In this world, Magic is Everything. All people, all races, are granted with the power to perform mystical and magical feats via grimories, mystical tomes granted to each and every child on their 15th birthday. Those blessed by the mana can have their names written down in legend.
Shattered Grimoires is the work of the mind(s) of Ardere & Shattered Grimoire's staff. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Black Clover is owned by Yuki Tabata and published by Viz Shonen Jump. All images belong to their original owners. The theme you are currently viewing was made by Eliza of ElizaCodes exclusively for Shattered Grimoires.
Post by Charles Constantine✾ on Oct 13, 2021 19:26:41 GMT -5
[NOSPACES]
"I'm no g e n i u s, I'm just a fool who keeps going forward."
[break]
@tagme
word count 1055
total word count 8586
[attr="class","glentext"] Charles heard Alpha state that his team had managed to pass the first trial, it was nice to know they had managed to do it. He already know what they were capable of, so this was not a big surprise for him. This was followed by the Avatar moving his Knight forward, a bold mood as if he had no regard. However, it could have two meanings, maybe he was trying to lure him into eating his Knight because he had a plan or simply because he didn't care if he managed to get rid of his Knight. "Yep... Neither of us are can play chess all-day..." It was obvious and with the completion of the trial of his teammates, things were going to move forward. Since they were done, he wanted to see what would be the Avatar's next move, what he had in mind. [break][break] Much to his surprise, Varisse stood up yet again and took a defiant stance against the Avatar. Charles could feel her emotions raging like a storm. He could also feel how the female elf began to succumb to a darker and malicious magical energy that was coming off from the tower. She was pissed at Alpha, there was no mistake the two shared some history together, a couple probably. Charles looked at Varisse as she implored him to join her in fighting the Avatar, a part of him wanted to join her and defeat the Avatar. As his defeat would cripple Aamon's forces and give them the upper hand. The silver mage then turned to look at Alpha, it was as if he was desperate for him to join her. That's what the Avatar wanted, what he desired, and if he was willing to take on the two this meant that he had something planned. [break][break] Everything seemed off, something was up and he could feel it. Alpha had something up his sleeve and was counting on him to join in the fight. All of this happened in such a short span, ever since the Avatar had claimed that his teammates had finished the trial. This was part of his plan, everything seemed calculated, and now with them out. If he joined in the fight, then he could have an excuse to wipe both him and Varisse at the same time. "You must be pretty desperate to insist so much into joining to fight you alongside Varisse. Thanks for the offer, but I'm good." He wasn't going to fall for the trap, unlike the rest of his teammates that had anger and emotions similar to Varisse. Charles remained calm but wary, the rest of his teammates would've probably not hesitated in joining the female elf on this. [break][break] "Varisse..." He said, his facial expression turning into a more serious one, different from his bored expression from earlier. He had stood up for a brief moment as he turned to look at Varisse. "I understand that you feel anger for what Alpha has done to you, I can feel it clearly. Trust me, a part of me wouldn't mind joining you in wiping the floor with his face. However, this man right here is manipulating you. He wants you to attack him and all of this is part of his plan, without a doubt. Alpha is too strong for us to deal with, right now. So I ask you to please, stand down and I promise you we will put an end to all of this pain suffering, but I can't do it without your help. Trust me, that's all I ask." Charles looked at Varisse with a calm expression, which was followed by a small smile. He would normally not do this, but he needed her, she was the key. Alpha probably knew that too, she had some sort of hidden ability that help them out, but he knew his hands were tied unless Varisse attacked first. After all, the Avatar had received orders to not kill any of them, unless it was probably done in self-defense like this scenario. The silver mage truly hoped that the female elf had listened to his words, he was willing to accompany her and protect her in the scenario Alpha decided to attack first, but if he really wanted to attack he would've done it already. The Avatar had the ability to wipe them out right here and now, but he was holding back for a reason. [break][break] The silver mage looked at the wall where the Queen chess piece had been thrown by Varisse. Charles walked up to the wall and picked the Queen chess piece that represented the female elf. "I don't like treating my allies as disposable." The two knew what that piece represented, in a way represented Varrise's life. "Don't throw your life away like this." He held the Queen gently as if he was carrying a living being. He knew that this wasn't your average chess game and each piece represented the life of his allies. This included Varisse, as she was against Alpha like he did. After picking up the chess piece, he sat down in front of the table with the chessboard and placed the Queen back where she belonged. All he needed was time, time for the rest to catch up to him, or to meet up with them in some way. The two alone were not strong enough to defeat the Avatar, he knew that Varisse was tired of this game and so was he, but it was better in the long run. After all, the main purpose of this game was probably to get them to lash out, or some other obscure reason. [break][break] With the help of Argenti he could go into Partial Spirit Dive and equalize things, but it would only be for a few minutes. Even then, he had a feeling that Alpha had something up to his sleeve to prevent them from getting a chance to kill them. Charles proceeded to move the pawn that was in front of the Queen two tiles forward as if it was signifying something. His Ki remained active, ready to jump into defense at any time if either Alpha or Varisse attempted to do something. "Your move, Alpha." The silver mage knew that the Avatar moved his piece out of turn, which probably signified he was desperate. [break]
[break]
POW 090
DUR 141
SEN 010
STA 080
CON 080
[break]
MANA SKIN
HEALTH
MANA REGEN
MANA POOL
archmage
grand
55 IC // 60 OOC
220/220
[break][break]
Combat Summary
[break]TL;DR Magic Knight Mantle, Seer's Fate, Forgotten Heirloom [break][break] Charles moved the pawn that is in front of the Queen two tiles forward. Ki Tier 2 active.
When he opened his eyes again, it was odd to see that he was no longer waiting for one of his spells to clash against a massive glowing golem, and even stranger to no longer be hovering near a fortress in the middle of a war. As all of these things rushed into him along with the introduction of a new space, the fact that he was himself was perhaps the most difficult thing to grasp. Even as it all seemed quite surreal at this point, Griswold knew that he had been an elven commander at some point, and hadn’t even questioned it. Whatever kind of illusion or spell had put him into that position, it was one that covered all bases and allowed not a single bit of his own personality to bleed through as he had become a completely different person for what felt like a long time. While it was likely much shorter than he imagined, he had memories now that clearly weren’t his.
And to have memories that were not his own about memories he as Griswold did not know, that was a very peculiar sensation. But just like how it was weird to remember the names and backstories of elven soldiers he had commanded what felt like hours ago, so was it weird that he remembered what it was like to be a demon. Because of the kind of person he was, keeping his emotions locked away most of the time as they only got in the way of him doing his work as well as he could, feeling so much anger and malice was strange. Though it was already strange to wake up with the level of anger that was still burning inside of him, it was even stranger to have gone through a day in the life of two other beings and experiencing them as if they had been him, like he had been them. It was hard to explain as he had no idea how any of it had even happened to begin with.
As the commander, he had felt a lot of things that he experienced from time to time as a magic knight working out in the forsaken realm, but cranked up to eleven. Having to choose between trying to fix someone up who was more or less beyond saving and might well either be a living bomb or be turning into a lesser demon, people you used to fight with, converse with and feast with suddenly turning out to work for the enemy and using their own bodies to bombard key locations to allow a demon invasion to become that much more imminent. All of these were things he had never needed to worry about as a magic knight, and more than likely never would need to worry about. That was, unless they managed to stop the archdemons from doing whatever it was that they were planning to bring about. And that was what all of this Royal Knights business was about.
Trying to leave things for what they were, at least for the time being as there were more pressing matters to look to, he could tell that he was back where he needed to be, in a place with Cyrus and Ardere, as well as someone who was clearly going to be posing a threat to both their continued survival, as well as their chances of ascending towards the top of the tower. Through it all, he noticed how Charles was no longer with them, which was a rather tough realization given how he had no idea if he had been with them when they passed through the door and aimed to get to the staircase. As he had more or less been guided through by Ardere, Griswold had not focused on the rest of the group at all, believing everyone would follow the lead they were being given. But as it turned out, that might not have been the case, which made him wonder as to what had become of him. While he did not consider the two of them to be friends, they were at the very least members of the same squad, as well as allies in this fight.
“Does anyone have any idea where Charles went? Was he not with us when we ascended the stairs?”
Perhaps he was just stating the obvious, which was more than likely the case as no one would likely be any the wiser, though it was still a question he wished to get out of the way. Not knowing who had arrived here first and who had arrived here last, it seemed like Cyrus had been here before him at least. And if he did not know, it was likely that no one would know, which in turn meant that they’d need to either go back or make another attempt at locating him. Because at the end of the day, leaving an ally behind was not something he wished to put on his resume, especially if it led up to one of their own dying when that could have been avoided. However, before he could ask more into it, it seemed that the dark presence in the room with them was making their move. Stating something about Oni Magic, it was not something Griswold was familiar with, mostly because he had no idea what an Oni even was.
Feeling like something from a foreign nation, he imagined Hania more than likely knew exactly what it meant. As things were, Griswold was the weakest individual in this room, so letting the anger he felt getting the better of him was not going to happen. Even if the voice had told him that his anger was something he needed to use since none of the enemies he would face would hold their back, Griswold could not help but feel like that was a good thing. Anger was a messy emotion, one that allowed someone to make mistakes, and mistakes were things he could exploit. So as the shield of sap protected him from harm, tanking the hit and allowing Griswold a moment to close his eyes and push his emotions deep down as he had done many times before, he opened them back up to see how Ardere had begun engaging the enemy with his magic. Pushing the overwhelming amount of hostility he felt towards his enemy back, Griswold activated his Ki.
Believing he might be able to find and exploit an opening if he just remained calm and watched closely, he knew that just firing one of his spells at this stage would just end up being more detrimental to Ardere instead of being a boon. Even though it made him feel like a useless weakling that just stood back and did nothing, he kept himself focused on the fight, rather than focusing on how useless he was or letting the anger boil back up. If their enemy messed up, he very much wished to utilize it to put in a hit of his own.
The Oni saw the quick thinking mage at the front quickly conjure a defensive spell on his allies as well as himself before waiting for the right time to strike, trying to restrict the movement of the powerful foe before the sap mage. The strongest one in the group was seemingly lost in a moment as the Oni watched the final piece of the puzzle...act in preparation. If they were going to act defensively...why were they here in the first place. ”Time for this to be cranked up another notch. Oni Magic...Three Wishes.” The Oni glowed purple for a moment before its strength skyrocketed, breaking the sap tendrils with ease before it leaped back and made hand gestures before two copies of itself, one red, and one blue formed to its left and to its right. ”Now then, let me see if you lot are as strong as you have been said to be.” The three said in unison, the red Oni speaking in a root, the blue Oni in a third, and the purple Oni in a fifth. They each chose their targets; The red Oni charged at Cyrus, while the Blue used some sort of enhanced speed to seemingly just step towards Griswold and disappear from view, just to appear before the man. The purple Oni took aim at the Crimson King and simply walked towards the man.
To Cyrus:
The red Oni barreled towards Cyrus, a dazzling speed of 30 m/s, reaching behind his back and shedding the cloak that covered its body before, then arming itself with a pair of tanto style short-blades it brought them down in an attempt to first slash at the sap knight with both blades in a downward diagonal pattern, following after the Oni then swiped the blades across Cyrus’ stomach before flipping the blades back to a more tactical stance before making two hand signs with his occupied hands ”Imbuement of daemon’s fire!” He said as the tanto blades began to glow red before springing to a fiery life. Prepared to attack again.
Attacks: 4 Slashing attacks at SENIOR strength, moving at a speed of 30 m/s with his hands. Casting a peculiar Physical Reinforcement that has yet to be assigned a power.
To Griswold:
The blue Oni did not waste time as it immediately moved to kick Griswold with a strong, fast kick. There was no aura around the Oni to use as for tracking, the creature used pure physical strength in an attempt to not only push Griswold away, but to damage him as well. ”SHOW ME YOUR STRENGTH YOU PASSIVE MOUSE! Imbuement of daemons water!” The Oni’s hands and feet were suddenly cloaked in a blue aura before water rushed from its joints and condensed around the appendages before attacking Griswold with an attack of 8 consecutive melee strikes mixed between its fists and feet.
Attacks: A flurry of 8 melee attacks each dealing senior damage and moving at a speed of 35 m/s.
To Ardere:
”A creature who feels backed into a corner will always bare its fangs...show me little lion...do the fangs of a human outperform those of a daemon.” The Oni smiled in a sinister fashion as its aura was just as intense as Ardere’s now It’s muscles flexed and tensed as it prepared for the fight at hand.
Attacks: None, the Oni seemed pleased with the fight progressing, as if the three Oni were just personalities of a single entity.
The Oni are engaging each player individually and show no signs of letting up. Even turning your attention to someone else for a moment while your opponents are alive and fighting will result in almost certain doom...However
Something was not right.
To Charles:
Listening to Varisse and Charles, Alpha still wore that same smile as he knew the cogs were working and slowly his plans to appease lord Aamon were coming together. As Charles finally said his piece Alpha stood up and in an act of obscure insanity flipped the chessboard. ”ahhhh I am bored with this game anyway...Tell you what. How about a bet, I am all about making games of things anyway…” The smile on his face was gone and now his tone seemed serious even if his words showed that it was some sick game. ”Oh and Varisse...I warned you once before about your outbursts...so here is how this is going to play out.” The Avatar of Aamon waved a hand and the floor suddenly gave way, except he reached out and held Charles as Varisse fell away, along with the other pieces of furniture and such in the room. ”Now that the distraction is gone, we can get back to business.” The floor was replaced soon after as they seemed to float back as Alpha picked Charles up and then tossed him to the floor like some toy. ”I say that my associate that is now fighting your friends, my Oni...will manage to gravely injure one of your friends...but then again...isn’t that my plan all along...to KILL ALL OF YOU?”
A pause, the air in the room is electrified for a moment.
”However, if he does not manage to gravely injure one of your party, then I will bestow a...boon for your party to make their ascension a little easier. However, if I do win this bet...I bestow to YOU,” He walked towards Charles and outstretched his hand, no smile...straight faced and serious he continued. ”A fragment of the mind of Aamon.” It was an obscure bet and an unknown piece was offered...what was the fragment of the mind of Aamon...what game was an Alpha playing? Most importantly...could Charles trust this creature…
Meanwhile
Varisse...dropped 44 floors down onto the 6th floor was crying, the thunderous crash was able to be heard on the floors below and the strain caused made the ceiling of the fifth groan...The air of the fifth floor started to get heavy as the Oni’s eyes grew wide...they knew what this was...and they were not pleased.
Post by Charles Constantine✾ on Oct 17, 2021 0:10:39 GMT -5
[NOSPACES]
"I'm no g e n i u s, I'm just a fool who keeps going forward."
[break]
@tagme
word count 1055
total word count 9393
[attr="class","glentext"] It seemed like Varisse calmed down and didn't actually attack Alpha. He didn't believe fighting the Avatar would've been a good idea, especially during these circumstances. Alpha was powerful and above his level, he was the Avatar of Aamon, if anything, he was the strongest daemon after Aamon. Charles didn't believe he was going to be able to keep up with him for long. After the outburst, he could tell the daemon had grown bored of playing chess. The smile and relaxed facial expression suddenly changed to a more serious one, this wasn't good and he could tell. [break][break] In just a matter of seconds, the entire floor gave away, just by waving his hand. His hand was suddenly grabbed by Alpha as Varisse fell down to her doom. The furniture was gone as well, the daemon didn't hesitate and wiped out the entire room with such ease. Charles knew that he would've probably followed Varisse if it wasn't for the fact that he had refused to fight. The floor was soon replaced by another one, he was simply picked up by the Avatar and tossed as if it was some sort of toy. "Tch." The silver mage muttered below his breath with a mild annoyance. But, he decided to take a deep breath as he couldn't lose his composure over something like this. If he didn't end up like Varisse it meant that Alpha still wanted something from him if he was still here. He stood up after being tossed by the daemon, cleaning off any dust he could possibly have on his overcoat. Charles looked at him and raised an eyebrow, curious as to what he wanted now. [break][break] "Well yeah... But, I'm sure there's more to that if you haven't done that yet." Charles said in a calm and level-headed matter. There was clearly something else in his plan because if it just consisted of killing everyone he would've done so already. Knowing how the daemons think, there was no fun in just doing that. The silver mage could tell that the atmosphere from before had changed, Alpha was serious now and it signified that playtime was over. The sudden shift of emotions didn't exactly give him confidence, but it was about time the daemon showed his true colors. A part of him was wondering how long he was going to keep up with that facade of his. By the looks of it, the rest of his team was already outside and they were already engaging one of Alpha's men. An oni he said, but he had no clue what that was, he was unfamiliar with the term. Regardless of that, his team has already engaged in battle with Alpha's henchman. The silver mage remained confident that they will be able to defeat him without any issues. [break][break] Charles widened his eyes the moment Alpha mentioned that bet of his. If they managed to win without any injuries they'll receive a boon in order to facilitate things. The next thing that the Avatar had mentioned him left him in shock for a brief moment, did he just mention a fragment of Aamon's mind? What type of game was the daemon playing time. The bet was simple if his team won they'll get a boon, but if Alpha won they'll receive some sort of mysterious piece. He wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing, but it was part of his plan. The daemon was serious about it too, he was not joking, regardless of that, it's not like he could decline. The bet was already made, whether he agreed to it or not. [break][break] "I see... So what's your plan with this exactly? I find it hard to believe you'll willingly give up a fragment of your boss' mind to someone like me." It was true, the enemy wouldn't hand over something as potentially important as that. Unless he had some sort of plan up his sleeve to offer something like that. There was no way of telling if a mind fragment would be a good or bad thing. There was no way of knowing if he could really trust this man. Alpha had already made it clear earlier that his plan was to kill all of them. Charles hoped that Varisse was alright, wherever she was taken. [break][break] Things were unclear for him, as everything had a sudden turn of events. The silver mage could not tell how long did Alpha plan to hold him in this room, but considering how things were moving. Then it was possible he would reunite with his team soon, and maybe try to find Varisse if he had the chance. Charles had a feeling that woman was the key to obtaining the answers about this, after all, unlike the rest of the daemons, if she was still alive that is. [break]
[attr=class,cyrustext]After shielding his allies from the Oni's opening attack, Cyrus could feel his spell's defense take a severe hit, reducing its strength by half. If he could get a moment of peace he would have a chance to fully regenerate his barrier, so long as the spell wasn't completely destroyed. The Oni cast another spell, granting itself sufficient strength to shatter the bonds he had placed on it whilst simultaneously splitting itself into three.
Each of the knights had an Oni opponent to contend with, though they were each upon their target with such speed and ferocity that Cyrus didn't dare take his eyes off of his own enemy, the red one that had split off from the original. And while he couldn't turn away from the crimson daemon barreling towards him, he could hear the others taunting and shouting at their chosen enemies.
Cyrus' Oni, however, did nothing of the sort. It drew its arm back in preparation for some sort of attack, drawing a pair of blades that he recognized as tanto; another indication of the creature's foreign origin. At speeds he knew were far too fast for someone like him to evade, the Oni sliced at him diagonally before aiming for his stomach. With no hope of evasion, the Rising Dawn simply braced himself for the attack and took them, feeling the rest of the magical spell protecting him shatter from the force of the first pair of attacks. He wouldn't erect another defense yet; though fierce, it was not the most brutal attack he had ever endured.
And if they made it up the tower, it would most certainly not be the last.
The second pair of strikes cut across his stomach, slicing into his mana skin. Though his body was protected, he could tell that such blows would not be something he could easily shrug off if they made contact with him directly. Instead of continuing its assault however, the Oni leapt behind Cyrus as it cast a spell, surrounding its blades with fire while assuming a more neutral stance; still aggressive, but also cautious. It was clear that, division or not, this creature was a seasoned warrior.
Cyrus turned to face the Oni, his face still frozen in the glare so unfamiliar to him but forcing himself not to take unnecessary risks. He needed to focus and fight smart, not just lashing out like a starving beast.
His eyes fell to the weapons wielded by his opponent, and he thought back to when it had stood with the original oni and the blue copy that had charged Gris. From what he had seen, neither had brandished such weaponry. Did that have any significance? Was it just to assist in breaking through his defenses?
"He made some sort of hand sign when he cast that spell. Did you see it?" Hama asked her partner, who gave the slightest of nods in acknowledgement. He had, and it also intrigued him; spells were usually cast with grimoires, but he couldn't recall any form of spellcasting that required that sort of gesture. Was it a bluff, a distraction meant to mislead him? Or was it a limitation of this strange Oni magic? He had no way to know for sure... yet.
Still, he was not going to simply stand there and let himself be sliced up by this creature, and so he readied another pair of spells. "I'm afraid I'm not well suited for much more than taking hits. So I hope this will do." He said; it wasn't like Cyrus to taunt his opponents, but with the rage swelling inside him it was difficult to restrain... and a little cathartic, too. Like pouring out a little bit of water from a bucket that was too full.
Cyrus cast his spell, and from his grimoire emerged a pair of angelic warriors, each wielding a large hammer and ornate shield; his Heliades golems. In terms of raw offensive power, they were his second most powerful creation, and one of his fastest as well. Their blade-like wings unfolded as they each assumed a fighting stance, ready to receive their orders. Cyrus cast another spell afterwards, enveloping himself and them in his Syrup Shroud spell for an added layer of defense.
Cyrus waited but a moment to think, and then held up his hand to give a silent order; he wanted them to attack, but he also wanted them to aim to cripple the oni's hands if at all possible when they did so. At once the pair of golems rushed their oni target, each approaching from a different angle. The first flew up high into the air, aiming to circle around behind the oni before bringing its massive hammer down on the foe. The second took a more direct route, zigzagging back and forth as it approached the enemy but never leaving its field of vision with its shield raised before it and its hammer drawn back to strike when close enough.
Cyrus himself wasn't done either, summoning a trio of draconic golems as well. These were his Falernum Wyverns; though weaker offensively, they were agile and surprisingly durable. He mounted one of the beasts as it took to the air, commanding the second to join in the attack on his oni opponent while keeping the third close by as a protective and precautionary measure thanks to their toughness and sensory capabilities.
As he set his attacks into motion, however, a thunderous crash seemed to shake the entire floor. He didn't dare turn to look, and was glad that was the case as he eyed his opponent; whatever it had been had meant something to the Oni, based on its reaction, but he had no way of knowing exactly what it was. Still, now that he had some breathing room, he could focus a bit; he was still protecting Ardere and Griswold with his Fossil Facade spell, so he restored those barriers to full strength. He could still do it two more times, so long as the spells weren't completely destroyed.
[attr="class,cyrusstats]Stats & Information
WC: 1011 | TWC: 7979
[attr="class,cyrusstats]
Mana Skin
16/24
Health
18/18
Mana
430/455
Movement Speed
05
Damage Taken
08
Healing Recieved
00
Mana Used
105
Mana Regen
80
[attr="class,cyrusstats] Combat Notes Cyrus' Fossil Facade was destroyed, Ard and Gris' regenerated back to full after the Oni Magic: Wild Scream and still sustained
Cyrus took two Senior hits of damage to his mana skin
Summoned two Heliades golems and protected them and himself with Syrup Shroud
Summoned three Falernum Wyverns, mounted one to get into the air and commanded another to attack his oni opponent
Items On Hand Magic Knight's Mantle Scorpion's Eclipse Strength of a Nation Puppeteer of the Current
Spells Used Fossil Facade Sustained
[spoilers] Name of Spell: Heliades Spell Element: Sap Spell Rank: Grand Mana Cost: 50 | 25 Type of Golem: Predator Applicable Perks: Puppet Master, Armament, Reinforced Golems Description: Bearing the likeness of winged, armored warriors, the Heliades golem can reach heights of up to 8 meters and carry as many as 5 passengers at their base speed of 36m/s, with a maximum speed of 40 m/s. With their ornate, noble appearance they bring to mind the image of warrior angels or valkyries, flying at high speeds to attack and evade their opponents with the use of their hammer-like weapons and bladed wings. With their creation, Cyrus wanted to create warriors that would give civilians and allies something to look upon with hope, while still imposing to any enemies he may face. Only two may be summoned at once.
Name of Spell: Falernum Wyvern Spell Element: Sap Spell Rank: Senior Mana Cost: 30 | 15 Type of Golem: Scout Applicable Perks: Puppet Master, Armament, Reinforced Golems Description: A streamlined version of Cyrus' original Molossus golems, the Falernum is intended to serve as a mobile scout and defensive unit in spite of its relatively small size (3 meters). Its sleak body testifies to its speed, and conceals enough strength to carry three people, albeit at a reduced pace of 20m/s compared to its usual 36m/s. Up to three can be summoned simultaneously and while its offensive strength is noticeably weaker than its predecessor, this is compensated for by its greater durability and improved sensory capabilities. While the original Molossus was very much a dragon and far larger aesthetically, the Falernum's wyvern-inspired shape gives and strange head give it an almost bat-like sort of air about it.
Elemental Type: Sap | Defense Creation
Rank & Spell Type: Senior
Range & Speed: 80m | 40m/s
Mana Cost: 30 | 15
Stats Effected: +9 Durability
Applicable Perks: Self Repairing, Final Stand
Description: By casting this spell, Cyrus summons a mass of sap that quickly takes on the shape of a castle wall before hardening into a shifting amber-colored aura around Cyrus or his allies, defending them from enemy attacks. On casting, this spell will provide Cyrus with a +9 Durability buff. This defense can fully restore its lost health so long as it is not entirely destroyed, up to three times per casting. Sufficient Control will also allow him to create multiple barriers for different targets. [/spoilers]
Keeping track of the goings on to the best of his abilities while waiting for his chance to strike, it came as quite the surprise to him to see things unfolding in front of him. Of all the things he had more or less expected, this guy splitting up or creating multiple versions of himself to do battle with, it had not been among them. Whether it had actually split itself up or called in different versions or brethren through summoning magic, it really did not matter, as this allowed their enemy that was only focused on Ardere a moment ago to now focus their attention on all of them at once. And even with his well developed sensory skills, as well as his Ki to boot, it was difficult for Griswold to actually follow the move that was being made until it was more or less too late. Being quite fast himself, this guy was faster, only allowing Griswold to cross his arms in front of him and tanking the hit.
Due to the armor spell that had been cast on him, the initial hit had most of the force taken out of it, his mana skin additionally being more than thick enough to withstand a good amount of damage. Still sending him back a small distance, Griswold wasted no time in reaching for the strongest sword he had on his person, all while activating one of the spells that might not have been the most powerful or destructive, but was still by far one of his most useful ones. Increasing his own speed by quite the amount while also foreseeing him with a much needed healing factor, any damage he actually took through the armor and his mana skin would be dealt with almost as soon as his eyes could blink. Beginning to hit the breaks as soon as his spell had properly activated, Griswold regained his footing, preparing for the attacks that were to come.
Running his mana through his blade without activating any of the innate Dark magic abilities the blade held inside of it, Griswold kept utilizing both his sensory means and his Ki to track the attacks coming at him, hoping to better predict and counter the attacks as they came. Due to having to maintain a certain amount of focus for the sake of his Ki, Griswold had to sacrifice a bit of his total speed, though even with the speed he gave up, he would still have the edge. Once the first of the attacks came in, his goal was rather clear, straightforward and simple: to cut off the first of the limbs that got swung towards him, whether it be a leg or an arm. As the loss of any limb would be enough to give him an edge, the next swing that would be coming from his side would be aimed towards severing the head of the snake, hoping it would render the rest of the body useless.
But since these were demons they were dealing with, it was always difficult to tell whether an attack that would prove fatal for a mortal would also do the trick on one of their infernal sort. Not having the time to really be looking away from his opponent and check in on his team, he imagined the rest of them would be having a less hard time, given the fact that they were Captain and Vice Captain class knights, whereas he was technically still just a junior member of the Black Bulls. Believing the others would be able to hold their own, including Charles, wherever he might be, he’d stick to a simple attempt for the time being. To sever the first limb that got within his range, and then go for the head by overcoming and outpacing the demon.
Ki still active Speed cranked up from 20 to 40 m/s Wielding Feardèanamh
POWER 175 DURABILITY 3 SENSORY 80 STAMINA 50 CONTROL 150 MANA 220
Name of Spell: Celestial Body: Beta Cephei Elemental Type: Solar Rank & Spell Type: Grand | Physical Reinforcement & Healing Range & Speed: Self | 85 m/s Mana Cost: 50 mp | 25 mp sustain Stats Effected: +30 m/s Applicable Perks: Full Blitz & Quick Shot Description: By making himself glow and focusing his solar mana tightly around and inside himself and keeping it there, rather than allowing it to be released in an explosive manner, the caster can push off of air and water molecules, thus allowing them to essentially run through the air and on water for the duration of the spell. More than that, by channeling their mana in this manner, they also increase the speed at which they move by +20 m/s and enable themselves to use fractions of it to restore their own body or restore their mana skin. Can heal Grand damage, regrow digits in one post, can regrow minor/smaller non-vital organs in two posts, and regrow entire limbs and organs in three posts. every turn that it is active, it will also aim to remove any debuffs if present following the "cleaning" rules. During the day, the aura around the caster takes on an orange hue, taking on a silver blue hue after dark.
I don't know where the future[break][break] will take us,[break][break] But we will blaze it together.[break][break]
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[attr="class","ardereescroll"]Ardere's attacks connected, but they were not enough to slow down the Oni--as expected. In fact the monstrous Daemon divided itself into three parts; Red, Blue, and Purple. The primary of the group (the purple) turned its attention to the ferocious Crimson King. As their gaze met, auras began to flare as tensions increased. This Daemon was just here to slow them down. Charles...I'll find you. Grinding his teeth the Lion wasted no time in idle words or vengeful remarks. This was a fight now. But his allies would not be left alone, not now. Watch out boys! Holding his bottom two arms out, the swords he wielded were fired at the red and blue Oni counterparts with an adamant speed of seventy five meters per second. Utilizing his Mastery of Ki, he kept tabs on the location of the enemies and his allies for this attack. [break][break] At the same time these two were fired at the red and blue Oni, Ardere commanded the other two blades to flank the right and left side of the purple Daemon in an attempt to overwhelm him. Simultaneously he kicked off from the ground with the force of a Titan, bursting forward to unleash a flurry of blows. First was a back to back fake out jab, then a full powered serious of four punches followed up by a wound-up side kick. The first set of blows were aimed straight at the solar plexus as the kick was aimed towards the ribs of this beast. He was a Master of hand to hand combat and this enemy was about to realize who exactly he was dealing with. I'm no ordinary human. Salamander began to rumble in the pit of his stomach--a dragon stirring in the depths of a volatile volcano that was Ardere Kasai. Every fiber of the Spirit's being ached to escape this flesh body as thrash the Daemon before them, but now was not his time. He was being saved for a battle that seemed within grasp at times and far on the horizon at others. The Cloud Giant Coliseum--Aamon's Tower was not a Sprint, it was a Marathon. [break][break] The Crimson Lion was moving at an insane speed as he unleashed this onslaught onto the purple Oni. He only hoped he could end this fight quickly. While he could likely defeat this enemy in a single blow if he unleashed his full power, the trick here was in the realization that this was all leading them back to the Avatar, back to Ashford. He should have attacked him when he had the chance. That was a mistake he'd soon not repeat. For the first time in his life, Ardere had to restrain his own power on an enemy he intended to defeat. His only solace was in the company of the other two mages beside him--he needed them to keep pushing forward. You however are an ordinary Daemon, unlike your Master. So get the hell out of my way! Fire. His eyes were engulfed in flames as the fight raged on. He had to make it through this, for Charles' sake. [break][break] TLDR: Simultaneously Ard fires two swords; one at red and one at blue while send the other two swords to flank on the right and left of purple boi. Pushing forward during this he unleashed a flurry of blows with his various limbs at purple boi's chest and sides.
Varisse stood up, the sensation of life was coming back to her now as she slowly took stock of her surroundings and her current bill of health. She thought of Charles, and those other mages...a tear flowing down her cheek as she remembered the altered memories that Alpha...that Ashford decided to toy with. ”I swear to the gods Aamon, I will fucking ensure that these mages make it to your goddamned throne room so they can tear your soul to tiny pieces...and I will make sure I am there with a smile on my face as I do.” She said as the room lit up, it was as though it was all laid out for her. The place she had been dropped into was the lair and setup for the next area the mages were to reach should they defeat the Oni. However there was another presence, and another figure stepped out of the doors that lead from the floor below. Right here, right now...all the way in here in this mortal city...These little children...raise their open filthy palms. Like tiny daggers up to heaven, all the hallowed halls of their pitiful knights...the filthy rats ask us...Asking angels made from greed and fucking garbage. You know what they do? They scream out, "What will save us?"...and loe and behold the sky opened up...We appeared to them, and yet they now call for our deaths…” The disembodied voice echoed throughout the chamber as the heavy footsteps grew close to Varisse. She knew that voice, she knew that attitude, the venom that dripped from those words...The footsteps stopped some 3 meters or so away from her and the figure removed their hood. Comman...Adam...Was not expecting you to still be…” Before she could finish, the man now identified as Adam, a perfect specimen of an elf was standing before her, speaking in a tone that commanded attention. ”Please, Traitor...I am not so easily dealt with like my brothers, Unlike Ashford...I will not be using tricks of the mind. Also I will not be allowing one to stay behind like that one did with you...Lord Aamon wants entertainment and he only wants the best...it is time we start to thin the herd as it were. Now, use your little Lava magic to get rid of Ashford’s troublesome trash that he sent down here, not including yourself. I prefer to keep my enemies close and don’t mind the banter. Chop, chop...that Oni won’t last much longer…” His words were clear and the way he looked at her with such malice, yet without regard for their past...he was the same as Ashford was…”As you wish Adam. I will rem,” She was interrupted again as Adam pulled his hood back up. ”Refer to me as the Avatar of Aamon...That way there is no confusion with the mortals…” He then turned and waited, watching the door from the room below like a predator stalking its prey.
To Ardere:
With the blatant disregard for words Ardere of course acted out as someone named the Crimson King would. The attacks of fire sent out to both the red and blue Oni while warning his compatriots was...exactly what a man that was worried about others more than himself would say. Before attacking and charging straight ahead at the Oni, ready to go toe to toe with his foe. With blinding speed the purple Oni knocked the blades away that were struck out, before taking the two hits to its solar plexus, the following two punches were blocked before the kick to the ribs was caught as the Oni coughed up a bit of its blood. Ardere spoke, claiming to not be some ordinary human and the Oni laughed before grabbing Ardere’s ankle on the leg he had just kicked and pulled it up in an attempt to bring the man into a less opportune position, it was not an attack per say, nor was it him moving away. ”Good, because I do not wish to feed on subpar lifeforms.” It spoke with malice, but its eyes showed a tinge of fear. The Oni then growled before throwing a series of kicks and punches; 3 punches aimed solely for Ardere’s face, and a frontal kick aimed to cave in the Crimson King’s chest. He was moving at a speed of 45 m/s and with senior strength on each.
To Cyrus:
The Oni watched as his attacks barely did anything, there were no clear cuts nor was the mage in front of it pleading for his life. Just what the hell was going on with this mage, as the grimoire opened and the mana around the mage began to pick up, the Oni decided it was time to do something more drastic and urgent for if the spell was to go off, there was a good chance that it would not be able to fight back for much longer. That is when it sensed the attack coming from Ardere, and it managed to barely lean back with enough time to avoid a full strike, yet...it was not enough to save it from the attack completely as its chest was sliced open from the attack, a loud roar left the mouth of the Oni. So it put all of its own will into the attacks it was delivering...since the mage was going to defend...he needed more. However as it moved at the same speed as it did before, it made one single thrust before twisting and bringing the daggers in like fangs of a devilish creature. ”Oni Magic, Fantastic Fangs of Fire!” It was trying to outmatch its opponent, as the golems were summoned, noticing too late that the constructs now had it surrounded.
To Griswold:
As Griswold moved to grab his sword, the Oni was already on him, not quite finishing the attack from earlier it followed with a superman punch before falling back and kicking forward to try and knock the man off balance. The grimoire of the mage was still operating, but undoubtedly the attacks still were on par to outpace the natural movement of a mortal. Once the sword was drawn however, and the spell cast. It was a different ball game, and the blade from Ardere was timed perfectly, bringing the Oni into a direct hit, the blade buried into the side of the Oni, causing it to be pushed away by a little over a meter, immediately throwing off its rhythm and making it cough up a large amount of blood, the floor was starting to pool up. ”filthy fucking rats…”
To Charles:
Alpha looked at Charles as the human looked at him, with that look on his face “what is there to lose?” That was the thought probably running through his head at this point. The mind of Aamon...or a shard of it, was nothing more than a way of putting off his own demise. He felt the newcomer to the floor below...it seemed as though Alpha was no longer the Avatar that Aamon needed. The madness began to run rampant through his meat suit brain. ”My plan, ha! If you have yet to understand it yet Charles...then I fear that you may no longer be fit to remain at my side. What do you think daemons want? Death, destruction, anarchy?” He chuckled a little, a deck of cards pulled from his pocket allowed the Avatar of Aamon to just start to toss cards out on the floor and he then turned back to Charles. ”Hear of Cartomancy? The study of divination...fortune telling through a deck of cards...I just threw five down here, check them.” Alpha was trying to take Charles' attention and put it towards something else...diversion, or madness...was this truly all a game...or was it just some pathetic attempt to try and trick Charles.
The Cards that are thrown; 3 of Diamonds, The Ace of Spades, 10 of Spades, 3 of Hearts, Joker.
WC: 1,388 TWC: 12,631
Last Edit: Oct 21, 2021 20:35:15 GMT -5 by Ardere✧
I don't know where the future[break][break] will take us,[break][break] But we will blaze it together.[break][break]
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[break]
[attr="class","ardereescroll"]A devilish grin crossed Ardere's thin, pale lips. This was the kind of fighting he had expected when coming here. No mind games. No trickery--just brawling. The Tower they so perilously entered held no regard for their stamina or endurance. This was a marathon like he had said many times before, but that didn't mean he couldn't speed up for just a moment. As his ankle was grabbed, he performed a quick spin through the air to dish a kick out to the arm that was currently pulling him. You're strong, Oni. His grin grew. But you're not fast enough. The Crimson King was moving at a speed that the enemy would struggle to keep up with. Admittedly he was struck by one of the hits, however he utilized his wings to prevent himself from being flung back. He held the advantage here, not the other way around. Not fast enough at all. [break][break] Aiming to dish out an axe kick at his head and another punch at the Daemon's solar plexus, their flurry of blows would collide. He'd attempt to block any oncoming attacks and counter attack, but that was not the point here. He had faith in Cyrus' spell and his mana skin. Unfortunately for the Daemon this was just a distraction from the real attack that was coming from behind him; a re-cast of his signature spell. Siegfried's Arsenal! All four blades were summoned behind the purple Oni; aimed right at his back and ribs. These blades were more than likely to impale the unfortunate combatant, dealing what would ordinarily be a finishing blow. Ardere took no time in unleashing a verbal attack alongside the physical one. You Daemon. It's always about your plan and your hunger. What about my plan? What if I came into the Tower knowingly searching for something? What if I planned my own movements? Do you Daemon ever stop to think about that? While he was likely talking to a corpse now, his blazing mana did not quell. Even if he wasn't, he was shouting out to Aamon himself now. His dragon-like features had become so prominent, many could wonder if he really was a man after all. Or had he become something else? Somewhere between dragon and man. [break][break] Do you hear that Aamon? What if you're a part of my plan? I'm coming for you. I always was. Spitting onto the floor, his muscles pulsated with strength and fortitude. This was just a taste of what was to come for them. The Cloud Giant Coliseum held many secrets and many challenges but that did not mean he was going to tire out so quickly. First, he had to get back Charles and find Ashford. After living through that Hell of memories, he had a bone to pick with the Avatar. Just hold out a little while longer...Charles...[break][break] TLDR: Ard mid air kicks the arm grabbing his ankle, then dishes out two blows while taking one from the Oni. He does these as a distraction as he re-casts his Arsenal spell behind the Oni to impale him on the blades.
Post by Charles Constantine✾ on Oct 22, 2021 0:29:10 GMT -5
[NOSPACES]
"I'm no g e n i u s, I'm just a fool who keeps going forward."
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@tagme
word count 665
total word count 10,058
[attr="class","glentext"] Every minute that passed, his teammates were fighting another daemon. It was evident that they had realized he was not with them and had never entered the trial with the rest of them. Charles already knew they were worried for his well-being, after all, his whereabouts were unknown to them. Everything seemed stranger, stranger than usual. Alpha was acting differently from before and he even offered him a fragment of the mind of his boss. No way the Avatar of Aamon would willingly give out such an important thing to the enemy. This was such an unpredictable behavior from the daemon. This was either a trick or maybe Alpha had his own agenda and personal motives. [break][break] Charles was still here, stuck, even though Alpha got rid of Varisse without remorse. The daemon started to see her as a nuisance and disposed of her, but he believed the female elf to be alive. She wasn't weak and he had a feeling she survived that fall. If Alpha truly wanted to kill her, he would've done it right in front of him, instead of throwing her. Varisse had higher chances of surviving from such a fall with magic. The silver mage slowly starts to sense Alpha's mind going insane, it was as if something went different from what he had initially expected. It was different from before and he could sense the daemon was starting to become more unstable. "That's implying we were on the same side in the first place, Alpha. You're going to tell me the daemons want to wipe out the Clover Kingdom to ensure peace? Some sort of hidden objective I don't know of? Tell me then... What do you know that I don't know about?" He could slowly see him going insane, even his words were different from before. Alpha seemed confident before as if he was in control, but now he looked desperate. In reality, he was actually curious to see what the daemon would respond to him with. There were a lot of things he didn't know about the daemons, so this was a good chance to know more about them. [break][break] "...You're going to determine my future with cards?" This was just another game of his, but by now Charles seemed to deduce that the daemon wanted something from him. If Alpha really wanted him dead he would do that right now, if he wanted to get rid of him, he would've sent him with Varisse or be brought back to his team once was the trial was over. This man wanted something from him. The thought made him recall the moment Alpha said the two were cut from the same cloth, maybe it was about that. The silver mage picked up the cards and looked at them, checking them out. 3 of Diamonds, The Ace of Spades, 10 of Spades, 3 of Hearts, and a Joker. "And here I thought you didn't have the time for games. Tell me, Alpha... What do you want? Specifically... What do you want from me? You can't hide the fact that you're slowly going insane from me." Charles said, his expression changed to a more composed and serious one. [break][break] His words would probably put Alpha in a corner, but whenever a beast was cornered that's where they showed their fangs and attacks. This could very well be the case with the daemon in front of him, so he wanted to see how long he was willing to drag this game. The silver mage prepared himself for the possibility to engage in battle against Alpha, although it was not an upcome he would like. It was about time he spits out the truth, instead of attempting to trick him with games. He could sense his insanity through Ki, and he was prepared for any aggressive movements that may possibly endanger his life. Charles listened to him and checked out the cards, now it was time to figure out if Alpha would answer his questions. [break]
At the time of receiving that punch, the first thing that went through his head was the fact that he was just glad one of the members of this team had dropped out prior to entering the dungeon. What with Charles already being missing and the rest of them struggling a fair deal just to get the upper hand, he could not imagine how the girl would have survived to make it even this far without someone having to constantly split their focus between themselves and their weakest link. The fact that he himself was currently the weakest fighter in the room was already a tough enough pill to swallow, so he could only imagine how hard it would have been for the lot of them to take on additional burdens aside from having to look after their own hide and it not getting tanned right in front of them.
Though the punch was in fact a fairly powerful, especially when considering that it did not seem to be the kind that originated from magically enhanced strength, Griswold possessed a lot of magical endurance. While he was not one of those people who possessed an excessive amount of mana, which seemed to be rare in the sense that most elves had a lot of it, his mana skin at least was freakishly dense. Allowing him to withstand a lot of damage, the spell he had activated allowed him to quickly reinforce the figurative “cracks in his armor”. It was his way of making up for the fact that he had exactly zero defensive or protective spells in his arsenal, being an almost exclusively offensive magic. But it seemed that for situations like this particular one, his magic had at the very least evolved to the point of allowing him to cause more than wanton destruction.
For the moment his spell had been cast and his sword had been gripped tightly in his hands, it was time for his counter offensive to begin. Not really expecting the flaming assault from Ardere to suddenly strike the demon from behind, causing it to falter in its assault and allow Griswold to push on with his own. As he had originally intended to do with his mighty dark sword Feardèanamh, he aimed to simply continue with his initial plan of severing one of the demons limbs before going for the head, believing this to be a sound plan now that the creature had taken such a powerful hit. Griswold knew that if he needed to, he could push his speed up a lot higher simply by no longer focusing on the rest of the battle and purely going for the demon that was right there in front of him. It would make the difference in speed a lot greater for sure, though that was not a risk he was willing to take.
As he had seen just now, when Ardere struck the demon from behind, which had likely happened because it was focused primarily on Griswold, attacks could come from any angle when fighting multiple enemies in the same room. If he were to push his speed up at the expense of his extrasensory focus, it could be him that got struck in the back next, and all of his senses were currently screaming at him for even considering it. So, just like he had always done, he would not let his urge to win and be useful in this fight beat his common sense, or his senses in general for that matter. As they had not yet sent him down the wrong path as of yet, he counted on it not happening any time soon either. So with his most powerful sword in hand and his body pushed beyond the levels of speed it could normally maintain, it was time to turn this fight around and into his favor.
Even if he was the weakest one here, that did not take away from his drive to survive, from his drive to win his own fights when and where he could.
TLDR: Continuing his attempted attack from the last round to take off an arm before going for the head.
Ki still active Speed cranked up from 20 to 40 m/s Still wielding Feardèanamh
POWER 175 DURABILITY 3 SENSORY 80 STAMINA 50 CONTROL 150 MANA 220 (210 mana left)
Maintaining this spell from last round: Name of Spell: Celestial Body: Beta Cephei Elemental Type: Solar Rank & Spell Type: Grand | Physical Reinforcement & Healing Range & Speed: Self | 85 m/s Mana Cost: 50 mp | 25 mp sustain Stats Effected: +30 m/s Applicable Perks: Full Blitz & Quick Shot Description: By making himself glow and focusing his solar mana tightly around and inside himself and keeping it there, rather than allowing it to be released in an explosive manner, the caster can push off of air and water molecules, thus allowing them to essentially run through the air and on water for the duration of the spell. More than that, by channeling their mana in this manner, they also increase the speed at which they move by +20 m/s and enable themselves to use fractions of it to restore their own body or restore their mana skin. Can heal Grand damage, regrow digits in one post, can regrow minor/smaller non-vital organs in two posts, and regrow entire limbs and organs in three posts. every turn that it is active, it will also aim to remove any debuffs if present following the "cleaning" rules. During the day, the aura around the caster takes on an orange hue, taking on a silver blue hue after dark.
Feardèanamh
Rank & Element: Grand | Dark Class & Type: Imbued Magic | Weapon Magic Specializations: Attack Creation | Hex & Curse Appearance & Lore: Feardèanamh was originally found by Griswold when delving through the ancient elven ruins in the foothills near Kiten, looking like a mostly rusted slab of metal with a hilt. When he first picked it up, he could feel a pinch and noticed a faint glow for a split second before it disappeared. Doing his best to have the blade cleaned and restored to its former glory, upon returning, he came to learn that the name Feardèanamh translates roughly to "Ruinmaker". Wielded by a dark elven king who waged war on human and elf alike hundreds of years ago, its exact origins are unknown, as no records have been kept in regards to who forged it. It's exact measurements are 120 centimeters total, the blade being 89 centimeters long and and 5.2 centimeters wide with a guard width of 24 centimeters, making it a "hand and a half" sword. Abilities:
Name of the Ability Feardèanamh: Ymyl Tywyll Type & Uses: Flow | 5 post max use | 4 post overheat Rank & Specialization: Senior | Attack Creation | Hex & Curse Mana Cost: 23 mp | 12 mp upkeep Range & Speed: 40 m/s Stats Affected: -25% endurance Description: Translating roughly to "Black Blade", when Ymyl Tywyll is activated, dark purple veins will form from the handle, spreading from there across the length of the blade and releasing a dark aura. Enhancing the offensive properties of the weapon, its sole function is releasing a crescent of dark mana each time the blade hits a solid surface. Upon hitting a target, the black magic along the sword will erupt outward, dealing senior damage and debuffing their endurance, causing them to take 25% of the curse’s rank (Senior) in damage in addition to other damage taken, and will continue taking additional damage for as long as the debuff is present. Endurance debuffs of this kind can be stacked twice, for which it will need to strike the target twice. This ability cannot be used for more than five posts, as once the fifth post is reached, the ability will require a period of four posts to be ready again.
(The sword in its activated form, showing mana running throughout the runes carved into the blade.)
Name of the Ability Feardèanamh: Ceangal Dorcha Type & Uses: Trigger | 6 uses Rank & Specialization: Senior | Attack Creation | Hex & Curse Mana Cost: 24 mp per trigger | 45 mp recharge Range & Speed: 80m | 40 m/s Stats Affected: -10 m/s Description: Translating roughly to "Dark Binding", following what seems like a crackling of black energy, this releases a burst of Dark magic from the blade, the pitch-black mana moving outward and striking against the enemy for Senior damage. Should the attack hit, dark bindings will form around the feet of the one hit by it, reducing their total movement speed by -10 m/s. If multiple people or targets are hit by this ability, the total amount by which they are slowed is reduced by 1 m/s per afflicted individual. For every 50 Control the user has, an additional burst can be fired from the blade.
Name of the Ability Feardèanamh: Hymagor Isfyd Type & Uses: Trigger | 6 uses Rank & Specialization: Senior | Attack Creation | Hex & Curse Mana Cost: 24 mp per trigger | 45 mp recharge Range & Speed: 80m | 40 m/s Stats Affected: Debuff to healing/buffing Description: Translating roughly “Yawn of the Underworld”, following up on a sound that is reminiscent to the sound of someone inhaling, a black smoke-like substance is released from the blade that will attempt to dowse a target, causing them to take a senior amount of damage and impairing their own personal buffs and healing. When hit, the targets healing potency is dropped by a single rank if Power is +5 higher than the targets Control, with Junior buff amounts being halved. If the difference is +10, the buff and healing received would be erased completely. Finally, at a difference of +15 or more, the attempted buff or healing will instead turn into a debuff or cause them to take damage equal to one rank below what the healing spell would have healed. For every 50 Control the user has, an additional burst can be fired from the blade.
Name of the Ability Feardèanamh: Hymyl y Nos Type & Uses: Trigger | 6 uses Rank & Specialization: Senior | Attack Creation | Hex & Curse Mana Cost: 24 mp per trigger | 45 mp recharge Range & Speed: 40m | 40 m/s Stats Affected: -25% endurance Description: Translating roughly to “Verge of Night”, following up on the purple veins along the blade either showing up or lighting up more brightly if already present, this releases a burst of Dark magic from the black that looks similar to most other Feardèanamh, dealing Senior damage to those it hits. Upon hitting a target, the black magic along the sword will erupt outward, debuffing their endurance, causing them to take 25% of the curse’s rank (Senior) in damage in addition to other damage taken, and will continue taking additional damage for as long as the debuff is present. For every 50 Control the user has, an additional burst can be fired from the blade.
[attr=class,cyrustext]Cyrus did not expect that Ardere would intervene in his own or Griswold's fights while dealing with his own oni opponent, nor did he really think it was necessary. But he wasn't one to deny help when it was offered, so he made a mental note to thank the Crimson Lion King for the assistance once they had a moment to breath as he saw the fire magic spell graze his foe, causing them to let out a horribly pained shriek.
The warrior daemon was not to be dealt with so easily, however wounded it may be, and readied another attack that came at Cyrus with all the same ferocity and speed as the first. But unfortunately for his assailant, Cyrus was more prepared this time. "Intercept!" He commanded, and the golem that he was riding on screeched as it moved to put itself in between its master and the enemy's spell. The golem hissed at the force of the attack, but did not fall. And it was time to launch a counterattack of his own.
Cyrus' golems still surrounded the oni, and he gave them a silent command to strike all at once. And as they went in for the kill the Rising Dawn aimed to take advantage of his close proximity to the oni after his Wyvern took the attack meant for him, swinging out his Scorpion's Eclipse in an effort to drive the barbed tip of the chain into beast's chest.
He could hear Ardere interrogating the Oni as it attempted to intimidate or threaten him, trying to get as much information as he could from the exchange. Cyrus' own adversary had yet to say anything beyond the names of its spells, unlike the others.
"I apologize if I am not a worthy opponent." He said, his humble acceptance managing to pierce through the seething rage he felt. "But I still refuse to lose with so much at stake! No matter who or what you may be or do!"
[attr="class,cyrusstats]Stats & Information
WC: 0332 | TWC: 8311
[attr="class,cyrusstats]
Mana Skin
16/24
Health
18/18
Mana
430/455
Movement Speed
05
Damage Taken
00
Healing Recieved
00
Mana Used
80
Mana Regen
80
[attr="class,cyrusstats] Combat Notes Directed Falernum Wyvern to intercept the attack aimed at him
Ordered all golems to attack his Oni opponent at once
Attacked with the Scorpion's Eclipse
Items On Hand Magic Knight's Mantle Scorpion's Eclipse Strength of a Nation Puppeteer of the Current
The purple Oni was outsmarted...or rather, it was matched and then struck in the back as the Oni spat blood onto Ardere’s face. The damage was done and the daemon smiled as Ardere talked...or rather spoke AT the Oni. The purple daemon merely smiled as the light in its evil eyes still showed spark. ”You are a fool, your plan to find these...answers will lead to the deaths of all your comrades. Enjoy the momentary respite.” It said as the light began to die in its eyes and smoke would rise from its body, the blood it spat on Ardere’s face was starting to smoke and a burning sensation could be felt. The Oni died not with a ban, but with a whimper. However, that was not the only thing that would catch the eyes of the mages...a blast soon rocks the room as the purple Oni dies.
To Cyrus:
Those words to the Oni, meant little...it only meant if one was victorious or if one was defeated. So when the Oni was surrounded and attacked by the golems and as it was upon the sap mage, it growled with furious and beastial intnet. It’s attack was blocked by the draconic golem and then the strike of all the golems took place, just as the Rising Dawn struck forth with his weapon...hitting its mark right in the chest of the red Oni, piercing its heart...the daemon would wince as the other golems attacks all pushed it past its limit, before it let out a primal roar before bursting into flames, soon leaving nothing but ash behind. Right as the blast overtook the area.
To Griswold:
Keeping up with an opponent that was faster and just as strong as they were was no easy feat, but just when things seemed bleak...Ardere’s well timed attack brought the blue Oni to it’s breaking point. It was furious and knew that the fight was nearing its end so with a wild glance to Griswold it decided to do what one in a deathmatch might do if they knew their life was at an end anyway. Charging forward to meet Griswold, feeling just at the same time the purple Oni had fallen to its opponent. ”Weak...We die together then! Oni Magic, ONI BOMB!” It would say before reaching into its wound and flinging blood towards Griswold as a distraction before making the single bloody hand sign before a sudden blue flash would fill the room. The resulting explosion would deal a total of [ARCHMAGE] Damage within a 50 meter radius. Causing the room to shake, and each person caught within the blast would be under the punishment from this Oni.
To Charles:
Alpha looked at the silver mage and smiled as he spoke before going to pick up the cards, the implication that they were on the same side was intriguing but then again...so was the little bet, and eventually the game of fortune telling. Ignoring the first part of the interaction, the cards that were thrown out were willy nilly...nothing worth a damn...or so he had thought, when Charles got serious, Alpha took the signal as if Charles was finally starting to become bold. ”Careful now, your words are leaking venom, and I would hate for you to meet an unfortunate end without seeing the conclusion of our encounter.” He held out his hands for the cards and waited. If Charles were to hand him the cards, then...something would happen;
Dm for an answer...if asked...THIS will be the route taken. IF deviated from, a consequence will be added.
If the cards are not simply handed in…
Alpha will chuckle before giving Charles a manic smile before bending the deck of cards, and with a flash the deck would explode as the cards flew through the air...in an almost never ending fashion, but no harm is to be made as the floor is soon covered with the cards of the fool.
Alpha will undoubtedly look at Charles for a moment, contemplation on his next move would come before he finally held up a single finger. ”You do not know the meaning of my games...call me mad, or take me for a fool...This is all a plan of MY OWN ACCORD. Aamon allows us...his Children…” He says with imitated quotations, it could be taken as literal, or that daemon have some sort of mutual kinship. ”To reign as they wish inside his domain...hence why the tower is such a large place...many domains, and many trials all taken from but not shared with our master. But...unlike the previous daemons you have had interacted with, staining your soul...Aamon does not just allow things to stay stagnant...he is ALWAYS looking for the next great challenge. Think about it...our bet has come to a close anyway...I wonder what the outcome is.” Alpha says as he dodged literally everything Charles asked and revealed that same viewing orb for them to look at the scene downstairs.
GM Notes:
This round will follow the following order. Griswold starts, Charles ends. Ardere and Cyrus...figure out your posts in between. Plan as you can, but I will be watching the outcome.
While his eyes were not directly on it, Griswold could sense that the tide had been shifting into their favor, and that the others were having a far easier time holding their own. It was hard to come to terms with how weak he was in comparison to the rest, or even to a fraction of the demon that he himself was fighting. It annoyed him how even a third of what seemed like the same being was giving him this amount of trouble, even with his spell active and both boosting his speed and the rate at which both his body and his mana skin managed to recuperate from the damage he sustained. Even with the use of his sword, the amount of damage he truly managed to do was sub-par. All he had been capable of so far had been matching the thing in speed and managing to take the hits that were being thrown at him.
For all of the training he had done in preparation for this fight, traveling across the country to find whatever threats to civilization and nature he could come across and fight on his own, the dungeons full of hostile creatures he had cleaned out and the new spells he had managed to learn because of it, it all amounted to little over nothing at all. His incapability to win his own fight was a reflection upon him, as well as on every single person he had ever beaten in a fight, every monster or fighter he had ever been forced to kill, as it also showed how weak they had all been in comparison.
And the truth of the matter was that he had come prepared for this, all of it, knowing that he was likely going to be either the weakest one here, or second to last. He knew that Charles was only a little ways behind him in terms of his magical development, though the fact that he was someone who wielded a magical spirit similar to that of Hania and Cyrus, yet beneath that of Ardere likely meant that he was stronger than Griswold was if he were to go all out. Having seen a spirit dive with his own eyes and how much it augmented the capabilities of the user, it made sense to believe that he was in fact the weakest person present in the tower. If only for the simple reason that he himself lacked a magical spirit of his own. Given his current place in terms of personal development, he doubted he was ever going to get one too, meaning he was likely going to remain a second rate knight forever.
So when the demon he fought, who had more or less been taken down already by a shot from Ardere, Griswold hadn’t really done a damn thing to defeat it himself. He had only been in the business of matching blows or getting punched or kicked, so when the demon seemingly gave up and claimed that he was going to try and take his target down with him, Griswold stayed his hand. As the mana had already been triggered to erupt when it spoke the words “bomb”, there was no point in him carving up the demon now that he had dropped his defenses, nor did he have the kind of magic that would be able to contain this much energy. In simpler terms, it was beyond him, just like everything up until this point in time had been beyond him. So when the demon erupted and sent the mana contained inside of it outward to cover a large area, Griswold just did the only thing he could at this point. Stand there and take it.
Given the amount of power behind the blast, running from it would have gotten him nowhere, severing the head of the demon would have just brought about senseless brutality on someone that was already turned into a living bomb, so all he could do was nothing. So as the blast flew into him, his mana skin tanked the entire thing while still leaving a good portion of it up. So when the explosion blew him into one of the walls, there was still plenty of his mana remaining to cushion that additional blow to some extent. So as bits and pieces of the wall and ceiling came down around and on top of him, the only thing that was really being eviscerated by it aside from his mana skin was his pride.
Even as his magical coating was quickly repairing the damage his mana skin had sustained, no real attempt was made at getting up from under the rubble, even though he quite easily could if he really wanted to. For the moment, he just wanted to take a moment to let his overall mediocrity sink in before heading out to see this through. At the end of the day, he might even manage to be of use to someone as a living shield. But if that was what it took to defeat Aamon, at least he would have done his part.
Long story short: Gets hit by the explosion, hits the wall, feels hella sad. Archmage damage taken to mana skin. Grand remaining + additional Grand due to active healing spell. Mana fully restored by now.
Last Edit: Oct 27, 2021 14:31:57 GMT -5 by Griswold
[attr=class,cyrustext]Even as his attacks found their mark on the oni doppleganger, Cyrus' opponent still did not speak directly to him. All that could be heard from the monstrous foe was a wailing scream as Cyrus' barbed chain pierced its heart through before his golems smashed into it simultaneously, quashing any hopes of further resistance from the beast.
The red oni burst into flames upon the killing blow, bellowing out as Cyrus retrieved his weapon and looked towards the other fights going on as Hama emerged from his grimoire. From what he could tell, Ardere and Gris were both handling their opponents as well. Gris managed to deliver a fatal strike to his opponent... but something felt off. Hama looked around, also able to tell. "Cyrus, something's-!" She started, before the explosion suddenly engulfed the room, originating from Griswold's enemy. Thinking as quickly as he could, Cyrus commanded his golems to head out and protect the others; he didn't know if they would make it in time, but he had to try and spare his friends the worst of the blast. His defensive abilities were his biggest contribution to this mission, after all.
One Heliades and one Falernum Wyvern flew to both Ardere and Gris, aiming to shield them at least partially from the blast if they could make it in time. Cyrus' own golem, the third wyvern who had taken the hit from his oni opponent, flew to the ground and wrapped around him, attempting to protect their master.
The force of the blast was immense; Cyrus could feel the power wash over him before his golem had even been destroyed, which it inevitably was. He was thankful for the golem taking the hit earlier, though, since it meant that his own Syrup Shroud was fit enough to weaken the blast's effect on him considerably. Braced as he was, Cyrus remembered the battle he fought in Atlantis against the Calamity; that devastating attack that had brought him to his knees. But he stood his ground to the best of his abilities; he was stronger now, and he didn't want to be thrown around when there were still inevitable dangers ahead. He felt his mana skin take yet more damage, but still it did not break.
Once the attack seemed over, Cyrus looked over the room. His golems were gone, and any spells he had active at the time were destroyed as well. From what he could tell... it was now just himself, Ard, and Gris left in the room.
Willing to bet that the Captain was okay, Cyrus made it his first priority to run over to Gris, helping to dig him out from the rubble that had fallen on him from the close-range explosion. "Gris, are you okay? That hit you point blank, so let me know if anything's wrong." He instructed the other wizard, turning to look at Ardere. "And you, Captain? If anybody is hurt let me know; I can heal us up before we proceed." He could feel his mind clearing, with the oni threats all gone from the room. Though he still needed to know just what was the cause of the rage in the first place.
Hama looked at where the blue oni had last stood before its self destruction, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "Looks like you had been right to try and aim for their hands. What a strange style of magic." She observed, remembering what the monster had done to trigger its spell. "So what do we do now? I'm guessing we need to figure out what happened to Charles before anything else, yeah?"
Cyrus nodded in agreement, his grimoire drawn in preparation to heal the others. He was also curious about Charles' whereabouts, after seeing him seem to stay behind before... that strange dream. "You guys, did either of you happen to witness a strange dream before we arrived in this room?" He asked, now that they appeared to have a moment.
Hama tilted her head curiously at the question. "A dream?" She repeated, seeing as she and Salamander had been more or less waiting for him and Ard before they showed up in the room. He nodded. "Yes. I had a dream where I was an elven warrior... Ashford, I believe his name was. I was an infantry commander, fighting against hordes of demons. I ran to send a message through our communications mages to call for backup from Atlantis, but by the time I arrived they had all been slaughtered by a lone daemon. I... Ashford, had tried to fight, but the daemon was completely unfazed by my... er, his, attacks."
Hama hummed thoughtfully as he shared the dream; now that they were together again she could slowly feel his memories of the dream taking shape in his mind, seeing what he had seen. It was definitely strange; it was actually similar to the dream he had of Ostead, his ancestor who had previously been partnered with Hama. But in that dream, he had merely been an observer. This time he was controlling things... or at least, that's how it had felt.
[attr="class,cyrusstats]Stats & Information
WC: 0856 | TWC: 9167
[attr="class,cyrusstats]
Mana Skin
8/24
Health
18/18
Mana
430/455
Movement Speed
05
Damage Taken
08
Healing Recieved
00
Mana Used
80
Mana Regen
80
[attr="class,cyrusstats] Combat Notes All sustained spells destroyed
Cyrus took Grand damage to mana skin
Items On Hand Magic Knight's Mantle Scorpion's Eclipse Strength of a Nation Puppeteer of the Current
