The Main Story [Pinnacle Arc]

[Lexielai]

Lady Kandosii

The matriarch politely accepted Aiden’s card, but passed it onto the hands of a nearby butler. She didn’t intend to assassinate anyone else, at least not in the near future.


When the man took his leave, she was left alone with the Alicia. The Blue Pegasus mage was apologetic, regretful that Alistair managed to escape with the key ring. She promised to return the treasures to her, but Lady Kandosii shook her head.


“Not all is lost,” she said with a grateful smile. Within her sleeve, the silverette pulled out two golden keys of her own. “I managed to salvage these before Alistair came,” she explained, “and I know exactly where the other keys will be. You’ve done so much for us already, I could never ask you for any more.”


She motioned for Alicia to follow her out of the crumbling mansion, over to the outskirts of the property where several other mages had already arrived. From the side, a butler approached with an unconscious pink-haired girl on his back, while other servants formed a formation by the exit. @Kanra23 @The Servant @Infinities Lover @Newtype[/size]

 

[Nekoni]

Dakora Aura

It felt like only a second before her vision faded to black, every muscle and nerve in her body grew limp and heavy as stone. Dakora eventually thought she had died ad mist the roaring battle, hearing only occasional blimps and hums of sound in the deep magic induced sleep. But she knew she hadn't- Aryll didn't come to meet her.


The Pinkette felt her body moving, rustling beneath as the butler carried her out of the rubble of a mansion. "...? ...."


Dakora fluttered her golden eyes, body groggy, and still heavy like it was filled with lead. It was hard to finally stir, but the commotion ultimately served as her wake-up call.


“I am grateful for the support you have given us in these hard times. The effort each of you have provided is nothing short of outstanding. But your battle is now over. We’ll handle the rebuilding and reconstruction efforts. Feel free to return to your homes now that your services are complete. As for your compensation…”


Immediately she raised her head, light pink hair curling around her cheeks messily, jaw dropping as the realization set in "... it's over?" for a moment of two she just gaped, regretful, and upset. Dakora had missed all the action and adventure of the mission. Her hands flew up in an irritable plight of pulling free from the helpful butler, Dakora tapped his shoulder "Excuse me, thank you for carrying me, but I can walk now." the girl said politely. The butler nodded with understanding, but after the first step the mage fell flat straight into the ground. Dakora shook her head and rolled back onto her her feet again in embarrassment, gravity didn't agree with sleepy people.


"We will be transferring a hundred thousand Jewels to every mage who has assisted in our plight. For those of you in guilds, your payment will be distributed to your guild in one weeks time,”


The mage stumbled, almost falling again 100,000 jewels, 100,000 JEWELS. She shook her head rapidly, not believing that she had participated enough to partake in the...outrageously generous amount of prize money- especially since the elite her team was assigned to died because of suicide not battle. "...Dusty?" Dakora called into the crowd of mages, "Dusty where are you?" her voice called in uncertainty as she wandered into the audience of casters, unsure how the outcomes of all the battles went out.


@Refaulted @Lexielai

 

[Lucem]

The room had become a whirlpool of magical emissions, a swirling mix of blood-red and monochrome. In addition to the black that flowed from his body like ribbons of ebony, Velexus now unleashed the accompanying glow of ivory. Such a pairing was quite the coincidence, opposing colors brought together within the same space.


Despite their apparent Guild relations that he had discovered in the early time of his arrival, Qrow had been unaware of the Fairy's abilities. Now, the fog in his mind had been somewhat lifted, exposed to the radiant beams released by the silverette, contrasting his own manifestation of power. If the hue was anything to go by, it was likely that Velexus utilized Light Magic or spells closely related to said type.


If he was correct in his assumption, there was now opportunity available. While his own Magic was the polar opposite in nature, the luminous properties could be of use. With light came the darkness, or shadows, to be more precise. If used correctly, there was the potential to replenish his strength by consuming the shade cast by Velexus.


As Qrow continued to accumulate information, the following actions of his designated partner did not go unnoticed. Velexus had broken down the previously formed constructs of land and quelled magma with the force of his blade's swing. The accompanying battle cry of the armed warrior signaled the prepared motion to enter conflict, unlike his current passive state. However, the mere display of power and the shout paled in comparison to the actions of Klefa, contrasting greatly from his decision to remain idle.


Since the beast that they currently faced puffed out its metal fur and released the crimson aura, he had taken note of the Mage's state. She had been consumed by fear, the intimidation of a far superior foe injecting doubt and feelings of despair into her heart. Unlike the other two, this one was close to breaking.


The girl that had been pushed into a spiritual corner quickly rebounded from her bout of internal defeat upon hearing the words of her guildmate, actions reflecting the reversal of her emotions. With her own sword in hand, Klefa rushed at the towering enemy, her charge setting the wheels of battle into motion. It was completely and utterly foolish.


Charging at an enemy, especially one of the same caliber as Malka, was an easy way to be pushed into a fiery grave. The tactic was something he wasn't particularly fond of, as there were several variables that couldn't be accounted for by attacking head-on. However, they were lucky in this instance.


Klefa's Metal Magic and the current apparel of the Elite was a match that they had been fortunate enough to draw, despite the lack of information regarding said Raccoon. While it was unknown if the armor possessed other qualities that separated itself from the standard defensive equipment, similar to the blade of its owner, any ordinary set of the material could have been easily dealt with. In addition, Malka's behavior was another quality that kept the odds in the attacker's favor.


From what he had observed, Qrow determined that there was a level of confidence that would keep titan of steel from thinking much of the three opponents before it. Based on words alone, Humans were thought to be inferior beings to whatever creature remained hidden behind the armor. If the sense of superiority that had been displayed during its inquiries, Malka would not think much of Kelfa's intention to penetrate its defense. This was an example of the opportunity he had failed to successfully utilize in the early moments of the confrontation. They had the element of surprise once again.


That was the moment everything changed. Before the first hit could even connect, the battle had completely warped into something unexpected. There was no time to adjust to what they had been presented with, as it had been quickly replaced by something else. The very moment that the tip of that blade dove into the recipient's chestplate and parted the sturdy material the surface of water, it was no longer the same.


For a fraction of a second, perhaps even shorter, Qrow's sharp gaze captured the sight of the metal cocoon peeling away from the being at its core. It was all that his eyes could see before they were overwhelmed by the bright flash that encompassed the entirety of the open space. The scarlet waves produced previously were pitiful in comparison to the sea of red that now hunted down his form, crashing into his body with unparalleled force.


In truth, he had several options to keep his feet planted to the floor that threatened to give way from Malka's mere presence. He could have remained affixed to the ground and withstood the onslaught of the violent torrent, going against the rapids that would attempt to disrupt his balance and force him away into the current. However, he didn't. Qrow did not resist and allowed his body to be cast into the air for the second time since the conflict began.


There was no point in fighting the elevation of his form. Any attempt would have been a waste of energy, leaving him with less of a valuable resource in a battle between Mages. A mere moment of floating through the air consumed by the vermillion typhoon would not have detrimental effects.


His body turned through the air in a similar fashion to the singular flip of a coin, falling back to the abandoned ground when the motion had ended. The pursuing winds of rage pushed against against him as they slowly began to settle, bangs making their presence known as they swayed between each individual eye like a pendulum, mimicking the tail of his coat that remained victim to what had sent him into the air as little more than a ragdoll. Like his once airborne body, both raven hair and the veil of black would fall back into their immobile state when the force began to die.


Although the pressure had lost its imposing presence that weighed down on the gathered forces, the tainted cloud of aura remained. It would drift outward, encompassing the entire area in a similar manner to the mass of land that had once obstructed the scene from view, all to be seen but a mere vortex of cerise. Just like the magma that poured from the tips of those very creations, the heat returned to aggravate the pale skin of the Dragon Slayer.


Qrow watched the scene with unblinking eyes, focusing on the center of the barrier that now kept them locked within Malka's crimson cage. No figure stood out from the dense atmosphere, but its presence was enough to determine where the opponent stood. Then, the obstruction began to dissipate, leaving him with the ability to properly identify his assigned enemy. However, the foe he had once been exposed to was no longer there.


When all was clear, Qrow inspected every inch of the creature in front of him. The once imposing figure of Malka had been altered drastically, key features standing apart from what he had viewed prior to the initial attack. Rather than the body of sharp and imposing metal, golden skin replaced the shine of protective steel, no longer a simple walking suit of armor. The deep glow of the scarlet eyes hidden behind the protective shell of the helm was now absent, the shared iris of he and Malka now a tawny shade, rather than the former deep red. The remnants of the serrated attire could be seen covering portions of its arms and legs, the body wrapped by the dominating presence of the coat adorned by patches of dark fur.


Qrow already knew that the apparent woman was not of the same race, but he had not been certain of its true nature. Now, it was clear. Atop the head of carmine hair that flowed like the roaring embers that had risen from the pits of the volcanic surface, a set of large, furred ears of matching tint scanned for any trace of audio. The coloring was consistent even in the tails equivalent in size to his own body, only set apart by the tips of pure, snow white.


Despite the grand reveal of what Malka truly was, Qrow remained inexpressive and had not moved since his flight had come to an end. The race or gender of the opponent was inconsequential, making no unwanted mark on his thoughts. It did not matter who or what she happened to be, the patterns of his mind never affected. Right now, he was only focused on analyzing these recent changes and working them them into a strategy that he would use to adapt to the new circumstances.


Gaze shifting to the sphere of blades kept in Malka's hand, Qrow suspected the item to be what remained of the suit of armor that was now absent from her body. If this was correct, it was important to keep a close watch on the edged ball. Its removal had been almost instantaneous, meaning that there was the possibility of equipping taking the same amount of time. If that was the case, the constant shift would be troublesome, requiring two separate methods of attack.


Scanning the entirety of Malka's body, Qrow identified both positives and negatives to this new form. With the suit being removed, defense would have been lessened, allowing for more destructive hits. However, making contact would likely be difficult with her slimmer figure. Although she had displayed great speed when his earlier attack had been deflected, the reduced weight allowed for swifter movements. The addition of the four tails at her back was also an object of concern, creating more targets that would require equal attention. While this form was possibly weaker in defensive capability than the former, evasion and speed were now an issue.


In the midst of his analysis, Qrow's attention was capture by Malka's voice, having lost its characteristically deep, resounding volume. The pitch was now higher, tone softer to match the voice that was no longer contained by the mouthpiece. Along with the change in the manner she spoke, Malka's behavior differed from the formal behemoth that once sat at its throne.


Released between the sharpened teeth and pointed canines, her words sank into Qrow's ears. The comment pertaining to Klefa's actions came coupled with yet another negative statement about Humans, yet it seemed different from the inferred feelings of superiority. Those sentences appeared to contain deeper meaning, accented by a look of both fury and annoyance. There were many ways to interpret what had been said, ranging from simple anger to what resembled betrayal. However, the thoughts did not sit with him for very long. They did not matter.


The white tips that resembled winter mountains began to melt as fire took their place. The flames grew bright alongside the caster's eyes, glowing with what he assumed to be rage. The rhetorical question and derogatory set of words regarding Humans only seemed to support this. In truth, Qrow did not care much for conflict. He would have been fine with a situation that lacked hostility, provided that the matter was resolved quickly. However, he was aware that the battle was unavoidable, the interests of both parties involved clashing far too much to end in a peaceful resolution.


Resembling the fox-like appearance of the enemy Mage, the flames pounced at each of the three Fairies, intent on burning their precious wings. In a matter of seconds, the projectiles had reached his body, the heat closing in. There were several options available to deal with the threat, the versatile shadows surrounding his body like a soothing cloak begging to be used. The swarm of darkness went ignored, opting for a simpler method to avoid the burning beams.


Following his decision to avoid the use of Magic earlier, Qrow waited until the final seconds before impact would be made. The overwhelming sensation was more intense than ever, face filled with far more than simple warmth. It threatened to consume him, yet he remained still, calm as ever. Then, at the very moment that the tip would have lit his entire body aflame, he shifted his body to the side with the slightest of movements, the angle allowing each fired flame to pass with no room left to even inch to the side.


Qrow would not waste Magic, as using it would have been unnecessary. His keen instincts were superior to that of most, able to react in short time with several constraints. Physiology aside, he had spent a great deal of time honing his reflexes and making up for any shortcomings that prevented his body from keeping up with heightened senses.


Before he could decide on the proper course of action, Qrow could feel increasing temperatures from behind, greater than those released by the barrier created by Malka's aura. Alarms furiously ringing in his mind, he quickly moved to the side, unaware of what was currently in pursuit. However, he hadn't been fast enough to dodge as he had before, a blast of fire grazing his cheek, burning the surface of his skin. There was little time to reflect on what had just occurred, the projectiles returning to envelop the entirety of his body.


Forced to continuously avoid the consuming embers, he remained in constant motion. It took little to discover that the spell was of the homing variety, following the target until contact was made. Simply dodging would no longer be suitable, now needing a method of bringing the flames to an end.


The young man would soon cease the rapid movements of evasion, now entering what appeared to be a set pattern. The scene was reminiscent to a waltz, the hazards chasing at the ends of his feet placing the dance within the setting of Hell. With each step, a burn would be made harder to avoid, attempting to limit any injuries to the grazing of flesh. Despite the swirling vortex, he remained in a constant state of calm.


For a moment, the dance ended, the performer making one final movement. He had set the stage for the sparks to release, the intention of properly positioning his body met. The flames were meant to follow his every motion, leading him to evade until they would collide into one another and dissipate. Capitalizing on the this, his body would vanish from the physical world.


Qrow was no longer standing in the dome of blazing red, the final traces of his form merging into a black puddle on the ground. From here, he would wait to see what resulted from his attempts at extinguishing the spell pursuing him. Doing so hadn't been necessary, able to sink into the shadows from the beginning, but it wasn't for nothing.


He didn't intend to waste time or energy, needing to determine if the fire produced by Malka was capable of canceling itself out. If so, another option would be available for dealing with the following spells. In the case that this experiment did not produce favorable results, the flames would crash into the empty space that he had once occupied.


(@Kai&\#039;zen Makaira @Thesmashbro )

 

[Archdemon]

Aiden the Reaper and Drake the Ironman


Aiden was a bit surprised when lady Kandosii had said that every Mage would receive 100,000 Jewels. This was the largest amount of payment for a contract that he has ever done! He was honestly speechless, he smiled as he was handed the duffle bag and right at that moment he had forgotten about the clue that he received. "Hold on for a minute! Before you kick me out let me give you something Lady Kandosii..." He walked up to the woman and pulled out the clue and gave it to her "Your friend Alistair left me a clue on where he'll appear next, if you figure it out give me a call I've got a score to settle with that bastard......" And with that he left the mansion and went towards Drake who was petting his Wolf Ammy. "Hey Drake! Mind if I come with you?" Drake nodded and together they went to a cafe that wasn't destroyed or damaged and had a nice conversation with some coffee. They had exchanged stories, Drake about why he had hated Lennix and Aiden about his past. Aiden introduced Xeno and the rest of the time they were talking. They left the cafe and each of them booked a hotel room so that they can stay the night before leaving by train. They both went their seep rate ways, Drake went off into the market area to buy some metal ingots and Aiden went off to walk around town and observe some landmarks and to sight see.


((To anyone who wishes to interact with Drake and/or Aiden this will be your only chance!))


@Lexielai

 

[Thesmashbro]

Klefa was knocked back by Malka's explosion of crimson aura. She was able to land on her feet and skidded to a stop before she reached the edge of the barrier. The metal plate that used to be Malka's armor was now completely absorbed into Klefa's sword, which was further manipulated to form the sharp edge of the sword. She figured that Mlaka's armor would be harder than the metal in her sword. Looking around, she could hardly see anything around her through the aura. What she could see, however, was that she landed near the backpack full of weapons she had brought in earlier. She picked up the bag and was about to use her metal magic but she was interrupted by Malka's voice.


Looking at the source of the voice, Klefa could see Malka's true appearance. Being a woman herself, Klefa didn't find the gender reveal all that surprising. No one wore full body armor like that unless they were hiding something. What really shook her up was what she said. They were the rude ones?! She was the one who barged in here and sat down like she owned the place! Klefa was about to point this out, but that was when Malka shot the fire blasts at everyone. Klefa instinctively threw her backpack of weapons at the fire to intercept it. Immediately after the backpack exploded, she used her metal magic to bend the swords that flew out and molded them into her sword. She then molded the entire sword into a 10-foot katana lined with the metal of Malka's armor. She had enough extra metal to create armor that went down from her right shoulder to her right hand. "I... I don't want to fight." she said as she gripped her altered sword.


"Quit talking to me as if I were my father. He liked to fight others. He would start disputes just so he could draw blood from someone. I never liked that. I trained in combat only so I could stop my father. That's also why I'm fighting right now. You're telling us that we don't have to resort to violence, but that's not the case. If I told you where they were, you'd go after them and people would get hurt. If I didn't tell you where they were, you'd try and beat it out of all of us and people would get hurt." Klefa raised her sword into a combat position. "I don't want my friends to get hurt! That's why I'm fighting! I know that if I don't stop you here, you'll move on to the rest of my friends. I know that if you fight them you'll lose, but I also know that if you fight them, you could take out some of them. I can't allow that! I won't let you--or anyone--hurt my friends! Now stand down or I will be forced to hurt you!"

 

[Hellkite]

Alicia quirked an eyebrow when Lady Kandosii stopped her.


"A special reward?" She questioned, her eyes studying the inlaid box that the maid had produced. She nodded in recognition of Kandosii's thanks, trying to withhold a pleased smile.


"Thank you, Lady Kandosii, I'm glad to have been of help." Alicia inclined her head to the other woman. "Its been a pleasure, both working with you and staying in Pinnacle."


Alicia threw an uneasy glance at the shattered mansion, knowing that Pinnacle would have to be rebuilt after the devastation it had endured. Turning back to Kandosii, Alicia found the maid offering the chest to her. As Lady Kandosii explained, Alicia's mouth slowly dropped open, eyes widening. She accepted the chest with reverence.


"An unpublished Heartfilia novel..." Alicia opened the lid of the chest by a fraction, peering at the leather-bound book nestled inside. Finally, she dragged her eyes from the novel to look at Kandosii.


"Thank you, Lady Kandosii, this is an honor." Alicia clutched the chest tightly. "I'll take good care of it, I promise! Of course I've read all of Heartfilia's other works, but this..." Alicia trailed off, still stunned by the gift, but delighted.


"Thank you." She said simply.


At that moment she made a split-second decision.


"Lady Kandosii, about the money you awarded us Mages." Alicia paused for a moment, choosing her words with care.


"I am of course hugely grateful to you, but I wouldn't know what to do with a hundred thousand Jewels. This book," She indicated the chest she held. "Is payment enough."


Alicia gave Kandosii a decisive look.


"I'd like to donate my share of the reward to rebuilding Pinnacle. When I write my next novel, I think I'll do it here, so when I come back I'd like to see the town returned to its former glory."


She glanced towards the cluster of Mages, searching for an Blue Pegasus faces. Now that the Raccoon affair was over, she was looking forwards to time spend relaxing with her Guild-mates.

 

[shadowdude505]

Kyoya let out a sigh as Lady Kandosii explained that the mission was over. There weren't many reasons for him to stay. He'd receive his payment through the Raven Tail guild and Dark Wizard activity had gone done. He looked over at Dakora. He was glad she was OK, but she seemed to preoccupied with Dusty to leave at this time. He wondered where his other guildmates were, but he figured he'd see them back at the guild hall.


Kyoya entered his shadow and headed toward the port. His disappearance from the mages around Kandosii was sudden, they probably didn't even know he had been there. The Shadow of Raventail got onto a boat and headed back home; scowling toward Pinnacle as the boat left port.


Like a shadow Kyoya has vanished from the scene, but he shall reappear whenever dark wizards strike again.

 

[Archdemon]

Soon Drake and Aiden had seen everything the town had to offer and nobody went to go see them so they decided to part ways. Drake having bought some metal food had left by ship and went to his old mansion to do some rebuilding. It shouldn't take too long to rebuild since the nearby town who were friends of the spiral family decided to help. Aiden just left the city into the forest and was on the road again. Xeno was quite a traveling companion with many things to say about the battle at pinnacle, some were about good choices that he made and most were mistakes that he made and how to avoid them...


((Aiden and Drake have left pinnacle, sorry for those who wanted to interact with them))

 

[Lexielai]

Malka, Elite 1st

The fires collided with one another into a burst of light. While Qrow sunk into the shadows, his pursuing embers merged together into a larger flame twice the size of the originals. The mass of magical energy hung in the air for a moment, just above Qrow’s shadow, before it suddenly exploded into a blast of fire.


An incredible heat overwhelmed everything within a 5-meter radius, melting it down to sludge or burning it to ashes. This flare of magic disrupted the abilities of all the mages within Malka’s dome as a side effect and temporarily unsettled their control for a brief moment. In that time their Magic would be rendered null for a short second by the energy discharge; among its effects would include bringing Qrow out of his shadow and cancelling Velexus’ angelic abilities.


Malka retained her irritated scowl. She moved towards Klefa, her tails sashaying to and fro carefreely.


“I ‘would go after them and people would get hurt’?” she asked dubiously. “What basis do you have to make such a claim? Your judgement is flawed. If it is any consolation, I have no intention of ‘moving on to your friends,’ as you put it. Neither did I have a personal vendetta against you.”


The woman pointed towards Klefa with her free hand. She said, “However, you have broken a code of honor. That is unacceptable. For that, you will be punished.”


Malka disappeared from sight. Not into a blur or anything of the sort. She just vanished, as if she was never there.


Klefa would feel the rough edges of a sharp ball striking her abdomen an instant after, faster than her eyes could see that would send her careening off to the scalding red barrier at the side. While she might be capable of mitigating the damage from Malka’s metal sphere, she would not be able to stop the bone crushing force of the redhead's attack, strong enough to create a massive purple bruise across her entire stomach. If Klefa didn’t act fast, she would also be on the receiving end of severe burns across her back.


The others would not be spared either. Velexus would feel a steel-like appendage wrap around his neck and slam him headfirst into the floor, again before he could see or react to what was going on. It was possible for him to lessen the blunt force, but he would be unable to prevent his bruised throat from suffering damage. The first appendage released its hold, but it would soon be followed up by another vice-grip on Velexus’ legs that threw him up into the air and smashed him a second time into the ground.


Neither Velexus nor Klefa would be able to see Malka in the single second she executed both moves, and even Qrow would only be able to glimpse a tiny red blur. Still, if he survived the initial fireblast, the Dragon Slayer would soon get his turn on the beatdown list. Malka reappeared by Qrow’s side, just barely visible for a fraction of a second, when her tails lashed out at him.


If he was in his shadow, or attempted to use it right then, her tails would hit the shadow on the floor at four points on his torso. However, despite avoiding the physical force, Qrow would feel an intense burning along his body corresponding to the points on his shadow that Malka’s tail was pinning, and that it was also excruciatingly difficult to move from his current position.


If not, four tails would repeatedly bash Qrow with four consecutive blows, each powerful enough to break a boulder on its own, before the woman disappeared.


Malka showed up once again back where she started, in between the throne and the mages. There were no signs she had ever fought at all. She was just as pristine as she was at the beginning.


“Hmmm,” she said, amused. Malka’s lip curved into a fanged smirk. “It looks like a guest is coming to crash our party.”


All of a sudden, a man-sized portion of the red barrier disappeared. The hole rapidly grew until it consumed the entirety of Malka’s dome in seconds. At the precipice of it, a man was walking towards the battle. A big cowboy hat shadowed his features, but silver hair peeked out from under the leather covering. He held a smoking magnum in one hand, and the handle of a sleek missile launcher slung across his shoulder in the other.


Speaking of which, said barreled weapon launched a swarm of missiles at the woman. They exploded into dozens of small blasts and threw up a cloud of grey smoke at her position. When the smoke dissipated, Malka stood outscathed with her hands on her hips.


She turned towards the man, bowing her head, and looked towards the other mages. “It appears I must depart now. Keep that armor, girl” she said. “It’s of no use to me now. Pray we do not meet again.”


After that, Malka vanished into another red blur. The cowboy-hatted man sighed. His weapons glowed white before disappearing out of sight while he adjusted the rim of his hat. He approached the three mages with his face lit by the sunlight; it was A'den, the Sheriff of Pinnacle.


“You guys okay?” he asked, offering a hand to Velexus. “I came as fast as I could. I hope she didn’t seriously injure any of you, did she?”




@Kai&\#039;zen Makaira

Malka has now departed from Pinnacle. You're going to need a lot more backup if you see her again.

​

 

[Lucem]

As he camped within the security offered by darkness, the blazing threat loomed overhead. Like oxygen to the very flame, it would grow into a merger of magical energy, each ember that licked off from the radiating sphere of heat foreboding the torrent that was soon to consume all. Stationary, it appeared almost hesitant, as if the flares would not rise. However, it was then that the concentration of Ethernano, given life in the form of fire, would release its docile nature and explode with unprecedented destruction.


Nothing was left to even catch flame, all reduced to cinders or what one would find within a museum of wax, all materials and constructs left to melt like the surface of a worn candle. Its crimson wings expanded all across the damaged space, barriers only distinguishable by the runes kept in place. Despite the threat of meeting the same fate as the objects that surrounded him, he did not falter.


Even if mere cobwebs were to be vaporized, he saw the opportunity that these flames presented. By using any and all shade cast by the luminous trait of the spell, he would be able to avoid with great speed as he traversed the expansive shadow, swift movements allowing for a number of possible counters to the once armor-clad opponent. However, no matter how much of his element would extend its reach across what had once been distinguishable as a ballroom, nothing could prepare him for what was about to occur.


Forcibly ejected from his two-domensional shield as if the doors of an aircraft had been opened to suck all passengers into the sky it traversed, Qrow found himself in the physical realm once more. Never before had he come across a Fire Mage with the potential to disturb the abilities of another, its nullification properties similar to that of Wave Magic. It was only for a second, a minuscule amount of time, but that very instant was more than enough.


No longer did the soothing caress of black cover his pale flesh, casting aside all that sought to harm him. The overwhelming heat threatened to submerge him into the depths of a reversed ocean, the pit of magma that had once kept explosions at bay. At any moment, there was the potential to burst aflame, only to be extinguished like a wick that no longer served its purpose. All odds were against him in this encompassing, crimson dome, yet the reflection in his eye did not cause him to even so much as blink. Qrow would never lose composure, not even under life-threatening circumstances.


With the brief time that separated his body from being faced with severe burns, he used this opportunity to this best of his ability, both physical and mental reflexes being sent into overdrive. Gripping the edge of the coat that shielded his body from the elements, the age-old garment would be put to the test as it wrapped around his form like an ebony cocoon, replacing the dark forces that could not aid him in this trying moment. Doing its best to keep the flames at bay, he could witness the holes burning into the material, torn ends being made deeper as tiny sparks consumed the fabric.


Ignoring the stings that marked his skin from the blazing trails that bypassed the coat, he concentrated on putting all of his focus into feeling for the wisps of blackened smoke that had momentarily vanished from his being. Upon firmly grasping what he had sought, the Dragon Slayer darted away from the rise of blazing waves that were intent on using his body as kindling. Vanishing once more into the dark depths, he distanced himself with great speed, exiting the sable arrow that had been shot afar when the flicker of life began to die in its ferocity.


As he momentarily hovered in the air, waiting for the force of gravity to take over and aid his descent, mismatched eyes scanned for the being responsible for the recent destruction. Vision supported by his sense of hearing, the fox-like entity entered his sights within moments. However, moments were all that he had.


Her calls seemed to vibrate, similar to the sound of a train that would zoom by one's ear. The sheer speed displayed deformed the creature's calls, yet he was still able to distinguish words, along with glances of her physical form. She spoke of honor following her dismissal of any claims that fellow members of Fairy Tail would be hunted like lambs to the slaughter. Now more than ever, she resembled a warrior, one whose code of honor had been violated by something beneath it. Humans, in this case, seemed to be what was beneath the no longer existent metal boot.


As each Fairy fell prey to the fox, wings being torn with teeth of serrated steel, Qrow could only see the damaged surface of what had once been the mansion floor. Malka's body was no longer identifiable, only a blur of cerise viable in his corresponding eye. Soon, that blur would be at his very side, heat trailing over his skin once more.


Forced to rely on the flaring sensations and perceived afterimages alone, Qrow gave up on his body of flesh and became one with the shadows once again, remaining suspended within he air, Malka's actions having transpired before he could even hit the ground. As each vermillion tail would pierce the charcoal veil, holes in the mist would be left to represent where those saber-like appendages would have sunk into his chest. He had narrowly escaped death, instincts managing to keep him from crossing into the next plane of existence, but he would still be left to burn in the depths of Hell.


While no physical damage had been delivered, Qrow could feel his nonexistent insides flare with pain, as if each organ threatened to be incinerated. The savage inferno seemed to only grow in intensity with each passing second, the reality being that nowhere near that amount of time had transpired. His blood tuned to lava and all else was molten rock that encouraged the thermal bath to rise. It was one of the most excruciating pains he had ever felt, being burned to death from the inside.


As he continued to be exposed to the radiating sun within his body, Qrow could feel the flame of his life growing dimmer. He could have been extinguished at that very moment, left to pass on into nothingness. However, one thought, translated into the vivid images of his memory, kept the pain at bay.


While the inhuman aura of Malka had caused familiarity to awaken memories of his past that he still could not envision, the unnatural flames did succeed in bringing one he did remember to light. During the year where everything had changed, preceding his third life as the S-Class Mage of a Guild he loathed being affiliated with, he had experienced far greater burns than this. The searing of his flesh, each tip of heated iron marking him with the permanent symbol that would follow him throughout this new life, had carved itself into his very soul. Was the fire of a mere collimation of fur going to succeed where the other heat had failed? No. Malka's flames were nothing but lukewarm in comparison to the brand that marked his death as a Human.


Gritting invisible teeth, the shadow that acted as his arms and legs contoured, flowing like a black river as it drifted passed the open spaces between each tail. Malka was now completely open to attack, a chance which would not present itself again. He did not have time to waste and so he would use what had been concealed during this fight to prevent said time from being wasted, something he greatly disliked.


As his physical body began to slowly present itself, beating down the roaring embers that insisted on attaching themselves to his body, his arm began to drift to the depths of what was left of his coat. He had still yet to use that. If he used that, he would be on equal terms with Malka, if not greater on the plane of strength, able to match her extra set of pointed blades that protruded from her body. However, that would never see the light, never once removed from its holding place.


Contrasting every expression he had maintained for several years, eyes opened wide with shock, diverting from their intended target. This did not have to do with the condition of the fallen Faeries or the persisting heat that threatened to carve him open with a blade of fire. No, what had caused him to act in such a great contradiction of character was what had appeared on his own body, flames consuming the bandages wrapped around the surface of his left arm.


It didn't take long for Qrow to realize his mistake, but the same could be said for the attack he had ignored in favor of the recent development. He tried his best to block the incoming blow, but that one careless mistake had cost him greatly. The arm that he had raised in an effort to divert the pain did little to comfort the blunt force, akin to a wooden born being chipped away by great force. The combined strikes of the four tails elicited a resounded crack, bone giving way to the superior impact, bending as it was unable to serve as an impromptu shield. The quadruple streams of burning tails sent him flying in the new direction of his arm, left to crash into what was left of melted marble.


Eyes twitching, his vision struggled to see through the impairing haze, along with the combined rubble and dust. Despite numerous obstacles, the parting of the scarlet dome did not escape his struggling gaze, nose left to inhale through the dust to distinguish the traces of an active firearm. The scent went hand-in-hand with the thunderous emissions from the impacting swarm of missiles. Regardless of his dazed state, he knew that such an attack would not be enough to defeat Malka. Then, along with that thought, she vanished. No traces of her presence in the form of odor or the tingling sensation of the red aura, she was simply gone.


He had forgotten the existence of the sun overhead, but the rays cast upon the new arrival reminded him of the amount of time that had passed since his arrival within the city of Pinnacle. However, this person's existence did not even remotely register. Right now, something far more pressing captured his attention.


Remembering what had led to his current state, eyes darted to his left arm, still covered in residual flames. Frantically extinguishing the remainder of said spell, as if the bandages were a precious piece of art that threatened to burn, he ignored all else. When it seemed as if each ember had left the white surface, his heart was able to rest easy.


Eyes inspecting the blackened, wrapped strips, it was not the bandages themselves that had evoked such a reaction from him. Trailing over the outline that stood out from within its thinned bindings, Qrow carefully examined for any sign that the object kept concealed by the medical coverings had been damaged. Thankfully, there were none.


Upon the safety of the item being confirmed, all recently displayed expressions vanished, replaced by his usual absence of any discernible emotion that could be remotely described as positive. Rubble falling off from his body alongside gray ash, he found an odd sensation emanating from his right arm. Observing its bent position, Qrow attempted to flex the body part, but to no avail. It was completely numb.


Gripping the appendage with the opposite arm, the young man forcibly gripped the broken one and snapped it back into place, resulting in an unsettling pop. Following the setting, he attempted to move once again, finding more success, but with the numbness remaining. It tingled up his side, as if it was in deep sleep. It was uncomfortable, to say the least.


Reaching into the now stained pants, Qrow removed an extra roll of bandages from the depths of his pocket, flicking the end aside with his thumb. Rolling the spare gauze around his damaged arm, the end was left to be torn by his sharp canines. It wouldn't perform nearly as well as a cast, but the makeshift carrier would have to do.


Lips shifting from side to side, his left cheek would expand slightly before flattening in one quick motion. Flying from his mouth, a fair amount of blood was left to be spit onto what was left of the floor. Despite the red liquid exiting, he could still taste the metallic flavor that remained on his tongue.


Once his injuries were tended to as best as they could, Qrow's gaze briefly fell upon the new arrival. If memory served him correctly, which it did in most cases, this was the appointed sheriff of Pinnacle, the mentioned son of the Kandosii matriarch. Before turning his head away, he would take note of the vanishing traces of light that signaled the removal of his weaponry. He utilized Guns Magic, from what was observable. That marked when he finally ended his examination. Qrow was never a fan of that particular Magic.


Ignoring the question directed towards he and the fallen Mages, he would do the same to his aforementioned guildmates, their condition never once being an object of concern. Right now, he was focused on the aftermath of this battle, if one could call it that. Despite the destruction that surrounded them and the injuries they had been dealt, he found the results to be in their favor.


The fact that A'den was here meant that he and his sister had been successfully retrieved from the Raccoon Alliance. While the status of the vault remained unknown, either result was inconsequential. He was not interested in the petty squabbles between bloodlines, the potential loss of a few stolen artifacts not being of much importance. His goal was to prevent as much damage from befalling the citizens as possible, the defeat or retreat of the enemy both achieving this. By keeping Malka at bay, no matter for how long, this aided the defense of Pinnacle. In the end, all major objectives had been accomplished.


The status of the other Kandosii child and her mother was unknown, but it as safe to assume that the former had been claimed as well. The safety of the latter did not matter much in terms of the success of the mission, but there was a slight desire to see a specific result at her hand if she happened to survive. Taking all of this into account, Qrow briefly looked up to the open sky. It was time for him to leave.

 

[Thesmashbro]

Klefa laid against a crude, metal construct near the edge of the barrier. Malka's attack came too quickly to react to, but she was able to manipulate the metal in her sword to create something to stop her from getting burnt by the arena. Utterly defeated, she was in too much pain to move and was losing consciousness. She cursed to herself that she wasn't able to beat Malka. She had tried to be on the moral high ground, but did that really matter? If she had spent less time trying to convince Malka that she was right and held nothing back, then maybe... she would've... killed...


Klefa is now unconscious.


-----


Blake looked out to the sea as his ship sailed away from Pinnacle. He knew better than to stick around with those monsters, especially since he ruined that guy's hat. Well, technically it was the guy he was fighting who ruined the hat, but that monster would probably blame him for not protecting it. Either way, Blake didn't stick around long enough to find out. He is a wanderer, after all. It was at that moment that he realized that the person who gathered the others there would have probably offered him the same payment as everyone else. "...Well ****."


Blake has left the story.

 

[Lexielai]

Fairy Tail: A New Beginning

Pinnacle Arc - Resolution

​

A’den crossed the distance to Velexus and Klefa, briefly checking each of their injuries himself before slinging them across his shoulders. The sheriff nodded towards Qrow and tilted his head towards the outskirts of the property, where he soon travelled to.


Placing both mages down on the grassy lawn, A’den allowed a few paramedics and healers to start examining them. Meanwhile he sat next to a prone, sleeping blond. She was wrapped up in bandages like a mummy, but slept peacefully. He gently stroked her soft, golden hair with a smile.


“She’s really grown up, don’t you think?”


“I do,” A’den replied. He didn’t need to look behind him to know his mother’s voice.


A lavender figure kneeled beside him. Lady Kandosii placed her palm against Vaiya’s forehead, tenderly brushing away a stray lock of hair.


Her eyes reached up to meet his own. “What will you do now?” she asked.


“Rebuild, first of all. Pick us back up. Then...well, I’ll need to think about that,” the sheriff answered. His eyes wandered over to the nearby mages, some jubilant and others pragmatically preparing to depart. A pause emerged between mother and son while A’den's calculative gaze made its conclusions. Moments later, he smirked.


“I guess guilds are sort of useful after all, aren’t they?” he said slowly, like he was speaking an unfamiliar foreign language. “They were willing to help us out, even if we only shunned and lied to them before. Maybe they aren’t so bad after all. Maybe, it’s not that guilds are bad. An organization of mages—friends—working together to live and learn...that’s not what’s at fault. It’s how you use that concentrated power that matters.”


The Kandosii matriarch smiled. She laid a hand on his shoulder, and affirmed it, “You might be right, A’den. I was waiting for when you would realize that.”


The sheriff stood. “In that case, I’ve matured once again. Are you going to give me a new toy like last time, mom?” he teased, adjusting the rim of his hat. Lady Kandosii similarly rose, bemused.


“I wouldn’t get your hopes up, hun. You’re old enough to pay for your own toys now. Ask your girlfriend, if anything.”


A’den snorted. “No time for girls when you’re the only sheriff in town,” he said. “Every time there’s a problem, I’ve gotta fix it.”


Lady Kandosii returned to a dignified pose, hands held within the sleeves of her kimono. “You might want some help then,” she suggested.


“I might,” the sheriff’s lips curled upwards. “How does Silver Phoenix sound to you?”


“It’s an interesting choice; why that one?” the silverette replied.


A’den gestured out towards Pinnacle, burning and crumbling below the cliffside their mansion resided upon, but resiliently standing firm. “Silver, the color of illumination. Our guide to the future as we change directions for the better. And from the ashes of the old, we are born anew, like the phoenix. Combined, it seems appropriate, no?” he explained.


Lady Kandosii didn’t fall for it. “You just want an excuse to name your guild after your favorite fairy tale, don’t you?”


Tilting the cowboy hat to shadow the grin across his face, A’den remarked, “Of course not. I’m a far more mature, cultured, and poetic person than that.”


“Then show me,” Lady Kandosii said. She turned to leave. “Take Pinnacle, son, and build it back up from the ground. This time, it will be up to you.”


A’den raised his eyebrow. “And where will you be going?” he inquired.


“I hear there’s promising opportunities for business in international trade. Besides, several foreign companies seemed to have been acquired by a new owner recently. I, of course, would love to see them for myself,” she said.


The sheriff maintained his smile. “In that case, I look forward to showing you Pinnacle when you come back.”

Meanwhile...



​

The wind had stopped blowing. Stroking his groomed, white beard, Alistair spoke, “Welcome back, Malka.”


The tailed woman sauntered towards him, carefully examining her manicured nails. “Nothing like some good betrayal to start the day, don’t you think?” she questioned, a sharp edge cutting the distance between them.


Alistair’s placid smile did not waver. “Oh, whatever do you mean? Did one of the guildlings do something?”


Malka’s eyes flipped into red slits, fanged canines revealed from her lips. “Don’t play coy, Alistair,” she warned, and her tails waved dangerously through the air.


“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for your turn with the keys, Malka,” the Raccoon Alliance’s Leader’s eyes sharpened into a harsh gaze.


“Mmmn, that was in the agreement, wasn’t it? Although, I don’t recall our agreement involving you abandoning me and fleeing with them for yourself.”


Alistair tensed. “Too late,” he said, flaring a brief burst of Magic through his body. “Speed Magi-”


He gasped. The gathered Magic dissipating out into the air while his concentration broke and he froze in disbelief, shocked.. Slowly, his eyes wandered down his body, where a tail speared out from his chest cavity. Red blood streamed out of the wound, the sharp white-tipped tail now dripping with life’s liquid. He felt Malka’s burning breath on his neck, her sharp nails pressing against his throat like claws. Alistair’s eyes closed.


“Should’ve never trusted a Kitsune bitch,” he said, for the last time before pointed fingers sliced his head off.


Malka dispassionately watched the decapitated body crumple, her tail withdrawing from the dead man. She knelt down to pick up a golden keyring within his hand. Blood flowed out into a puddle around him, but she quickly pried it out of his grip before it would be stained.


The fox woman chuckled. “So, 'Kitsune bitch?' That’s no way to call a lady,” she scolded, waving her finger back and forth at Alistair’s corpse. She made a fanged smirk. “I’m just a lonely woman trying to get back home,” she said, and disappeared.

The next day…



​

“Really? Wow…”


“Yeah,” A’den said. “We found Alistair’s body just outside Pinnacle. I have no idea what killed him, but it’s really not that big a deal. Kind of a blessing really.”


Vaiya crossed her arms and scrunched her face in thought. “But it’s just so…,” she paused for a moment, "...weird! Besides, I wanted to get back at him for all that crap he did to us, but I didn’t really want him to die. I thought we were going to put him in prison or something.”


“We’ll keep on a lookout for his killer,” he said. “I’ve sent a letter to each guild and person that helped in the defense, so maybe they’ll be able to find something out.”


He picked up a couple of large luggages and slid them into the cargo compartment of the train. Vaiya similarly tried to pick one up, but soon dropped it when her strength failed her. A’den quickly caught both her and the baggage in an instant, setting her down onto the red velvet seat while stuffing the bag into the compartment for her.


“You’ve gotta be more careful,” he admonished. “You’re still weak from, uh, whatever you did with that Celestial Spirit. Are you sure you’re ready to travel?”


Vaiya pouted. “Yeah,” she said, “I can do it. Just believe in me, Onii-chan. I’m a big girl now.”


A’den raised an eyebrow, but smiled warmly. He affectionately ruffled her hair, to her mild annoyance, and said, “You are, little sis. I’m just worried you’re going to trip over your own feet without your bro to watch you.”


She indignantly slapped his hand away. “Shut up!” Vaiya yelled, smiling.


“Anyways, you sure you want to go to Fairy Tail? I heard Sabertooth and Lamia Scale were way stronger,” A’den said, now locking the compartment shut.


“Well, I remember Lucy was a part of Fairy Tail. Maybe it’s just in our blood,” she guessed with a shrug.


A’den rolled his eyes. “That’s not even a good argument,” he said.


“Whatever,” the blond replied. She reached out and hugged A’den, receiving one in return. “I’ll miss you,” she said, softly.


“So will I,” A’den agreed. They remained that way for about half a minute, up until the train announcements began to play.


“See you later, alligator,” they both said, simultaneously. They laughed, and A’den began making his way off. He gave one last wave and a tip of his hat before he departed, while Vaiya giggled and returned the wave in response.


Soon the train began to move, and Vaiya leaned against the plush seating with her eyes closed. She was tired, and needed rest, but still excited. This was the start of a new adventure. Vaiya repeated that thought in her mind, mulling over it one more time.


Fairy Tail.

• Legend

• "A'den Kandosii"
  
  
  "Lady Kandosii"
  
  
  "Alistair"
  
  
  "Malka"
  
  
  "Vaiya Kandosii"
  
  
  

The Pinnacle Arc is OVER. Pack your bags fellas, it's time to head home!

​