Fantasy The Divine Conquerors Ⅱ - Main / Ravenscourt

[GrieveWriter]

POMA & Rook
​

"NOXCO ordains to provide all living things an end goal to fight and strive for, ensuring that purpose is maintained for all mortals across the infinitum." Poma continued her broadcast even as the battle below raged on "With the know-how and willpower needed to craft nothing less than the proper hells, heavens, and reincarnation services for all; a realm such as this with unsanctioned pathways for the dead is something NOXCO simply can't ignore. So join us in ensuring that balance is maintained for the afterlife and beyond!"

She tried to continue her words, but the ever approaching destruction that was resulting from many summoned's attempts to stop the Mollug forces was beginning to outdo even her projected voice. Eventually, Poma figured she'd made her case well enough. After all, there was a far easier method for acquiring aid. After all, NOXCO was a progressive company focused on making sure not a single resource went to waste. She could've started with the easier option, but policy dictates that employment opportunities be offered in the event of disconnect from the home office.

With her broadcast concluded in response to the approaching conflict, Poma finally saw fit to get more engaged with it. She held her hands behind her back and began casually lowering herself as the Mollug forces finally clashed with the Nortestran defenders. She didn't really need to speed up much, only tilt herself out of the way as serval blasts and projectiles swerved near her. She watched as the bunny girl's missile barrage decimated and was decimated in turn, much of the debris raining down upon the armies below. But that wasn't there main concern by a longshot.

In fact, the joined beams that erupted from Castellan a second later probably wiped out more of the Mollug forces than most of those missiles had, but Poma wasn't interested in doing comparisons. On top of those immense blasts, the forces were tearing into each other at close range now. The immense beast that was the Coelacanth had begun swinging its numerous tentacles into the Nortestrans, skewering dozens at a time, decisively more crushing to the already outnumbered defenders. But though they were outnumbered they were not necessarily overpowered just yet.

As Poma descended to the battle below, she spotted Charon tear into any Mollug that got close to him. But her gaze immediately went from him to the numerous Mollug corpses that he was leaving all around him. Almost immediately her gaze narrowed as compartments on her body began sliding open, with long synthetic tendrils emerging as she finally set down amongst the chaos.

"Now... let's see." she said more to herself than anything as she approached the mass of Mollug bodies. With Charon chasing off those who fled from his rampage, Poma was allowed to her own pickings with comparative ease "I suppose I'll take you and you and-"

At each word her tentacles flicked towards a body as a clear yet darkened fluid was flicked from their tips. It quickly seeped into the wounds of every corpse it touched, and soon Poma was moving on to more corpses as the ones she left behind began twitching and surging with efforts as their veins bulged and expanded. Soon mechanisms began growing from their wounds like plants, forming into replacement limbs and body parts as Poma continued picking out bodies to convert. Without their souls inside, the biomechanical nightmares which rose at Poma's whims awaited instruction as the battle surged around them.

"Would you fine gentlemen take care in recruiting more on my behalf?" she asked with a quick gesture of her hand, as the cyborgs turned and began expunging the dark fluids en masse into the untouched bodies around them, "Excellent! And be sure to give any encroaching parties a polite shove out of the way, we don't want them forgetting about their actual quarries after all. That could be extremely dangerous in a scenario such as this."

As Poma returned to her work, a large figure sailed over her head towards another unit of Mollugs fighting with the aid of the Coelacanth's tentacles. Yet their push was momentarily halted as a literal tower slammed into the forward flank and buried several as it forced itself into the ground. The source of the tower was not hard to spot as Rook leaped overhead and landed atop his Aegis tower with ease as he stood before it.

"I BRING ONLY ONE CHANCE FOR CLEMENCY HEATHENS! LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS AND PERHAPS YOUR DEATHS SHALL BE QUICK!" Rook's voice boomed over the battlefield as he pointed up towards the Coelacanth above "ELSE YE DEIGN TO JOIN THIS SYMBOL OF HERESY AS I RIP IT LIMB FROM LIMB OUT OF THE SKY IN A BLAZE OF INDISCRIMINANT HOLY RETRIBUTION!!!"

Rook didn't even wait to see if a single soldier was willing to take him up on the offer, as he immediately bellowed an immense warcry before hopping off his tower and crushing several more under his sheer mass. He reached backwards, taking approximately two minutes of being pummeled ineffectively by small weapons in the process, before tearing his tower out of the ground and rearing back with it. He swung it in wide die arcs as he made the perilous efforts of turning back around, the immense size of the Aegis Tower crushing numerous soldiers in its path and clearing a small area around him as he reared back again.

With a grunt of effort, Rook launched the entire tower base first towards the Coelacanth above at the speed of a bullet.

Without his trust tower to beat heretics with, Rook immediately reached for the nearest building and tore off a large section of wall with his bare hands before approaching the nearest tentacle he could whilst smacking pretty much anything which even attempted to get in his way.

Interaction/Mention: StaidFoal Pseudo-nim Lazaro1505 YsFanatic

 

[EccentricFantasy]

Arriving in a New World
​

Noise, dust and rubble. Those were the only three things that the trio beneath collapsed stone could hear recognize. Among the other summoned, these three were unique even among the misfits of the freshly summoned. Not that they were stronger or more skilled, but they were odd.

A large section of the wall was lifted and thrown to the side of the three. There they stood. Confused and dazed by the summoning. The youngest looking was a demonic beast. A small boy with four arms, only one containing a normal hand. His skin was dark black with piercing amber eyes. Everything about him oozed evil intentions and hatred. The second was a blonde girl who was in full military uniform. From its many medals and adornments, she was very high ranking despite her young apparence. The last one was a tall woman with stunning silver hair. One of her eyes covered by an odd looking patch. The three took a moment to study their surroundings.

Jörmangal, the Profane

​

The demonic figure looked about the ruins of the cathédrale. The fact that he was not bursting into flames was astonishing. Looking at his hands and then the cieling. He could tell this was not his world. He was burned at the stake. He should not be alive. That being said, he had almost died hundreds of times. Taking a moment to think, he looked in his satchel of components. Making a quick count, he saw that he only had enough components to make 5 wendigo. He could make more philosipher stones, but that would take time. Growling as he sniffed the air. Humans. The vial and sickening blights on this or any world. He sighed as he thought. This was a new world. He could not risk fighting or anything until he had wendigo's around to make sure he didn't die again. After only a moment he stepped into a shadow. Falling out of sight and disappearing, off to rebuild his wendigo army.

Tanya Brass

The young woman in full military uniform looked around as she stepped from the rubble. Of course that damned so called "god" landed her in a cathédrale. Why not? It had always been an absolute nuisance on her assistance and this was a new low. Killing her and placing her in a new world. He really was something else.

She took a minute to check her gear. At least that annoying being was kind enough to let her keep her gear. She had all her guns, ammo, explosives and her flight suit. This would make it much easier to stay alive in this new world. Not one to want to talk to anyone, she quickly dawned her flight suit. Taking a deep breath she walked out of the cathédrale, ignoring everyone and everything before taking off. As soon as she got 2 feet off the ground, her shield went up and she flew into the sky, looking for the battle she could hear. Something told her that playing her cards right could give her an edge early on in the game that this being was playing.

Ariadne Valentine

The elegant woman took a step from the rubble and wiped the dust from her dress. Looking around for a moment she saw nothing familiar. The architecture was similar to most cathédrale buildings she had seen. However, none of the symbolisme was from any god she knew. She placed her bow on her back and walked out of the church. Stepping out she saw many around her. It was clear this was not her world. Looking to her hand she wondered if her magic worked here.

"System Command: Generate Thermal Element. Form Element, Arrow Shape." In her hand a shall orb of vaugly hot light appeared. Slowly it formed into her arrows signature shape. Inspecting it for a few seconds, she came to the conclusion that this was the same magic, but where was she? Throwing the arrow, it burst and scattered as small windows of light. With grace and calming moves, she made her way out, trying to avoid the figbting she could hear.

 

[Snackofthefuture]

SAKUJO HONOMURA​

Sakujo glanced at Sulric and then at the rest of the Nortestrans around him. Then as the dragon swooped down to grab the general, Sakujo began to run at a jogging pace. Then as the dragon got the general Sakujo grabbed its leg right as it swooped back up into the sky. Suddenly rushing up into the sky, Sakujo laughed as the wind blew by, ruffling his hair constantly, the cold suddenly setting in from every direction but the magma dragon. The dragon itself was near unbearably hot, but Sakujo was completely unfazed, holding on with a tight grip and a smile that kept the temperature at bay. He hung from the foot, soaring way over the battlefield with Sulric and Hodir, his built in sensors identifying key points of interest and places with high magical outputs. He sensed multiple sectors of high interest and decided to drop down near the front of the Nortestran battle line. As he dropped he heard a sonic boom and looked over at the approaching Mollugs, noticing a lot of people seemed to be occupying the sky biome as of that moment. They quickly returned to earth however.

He hit the ground and rolled several times before flipping to his feet. Coming to a perfect stop with hardly a scratch on him, Sakujo rolled his shoulders and turned back around to look at the assembled warriors, one of which had actually just thrown a very shiny man directly behind the battle lines. He smiled as he watched the man soar enthusiastically into the distance. Flashes of magic and energy soared overhead everywhere, a veritable lightshow sparking up Castellan. Sakujo walked over to the group occasionally edging out of the way of an incoming projectile. His suit and augmentations caught most everything that was coming towards him so he avoided the attacks with ease.

He was close to the group now and he waved a hand at them to show he was no harm, he then approached them, feeling slightly wary of the crackling, thunderous unicorn. “Greetings, I am Sakujo Honomura. I recently spoke with Commander Sulric of the Nortestran defence. I am here to assist in whatever way is needed.” He bowed slightly as he did so, glancing over each of the characters assembled before him. An undead rushed past him as he walked closer, Sakujo raising an eyebrow at the deceased runner. It didn't get very far before a flash of magic caught it in the chest and it exploded. Sakujo’s eyes widened, recognizing the honorable Kamikaze. This however, was different, these individuals had no choice in the matter; The honorable kamikaze was a choice made, to give your life for your comrades and nation. This was most certainly not honorable. It made Sakujo bristle, angry at the thought of the Bushido code being twisted.

Sakujo gazed at the unicorn for a second before looking at each of the humans assembled before him. They all appeared to be young women. Sakujo noted that none of them really resembled one another with the different types of clothing each wore. The samurai couldn't really figure out who was in charge. Sakujo looked at the one with the floating gauntlets and the one with the ponytail atop the unicorn. He sighed wishing they had a banner of some sort or at least some sort of ceremonial armor to determine who they were. He decided the one with the gauntlets looked oldest, or at least most like she might be in charge. She was already damaged from some sort of earlier attack, soot covering much of her clothing and body.

“Might you be the commander here, miss? If so I must commend you on already getting into the fight, before those Mollugs have even arrived haha! It looks like you could use some mending or rest to be honest. Looks almost like you were struck by lightning.” Sakujo bowed slightly deeply and stood back up straight, then holding out a hand for a handshake. Bowing was Sakujo’s custom, but he had long ago learned there were many ways to introduce oneself. The attractive woman before him looked at him suspiciously along with the rest of the group except the youngest looking one, who simply stared off into the distance in a daze, like she had had too much Opium.

The other one who had caught Sakujo’s attention was a woman with horns and midnight colored skin, shining in random spots like stars had been woven into her skin. She was beautiful and Sakujo was grateful for the chance to lay eyes upon a woman as magnificent as her. He then turned his attention to the battlefield and gazed upon the carnage that enveloped the walls. He spoke again to the group. “I will assist in whatever way I am able.”

StaidFoal Juju seasonedcat YsFanatic

 

[Kaihaku]

Lukas Nephus
Location: Castellan, Nortestra. Half Demolished Shop in Third Ward Ruins.
Interaction(s): Juju (Goodest Boi) Mentions: Solirus (Jason)

​

Lukas scrambles for the table as first one and then a second explosion erupt in the air far above the building where he's taken cover. His fingers close on the bowl of dough protectively as he crouches, waiting for more explosions that never come. There is a loud series of crashes like heavy glass or ice falling from the sky. Then the only sounds are of the army charging forth to meet their foes on the battlefield.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lukas straightens and brushes a thick layer of dust off the towel covering the dough. He'd need to wash up again but at least nothing had spilled. He didn't want to think about those soldiers, many of them his age, rushing out to die for what. He remembered his own naïve attempt to galvanize a peace movement. Most people didn't want peace. Not really. It was that failure that had finally...

Lukas needed to get the water on. He filled a pot with water and set it on the stove. Then a sprinkle of salt and some olive oil? He hadn't seen oil in the pantry. Once again he felt like he had gone back in time. "Do they use lard?" Lukas wondered aloud as he sorted through the pantry, trying to ignore the sounds of battle coming from outside. Then he suddenly finds it in a dark glass bottle. Definitely some kind of cooking oil but he wasn't sure what kind of oil it was. He poured a spoonful into the water on the stove.

There weren't many vegetables in the pantry but he pulled out a few leeks, an onion, and some garlic. He crushed the garlic with the edge of the blade and then gave it a quick dicing. Then it went into the frying pan with the oil, salt, and pepper. Lukas then drops to a knee by the oven and opens the front. There it was, the small flame elemental that heated the oven. Lukas smiled at the elemental and began to speak in clumsy Ignan. The small elemental expressed some surprise but they soon reached an agreement. Lukas nodded in satisfaction as he got back to his feet and look at the steady of fire streaming under the pot and frying pan.

Looking at the vegetables, Lukas started to worry that Jason might not like leeks... Well, there weren't many options here. Then he wondered if Jason was okay out there on the battlefield. The explosions were more distant now but they were coming regularly. Would the wizard be okay? Would Jason end up killing someone?

Lukas banished those thoughts by focusing on cleaning the leeks and onions. It was hard to julienne them with a knife this crude. Another reminder of things he took for granted. Still he managed to get it done and and then diced them again in a brunoise. There was something about onions making you cry if the knife was dull or the cut uncertain, but Lukas had never had to worry about that. It was a perk of his powers like onions, tear gas, and so on didn't affect him. Lukas then tossed the cut vegetables into the hot frying pan with some oil, salt, and pepper. Splashing in some water, he covers the frying pan and turns his attention back to resting dough.

​

"How's the bone, Fido?" Lukas asks he picks up a third of the dough and rolls it out into a long rope shape. He stretches it out from both ends, then brings them together neatly with a twirl. Taking the folded end he repeats the process. Again and again, twirling clockwise one time and counterclockwise the next, pausing occasionally to slice the dough even. In a few minutes he neatly cuts the noodles a final time to the desired length and tosses them into the simmering pot. Lukas loved working with fire elementals, they handled the details just right. He then went to check on the simmering leeks before making more noodles.

 

[Pai Chan]

Aurora had heard about the escalation with the country of Mollug against Xact. It wasn't often a topic of conversation at the church when there were mouths to feed, people to help, and a city to keep safe. People just hoped that problems would never come. But after traveling with Nathanial, Aurora learned much about how tyrannical the Mollug was. While Aurora didn't like to entertain the thought of war or battle she understood when an ongoing or approaching problem needed to be dealt with. Even if it meant putting lives on the line to do so.

Aurora urged Nathan ahead while she stayed and ushered a prayer to each of the paladins. The soldiers at the camp received a mass prayer before hand but Aurora always gave the frontline her individual attention. Many of them welcomed the prayer and even the ones who didn't believe seemed to at least appreciate the sentiment of her action. Aurora then left the men back to their preparations and went to join the Xactian General. As she approached his position overlooking the walled city.

Aurora held out her hand and a staff appeared in a flash of light. One end having a small orb and the other a larger one with a few tendrils around it. The priestess stood next to Nathan and they both shared a moment of silence. She had participated in a war once, before she woke up in this land. It's where she learned that her power that was given to help people could be just as destructive as any great weapon. While the was was decided in that battle the reason why was what troubled Aurora. The enemy called her the devil. A great evil that was protecting the lands from any invaders. The opposite of what her calling was. She was supposed to be a healer. A protector. Not a killer or harbinger of destruction. So the priestess vowed to not use her abilities in the pursuit of violence. At least not against Man. Only the evil that stood against everything she represented would sent unto perdition by her hands.

"What is it we are to do next?" Aurora finally asked breaking the silence.

Snackofthefuture

 

[Juju]

☼ Goodest Boi ☼interaction: Kaihaku

Spoiler: song for happy time

​

With eager enthusiasm, Goodest Boi leapt up and caught the tossed bone in his teeth with a satisfying click. Fido had given him the bone! That was very nice, yes it was. Bones were the best gift, and Fido didn't even want to take a nibble for himself! Fido was also a good boy, yes he was. Goodest Boi would have to find another bone and give it to Fido sometime. He would only give it a little nibble though... just to make sure it was tasty enough. No. He would have to give an un-nibbled bone. Fido had not given it a nibble, so he would not too. He was a very thoughtful boi.

The doggo laid down, keeping one end of the soup bone pinned down with a snowy paw while the other was joyfully munched. His tail wagged and in his beady eyes was a lovely glint of contentment and adoration for the young, sad boy named Fido. A soft, yet bright glow of golden sunlight streamed out from the doggo's floof. Quite literally, the happiness levels were through the roof. While it was difficult to see without closer inspection, the sheer excess of happiness was collecting in a sphere surrounding the ruined house. Flung arrows harmlessly clattered away, running zombies bonked their faces against it, and even stray missiles only crashed against the invisible-and-gold globe of happiness.

Of course, Goodest Boi was oblivious to this, and most things that Fido was saying. He continued to monch his bone peacefully, watching Fido do some weird things with various smelly foods. It smelt vaguely like breads, but not quite, and there was a sharp, green scent like grass. Goodest Boi liked grass. It was very good for many things, like digging, rolling, and nomming when tummy did not feel good. This smelled like a more spicy grass, but that was okay too. He wouldn't judge.

When spoken to, Goodest Boi took a small break from his bone and gave a delighted bork. The bone had cracked and given way easily between his unusually strong jaws, crumbling into a delightful cronchy snack. He was nearly done, by the looks of it.

 

[Judge_Vulxray]

Midyiel; The Ruined Angel
Castellan Cathedral


​

The light was fading, and fading fast. The last of her strength was ebbing away as she fought off the Demon general. Her mind was screaming as her fellow brethren died around her, their pain ebbing into and through her. Not even her Holy power of Healing could save her from the mental damage that she had sufficed for the last... She'd lost count of how long the war had been going on for. She had been numbed to the effects of time for as long as she could remember now. But still she fought on, raising herself back up onto her feet, determined to rid the world of this evil that plagued His creation. But it wasn't enough.

She fell then and there, pierced through the heart by the Demon general's claws, the fire engulfing her insides. The pain she had felt amplified as she tried to scream. But nothing came out. The light from around her faded as the Demon wrenched its hand from out of her, Golden Ichor splattering the ground around her, trailing up the Demon's arm. She fell to the floor. The cries of all those dying around her echoing in her ears. The pain she felt almost unbearable. And then, it stopped.

___________________________
​

Midyiel opened her eyes expecting to be back by her God's side in Heaven, hoping to ask him where he had gone. But she wasn't there. There was no God. No other Archangels. in fact, there was no one there that she recognised, creations she didn't know from among his work, creatures that did resemble the love and care of those she had cared for. She glanced around where she was, a ruined Cathedral.

Midyiel took note of the crumbling ruins, hurt filling her heart. The temples created to appease her God, ransacked and destroyed. But she didn't feel much pain. For some reason she knew it wasn't designated to Her Creator. In fact, she couldn't feel her Creator at all. Even back during the war, when he had disappeared, she could still feel his presence. But here she could not.

For the first time she felt.... Alone... Scared. A single tear rolled down her eye... before she knew it the pain and emotions she had felt rushed back, and a cry of immense pain erupted from inside her, and she broke down. The memories of everyone dying around her flooding her mind as she collapsed to her knees, her wings wrapping around her as she cried.

But after a while, she stopped. She wiped the tears from her eyes and stood back up, recollecting of the message that had been implanted in her mind upon her awakening.

"Bring harmony and prosperity to Valucia"

And she intended to do just that. Eradicate all the Unholiness that she can feel emanating around her and restore peace to the land.

 

[Pseudo-nim]

Annie
Interactions/Mentions: StaidFoal Juju Snackofthefuture Kaihaku YsFanatic ​

The Rolling Chaos. A dimension between realities where the strange and unknown thrived in its lack of order. The discord within this space was thick and omnipresent, always shifting and never stagnant. It was motion, evolution, and mayhem. To enter within this space was to trust that destiny and the gods held them in their favor, lest their existence is torn asunder and discarded into the waves of chaos. For Annie, the youngest of the 12 Demon Lords of the Abyss, it was like a casual walk in the park. Her existence was simply in tune with the dimensional shifts of the Rolling Chaos. From the shining waves of liquid crystal to the lightning storms amidst flaming clouds, she felt completely at home to this unnatural and random dimension, where order simply did not have power over it. Time moved forwards, backwards, and sideways whenever it wished, rendering the young traveling ringmaster nauseous.

But, even she was no completely immune to the rolling tides of discord. Rather, it would be better said that the young jester was currently suffering from the after effects of celebrating after a successful performance. Annie was currently suffering from the abominable condition known as a hangover, as her body was draped haphazardly over a white unicorn's back. The young demon lord was simply not having a good day as her mount casually walked from one portal to another, traversing several dozen realities. The act of entering another reality would have made her vomit if not for her immense self control to not get thrown off her mount after it had graciously allowed her to carry it to her next destination. For those near Annie's exit point, they would simply watch a white unicorn walk out of a portal with a sleeping girl unceremoniously hanging on. Half her body was draped in one side, with her legs dangling on the other side of her mount. Her staff was loosely secured with some rope to her right hand, but it seemed to float rather than fall off her grip. She was also drooling.

"Urgh," Annie groaned, a loud noise waking her from her drooling stupor. "Mmn, what in Celestine's bountiful cheeks is that noise anyway? I, urgh, by the infernal Hells, it's bright. W-where am I this time?" She lifted her head, eyes teary and squinting, getting a better look to see the war ravaged city, and the massive electric ball from the Coelacanth. "Th-this isn't Corinth right? Their bi-century war culling shouldn't be for another 30 years."

The unicorn whined softly, shaking her around its back. She groaned again, tapping its side. "Oh, blegh, don't move like that please. I'll barf, I'll barf."

It seemed rather annoyed at the prospect of getting its pure, white coat stained by some Abyssal Demon Lord's puke and proceeded to buck her off its back, walking back into the portal just as it closed. However, Annie was quite the showman, even in her heavily hungover state. She flourished in the air, flipping in the air once before landing on her feet in a straight posture, before she slumped and leaned against her stuff and gagged, but keeping everything in. She wobbled and shook before her body eventually flopped backwards and onto the ground.

She stared into the sky and to all the people that surrounded her. "Greetings everyone," she said with a half smile, strained because of the pounding headache she was sporting. "Annie Vander, red jester and owner of the Crimson Circus. Might any of you folks have a glass of water? I'll turn that electric thingy into pasta if you do."

 

[YsFanatic]

There was so much going on again, and it threatened to overwhelm Yunica. Fighting down the panic, she was forced to pretty much ignore some of the more recent things to keep her wits about her. Thankfully she had a task she could focus on, something the clone intended to start working on immediately. “I’m going on ahead,” she quickly says to Kotori before having her Armor start moving. Thanks to the various bits of gravity based magitech, the large war machine has no problems quickly breaking out into a sprint in the direction of the wall where the source of the necromancy spell was supposed to be.

But of course this was a battlefield, and as such the trip there wasn’t as straightforward or easy as she would have liked. Perhaps a minute of her racing past buildings and down various streets had passed before the AA’s sensors detected a group of nearby humanoids. Thinking perhaps they were more people in need of protection, Yunica changed direction to meet up with them. However, instead of the civilians she was expecting, it was a small group of Mollug scouts looking for chances to sneak past enemy lines and conduct some sabotage. Not that she knew that was going on, she only knew that they were wearing the armor of the attacking army and started drawing weapons upon noticing her presence.

Within the Assault Armor’s cockpit she let out a gasp of surprise at this unexpected turn of events even as the combat training psionically copied over from Dana to her caused her to reflexively raise her sword in a two-handed grip. Despite the difference in size and power, the Mollugs actually charged at her, causing Yunica to fearfully execute a horizontal slash as she forgot in the heat of the moment that their weapons wouldn’t be capable of damaging her armor. The blade effortlessly cut through metal, flesh, and bone of all four enemy soldiers, the magitech cartridge currently loaded into its hilt causing fire to erupt from the weapon and engulf each target upon impact. The AA froze as the clone stared at the sensor readouts, at the four bodies laying at her feet. This was her first time on a battlefield, and already there were four people dead because of her, people that could have friends, families…

The sense of panic started to return full force as bile climbed its way up to her throat, as her mind teetered on the edge of being overwhelmed by guilt and horror at what she had just done. But a memory surfaced, Sarah’s voice whispering at the back of her mind.

“The first time is rough for pretty much everyone, but you can’t hesitate in battle if you want to survive, much less protect others. The feelings you experience when you kill someone, especially the first time, vary from person to person, but you can’t let it control you. You have to squash it down, ignore it, and keep going until the battle is over. Then, once you are safe, can you let those emotions out. And how you deal with those emotions, be it grief, anger, disgust, or whatever, you will have to figure out for yourself.” The blond woman had paused for a moment. “I just ask that if you turn to a vice to help you process your emotions and deal with what happened that you don’t overdo it. I can understand going overboard the first time, but after that you will have to exercise control even if it's difficult.”

The advice, told to her shortly before she left for the advanced training facility just in case Sarah couldn’t be there for graduation, helped Yunica regain her focus and calm down after several seconds, perhaps closer to a half a minute or more. She was still shaken up, but with some difficulty she was able to put her turbulent emotions to the side and start moving towards the wall again, at least for now.

Spoiler: Interaction

Juju

 

[EccentricFantasy]

Bruuta, King of Bears

​

The earth seemed to shift. Not in position, but rather in feeling. Trees and plants from miles around leaned towards the cathedral. Light shined down on the rubble and animals all around became excited or fearful in demeanour. Clouds parted to bathe the rubble in light. The shifting stones pattered down to the floor. First small bit, making little noise. Slowly the rocks lifted, slamming down to the sides as Bruuta rose from the wreckage. The massive king of bears stood to his full 11 foot height on his hind legs. The wooden crown upon his head simmered with gorgeous light the shined through the buildings stained glass to illuminate the great Ursa. Standing tall within the ruins of the building.

Taking a long moment to listen, he heard nature's voice. It proclaimed of a great tragedy. The scent of blood and battle stained the air. Where was he? To this question he had no answer. Though he knew there must be something done or nature in this area would suffer.

Dropping to all fours he made his way to the cathedral door. The door was much to small for his size. Recognizing this he rose to his hind legs, breaking out a large portion of the wall by slamming his massive paws onto the wall. A large section collapsed and kicked up dust, shrouding the great bear king. Once the king stepped out and the dust settled, his form was there for all to see. Plants and any animals near by seemed to bow in reverence as he rose to his hind legs.

Looking the area over, he could sense the great destruction coming this way. With a deep breath, he roared a low and bellowing roar. The noise echoed everywhere, shaking the earth slightly. When it was finished, the animals and plants moved. Evacuating from this place. Trees uprooted themselves and started the move themselves away. The loud creaking of wood and leaves rustling filled the area. Animal noises found between them as it seemed they took his warning and started to clear out.

The massive bear landed on all fours again and made his way off. As he crossed people he spoke to them in a very low, traveled voice "Only the foolish will stay here. Leave if you wish to keep your life children." Without another word he walked off, the trees and animals following suit, like a great king leading his noble army.

 

[Pseudo-nim]

Zasha
Interactions: Snackofthefuture ​

Zasha grinned at the sight of the weapon he had, or rather how it transformed into that thing he just fired off into the Mollug forces. It was an interesting technology that she hadn't seen before, mostly due to the complicated systems required to create it, or the amount of moving parts to make sure the weapon doesn't jam. Overall, she simply enjoyed the concept of transforming weapons, but nothing really beat a good ol' fashion gun. Still, to see it in action was something she can at least cross off her bucket list. Maybe in the near future, when she had better materials to work with and a few months of dedicated research, she could probably design something rudimentary. A two in one weapon to give her that extra bit of versatility now that her main artillery salvos were in repair. But thinking about that in the middle of a battlefield wasn't exactly the best idea, so the idea was simply shelved for future reference.

A massive tri-barreled autocannon spawned into her grip, quickly spooling up as soon as her finger depressed the trigger. She jumped into a rooftop adjacent to Ivan and leveled the spinning barrels into the Mollug forces. Her targeting systems painted the entirety of the battlefield in red as she fully pressed the trigger on the weapon. Carnage understated the amount of death she created downrange of their position as the explosive tip bullets carved a swath of death. Firing at 10,000 rounds per minute, the depleted uranium warheads in each shell was meant to be fired at starship with hulls as thick as 5m and explode upon reaching maximum penetration. Mollug armor did nothing to stop the 30mm projectiles from basically punching a hole through their bodies the size of their heads and doing the same thing to the eight other guys behind them before violently detonating to the last, unfortunate victim. Thousands of casings clattered around her as the autocannon spat out a staccato of death, rendering an entire platoon of primitive soldiers into nothing but shredded meat sacks under Zasha's rain of bullets.

Her warning system blared momentarily when a pair of Mollug infantry men attempted to run her through with their sword. Zasha was nonplussed as she felt the metal screech and crumple against her nuclear blast resistant skin. The autocannon disappeared from her grip and she punched the first soldier that aimed their sword at her throat with enough force to liquify and crush every single bone in his body. Of course she held back in order to prevent blood actually spilling all over her clothes. Full power punches were simply overkill on regular humans after all, but that didn't mean she couldn't calibrate the necessary amount of force to end them without having her fist run through their body. The second man barely managed to react before Zasha grabbed him by his armor, the metal crumpling in her grip and pulled him down to her height. She drove her knee hard enough that she felt it sink deeper into the skull until her synthetic skin felt his brain matter. She picked up both bodies and tossed them off the roof before she turned around and regarded Ivan again.

"Not exactly the place and time to be all nice and polite," she grinned as a bundle of plastic explosives the size of a fist landed on her open hand. She tossed it behind her without looking and detonated it using the remote detonator in the ARMS supercomputer. The screams and curses from the Mollug forces that were caught in a blast meant for building demolition was music to her ears. "But, yeah. Same side. Some Castellan big shot said they'll reward me if I help them." A single missile fired from the fortress into a crowd of Mollug soldiers in the distance as one of her fabricators deposited a cigarette into her hand, using the fire trail of the launched missile to ignite it and placing it between her lips. "To be honest though, I'd probably have helped even without the whole reward, but y'know what they say," she grinned as her 10ft Soldier-class mech stepped out from her hammerspace, positioning itself behind her; its wrist mounted minigun spewed death in her stead, "if you're good at something, never do it for free."

The Soldier-class mech was primarily meant to support her Juggernaut-class mechs as the premiere combat units. Easily capable of withstanding the full beating of her autocannon, it was still considered in her world as a fragile unit due to the amount of firepower Juggernauts could output and defend against. However, against things such as mages using elemental magic or their standard melee weapons, the Soldier could be considered immortal against any of their infantry by virtue of its armor and weapons.

She sat down on the roof, the mech jumping down into the street, weapons firing into the incoming horde of soldiers. The heiress grinned at Ivan before looking to the carnage in the distance. "You try being calm after being summoned into some god's little chuckle fest about world domination then having some chick with a unicorn blast you to kingdom come less than an hour arriving here." Another two missiles flew past the both of them. "But seeing as you haven't decided to shoot me with that fancy looking gun of yours, I won't do the same. After all, we've got a plenty of targets." The heiress had a much more carefree grin in her face as she swung her legs back and forth, watching the Soldier-class mech alternating between its gun and flamethrower. "Pleasure to meet you, Zasha's the name. Hope we don't end up trying to kill each other once this is over."

 

[Kaihaku]

Mollug Masks
Location: Castellan, Nortestra. Front Lines, Third Ward Ruins. Theme: Lord of a Dead Empire
​

As the explosive devices rain down from some unseen portal in the sky above, the Mask Maker raises her arcane focus and causes a membrane of semi-corporeal shadow to form over the mere two hundred masked soldiers dedicated to this siege. There is no reaction from the masked soldiers as destruction erupts across the sky above them and onto the troops on either side of them. The stand still even when an entire column of allied troops vanishes in a blast of energy.

The Mask Maker waited for the next command.

Far away, a woman chained to a wall stroked her chin as she looked over the battlefield. Her handiworks would be destroyed without bringing anyone back to replace them if they just stood there. She hadn't wanted them on the front line at all. She hadn't been given a choice. It came as a surprise that Nortestra and their allied summoned had this much destructive power at their fingertips. There was the bounty sheet, of course, but this exceeded her expectations. Now she wanted even more for them to bring back one of the wanted summoned. That could be easily dealt with for now, just close with the Nortestra front line. If they decided to blast their own allies to Merde in order to take out her handiworks, well, let them. She wouldn't make it easy on them.

The Mask Maker waited only a few seconds before it received orders. Advance to melee with the Nortestra front line. Specifically target Commanders and Summoned. Disperse the lesser masks.

Aside from the masks they wear, most of the soldiers looked exactly like their peers in the other divisions. However as they broke into a charge their extreme physical prowess was immediately apparent. They quickly outpaced the other Mollug soldiers, running at ten times their speed, as they crashed into the approaching Nortestra line sending gold and red clad soldiers flying with blows of greater than mortal strength.

The Mask Maker glided behind the charging front, dozens of masks flying through the air around her and attaching themselves to wounded or dazed Nortestran soldiers. These newly masked soldiers turned immediately against their fellow citizens and comrades of only a moment before. A viscous shadow continues to cling over the masked soldiers as they break the Nortestra charge and enter melee.

Mask Squad VI
Location: Castellan, Nortestra. Behind the Nortestra Lines, Third Ward Ruins.
​

Hidden in the basement of a levelled tavern, three masked soldiers watch in stony silence as the first wave of Nortestra soldiers charge by. They had been on special orders but with the outbreak of hostilities had been given the command to take shelter and standby.

Now they received new orders.

Twelve longswords fly out of the basement, each digging up to the hilt through a gap in the armor on the side of a Nortestran soldier who had been focused on reaching the battlefield. Moving like a gust of wind, a masked swordswoman darts out of basement door and slices down three more Nortestran soldiers, anticipating their sword defense and finishing each in a single slash. Finally a third figure bursts through a stone wall and cleaves a mounted officer, horse and man, in twain with a fiery great sword. Powerful flames engulf the unfortunate officer and his mount, reducing them to burning cinders.

 

[Snackofthefuture]

SETH AND BETH
By Snackofthefuture and EccentricFantasy​

Throughout the week both Nameless and Beth had been walking towards the closest fragment of his power he could sense. Farther north from where they were summoned. As far as the walk, he found it rather eventful, but others would say it was boring. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he was previously in a universe without anything in it. He found all things fascinating. The way the grass moved ever so slightly through the day. Trees and flowers were appealing. However, what he found most interesting was Beth herself.

During the travels they took, she would talk and answer his questions regarding complex life. It was difficult to say the least. Everything she explained only brought up more questions. Such as how life began and why such a thing as religion exists and how the gods gained their power. It was confusing. How could life survive with so many complicated things to remember?

Along the journey, Beth was also asking her own questions. She asked him questions as well. Specifically about what he was and why he needed to destroy life. His answers were unfortunately not as defined as her own. He explained his existence and his purpose and simple nature, cold and logical without any real defined reason. It was clear he had as little idea about his own reason for existing beyond a natural end to life that has become toxic to the multiverse it was home to. It was clear he just thought of himself as existence's answer to life becoming out of control.

After a week they made it to a village on the southern edge of Czarsnikei just on the border of Nortestra. The village was admittedly not the first they had come across. However, Nameless had discovered his appearance was not particularly liked by the people. He had been threatened, attacked and Beth had been ostracized for being with him. It made gathering supplies for her to survive difficult.

Nameless stopped about 200 feet from the village. The path of dead grass that followed him was clear and defined. Looking on with his normal emotionless expression. His head turned to the woman he had been traveling with "I believe we should split up here. As our previous experiences have proven, my appearance is displeasing to people. Particularly those in small villages." His voice, still like an echo of thousands of vices, was so emotionless with little care for people's opinion. This decision was based purely on logic rather than any opinion someone may or may not have of him. She needed supplies and rest, something he had no need for.

Beth chuckled, wondering at Seth's strange opening for a conversation. Split up? Now? After a week of travel together? No way. Beth thought the Nameless One was fascinating, a figure with so much power and yet so little awareness. Beth and Seth had traveled for the week stopping little and ending up near the border of Czarsnikei, Nortestra and Mollug at the end. They were both close to the Solomon Fortress, having gotten information from traders and wandering travelers. They hadn't spent much time in civilized parts on their journey and it sorta showed, Beth wanted a hot shower and time in a feather bed. Seth wanted, unachingly and forever, a purpose in life not so menial as simply annihilating everything.

They were both in tough circumstances in that regard, finding purposes and all. Beth figured becoming a powerful figure was never a bad idea however, so the dilemma for her was short-lived in comparison to The Nameless Kings. Boi was confused. He also unfortunately enough, seemed to carry a certain sort of aura with him. Seth's aura was one that was immediately recognized as negative and hostile, even when closely analyzed it was realized to be more sad than angry, but not many were willing to go the limit and befriend Seth. Beth however was seen by most as a shining glimmer in their lives, a passing star of bright and good. A wholly benevolent and good protector that wished for peace and happiness amongst sentient beings. Totally.

"Cmon Seth, we've talked about this already, we don't need to split up or anything, it's fine. You just need to fix that robotic attitude of yours and stop being so darn apathetic, then villagers will stop labeling you an outcast. They like me! Most of the time at least. Next village we reach we'll get supplies I'm certain. Preeeeetty certaaaaain."
She turned to Seth then and looked at him with some gentleness in her eye and said. "We're in this together y'know?"

Nameless was still looking on to the village just 200 feet away. He didn't particularly care about the opinions of the people. During their travels he had learned that the people born here were not too fond of the ones the being named SIN summoned. There were a few exceptions, Beth being one that the original inhabitants didn't hate. He also learned that he was one they all seemed to truly hate. Of course that was not a shock. His concentration of Yin energy was easily sensed by even those with no sensory abilities at all. On top of that, another thing he learned was that complex life put far too much stock in a being's appearance. A definite flaw and a definite reason that they created so much Yin energy that inevitably resulted in his creation.

That being said, Beth was yet another anomaly in this existence. Why was she so put off by the idea of only her entering this village. It was not as if he actually needed food, sleep or shelter. That didn't stop her from insisting that he try food and sleep. Something about being 'an important part of complex life' and if he wanted to understand life, he needed to try it. It was wholly perplexing.

Looking on to the village he noticed something. There was mainly Yang energy, but there was something that was very concentrated Yin energy. It wasn't his own, but it was very....interesting. Without saying a word he started walking forward. He wanted to see what was making so much Yin in such a normal village. As he walked he decided it would be best to tell Beth, so he turned his head and looked at her with his usual emotionless gaze "I think I might need to destroy someone in that village. It's a lot of Yin." Turning his head he continued his walk to the village, the path of dying plant life around and behind him got larger, signaling his intent to fight or at least defend himself against whatever it was.

Beth was a woman with a fierce and powerful spirit. Her energy practically radiated from her, empowering others and bringing out the best in the average man. She had known about this ability in her old world, being a sort of rallying point in the last battles for her Earth. All the Magical Girls of her world had acted as banners of sorts during the last days of her world.

Why her energy didn't affect Seth was beyond her. His claiming of it being Yin and Yang energy that caused his predicament didn't sit well with Beth. She felt bad for him, wanting to help The Salt King to a point where he could stand amongst other sentient beings and be proud of himself. She wanted to help him gain his humanity. Or whatever it was that he was.

They had just arrived at the outskirts of yet another village and were standing on a hill a little bit away from the hamlet. The grass on the incline waved in the breeze lazily and the sun was partially covered with some clouds. It was almost an overcast day and thankfully yet not.

Seth spoke for a moment and Beth at first was only barely paying attention, absorbed in her own thoughts, pondering her new place in the world and the paths that were now open to her. Then she realized he was talking about killing someone. "Ummmm why though?" She asked in an exaggerated fashion, cocking her head to the side.

It was clear Nameless either didn't hear or did not care that she had asked him a question. He merely continued his walk up to and finally into the village. As he walked through the center road his emotionless face moved around, looking through the many intertwined energies of the people. Immediately the people were scared and generally uncomfortable with his presence. After all, he was a guy with pure white skin, two star filled holes in his abdomen and a generally off-putting appearance. That being said, he clearly did not notice at all, given his lack of social awareness.

Stepping through the village the people noticed the overwhelming negative presence he had. Not shocking considering what he was in the first place. He oozed negativity even with his power split up the way it was.

Nameless continued his search. All movement and activity in the town stopped. Looking around he noticed a few things. This village was in terrible condition. Most of the people looked starved and the land was barren. That being said, it made no sense. Just outside the village had grass and trees, but all around the village up to five feet outside it was cracked and dry. What was causing this? His head drifted until he saw it. A tree directly in the cent of the fairway.it was a tree, but he noticed the flowers blooming from it were odd. They were pale white with the tips being red and veins of crimson flowing down the petals. The wood was extremely dark. Almost like the tree was dead. However, focusing his ability to see energy, he noticed that the tree was radiating Yin energy. It was vile and the roots were sapping life from around it.

Walking up to the tree he noticed that there was a sort of shrine built around it. People left flowers and gifts around the tree and he assumed that the tree resembled a god of some sort that these people worshipped. Sadly, Nameless felt that this was unfortunate. Just to test his theory he excreted his negative energy. Even in his weakened state, the force of his energy made the air around cold and it stung the skin of everyone watching. As they coward away from his power, there was a whine from the tree. The wind shook its branches as the almost horrific, high pitched squeal came from it. Almost as though it recognized the threat he posed to its very existence.

After his thoughts were confirmed he stopped his onslaught of energy and everything calmed. Turning around he looked to Beth, knowing she was following him to make sure he didn't do anything bad. Which he didn't understand. Her obsession with gaining him some sort of humanity was perplexing to say the least.

He glanced at her and then back to the tree "Little rabbit, if you don't want these people to be caught in the battle, I would move them back. I plan on leaving no evidence that this tree ever existed."

Beth sighed and followed Seth into the village, treading alongside the somehow still lonesome looking figure. Somehow, Seth exuded this aura of loneliness and sadness, even when others were about or when mirth was present. It truly was unnatural, but Beth still tried to help out with his problem when she could.

Seth deserved to understand humanity, he deserved to be able to appreciate sentience.

As they entered the village, Beth noticed that the people all around them exuded a strange aura as well, almost a reversed form of Seths. It made her extremely uncomfortable and weirded her out at the same time, a redundant but quite valid combination.

Then she saw the tree, exhaling warped energy in droves, photosynthesizing to create what Seth called Yin energy.

It was a disgusting plant.

Beth drew her sword slowly and snarled at the tree. She then noticed that many of the villagers had already fled, whereas others were now approaching the two of them. They were carrying shovels, axes, farm equipment and rusted weapons of all sorts and types.

There was a glazed look in their eyes, a pale film covering the colors of their eyes, leaving them cloudy and empty. Veins seemed to run all over the villagers bodies, red and contrasting to the very pale white of their unnatural skin. These people must have gotten too close to the tree at some point, or perhaps it had come too close to them? Either way, they appeared lost to the world at this point.

Were they simply corrupted however? Or too far gone to save?

Her question was answered as others appeared from within the village, these people clearly far too gone, wooden growths and amalgamations erupting from their flesh. Their bodies were distorted and bleeding a viscous fluid resembling blood.

Responding to Seth she said, "I think it's too late for these folk, the others who fled might be free from that thing's corruption, but these people are very clearly too far gone."

Nameless turned his head to look around, seeing that the Little Rabbit was very much correct. Every single villager who took up arms against them and the ones with the wood disease all had a seed of this tree's evil in their heart. He could also see that in response to his presence. Beth was a powerful warrior, but this would be aggressively difficult. This tree was very obviously threatened by him. His Yin was so clearly more potent than its own. Even in his weakened state, he was more than a threat to this tree and it was clear that this tree knew it. Which is why he wasn't shocked when many more of these infected villagers rose from the ground. From his observation, this tree was acclimating living beings into its roots. A smart way to quickly increase power and to make a small army to protect itself.

After seeing the clear threat against Beth with these humans infected by the tree, he took a moment and saw that these being's first target was Beth. It took a moment for him to realize what the tactic was behind this. In this creature's mind, Beth was much like a support to himself. In the tree's mind or consciousness, Nameless was the powerhouse and the last thing it needed was someone who could back him up and make it harder to defeat him. There were flaws in this logic. Firstly, Beth was not weak on her own, so attacking her would not be easy. Secondly, the fact that this tree assumed he would allow it to attack her was insulting really.

In an instant he watched the villagers rush them both. Primarily aiming to Beth. Nameless in his emotionless state didn't budge, but what happened was spectacular.

To those who could see energy, it was a sight unlike any other. A pillar sickening black, almost inky energy erupted from his body. It moved and seemed almost alive. The creatures froze and the tree visibly wretched as though his sudden burst of energy was sickening. The air was now cold and stung skin like needles. For those who couldn't see energy, all the feelings were still there. The burst of sickening energy oozed from him. The wind picked up and the energy shifted. It was like the moment just before a volcano erupted. There was just a tense and palpable feeling of pure negative power in the air. His negative power, that was beyond any comprehension.

Nameless looked up and raised his hand up, pointing to a large group of these creatures. As he did a slash of energy followed his finger. It left a cut through the ground and severed many of the villagers in half. As that happened there was panic in the tree. Suddenly all the possessed humans took off like animals. Clamouring towards both Nameless and Beth. Nameless coated his arms in his Yin and began to throw the creatures around. Sometimes crushing a portion of them or striking them. Deciding to handle them before he erases the tree from existence.

The villagers were no longer human, that much Beth could tell as they slowly got closer. Growls and whispers escaped their lips as their feet carried them closer, step by step.

They were a lil gross to be honest, sap and puss running from various openings adorning their faces. A reddish liquid like blood flowed from beneath the villagers clothing and growths and "gifts" from the tree pulsed beneath clothing in the daytime light.

The creatures targeted Beth first, seeing the threat of a being so pure instantly.

Beth was, like Seth, an antithesis of the tree. Opposite of the tree's power in every way, Beth was targeted first most likely because the tree could sense their auras. Seth's aura was in all ways, passive, and relaxed, power indeed running through his veins, but latent and untapped reserves definitely locked away within the beings frame. The tree most likely assumed and correctly assumed that Beth would immediately aim for the tree.

"Hey Seth, tell me next time you're about to set off a crowd of angry abhumans!" Beth shouted angrily as the Nameless One opened fire with slashes of energy following his finger. The crowd suddenly surged forward and Beth quickly and fluidly drew her sword. Hacking through a charging beast, she bisected the first growth-possessed human with buttery ease. She dodged underneath the swinging blade of the next and bisected it as well. The two corpses were carried by her momentum and smashed into the charging faces of the following monsters. The village was full of the beasts now and they were rushing back and forth, attempting rabidly to get within range of Seth and Beth.

Beth stabbed forward, impaling the third creature and the fourth with a speed unmatched by mortals. Their midriffs exploded with sap and gore as the large blade smacked through their bodies with sickening ease. Their durability was null, but their ferocity and willpower was insane.

The beasts continued to rush Beth, forcing her to begin hacking back and forth with large swings of her blade, clearing some distance for the girl and her ally.

Beth hadnt fought yet since coming to this new world, but thankfully, she found all of her skills were still there, still bright and powerful and vibrant.

Nameless was impressed. Firstly he was impressed that with the amount of Yin energy he was putting out, these creatures were still able to move. Apparently they were not privy to the feeling of fear or the perception of energy. Incredible. Apparently, just being under the trees control meant there was a sort of zombification effect. It was clear that he needed to get rid of this tree fast. Then again, not getting rid of this tree held benefits as well. The longer this tree was alive, he would be able to investigate the little rabbit a bit further. He found the very thought of this warrior girl very intriguing, but it was clear she would not be in the mood for his experiment. So, the smoothest path was to just kill this tree.

That being said, hearing her ask him to warn her next time was confusing. His emotionless face turned and began to think. He stood there as he felt these, rather weak creatures ran at him. He put up an aura of negative energy. Once these defenseless creatures entered the field, they started to very slowly turn to ash as he thought about the time before they fought. After a minute he turns to her "I told you I was planning on killing something in the village. It is not my fault you did not listen or heed my warning."

After that he looked to the tree. Seeming to stand there and study the tree. He realized that destroying this thing required thought. Since it emits Yin energy on a large scale, it was resistant to his energy attacks since they are of Yin energy. He could destroy the tree or even slice it, but that would not stop it. A tree was very resilient. He had seen trees regrow from a stump. If he left its roots intact, there was no doubt in his mind it would come back. So, the only way to stop it was with fire. A fire so hot it would burn the tree to ashes, all the way down to the ends of every root.

He turned as another few of these creatures attempted to jump him. He had put his aura down, but this was easy enough for him. He dispatched the first two fast. Grabbing their heads and turning them to ash with massive amounts of his energy. A larger one tried to take advantage of what seemed to be a lowering of defense. As it got closer it was stopped. Nameless almost instantly returned to a relaxed state, then delivered what seemed like a normal punch, but his fist blew out this creature's stomach. His fist was through the creatures back. His arm was covered in sap, gore and sinew. His emotionless gaze fell on Beth as he let its body drop to the ground "Little rabbit, do you have a magical flame ability of some type? We need to burn this tree to ashes. All the way down to the very ends of the root."

Beth turned to Seth as a lull in the action appeared, the creatures surrounding them, backing up for a moment to prepare another charge. “I heard you about killing something, just warn me before you start the attack y'know?” She said with an exasperated sigh. The creatures then began to surge forward again and Beth was once again thrown into combat, hacking and slashing through beast after beast. They were not very strong but the amount of damage they could take was completely unreasonable. Several of the bisected creatures were actually still crawling forward to try and fight with the duo.

“Yes I have magical flame abilities, who do you think I am?”

Nameless stopped to listen to her. He seemed to just not care about the creatures trying to come at him. Not even put off by the ones that should already be dead coming at them. Instead he was confused. Once again taking a moment to think. He took a few steps towards her, crushing one of the creatures beneath his feet as he walked.

Stopping next to her his emotionless gaze fell upon her "I assumed you were Beth, the one I call Little Rabbit. That question seems to imply you have another identity?"

Still in thought he sensed it. From the ground a root from the tree attempting to wrap around Beth's leg and submerge her in the soil. He took no time at all picking her up and holding her in his arms away from the root. His emotionless face looked down upon the root before he stomped on it. It was so nonchalant the way he held her. Holding her in the way people called being princess carried. His arms were strong, but yet it seems like he was barely touching her. Every part of his body that she could feel was very solid. There was no heartbeat, his touch was cold and choosing negative energy that fell from his body radiated from his touch. Most would find this very uncomfortable. A bombardment of negative feelings and cold.

Wanting this to just end he looked forward, still holding her in his arms. Raising his leg and Gathering all the energy he could, his foot slammed onto the ground. A shock wave of Yin energy rippled through the earth. Cracks spread from his stomped foot and the very ground beneath their feet was pumped full of Yin and glowed a mat black and shining purple. Yet another blood curdling whine came from the tree. It was shaking, almost as though it was in fear. Even the zombified creatures that were once attacking them wretched. Howling in pain as the force of Yin he generated traveled through them. Puss and sap burst and oozed from every orifice they had.

Nameless looked to the magic warrior in his arms. Still emotionless and still holding her ever so gently "Little Rabbit, what is that?" Suddenly he leans down and smells her neck and hair. It was slow. He took his time to recognize the scent before pulling back and looking at her "From the time we met till yesterday you smelled of lavender, roses and morning dew. Why is it, you smell of honey and wheat today?" His cold, lifeless eyes locked into hers, waiting for an answer even as the creatures started to recover and once again try to attack the pair.

Beth raised an eyebrow and blushed slightly, raising an eyebrow at Seth’s strange and vaguely flirtatious syntax
Beth dodged another of the creatures as The Nameless One began walking over. She whirled her sword about her body and diagonally cleaved another creature in two. She began to walk closer to Seth as he did the same and soon the two of them were face to face. Laughing she responded,

“I do go by many titles Nameless One, but if you must take me so literally, I prefer Beth the most.”

She was about to stab her blade into the ground to cut a root that was moving far too close for comfort when suddenly her feet came out from under her, into Seth’s arms. She was being princess carried. She didn't know what to say so she simply shut her mouth tight and allowed it for a moment, naturally moving around Seth’s body to avoid the blows and attacks of the creatures and roots around them, before sliding out of his hold into a fighting stance, slicing a farmer from collar to hip in the midst of it. More and more of the creatures were appearing and others that had been felled were recovering. The situation wasn’t dire, but it wasn't improving either. If this was the best the tree could do, it would make for a good diversion from their journey at most.

“Time to bring this to a close. Cover me Seth, I'm going to kill this thing.” Beth said as she started backing away from the tree, still defended by Seth. She was concentrating her flame abilities into her blade, preparing with the upraised sword, to cut down the plant abomination.

“Shaak Trev, Annul Shivret, Seit Ose.” She chanted as she took several last steps backwards. Then as the blade burst into blue flame, she narrowed her eyes and began to run towards the shivering malformed tree. Red ichor was leaking from the tree all over and it seemed to have gotten worse as the battle continued. Now it was seeping out in small rivers running down its decayed, warped flesh. It almost seemed as if the tree was crying out. Beth cared not for the tree’s supposed sentience. It had taken the lives of many of the villagers, many innocent and simple people who had been destined for much longer and more pleasant lives before its existence. She dodged through the multiple assaulting tendrils of the tree, as well as the villagers who rushed to defend it, the blade glowing brighter and brighter with every step she took.

She cut horizontally when she reached the crying oak. Dividing the trunk in half, she cut for a full several metres, the blade’s sharp edge and momentum carrying it through the plant flesh all the way. To say it was still a tree would have been foolish however as she saw what lay inside the body of the controlling plant. Blood and organs seeped out of the bisected torso of the creature, and it pulsed with fading life as the flames of Beth’s blade began to spread. The tree howled and shrieked, followed by its many followers as the flames carried themselves throughout the village, burning the defiled and infected flesh away with greedy determination. Soon there was little left of the village, the flames having devoured most of the central buildings of the town. They had burnt out all the corruption, but there was little of the hamlet left.

Nameless looked as Beth finished the fight. She never answered his question about her changed scent. However, watching her finish the fight did answer a few things about her.

As the tree died slowly, he watched as its negative Yin energy flowed from it to himself. He felt his power swell by only a fraction. It was nothing compared to his original power. He was still confused as to how this being called SIN was able to take his power like that. Taking it with little thought, he walked to Beth. The last of the Yin around them seeping into his body. He looked at her with his same emotionless gaze "I still want to know why you smell differently today. Though, it is not an offensive scent." He then offered her his arm. She had taught him this a while ago. Apparently it was a way gentlemen escorted ladies "Shall we continue? The first fragment of my power is not far."

“I dont know why I smell differently? Why are you sniffing me anyway? Yknow its sorta rude to ask questions like that! If you must know, my magic can sometimes give off a pleasant scent! Jeez, you really don't know that much do you? It really is sorta rude!” Beth said to him as she watched Seth absorb the trees’s power. She stuck her tongue out at him after finishing her quick speech. Then she looked at Seth’s offered arm and she blushed. “You're so damn forward… It's just one thing after another…” She complained, before taking his arm.

 

[Snackofthefuture]

BASTION FORTRESS​

The wall exploded as an errant rocket smashed into it. Debris was flung away in scatters, pieces falling off in parts. Bastion was unperturbed and looked at Carmen’s hand outstretched towards him. Bastion could already tell these were the scheming, planning types of villains, and did not necessarily trust them. He took Carmen’s hand anyways and shook it rather vigorously. He smiled gleefully at the bird man and let go of the hand, extending it out to the others on the wall. Then he remembered they had sort of refused a handshake, so he dropped his hand loosely to his side. He turned back to Carmen and said, “Havoc is one thing I can practically guarantee when I'm in town haha! Allies are fine Carmen, Just don't get in my way and all will be grand. I hope that didn't sound too threatening, I'm just trying to convey my point solidly.”

Bastion strolled over to the edge of the wall, looking at the carnage that was enveloping the battle lines. “Don't you just love it!? There's nothing like a good clash of arms. Nothing at all!” The muscled warrior crossed his arms and continued to glare out at the field, itching to get back into the fray. But he wasn't too impatient, he was also drawn to the powerful figures that stood behind him. Bastion hoped he could make allies with them, or at least good enemies. As he pondered that thought he realized the strange nature of it and wondered if his grip on reality was okay. Bastion shook his head and all was well. He turned back to the group and looked at the others aside from Carmen. “Might you all introduce yourselves to me as well? Your compatriot had deigned to do so.” Bastion then turned to Carmen and asked, “Say, what happened to you Bird man? You've got some bullet holes in your clothes, and they look sorta fresh.”

Bastion looked at Carmen’s bird mask, the uncanny resemblance to the masks of the scientists who had raised him forcing itself to the front of his mind. Bastion chuckled at the fond memories. He had enjoyed working with them, and even more so tearing them to shreds. They had been intelligent people, so very smart and now so very dead. Bastion had torn through them rather quickly, pulling them apart one by one, killing his manipulators and controllers with disdain. None of the ones he killed had raised him, they had all died long ago. These were simply their inheritors, unfeeling drones set into motion by complex organic coding. They were robots who lived to simply give Bastion a new mission. Bastion had no regrets killing them, he only wished he had done it sooner.

Out of all the ones on the wall, Varium and Carmen had been the most polite. Bastion appreciated that, so he decided he wouldn't start a fight with obvious villain types. He liked both of them so far, but he still definitely didn't trust Carmen. Varium seemed simple enough, much to Bastion’s glee. He looked at Varium and said, “Don't you wanna get in there?! Get into a fucking fight?! I know I wanna get in there! You wanna go!?”

nighttimecatplayer Pseudo-nim

 

[Juju]

Kotori & Wakinyan(plus guest wolves)

Interaction: Snackofthefuture seasonedcat YsFanatic Pseudo-nim | Mention: nighttimecatplayer Kaihaku
​

Just before the group was about to take off, a newcomer bearing a sword and strange armor appeared in their midst. Specifically, he fell from the sky. "Are you alright?" Kotori stammered. This must be a summoned to have survived such a fall, yet still she couldn't help but feel worried. It faded into pleasant surprise by what the samurai said, "Sulric sent you?"

Wakinyan's hooves stamped impatiently upon the charred street, head tossing in annoyance at such stagnation. His crimson eyes glared down at the little samurai, scales rippling with fresh jolts of energy. It only made matters worse whenever Yunica took off ahead of them, not waiting for the Samurai or her allies.

"No, wait!" Kotori called after her, but it was much too late. The Charon-esque woman was alarmingly fast and sped off out of range. It was dangerous to go alone in the middle of battle, but Kotori tried to convince herself that she would be ok. Kotori turned back to Sakujo. "We are leaving to free the helpless souls ensnared by the necromancer. If you wish to help, join us or protect the troops on the ground with Greymourne. That creature of metal and thunder is beyond their powers."

Yet another summoned appeared before them, one that had had Wakinyan growling. A strange sensation washed over Kotori, drawing her eyes to something round and and shiny on the ground in front of the Heavenly Beast. He did not seem to notice it, however, too focused on the demoness. With a lesser gust of wind, Kotori brought the mirror to her hand and glanced down at the silvery surface. Her reflection stared back with tired eyes and a pallid face outlined with occasional lightning. Still, there was something powerful lingering inside. Perhaps she should hold onto it for now. Turning her reflection away, she gently placed the mirror into the satchel at her hip.

At the same time, four wolves poofed into existence, howling up at Kotori. The sound made her shiver, remembering the last time she had heard such a cry. Wakinyan only growled, seeing through the illusion immediately. Kotori could sense his patience running thin, snapping whenever one of wolves jumped onto his back and nestled itself in front of Kotori, howling. It was so loud that she couldn't even hear what Caedmon had said about the missiles.

Heavenfire blazed in Wakinyan's eyes, shrouding his horn. Kotori dug her hands into his mane as he called a lightning strike onto the demon. For some reason, it did not work, but that never stopped Wakinyan before. Kotori knew he wanted to fight, but there were more important matters at hand... and both of them were far to weak to fight them all. She closed her eyes, trying to covey this thought. "Wakinyan, we must save our strength!" she silently begged.

Her shoulders sagged when she heard the crash of thunder and saw a brilliant flash of light. Yet when she opened her eyes she saw that the missiles being launched towards the wall had been struck down. Nine out of the ten missiles were destroyed in an explosion of lightning and fire, though one managed to slip through and strike the wall. After this, he did not wait any longer for conversation and took off with a leap and bound towards the wall, leaving behind Sakujo if he did not follow.

They raced towards where Yunica had last been seen. On the way Kotori notcied the fresh corpsed of four Mollug soldiers, likely taken out by the armored woman. When they finally caught up, Wakinyan slid to a halt beside her.

"Yunica, I am glad you are alright. Come, the wall is not far. Csilla has an idea as for how to get us to the top." Kotori summoned her bow as she said this, the artifact appearing in a swirl of sparking wind. She then paused, her eyes softening as she looked to Yunica, "It is not too late to turn back, and I will not think of you any less for it. This magic is dark, evil, and the sorcerer who made it will be powerful. There is no way to prepare yourself, but please be ready for anything."

​

Two wolves were now riding with Kotori, one nestled under her arms and one draped lavishly over Wakinyan's back. The two others play-fought at Wakinyan's feet, much to the beast's utter annoyance. "Ah...er... do not mind these four." Kotori said, patting one of the wolves on its furry head. For some reason she was the only one able to touch them. Not that she minded, of course. She fought the urge to wrap her arms around one and dig her face into its illusionary fur and forget about everything.

While she spoke, a soft sound carried upon the stormy breeze. It sounded like some strange instrument, though one that Kotori had never heard before. The music drifted down from the top of the wall, and while beautiful, it only made the back of her neck prickle with fear. This music was nothing short of revelry for the carnage below. Whoever was making it either had too much power or two little heart to care for the war raging below. All four of the wolves raised their heads and let out a long, mournful howl in response to the music, lending their voice to the song.

"Let us go." Kotori said suddenly, leading the way to the base of the wall. She give Csilla a nod, "I am ready when you are."

 

[YsFanatic]

Caught a bit off guard by the other woman's concern, not to mention the illusion wolves, Yunica is slow to respond and almost misses her chance to respond. Her Armor's head shakes as she speaks. "No, my sister wouldn't turn back, so I won't either." The wolves howling actually distracted the clone where she didn't notice the music initially, and when she did hear it she could only wonder what moron would play music in a situation like this. Ignoring the song for now at least, she resumes her movement towards the wall.

Upon reaching the wall Yunica put the sword back into its sheath as she pondered just how she was going to get up there. Not having any better ideas she decided that it would be best to just take the direct approach and climb up. Having the Armor stiffen the fingers of its one hand almost like claws, she then plunged them into the wall right above the machine's head, the digits digging deep into the stone. Raising a leg, the AA kicked forward to bury the front of the foot into the stone wall as well, in combination with the handgrip this allowed Yunica to have the AA start pulling itself off the ground before repeating the process with the other limbs to start the long climb to the top.

Juju

 

[Pai Chan]

Bai Ling

Bai Ling was still getting used to life as a nun. Many things were looked down on that Bai Ling did as habit.

Bai, you're too blunt.

Bai, you need to have proper manners. Show some etiquette .

Bai, you're too tomboyish. You need to conduct yourself like a proper lady.

Bai, you can't just go around beating up people because they are doing something you don't like. Even if it is justifiable.

Most of these critiques came from the head nun, Cassandra. She was extremely strict with Bai where Aurora was considered too forgiving. The priestess, Aurora, had even asked Bai to teach her things like Yoga. Aurora was a kind soul and Bai could easily see why the priestess was a beloved simple in the city of Ilaria; Goddess status aside. The people of the city easily could have let Bai stay in the dungeons beneath the city but Aurora knew that Bai was a summoned and wanted to give the girl a chance.

Cassandra had not been too happy about the decision and was all to happy to let Bai Ling know it in every way possible. This was why Bai was all too pained when Aurora left the city and Bai with it. She left Cassandra in charge and the plethora of chores seemed to never end. The head nun seemed to see Bai as a project. Something to fix. There were some things Bai didn't mind learning. Etiquette was, apparently, something many people of the city knew of and practiced. Bai looked up to Aurora and wanted to make her happy when she returned.

It is why Bai was, now, conflicted as people tailed her. She was sent on an errand by Cassandra towards the edge of the city. Sure Bai thought it was unusual but so was learning which fork was meant for what food, during dinner. There were about half a dozen people on her tail. They tried to look inconspicuous but Bai had been trained to notice such a thing. Back before she appeared on this world.

As the girl walked, straw basket in hand, closer to the edge of the city the crowds started thinning and it became more apparent that there were people following her. Surely, Cassandra would forgive her for defending herself.

Bai turned a corner into a thin alleyway. The first man to follow after her was met with a kick that sent him flying right back out and sprawling across the ground. A few more men came around the corner, brandishing knives.

"Why do you follow me?" Bai demanded. The men didn't answer and merely approached, cautiously, with their knives held out. Only two of them could fit side by side. The alley wouldn't allow for more which was what Bai had intended.

The two men thrust their blades towards Bai, one after the other, obviously trained to do so. After a few dodges Bai grabbed the man's wrist when he over committed and pulled him forward and off balance. Her display of strength seemed to surprise the man based on his wide eyes and she pulled him over her, performing a sacrifice throw. She threw him over her and rolled back on top of him, delivering a couple of successive punches.

The man was out like a light. There was some shouting that Bai didn't understand as the second man stepped back out of the alley and a few others filed in. This time they had projectile weapons. Thinking quickly Bai pulled up the man, she was on top of, in-between her and the gun fire and arrows that volleyed. There was a pause and some curses and Bai dropped the body and moved out of the alley.

The men continued pursuit and just as Bai cleared out a large object slammed into the ground just behind her. The rush of wind nearly knocked the girl off her feet as she took in what the object was. Now, that she looked, the object had massive wings. But instead of a large bird, they were attached to a woman with long raven hair and wings just as dark. Bai was about to prepare to defend herself when the stranger faced the pursuers. The winged woman held out a hand towards the men and snapped her fingers.

In the same instant the alleyway ignited in a burst of bright flames, engulfing everyone. The strange thing was that there were no screams. And just as strange the flames suddenly died out as quickly as they came. To anyone that saw from a distance, the spectacle would only resemble some fireworks going off. But Bai could see the bones of half a dozen people that were left behind.

The winged figure turned back towards Bai and the girl stumbled back. She had heard of the stories of wrathful angels but to see that type of power in person was terrifying. Six people's lives were snuffed out in a, literal, instant. But when Bai looked into the woman's eyes there wasn't a look of wrath or superiority. It was a look of worry. And her eyes were soft, even more so than Cassandra, if Bai was being honest.

"You're hurt." The woman said. The sound of worry reflected in the look she gave Bai. The girl looked down to notice the midsection of her robe was soaked. And then the pain came and Bai dropped to her knees. One of the bullets must have gone through her shield and pierced her as well. The wound must have been significant or the state of shock proved to be too much because Bai couldn't keep herself conscious. The last thing she remembered was the winged woman coming to catch her as she fell.

 

[Kaihaku]

Caedmon
Location: Castellan, Nortestra. Above Cathedral Neighborhood. Theme: Astral Plane (Combat Mode)
Interactions: Lazaro1505 (Professor Membrane, Red Baron) Juju (Gloop, Kotori, Wakinyan) Snackofthefuture (Ivan) Judge_Vulxray (Midyiel) EccentricFantasy (Brutta) @ Everyone still in Cathedral
Mentions: EccentricFantasy (Tanya, Jörmangal)​

​

Caedmon nods to himself as lightning strikes from the heavens obliterating most of the missiles lancing at the mission objective. The rhinoceros was, indeed, a magnificent and magnanimous creature. He also notes barriers of ice forming in the air in front of two of the missiles, causing them to explode in midair, only to be blasted by a lightning a few seconds later. So there were other units assigned to the wall's defense. A proper CO would have included their number and capabilities in the mission briefing.

"I am ready for the combination beam attack." Caedmon processes over the astral network, notifying Ivan and the Professor Membrane. His thoughts are interrupted as some kind of flying teenage girl rockets past him, blasting further up into the sky. Just how many teenage girls could this world support before it overwhelmed the local ecosystem? It seemed that the other teenage girls were still in the cathedral and Gloop had not evacuated them. "I will manifest my psibeam from your location, Professor. On your countdown, please."

Focusing his concentration to fire a psibeam from the Professor's location, Caedmon absentmindedly floats down from the sky to the cathedral and comes to a halt some twenty feet above it.

"The enemy siege machine is preparing to launch a major attack on this location. I would recommend a tactical retreat." Caedmon informs everyone in the cathedral with a loud telepathic shout. The ESPer gives Gloop the stink eye before turning his back on his new sibling. Gloop was apparently going through some kind of goth phase and was dressed in necrotic energy.

Multitasking, Caedmon devotes some attention to four new individuals in the cathedral. There was a bear, an unconscious man in a robot, and a bird woman. Caedmon didn't remember them from earlier but he may have just missed them in all the excitement. There was also a lingering aura of corruption. Something very powerful and very profane had been here not long ago. It reminded the ESPer of the daemonic forces he had fought back in his home dimension.

"Hello Bear and Bird woman. I am Caedmon. ESPer Nu Type 2149. I won a war and then was summoned here by a moral abstract." Caedmon explains quickly as he floats to the new summons. He wishes that he had some birdseed, maybe the other bird would have stayed if he had, and wondered what bears ate. Fortunately this new bird did not seem to have any malignant growths. Caedmon would tell her about the egg later, he didn't want her running off looking for it in a combat zone. "I've accepted a mission to defend the civilians of this city from an attacking army. Please withdraw from this area. It is about to be attacked." He points at the large red robotic form nearby, "There is an unconscious man in that robot. Could you help him evacuate as well?"

 

[Pseudo-nim]

Ashe & Auron
Interactions: Snackofthefuture nighttimecatplayer Mentions: Juju YsFanatic Kaihaku ​

Ashe came upon this world as simply a pawn in a game for an uncaring god, with the lofty goal of uniting this land under a single banner. No background, no influence, and sorely lacking in trustworthy allies. Auron was a cold, emotionless master of the profane and holy, a combination rarely, if ever seen among his former colleagues. It was a paradox for reality's picture of unnatural life to be gifted upon them the very power to smite their existence into ash, yet here the necromancer stood, unperturbed by the approaching summoned thanks to his grand magics. But that was to be expected. Chaos was a natural and accessible way to divert the majority by forcing them to face a threat far more urgent. Now with the Coelacanth's presence, the sown discord is amplified as the threat of Castellan's destruction and end drew near. There was no remorse in Ashe's old eyes for the fallen soldiers beneath his gaze, Mollug or Nortestran.

War was an activity he did not revel in, even during his 4,000 years of service. Rather, it could be said that he grew out of his bloodlust and thirst for conflict as he aged and lost the power that was intrinsic for the demigods of Anatoli. Power, speed, technique, descendants of the War God were gifted by his very presence and strength that surpassed armies numbered in the thousands. Had Virtue decided to revive him with his body at its absolute peak of strength and power, he would not be here idle. Instead, she had given him back his mind and body when they were weathered and wise, accepting of the lives he used and lost, and when his power began its descent. In the old king's perspective, this form was when he truly was at his best. This was the time where he built from the ruins of war an empire that lasted for almost 10,000 years. Not through violence and savagery, but finesse and critical thinking that brought forth his golden age. This set of skills would be useful in every stage of this ongoing conflict, provided he had ample time and resources to get the lay of the land and plant the seeds of his ascension.

But Nortestra was not a prime target for an attempted coup. It laid upon dying against the Mollug, its final stand of troops pitiful whines of retaliation. The Summoned, both old and new, who aided this nation were nothing more than the death throes of a dying state. And to repel this siege would be a pyrrhic victory, as thousands lay dying on the streets and more who've lost their homes and land. Ashe had once contemplated those few moments in the cathedral if Castellan was worth saving, if it was worth expending his time and energy to assist this dying kingdom. In some ways, he considered such an act, but at the same time, violence was rarely ever something he needed to take part in. So the theatrics among the other summoned was just that. It was all but lies to gaze upon the potential of this kingdom, and to assess how worthy it was to be given a king's blessing.

And he found it all wanting.

So he looked upon to Auron, his thoughts clear and concise.

"This kingdom is doomed to fall, suffering till the end. The people are dying and weak, and will feel the despair weight upon their spirits as these Mollug hordes continue to batter their walls into dust," he announced. "They are fighting a war they've lost long ago. This city, their capital, will burn under their enemies' advance and its defenders will no doubt be imprisoned or scattered. If not today, then in the future."

"Would the outcome have changed had we provided them assistance?" Auron asked, his burning light glancing towards the old man on his throne. "Many summoned have come to aid this country regardless of its strength. We are clearly stronger than the population that Valucia has."

"What use is a minute of strength for an hour of weakness? This event is but a speck of time in a war. It is not about the short term victories, but the growing chain of events that will choke out the resources of the enemy. The Summoned are used as tools of war, for their strength and violence are their greatest assets. But there is so much more than physical strength and magical prowess that contributes to a war. What use is a summoned that cannot rebuild the broken lives of innocents, the homes they've lost, or mourn for the dead? What can a summoned of peak physical prowess contribute to a starving and homeless populace, or a mage with spells that can destroy armies yet cannot provide a way to rebuild a shattered society? I've only observed a handful of summoned that truly understood the scope of the task Virtue had issued upon us, and like them, we've distanced ourselves from this conflict to reconvene and assess our choices."

"But is war not fought by the strength and firepower of its troops? Surely by the amount of Summoned in Nortestran custody, they could overwhelm us with the difference in strength."

"For a lich, the problems of the living do not affect your troops. Armies must be fed and sheltered, trained and supplied with the weapons needed to fight. They must also believe in the cause. The Summoned are rarely exempt from this truth, for without motivation we become stagnant. But in general, the odds of winning battles of attrition is to simply choke the enemy of its resources. A Summoned or two only do so much against the combined might of a country that can afford to spend troops and supplies to eradicate them. Nothing in this world is truly invincible, no matter how many Summoned believe they are. They cannot fight an entire world, one full of secrets and machinations that evade the light. Nortestran is simply one of many countries that exist in this world, and to forcefully conquer this planet with simple strength and violence is to doom it to a quick death."

"They would complete Virtue, or perhaps even this SIN's, task would they not?"

"Should such an outcome happen, it will be a very brief rule. Without proper understanding of the scale to govern an entire world, it would simply return to chaos. Rampant destruction and death, encouraged by the very ruler that conquered it. It would be a barren planet, starving and bloody, until only its single immortal ruler remains, sitting over a mountain of corpses and a dead planet to call their own. You should know after all, shouldn't you?"

Auron remained silent and continued to observe the battle instead of answering Ashe. A dead planet indeed. No war, no conflict, no emotion. A stagnant world that laid beyond the multiverse and out of the necromancer's reach. He understood well enough what he implied. Stagnation or a return of conflict. Without the skills to balance the fickle and selfish nature of humans, world domination was simply a pipe dream achieved by the immoral or by the bloodthirsty, neither of which have a truly long lifespan.

Ashe closed the mental channel, leaning on his left arm this time and glanced sideways to the summoned who arrived on this wall. Bastion, he recalled. A perfect example of what he had told Auron. To rule this world was simply not the calling of the destroyer type, for they were the antithesis of order and civility. His impression of Bastion was just that, a monstrous summoned that relied on the savagery and violence that came with their brute strength. He could truly never get along with such personalities, as they were simply satisfied with the adrenaline rush of battle. But they did have their uses as frontline champions that rallied the troops, but they wouldn't be his first choice when it comes to structuring a functioning system to revitalize a destroyed city.

"A good day to you as well, Mr. Fortress," Ashe said, turning his head back towards the Coelacanth's impressive size. "As young Carmen has said, we're sorely lacking the motivation to enter the fray with these other summoned. I'm not quite as young as some of the others Virtue has summoned, so you'll have to excuse my rather lack luster reactions. However, my colleague and I were simply having a private conversation, so it would be rude to turn my attention to another without concluding the dialogue."

Ashe shifted slightly, a small dagger sliding into place on the armrest of his throne before placing his elbow again to lean against his arm. "A fine display of skill to Carmen as well. The music was simply fitting for the scene we find ourselves in."

Auron grunted as acknowledgement and greeting as he returned his focus to the battle. The next spell was slowly gathering at the moment, and a single profane orb coalesced in his gloved palm. A single soul, full of hate and despair, screaming for being tricked into his trap. Auron coated the screaming orb with the warm embrace of holy light, silencing its howls as it felt happiness for that moment. The lich closed his hand and snuffed it out, the soul never being able to react. All that it was and all it could have been, crushed and subsumed as mana, barely enough to replenish Auron's massive pool. It was a loyal soldier, a loved father, a cherished friend. A lifetime of memories and emotions that kept it company before it disappeared from the afterlife in an instant. This was his mercy and benevolence, as his holy and divine goddess had set him out to do. A painless destruction and a true end, where neither he or the gods can use them as recycled tools in an endless cycle of life and death.

There was no emotion in his duty, only the continued adherence to her maxims:

• Heal the wounded
• Alleviate the pain
• Bring peace to the soul

Even as a profane lord of the undead, he never forgot her teachings. Their services are only required once before they receive their granted peace, no matter the task. Ingrained as deeply as the runes craved into his bones, his duty will continue till the end of time.

 

[StaidFoal]

=THE AEDEHANA=
Interactions: nighttimecatplayer (Carmen) Snackofthefuture (Bastion)
Mentions: Pseudo-nim (Ashe)​

It is peaceful. It is calm. It is safe. Nothing will force me out. Nothing will come in. Nothing but... a violin? It's... enchanting... Dear sweet Amicia would have loved this tune... Is this it? The purpose of this bizarre piece to mock me? It knows how Amicia would love to hear something like this, and it plays now of all times? Despicable. Truly despicable.

A crack echoed on top of the wall, the towering egg with a sizable fracture on its top. It split further down the middle, all the way to the base of the egg, the inside brimming with a bright white. It then shattered, sending shards of whale bone flying everywhere with a blinding cloud of dust. The first to emerge was Aede's pair of ivory horns, followed by her spectral black head and mists of purple placed as her eyes. Her once mangled arms and chipped "skin" were unblemished and repaired. Aede gradually ran her hands over her misty face. "Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater... Had a wife, and couldn't keep her... He put her in a pumpkin-shell... And there he kept her very well, dear Amicia..." She stretched her arms out around her waist, staring into the skies. "I have returned... From coldness... From nothingness..." But with a quick glance around, she found that her surroundings took new form. The razed cathedral and ruins were gone, replaced with altitude and towering walls that overlooked absolute chaos.

Aede let off a strained gasp, falling to her knees and placing her hands against her chest. "DOORS!" she cried. "A gateway to different lands! Turned years into the future, a future of dismay and war! To think we have been constructing doors of oak and spruce, when whale bone is of an exponential increase in value and mysticality!" She hit the ground in disbelief, screeching and straining her voice, then falling to a dry sob. "I must have missed my chance once more; drifting away in time while my beloved wanders farther and farther... Oh, how lonesome she must be, waiting for Mother to embrace her once more..." But with a sniff, Aede fell to silence. She twitched her head around, unable to spot the nearby summoned that were with her mere minutes ago before incubation. "Near! Faintest of faint, but nearest as of can be, whilst of nighest closeness and softness!" she cheered. "But wait!" she shouted, taking away the excitement as quickly as she got it. "The sting of iron that tickles the nose. The aged, yet youthful smell of her blood. Washed away, yet still there, invisible to the naked eye. To go mad? Or have I not already? For madness to overcome my sense of smell! To madness!"

Finally, she laid eyes on the one who promised to find her daughter: the bird man Carmen. "Sauveur!" she screeched, leaping at him like a frog. She wrapped her arms around his waist, sticking her head to the left of his legs like a damsel in distress. "For you to have stuck with me for thousands of years, while the world twisted and eroded to a shape such as this! Gone is the cathedral, replaced with the noisiness all around! You must truly wish to find my beloved angel!" She then peeked up at the flaming berserker Carmen had conversed with. She strengthened her grip at the sight, having her nails dig slightly into Carmen's legs. "F, my dearest dear. F stands for? Fire! Put that horrid state of hotness out! It's burning my eyes; engraved in my very sockets of life and remembrance! How dare he use this act to attack me! Get us away from him, dearest dear!"

Regardless of whatever the two did next, Aede would crawl away on all fours from Carmen and Bastion—glaring repulsively at Ashe as she passed him—to leer down the wall and beyond to the Coelacanth. "Flowers... Dunces... Carriages... Balloons..." she muttered. Aede raised a fist. "This is what we desire! A variety of color and shape! Ways to determine the weak, gullible minds of the mortal critters! Praise be Cousin John! Praise be the many of them that are brought to life, thanks to the vivid, foolish ideas of them!" She cheered into the sky. On ground level, if anyone looked, they would only see people and nothing peculiar. However, the knights at the bottom of the wall would see strange things in the corner of their eyes. It was something only Aede could see for the time being, whatever they were.

 

[Juju]

​

Captain Greymourne

Interaction: Snackofthefuture | Mention: Pseudo-nim​

"I do happen to be the general." Greymourne narrowed her eyes, unamused by Sakujo's witty comment about the lightning. She scoffed, "It's nothing. Rest? I'll have plenty of time for that when I'm dead."

The gauntlets resting on her shoulders clanked together slightly as she crossed her arms, bronze gaze observing this samurai carefully. There was no doubt he was a summoned, though there was a sense of nostalgia upon witnessing the craft of his armor. It looked just like the ones worn by the Czarnikei samurai of her homeland. She would have mistaken him for one, if not for Sulric's recommendation and the display of power. While she would never admit to it, this fact alone garnered a sliver of respect from her.

"If you wish to make yourself useful, follow those summoned or assist the troops gathered at the cathedral. I will be launching a counter attack there, and could use some good steel and better soldiers to wield it." While Greymourne spoke, she extended her powers to the carnage around her. Gathering broken armor from fallen foes and discarded weapons alike, Greymourne created a mass of moving metal in the rough shape of a horse. She leapt onto it and looked down at Sakujo. "Whatever your choice, samurai, make it quick."

At the strange arrival of yet another summoned, Greymourne only shook her head and sighed. She didn't even question it anymore, and frankly, she didn't care. She had to get back to her troops an could waste no more time on chit chat. With that, she willed her metal construct to sprint off towards the cathedral, the plates of metal clanking heavily upon the stone with every step. A trail of bronze afterglow trailed behind her, spawning from the tips of her fingers.

 

[Juju]

The Knight Of NortestraLocation: In front of the Cathedral
Mention/around: Lazaro1505 StaidFoal ​

"What is that?" a soldier cried.​

​

Beside them, another. "Gods have mercy"​

​

"That summoned's attack didn't even make it flinch! Castellan is doomed!"​

Sir Fredrick stared up at the approaching behemoth, his feet rooted in place with fear. Mollug had this thing up their sleeve the entire time... and yet they only brought it out just when hope had resurfaced. He watched as a single tendril slaughtered dozens of soldiers in a split second. They could have ended the siege several times over had they used this from the beginning. Were they just toying with them the whole time? The soldiers around him were asking for orders, screaming or praying, but he couldn't hear any of them. This city, where he had been born and raised in, was going to fall.

From the corner of his eye came wing beats, feathers dark like a raven. All strawberry hair and freckles, it was easy to recognize the young Lord Ravencroft. "Sir Fredrick, gather the troops. Captain Greymourne will be arriving shortly to launch a counter attack. Fredrick?"

The cavalry knight turned his head, eyes misty and face pale. "You ask us to charge to our deaths?" Enzio paused and the knight continued, "You know it too. We don't stand a chance against that thing... we are all going to die."

Enzio frowned slightly, his face a look of grim determination, "By my shield, I vow to defend the weak. By my sword, I swear to defeat the enemies of Nortestra and her people. By my life, this I swear until my dying day, to uphold the title of Knight. That is what you swore to when you became a knight of Nortestra!"

"We die for nothing. Our city is a ruin, our country defeated, our people dead. Look around you, boy. We are swimming in corpses while the Mollugs are at our door. How long will it take for you to wake up and realize there is no more hope. If you wish to play a knight that will be forgotten in the morrow, so be it, but I will have none of it. I would like to live to see my children."

"Sir Fred-"

"No, I am no Sir anymore." Mounting his horse, Fredrick kicked the sides of the beast and took off in the opposite direction of the Coelacanth. After seeing their previous leader turn tail, the Nortestran cavalry was left with nervous chatter and hopeless cries. Enzio watched it with unease. Greymourne needed to get here soon, or else they might all turn tail too. Until then, he had to do something. He summoned his wings again and flew slightly above them so they could see.

"Soldiers! We mu-" he was cut off when a light flickered from the Coelacanth, a beam aimed for them. No more time for speeches. Enzio dove to the side, motioning to the troops, "This way! Quickly!"

He dashed through the air, aiding any lagging soldier he could see.

 

[Pseudo-nim]

Annie
Interactions: Juju Snackofthefuture Mentions: YsFanatic @ anyone who can see the Coelacanth​

A cup of water was very much a preferred beverage after getting drunk with a group of angels, however, the lightning strike laced with divine energy was a pretty close second in getting rid of her headache, provided it also made her attire smell of static and smoke. Still, perhaps the locals think that glasses of water is synonymous to divine lightning. Ahh, reality hopping had so much hassle to handle. First a massive war that was clearly not up to standard procedure. Where were the massive flame demons? The abyssal mounts that spewed liquid crystals? They didn't even come with the complimentary mugs that said 'I survived not getting stabbed', now translation errors? For shame. thought the Jester Demon as she floated up from the ground and spun herself around her staff. Clearly she had stumbled on a mortal war rather than the standard affair of abyssal and angelic forces congregating for their traditional blood sport, fun, and that good bit of nightly debauchery.

Still, that wouldn't really put a damper on the Annie. As far as she can tell, it seemed to be reaching new heights judging by that large fellow charging up a massive electrical bomb designed to wipe out life in the unfortunate area it was aimed at. Oh dear, it was aimed at them? Well, perhaps it might make her day a tad bit more electrifying if she decided to eat one to the face. Hadn't done that since participating in the Halcyon Wars, but the devils really were a bit too obsessed with firing lances of lightning that being good sports and knocking each others' teeth out instead. Still, by the look of things, these young, squishy mortals around her would probably be turned into the flesh paste demons used to make their milkshakes, so perhaps it wouldn't be wise to leave them be at the mercy of, well, whatever that thing in the distance was.

"I suppose the local language is lost on me," the Demon Lord of the Crimson Circus laughed. The bells on her outfit jingled as she looked towards the Coelacanth upside down, provocative in position, but oblivious to her. "Dear me, I haven't seen something that long and big since I was with this one strapping you- oh there are children here, oopsie. Perhaps I'll tell that story a bit later when all of you reach your first century."

With a flourish and swing around her stri- err magic pole, she licked her index finger to draw blood by running it down one of her canines. She pointed her finger at the bomb, shaped like a gun, and made a little 'pew' noise herself for effect.

For Annie, this was simply standard affair. After all, reality was a fickle little thing around her, so rather than focus on nullifying the bomb itself, she simply, as another reality puts it, 'let it rip' with her magic. There was no formula. no aided casting. She simply directed her magic at the ball of energy, had a fleeting thought about lunch a week ago and how that pasta was particularly delicious before she remember that her magic was ready to fire. The magic circle was shaped in the traditional silhouette of her jester hat with mostly incoherent writing that somehow managed to jumble up enough random runes of power to even necessitate the result of a magical reaction. Safe to say, the beam of red and purple that crashed into the electric ball charged by the Coelacanth had definitely done something, as the massive orb slowly changed in hue. And for those that could clearly see the sphere, it would seem to change slowly into... pasta noodles?

​

 

[Solirus]

Jason​

There I was… hanging on the edge of a watch tower… not too far away from Lukas, I bet that if we were sitting down on the other side I could see him under me… I was patiently waiting, swinging my legs around as they hung off the tower…

“Finally, ok” I saw mages from what might be the opposing army firing fireballs… they were pretty far away, so I squinted my eyes and my hand began moving by itself not before stopping… Well I guess compared to the other spells these are a lot more simple…

I kept slowly but surely doing this for fire spells… fireball, fire bolts… even a weird fire wall technique… that could be useful… explosive fire, that one had taken a while to write down… but my attention was moved as my eyes caught a seemingly powerful ice spell coming and being implemented into the wall… as such my hand moved on it’s own again and finally finishing up, the spell took almost an entire page, as I quickly figured out, it wasn’t a specific spell but an application of a much more versatile spell… but it required a catalyst, a sort of focus to increase its power… in this case the women who casted the spell was using the heart of a frost dragon… I couldn’t see her holding any heart of a frost dragon, but in my book it said so… Maybe she has it in her pocket, it’s a good way to trick your opponents… Anyways I’m seriously going to need to test it out, because the explanation is only confusing me more...

I kept looking around, even seeing another tower similar to the one I was on get thrown… lucky me I guess… Oh wait, there’s that massive… fish thing in the sky… maybe it has magic? Nope… I squinted my eyes as I noticed a tiny speck on the top of the fish’s head… it seemed to be a terribly dressed person… so I instantly assumed it was a general and I also instantly assumed generals in this world had magic, because why not… So I squinted my eyes even further to my hand began to do it’s magic… the general seemed to be using a copying spell or a cloning spell… whatever it was it seemed to be determined by skill, which is why it seemed that I was able to see twelve of them… that would be certainly annoying, I guess I can summon at least one if I practice well enough…

Once again I turned my head around just to see if anyone else was doing an epic spell in the wall, but all I was met by was… a man with wings and another man with a good beard, both very tall, and one clearly summoning a violin… That’s magic if I’ve ever seen it. So as my hand always did, it got to work, giving not one but two spells… did I mention my hand also draws illustrations, because those look really good… The first spell added was that of summoning a violin which seemed to be a summonable focus while the other was a spell that summoned collected souls… although how you got the souls must be another spell which my seemingly all knowing hand didn’t seem to know one bit… unless I say it… I can’t believe I’m disappointed… I guess I can smack someone in the head with the violin… I’ll move my gaze away to something less disappointing… dam I sound like my parents… The music that played afterwards however wasn't much of a dissapointement, it was good... I might actually enjoy it, but I can't be moved by anything... not any more............................................................................................................... how... unfortunate of me

For the Fourth time or maybe fifth, I can’t tell, I turn my head, looking far from where I’m standing I can barely see some figures… just to be sure I guess… S-h-a-d-o-w con-ju...ration… ah… ok that could be… useful?

With that I keep looking around… I take a deep sigh… This is going to be a long day huh?

Mentions: nighttimecatplayer Pseudo-nim StaidFoal Kaihaku

 

[Solirus]

Dirk Ault​

“Target’s big… advanced technology… any weak spots…?” Dirk was whispering to himself. After the big target had made its way to the city it had already caused some damage, killing soldiers and killing their morale even more… “If any more soldiers rout that’ll make things harder… that thing tanked missiles and more… some officer is riding it… how come I didn’t notice… I’m going to need to waste a good amount of mana for this...” Dirk whispered to himself again, pulling out a mysterious crystal, holding it tightly, “If I can destroy it then that would be good… but if that doesn’t work I can maybe stun it… leave it open to more attacks… both work well… ”

With his decision clear Dirk’s mana spiked as the crystal began to lose it’s shine, and Dirk began to compress an immense amount of mana into a singular bullet instantly feeling a lote more tired and fatigued… “This better fucking work…” Dirk loaded in the bullet slowly but surely making sure his aim was impeccable… Then without another second of hesitation he fired…

A Shock wave came from the simple firing on the bullet causing the tree Dirk was standing on to shake as so did many other trees… the bullet flew with blinding speed before finally hitting the side of the head of the behemoth, slightly piercing it before detonating.

The explosion of sound from the bullet overwhelemed almost any other sound within the city, like thousands upon thousands of banshees screaming at once. Following the sound came the shockwave, powerful enough to shake the earth itself causing several soldier to fall and lose their footing…

Dirk quickly hopped off the tree, he knew he’d given away his position and would need to relocate, he could only hope the bullet would do something to that thing.

In range of hearing the explosion: Juju StaidFoal Snackofthefuture nighttimecatplayer Pseudo-nim seasonedcat Pseudo-nim EccentricFantasy Lazaro1505 GrieveWriter YsFanatic Judge_Vulxray Kaihaku