Graded [Alvheim Ruins] Dungeon Crawl Ho! - Remnant of Ancient Ambition

[EMIYAman]

Intro​

This RP is a part of the [Isekai Hell] overarching roleplay group. As such if you wish to join check out the OOC or join our Discord.

This RP will focus upon a group of adventurers exploring ruins related to the long lost civilization of Alvheim. An incredibly advanced empire which once held dominion over a sizable portion of the continent, through the use of highly sophisticated Magitech. The Empire faced a sudden collapse over one-thousand years ago with current scholars still only able to form half baked theories as to why. The ruin the group will explore is an Alvian laboratory and workshop which deciphered records say was conducting research upon the soul. However the laboratory was sealed off and impossible to enter for centuries until recently, which The Ryken Academy has taken great interest in. The group has been commissioned individually by a member of the Ryken Archeological Society affiliated with The Academy. The young man has requested an escort to protect him as he conducts his study of the ruin. Its considered a potential holy grail of Ancient Societal Anthropology and its mere existence has inspired many a burgeoning Archeologist into entering the field. Let alone the potential magics and artifacts contained within. The ruin however has strangely faced little to no degradation appearing good as new from the outside save some overgrowth. Hence the need for the escort as any potential defenses within are sure to be active; the dangers housed within a Magitech workshop best not be underestimated.

​

The man paced somewhat impatiently at the entrance, checking his watch every few seconds as if he was trying to convince himself of the existence of time. The heat of the sun was baring down upon him a record high for the season, and sweat dripped down his brow but his discomfort was barely noted by him. All he felt was the agony of unfulfilled excitement with each passing moment as he waited for his Security Detail to arrive. The entrance to the site was relatively off the beaten path but its existence has been known for a long time and it wasn't very well hidden. The stories say the first person to discover the place was a shepherd after all. There was even a town nearby that had used the site as a bit of tourist attraction selling trinkets and supplies to would be adventurers and other Archeologists much like himself hoping to get a peek inside. He sighed, he was one of the younger members of the Society so he felt he had a lot to prove to his seniors he looked up to. Since he was young he had a passion for history and it had only grown since he joined The Academy. Now here he was prepared for the most important expedition of the century, on the eve of his rise within the archeological community, on the very CUSP of history in the making on top of the grand finale which would mark the end of his thesis! Yet he could not go in. The bloody door is quite literally open and he has to wait. He checked his watch once again then rifled through his pack double and triple checking all his supplies making sure he would be nothing but ready without a hair out of place... He paused for a moment stock still trying to recall if he had actually confirmed the time with his escorts.

His eyes caught a flicker of movement with a start he rose to his foot practically bouncing, and squinted his eyes to make out the figures. They had arrived! With a wide grin he broke out into a jog to meet the group. He reached them panting and with even more sweat than before falling from his face between heavy breaths and his hands on his knees he spoke. "Glad y-you all could m-m-make it I'm..." He paused to take a swig of water from his canteen. Centering himself the young man stood up straight gaining a better handle of his words. "I'm Cephus, a proud member of the Ryken Archeological Society. With you guys here we can finally start! He turned motioning them to follow as he walked back to the entrance. Soon after he began an impassioned lecture. "Now the interesting thing with this particular expedition is the state of the site, its remarkably maintained and the material making up the entrance has no damage we can notice. It's amazing while Alvian construction tends to be the longest lasting you can find I've never heard of one found in this condition! Think of what may be contained within for the Alvs to have created this structure differently from every other one the Society has explored. Can you imagine what insight we may gleam from this and what if we find a working artifact! Ah, I can hardly wait! They reach the entrance to the ruin, the cave mouth looming in front of the group a gaping darkness within and a lone light deep in its depths.

 

[Individual]

Astrid Naréssyr​

Perhaps the most noticeable object in the vicinity of the Magitech Workshop would be a massive Golem kneeling just off to the side. Light reflected off its dark blue armor, generating a slight sheen that would catch the eye of anyone peering through the thick green foliage. Appearing to resemble a knight with feminine qualities, the 15 feet tall giant boasted the right balance between brutish strength and a graceful visage that was a testament to the craftsmanship of those who reside in the Duchy. Yet, despite the recognisable handiwork of those golem artisans, this specific model seems to slightly differ from the modus operandi of construction.


Standing at the base of the Golem’s open chest was a fair-skinned woman with long greyish hair fluttering in the gentle breeze that rustled through the leaves. With a well-sculpted face that was round and soft, the lady in question looked like a prized doll that was unblemished from the grimy hands of men and instead appeared fit for nothing but display. Of course, such beauty would quickly make sense when taking notice of the obvious pointed ears that sprouted from the side of her head; a clear indicator of the species that were often described as inhumanely alluring. Astrid took a sip from her waterskin from the elevated point, dark red eyes methodically swaying to and fro from each new face that appeared. Their hardened gaze spoke wonders about her inner thoughts and the habitual suspicion in those crimson orbs served as fleeting recollections of the life that came before.


As she allowed the chilled liquid to elevate her coarse throat, Astrid allowed her eyes to wander off from the unfamiliaer faces to the equally unfamiliar cave. From what she had been told, this was actually an entrance to an old Magitech workshop created by the Alvians; citizens of the lost civilization of Alvheim. They appeared to be technologically advanced, having the means to combine physical phenomena with the arcane to create constructs that were incredibly challenging to replicate in the current era. Her own Golem, which she named “Asterism”, appeared to be a form of Magitech and so Astrid was naturally drawn to the idea of investigating these ruins, in hopes that the knowledge she would obtain could help further her own understanding of her craft. What was even more peculiar was the small footnote left by Ryken Academy: That these particular workshop was more so a laboratory to investigate the inner workings of one’s soul.


Astrid sealed her waterskin up after a satisfying drink before placing back in Asterism’s cockpit, a tired sigh escaping her damp lips as she listened to the meek acheologist talk. Even here, the work of her previous life continued to haunt her. The creation of an artificial soul expressed only in the language of men, that was the purpose Astrid had given to her first life. A life born by human hands, an anti-creation that rejects the beliefs that such feats were exclusive only to the gods, such was the pursuit of the woman she used to be. Just why she was obsessed with such a thing had long been lost in the passage of time, an Astrid Naréssyr no longer carried about such concepts now that she had succeeded. Yet, she could not help but be curious about what sort of research was done by the denizens of this new world, becoming a slave to her own intrigue once again.


“.....Let’s go.”


Astrid mumbled to herself as she hopped off her Golem and onto the grassy ground below. The dark blue clothes she wore were elegant yet practical for adventuring, something she had been doing a lot these few days. Granted, most of it was from within Asterism’s chest, but seeing as how the entrance was too small, Astrid would have to leave her better half outside. Unfortunately, like Cyprus, she was more of a researcher than a fighter and thus the only benefit she could really offer to the group was her insight and intuition about the inner workings of this ancient laboratory.

 

[Beetlebuggo]

[Code//:INSRT-FLE- TMK]
[INTERACTIVITY DESIGNATION - ASTRID { Individual } | CEPHUS { EMIYAman }
[PHYSICAL DISPLAY APPARATUS]--> [BELOW]
​

[Text directory] - [Bolded text, square brackets] = Speaking to Reader.
[Unbolded square Brackets] = Communication in RP.

{Unbolded curved brackets} = Notebook text.
——————


Between the bushes.. and through the shrubbery..

A distinct Pink spherical figure was walking along, seemingly to be wandering mindlessly as it made occasional stops, turning to face either the bark of the trees, the leaves, the grass, blade by blade, or small insects it happened to spot..

A noticeable pattern of distorted color shifting squares was seen trailing closely along with the movements of its right hand, seemingly also permeating from its front.. a black smoke-like trail was seen from the bottom of the front as well…

On the left arm, a small notebook full of written information, with a No.2 pencil clasped between the pages was also seen…

It walked through another wall of bushes, ignoring the leaves brushing along its face as it came face to face with what looked like a massive cave..

It spotted two individual looking towards the cave entrance as well..

They were both Organic Lifeforms, one standing in front of what seemed to be a large metal body, the other, donning an attire they were unfamiliar with..

[… Curiosity garnered.]

The squares floating out of its eye formed a distorted frame, and text formed as some squares made the appropriate formation for text..

It dispersed shortly after, as the being then waddled towards the two…

 

[LadyOfStars]

Seikatsu Mitsunari

A trove of secrets and knowledge and an abundance of learning and growing to be done were what lured Mitsunari to this site of history. Bandaged beyond recognition, but still garbed in his kimono, the wounded kitsune marched slowly through the s=grassy fields towards the group that had formed at the mouth of the cave. The gods had bid he change this world, then also advised that he improve upon himself, what better way than to discover secrets of the soul. It was difficult to be here as pain coursed through every nerve in his body, but it was worth the struggle. The potential treasures that awaited within were worth the pain that he endured.

As the group came more into view, Mitsunari said nothing to anyone and avoided eye contact with most. He did take notice of the machine that sat nearby and marked its uniqueness for later. The Woman who had just left it was also somewhat interesting, but only because of her connection to the device. The small, pink creature that stood nearby was concerning, but in his current state he wouldn't pick any fights, especially not while his ogres were not present.

"I...agree. Let us...begin." He said in a soft voice as he stated towards Cephus and the entrance. Already he was starting to breath heavily and craving a nice comfy chair. He hoped these people would be far more useful than he would be, but he wouldn't put too much faith in their intellect or power.

Beetlebuggo EMIYAman Individual

 

[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: The Beginning

Mentions: Individual Beetlebuggo LadyOfStars

​

The group had gathered together at the entrance, ready to make their descent. Cephus prepared himself breathing in deep the cave mouth seemingly beckoning him closer. He took a brief moment looking at the forms of the people he would be trusting with his life. Admittedly the Elven woman with the massive golem fascinated him to no end. He'd heard of such magitech constructs in other nations which flew in the face of Ryken paltry by comparison magitech, but to see it first hand was another thing entirely. His gaze lingered on the woman a bit longer and not just cause she was beautiful. But he knew the deal which had bene struck with her in exchange for her aid. He was a little frustrated with having to potentially part with some items they may find, but the opportunity to have someone who appreciated the craftmanship of the Alvs was a good enough trade. Then he looked to the rather exotic member of his retinue. Cephus was somewhat sure the figure with those majestic tails was a man but from what he could see he was quite good looking for one. His clothing was exotic and while he had never seen such cloth before a senior of his had mentioned the lands to the far east and their alien culture and style. Was he from there? Though the many bandages and slight twitches of pain concerned him. Could he even protect him in that state? Well, it wasn't his place to judge and these two had been sought out for him so they must be good. Though he didn't see much of a weapon on either of them not even a knife...

Soft words from the man broke him out of his musings. Somewhat embarrassed at being lost in thought like that he turned to the two intent on give some sort of call to action. "A-alright then now that we are sufficiently prepared we'll begin the debriefing. This journey may be a long one for all we know we'll be down there for days at a time, I've packed enough food to keep us going a maximum of two. After that we will have to leave no matter what got it?" Neither of them even seemed to be paying him any mind their gazes locked firmly on the entrance. He couldn't help but feel somewhat ashamed to feel like he's speaking aloud for no reason but there was procedure to follow. "This site has great historical value as such I ask that refrain from damaging it to the best of your ability unless absolutely necessary. Any artifacts found are property of the Ryken Archeological Society at my discretion." He looked to the Elf. "Save certain special cases... So if you wish to take something from the site you must notify an appointed member of the R.A.S. that being me. Having gone through the mandated words he moved onto the more personal. "I'll be trusting you guys with my life we have no idea what could be in there or how dangerous it is. So lets work together for the good pulling lost history out of the shadows. Having said that I, Cephus Simon declare this expedition, begin!" With a nod he turned and marched through the cave with his escort in tow.

Spoiler: To Enter Whats Sealed

​

They descended into the depths, it wasn't bright but the cave was sparsely lit by crystals along the walls. Cephus kept his hand on the side of the wall keeping his bearings as per his training. He hefted the sack upon his back and kept an even pace. He didn't look back to check on his companion but by the uneven sounds of footsteps they were following close behind, though for the life of him he could swear he almost heard another softer set of footfalls. But, he ignored it in favor of the destination. As the continued their trek a light in the distance grew brighter. It was a glaring light compared to the dark of the rest of the cave and shined so bright you couldn't make out what the source of it was. Eventually it became so bright Cephus covered his eyes yet continued forward until his eyes adjusted and then widened as he beheld the true beginning of the expedition and a marvel which had even more in store.

​

The cave had all of a sudden disappeared in favor of this orderly man made room. Cephus looked back only to be met with a white wall of metal. They had walked through the cave into a light and all of a sudden they were here? Despite knowing this was the "ruin" of an ancient civilization he couldn't reconcile that notion with the scenery before him. Nothin here could be called a ruin and industrial stark light the smooth sheen of metal and glyphs suspended in the air painted the picture of a very active place. "This, is amazing." He spoke these words with a clear sense of awe. He dropped his pack to the floor shedding the weight before unceremoniously examining the area around him. Noting the strange raised windows that only reflected his face back at him. He wasn't sure the point of tine angled windows which showed nothing but he examined them all the same. Then he took in the cylinders throughout the room placed at an angle and up against each wall. Glass allowed one to look inside and the general shape made Cephus think it was big enough to hold a person. They were all empty save one which was filled with some strange liquid which was too thick to see through though if he strained his eyes he could make out a humanoid figure within. Wait. Was there a person in here? And were they, alive? Surely they would drown in there but what if they weren't what if a spell or something had sustained them within this cylinder!? As he pondered this his mind roaring with theories a mechanical whir sounded out. A series of beeps in a odd yet purposeful sequence rang out in the room before the liquid within the pod he was looking into began to drain. With widened eyes and a sudden remembrance of his escort he scrambled back and behind them looking out at the pod.

The liquid continued to drain for what could have been a few seconds or an eternity, to Cephus at least. Immediately after the pod swung open and a fog rolled out of it briefly obscuring vision. Then a figure placed their hand upon the side of the pod before pushing themselves out. The figure was a short dark skinned girl with horns upon her head and a reptilian tail. One other glaring feature though, she was naked. Though her body possessed no sex characteristics. It was just, smooth... She opened her eyes regarding all of them with a impassive face. Then glyphs in a strange script appeared around her before coating her in light and quickly fading away revealing abnormal attire. She tapped the newly appeared staff in her hand upon to ground almost as if testing it. The bizarre being looked to them all. She then spoke in a melodic language the words flowing like song mixed with sounds seemingly impossible to make. She waits for a bit then seemingly realizes she can't be understood. She then rapidly switched between multiple languages at fast speeds searching for one that fit, before one became recognizable It was the language spoken in the Ryke but a seemingly older dialect. "Thou might not but be guests" Sensing recognition she continued. "I Ouro, welcome the four of thou to the masters personal workshop" with that she turned and walked over to the large metal door before a magic circle with the same glyphs from before manifested over her hand she made a series of motions and the door opened, she beckoned them over. "Thou may all make course with me" Cephus was stunned but managed to pull himself from behind Mitsunari he made to follow then stopped. Did she say four? He turned to assess their numbers before noticing a small pink ball with stubs akin to arms and legs. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" He pointed to the creature who was most certainly not meant to be here in utter confusion and fear. Ouro stood slightly ahead of them watching with a blank expression and a tilt of her head. "Fascinating Creature."

 

[Beetlebuggo]

[Code//:INSRT-FLE- TMK]
[INTERACTIVITY DESIGNATION - ASTRID { Individual } | CEPHUS, Ouro { EMIYAman } | Mitsunari { LadyOfStars }
[PHYSICAL DISPLAY APPARATUS (Digital UPDTE)]--> [BELOW]
​

[Text directory] - [Bolded text, square brackets] = Speaking to Reader.
[Unbolded square Brackets] = Communication in RP.

{Unbolded curved brackets} = Notebook text.
——————

​

Along the way as he and the others were led through the dimly lit cave, TMK had been trailing behind the other three, a little slower as they had been writing notes of the crystal lighting..

{Organic Lifeforms intend exploration of cave that contains historic values, Cave properties - Height undetermined, but rather large in width. Reason to why Female with pointed ears had not brought the metal body with her undetermined, considering potential hostile contact, Likely conclusion - previous expeditions were made, dealing with the hostiles. Caution advised.

- Crystals lighting cave - Texture appears abnormally smooth compared to most other crystal types. Shape remains uniform, height varies. Further examination to come.}

Once they had reached the technologically advanced area, in which seemed to cause others much awe, TMK stared blankly at the pods that in which Cephus had walked near..

{Surroundings - High technological advanced and mesmerizing upon sight by Organic Lifeforms. Appears so that their technologies today, despite presumed developments, remains primitive. Large cylindrical structures on each side, glass portions sighted.. Possible containment units based on control panels cornering the center circular area.}

He yet still remained quiet, watching from behind the group as a new Female lifeform exited one of the cylindrical units. Introducing herself a Ouro and speaking in an older version of the others' understood language.. Then upon Cephus' loud and startled reaction to TMK's presence, he felt... confused..

The Code essence helped make that noticeable through the sudden text appearing, large enough for everyone to read.

[Confused. Self presumed that Thou, alongside other Organic Lifeforms present, had been aware of my presence. As to adapt, Introductions seem required. Salutations. Designated name of self: File\\: - TMK.EXE| Simplicity name - TMK.]

Oval voids looked at everyone else in the room, stopping and turning their sights on you

[I see you.]

Briefly, before turning back and waddling to Ouro's side.

[Self is ready to follow. Ouro.]

​

 

[LadyOfStars]

Seikatsu Mitsunari

​

Impressive would have been the wrong word to described the discovery they had found. The dark tunnels had given him little hope for what they might find in here, but when they opened up to the white light of the workshop he was amazed and for a brief moment the constant pain that he endured was muted by the feeling of wonder. He had never come across such technology and craftsmanship. Standing there, bathed in the stark lights and staring at all the unknown devices, he pondered what their first move would be.

But before they could act on their curiosity, machines came to life and the whole room seemed active. This would be his first encounter since the mountain fiasco and while his body ached beyond measure, Mitsunari was mentally ready for a fight. His mana surged through him, churning and ready to give his all to whatever foe the foreign technology might throw at them. Their guide even coward behind the burnt fox, fearful for his own life. He had been holding out hope that the leader of the expedition would be capable of some sort of self defense, but it seemed that was but a far off dream at this point.

When the tube opened and a person emerged from it, Mitsunari's interest was truly piqued. A lifeform without male or female anatomy, emerging from some sort of liquid substance. It was reminiscent of the process of birth and the kitsune could not help but wonder if that was what these ancient beings were doing here. Replicating one of life's great miracles.

While their leader seemed eager to follow the strange organism, Mitsunari had some questions first. "Ouro, what are you?" He inquired blatantly.

Beetlebuggo EMIYAman Individual

 

[Individual]

Astrid Naréssyr
​

Astrid simply shrugged in a nonchalant fashion at Cephus' roundabout way of addressing the deal she had made with Ryken. Scrawny as he was, he appeared to be a person of intellect rather than muscle like herself; but that kinship served more as a sign of danger rather than caution. She was familiar with such people, for she had no choice but to surround herself with those of similar intellect in her previous life, with the experience teaching her valuable lessons about the nature of those who sought power through mind alone. The one you should be careful of in a melee brawl isn't the largest fighter in the group…but the unsuspecting weakling with a gun hidden in his sleeves.


That being said, Cephus was certainly not the biggest red flag in the group. Instead, his gullible attitude seemed somewhat genuine and naive, which was both good and bad when exploring unknown caverns. No, the problematic one would be the fox. Astrid was confident in her ability to judge a person's character from a glance, and every part of her body was screaming that this man could not be trusted. She had no reason to think that way, nor was she in possession of any damning evidence that sheds light on his potentially unscrupulous character. All she had was her intuition. And right now it was screaming.


The journey down into the caves wasn't anything special. Unfortunately, archeology was not something Astrid specialized in, though she had a feeling that the network of tunnels were more artificial than natural. The ground seemed too smooth, the width too wide, and the passage too mundane. Sure some terrain was tricky to maneuver over, but no imminent signs of topological danger that would be evident in a naturally formed cave. In fact, the most alarming thing throughout the whole journey was the presence of this strange pink blob following behind them. Astrid merely took a quick glance at the creature but otherwise ignored it for the time being, for it did not seem hostile despite its bizarre and beautifully unnerving visage.


Eventually, the cave led to a highly modernized facility unlike even the workshops located within the Duchy. The walls were industrial white, and many high-tech doors were placed at various locations as indicators of the rooms hidden behind them. The whole area was way too advanced, surpassing even the level of technology in her previous life and appearing more scientific rather than magical despite this world's clear preference for the latter. Though awed, Astrid was not surprised. She rarely does anymore. Besides, it clearly wasn't the time to stand there dumbfounded when the dangers of unfamiliar territory continues to haunt them. If this "Ancient Civilization" had the means to create such a facility, then they would know better than to leave it undefended…..



….And speak of the devil, a guard. An androgynous humanoid of dark skin paired with animal characteristics had appeared from a pod. Surprisingly, it welcomed them rather than attacking them outright; which was concerning. The pink blob's presence was quickly revealed to the group, as pointed out by Ouro, and Cephus' reaction was at least mildly amusing. The fox, on the other hand, appeared to prefer getting things down to business as he asked the million dollar question. Since the cunning man-beast was so kind to launch the inquiry for her, Astrid simply remained quiet and allowed her mind to do the talking.


Was it some form of android? Perhaps, though the entity seemed more fleshy than mechanical. The liquid that was drained from the cylinder could be a form of stasis lock, or a means to extend its life much like cryofreezing, suggesting the weakness of skin. That meant that Ouro was most likely something akin to a homunculus, as described in Alchemical text, fused with bits of animal parts as a form of experiment by the ancient civilization. But…the entity's way of communication seemed rather mechanical to her, like an A.I not unlike the one she had created back then. The information would thus lead Astrid to conclude that Ouro could most definitely be an artificial soul using a homunculus body as a vessel.


Whether that was true or not, Astrid would have her answers very soon.

 

[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: Questions

Mentions: LadyOfStars Individual lXlGamemaster


Ouro studied the pink creature a bit before she was seemingly content with what she saw, and turned her gaze to Mitsunari. Her face did not change from its impassive appearance. Yet there was a look in her eye a twinkle of something. Most would not notice this but someone skilled in reading others like Mitsunari would notice an almost imperceptible look of satisfaction at his question. Then it was gone. She tapped her staff on the ground as if in thought for a second while her eyes stayed glued to Mitsunaris. "I am a creation of The Master. I was the first success in his experiment to give life to a artificial body through an artificial soul. My form is a combination of the genome of multiple different species, thou may think of me as a Chimaera if thou art familiar with the concept." Her tail flicked from side to side like it was trying to show itself off. "The Master is the creator of this facility and the greatest genius ever to exist within the Alvian race, and most likely the world. He tasked me with being the administrator of this workshop as well as a guide for guests." To the side Cephus listened intently but also gaped wondering why no one was gonna bring up the small pink monstrosity they had a stalker on his expedition. "I guess I'll just add it to the report; wish I'd brought a Zoologist" He mumbled to himself. Ouro once again tapped her staff on the ground as if to bring attention to herself. "I would ask that thou honored guests follow me. There will be time to make inquires during the tour." With nary a word more she turned walking up to a closed large doorway upon which a holographic keypad appeared. She typed into it for about 20 seconds before the door actually opened. Then walked through expecting them to follow.

​

They came out into an open area with doors all around. Terminals and other such devices were all around the room. But perhaps the most eye catching of all was a number of windows which showed a spacious ecosystem with all manner of plant and animal life below them. Cephus marveled at this his eyes wide as his mind tried to understand how such a thing could exist this deep underground. Ouro gestured with her staff to the large room before them. "This is the Atria, from here thou may travel to most of the wings of the facility." The group could see identifiers in glowing glyphs over each door which glowed and rearranged themselves till they resembled words. Hephaestus, Helios, Thanatos, Ares, Demeter and two unmarked doors one of them stood out from the clear level of security around it as the door had various seals and locks upon it. The other was a small doorway akin in size of a door one may find in their home and had no clear way of opening it. In her polite but dispassionate voice she continued "From here we shall-" Then she stopped suddenly and completely not a movement or sound left her and her eyes seemed to see nothing. This went on for almost a minute. Cephus who had been absorbed into the room and taking samples of anything not bolted to the floor (which was very little) looked over her in worry unsure of what to do. "Um, Ouro? Still there?" He got close examining her face trying to ascertain the problem. "I am still operational." Her head turned looking him in the eye rather close to him. Cephus eyes widened but managed to reign in the yelp on the tip of his tongue. "What was that about?" Ouro turned fully to address them all. "Apologies I have just received a report on a recent acquisition. It is a convenient opportunity to show thou the main functionality of this facility." She gestured with her staff to the door labeled Thanatos. "The study and processing of the Soul." Then she made to guide them through the door.

Thanatos Chamber

​

Lothric would awake to find himself in unfamiliar surroundings within a large complex device. Magitech drones were all around him but retreated when he awoke. Three approached and attempted to subdue him with sleep spells and a enchanted cable, but failed to incapacitate him. The drones upon realizing he could not be neutralized unlethally began to charge mana cannons and approached threateningly. Soon after he could hear voices approach. "This room is where souls are harvested from captured wildlife. We use them to both conduct experiments and power the facility, hence the continued functionality of The Masters Workshop." The group entered the room. "The device should be in the proce- oh my." She looked on at the scene within the chamber a small dragon contained within and drones attempting to kill it. She turned to group. "Normally they are incapacitated for the process, this is quite abnormal. Its been some time since we've had a dragon soul. Though... are all dragons of this era that small? Cepheus stood the side of her looking on at the device and dragon within it. Seems any trace of shock in him had already been spent by now. While he did seem interested in the process he looked conflicted about the state of the dragon unsure if he should do something. With a heavy sigh he looked to his escort and a reluctant glance at the pink thing. "I'm sorry for asking this of you but could you help that creature it doesn't feel right watching a living being let alone a dragon having it's soul ripped out." With a worried glance he looks to Ouro "Would we be in breach of any rules should we destroy those machines?" She tilted her head as she considered his words. "We are not in so dire need of new samples that we would annihilate guests over minor resources." With that Cepheus nodded to his team (+1) a pleading look in his eye.

 

[LadyOfStars]

Seikatsu Mitsunari ​

Artificial souls and artificial bodies. The fox couldn't keep his tails from swishing side to side, even in his weakened state his body reacted to the excitement. They had managed to find a site of unmatched genius and as he watched their host. Mitsunari could tell there was more here than just this one project. He kept his thoughts to himself however.

As they were lead through the facility, Mitsunari followed without hesitation, his curiosity and love of knowledge demanded he go where the secrets were.

The new room they found themselves in offered paths to a variety of troves of information that was now lost to the ages. He had questions for sure, but before he could ask them, their guide seemed to go offline. Her response when she came back on was quite peculiar though. The vulpine sorcerer smirked behind his bandages as he came to the revelation that she might be connected, linked, to the systems that ran this lab.

While the expedition had proven worthwhile so far, the next room just tripled the value of the facility in Mitsunari's eyes. They were capable of harvesting souls and turning them into a power source. If that wasn't groundbreaking and revolutionary, he didn't know what was. On top of that there waws a dragon. Not too long ago Gamatsu had mentioned a dragon being present in the east and that it was not the typical beast. Perhaps this was that same creature.


While he did want to see the process in which a soul was harvested, Mitsunari could see far more use for a dragon than to be a battery. So as Cephus instructed, he would work to rescue the beast. "Fox Fire Barrage." His raspy command channeled the mana in his body into two sphere of flame that appeared on opposite sides of the kitsune. A weak, dismissive wave of his hand sent to two orbs flying towards two of the machines.

• Fox Fire Barrage - Magic Affinity D, Magic Range F, Magic Targets F, Wind Affinity F - This spells launches a flurry of fire elemental bolts at multiple targets. - Grade D (2 Target Maximum, 10ft Range, 2 post cooldown

EMIYAman Beetlebuggo Individual lXlGamemaster

 

[Beetlebuggo]

TMK.EXE​

[INTERACTIVITY DESIGNATION - ASTRID { Individual Individual } | CEPHUS, Ouro { EMIYAman EMIYAman } | Mitsunari { LadyOfStars LadyOfStars }
[PHYSICAL DISPLAY APPARATUS (Digital UPDTE)]--> [BELOW]

[Text directory] - [Bolded text, square brackets] = Speaking to Reader.
[Unbolded square Brackets] = Communication in RP.

{Unbolded curved brackets} = Notebook text.
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Standing before the Thanatos Chamber, TMK had stood by Ouro's side throughout the tour, unusually enough to the others that his facial expression remained the absolute same.. Blank.

{Ancient Facility - Technological advanced area designated as a facility meant for soul research. Ouro - Example being made with artificial soul.
Thanatos Chamber - Apparent contraption made to assist in harvesting souls of captured wildlife. Souls extracted for research, or Powering of the facility.}

Jotting down these notes, TMK set their notebook aside, safe from the crossfire of Mitsunari's flame attack that flew at the enraged specimen within the Thanatos Chamber.

And also upon noticing a Mana Drone get low and close enough in reach.. They went up to it..

The Code essence within their eye started to flicker more and more squares into existence, their colors changing more rapidly, mimicking TV static as their arm reached out...

[CODE//: DECAY] The text flickered spontaneously as TMK suddenly lashed its arm out.. The Code Essence Arm speeding towards the drone in a quick jab....

 

[lXlGamemaster]

Lothric

Lothric awoke with a mixture of fear and confusion, the complex layout of the room not helping his foggy memory. He saw several floating orbs swirling around him, prodding him with instruments and attempting to cast magic onto him. Beyond that he could see a myriad of (mostly) humanoids peering at him as though he were some sort of display. The dragon used this time to recollect his memories: He remembered coming upon a cave and decided to take shelter from the blazing sun. While investigating the cool interior, the orbs that were assaulting him now had seemingly come out of nowhere, and Lothric's memory became clouded.

His confusion and fear gave way to rage, and Lothric brought his claws down on the two closest machines, smashing them to pieces. He stood ready to dodge an attack from the crowd of people, but the fire and reality distortion were instead aimed at the orbs as well. With his limited knowledge Lothric decided to trust the strangers for the time being, as they seemed to share the same goal: his survival. The dragon flinced as he was attacked by the remaining orbs; the cylinders from their bodies firing bolts of condensed mana into his sides. Lothric took to the air and circled around the closest drones, trying to call upon the strength he had in his previous life. The crystal on his forehead sizzled with cosmic energy, but something was still blocking his ability to call forth the power within. With a frustrated roar, the dragon resigned to ramming into the nearest orb, pressing it into the nearest wall

 

[Individual]

Astrid Naréssyr​

It would seem that Astrid was far from the only one to try their hand at playing god. If what this chimera of a creature was saying is the truth, then this ancient civilization could not only reliably produce an artificial Anima; they were able to fashion a functioning body for it to inhabit as a vessel. Unlike her own work, their take on the subject matter was much less theoretical and certainly more refined, especially when taking into account the fantastical state of this realm. Though she no longer had an interest in producing a soul, seeing her work be surpassed by these unnamed people was mildly frustrating to say the least. Then again…this world seemed to operate on laws similar but intrinsically different from her own, so perhaps it was far easier to visualize the soul as a tangible concept.


The elf stared absentmindedly into the Thanatos Chamber, where the pink blob and the wounded fox were flinging spells to neutralise the flying magitech devices. Unlike the two, she simply stood in the corner of the clinically white room with dull eyes and folded arms, choosing to distance herself from the rather pious attempt at saving another's life. It was a waste of time and magical energy to free a beast that they did not know could be reasoned with. Worst case scenario, it would lash out in a fit of rage and confusion, destroying the facility they had worked so hard to enter. Naive, absolutely naive…but Astrid did not stop them. Best to let them do what they think is right and besides; she was not so callous as to condemn everything her "companions" choose to do. After all, if it was something or someone she actually cared about, then that would be a different story…


"If you are the administrator of this workshop and the only higher power, this master of yours, is not present; could you not command those drones to fall back? I would imagine it would be a much better alternative than to waste both resources and our strength for their destruction."


The question was directed at Ouro, whose somewhat frivolous stance towards Cephus' request was incredibly odd. If it truly agreed to the archaeologist's request, then the most logical thing to do was command the drones to fall back. This either meant that Ouro was not the administrator and thus had no power over the magitech constructs; the status of administrator meant something else, or her masters were too stupid and did not think of such a situation. Astrid hoped it wasn't the latter, because that would be incredibly sloppy on this so-called "greatest genius". Then again, geniuses are often somewhat screwed up in the head.


"Also, how did that Dragon get in here? I doubt it would fit through the cave.Furthermore, the name of this chamber is rather…peculiar."


Thanatos. The personification of death to the Greeks, son of Nyx and brother of Hypnos. Astrid assumed that such mythological figures would not be brought up in this world but her initial deductions were proven incorrect. Did it mean something else to the Alvians and this was just a coincidence? Nay, it was an apt name for this particular facility if her interpretation of the name is taken into account. Then perhaps this master could have been brought to this world from a reality similar to Astrid's, or maybe, the whole Alvian civilization was a collection of individuals of similar circumstances. Whether she would get a straight answer, the elf did not know but she clearly did not have her hopes up.

 

[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: Conflict and Mysteries

Interaction: Individual LadyOfStars Beetlebuggo lXlGamemaster Etymarchen

---

The drones closed in on Lothric intent on neutralizing him for Thanatos to activate. A cosmic energy radiates from the dragon for a brief moment stunning the drones into inaction as they try to process the new data variables. Ouros eyes narrowed slightly as the data was processed and sent to her. The dragon seeing his opportunity charges one smashing it against the wall breaking the fragile components within from the shock of the impact destroying it. As two others fly over to attack, they are intercepted by Mitsunaris Fox Fire. The mystical fire strikes the two of them causing them to melt slightly as they fell out of the air. The last of the drones is taken out as TMK lands a punch upon it, spreading his otherworldly corruption. Causing portions to just fade away until it too is destroyed. The room is quiet with only the whirring of distant machinery and the hum of Thanatos breaking the silence. As the high from the battle winds down somewhat anticlimactically, Ouro looks upon the dragon and in a rare display of emotion has a smile upon her face though it is an arrogant one. Then it fades just as quick as it formed.

Cephus is stunned somewhat he had expected more, the drones seemed advanced and he expected the defenses of such a place as this to be far more robust and dangerous. He knelt inspecting the remains of one. Ouro turned to regard Astrid the women probing her for information. She met her scrutinizing gaze. "I am the administrator of this facility thou art correct. All data, and changes within the facility converge through me. I also make the many decisions regarding logistics and the allocation of resources in the Masters absence. However, I have absolutely no authority over the autonomous units in this facility. The Master only allowed himself to order and reprogram them. I am unsure if this is because he did not trust me with them or he merely enjoyed working on them personally." Ouro appeared hesitant at those last words. Moving on to Astrids next question. "The drones collect samples from outside the facility periodically just enough to keep the reactor running in low power mode. Now that the facility has officially fully awakened with your groups arrival they needed to gather more souls to keep this place running on a skeleton crew. They phase out of the Workshop to the outside then transition back in with their sample incapacitated for Thanatos to harvest. I have never considered this chambers name. When I was created it was already Thanatos and was named personally by the Master, I am unaware of what inspired him to name the chamber thus." At this Ouro turned away from Astrid her face out of view she seemed almost melancholic. "Thou art mistaken about one thing however. I am not the highest power within this facility." She said no more. Cephus yelled out a ways away from them, the ruined frame of the drone ripped open to view the inner mechanisms. "Ms. Naréssyr could I ask for your help. I have some knowledge but mine is most likely incomparable to your own, I would very much appreciate your expertise on this machine!"

A few moments later a red flash and an alarm echoed throughout the room. Spaces opened up along the walls and two bipedal constructs stepped out from either side. They appeared almost partly finished a complex array of machinery, servos and wires completely out in the open. With only a basic frame upon the head with green glowing eyes. The machines settled into a boxing fighting stance, one of them rocketed forward with surprising speed delivering a haymaker upon Lothric launching him back a couple feet. While the other grabbed TMK in a vice grip and threw him across the room. The Code Essence only able to do brief superficial damage. Cephus crawled away from the drone before sprinting behind Asrid and Ouro. These machines were stronger, faster and more sophisticated than the drones. The Workshop was starting to bring its full force to bear. "The Achilles Units, they are rather fast shock troopers meant for quickly dispatching combatants. However in an effort to mass produce them and keep cost of production down their armor frame was never completed making them rather fragile as a result. The Master was often frustrated when having to consider funds in regard to his projects." Ouro informed them impassively.

 

[lXlGamemaster]

Lothric

With the last of the flying drones dispatched Lothric stood in the sterile chamber across from the group of creatures. Now that there was no immediate threat he was able to take in all of the information he was forced to overlook before.

• The closest creature to him was a scrawny (but studious) human whose eyes were full of wonder and his clothes, despite being exploration themed, were relatively clean. Lothric guessed that he could be an adventurer in training, but had no further info to go off of.
  
  Spoiler

  
• The second creature closest to him was something he'd never seen before: a female with horns, a reptilian tail, and unusual garments that smelled the same as this room. She seemed unfazed by the combat, but the smile on her face scent chills down Lothric's spine. She seemed the most in control over whatever was controlling the orbs, but simply refused to do anything about it.
  
  Spoiler

  
• Going across the back row Lothric noticed a humanoid whose appearance suggested anything but human. It wore foreign clothes with a mask and tails reminiscent to foxes Lothric would see in the forests. Most interestingly, Lothric was able to see it successfully cast magic, and the dragon hoped that he would be able to question the creature about it later
  
  Spoiler

  
• Looking down after almost missing it was a pink orb with small appendages that vaguely represented something humanoid. Its black, blank eyes and affinity for corruption left Lothric with a sense of unease
  
  Spoiler

  
• The woman in the back seemed held herself with pride that would rival that of Lothric's former self. She looked down at him with the same downwards glance she seemed to give everyone, giving off an air of dominance that a leader needed to control an army
  
  Spoiler

  

Finally taking a calm breath, Lothric nodded to the two that helped him with the orbs. He was about to say something when the ceiling started to scream and the light in the room started flashing red, nearly giving Lothric a heart attack. Two of the sterile walls in the room opened to reveal two knights made entirely of metal. Lothric wondered why he hadn't sensed them before, but then realized that these being didn't have a life force, similarly to the flying orbs.

With incredible speed one of the guardians flew forewords and slammed into the dragon, sending his claws scraping across the metal ground. Lothric growled and tried to summon forth his cosmic power again, but again got the same result. Shaking his head to fling away the sparks, Lothric lifted himself off the ground with his wings and tackled the knight, committed to fighting it with tooth and claw

 

[Beetlebuggo]

TMK.EXE
[INTERACTIVITY DESIGNATION - ASTRID { Individual Individual } | CEPHUS, Ouro { EMIYAman EMIYAman } | Mitsunari { LadyOfStars } | Lothric
[PHYSICAL DISPLAY APPARATUS (Digital UPDTE)]--> [BELOW]

​

[Text directory] - [Bolded text, square brackets] = Speaking to Reader.
[Unbolded square Brackets] = Communication in RP.

{Unbolded curved brackets} = Notebook text.
——————

[Physical feeling registered:// Pain. Pain origin— wall impact from being thrown.]

TMK noted to itself as they got up from the floor quickly.. Mentally noting Ouro’s Inquiry at these Achilles Units, as also noting the superficial damage done to the one whom had thrown them..

The strategy they took, was rather odd however..

Neither going on Offence of Defense, TMK simply slowly started walking along the wall on the other side of the Thanatos Chamber’s room.. keeping their focus trained on the unit that engaged them.. As they slowly made course towards Mitsunari..

 

[LadyOfStars]

Seikatsu Mitsunari
​

Mitsunari couldn't tell if the elven woman was plainly inquisitive or if her questioning of Ouro was meant to be an attempt to show her intellect and her understanding of machines and their innerworkings. Whatever the origin of her questions, she had managed to irk the foxes nerves, but that didn't need to be announced. He kept a straight face behind his bandages and spectated the conversation. Ouro's replies were somewhat predictable, especially her last one. He knew little of technology, but it was common sense that you never gave full control of your facility to someone else. Geniuses were often just as controlling as they were brilliant.

He had is own questions to ask, but before he could the sound of an alarm drowned out his thoughts and the room started to change. Right away his first thoughts were to retreat when he saw what emerged from the walls. Based on their lack of obvious weapons he suspected they would be close quarters combatants and that did not bode well for him.

It happened so quickly, but Mitsunari watched as the robots launched their attack and assaulted the dragon and the small entity that had caught the group of guard with its presence. Because of their speed he would have to utilize lightning spells or attempt to catch them off guard, but that was risky. Drawing any attention to himself without his ogres present was a dangerous plan. Waiting to be targeted was also risky however.

The dragon had subdued his attacker, but the pink creature had failed to take down his and was making his way towards the fox. It seemed the fight would be brought to him anyway. "You." He called to TMK. "Be ready to intercept it should I fail." He commanded. Then his mana surged once more and made his kimono and hair light billow as the energy flowed out of him and transformed into lightning. "Screeching Barrage." The bolt slithered down Mitsunari's arms as he raised them at a ninety degree angel and pointed his palms at the droid. In a flash the lightning rocketed from his palms and the forced pushed the weakened fox backward a few steps.

Straightening himself back up, he breathed heavily, trying to suppress the pain that flared up. Now he could only hope that his spell hit or that the little creature came to his rescue.

• Screeching Barrage - Magic Affinity D, Magic Range F, Magic Targets F, Wind Affinity F - This spells launches a flurry of lightning elemental bolts at multiple targets. - Grade D (2 Target Maximum, 10ft Range, 2 post cooldown

Cooldowns:
Fox Fire barrage - 1/2 Cooldown

EMIYAman Beetlebuggo Individual lXlGamemaster

 

[Individual]

Astrid Narrésyr​

".....I see. Thank you"


Astrid's reply to Ouro's explanation was a simple one, but carried with it a lot of weight in regards to her inner thoughts. She would like to continue forming a rough image of this Master figure, but she still lacked any concrete evidence to piece together her theory about the creator of this facility. The elf could press the "Administrator" for more information but, well, the humanoid chimera appeared to have emotions and Astrid did not feel like pushing any further, lest she upsetted her. For despite her lack of care towards those around her, she did have a soft spot for sentient creations like Ouro. Whether that was genuine love towards artificial life or her own hubris as a creator, even Astrid herself didn't know; being most likely a combination of the two. Besides, her questions were not to flaunt her intelligence but to attempt to better assess the situation at hand; the former being something she had never once cared about, contrary to what the Fox man believed. In any case, there were more pressing matters to attend to.


The appearance of the Achilles Units and their names quickly caught Astrid's attention for their design as well as name; being yet another reference to Greek Mythology. Fascinating, but highly unpleasant with their timing. If only she had a Golem with her for safety purposes…which was the rationale behind her question regarding Lothric's presence. If they could transport a creature of a similar size into this underground establishment, there would be a way to bring her Golem in here too. Setting aside the thought for now, Astrid was called by Cephus to take a look at the remains of a crippled drone, in which she surprisingly complied and walked towards the scrawny man while her ruby eyes scanned the automaton's internal components.


"....Hard to say. I'm a pilot first and Artisan second but it seems these drones do abide by standard Golem craftsmanship. Something akin to a magical core serves as its powersource, and the drones have been enchanted to accommodate individual usage of spells such as the sleeping one being used on the Dragon earlier. As for its A.I-ahem, I mean ability for autonomous action, I don't have the expertise needed for that. I highly doubt it's an artificial soul like Ouro, but it is most definitely linked to a form of external magical network that relays information. Sort of like a hive mind of sorts."


Of course, this was just Astrid's theory and interpretation of what she saw. She had chosen to explain it in words not foreign to the magical nature of this world, but she could just as easily attribute them to Science and technology.

 

[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: Conflict and Mysteries 2 Magitech Boogaloo

Interaction: Individual LadyOfStars Beetlebuggo lXlGamemaster

The battle had begun in earnest. The Achilles Unit closest to the dragon Lothric, which had been the one to strike him was suddenly accosted by the dragon who had recovered from the its attack. True to Ouros words the Achilles reacted quickly as the dragon charged it the Achilles blocked much of its momentum by catching its weight into its arms almost like a sumo wrestler. Even still the claws of Lothric drew close and cut some gouges into it before it grappled the dragon lifting it over it head and slamming Lothric behind it into the ground. The force behind the blow had been strong so strong the Achilles was partially damaged now sporting some sparking parts but otherwise appeared fully functional. It hopped upon the dragon straddling its torso and began to pummel its head with a string of blows knocking Lothrics head left to right over and over.

While Lothrics own battle with the first Achilles Unit was ongoing the second was engaging Mitsunari. Soon after it had thrown the small pink otherworldly creature TMK it had turned its gaze to the fox. As TMK was out of its range the nearest combatant took priority. With the same burst of speed that had allowed them to take the advantage the Achilles Unit rushed straight forward fist raised intent to crush Mitsunari. However, the unit had prioritized the speed of its attack and so when Mistsunari had quickly prepared his own the Achilles was ill equipped to dodge in time. Taking the full brunt of his Screeching Barrage the electric bolts slammed headfirst into the machine. the force of its movement followed by the force of Mitsunaris attacked launched it in the opposite direction causing it to land on its back. It tried to get up but the powerful electricity had damaged its circuitry the energy behind the spell burning and destroying some of its components beyond repair. With staggering twitches it raised itself back up obviously struggling with the movement. It tried to steady itself using its arms but the left one simply ceased functioning entirely. It examined its arm briefly then raised itself fully back up with one of its fist in a fighting stance. It locked its eyes with Mitsunari and approached, while it was still quick, its speed had dropped considerably. Despite that its strength was still enough to kill, and with the objective to do just that the Achilles made to once again try and pulverize Mitsunari.

Standing along the sidelines watching the fight develop was Ouro. Her eyes darted side to side rapidly taking in the movements of the Achilles Units and the responses from the Mitsunari, Lothric and TMK. While she appeared to be stock still her mind was quite active taking in vast amounts of data from both the Achilles Units and the rest of the facility. As an artificial lifeform her ability to multitask and process information was beyond what a normal organism could achieve. Close by was Cephus who was watching the fight develop with worry in his eyes. He had been hopeful at least upon seeing the effectiveness of Mitsunaris attack but the fact that the machine was still goin and the other one was beating the dragon into the ground his hope for the situation was fading. He briefly wondered what would happen to him should they fail, and shuddered at the thought. He knew there would be some dangers, or at least he felt he had but he was just a student an Archeologist! How could he be expected to just risk his life like this? He was caught off guard by the sound of Astrids voice. She was hunched over the drone examining it. She was still going to take a look even in these conditions? Cephus' eyes narrowed in concentration as he took a deep breath and archeologist must be ready to perform his duty even if danger. If Ms.Narrésyr could remain calm then so could he! With careful steps he got closer listening to her interpretation. As he moved even closer to get a better look he blushed as he felt like he was truly just noticing how beautiful she was, shaking himself free of such thoughts he examined the drone. He understood some of what she was saying but a lot of it was outside his expertise. "I see, so it seems despite the cornerstone of this place being Soul research the creations within do not all posses souls. Maybe its a difference of quality? This drone must be much cheaper to manufacture than say a being like Ouro. In that case this construct must draw power from souls yet does not house one, and all its kind share the same... what did you call it a 'network'?" At this Cephus stopped, chewing on the word trying to gleam its meaning. "So I guess this network they all share must connect them together and provides them with energy. Fascinating, while Magitech Engineering was not my subject even I can tell that while some of the processes are familiar to current practices, the Alvians Magitech is just far more developed and sophisticated. Such things as this drone probably won't exist within Ryke for the next couple hundred years. I could see the Duchy having the technology earlier though." He put a hand to his chin in thought as he considered the potential of the technology stored within this place. "Thank you Ms.Narrésyr you're knowledge on the matter is greatly valued." Cephus turned his gaze back onto the battle the previous worry which had been palpable upon him was noticeably gone. When it came to Cephus, busying his mind with work always calmed him down allowing him to focus. Seemingly lost in thought however, Cephus looked to Ouro as she impassively watched the battle. His face was pensive as if considering something. He sidled up to Astrid trying to keep his voice quiet. "I saw you and Ouro speaking for some time, so you must have some idea of her so far right? What do you think of her? I feel her behavior is rather unusual, and I know I'm saying that about a artificial life-form residing within a thousand year old laboratory and thats already a strange situation. Yet I can't shake this feeling of something being off about her." Cephus shook his head almost as if he didn't quite believe what he was saying. "Sorry, that was a weird thing to ask huh?"

 

[lXlGamemaster]

Lothric

Lothric lept at the metallic knight, a maneuver that he unconsciously pulled from watching an owl slam itself into its prey, but this figure was much more sturdy than than some muscrat. What the dragon didn't expect, however, was the figure charging him as well. Both being collided, its arms verses his claws, and while the claw was able to put scratches into the armor of the knight, it didn't bleed. Before Lothric could realize his mistake, the knight used the dragon's momentum against him and flipped him over it, slamming him into his back. As Lothric caught his breath the assailant was there in a flash, pinning his wings down with his surprising weight and landing a few blows into the dragon's face.

At this point Lothric was putting all of his mental capabilities into killing whatever this thing was, checking every available appendage he had to see if he could gain the upper hand. The knight was too far foreward along the dragon's body for him to gain purchace with his hind legs, so they flailed around uselessly. The knight's position held his wings in place, and while his tail was able to hook around the guardian, there was no way it could pull this metal man anywhere.

With his head taking a few blows so quickly, Lothric didn't even attempt to try and summon his cosmic powers at this point. What was going to save him in this fight wasn't calling upon what he had lost, but instead using what he had gained since then. His new body wasn't as strong as he would have hoped, but his mind was sharper than ever, absorbing knowledge his former self wouldn't have thought to persue. Through the punches Lothric noted how the knight moved: while the being wasn't flesh and blood like him it still followed basic anatomy. If he couldn't move the knight he would have to use his own strength against him.

After about the third blow Lothric dodged the guardian's fourth left hook by swinging his head around to the right, sinking his teeth into its arm and pulling with all the might his long neck could afford. With a combination of its momentum and the dragon's force, the knight stumbled just close enough for Lothric's plan. Winding his arm into an arch the dragon plunged his claws into the area that housed its neck. The area was well guarded by metal so Lothric only had this chance to deal some damage to it, hopefully decapitating it.

 

[Beetlebuggo]

[Tmk.EXE]
Interactive spectrum destination - { Mitsunari| LadyOfStars } { Lothric| 123 } {Astrid | Individual } {Cephus /Ouro| EMIYAman }
[Physical Display Apparatus - UPDATE No.3]
​

Text Direction -
[Bolded square brckts] Speaking to reader/RP’er]
[UnBolded square brackets] Talking in RP/ to other characters]
{Curved Brackets} NoteBook writing}
———

[Request acknowledged, Kitsune.] Text popped briefly for Mitsunari to read before the kistune had unleashed his screeching barrage ..

Noting the now stunned Achilles unit, they felt the opportunity to finish it was open now..

Feeling their Code Essence charge up.. the squares began undergoing their rapid color changes as the pink orb was now gunning it towards the achilles unit..

{Achilles Unit - 2 legged robotic being deployed as security of Soul Research Facility. Weakness note - Despite high damage outputs, the rushing of mass production as noted by Ouro led to them being fragile in their durability. Classification - Glass Cannon}

[Notes taken in aftermath of battle]

Code essence flared, as TMK had now gotten in close enough to land the blow.. shooting their hand out right at the Achilles Unit's chest..

[Code\\: Decay]

 

[LadyOfStars]

Seikatsu Mitsunari ​

The robot's recovery speed was unsettling as Mitsunari had never fought something that was not able to feel pain or fear. He couldn't try to scare the foe into backing down and no amount of damage short of its destruction would stop it. Watching it get back up and dare to race forward once more scared the fox, expecially when he caught a glimpse of just what was happening to the dragon on the other side of the room. The robot was giving the dragon a run for its money, but the beast proved to be hardy and strong, just as many tales had said the species was. He had to admit that he was impressed.

What also brought a smile to his face was the cooperation of the small pink creature. It followed his instructions and followed up his spell with an attack of its own to intercept the machine. Now he would have the chance to strike again. He wanted to assist the dragon as it had been fighting solo, but he had to ensure his own survival before that of anyone else's here.

"Screeching Bolt." The command left his lips in a soft whisper as Mitsunari gave a wave of his left hand, channeling his mana to create a sphere of lightning over his head. Pointing his right index finger at the robot caused the orb to turn into a bolt as it suddenly darted across the space between them towards the robot's head.

Beetlebuggo EMIYAman Individual

 

[EMIYAman]

Spoiler: Anima Drive

Interaction: LadyOfStars Beetlebuggo Individual lXlGamemaster

​

The Achilles attacking Mitsunari drew near even with its shuddering steps and limp arm. As it raised it fists to in order to kill the intruder within Thanatos, a pink blob filled it sensors. With it damaged from Mitsunaris magical attack the Achilles had lost track of TMK and had not noticed it prepare to attack. The construct stopped itself on a dime trying to counter the pink creature. Fist met fist in a violent clash ringing out throughout the chamber. Its fist shook under the strain as its frame could no longer output the same force as before, then the exotic miasma emanating from TMK spread to the Achilles and slowly but surely ate away at the last of the components keeping its arm functional. Once a key portion of the module was consumed the limb simply dropped just as limp as the other. The construct seemed almost surprised as it assessed the damage to its chassis. With no way to repair itself and half of its systems malfunctioning or simply destroyed it could barely move. Then the spell Mitsunari had been preparing blasted the Achilles with no nearly enough distance to avoid the attack. The construct took one last look at them with its flickering green eyes before the attack slammed into it slagging most of its head. It fell to its knees then to the ground TMK's Code Essence steadily consuming the destroyed shell to nothing.

A ways away the other Achilles was battling the Lothric. As it grappled and punched the dragon with punch after punch, the dragon gained the upper hand. Dodging the last of its punches the dragon hooked its teeth into its arm before knocking it down from its position over him. The dragon plunged its claw into the Achilles' neck taking full advantage of the opportunity. Striking a key part of the Achilles circuitry the machines bright green eyes suddenly blinked out and it slumped to the side falling off the dragons body. The chamber was silent for but a moment then the other Achilles unit was slain by the combined effort of Mitsunari and TMK. The moment it ceased functioning, a whine could be heard building up from the slumped body of the first then in stood up, fast. The sound grew louder and louder until the sound permeated the entire room. Then it was released in a shockwave causing them all to stumble. Achilles was bathed in crimson light.

​

Suddenly Achilles moved, from the side of the dragon it shifted seemingly disappearing. A brief moment later it appeared directly next to Mitsunari then bashed him directly in the skull, it cracks, launching him a several feet through the air. In a flash it moved again though this time after images could be seen left in its wake. It attacked TMK moving much faster than it had before, Achilles kicked it hard causing him to fly through the air towards Lothric. It stood before them imposing in its power which seemed to emanate from the machine in waves. Along with a crimson light clinging to its metal frame and its green eyes blazing.

Ouro spoke up once again tapping her staff rapidly upon the ground with her tail swishing back and forth. "Interesting, by the time I slept that was still in the prototype phase and mostly theoretical." Ouro gazed upon the Achilles' crimson form her eyes twinkling. "Dear Guests, what you see before you is the Anima Drive. A Soul Reactor similar to Helios, yet smaller lies within the Achilles Unit. Normally its just for semi-perpetual power generation, but a fascinating idea came to the Master concerning the potential power limits of souls." She adopted a pensive look as if recalling information and reciting it. "While souls alone are incredibly potent sources of energy likely the greatest in the world. They have a limit to how much they may supply and to what. Not to mention the costs and complexities within proper application of them, however when pushed a certain way a soul may enter a sort of metaphorical fight or flight response. The soul for a brief amount of time outputs energy triple of what it was before at the cost of the owners life force leading to direct damage to the soul. This phenomenon is rare however and most beings cannot induce this state on their own without immediately deteriorating. We refer to this state of increased output as 'Soul Burst'. With the Anima Drive, we can artificially induce this state through any construct connected to Helios and fitted with an Anima Drive. Impressive isn't it? The Master is truly an unparalleled mind." A ghost of an expression appeared upon Ouros face like she had said something funny. "There will be a five minute time limit before the strain rips Achilles apart, it would be in your best interest to survive until then dear Guests."

 

[Individual]

Astrid Narrésyr​

"...You are right to be wary. I'm also keeping my distance in case things take a turn for the worse. She told me that she isn't the highest power in this facility despite being called the administrator, meaning that something else holds greater sway over how things run in here. If anything else, Ouro herself could be acting under its orders. Better to be safe than sorry."


Astrid whispered to Cephus in response to his question, surprised that he was not as naive as she had initially thought. Indeed, one should not be too trusting of someone they had just met; especially if that someone is an artificial creation made by a long dead civilization stored underground. Pretty elementary if you ask Astrid, but she had seen many gullible folks around and Cephus looked like one of them.


Her attention was then drawn to the Achilles units that were currently decimating their little group. According to Ouro, it was a type of overdrive state that burns through the souls powering them to increase performance; leading to rapid consumption of their power source and damage to the frame itself. It was an interesting concept for sure, but not one she would put on Asterism as she preferred a stable performance rather than bursts of power with severe drawbacks. That being said, one couldn't deny the increase in power that this so-called Soul Burst system brought; as the elf watched the Achilles Unit fight off the "intruders" with ease. Though she did not particularly care about their well-being, injuries and fatalities here would lower their already limited fighting force; and that certainly wouldn't do.


"Ouro. Where is the nearest corridor? As narrow as possible."


A strange question but one that could save their lives. 5 minutes was a long time, especially if every second was an agonizing beat down by a metal robot. If the system installed in those units amplifies the parameters of those constructs, it would be easier to limit its advantages using the environment. By leading them to a location where the direction of movement would be limited, attacks from the party will have an easier time to connect due to the lack of space to swerve around them. Furthermore, Ouro might be able to at least control the doors to buy them sometime…and if she can't do that, then whoever this creator was must suck at giving out security permissions.

 

[lXlGamemaster]

Lothric

The dragon had a moment to relax before the whole room seemed to explode. Lothric hadn't even got to revel in the fact that his plan had worked before the other knight across the room had turned red and whiped the floor with the group. Thankfully the pink orb that had been thrown at him was soft, and most of its weight was distributed evenly. After gently placing the creature aside Lothric looked at the situation of the room. He could feel warm liquid in his mouth, no doubt the result of his last opponents barrage, and his head was still dizzy. However, the knight that had seemingly been taken care of now exhuted heat as though its armor were on fire, and it could move faster than Lothric could look at it. If adrenaline hadn't been coursing through the dragon's veins before it was now, telling him that they should get away from... whatever that thing was.

Picking up the small orb creature again Lothric began to fly towards the group with the chimera lady. As they approached he heard the long-eared woman speek of a possible exit. Lothric couldn't be happier; he'd wanted to escape ever since he got here. Being as gentle as he could with the orb (he had seen it destroy the knight's arm from contact) he left it with the main group and then turned his attention towards the magic fox man. The glowing knight had landed a menacing blow against the already injured mage and Lothric wanted to get him out of the guardian's way as soon as possible.