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Sophie would like it on the record that, when she accepted the job, she didn't know that the Librarian had to do so much bloody politics. She could be out healing the sick, like Natan in his day. She would love to be out healing the sick. Instead, she's in one of the innumerable studies of Hush House, searching for a book for Hokobald, even though she wishes dearly that she could toss him out on his shiny arse. She doesn't mind helping out Yvette, or Arun, or really most of the others. It's just Hokobald in particular who should really go fuck himself. But it is her duty to remain strictly neutral, and she takes that duty seriously. So she'll find his damned book, and watch like a hawk while he reads it. And should he happen to violate that neutrality himself, well, she might have a few things in her pockets to introduce him to. (Swaddled Thunder isn't casual to make, nor the Rubywise Ruin in case of violence. But she's made them enough to feel they're replaceable, at least.)
Luto, sword still drawn, starts stepping backward, making sure Sophie is retreating behind her.
(She visibly relaxes, as the skeletons appear. Nothing to fear, here.)
Once they're both well clear, she glances up at Ridaya.
Ridaya sighs. It's never fun to see a scene like this.
Mindless undead aren't people, but they were, once. Now they're just - souls being tortured, fuel for the sick (and lazy! magical constructs exist!) desires of whoever created them.
But at least those souls go to rest when the undead are destroyed, the magic that binding them to the material unravelling.
And it's not hard to destroy skeletons, even if there's a lot of them and they have fancy armor.
Black Tentacles.
Sophie's seen Ridaya cast spells before, and some of them have done some quite impressive things, but none of them have really been anything like this.
Large, rubbery, jet-black tentacles emerge from the ground in a massive area, filling the entire corridor in front of them, so dense that each of the skeletons is surrounded in seconds.
They don't have eyes, or for that matter any other sensory organs. They don't appear to need to.
Every single skeleton is engulfed by tentacles, restrained, and slammed into the ground, repeatedly.
The slamming sounds of the bodies hitting the ground are muffled by the sand. The horrible snapping and cracking of shattered bones, however, are very audible.
It's an overwhelming wall of noise, and a horrific sight to see.
But it doesn't last long.
Ridaya dismisses the spell once the last of the skeletons collapses, and floats in the direction of the debris, her eyes glowing again. "Ah, no problem. I only have one more of those for the day, but it's a very useful spell. Especially when Luto is right about skeletons."
Luto notices the pause, and remembers a lot of stories of Sophie's past, none of which seemed to involve any adventuring... "Are you okay?"
"...it was, um, intimidating. To suddenly face so many foes. But I'm alright."
Ridaya floats back over. "We'll keep you safe," she says. "Luto especially. I have years of experience hiding behind her in fights."
A small smile. "I should make myself more appetizing, then, so that she can put up with me too."
"Oh, no need to worry," Luto says nonchalantly, "I never mind when it's someone prettier than me."
Sophie freezes in place for a moment.
(In what universe is she more attractive than – irrelevant! Completely irrelevant!)
She's never actually worked out what to do when anyone flirts with her. Coquille has done it for her own amusement, eliciting fierce blushing; that obnoxious Grail-long, who seems to delight in her sharp retorts; once, Reverend Timothy, who tried after to pretend it had never happened, with her enthusiastic cooperation.
Maybe she can get away with that??
"We should get a move on," she says brightly. "Can't get bogged down by a few skeletons."
(Then she takes a look at Sophie and manages to stifle it.) "Give me a few moments? I want to finish checking the debris."
Her eyes glow again and she flies off towards the far end of the room, picking carefully through the pile of debris before grabbing one of the weapons. "Huh. this one's decently magical."
She slides it into the bag. "Anything interesting, Luto?"
Sophie will busy herself looking for Stuff. There's... a pile of mostly broken earthenware behind this pillar! Exciting! She rummages a bit, and comes up with a stoppered flask that still has a generous slosh of liquid in it.
She lifts it, evaluating. "Does this seem more likely to be some kind of magical elixir, or wine long since turned to vinegar?" she wonders aloud.
Ridaya floats over, staring at it interestedly for a bit. "Definitely magic! Can I see?"
Ridaya stares at it curiously, swirls it around, stares some more, and then nods, handing it back to her.
"Potion of cure serious wounds," she says with satisfaction. "These are handy."
"Oh, very good. I can supplement the Rubywise... which is important, because I have just realized that I can't make more Rubywise without some kind of flower. Any flower will do, at home I'd just pick a rose from the gardens, but." Vague gesture at sandy tomb.