Fantasy Four Suits Volume 3: Shadows Of War

[LazyDaze]

XIXIX VALENTINE

X sighed as he made his way to the meeting place. Everyone should have been leaving by now, so this was the optimal time to “greet” those who weren’t there. At the very least they couldn’t accuse him of not showing up even though it was probably a certainty that they would probably be pissed off about it. Well, there was a chance that they would be too busy getting things set up to notice him. In reality, X had already done thorough planning on his own, imagining how the war will play out and thinking of possible worse case scenarios. With the limited information and time, he also attempted to think of the strengths of everyone including those that were not part of his force. He was certain there were those who contributed more (he had no complaints about those who wished to take on burdens without being asked to) but he was by no means a bystander in this entire ordeal. X groaned as he rubbed his head; if anyone find out how much mental effort he put forth into this battle his reputation would be ruined. Worst of all, they would begin heaping all of their expectations upon him. He would have to sign papers and kiss babies. Who decided that was appropriate anyway? Success doesn't mean you get to throw your germs on an unimmune creature...dumb tradition. Anyway, lack of power aside, this is part of the reason he could never be an Ace. When all else fails they just expect you to figure it out. However, you would rarely find someone stupid enough to call them out on their failures since they could yeet you out of existence. Unfortunately, they had a bunch of nut jobs in this battle…himself included. A little insubordination was to be expected.

X arrived at the room, obliviously passing a few of those who had decided to leave. He entered the room giving a nod to no one in particular just to show a bit of respect and acknowledgement. X suddenly pulled out a broken pocket watch and eyed it intently. “Hmm, they say it’s right twice a day…guess this isn’t one of those times,” X deadpanned with a shrug of the shoulders. “Man did anyone else see those fireworks? The desperation even fooled me. What a genius that guy is,” X said as he referred to Leo’s heartfelt charge as he poured himself some tea aware of how late this news must have been. “I’m heading back out because it got pretty quiet out there. Any moment now and they're sure to surrender”, he said with complete awareness of the situation. There was no other way to describe it as the hackneyed “calm before the storm” cliché. He was certain most of them knew this was the case as well, but sometimes you needed to repeat things in a bold, underlined, italicized fashion before people arrived at the proper perspective.

“...I didn't think this through," X said as he stared at his drink with the longing of a scorned lover. He made a motion as if he was going to drink through his mask, but then quickly changed his mind. ”Oh well, nothing gained nothing lost. (Bathroom breaks during war were always the worst anwyay...)" X said cheerfully as he placed his cup back down and stretched out his back. "We done here, I'm pretty sure I'm needed for something important...I think. Guess we'll cross that bridge," X said with a straight face as the latter part of his statement faded out into an uninterested yawn. The battle was going to start soon. With any hope he would be seeing all these faces at the end of it.

Anyone who wants to interact
Mention: Goonfire

 

[Kloudy]

Operation Spell-Pierce
(The Spade Kingdom - Rynhil Capital)​

Time: 0800, 21st Sept
Location: The Spade Capital
Objective: Seek and Capture

. . .


It was early morning, the chirping of finches and the call of seagulls reminded the guards that the coast was comfortably nearby. The Spade Kingdom had not seen the worst of the war, surviving the impending crusade with relatively small casualities and damages. The coast was a reassuring reminder that even if the terrible Argossian menace were to march across the kingdoms to take from them their livelihoods, there still existed a route of escape should the need to regroup and reconquer their fatherland arose. Of course, no one spoke such thoughts allowed, the first priority was to defend their walls, their cities and their capital with every breath left in their bodies. But it was a conflicting anxiety that still allowed one to hold onto hope in the face of absolute anihillation. The Argossians did not take prisoners, captives or slaves. They only killed. Burned. Erased...

A guard manning the walls of Rynhil stirred his spear to attention, shook from his thoughts as the watchmen at the gate called up to him, announcing visitors. From the looks of them, they appeared to be a fairly unorthdox collection of misfits. Or perhaps 'misfit' was the wrong word, they each had a unique feel about them in their haphazard clothing that the guard couldn't quite place. They seemed normal enough as they stopped beside the toll booth for the city, so he shrugged and returned his attention to scanning the grassy horizon for any glimpse of an approaching hostile army. One could never be too vigilant these days, between rumours of the Royal Flushe, the Argossian invasion, the Jokers and even the rise of more and more raider bands - it was impossible to maintain a peaceful life for long. Who knew what evil was creeping under your gaze, waiting for the right moment to strike?

. . .

"I want the Kingsguard with me! Gather your wits and remain vigilant."

The Captain of the Kingsguard had been tasked with defending Rynhil and its treasury from plunder and destruction. Fenros Maneshield, a fearsome rank 10 who had once been a promising contender during the Kings Tournement before the war. Since then, he had pledged himself to serve and protect the Spade Kingdom with everything he had, earning himself a high ranking position as the King's right hand man. With an overly large halberd in one hand and an imposing crested kite shield in the other, Fenros held a stoic air about him as his stony gaze swept the main hall leading to the treasury. He would personally see to it that no one could lay a hand on their precious wealth, or the beacon of the Spade's most prominent hero in history's legacy. The Deep Piercer, a legendary weapon still spoken of in stories, laid to rest within the safe holds of this treasury where none may tamper with it. It was with this responsibility that Fenros felt the most pride, his unshakeable will emanating from his presence in waves as he was certain that he was ready to die defending this relic of the past. Several guard dressed in heavy armour dotted the hall's walls, weapons sheathed but eyes sharpened.

The Kingsguard was filled with a small retinue of rank 8's, numbering 30 in total and scattered around the palace. Fenros had his own telepath on hand somewhere in the castle, in case he needed to contact reinforcements. Jason Ghens, a rank 7 telepath who, as all professional telepaths could, could send and receive messages between cities. He also possessed a second subspell, one unique to his magic school, where he could contact a group of individuals at once. Although the range was short, he was confident he could reach the majority of the Kingsguard if need be. He was their alarm system. Without him, organising a defence against intruders would prove more difficult for Fenros than necessary. But he was protected, so it the Captain felt no anxiety towards it. No matter who it was, they would face the cold steel of his blade and they would feel the righteous fury of his mana.

"For the King! For the Spade Kingdom!"

His cry was echoed in practised response from his soldiers.

vielpotato AI10100 Athanas

 

[TPBx]

Two dark robed figures appeared in a shadow portal inside the walls of Valencia. They approach a building where the shields are being channeled by several at least rank 8 mages capable of generating a city wide barrier. Guards in the vicinity notice the two mages sling spells at them, one summoning the earth beneath one of them to swallow them whole and two others using a combination of spells to sling light beams at the other robed figure. They both easily shook off the attacks and retaliated with lethal force easily incapacitating the guards. The other mages channeling the barrier realized what was going on and tried to fend for themselves but with the wave of a hand several shadow swords were summoned behind each one of the mages and thrust into them, killing them instantly. The shadowy figure put his hand on his comrade's should and reassured him, "Travis, you take care of this, I'll make sure everything goes well at the front." Then that man left in a shadow portal leaving the former King of Spades now turned servant of the Emperor to defend the shield generator from being reignited.

Outside, the shields surrounding the city of Valencia began to go down, and mortar teams and artillery surrounding the city began to bombard the mountain fortress. It would take a while for the shields to be completely down, but without the mages channeling mana into it, the barrier would eventually break. Marillys noticed this and decided that his troops would not move in until the shields were completely down against orders, having a subtle gut feeling that there was something that the Suits were planning, and he would not waste the lives of his men on a potential trap. The Emperor did not see it this way and ordered the commanders to continue their assault and march everyone in.

 

[Anaxileah]

Arimand recognized the small bow from Helmur as a sign of respect, rarely shown by him and earned through hours of planning together. He was quite surprised when the Hearts’ Royal Healer with red hands suddenly burst into the room and started to berate everyone. With a thought of Here we go again, he turned to Helmur, but his gang started talking first, spitting the most treacherous insults at Queen Mortemiah. With a glowing spark behind his eyes that only the most observant people could notice, he calmed himself again, reminding himself that any kind of outburst would be heavily frowned upon and that he had spent enough energy on berating Leolin already.

Used to Helmur’s volume of speaking, the flow of angry words coming from a literally heated man did not faze Arimand much. His regards about incompetence mirrored his own, but they couldn’t do anything about it now. Of course, Helmur’s comments regarding the Queens didn’t go unnoticed, especially the bit about the scheming Queen of Hearts. Arimand would have to deal with that later though, as there are more pressing concerns than pouring even more oil into the fire. After the quite horrifying rant show and the departure of the raiders, Mortemiah ripped her dress away, revealing her to be wearing armor underneath her dress and being completely battle-ready. Trying to process all the new and unexpected information, Arimand activated his magic for a few seconds, staying stunningly still in the entrance. After he was finished, he turned to Mortemiah, slightly perturbed and responded, “Let us leave this pointless meeting, we have a battle to win.” Quickly addressing the other royals present, he added: “I will inform the telepaths in the information center, so that they may inform all fronts, commanders and all royals on what exactly their position and task is going to be.” With a short bow, Arimand left the room, followed by Queen Mortemiah.

As they left, he stopped and spoke to the statue of a very large man in armor next to the entrance: “Bob, take the crate and follow me. We are heading to the telepaths to finally win this war.” As he spoke, the unmoving bulk of armor came to life and followed his instructions.


After the trio walked a bit and out of the direct vicinity of the meeting room into a more quiet area, Arimand stopped. Mortemiah was startled by his sudden halt, almost crashing into him as she had been behind him. With a hanging head and a worried expression, he faced Mortemiah and took a quick and deep bow. She raised a brow but remained silent at his gesture and as he spoke.

“I sincerely and earnestly apologise on behalf of commander Bellarmont. Queen Mortemiah, no one should ever be subject to these horrendous insults, especially not you.” His words were certainly unexpected, and the icy facade she had donned shifted ever so slightly, the falter in her facial expression barely distinguishable until he continued. “Your loyal and just service not only for the Spades but also my own people is truly admirable and… not something to be… slandered by...by…” The elven female placed a hand on his shoulder, the soft “Stop,” barely making it past her lips. Seeing the pain in her icy blue eyes, he stopped apologising and slowly raised his head. Her shoulders were shaking slightly, her figure slightly more hunched than normal as she recoiled from him and hugged herself, regretfully allowing a small moment of weakness before the King of Diamonds. “P-Please...” She trailed off before clearing her throat and trying not to sound as small as she felt.

“I cannot..I need to continue being the strong and faithful monarch my people need. Our people need it. I cannot crumble at a time like this, so I cannot allow it to affect me. If you...if you could please allow me a moment…” She couldn’t stop shaking, her shoulders quivering as she closed her eyes tightly and crouched on the ground, leaning against a nearby cobblestone structure. She didn’t care what it was, as long as it was sturdy enough for her to rest upon and regain her composure. Arimand was surprised at the sudden display of weakness but remained silent. She spoke softly, explaining her situation before she could be asked, though only a few knew of her history: “I’ve been through my fair share of rubbish over the years...their words had a particularly triggering effect...I’d rather not go into detail, but I have not, nor do I think I am capable of becoming fully recovered.” Her words were as delicate as she seemed, her normally long and slender figure curled up as she obscured her face. A small amount of scarring could be seen below her hairline, continuing past her top’s collar. Noticing the scars, Arimand sat down beside her. She did not react, her still form still quivering. He gave her some time to rest and himself some time to think and understand her scars; the physical as well as the mental ones. Oh, what have they done to you? he thought to himself.

“I am sure you went through a lot of hardships during your long life. And I will never fully comprehend that, but know that you are not the only one. Just earlier, I myself was rather… triggered by the airships crashing into the enemy. With them falling, I saw my plans ruined and our efforts doomed. I felt thrown back to when my kingdom was laid to waste before my very eyes and… with it, everything that I held dear.” Arimand sighed heavily, memories flooding back to him once more, memories he tried to keep away for as long as he could. At his words, she lifted her head, her eyes red around the edges and slightly puffy from crying, though no tears could be seen. “Whether or not we recover or appear weak, we are still here and alive. It is okay to show our weakness sometimes, how hard it may be. Those were wise words from my dear mother. Advice I haven’t followed at all.” She showed a small sliver of a smile at that before turning her gaze from the ground to his face. Arimand raised himself slowly, a newfound resolve and old pain clearly showing. She could see how much his past still affected him, and for the first time in what felt like decades, it seemed as though she had found a...kindred spirit. “Well then, I believe it is time to go, as hard as it may be. But I have faith in you, as do your people who stand behind you. Perhaps after this, we may find another opportunity to exchange our stories?” He stretched his hand out to Mortemiah, offering help in lifting her from the ground. She gently placed her pale, slender hand in his, the female swiftly rising from her small patch of wall into a graceful stance. “Thank you, Arimand. I appreciate your counsel, and I look forward to speaking with you after we’ve survived this upcoming mayhem.” She offered him another smile, its small variance of warmth rare on her porcelain face. He mustered a small smile in return, likewise a rare gesture. “I will take my leave, now, and get into position. Be cautious.” She spoke with something that could be interpreted as concern, perhaps, before squeezing his hand in reassurance and turning to walk away, her duty lying elsewhere for this battle. “Mortemiah, we will speak soon. Don’t die on us! Or me…” The last words hardly came out of Arimand’s mouth, resembling muttering more than anything else. Quite surprised by his own words, he turned and made his way toward the Information Center.

Addressed: Emia | Mentioned: Athanas | Status: Leaving Meeting -> Walking thru Valencia | Mood: Apologetic/Regretful/Worried -> Determined| Location: Valencia (near the walls) | Inventory: Armor of Protection, Staff of Diamonds, Heat-Resistant Robes, Iron Sword, Notebook | Notes: N/A

Addressed: Arimand | Mentioned: N/A | Status: Leaving Meeting -> Walking thru Valencia | Mood: Overwhelmed/Panicky -> Relieved/Ready | Location: Valencia (near the walls) | Inventory: 2 Main Daggers, 10 Throwing Knives, 3 Small, Hidden Daggers, Elegant Longbow w/ Quiver (x25 arrows) | Notes: N/A

Collaboration post by Anaxileah and Mechking
​

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[Mechking]

Arimand entered the information center while Bob waited outside, he then immediately headed towards the commanding officer.
“Your Diamondship” with a drop to one knee, the old man greeted him. “Rise, there is no time for formalities” Arimand commanded, instilling a sense of urgency in everyone around them. “I believe you have received the updated and finalized versions of the battleplan, commander?” “Yes, your Diamondship. Every telepath has a copy and is ready to follow your orders.” Those words were like music to Arimands ears. “Very good. Let them inform all Royals, generals, and commanders that they are to mobilize immediately! With that order, let them know their exact position, role and the entirety of the plan. I want everyone to be fully informed, there have been too many miscommunications already!”

“When they are done, the telepaths are to take their positions at the side of their assigned royal, general or commander. You yourself are to follow me and to keep me constantly updated.” “As you wish, your Diamondship” With a mental message from the officer, every telepath broadcasted the orders directly into the minds of everyone necessary.


As Arimand left the building and headed into position, he allowed the officer inside of his mind for direct messages.
„I will need all the information we have from our spotters about the enemy!“
“The Argossiands are positioning very aggressively, something seems off about it. As if… as if our shields would be going down, your Diamondship?”
“Why would they think the shields are going down so soon?”
As soon as he finished that sentence, the shields began to crumble.
“Oh, that is why...”
After a short pause, he begins to curse under his breath.
“Why aren’t the shields being sustained? I need troops to investigate!”


Arimand approaches a group of high ranking mages, as they were heading towards the front. “You there! I command you to investigate the shield generators! Take 20 golems with you and move immediately!” he shouts at them and they hurry to follow their orders.

Before taking his position, he orders a low ranking telepath to follow the investigation team. They are to update the telepath commander, and by extension him, on what is going on.

 

[Mechking]

The Plan (WIP)

Creation: Helmur and Arimand got bored.


Battleplan:

Phase 1: front line slowly falling back (three-line system)
As soon as the frontline falls back from the second line, phase 2 will be initiated (?)


Phase 2: William will teleport 60k troops behind the enemy frontlines
Simultaneously the paratroopers will engage
Frontline will charge forward


Phase 3: attack them from underground, as they are being pushed back



Three line system: front trenches filled with traps (incendiary, poisonous, etc)
Minefield between the front trenches and the secondary trenches
Second trench, outer layers of the destroyed city (outskirts) w lots of rubble
Third line: inner city (?)



Traps: 100m between them, magical leyline illusion magic cast along several paths where there are no traps, back to the city/backline/secondary trenches
Only mana-sensitives can detect them (or minor cloaking spell on the leyline-illusion)
If it is weak enough, only suits-military can see it


Backstabbing surprise attack: stationed in the city, they will be teleported behind the enemy army by William. They will then attack their supply line and push them back towards the front line.



Airforces: Engaging with the surprise attack. Dropping paratroopers, golems and with detonation magic enchanted mana stones.



Underground forces: as soon as the enemy is getting pushed back from behind, they will burst from the escape tunnels and disrupt the enemy.




Troops:

standing and retinues are all fully trained and well equipped
levies are semi-trained and semi-equipped
conscripts are basically farmers


Standing army:

55k In, 22k Ar, 33k Ca


Retinues:

40k In, 16k Ar, 24k Ca


Levies:

150k In, 60k Ar, 90k Ca


Conscripts:

330k infantry



Total: (820k)

575k In, 98k Ar, 147k Ca

+ 2k In golems



Distribution of troops:


Front line:

Maximum amount of healers and shields so as to survive the onslaught

Standing army (51k):
24k In, 10k Ar, 17k Ca

Levies:
150k In, 60k Ar, 90k Ca

Conscripts:
330k infantry


Archers in the mountains:

20k, 5k in 4 troops. (1 commander plus 1 telepath)
2 troops on either side
20k Archers

Standing army:
10k Ar

Personal retinues:
10k Ar


60k in the city, to be teleported:

Personal retinues (59k):
34k In, 5k Ar, 20k Ca
+ 1k golem In


50k in the tunnels:

Personal retinues (11k):
6k In, 1k Ar, 4k Ca


Standing army (39k):
21k In, 2k Ar, 16k Ca


Backline + Air-force:

Golem army and all the airships we have
1k Golem In (~200 air + 800 backline)


Distribution of generals/nobles:

A general can command a maximum of 10k troops
Every general has 1 telepath with them

80-200 (max) generals plus an equal amount of telepaths



Distribution of royals:

Front line:

Helmur(acting commander), Guin, Syra, Ara, Typhus, Celastrina, Alaric, Twig,


Archers in the mountains (?):



In the city, to be teleported:

X, Maxwell, Alexandra, Nouvel, Gwyn, Emia(Mortemiah), Jack of Spades, Alhmus, Lloyd


In the tunnels:

Seria


Backline + Air-force:

William(AA/Artillery), Arimand(Armor buster/AA), Leo(paradropper), Chesh(para), Iris(runner), Vivi (air repair), Kaiden (Airship commander)

 

[Goonfire]

Ahlmus Thorn

As Ahlmus watched the battle from up-high, a fast-moving projectile caught his eye. With a flash, an Argossian artillery shell pierced the weakening shield. Ahlmus immediately lunged out of the way, the shell exploding near his old seat. His breathing was shallow and erratic as he recovered from the scare. When his mind started functioning normally, he realized the shell penetrated because the shield device was failing. He needed to warn the abjurers. At the fastest possible pace, the half-elf rushed across the makeshift bridges and ramps joining the rooftops of Valencia.

Ahlmus had a bird’s-eye view of the square in which the abjurers should be working. They were all dead, it seemed. Standing over them was the former King of Spades, alive again and more treacherous than ever before. The sight of the saboteur and his cloaked cohort filled Ahlmus with rage. Easing forward, he began his own assault by picking up a brick and whipping it at Travis. Following the throw, he hurled insults at the top of his lungs, for all nearby to hear. “YOU WHORE OF THE EMPEROR! I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR STAY IN HELL FOR THIS!” He then ducked away to relocate to a new rooftop—a classic guerrilla tactic. Along the way, he picked up a couple more bricks; they wouldn’t be enough, but that did little to deter the fiery time mage.

TPBx

 

[Xanto]

Kaiden Alderidge​

Drown out the noise from all the warfare. Look anywhere but beyond Valencia's barriers. Then for a moment, everything would be at peace. It wouldn't be hard to follow a light breeze as it blew across a field of swaying grass. It wouldn't be a challenge to spot a man sitting upon a hill scribbling in a journal amidst a war. His quill moved rather quickly as if his hands struggled to catch up with the thoughts running through his mind. On the surface, it looked like a commanding officer was writing his final message before battle. However, within that book was content far from feelings. Hidden between the uneven lines were means of saving people's lives or even ending them. Flip. The young alchemist turned a new page in his book, mentally translating his encrypted code of recent potential potion combinations that came to mind. He would experiment with them once the battle ended . . . if they won.

BOOM! Kaiden diverted his attention to the dangerous sky in time for a sky steed's explosion to reflect in his eyes. Right, battle. His hand closed the compact book before smoothly sliding it into a hidden pocket. Much more urgent matters were just outside these barriers. Kaiden didn't forget it. As of now, he and his crew contemplated for a few minutes in the calm before the storm. Everything on behalf of his airship was already prepared. The paratroopers were conditioned, and the mana stones were being loaded in. Kaiden merely awaited royal orders in addition to a mage's progress report. With a few more moments to spare, the Hearts Commander coolly leaned against the tree looking unfazed by the metal scraps falling from the sky. He studied airstrikes over the past few weeks, noting enemy aircraft maneuvers to the point of familiarization with speeds and ammunition. After all, these sky steeds were his airship's airborne rivals.

It didn't take long for looming shadows to corrupt the peaceful landscape, clearly drawing Kaiden's attention upward. This time, his eyes reflected airships soaring overhead. Canon after canon soon bombarded their shoddy fleet that simply couldn't fight back. Unbeknownst to his own reflexes, Kaiden subconsciously furrowed his brows and tensed once the airships inevitably burst into flames. The scene was without a doubt unsettling for any airship officer and assignee who would soon join him in similar, sturdier vehicles. As the display carried on, the commander remained unmoving . . keeping his gaze solely on the flaming airships. Not once did he ever underestimate a possibility.

Ahem. Kaiden cleared his throat before finally glancing away. However, he knew just how to save his crew from such a fate. Naturally, the Hearts officer followed royal orders, but he held himself accountable for whatever happened to his crew afterward.

"Sir," An antsy wind mage called out landing a few feet away from the airship commander. Kaiden casually glanced at the familiar face. "Ma'am," He bluntly replied, while she briskly walked toward him. Her efficiency was always something he appreciated. "Detonation mana stone update," Kaiden adjusted his sleeve before standing up from his position. "All in," She nodded as the airship commander shifted his gray gaze to her. A wide smile suddenly appeared on her face, nearly throwing the man off. "Ready-," Kaiden abruptly paused with slightly furrowed brows, " . . Everything alright?" The woman's quirks were rather noticeable after a few years of military training together. "I witnessed portal magic for the first time," She coughed obviously nervous about the incident. Long story short, the two had a brief talk about how she saw a generator getting attacked on the way over. "Ready our first set," Kaiden eventually nodded toward the airship's direction, sending the other wind mage off. As a commander, his priority was his crew's safety. If only they all knew the official plan.

Cue the sudden voice that rang through his head. Without hesitation, Kaiden clenched his fists and quickly scanned the area before realizing a telepath was behind it all. He still hadn't gotten used to hearing other voices in his mind. It felt like people were invading it. Regardless, Kaiden carefully listened in on the plan. Fortunately, there wasn't much new news. All the golems, mana stones, and paratroopers were already good to go. He just had to be on the look out for phase 2's timing.

With that in mind, Kaiden gave one more look at the calm part of Valencia for what could possibly be his last time. Too bad it was his first time taking in the stronger breeze and watching the grass adapt with a simple sway.The things I get myself into. With a puff of air, Kaiden gradually faced his ship's direction then took off into a dash.

Some people say the man ran roughly around the speed of a bullet, the average pistol round. However, despite his speed the world still turned. Time still passed, and every action caught up. Thud! A force plummeted onto Kaiden's body, slamming him onto the ground on impact as his vision cloaked in red.

 

[TPBx]

The bricks merely bounced off of Travis's sturdy body, barely phasing the mountain of a man that the former King of Spades was. "Ahhh Ahlmus, I see you're the unfortunate soul entrusted to fight me. You do know that I've not lost a single battle to a mage since that day right?" Travis began to pace around the bodies laying on the floor menacingly. His heavy armor, now reforged with Argossian steel clunked with every step he took, resounding about the room and filling it with an uneasy tone. Releasing an overbearing amount of pressure that would send the most fearless mages into a rabbit hole of terror. His aura was different than when he was the second in command of the coalition, it was corrupted and vile. No longer the noble and wise King of Spades he once was, now twisted by the ways of the Emperor.

"I am no whore of Emperor, I am an extension of his will and my own. With the knowledge that I've been given, I realized that the magic must die, and I shall not be remembered simply as a great King, but a man whose iron fortitude stopped the End Of Existence. Someone who was willing to give up all he knew for the greater good. Which is why I am here, I shall bring an end to all things magic and I'll die trying." Then Travis drew his sword from its sheathe and held it at a high guard, then swinging it downward with such power that the wind created by the swing sent the bodies in the room flying back. The silhouette of a minotaur appeared behind the warrior as Travis activated his spell Minotaur Form. The look on his face was stern and serious, it was not filled with blood lust or insanity but determination, sending a message to Ahlmus that Travis firmly believed every word that came out of his mouth and was willing to fight to the death for it.

Goonfire
=================================================================

Elsewhere at another generator, Ethan reappeared and slew the mages present there with ease, leaving behind another cloaked mage of unknown origin stationed there before telling them that he would head to the front to make sure all things were going as planned. The cloaked mage paced back and forth looking around for any possible threats while, Ethan disappeared once more.

(open to interaction)

=================================================================

Ethan then summoned a shadow portal next to Marillys and Nathan, appearing next to them and observing the battle from a distance. It seemed that the Argossian troops could advance but still could not press pass the barrier yet with their artillery. They silently watched events unfold awaiting further instructions from the Emperor.

Minyari

 

[Goonfire]

Ahlmus' eyes narrowed as he descended into the room, braving the wave of terrifying energy in spite of the horrid chill running down his spine. “No one entrusted me with shit,” he shot back irreverently. “But in case you need your memory jogged, I’ve never backed down from a challenge and I’m still alive.” His own eyes burned with determination, his voice bleeding stinging venom.

Cutting off the traitor near the end of his grand speech, Ahlmus dished out a payload of snark and vicious mockery. “Uh-huh, let me summarize that: you drank the wine and now you’re going to try and kill us all because some madman with genocidal intent and a surplus of FIREBOMBS told you it was the right thing.” In his outburst, he tore the covering from the right side of his face, revealing the ghastly scarring he received during the Jann massacre three years ago. ”How pathetic of you—a self-proclaimed ‘genius’—to serve such a small-minded man, when in fact you’re more fit to rule.” That didn’t sound like a compliment...

With the Minotaur form appearing, it was clear there was nothing more a stern talk could accomplish. “Hmph! Pity not the shortsighted.” The time mage produced his axe and his grimoire before circling Travis at a distance. The trickle of the sands in the hourglass at his side seemed to slow, his own aura becoming more apparent; he’s grown stronger as well.

TPBx

 

[Ambiloquous]

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[div class=he]〚 Nouvelaire Rey-Bisset 〛[/div]

♠​

Nouvel stifled a yawn then abruptly stiffened. Looking up at the contradictingly peaceful sky, his half-open mouth snapped shut and bent into the slightest frown. “Sangria.”

Sangria’s voice stayed as languid as usual, but feeling a bit apprehensive from his tone, she stood a little straighter. “Your Spadeship.”

“Where is the nearest generator?” His anxiety was mounting at a perceivable rate, noted from the sharp timbre of his voice. He had thought something like this might happen, but when it actually did, it caught him unprepared. He hated that feeling.

“The nearest generat—” She finally looked up, releasing a hasty breath when she saw where her boss’ line of sight rested. “Gods almighty.” Tightening her grip on the worn pommel of her sword, she pointed vaguely northeast without moving her eyes away. “From what I remember of the map, the closest one to the western gates should be that way.”

There was a flickering hole in the barriers, displaying to the Valencians down below just how many explosives the Argossians had to offer. Which happened to be way, way too many for any self-pitying soup for the soul.

Sangria silently rebuked herself for getting used to the sounds of detonation. If His Spadeship hadn’t notified her, she was sure she would still be oblivious for not just a bit longer. And a blind minute in war was death to the ignorant.

Slipping her feet into the stirrup of the nearest horse, she deftly lifted herself up into the seat of the saddle and urged the horse into a gallop. Nouvel shortened his reins and with some pressure on his legs, his steed immediately bolted to sprint alongside Sangria’s mount.

Nouvel felt the tired muscles of the animal under him strain. “How long?” His sentences were getting shorter and shorter, his breath was coming out too fast. He knew he needed to calm down, but all the what-ifs wouldn’t let him. What if the generator was already down? What if he was too late by the time he got there? What if even when he got there, he was too weak to do anything? What if, what if, what if. All the what-ifs crowding his mind made his usually clear thinking clog up and his hands shake.

He had always joked about dying, naively thinking he didn’t care and that he was different from the masses with their happy, trouble-free lives. But now he realized, he had always been the same as everyone else. He also wanted to live. But not like before, where he lived as an empty soul craving for an unattainable goal. Where he wanted to live with “recognition”. Live with the recognition that he was good enough to be King. Live with the recognition that he was good enough to live and be happy. Something he had always thought was too far for his reach. Something he thought he would gain at the end of his glory-striving journey, one that he knew in his heart would never end. What an idiot he was.

“We’re here.” Breaking his reverie, Sangria brought her mare to a trot, slow enough to unmount but still ready to move at a moment’s notice. Her eyes were solemn. “I can hear the sounds of battle from here. The building is only a bit farther, set dead in the middle of a square.”

He nodded. “Be careful.” Decelerating, Nouvel steadied his hands and took a long breath. He would be fine. Nothing too bad would happen. He wouldn’t die. He would live a long, happy life filled with birds. Dismounting and gripping the paintbrush in his pocket, he stepped closer to the square.

With a closed-wing butterfly perched on his shoulder, he slipped the brush back into his pocket and straightened his leather armour. His figure blended into the surroundings as he trod into the sole damaged building in the plaza, finally getting a clear view of the fight. A man with a face covered in burn scars stood across a minotaur swinging a sword. No, not a minotaur. A man with the silhouette of one. The former King of Spades. Nouvel had never seen him in person, but he had heard tales of the traitor. He shuddered. Not particularly someone he wanted to face before the war even started, but beggars can’t be choosers.

♠

| Mentioned: Goonfire TPBx |​

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[. D O V E]

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[div class=title]An Unforgettable Encounter[/div]

[div class=font]The Queen of Hearts stayed on the ruined structure while she listened to the telepath's report. However, her question was false, and she had already expected his response. Her real interest didn't lie in the Argossian movement, but instead on their shared Associate's- the Jokers.

"We're going as well. Good luck, and stay safe."

Those were Declan's concluding words before he left for the mission. "Be careful." Guin didn't know if her words reached him, but she did know that she needed them to return alive.

The royal was aware of the nature of the mission she had entrusted to them. She knew that retrieving the Spade's artifact would be difficult, but what she told Twig a few minutes ago held truth. The Jokers were masters of subterfuge, and she has confidence in the group. If somebody can pull off the great heist- it would be them.

Besides, Guin and Jake have planned the feat extensively. They have carefully planted spies into the Spade's castle and made sure that the kingdom will bring most of its forces into Valencia. The palace's defense would be lower than usual; nonetheless, she still expected the artifact to be well-guarded. But what was apparent was that it was the perfect day to steal it. It was either now or never- and Guin had made her choice.

It wasn't long before she received the messages from her telepath. Guin listened intently while the other girl thoroughly reviewed the plan. She had already adhered it to her head, but she still felt the need to listen. But her attention was swept away halfway through when she noticed something odd.

The Queen helped construct the numerous barriers protecting Valencia. She prized that each of them would be able to withstand the unrelenting Argossian attacks without fault as long as it remained fed. So she couldn't understand why it seemed to be weakening after each bombardment.

Guin furrowed her brows. The shields would only crumble if the concerned individuals stopped tending to its mana generators. The next question would be: how would that be possible? Blaming irresponsibility would be unwise. Who would be foolish enough to abandon the station at the brink of war? On the other hand, the Argossians couldn't possibly infiltrate the barriers- they possess no magic!

“Enough. I fully understand the plan.” she cut the telepath’s explanation, “What I need to know is the reason why our barriers are falling apart.”

A brief silence followed, “Your Heartship, there seems to be a problem with the generators. Our team is communicating with the rest. We are waiting for you at our designated location.”

The Queen of Hearts clenched her fists. Out of all times, the generators would be facing a problem now? She wasn't foolish, and she was familiar with this dance. It was clear that somebody sabotaged them. The culprit would be someone who has access to the city- a mage.

Unwilling for the problem to solve itself, Guin moved from her position and blinked towards the ground- only for her armored body to hit something.

The collision elicited a surprised gasp from the Queen as she toppled on an object- that turned out to be a human being. Thankfully, her crimson plates protected her from any damage, but the same couldn't be said for the man below her.

Guin partly prompted herself up using both arms, her face inches away from the stranger as she studied her cushion. Her sanguine orbs bored into his before she completely vanished from his vision.

Meanwhile, the human cushion was still processing reality. Not much pain surged through his body, but his mind was a bit disoriented. Part of him couldn’t believe that he got tackled by a queen out of nowhere. Think about it. One moment his eyes were lost in her’s, the next she vanished just as abruptly as she fell on him. The man carefully sat up from his position with a confused expression on his face. Either he hit his head real hard, or it was all an illusion.

That’s when the queen reappeared beside him. . . Okay, maybe it was real afterall. His disoriented gaze gradually shifted up her red armor until it focused on the queen’s sanguine eyes once again. This time, she was squinting at him.

Kaiden merely raised a brow in return. This was a whole new level of randomness even for him. “A pleasure to meet you as well, Your Heartship,” He cleverly mentioned before snapping out of his odd disoriented daze and rubbing the back of his neck. Thankfully his physical subrank was high enough for him not to get knocked out. With a clear mind, Kaiden formally moved onto one knee and bowed his head, “Airship Commander Kaiden Alderidge at your service.” A unique meeting, but at least it happened. His concerned gaze then shifted up to her, “ . . are you alright?”

The chance of her blinking onto a sprinting man was near zero; yet, it still happened. She scanned him warily. She refused to be unguarded, especially now that she has suspicions that there was at least a traitor among them. For all she knew, it could be him- or the people watching them from a distance. It could be anyone at this point, and the uncertainty was frustrating her.

She recognized his uniform- it was from the Heart's Airforce division. He was most likely a high-ranker since he was traveling alone. It meant that there was a good chance that he was stating the truth when he introduced himself.

Guin studied his kneeling form for a few seconds before their eyes met once again. "Rise, my subject," she responded right after his question, "I am alright. Thank you for your concern." What good will it bring her if she mentioned that she would have broken a few bones if the circumstances were a bit different? She might have been in agony right now if not for her armor- or that she would’ve been blasted into oblivion if she appeared right before he did, and he crashed into her weaker form. She watched as he stood up, his concerned look subsiding after hearing her response.

"I must say, this is quite the first meeting, Commander Alderidge. An unforgettable one, I think." The Queen commented before offering a hand towards the soldier, "I noticed you came from the direction of the generators." As though to emphasize her point, the barriers on the background crumbled more.

Kaiden took her hand when the barriers crumbled, subsequently giving it a formal shake. His slight smile matched the queen’s until she eventually shifted to concern over the barriers. “Yes, Your Heartship,” He confirmed, releasing her hand before scanning the sky. The barriers were weakening at a gradual pace. Surely, it was still too soon for anyone else to know why. “One of my mages witnessed the attack,” His gaze naturally shifted back to the queen, “Main rundown consists of two dark robed assailants, enemy shadow portal magic, shadow swords, and multiple friendly lives lost.” The airship commander had a knack for summarization, simply pulling enough key words from the other mage’s 5 minute speech to basically construct the story.

It didn’t take long for him to soon sense a shift in his peripheral vision. Kaiden’s brows furrowed when he surveyed the barriers once more. If he wasn’t mistaken, they were diminishing at a faster rate. “Seems more than one generator may be inactive,” Kaiden deduced, returning his attention to the queen before him.

Guin took a deep breath when Kaiden confirmed her assumptions. The assailants were indeed mages, most likely high-rankers since one of them was capable of portal magic. She couldn't fathom the reason behind their betrayal. While she assumed that most people would label them as members of the Jokers, she knew better. The Jokers acknowledged that they're nothing but disposable pawns in the eyes of the Empire. They have nothing to gain if the Argossians successfully overcame the Suits. Besides, more than half of the rebellious group's population was going to fight with her once the actual war finally comes.

"The culprits are high-ranking mages." she concluded while she glanced around the breaking barrier, "In this case, I wouldn't be surprised if another generator has indeed fallen. To think that a mage capable of conjuring portals has sided with the Empire-"

'Wait, shadow portal?'

Sanguine eyes widened while a barrage of thoughts hit her. The generators were well-protected, and Guin only knew two shadow mages who could eliminate dozens of guards in one-go.

The first one was the King of Hearts. Guin has watched Chesh fight numerous times before, and she could confidently say her king was a master of said magic. However, a shadow portal is different from her shadow step. The latter doesn't allow her to bring anybody else with her, as far as Guin knows. Aside from that, she knew Chesh on a personal basis. She knew how much she sacrificed and how much more she'd be willing to give for the Kingdom.

The second one would be the previous King of Diamonds. During the All Hands on Deck, Ethan entered the hall using his shadow portal. She had also heard of his great magical prowess. He fit all of the traitorous shadow mage's quality except for one- he's dead. Therefore, it couldn't be him unless he was somehow brought back to life. But Guin, of all people, knew it wasn't impossible.

The Queen of Hearts brought her gaze back to the commander, looking like she was close to solving the puzzle. "I appreciate this valuable information, Commander Alderidge." Guin approved, "Come with me, please."

“As you wish,” Kaiden respectfully nodded at his queen’s request. As a commander, his thoughts instinctively circled back to his airship. However, the sudden detour was nothing to worry about. Phase two was still a while away, and his airship was already good to go. She was his queen after all.

The royalty walked towards the East as soon as she received his reply. With Kaiden at her trail, the two went to the direction of another ruined building. A small group of soldiers gathered inside, each of them wearing the Heart's crest. They appeared to be busy tending to their firearms when the two entered the shambles.

Upon seeing the Queen, the mages bowed their heads and fell on their knees. "Rise, my loyalists." Guin waved her hand as they rose to obey her command, "Can the telepath please step forward?"

A brunette emerged from the group with her fist against her heart, "Telepath Rosette Everest at your service, my Queen!"

"At ease." The telepath's hand fell to her back after the royal's order, "The gentleman with me is Airship Commander Kaiden Alderidge." Guin gestured to the said male. Kaiden firmly placed his fist against his heart, while shifting his gaze across the small number of faces.

Rosette bowed to him, "Salutations, sir! It is nice to meet you."

“Pleasure is mine, Ms. Everest,” He replied before returning his hand to his side.

"Ms. Everest, open a channel to the telepath commander and have him relay our message to the King of Diamonds." The Queen spoke before looking at Kaiden, “Mr. Alderidge, please tell Rosette what you know regarding the mana generator's sabotage."

With a nod, Kaiden accordingly reported, “Two dark robed assailants teleported via shadow portal magic, utilizing shadow swords to eliminate barrier mages at one or more generators.” That was merely the beginning of his news. The man continued into further detail, eventually explaining the entire attack.

Rosette nodded once Kaiden finished his report. "Copy that, sir! I will now be transmitting the message." The telepath closed her eyes in concentration while she obediently followed her orders.

"A message from the Queen of Heart's telepath: Salutations! The Queen received a report that two high-ranking mages sabotaged the mana generators of our barriers. The identity of the cloaked figures remains unknown. The report says that one of them eliminated the guards in one go using magically-constructed shadow swords. Additionally, the same individual conjured a shadow portal- similar to the late Diamond King Kaloronos’. On the other hand, the second figure did not reveal much about themselves, except that they easily dodged the guards' spells. It could be possible that these traitors are off to attack more of our generators. Her royal Heartship wishes to relay this dreadful information to the King of Diamonds."

This was the message Rosette sent to the head telepath. If the man were to ask anything regarding the report, Rosette would be happy to inquire about the Queen’s answer.

Once everything had been taken care of, Guin faced the room and placed her fist on her heart, "All of you have done a great service not just to the Kingdom- but to the entire Suits."

“We offer our Hearts to the Kingdom!” Everyone in the room cried in unison. It was a common phrase in the Heart’s military, but one could easily recognize the flames of loyalty in their eyes.

The Queen smiled at them but the stern expression quickly returned, "However, your duties do not end here. A few moments from now and the tides of war will descend upon us. I need everyone to be on their best. Remember how vital your roles are. No matter what happens, stick with the plan.”

Kaiden confidently nodded at the reminder. The queen was referring to the battle plan . . or so he thought, up until a certain role was emphasized.

“Mr. Frank John,” Guin called out to a particular man in the group, “While everyone’s role is important, you are the core of the group. You must stay alive no matter what happens. Remain in the barrier behind my lane, but do remember the hundred-meter rule.”

After Frank gave a nod and a bow, the Queen faced the rest of the team. “Ms. Rosette, you keep me updated while everyone else will focus on Mr. Frank. Remember your specific roles, and keep him alive at all costs. Did I make myself clear?”

“Yes, your Heartship!”

'Pardon?' Kaiden slightly tilted his head in confusion. His attention was momentarily directed to a lanky man with oversized armor clearly thrown over him. Somehow Mr. Frank’s role was vital enough for a small military group to divert their protection onto him and away from their queen. As a commander, Kaiden was naturally inclined to provide proper armor for a soldier and efficiently protect the queen. . . then again, this plan was none of his business. Thus, his confusion easily shifted to indifference as he redirected his attention to Guin.

Finally, Guin returned her attention to Kaiden. She sighed, "What a terrible turn of events. Who would have thought that it'd end up like this? Our fellow brethren- betraying us." She briefly massaged the bridge of her nose before looking at the man once again, "I was worried about the barriers before we met. It was infuriating to be in the dark when I could feel that something was wrong. But a few of my questions have been answered after we bumped into each other. I think it was a fortunate occurrence,” she paused, “...Or perhaps it wasn’t? I did fall on top of you. Now that I think of it, that was a terrible accident. I hope you didn’t get hurt.” Guin scratched her cheek lightly, looking a little embarrassed.

Kaiden smiled a bit as he glanced down. It was kind of amusing how she swiftly switched from one subject to another. “We’ll discuss it over a stroll one day,” His gaze casually shifted upwards, meeting her eyes once again. He wanted to ease her embarrassment with a light jest, while also subtly avoiding how he did in fact get hurt. The fading pain was something he could handle anyway. Besides, their run in wasn’t worth worrying about at the moment. They had a battle to fight and a war to win.

Guin returned the smile. “Very well. I suppose I owe you a walk after we win the war.” The Queen affirmed, holding his gaze.

A short silence lingered between the two. Kaiden didn’t expect her to actually take up his offer. However, he didn’t show it. His expression remained as if he expected the queen’s agreement the whole time. “I look forward to it,” He stated, finally breaking the silence.

“But we have to part ways for now. I’ll be heading to the frontline, and I believe your crew is waiting for you. Godspeed, Airship Commander Alderidge.”

“Godspeed, Your Heartship,” Kaiden placed a fist over his heart, slightly bowing his head. Pat . . pat. A few of the queen’s group members grabbed Kaiden’s shoulder as they passed by to follow their queen toward the frontlines. Kaiden simply returned the gesture to a couple of them as well.

Now, he had another thing to fight for. The commander watched as Guin and her group started moving toward the frontlines. Kaiden wasn’t going to pass up a stroll with his queen. “All right,” He mumbled to himself as he turned the opposite direction and stretched an arm across his chest, “Here we go again.” Then, he took off into a dash.

[/div]

A collaboration with Xanto |interacted with: Mechking AI10100 ​

 

[Kloudy]

???
(Valencia Outskirts - Rear Line Command Bunker)

Arimand, The King of Diamonds, had arrived at the rear line command bunker and had been watching the ensuing progress of the war. It was going roughly as planned, but news about the barriers had not yet reached him. From the constant artillery bombardment and sniper fire, it was hard to get a moments respite amongst the chaotic mess of the battlefield. Indeed, the king was so distracted that he failed to notice someone standing next to him, also watching over the battle with vigilant interest. A few military staff remained in the room, but none seemed to be concerned by the overly armoured man whom Arimand had never seen before. His face was stony and weathered, yet young enough to be in his thirties. From the way he dressed, he could have been a noble or a general in the military. At his side, a shiny silver bastard sword gleamed ornately. At a glance, it seemed to have words etched into the length of its blade.

"This is quite the battle."

The man turned his head to look at Arimand for a moment, perhaps sizing him up, before returning his gaze to the trenches.

"In my days here, I'd never had to fight like this. It was much simpler times then. The fate of the continent didn't depend on me then."

He smiled mirthlessly, a short sigh escaping him as he shook his head.

"The balance will soon tip however. You need to make a move, Arimand."

Mechking

 

[TPBx]

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[div class=he]〚 Nouvelaire Rey-Bisset 〛[/div]

♠​

Nouvel stifled a yawn then abruptly stiffened. Looking up at the contradictingly peaceful sky, his half-open mouth snapped shut and bent into the slightest frown. “Sangria.”

Sangria’s voice stayed as languid as usual, but feeling a bit apprehensive from his tone, she stood a little straighter. “Your Spadeship.”

“Where is the nearest generator?” His anxiety was mounting at a perceivable rate, noted from the sharp timbre of his voice. He had thought something like this might happen, but when it actually did, it caught him unprepared. He hated that feeling.

“The nearest generat—” She finally looked up, releasing a hasty breath when she saw where her boss’ line of sight rested. “Gods almighty.” Tightening her grip on the worn pommel of her sword, she pointed vaguely northeast without moving her eyes away. “From what I remember of the map, the closest one to the western gates should be that way.”

There was a flickering hole in the barriers, displaying to the Valencians down below just how many explosives the Argossians had to offer. Which happened to be way, way too many for any self-pitying soup for the soul.

Sangria silently rebuked herself for getting used to the sounds of detonation. If His Spadeship hadn’t notified her, she was sure she would still be oblivious for not just a bit longer. And a blind minute in war was death to the ignorant.

Slipping her feet into the stirrup of the nearest horse, she deftly lifted herself up into the seat of the saddle and urged the horse into a gallop. Nouvel shortened his reins and with some pressure on his legs, his steed immediately bolted to sprint alongside Sangria’s mount.

Nouvel felt the tired muscles of the animal under him strain. “How long?” His sentences were getting shorter and shorter, his breath was coming out too fast. He knew he needed to calm down, but all the what-ifs wouldn’t let him. What if the generator was already down? What if he was too late by the time he got there? What if even when he got there, he was too weak to do anything? What if, what if, what if. All the what-ifs crowding his mind made his usually clear thinking clog up and his hands shake.

He had always joked about dying, naively thinking he didn’t care and that he was different from the masses with their happy, trouble-free lives. But now he realized, he had always been the same as everyone else. He also wanted to live. But not like before, where he lived as an empty soul craving for an unattainable goal. Where he wanted to live with “recognition”. Live with the recognition that he was good enough to be King. Live with the recognition that he was good enough to live and be happy. Something he had always thought was too far for his reach. Something he thought he would gain at the end of his glory-striving journey, one that he knew in his heart would never end. What an idiot he was.

“We’re here.” Breaking his reverie, Sangria brought her mare to a trot, slow enough to unmount but still ready to move at a moment’s notice. Her eyes were solemn. “I can hear the sounds of battle from here. The building is only a bit farther, set dead in the middle of a square.”

He nodded. “Be careful.” Decelerating, Nouvel steadied his hands and took a long breath. He would be fine. Nothing too bad would happen. He wouldn’t die. He would live a long, happy life filled with birds. Dismounting and gripping the paintbrush in his pocket, he stepped closer to the square.

With a closed-wing butterfly perched on his shoulder, he slipped the brush back into his pocket and straightened his leather armour. His figure blended into the surroundings as he trod into the sole damaged building in the plaza, finally getting a clear view of the fight. A man with a face covered in burn scars stood across a minotaur swinging a sword. No, not a minotaur. A man with the silhouette of one. The former King of Spades. Nouvel had never seen him in person, but he had heard tales of the traitor. He shuddered. Not particularly someone he wanted to face before the war even started, but beggars can’t be choosers.

♠

| Mentioned: Goonfire TPBx |​

[/div]

Ahlmus' eyes narrowed as he descended into the room, braving the wave of terrifying energy in spite of the horrid chill running down his spine. “No one entrusted me with shit,” he shot back irreverently. “But in case you need your memory jogged, I’ve never backed down from a challenge and I’m still alive.” His own eyes burned with determination, his voice bleeding stinging venom.

Cutting off the traitor near the end of his grand speech, Ahlmus dished out a payload of snark and vicious mockery. “Uh-huh, let me summarize that: you drank the wine and now you’re going to try and kill us all because some madman with genocidal intent and a surplus of FIREBOMBS told you it was the right thing.” In his outburst, he tore the covering from the right side of his face, revealing the ghastly scarring he received during the Jann massacre three years ago. ”How pathetic of you—a self-proclaimed ‘genius’—to serve such a small-minded man, when in fact you’re more fit to rule.” That didn’t sound like a compliment...

With the Minotaur form appearing, it was clear there was nothing more a stern talk could accomplish. “Hmph! Pity not the shortsighted.” The time mage produced his axe and his grimoire before circling Travis at a distance. The trickle of the sands in the hourglass at his side seemed to slow, his own aura becoming more apparent; he’s grown stronger as well.

TPBx

Furious at the snide remarks, Travis was about to make a response until he saw who had entered the ring...

Nouvelaire Rey-Bisset...

The Former King of Spades was familiar at least with Ahlmus's powers having seen him on some occasions on the battlefield during the war. He was not a mage that he wanted to face off against knowing that Ahlmus's Time Manipulation Magic could be a powerful counter to his own brute force attacks, but at least there was a fair chance against the him. His tactical experience recognized that what he had to do was simply be faster than Ahlmus could anticipate and land an incapacitating blow before Ahlmus could adjust. However, the true challenge would be against the person he recognized as one from his own kingdom, who he recognized from visits time to time to the the Spades Military Academy. The boy back then was a prodigy and assuming that he followed the path he expected him to, Travis knew that he had to at least be on par with any of the Royalty by now.

Travis clenched his fist and raised it to the sky, and then laid it into the ground with fury that could level mountains. The sound of a loud explosion rattled throughout the room. The area around the generator rumbled as the ground shook beneath their feet and then the earth beneath them began to crumble as the shock wave rattled across the floor. A large stray piece of the floor flew up into the air, and then Travis went into action. Using the large stone debris as a launch point, Travis jumped onto it, planting his feet onto the surface of the object and then using his magically augmented strength, kicked off the wall and lunged toward Ahlmus at blistering speeds with a blitz attack.

 

[Goonfire]

At that point, a blitz attack was nothing if not predictable; a physical-focused person typically used them against troublesome mages. Even with the added interference from Nouvel, Ahlmus had predicted that much and reacted accordingly, slowing time around himself to avoid the chunks of debris flying his way.

What he didn’t expect was the power behind the backstabber’s next attack. Even with the dilated time, Travis moved with enough speed to leave almost no window for the half-elf to dodge. Ahlmus had little choice but to turn his body to divert the blow to somewhere less vital. The glancing hit sent him reeling and skidding until his foot caught a crack in the uneven ground. The bubble dissipated, time flowing normally once more. The handaxe clattered you the ground, the time mage lying prone and frazzled. He made a point to hide his expression as he drew his arms closer. His left upper arm stung from the abrasions and bruises the ex-king had left on his way past.

TPBx Ambiloquous

 

[Kloudy]

William Rundell Haus Code
(Valencia - Generator 1)

As the battle between Ahlmus and Travis raged, a slight disturbance in the air rippled for less than a second. As Ahlmus came to an abrupt stop on the ground, everything around him seemed to freeze. Not just in the metaphorical sense, but a tinge of cyan crystal seemed to cover everything nearby and nothing moved. A few moments of this still silence persisted before another ripple distorted the air before him. A cyan portal opened up, a familiar energy signature making itself known. From within stepped out William, his usual clothing slightly torn, tattered and weathered. His expression was less stony than usual, a hint of compassion and pity mixed into his features as he stepped closer to then prone form of Ahlmus.

"Hello, Ahlmus. I don't have much... time... to talk. This is a battle you don't win, so I will give you something of an advantage."

His voice strangely had less of a harder, formal edge and proved to be more soft spoken. It was weirdly out of character for William to have changed so much, yet here he stood in this frozen scene with the man he had been teaching magic to for three years. He smiled and brought a hand forth, touching Ahlmus' forehead with his palm.

He spoke thusly, "Binding of Washam console this young flame. Impart a sliver of wisdom from your lifetimes of magnitude..."

A powerful psychic shock blasted the poor time mage's mind as a torrent of information poured into his consciousness, etching into the recesses of his mind and burning symbols, incantations and muscle memory into his very being and soul. A few second later and the process was complete, William looking sympathetic yet resigned to his choices. There was no explanation as to how he was able to do what he had just done, but Ahlmus would feel a new area in his mind filled with teachings of a specific time-related subspell as if he himself had spent years learning and practicing it. Even his mana conduits felt different. Smiling again, William nodded in satisfaction and turned back to his portal.

"Good luck, Ahlmus. The worst is still yet to come..."

Goonfire

 

[Goonfire]

What was more unnerving: that the Ace of Diamonds was softer than usual, or that he possessed powers Ahlmus had never seen before. Something about the wording struck him as odd. “I... don’t win?” he echoed, his own hard expression softening in surprise. Had the outcome already been determined...?

Ahlmus showed no fear as his mentor reached out. Waves of knowledge wracked his brain, the fruit of years of learning flooding to him in an instant. He understood, yet he didn’t; the runes he recalled were similar to the ones in his grimoire, ones the two mages hadn’t translated yet. Then, an idea struck him. Perhaps this was some vision of things that will be if the present was left unchanged—a ghost of events future, as he saw it. Moreover, it could have something to do with those random divinations in conjunction with his growing strength. That, or he was overthinking this...

Rising, the humbled hothead glanced at the frozen Travis. “I understand now... I’ll press this advantage to its fullest,” he stated uncharacteristically softly. “I have so many questions, but... we don’t have much more time, do we?”

Kloudy TPBx

 

[Mechking]

Arimand – rear line command bunker


Arimand finally arrived at the command bunker at the back of the frontline forces, with Bob and the Officer in tow. Here he can oversee most of the battlefield.
He sporadically activates his magical analysis to get a better understanding of the tide of the battle.


Absentmindedly, Arimand heard the guy speak. It was only when he heard his name when the armored guy gained his full attention. „Who would address me informally here?“ Arimand thought, as he turned around to face him.

„I am always making moves, but I agree. This battle is going as planned, but it can fall apart very easily. May I inquire your name?“


The man didn't turn or stir, gazing across the plains still, "The Watcher. I am a friend, for now. Think of me as a mercenary."


The man had his curiosity peaked, yet Arimand refrained from asking further, knowing that all will be revealed in time.

„The Watcher, interesting. You most certainly know more than you say and you are older than you appear. But I know better than to anger you with unnecessary questions. If you wish to watch, observe!“

Arimand raised his Staff of Diamonds and pointed it at an Argossian tank division. There was a small flash of light visible at the tip of the staff as the first tank exploded. Arimand specifically targeted the tanks ammo supply, knowing their weakspot well. One after another, tanks in different divisions exploded, causing damage to the others around them. After roughly five minutes, Arimand stopped, being content with his contribution for now.


The Watcher smiled with a little humour this time, nodding his head appreciatively, "Yes, yes, very impressive. Kings these days certainly have grown."

His expression grew slightly more grim, his eyes somewhat distant as if he was seeing something beyond.

"There are greater forces at work here, far greater than you may imagine. That is why I am here."


Arimands ego was slightly hit by his casual remark, but he sensed something else. Something hidden.

„May I be enlightened as to what forces you speak of, Watcher?“


The Watcher seemed to consider this for a moment before turning to face Arimand again.

"I have been sent by Obos. You do not know her, but she has sent me to warn you."

He paused, glancing at the other people in the room, all of which were luckily out of earshot, "History has a tendency to repeat itself, but even I cannot stop her from altering its course. You have another traitor in your midst, however, they themself do not yet know it. Be vigilant, King Arimand."


Arimand was quite surprised by this. He never heard of anyone named Obos and she seemed to be quite powerful. The news of the traitor was very unfortunate, yet much needed confirmation.

„Thank you and please forward my deepest gratitude to Obos herself too. I suspected that a royal is leaking information to the enemy, willingly or not. But I think you mean that there is another one.“


The armored man nodded, "On this battlefield today, they will be revealed. I fear it may tip the balance. I'm afraid I cannot tell you more."


Arimand mumbled to himself, still loud enough for The Watcher to hear.

„Alarming, alarming. People breaking off, doing their own thing. Thinking that what they do is best and that they alone can do it. History does indeed repeat itself and this time it may imply the end of the four suits. If we break apart, we will cease to exist.“

With renewed focus, Arimand spoke to The Watcher again.

„Today...That is truly unfortunate. However we will not fall, this balance will not be tipped. There are many things to fear, but that is not one of them. I am convinced that no matter what the Argossians throw at us, we will succeed!“

After a short pause, he simply asked:

„Would you like to join me in this battle, even if just as an observer?“


The Watcher shook his head regretfully, "The same laws that stop me from elaborating bind me from drawing my sword for your cause. I only came to warn you..."

He seemed to think about it for a moment, apparently deliberating on what to do. Eventually he came to a conclusion.

"No, this is too important to turn a blind eye. I cannot fight for you, but I can offer you something you may not be able to forgive me for."


Arimand gritted his teeth. He sacrificed too much for this battle already, yet it was too devastating to lose.

„If it doesn't involve Bob or the other royals, go ahead.“


"It does not. This is a deal that only you and I are participating in."

He sighed and looked away.

"I can grant you the power to win this war. But as with all deals, it comes at a price."


Without hesitation, Arimand answered.

„Name it!“


The Watcher smiled, a mixture of pity and humour in his eyes, "I cannot." He placed a hand on the pommel of his weapon and met Arimand's eyes.

"If you are to accept this contract, you must do so on faith. I can only promise that should you succeed, it will not kill you."


„Very well...“ Everything in Arimand screamed to not take his offer, to just trust his plan and the capabilities of the others. Every bit of his logic demanded to just walk away and forget about it. He activated his magical analysis, but for the first time in forever, he could not predict an outcome. He could not lift the veil of uncertainty and see beyond.

He clenched his head in frustration and defeat. „There is simply no way, “ Arimand thought to himself.

„I accept!“


The Watcher chuckled, remembering his mortal days when he too was presented with such trials. It had been fun and painful, but that was what it meant to be human. There were even days he missed those times. Today was not one of those.

"Very well. However the time for that has not yet come. Remember this feeling, for you will need it again soon."

The man turned and began to walk towards the exit.

"Farewell, King Arimand. I will return to deliver to you what I have promised. Until then, remain vigilant."

He paused for a moment, facing away.

"Not all gods are as kind as I am..."

And then he left.


Arimand was speechless. He may have just decided the fate of not only his, but all four kingdoms. He still has to be careful, this kind of information can not be leaked to anyone.

"The Gods...are real...that explains a lot...but why...why only now? Why didn't they interfere before? Why couldn't they save my family? But The Watcher said, that not all of the gods are kind. I guess that explains that...But that implies another warning, opposing and malevolent gods. Working to destroy us...If this was not an illusion, a dream...no, it cannot be...he knew far too much..."

"Your Diamondship, is everything alright?" the officer asked, seeing Arimand standing dazed in the middle of the room. He finally snaps back to reality, the explosions reminding him where exactly he is.

"I am fine, no need for concern. Any news from the generators yet?" Arimand returned to his usual, calm self.

"Quite a lot, Your Diamondship. I will now inform you telepathically." The old officer transmitted the message with ease and Arimand had a small on his face, if only for a second.

„They must be getting truly desperate, throwing away their values like that.“

"Ask for more details officer. And update me about the troops I send."

"As you wish, your Diamondship."


Upon observing the battle for a while, he addresses the soldiers in the room.

„Prepare yourself, soldiers. We will need to fall back soon and you will protect me!“

„YES, SIRE!“

The soldiers readied themselves and Arimand activated his analytical magic once more. He simply couldn't believe what exactly just happened.





Valencia - generators


The small troop of 20 mages and 20 golems were marching towards the generators when they heard a loud „WAIT!“

They stopped, only to see a young boy who has just reached adulthood standing, panting, behind them.

„What do you want? We don't have time!“ One of the mages demanded to know.

"I...I am sent...by His Diamondship Dornwell...to observe and report what you find...“

Upon seeing the boys uniform, marking him as a telepath, the mages understood.

„Catch your breath, we are nearly there! And don't get in our way!“

One of the mages snarled and turned towards the generators. The young telepath winced and followed them as they headed towards the sound and rumbling of intense battle.






( . D O V E )
(collab with Kloudy you can have the NPCs now )

 

[Xanto]

Kaiden Alderidge and Athania Kaloronos​

Phase 1 was just getting started, and the barriers above him were already weakening. As of now, running to his readied airship just didn’t make sense . . yet. Kaiden abruptly stopped in the middle of his dash before looking around. Something in his bones kept urging him to temporarily go out the plan’s way.

He moved a hand through his hair as he gave himself less than five seconds to decide. The generators guarded everything they had. Besides, Phase 2 was still a while away. Kaiden bit his lip, while looking at the direction of his airship then the generators . . yeah, he had time.

Zoom. The guy dashed toward the closest generator in sight. Luckily, it was still manned by the suits. “Ready yourselves,” He mentioned after casually slowing to a walk and scanning the generator. In the middle of the group lied a carved stone with engraved runes. Several smaller mana stones encircled the slab with the largest one secured in its center, shooting the barrier beam upwards.

It didn’t take long for Kaiden to speed over to another generator. This time, he stopped before getting too close. His head tilted a bit at the single figure pacing around some fallen bodies though. Honestly, the commander didn’t know what to expect. At least one thing was for sure. This stranger could potentially have shadow portal magic. Granted this wasn’t the exact generator his mage pointed out, but it helped gauge how powerful his opponent could be.

Kaiden shut his eyes for a second to briefly collect himself. Then without any hesitation, his arm suddenly flung a hallucinogenic dart at the intruder from seemingly out of nowhere. All of which happened before he swiftly slid behind a rock located at a different angle.

The stranger who was thought to be a mage shed their cloak, revealing themselves to be a young woman. She was clad with some pieces of traditional Argossian armor with designs dating back to the times of Darigaas, evident by the wear of the armor as well as the Family Crest on it signalling it belonged to one of the elite families of the Empire. Her armor was not only impressive, but her physique was also striking as well as she definitely was not frail by any means as she had impressively sculpted musculature as well as the face of someone who had seen many battles.

She took in a breath of the smoke-filled air around her and sighed. The dart did hit its target, but the Argossian was clearly not fazed by its hallucinogenic properties. She pulled the dart from her shoulder and dropped it on the ground. “You’re going to have to do better than that to bring me down, mage,” she stated. “My name is Ylsa of House Byllarmynt. Profession: Mage Hunter.” She detached from her belt a large chain which turned out to be part of a much larger weapon. One side of the chain had a spiked iron ball attached to it with the other side was attached a sickle. The weapon gave off a large amount of Dysidia and was clearly some sort of cursed object. Ylsa held the sickle end with a reverse grip in one hand while holding onto the rest of the chain and twirling the spiked ball with her other hand.

All the while, Kaiden indifferently viewed the proud exhibition from off the side. His intention with the dart was to observe the intruder’s reaction. Turned out she willingly gave a lot more information than needed. See, now he had a better estimate of her endurance level. Meanwhile, Ylsa didn’t even know his name, occupation, weapon of choice, let alone his looks.

Seeing the battle about to take place, Athania jumped in from a nearby rooftop, hero landing between Kaiden and Ylsa. “Well you wanna go bitch, then let’s go,” Athania told her off before pulling the Dysidia from the dead bodies around them and surrounding herself with her shadow armor and activating shadow reinforce, strengthening her body with shadowy tendrils.

Well, I mean . . Kaiden glanced at the two women facing off as he nonchalantly started relaxing behind the rock. This could very well work to their advantage, especially if Ylsa believed the shadow lady threw the dart. That way it’d be two versus one without her knowing.

He routinely pulled a mask over the lower half of his face before curiously shifting his gaze to the fighter wearing shadow armor. The guy had never seen her his entire life.

Anyway, the thing with these two Dysidia users was that they kept overshadowing each other with words and displays. Whoosh. Kaiden firmly swung his fist, causing a strong gust of wind to immediately launch the twirling spiked ball toward Ylsa.

Ylsa nonchalantly corrected the trajectory of the spike ball, changing the angle of her spin and letting go of more of the chain to use the momentum from the ball to launch a whip strike upon Athania. Athania reacted quickly and summoned a shield made out of the shadows around her to block the attack. However, Ylsa figured she would do that so as the spiked ball glanced off her shield and to the ground, Ylsa twirled her leg around the stray chain and high kicked into the air. This caused the chain on the ground to react accordingly and made the spike ball fly back into the air and into Athania’s face. It was a direct hit, and Athania reeled from the attack. Ylsa continued her assault and followed up by throwing the sickle over Athania’s head and over her shoulder while running toward the Shadow Mage, stepping on the chain mid stride, causing the sickle’s blade to come down upon Athania’s right shoulder and cutting into her armor. Athania began falling to the ground after being hit but not before Ylsa threw a knee into her face knocking the girl back into the wall of the generator room. Athania tried to catch her breath, but Ylsa lead that into another attack driving the spiked iron ball into her gut, the force of the attack managed to shatter the wall and send Athania through it.

Athania was flabbergasted by the fury and quickness of the assault. This woman clearly wasn’t like any of the Argossians she had encountered. Ylsa was savage and relentless, yet quick and calculating with every move, by far the most effective close quarters combatant she had ever seen. Ylsa stood atop of the destroyed wall and remarked, “call me a bitch one more time.” She had gathered her chains and once again resumed twirling her weapon, waiting to see if Athania would get up.

The wind loudly whistled from an angle behind Ylsa the same time Kaiden cunningly dashed to her opposite side. Despite the attempted misdirection, Ylsa still managed to block his sharp right jab and left hook. What she didn’t expect though was his arm directly landing a hit to her face. That’s right, Kaiden completed his quick combo by randomly throwing his right arm into her face. The same arm cleverly pivoted the twirling midchain, looping the weapon inwards enroute to strike Ylsa until she countered. Her hands caught the chain and threw the spiked ball at the wind mage. It was an attack Kaiden narrowly dodged before unexpectedly stepping into her personal space, tilting his body, and twisting his leg behind her’s all in one motion. The smooth movement threw Ylsa off balance before Kaiden strongly slammed her at least two feet into the ground with momentum and concussive wind force on his side.

Collab with TPBx

 

[Anaxileah]

The yellow barbet dove through the air, her black-spotted wings flapping rapidly as she flew through Valencia, reaching the Alder tree in a matter of minutes since leaving the meeting room. She landed among the branches quietly, hiding among the leaves as she eyed the male that normally towered over her, finding him to be seated on the granite bench placed beside the old tree. The area they were in was rather secluded, the small courtyard overgrown from years of neglect, those who had tended to it long gone. Vines draped over the walls of the circular area, small jasmine flowers blooming along the tendrils as they enclosed the space and contributed to the sense of solitude. Her head turned to the side so she could look at Helmur clearly, her small black eye assessing his current state. He was as disheveled as before, very obviously exhausted from the days of working out plans to fight the Argossians as well as the emotional turmoil he just went through. He had bags under his eyes, a tremble in his hands, and a wide-eyed expression of a man who knew he didn't have much time yet.

The end was coming. He knew it would come, of course. He was an upstart, a favorite of the soldiery, intelligent, and wasn't afraid to call a spade a spade: all of these qualities came together to make him a true enemy to the royalty, so elbow-deep in their own schemes and plots they couldn't see anything beyond. If they had, the tin cans wouldn't have made it nearly as far as they had now. So, of course, they had plotted against him. This was exactly that: a setup. Yes, he was sure. First, they got all the royals together in a room, made half of ‘em do unimaginably stupid things, like fly airships straight into no man’s land, or runoff, or fail to show up altogether. And then, when he inevitably lost his nerve, they’d be on his ass, with all the charges a man can think of. They knew he wouldn't be able to take it anymore. They knew that his greatest strength was also a weakness: sitting in their command posts and councils, they were detached from the world. Thousands died and they remained unaffected, merely subtracting the numbers. But he was in the trenches. To him, they were more than just some random figures of a piece of paper. He'd eaten with them, slept in their quarters, traded stories and alcohol. He listened to their ambitions, and their dreams, and their hopes. And then he had to watch them die, over and over and over again. They would know he'd be close to the boiling point with how the war was going. But what about Arabella? Perhaps -

She'd be damned if she let one of her friends die any time soon and decided to make that known. In a flash of bright yellow and red, the female fluttered to the ground in front of him, quickly transforming into Arabella, the morphogenesis between the two forms illuminated and beautiful. His paranoid musings were cut short as he spotted the yellow barbet transform in front of him, a beautiful surge of colors and lights, almost mesmerizing. Or perhaps it was Ara's deep blue eyes that had that effect on him, it was hard to be sure. She was crouched on the ground, looking up at his seated figure as she rose. She was barely tall enough to look him in the eye as he sat, but it was enough for her to show the warmth in her ocean-blue eyes. "Helmur..." She trailed off, her voice barely a whisper to begin with as she placed a somewhat bloodied hand upon his shoulder-guard, the warmth of her healing flames spreading through his being and soothing the erratic emotions the giant male was feeling. "...I shouldn't have provoked you. I am truly sorry, Helmur. I will do whatever I can to make sure you do not pay for my foolish behavior." She looked at him with a soft smile, her eyes apologetic and full of regret.

He listened to what she was saying but dared not answer, for the rage still blazed in his body, and he feared his next outburst would be directed straight at her. He felt her hand on his shoulder and closed his eyes, letting the soothing warmth calm his heart and dissipate his anxiety. After a few blissful seconds, he opened them again, his wild look having been replaced by a sad, determined one. "It-It's really not your fault, Ara. I lost it, and I really shouldn't have. I was right, entirely right about all of 'em. Useless maggots that couldn't be arsed to get a basic plan together if their lives depended on it. But I shouldn't have said it. A good warrior knows when to hold his tongue." She looked at him with sadness as he took the blame again, knowing full well that if she'd calmed him rather than riled him up, they wouldn't be in this mess.

He paused for a few more seconds, trying to put the mess that was his thoughts into some cohesion. He didn't have all the time in the world, and it could be a while before he could see Arabella again, if at all. "It's just... The nightmares. They keep getting worse. I see poor Orson almost every other night, now. And the boys - so many of my boys keep dying and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I just - I don't know how much longer I can fight like this. This isn't war. This isn't the glorious test of might and strategy I was promised. They have devised ways to suck all the good out of it, to make it faceless, pointless, as unfair as possible. And the bodies... I've killed so many, and yet they don't stop coming. How can they be okay with so many dead? Even if they win, how will their economy ever recover? I dunno. I just-"

"Helmur, stop. War isn't always going to be the glorious test you think it is, and you can't keep promises you have no control over. People are going to die, and the Argossians have no sympathy for their enemies; you can't let it get to you or they're going to kill you. I don't want that to happen, and I won't let you die by anyone else's hand either." He managed to restrain himself once more. Time was of the essence. "Don't waste your pleas on me, they've already made up their minds. But my boys - they got no family to protect them. They'll execute them, have no doubt. Plead for their lives, at least. I promised them I'd do whatever I can to keep ‘em safe, or as safe as they can be in the middle of a warzone anyway."

He had so much more to tell her - about himself, about how he was feeling - but he felt his throat closing up. How could he, Helmur Bellarmont, Avatar of War and acting commander of a hundred thousand men show weakness like this? He outstretched his arms, hoping she'd get the message to give him a hug. A hug from her always made him feel a little better. Perhaps it would give him the push he needed to start opening up to her. She immediately complied, the action completely natural to her as she wrapped her arms around his sides, the female too small to envelop him fully with her hugs. Regardless, she held him tightly, her fingers clenching the battered tunic he wore, her skin brushing against the frays of the worn cloth. It was, just as he, battle-torn and weary. It could use some mending if they made it through the war she'd help him.

Helmur reciprocated he gesture almost immediately, his large arms wrapping her immediately and squeezing her to the point of near-discomfort. Such an act on his part was most shameful, and this fact had on multiple occasions been beaten into him. He could still feel the whip and the scorching metal rod make contact to his back. Empathy, affection, sadness - nothing but weaknesses in his father's eyes. A good general cares for the wellbeing of his subordinates and does not waste them needlessly, but that is as far as you must ever go: their deaths are sometimes unavoidable, and even if they are not to die, your concern for their well being might lead you to make the wrong calls. Those were his father's words, but he couldn't bring himself to follow that creed. He leaned against Arabella's shoulder and started sobbing softly. Some wet spots began appearing on her shoulder pad. He berated himself mentally but he couldn't help it.

"Helmur," she murmured softly as she held him close, continuing to soothe him as best she could, physically and magically, "I am always going to do what I can to keep the people I care about alive." Though her voice was calm and quiet, it was very firm, and she did not plan on changing her point of view on the matter. "We are going to fight this war, and we will win it or die trying. You may not have been able to save Orson, Hel, but he would be supporting you one hundred percent, and you know that. You couldn't have done anything, either way, and he knows that. You have to stop blaming yourself." She hugged him even tighter, hopefully helping her message get through to him. She knew he wouldn't believe her, but maybe she could help him start to.

"I-I know you're right. On both counts. But I still cannot help but feel... Helpless. As if the entire world's a sea and they just dropped me and my ax in there and told me to deal with it. I am the Chosen of the War God, they said. The son of Darigaas. All my life I knew nothing but war and cruelty and violence, to the point where they've become synonymous with who I am. All the joys of life seem insignificant compared to the rush of blood, the thrill of victory, the joys of cruelty. I am a very bad man, Ara, and my boys - some of them ain’t much better. The things I've done, and the things I will do - wouldn't dare utter them. But most notably of all: This is who I am. Ignore my pathetic sobbing and whining, for you may be put under the impression that I'm some sort of victim of circumstance. I am not.” Her bright blue eyes watched him, any feelings going through her entirely concealed as he spoke. She simply pulled back and watched him as he spoke, her eyes giving no insight to her thoughts.

“Yet you care for me. How can you care, Ara? How can you look at the son of Darigaas, a cruel, violent man, who has killed more people than he can count, a man whose folly got his own brother killed, a man whose temper and belligerence know no equal?" At these words, she looked down, her mind racing as she thought hard about what to say next. She pulled back from their hug, looking down at her hands before she closed them into fists, opened them again, and immediately took his in her grasp. Her fiery blue eyes met his dark grey ones, soft and vulnerable as she spoke. His gaze was eager and restless, as though a lot of things depended upon her answer, a fact which held at least some degree of truth.

“Helmur...I know there are bad people in this world. I have suffered at the hands of them. My mother was murdered by them, and my father...likely kidnapped and tortured as I was.” Her voice was incredibly quiet, almost impossible to hear. “I know you have done bad deeds, Helmur. But I know you have good in you - the people who...branded me...didn’t.” At the hearing of that, Helmur’s face flinched ever so slightly. Oh, if only she knew the horrid things he’d done. So many innocents slain….So many homes pillaged and burnt. But he knew that if he told her she would hate him with a fiery passion, for she was good, and kind, unlike him. She squeezed his hands, taking a moment to recollect her thoughts and swallow away the lump in her throat making it harder to speak. “I have seen good in you. I don’t agree with the things you’ve done, but you have the potential to be better. To be more than those who discouraged you believed. To be more than your father could ever dream of.” She tried to smile at him, but the quivering of her chin made it difficult. “So when I say that you deserve to live, believe me. Please believe me and let me help you.”

He paused, his eyes turning towards the ground in shame. He was not worthy of this praise. He knew himself, and he knew that he did what he did not purely out of some sort of vengeance or influence from his family. He too was rotten to the very core.

“You-you make a valid point, Ara. I’ll try to live long enough to dwell on it. You too, do your best to see another day. We’ve had far, far too many dead friends already.” She offered a small smile at his words, her blue eyes watching him as he spoke. Before he could do anything else, she leaned toward him and planted a small kiss on his cheek. “I know.” She spoke softly, smiling and backing away to give him space to stand. Instantly, his thoughtful expression vanished, his eyes widening in surprise. After a brief moment, a large, joyful smile lit up his features, and he clumsily put two fingers on his cheek, as if though checking for injuries. “Um- I, uh, Ara, I-” He stammered, trying to somehow reorganize his thoughts. “T-thank you, Ara. I needed that.” While he still looked worn, the smile refused to abandon his lips. He stood up, resummoning his armor and walking towards the battlefield. However, after a few steps, he stopped and turned his head to look at her one final time.

“You know, Ara, I for once wish I wasn’t going. I wish I could stay here, with you. You know, if I somehow get out of this with my head still on my shoulders, I promise I’ll never yell at you again for embarrassing me in front of my men.'' At that, she grinned, raising a slender hand and waving him off. “I’ll hold you to it.” And with that, he summoned the helmet, the threatening monster on the visor swallowing the troubled eyes of the warrior, and he continued to the trenches at a quick pace, almost a jog. The slender female quickly transformed back into her small, yellow barbet, taking flight and soaring past Helmur with a swift dive into the air.

Addressed: Arabella | Mentioned: His Crew| Status: Panicking -> Talking to Ara -> Leaving for Battle | Mood: Unraveling -> Stressed -> Thoughtful -> Hopeful | Location: Small, Hidden Garden | Inventory: Summoned Armor, Gutsplitter (greataxe) | Notes: N/A

Addressed: Helmur | Mentioned: N/A | Status: Flying -> Meeting w/Helmur -> Leaving for Battle | Mood: Concerned/Worried -> Regretful -> Determined | Location: Small, Hidden Garden | Inventory: Naurcuil, Lúgheled | Notes: N/A

Collaboration post by Anaxileah & Athanas ​

Spoiler: Code

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[row][column=span4][div=background: url(https://www.downgraf.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Digital-Art-Inspiration-4508.jpg); background-size: cover; border-radius: 25px; height: 600px; padding: 5px; opacity: 0.7;][/div][/column][column=span4][div=background: url(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c4/b9/72/c4b9729f69e93cbae1928cdebb89f2d8.png); background-size: cover; border-radius: 25px; height: 600px; padding: 5px; opacity: 0.7;][/div][/column][/row]

[CENTER][div=position: relative; width: calc(100%  - 20px);height: 300px; overflow: hidden; background: #000000; background-size: cover; border-radius: 25px; padding: 10px; opacity: 0.8;][div=width: 100%; padding-right: 150px; height: 100%; overflow-y: scroll; font-align: justify;][CENTER][FONT=Calligraffitti][COLOR=white][SIZE=5]The yellow barbet dove through the air, her black-spotted wings flapping rapidly as she flew through Valencia, reaching the Alder tree in a matter of minutes since leaving the meeting room. She landed among the branches quietly, hiding among the leaves as she eyed the male that normally towered over her, finding him to be seated on the granite bench placed beside the old tree. The area they were in was rather secluded, the small courtyard overgrown from years of neglect, those who had tended to it long gone. Vines draped over the walls of the circular area, small jasmine flowers blooming along the tendrils as they enclosed the space and contributed to the sense of solitude. Her head turned to the side so she could look at Helmur clearly, her small black eye assessing his current state. He was as disheveled as before, very obviously exhausted from the days of working out plans to fight the Argossians as well as the emotional turmoil he just went through. He had bags under his eyes, a tremble in his hands, and a wide-eyed expression of a man who knew he didn't have much time yet.

The end was coming. He knew it would come, of course. He was an upstart, a favorite of the soldiery, intelligent, and wasn't afraid to call a spade a spade: all of these qualities came together to make him a true enemy to the royalty, so elbow-deep in their own schemes and plots they couldn't see anything beyond. If they had, the tin cans wouldn't have made it nearly as far as they had now. So, of course, they had plotted against him. This was exactly that: a setup. Yes, he was sure. First, they got all the royals together in a room, made half of ‘em do unimaginably stupid things, like fly airships straight into no man’s land, or runoff, or fail to show up altogether. And then, when he inevitably lost his nerve, they’d be on his ass, with all the charges a man can think of.  They knew he wouldn't be able to take it anymore. They knew that his greatest strength was also a weakness: sitting in their command posts and councils, they were detached from the world. Thousands died and they remained unaffected, merely subtracting the numbers. But he was in the trenches. To him, they were more than just some random figures of a piece of paper. He'd eaten with them, slept in their quarters, traded stories and alcohol. He listened to their ambitions, and their dreams, and their hopes. And then he had to watch them die, over and over and over again. They would know he'd be close to the boiling point with how the war was going. But what about Arabella? Perhaps -

She'd be damned if she let one of her friends die any time soon and decided to make that known. In a flash of bright yellow and red, the female fluttered to the ground in front of him, quickly transforming into Arabella, the morphogenesis between the two forms illuminated and beautiful. His paranoid musings were cut short as he spotted the yellow barbet transform in front of him, a beautiful surge of colors and lights, almost mesmerizing. Or perhaps it was Ara's deep blue eyes that had that effect on him, it was hard to be sure. She was crouched on the ground, looking up at his seated figure as she rose. She was barely tall enough to look him in the eye as he sat, but it was enough for her to show the warmth in her ocean-blue eyes. [COLOR=#2483F0][B]"Helmur..."[/B][/COLOR] She trailed off, her voice barely a whisper to begin with as she placed a somewhat bloodied hand upon his shoulder-guard, the warmth of her healing flames spreading through his being and soothing the erratic emotions the giant male was feeling. [COLOR=#2483F0][B]"...I shouldn't have provoked you. I am truly sorry, Helmur. I will do whatever I can to make sure you do not pay for my foolish behavior."[/B][/COLOR] She looked at him with a soft smile, her eyes apologetic and full of regret.

 He listened to what she was saying but dared not answer, for the rage still blazed in his body, and he feared his next outburst would be directed straight at her. He felt her hand on his shoulder and closed his eyes, letting the soothing warmth calm his heart and dissipate his anxiety. After a few blissful seconds, he opened them again, his wild look having been replaced by a sad, determined one. [COLOR=#DF0000][B]"It-It's really not your fault, Ara. I lost it, and I really shouldn't have. I was right, entirely right about all of 'em. Useless maggots that couldn't be arsed to get a basic plan together if their lives depended on it. But I shouldn't have said it. A good warrior knows when to hold his tongue."[/B][/COLOR] She looked at him with sadness as he took the blame again, knowing full well that if she'd calmed him rather than riled him up, they wouldn't be in this mess.

He paused for a few more seconds, trying to put the mess that was his thoughts into some cohesion. He didn't have all the time in the world, and it could be a while before he could see Arabella again, if at all. [COLOR=#DF0000][B]"It's just... The nightmares. They keep getting worse. I see poor Orson almost every other night, now. And the boys - so many of my boys keep dying and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I just - I don't know how much longer I can fight like this. This isn't war. This isn't the glorious test of might and strategy I was promised. They have devised ways to suck all the good out of it, to make it faceless, pointless, as unfair as possible. And the bodies... I've killed so many, and yet they don't stop coming. How can they be okay with so many dead? Even if they win, how will their economy ever recover? I dunno. I just-"[/B][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#2483F0][B]"Helmur, stop. War isn't always going to be the glorious test you think it is, and you can't keep promises you have no control over. People are going to die, and the Argossians have no sympathy for their enemies; you can't let it get to you or they're going to kill you. I don't want that to happen, and I won't let you die by anyone else's hand either."[/B][/COLOR] He managed to restrain himself once more. Time was of the essence. [COLOR=#DF0000][B]"Don't waste your pleas on me, they've already made up their minds. But my boys - they got no family to protect them. They'll execute them, have no doubt. Plead for their lives, at least. I promised them I'd do whatever I can to keep ‘em safe, or as safe as they can be in the middle of a warzone anyway."[/B][/COLOR]

He had so much more to tell her - about himself, about how he was feeling - but he felt his throat closing up. How could he, Helmur Bellarmont, Avatar of War and acting commander of a hundred thousand men show weakness like this? He outstretched his arms, hoping she'd get the message to give him a hug. A hug from her always made him feel a little better. Perhaps it would give him the push he needed to start opening up to her. She immediately complied, the action completely natural to her as she wrapped her arms around his sides, the female too small to envelop him fully with her hugs. Regardless, she held him tightly, her fingers clenching the battered tunic he wore, her skin brushing against the frays of the worn cloth. It was, just as he, battle-torn and weary. It could use some mending if they made it through the war she'd help him. 

Helmur reciprocated he gesture almost immediately, his large arms wrapping her immediately and squeezing her to the point of near-discomfort. Such an act on his part was most shameful, and this fact had on multiple occasions been beaten into him. He could still feel the whip and the scorching metal rod make contact to his back. Empathy, affection, sadness - nothing but weaknesses in his father's eyes. A good general cares for the wellbeing of his subordinates and does not waste them needlessly, but that is as far as you must ever go: their deaths are sometimes unavoidable, and even if they are not to die, your concern for their well being might lead you to make the wrong calls. Those were his father's words, but he couldn't bring himself to follow that creed. He leaned against Arabella's shoulder and started sobbing softly. Some wet spots began appearing on her shoulder pad. He berated himself mentally but he couldn't help it.

[COLOR=#2483F0][B]"Helmur,"[/B][/COLOR] she murmured softly as she held him close, continuing to soothe him as best she could, physically and magically, [COLOR=#2483F0][B]"I am always going to do what I can to keep the people I care about alive."[/B][/COLOR] Though her voice was calm and quiet, it was very firm, and she did not plan on changing her point of view on the matter. [COLOR=#2483F0][B]"We are going to fight this war, and we will win it or die trying. You may not have been able to save Orson, Hel, but he would be supporting you one hundred percent, and you know that. You couldn't have done anything, either way, and he knows that. You have to stop blaming yourself."[/B][/COLOR] She hugged him even tighter, hopefully helping her message get through to him. She knew he wouldn't believe her, but maybe she could help him start to.

 [COLOR=#DF0000][B]"I-I know you're right. On both counts. But I still cannot help but feel... Helpless. As if the entire world's a sea and they just dropped me and my ax in there and told me to deal with it. I am the Chosen of the War God, they said. The son of Darigaas. All my life I knew nothing but war and cruelty and violence, to the point where they've become synonymous with who I am. All the joys of life seem insignificant compared to the rush of blood, the thrill of victory, the joys of cruelty. I am a very bad man, Ara, and my boys - some of them ain’t much better. The things I've done, and the things I will do - wouldn't dare utter them. But most notably of all: This is who I am. Ignore my pathetic sobbing and whining, for you may be put under the impression that I'm some sort of victim of circumstance. I am not.”[/B][/COLOR] Her bright blue eyes watched him, any feelings going through her entirely concealed as he spoke. She simply pulled back and watched him as he spoke, her eyes giving no insight to her thoughts.

[COLOR=#DF0000][B]“Yet you care for me. How can you care, Ara? How can you look at the son of Darigaas, a cruel, violent man, who has killed more people than he can count, a man whose folly got his own brother killed, a man whose temper and belligerence know no equal?"[/B][/COLOR] At these words, she looked down, her mind racing as she thought hard about what to say next. She pulled back from their hug, looking down at her hands before she closed them into fists, opened them again, and immediately took his in her grasp. Her fiery blue eyes met his dark grey ones, soft and vulnerable as she spoke. His gaze was eager and restless, as though a lot of things depended upon her answer, a fact which held at least some degree of truth.

[COLOR=#2483F0][B]“Helmur...I know there are bad people in this world. I have suffered at the hands of them. My mother was murdered by them, and my father...likely kidnapped and tortured as I was.”[/B][/COLOR] Her voice was incredibly quiet, almost impossible to hear. [COLOR=#2483F0][B]“I know you have done bad deeds, Helmur. But I know you have good in you - the people who...branded me...didn’t.”[/B][/COLOR] At the hearing of that, Helmur’s face flinched ever so slightly. Oh, if only she knew the horrid things he’d done. So many innocents slain….So many homes pillaged and burnt. But he knew that if he told her she would hate him with a fiery passion, for she was good, and kind, unlike him. She squeezed his hands, taking a moment to recollect her thoughts and swallow away the lump in her throat making it harder to speak. [COLOR=#2483F0][B]“I have seen good in you. I don’t agree with the things you’ve done, but you have the potential to be better. To be more than those who discouraged you believed. To be more than your father could ever dream of.”[/B][/COLOR] She tried to smile at him, but the quivering of her chin made it difficult. [COLOR=#2483F0][B]“So when I say that you deserve to live, believe me. Please believe me and let me help you.”[/B][/COLOR]
 
He paused, his eyes turning towards the ground in shame. He was not worthy of this praise. He knew himself, and he knew that he did what he did not purely out of some sort of vengeance or influence from his family. He too was rotten to the very core.

[COLOR=#DF0000][B]“You-you make a valid point, Ara. I’ll try to live long enough to dwell on it. You too, do your best to see another day. We’ve had far, far too many dead friends already.”[/B][/COLOR] She offered a small smile at his words, her blue eyes watching him as he spoke. Before he could do anything else, she leaned toward him and planted a small kiss on his cheek. [COLOR=#2483F0][B]“I know.”[/B][/COLOR] She spoke softly, smiling and backing away to give him space to stand. Instantly, his thoughtful expression vanished, his eyes widening in surprise. After a brief moment, a large, joyful smile lit up his features, and he clumsily put two fingers on his cheek, as if though checking for injuries. [COLOR=#DF0000][B]“Um- I, uh, Ara, I-”[/B][/COLOR] He stammered, trying to somehow reorganize his thoughts. [COLOR=#DF0000][B]“T-thank you, Ara. I needed that.”[/B][/COLOR] While he still looked worn, the smile refused to abandon his lips. He stood up, resummoning his armor and walking towards the battlefield. However, after a few steps, he stopped and turned his head to look at her one final time.

[COLOR=#DF0000][B]“You know, Ara, I for once wish I wasn’t going. I wish I could stay here, with you. You know, if I somehow get out of this with my head still on my shoulders, I promise I’ll never yell at you again for embarrassing me in front of my men.''[/B][/COLOR] At that, she grinned, raising a slender hand and waving him off. [COLOR=#2483F0][B]“I’ll hold you to it.”[/B][/COLOR] And with that, he summoned the helmet, the threatening monster on the visor swallowing the troubled eyes of the warrior, and he continued to the trenches at a quick pace, almost a jog. The slender female quickly transformed back into her small, yellow barbet, taking flight and soaring past Helmur with a swift dive into the air.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

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[row][column=span4][COLOR=#DF0000][SIZE=4][B]Addressed:[/B] Arabella | [B]Mentioned:[/B] His Crew| [B]Status:[/B] Panicking -> Talking to Ara -> Leaving for Battle | [B]Mood:[/B] Unraveling -> Stressed -> Thoughtful -> Hopeful | [B]Location:[/B] Small, Hidden Garden | [B]Inventory:[/B] Summoned Armor, Gutsplitter (greataxe) | [B]Notes:[/B] N/A[/SIZE][/COLOR][/column][column=span4][COLOR=#2483F0][SIZE=4][B]Addressed:[/B] Helmur | [B]Mentioned:[/B] N/A | [B]Status:[/B] Flying -> Meeting w/Helmur -> Leaving for Battle | [B]Mood:[/B] Concerned/Worried -> Regretful -> Determined | [B]Location:[/B] Small, Hidden Garden | [B]Inventory:[/B] [URL='https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1f/d9/34/1fd93499af96f91db4c7e9dfc06f4e5d.jpg']Naurcuil[/URL], [URL='https://i.pinimg.com/736x/eb/86/84/eb8684776ffe6ad60c64b4c554e57c52.jpg']Lúgheled[/URL] | [B]Notes:[/B] N/A[/SIZE][/COLOR][/column][/row]

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[COLOR=white][SIZE=4]Collaboration post by @Anaxileah & @Athanas[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT][/CENTER][/div][/div][/CENTER]
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[Goonfire]

William Rundell Haus Code & Ahlmus Thorn
(A collab w/ Kloudy )

William turned to look back at Ahlmus and nodded knowingly, "In a sense."

He too gazed over at Travis, succeeding at not revealing much from his expression alone. There was a reason the former Suits king had switched sides and turned traitor. No man or woman would act with such zeal against the people they had vowed to protect and lead unless there was some merit to their reasoning. And William knew what said reasoning was all too well. It was also why he was here now with Ahlmus.

"Stall him. Reinforcements will arrive, but this generator will not prove to be your toughest challenge."

He looked to the skies now, a mixture of regret and sadness tinging his face before being replaced with something more stoic, controlled.


“Reinforcements,” Ahlmus breathed, his head whipping between his mentor and his adversary. “Hope they arrive soon… He does seem stronger.” He conveyed a hint of doubt, as though he was slightly uncertain for once. He physically shook his head and sighed loudly, clearing his mind. “Alright, enough babbling and bullshit from me. I can and will do this now,” he then told himself.

Ahlmus remained standing there, limbering up in the frozen time. While doing so, he questioned, “So what is this binding of Washam? That’s new.” He never put much stock in tales of gods at work, though he at least knew the name.


"An ancient technique, Ahlmus. Perhaps you may learn it one day."

William smiled to himself. His use of 'perhaps' was funny to him, given that he knew what would happen, "I must go now. I have one last thing to say to you before I do."

William turned and walked closer to Ahlmus, making sure not to touch him for some reason. The look in his eyes was serious, yet slightly sad once again. It had an unnatural intensity to it.

"In time, forgive me. My intentions were honest even then too."

And he was gone, having walked briskly through the portal thereafter.


“Forgive? For w‐” Before the mystified time mage could finish the question, William had disappeared through the portal. “Agh, shit… more questions than answers again,” he groaned, returning to his usual deadpan mannerism as he prepared for time to resume.

 

[TPBx]

Travis pounded his fists and summoned from within him an unnatural amount of energy, the silhouette of a giant snake appeared behind him as the former King of Spades took a different battle stance. His eyes locked onto Ahlmus's, knowing something was different about the time mage now. The Former King activated the primary ability of the Basilisk form, his petrifying gaze locked onto Ahlmus with hopes of preventing him from using more time manipulation magic so the King of the Hunt could deliver the finishing blow. While doing this, Travis then began seemingly slithering across the broken battleground like a viper swiftly approaching its prey. He was quick but unlike before he was hard to catch a glimpse of, his movements were erratic but at the same time smooth and controlled all while keeping his petrifying gaze locked onto Ahlmus.

Goonfire

 

[Goonfire]

Things picked back up quickly, but Ahlmus was ready; without missing a beat, he activated his own magic. As his skin began to feel dry and scaly with the initial onset of petrification, he blinked out of existence, leaving an empty space in front of the approaching traitor.

As it turns out, the time mage was back in his previous spot. He crouched to pick up his handaxe, only to throw it at the side of Travis’ head. The former king wasn’t the only one familiar with serpentine evasion methods, as Ahlmus demonstrated when zigzagging his way towards an abjurer’s corpse. Hit or miss, the axe throw was no more than a distraction. Nothing more was said—no taunts, threats, or any kind of small talk.

TPBx

 

[TPBx]

Athania coughed and spat out some blood. Ylsa’s attacks definitely had more force behind them than anticipated. She felt a sharp stinging pain on the side of her chest, Ylsa must have managed to break a rib or two. The Shadow Mage stumbled to her feet and summoned a set of daggers to her side. Ylsa gathered up the chain and assumed a more defensive stance, now twirling the sickle end of her weapon carefully. Even with the extensive amount of experience she had, using this technique was tricky.


Meanwhile, Kaiden dashed to his shadow ally. Their abilities combined could potentially throw Ylsa off. He just had to find ways to disorient the Argossian. The wind mage’s focused gaze remained on Ylsa, carefully observing her stand up and twirl the sickle. That weapon had some sort of enchantment. Whatever it was, was a mystery to him.


Athania then threw both her daggers in a wide arc and summoned two additional daggers into her hands and threw those as well. Ylsa reacted by throwing the spiked chain sending it out at a wide angle but then swiping away at precise areas of space in front of her with the sickle. This caused the spiked ball to curve wildly and knock all four daggers out of the air.


Kaiden watched in awe, but didn’t show it. The guy knew the spiked ball could land a good hit; however, that sickle could . . eliminate space? Normally, people would want to stay away from it. His idea was completely different though. Kaiden glanced at the shadow woman before taking off in another dash toward Ylsa. His right hand rapidly whirled around, creating a vortex surrounding the enemy with wind in an intense updraft. Their exchanges were quick. Ylsa swung at him with the spiked ball, but the brisk whirlwind created a white screen similar to that of a tornado, causing her attack to miss. Kaiden lowly slid in the remainder of the space between him and Ylsa as the chained spiked ball quickly whipped over his head. He then pulled the tornado up away from her ankles before sending a round ground kick with his right leg, firmly placing his right hand on the ground for support and launching his left leg in the air. Kaiden’s movement almost seemed gravity defying when both his legs simultaneously kicked in midair. Once the tornado abruptly cleared, his left leg came down for her head.


Ylsa rolled over Kaiden’s grounded roundhouse kick and ducked out of the way from his follow-up attack. The woman needed to create space, so she then slammed the spike ball into the ground, activating its ability and sending her flying away from Kaiden. Athania saw this and sunk into the shadow beneath Ylsa. When the mage hunter landed, Athania emerged from the shadows right behind her, summoned a two-handed shadow axe into her hands, and cleaved it into Ylsa’s back. The attack sent Ylsa stumbling forward, then was followed up by Athania shadow-stepping once more now ending up in front of Ylsa. She swung the axe again and knocked Ylsa back onto the ground. Athania thought the mage hunter would surely be dead by now after taking hits like that from both Kaiden and herself, but Ylsa stood back tall though bleeding from the first axe-swing.


“If it wasn’t for this armor, I’d be dead,” Ylsa laughed, “but this armor was forged with The Eternal Flame of The Great Dragon Darhygaas. It has no flaws.” Ylsa slammed her chest with her fist and picked up her weapon once more, now twirling both ends around, spinning the weapon over her head causing the space around the battleground to fluctuate wildly.


Kaiden nearly stumbled when the space between the three of them started zooming in and out. Somehow this experience was far worse than the man expected. The shifting reality warping motions almost sickened him. It all had to stop. That weapon, had to be destroyed . . or stolen, that would be cool too.


Athania tripped and rolled forward, but then was sent stumbling backwards again. In a split second, Kaiden grabbed her forearm preventing her from falling back. He then blew a concussive force at Ylsa. The Argossian endured the hit yet continued her reality warping whirlwind attack, bending space even more and alerting other mages in the area to the immediate threat she posed.

Collab with Xanto

 

[AI10100]

Callum

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"The search for knowledge drives us all."​

location: Yisstra's Grove
interactions: Ambiloquous Kloudy
mentions:

​

Callum had originally been unsure with this plan. Yes, Yisstra's Grove was a very interesting place for any sort of adventurer - from Artifact Hunters such as himself to merchants who wanted in on the magical properties that the Grove seemed to exude. It was always a place of interest. Information about the grove always seemed to be present, through rumors and stories that were passed around by families of the deceased or the adventurers who barely survived their stay in the Grove.

One thing was for sure, Yisstra's Grove was not a safe place to travel to.

It had a very bad habit of eating up most of those who came through its entrances. Confusing. Deadly. Don't go there. It was basically suicide to even attempt to explore it, much less attempt to collect something from inside that place. But there was so much that Callum could find inside. Even if he couldn't find an artifact - the damn things were too elusive - he could always collect herbs to use for his alchemy. The area was so magically potent that she was sure that there would be some unique plants or even just any ingredient really. He was sure he would need more of it if he ever gets injured. Jana could hold her own when it came to that position. Unfortunately for him, if Jana even decided to power him up, it would end very badly for him.

He adjusted his hold on the backpack. He had to store his potions into it as well as some health and stamina potions that hung on his belt. Callum let out a sigh as they arrived close to Yisstra's Grove. "Well, here we are." He turned to Jana with a small grin on his face, but his body language was obviously tense and wary. "You know, they say people don't come out alive when they enter this place. Or, well, come out at all." Despite this, he began laughing. "Practically the story of our life huh?"

"You ready?"

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codedbycrucialstar | hidden scroll​