others to believe that she is The Monitor's shapeshifting spy. She attacks the others, and then tries to get some time on her own. B smashes some stuff in a replica (?) of the laboratory he grew up in and the explosion sends him flying through the air, crashing into Aph allowing the others to subdue her.

Aegis goes off on his own and finds some kind of remote activation weapon. D'Neya investigates a nearby building. Inside a vision of the past is being played out, powered by D'Neyas own magic. She finds a giant vat designed to drain mana. Drake Eon (Amethyst's Gentleman from GBI) made stuff explode. Clara, B and Larus took Aph into the building so they could interrogate her. Larus gets targeted by a giant succulent that lives beneath the sands. Everyone gets seperated and Aph's interrogation goes wrong because of the mana draining vat.

Aegis breaks the vat, which pulls Aph to it and causes her to absorb all the mana, allowing her control of her powers but stripping away her control. She goes to attack Aegis but before she can do so Larus is eaten by the ravenous succulent.