Fantasy That Time the Demon Lord Killed our Party Leader: Ic

[Dawnsx]

Nelumba

Had Nel been a lesser mage, her icy ball of doom may have exploded when Kai toppled on top of her. As it was, she dissipated the ice magic with a yelp as she went down, reducing the projectile to nothing more than a giant water droplet that splashed harmlessly on the ground. If she’d reacted any slower, they would’ve become a fae-human shish kebab!

But now, Nel felt like fae pancake. She’d thought Kai was pretty willowy for a guy, but gosh was he heavy! And with her tiny twig arms, she doubted she could push him off! Not that she would, with him bleeding everywhere and all.

Speaking of which, how dare Morgana! How could someone just stab another person and leave them to hurt and bleed out?! That was exactly what had happened to Lycoris! Thankfully, Kai was nowhere as squishy as a fae, but still! If Nel was Morgana, then she would’ve gone for Kai’s neck and be done with him! Nel would never leave anyone, even her enemies, to die a slow death.

She wanted to throw down with Morgana right this instant, but she could do nothing but stew in her anger until Kai finally plugged up some of his leaky veins and sat up. Up above, Enthy was already engaging in another big, honkin’ dragon. Granny was unconscious not too far away, but fortunately the other heroes rejoined the party via Aaxir Express!

”Awrighty, this is where we gotta cut down on the transformation sequence!” Nel declared. Forgoing her usual pose, she cried out, “Divine Synchronization!”

With a single bright flash, she donned her Shiva-approved battle outfit and brandished the Trishula.

”If you wanna fight, you gotta go in for the kill!” Nel shouted. Rings of fire formed around her as she danced, and she launched them at Morgana with the intention of incinerating her.

 

[CasualTea]

Rohen Xiong

CS Link

STATUS:

Healed / Divine Synchronization Transition

LOCATION & TIME:

Jorvik Warzone (Day?)

Soundtrack:

Crumbling Lies

"The Primordial Waters"

"The Primordial One, Tiamat?" A cloaked and masked Rohen asked aloud while sitting under a tree, showered by the dim moonlight. There was a campfire set up with tents and all. Activity among heroes was high, including her: Arlux. But Rohen was a far distance away from it all that whatever the heroes spoke about, whatever horseplay they committed and any banter they shared, she would only hear it blended into the ambience of the night's hum.

"It's a dragon form that I'll call it so that you may use at your convenience. Despite the sheer size of the being you will become, do not think that it is invincible." Tiamat warned in Rohen's conscience. "It will only make your water stronger and you will be able to deal catastrophic damage if you wish. But it is not something you can use to soak up any attack like the fertile soil does rain water." Rohen then nodded in agreement, starting to get the whole gist of her divine synchronization. "So for a moment, I will become a large dragon and move like one. That's not going to feel very familiar..." She said before giving out a sigh and resting her head back against the tree's roots, laying down in the process and preparing for some rest. She figured she'll be cutting off another reinforcement route and she'll expect many numbers. The Olrodian gladiator offered to help as well, so that was something. She'll get some assistance, probably because she didn't mind the brute. Despite him being an Olrodian, he has his own reasons for joining the fight against his nation's tyrant.

"...Tiamat, if I may?" She asked, as something just kept pestering her mind now that she learned of her divine synchronization transformation. Tiamat only let out a soft sigh, sort of disappointed by what Rohen was going to question as she already knew what it was. "I know what you will ask but... What is it, dear child?" Rohen soon began, taking off her mask to soak her skin to the night wind. "If the transformation would be that of a large dragon, wouldn't it be more fitting to grant your blessing towards such kin?" She asked. "It's not like I don't appreciate the blessings you've given me, it's just... It would make more sense. Wouldn't it? Like someone who is more familiar to their body which has become part of their nature. Then there's me, who will have to learn how the body moves, feels... and all its other senses. All the while in the peak of battle." She could feel Tiamat shake her head. "You're a human, right?"

"...Pff, what sort of question is that, of course I am." She answered confusedly. "To you, I'm probably just a mere human who may be more lethal than most but still a human in the end when compared and faced with a dragon." She said with a chuckle. She thought Tiamat was joking. It was only then that Tiamat started to reveal bits and pieces of the world. "Just wait until you see it. What a human can do to mighty a dragon." She said. "I created the humans and dragons just the way I imagined them to be, which they are now. Of course, put a dragon against a human and they will tear that poor human into shreds. But a group of humans against a lone dragon, that's another story."

"Just think. A large mass of humans trained to hunt dragons for important resources like medicine among other things. Watching my creations fight among themselves to death. In the end, the humans changed the dragons' way of life. They used to hunt freely. Now they cannot. Perhaps it's the shared greed among humans that caused it. Perhaps it's an instinct to preserve and increase the existence of the human race." "...You didn't help the dragons?" "...Surely, you don't harbor any thoughts that I am similar to the tyrant?" That line gave Rohen some thought. "Hm, I think I get it. If you show either side any favor, you'll easily be hated by the other. In order to be fair, you'd let them settle the issue themselves." Tiamat didn't say a word but Rohen felt like she was on the right track. Even though it did leave her in bitter taste. "However, the odds were stacked in the favor of humans and the dragons suffered for it..."

"They hated you for it."

A groan can be heard from the resting mercenary who had drifted off into a nap as she was being transported to the next battlefield on Aaxir's back. His healing abilities worked wonders for her which combined with the feeling of riding on something in motion, caused her to rest too comfortably. But as they were approaching a stop, she awoke and her body began getting off out of instinct. Still in a lazy daze, she heard Aaxir's stern direction for no one to get in his way but vaguely remembering his stern address back in the previous battlefield. She wasn't sure, but it seemed that she'll need to play a big part in this next fight. Especially, the one involving the dragon Golroth. "...It seems I must call upon the Primordial One. It's only been the second time but... I will still never get used to it." She said to herself as she watched the dragons fly high into the sky into aerial combat. That... memory she recalled during her nap reminded her that once she joins, it will be very dangerous for her especially. She'll end up as Golroth's main target.

"He'll hate you for this." Tiamat warned almost like turning Rohen's words against her after so long since she stated it to her patron. "I know. But it won't change a thing." She said before taking off her cloak and sat in the snow, entering a brief state of meditation. This meditation is not a required part for what she will do next but it will help her stay more calmer. She remembered the first time she used this form. It turned into a feral being that rampaged mercilessly through a legion. Doing so burned her out quicker and caused her to strain her limits. This time, she must do it right. She must calculate accordingly. If not, she might end up doing something she'll regret. She took in slow breaths. Inhale, and exhale. Inhale, and exhale. Taking one more breath, the words flowed from the universe.

"Chāoyuè ròushēn, ràng yuán chū tūnshì shēnyuān."

An incantation which sounded throughout the nation almost to announce the coming of a great being. A tone which sounded a soothing calm yet it held authority. A trance-like state Rohen has entered as water formed all around her and engulfed her, condensing upon its form until her figure faded into the dark and deep waters. As it condensed, it grew exponentially. As it grew and condensed, dark and hardened scales would form to coat this large body of water. The water that took shape of many things at the mercenary's call shapes itself into a being primordial. Its large mass effortlessly reaching high into the open sky and its vessel fully sculpted. A shiver erupting from the base of its head as if to wave off its stiffness. The eyes open emitting a fluorescent light and its parting mouth baring its sharp and plentiful teeth. A reverberating bellowing sounded from deep within its core as it came into a being of completion. As the host used its new eyes to see the world. To see the battlefield in which it was born into. To see its enemy.

Rohen, in her divine synchronization, had transformed into a large dragon. Its sheer massive size, she could destroy whole mountains and create tsunamis. Tiamat called it: The Primordial One.

She let out yet another bellowing which took in its first breath of life before sounding off a roar that would echo throughout Jorvik. A roar to make her rebirth known to the world. A roar which called upon a series of large water spears, forming and condensing ready to seek for its new home in the body and flesh of one such dragon: Golroth.

 

[Bloody_Death]

KAI NAKAYAMA

With everyone healed and a bit more refreshed, the last half of this battle could start for real. This time, he was more weary of what may or may not be behind him. He did not need another Morgana stabbing him in the back. Especially when it seemed like she'd be coming back soon. Baba had fallen...but she didn't seem to be injured. He wasn't sure what happened but he couldn't get to her. Not right now. Morgana seemed far more interested in him and Nel. So his focus shifted to Hargred! Golroth really messed him up...that was like the equivalent of a grown man beating up a little kid...though could Hargred be considered a child? He sure acts like one in the garden. Children soldiers are scary.

His next wave of healing was sent over to Haggy. Healing up the young dragon of his burn wounds while sighing in relief. "Thanks for the save, Hargred. Really. I knew Morgana had a lot of summons...but a dragon like that? How did she even manage that? He would have stomped us like little bugs if you weren't there." He spoke. Thankfully Hagred was just one person so he was able to get him nice and fixed fairly quickly. "There we go. Feeling better now?" He asked softly before glancing up at the battle in the sky...wait...there were two more dragons up there now. "Aaxir and...I don't recognize that other dragon." But it looked like it was helping them. So it couldn't be bad. "Wait...if Aaxir is up there." Then the others must be back too! He quickly glanced around and sure enough, the other heroes were making their way over here as well. Okay great! Things were looking up. No one seemed dead either! Though...they also weren't well. And he had to keep Khatiy and Hargred from seeing each other. They did not need any more drama on the field right now.

"Okay. You should be good to go. I'm gonna help the others. You're free to do whatever. I don't think anyone will blame you if you want to retreat. Ah, but I can't bring you back till the garden till we're done." Hargred wasn't obligated to help them in the first place. He already did more than enough. "But do stay alive. Me and Wanga will be very sad if you die!" And that was that. He pulled a mana potion out of his pocket to drink. Just to make sure he had a bit more extra mana just in case...but he only had one. And noticed that Fel's happy friend didn't seem quite as happy. A lot more exhausted. Guess that means he had to share. "Welcome back. I'm guessing you all being here means that giant knight is gone." He spoke to his arriving comrades. "Morgana is kinda busy with Nel. And Ragnir is busy with one of the demon knights." He explained before nodding. "Alright." No more chit-chat. "Take this Carmen. You look far more exhausted than me." He handed the man the mana potion before pulling out his fan.

He could always get some extra mana from a full sync anyway. Even if it comes at the cost of draining his mana faster just to stay in form. "One second. I need to sync really quick-"

"Oh! Did someone say divine sync?!" Before Kai could even protest a certain Wanga appeared. By the Gods. Was he really going to make him do the whole sing and dance with him?!

"Wanga we don't really have time for all this." He complained. Only getting a shaking finger in response from the patron god.

"It'll only take forever if you keep complaining. It's literally only a few seconds! We have to raise morale to keep going strong." Wanga encouraged. Pulling out a little makeshift hand fan he had made. Kai sighed. Not bothering to argue so they didn't waste any more time. Plus he rarely did a full sync. No wonder Wanga wanted to insist on this. Even if the timing is very bad.

"When doubt and sadness plague the mind!" Wanga swooped his fan down and to the left.

"When misfortune and sadness have you confined." Kai swiped up and to the right.

"Never fear, stop and cheer!" Big spin!

"Because Kai and Wanga are here...!" Queue the explosions and flair! Or Wanga's attempts to add his own cheers and sound effects. The rest is up to their imagination.

"Perfect wink!!" Wanga gave the most over-the-top wink while Kai reluctantly mimicked the motion. This line only existed because Wanga wanted something to rhyme with sync.

"Divine Sync..." Kai sighed out, flicking his fan closed with a satisfied snap as Wanga vanished. Making it seem like they might have merged. The normal glitter and pizzazz happen as a nice blue glowing light surrounds Kai as he transforms. You know the drill for the magical girl transformations.

Kai looked absolutely mortified to have to do this in front of his comrades. He usually tried to sync in private for this very reason. But the deed was done. He didn't even say a word. Just an embarrassed mumble as he healed his comrades as promised. Those who only had minor wounds would be healed almost instantly. Those who had injuries more severe and not fully healed from Aaxir's magic took a bit longer. But he was able to get everyone back up in no time. Feeling much more comfortable expending some more mana thanks to all the reserves of mana he has from his sync. Though he'll still try to be careful.

"Um so...I'm going to try and help Mister Ragnir. Try and be careful. Nel seemed pretty mad at Morgana right now. And Morgana is well...herself." He spun a finger by his head, signaling that she was coo-coo crazy. "Holler out if anyone needs anything. And I'll be over in two flaps of a wing." He motioned to the two black wings on his back with a small chuckle. "We'll still make it! A summon that big has to drain mana like crazy right? Not to mention all the other summons she has running around. Maybe we'll just have to stall. Or try and focus on Morgana to tire her out faster?" Cause he really didn't think they could beat that giant dragon. Not with everything else that's happening here.

"Help would be nice. But if you need to rest a bit more that's okay too." With that, he gave a nod to the group before setting off toward Ragnir. Making sure to watch his back. He did not need to be slowing anyone down or getting stabbed in the back again. It's been a while since he's flown though. If divine syncing wasn't so...tiring and embarrassing he might have done it more often just to fly. Maybe he should just ask Aaxir to fly him again.

He made it over to Ragnir quickly. He only flew a few feet off the ground. Not high enough to catch the attention of Golroth but high enough be out of reach of most land attackers. Nevertheless, he landed behind Ragnir. "I'm here to help, mister Ragnir. The other heroes have arrived as well. I hope with all of us we'll have a slightly easier time." He explained before casting slowing water to try and slow or distract the knight to give Ragnir an easier time with the fight. Though he hoped that some of the other heroes would help with the knight.

---

Interactions: Nessi (Ragnir & Hargred) || (and all the heroes that arrived with Aaxir)

Mentions: (Basically everyone else)

 

[Worthlessplebian]

Tiberius Helvian, Longinus

Tiberius' body was numb. His limbs, down to the bone, were cold, colder than Jorvik's gelid, hollowing wind. Feeling the mana seep as though he were bleeding like a stuck pig. The swirling mass of impenetrable darkness thrummed with vast power between his fingers, and the very air around Tiberius' hands burned, alive with the white-hot potency of the twisting sphere before him. He heard himself recite the chant that Qin whispered into his ear. He felt a blood-chilling sense of detachment as he pulled his right side back, dragging the black hole after his palms. His azure eyes, ablaze with lambent energy, looked down through the sparking visor. Seeing space be devoured, even at such a minuscule scale, harrowed the gladiator. He clenched his teeth and stilled his throat so as not to release a hiss of loathing as he swung his arms forward. The black hole was sent like the bolt of a ballista. Ripping apart the filament of the world as it traveled, consuming the chill, the snow with its own frigid, dark heart. Growing with each heartbeat, it began to uproot the frost-tipped trees like insipid, dead weeds. The chaotic winds snatched at his star-filled cloak, the celestial formations juddering against the dark void, and piled snow against his ankles.

He raised his arm, shielding his eyes from the carnage, before the shadow of a vambraced arm fell within his sight. It was Polux. The dreadnought had embedded the wicked maul in the dirt beneath. Both braced, resisting the siphoning vortex. But the keening noise of their armoured boots against the rock was loud to Tiberius' ear. They were sliding still, a mound of dirt and snow slowly built up against their feet. Until a green barrier, erected with Carmen's timely incantation, arrested their movement. Without it, the ground would've surely given way then they would be hurtling towards certain doom. The howling, the shrieking were painful disturbances forcing Tiberius' jaw tight, eyes screwed shut, gritting his teeth, and leaning against Polux' breastplate.

The black hole began to collapse, the air convulsing in its final moments — a blur of debris, dirt, dust, and snow swirling into a singular, shrinking point though round about it electricity crackled and snapped from the sliding friction of particulates. A sharp, sibilant noise came then followed silence as though the world held its breath in terrible trepidation. Then the impossible stillness that had gripped the battlefield disappeared in an explosive moment. The point erupted, billowing plumes of detritus, a shower of ivory soot raining down and settling once again on the ground.

Tiberius went down on one knee, lungs aflame, bones shivering with a deep, icy-chill. He sensed Polux slightly to his side, the towering companion stood poised, and silent, a blade ready to cut out with a single muscle-twitch. The gladiator gasped, lungs struggling for precious breath. Out of the periphery, Tiberius saw that the obstructive cloud dissipated. He groaned to his feet, raising his steel helm to directly face the ruinous aftermath. The gladiator's eyes widened beneath his helm, his knuckles white, arms shaking in subdued frustration. Then Tiberius saw. For all his stoicism, all his discipline, and level-headedness, the wounded knight caught him by surprise. He released his clenched hands, dropping the wrath to the cold, hard ground. It was a strange sensation to explain, but Tiberius like all warriors, knew when the battle was truly over, when the foe before them could no longer even muster the last ounce of strength to stab at them one last time. Leaving aside the gaping cavity, the amputated limb, the minute changes in him were stark. The frailty in his stance though he stood tall, the softness in his gaze, the ghostly smile that played over his ghastly features.

When the knight raised his arm a final time, Tiberius had questioned whether his instincts were flawed, a shockingly hot, burning sensation ran over his back like the bite of scalding water splashing, but would quickly subside. He made for the knight, crease the freshly-settled sheet of snow, forcing his stiff, sagging body to heed him. The slaved knight vanished. Succumbing to the injuries, his will could no longer sustain his form. The wind spiriting the motes away. The only remains, more memento than anything else, was the knight's shattered helm, split down the visor's slit. The man bent down to pluck the helm from its snow cushion. "Farewell, warrior. Let peace find you, wherever you are." Tiberius said, watching the light pick out the cruel and grime-encrusted contours of the helm. He tied the helmet to his waist, looping a thick, leather thread through the visor slit. He turned, facing his fellow heroes, sighing heavily as they inspected the strange and power-infused stones. For a second, Tiberius pondered the the knight's intentions, why had he given them these gems? Reward? Recognition? Penance? The thoughts bit at Tiberius, moreso than the nippy wind biting at the exposed patches of skin, even as he mounted Aaxir's back. However, they would soon pass, stripped away as the rushing wind cut across Tiberius' body. The gladiator leaned over Aaxir's shoulder, seeing the blasted ruins below, his breath caught and the grip on his spatha tightened. He remained deadly silent through the trip down.


Perhaps more mortifying than the towering, winged behemoth, that now did battle with Enthyskana, Aaxir, and Hargred, of jet black scales gleaming in the muted light of day, was seeing Kai synchronise with Wanga's divinity. The healer went to work immediately, exercising his rejuvenating energies to them; mending broken skin, shattered bone, and bleeding slices. Tiberius felt refreshed from the energies washing through his body, like a running river cleansing the impurities from a humble stone. "A worthy transformation." The gladiator let a thin-lipped, warm smile part his features slightly. "If you have another mana bottle, I could use it. As well as Fel, likely." Tiberius asked, his voice raw and rasping. All in all, Tiberius agreed with Kai's observations, no one's reserves are boundless, and though they cannot directly defeat Golroth, Morgana, or the other knight pestering Ragnir now, surviving them is the key.

"Eliminating Morgana is preferred, but not necessary. Her distraction will unbalance her, either she'll misstep or be forced to retreat. I will be nearby," Tiberius began, nodding once towards the heroes, then stepping back in a damp, dark alley. His dull, azure eyes seemed to gleam briefly through his helm's visor slits in the hard shadows that lengthened as he approached. "should you need help." His figure was lost in the sudden, deep darkness of the building walls, shadows twisting and coiling until they too became pale again.

He moved gingerly, with lithe and deadly purpose, through the battlefield. A spike of boiling wrath lanced through the landscape of his mind, a falling star illuminating the obsidian mountains the flash reflecting back from the glinting surfaces of the black peaks. The calm was required, specially for the task ahead. The air was heavy with ash and filth from the battle around him, flitting about the area through the cracks of walls or the open sky itself. Hofn's beauty had been blemished and bruised.

Tiberius descended down in the niche of a building, reaching his targeted destination. He felt the smouldering rage in Nel's nauseatingly cheerful soul. Wondering whether he preferred the jovial obliviousness of the god-linked fae to this. Tiberius focused on the battle, searching for the opportunity to strike out and assist.

Interactions: Bloody_Death (Kai), OldTurtle (Fel), and the rest of the heroes.
Mentions: Nano (Enthy), Nessi (Knight, Hargred), LazyDaze (Aaxir). Keening, bird noises

 

[Nessi]

Golroth

“Typical hatchling, misinformed on her own heritage.” Golroth spat, continuing to chase down Enthy. “You are a descendant of the dragon emperor himself, the azure star. I’m sure his stories are as notorious as mine.” Golroth explained, mildly annoyed at Enthy’s lack of knowledge.

Before the lesson could continue, Golroth’s senses would fire up, and he deftly dodge the magma ball fired at him by Aaxir. With a flick of his tail, he smacked the proud dragon across the face, and snorted, opening his mouth to say something witty.

But he’d be stopped by Rohen’s transformation, the presence of Tiamat brought forth feelings that he hadn’t experienced in decades. Golroth quickly avoided the aquatic projecticles, but his eyes never left Rohen.
“When I was a younger dragon, I thought about what I’d say to you, if I ever got the chance. I could tell you of the dragons who died praying for your protection… or I could tell you of the dragon eggs that were stolen, and the subsequent children violated, and exploited for the mortals personal gain…but I realized something as I grew.” Golroth spoke, quickly flying above Rohen, and all of Hofn.
“I realized that everything that I could tell you…was things you already knew.” Golroth growled. His belly began to turn white hot, and the surrounding area’s temperature began to skyrocket.
“There will be no roars of vengeance, no cries for the fallen, none of that. I want you to watch Tiamat. I want you to know that you, the great mother, failed your creations.” Golroth commanded.

The legendary black dragon breathed in sharply, and strong winds would pull everyone towards Golroth. Then, the fire came, an ocean of flame, traveling straight towards Hofn, threatening to incinerate the entire city.

“Everyone, take cover! If you cannot find a place to hide, come to me, I will protect you!” Ragnir cried out.
Sudden spires of ice rose from the ground, and Brynhild would rejoin the group. “Everyone, get behind a spire!” She yelled out, her accent incredibly thick.

 

[OldTurtle]

Fel Petri

Interactions: Nessi (Yi Nuo) Worthlessplebian (Tiberius)

Mentions:

On the one hand, Fel's actions certainly achieved their intended effect. As his lightning coursed through the knight's undead flesh and wracked its spectral form with pain, the immense energy gathering in its blade wavered and dispersed harmlessly into the atmosphere. Raw magic thickened the air enough to weigh on the mage's lungs and the taste of ozone lay heavy on his tongue -- first the lingering traces of his own magic, then quickly growing stronger and more pronounced until Fel winced. And there was the other hand, balled in a fist and aimed sqaurely at his chin. He cursed his ten-seconds-prior self for deciding to foist off the consequences of his actions on his future self. How insufferable.

The knight bellowed like a great bison, its tall body cracking with bright lightning. It cut an imposing figure, injured though it was, and towered over the environment. Even without the full protection of its armor, Fel entertained no notions of it being more vulnerable. Out of the side of his eye, he sensed another shift in mana.

Tiberius, opposite to him on the knight's rear, stood rigidly in the snow with his eyes closed even as the knight crashed forward into the heroes' vanguard with the heft of a rampaging elephant. For a moment, however, Fel was entirely distracted from the battle at hand, his attention keenly captivated by Qin's hero. The magic that gathered around the man was dazzling, awe-inspiring, and beyond mortal comprehension. A presence from beyond the stars descended upon the gladiator's frame, filling it with but a fragment of divine strength. Fel had grown used to the company of gods these past years. At times they had appeared almost mortal in shape, but now, witnessing Qin grace her hero with a thimbleful of her authority, he was paradoxically struck by an understanding of just how unfathomable a god could be. An involuntary pulse of fear stung at his chest before a familiar hand firmly struck it down. Ayao brushed against him comfortingly, silent but always present and always ready to steel his resolve. Fel took a deep breath and dipped into his pool of mana again. His priority was to buy time for Tiberius to complete his incantation -- anything else was secondary.

The heroes fell quickly despite their best efforts: first Rohen, then Khatiy. A series of swift wind blades did little to harry the knight's momentum, though Eleanor's clash brought it to a brief halt -- until it broke the stalemate, and the swordswoman, masterfully. Fel winced as steel rang against her reinforced skull and her body fell to the ground limply.

"Cast down from the firmament-"

Fel's face contorted, immediately recognizing the phrase -- and of course he would, it was his own magic! The absolute wastrel. How dare he! To paw at his magic with oversized rat's claws once was an affront indeed, but to do so twice? He'd seen pool scum held in greater esteem than this poor excuse for a thief. Fel bared his teeth and his staff, already dipping into his mana reserves again.

"-a golden bolt comes forth, the spear that shall pierce the very heavens itself-"

"May the earth shield me from all harm."

...No, no, this was different. And that was somehow even more of an insult. Already Fel could tell this incantation was of a different degree than his own. The mage's face burned red, equal parts embarassment and anger. His pride stung, knowing that he was being upstaged at one of his greatest strengths. Even considering the greater magics he still held in reserve, it was beyond mortifying -- an insult beyond all others. There wasn't a mage alive who wouldn't be utterly ashamed at having their own spells improved and wielded against themselves.

"-Lance of Annihilation!”

"Titan's Aegis"

A series of magic circles opened up in the sky above Fel but the mage was already in motion. He threw up an arm and the land underfoot trembled and erupted upward, a semi-circular wall of frozen earth and stone tearing through the snow to curve around his bowed head. Not a moment too late, as golden lightning streaked down and crashed into the newly-formed shield. Fel's hastily-constructed wall exploded into a thousand pieces upon contact with the bolt, the concussive force rattling his bones and sending him crumpling into the ground with a burst of pain. Heavy chunks of stone shrapnel rained down on his body and the area around him, but when the cloud of dust cleared, the collapsed elf remained in one piece, albeit not unharmed.

Fel stirred from his position, hissing as the movement send a fresh wave of pain through his body. Blood dripped from a shallow cut above his left eye and a few unprotected patches of dark skin bruised darker from fallen stone, but the worst of the wounds lay across his left arm: a nasty black scorch mark running along the length of his forearm. Frankly, he counted himself lucky. He had enough experience with lightning magic to know his shield had absorbed most of the potential damage and he'd gotten off lightly. Under different circumstances, it would not have been unlikely for him to lose more than a single arm in exchange for his life.

But finally, as Tiberius completed his incantation, the knight fell. Hidden behind the green glow of Carmen's barriers, Fel remained safe from the gaping maw of darkness suspended in the air. All around him, chunks of the environment were torn free from the earth and swallowed up. Even the knight's body was no exception. Metal twisted and snapped, ghostly flesh and bones pulling apart viscerally for a moment before a cloud of rubble obstructed the view. When the blackhole finally dissipated, the landscape was in ruins and the knight had been torn to shreds -- but remained standing. It stood testament to its inhuman strength that Tiberius's attack, which at such close range would've decimated almost any other being the mage could think of, had not instantly obliterated it.

Fel knelt and clambered to his feet, gingerly cradling his injured arm. A sudden burning brand across his back interrupted the movement and he grunted, falling back to a knee with a pained hiss. The heat subsided quickly, leaving only the spectre of the sensation to remain.

What-? He swiftly reached back with his good arm, pressing and prodding the skin of his back to find it unmarred. The smooth flesh showed no signs of injury and belied no clues as to the source of the burn, but Fel doubted it was merely imagined. Still, there were more immediate concerns to tend to, such as his arm and the situation back in Hofn. If Morgana had seen to acquire a summon so singularly powerful, he could only imagine what else she'd brought with her. It was at times like this he missed Arlux's strength the most.

Leaning heavily against his staff, Fel limped through the snow. Near the sight of the knight's final disappearance -- good riddance -- there glittered a few small trinkets in the snow. He leaned down and retrieved them. Four small gemstones, of the highest quality. Fel raised them against sun and examined their faceted surfaces. He could sense a strong magic within the stones, concentrated within their bounds in a way that almost resembled spirit gems. Skill gems, he determined, a uniquely powerful tool he'd only ever seen a few of over the years. Between these four and the one previously recovered from Parzival's corpse, they were suddenly becoming much more frequent. The mage wasn't sure if he quite liked that. For what reason had the knight, an opponent who'd nearly devastated their numbers under Morgana's thrall, decided to grace them with these? What motive coult he possibly have had for gifting his master's enemies something so valuable? Were they a trap? Certainly the stones didn't feel apparently malicious but Fel was hardly the most skilled at interpreting their contents. He'd need a bit of time to properly examine and decipher them, time the heroes didn't have at the moment. His concerns weighed heavily on his exhausted shoulders, but no matter how intensely Fel glared into the depths of the stones, they offered no answer. With a sigh, he pocketed the gemstones, slipping them into the depths of his feathered cloak, and tramped back to the others.

There, Aaxir knelt close to the ground in all his red, scaly majesty, somehow managing to keep that look of conceit recognizable on his draconic features. Fel clambered onto his back after helping a woozy, bloodstained, and frankly much-too-overburdened Carmen up first. A murmured spell soothed his burn with a protective layer of water and then they were off, soaring through the pale Jorvik skies. Keeping his staff tucked under his elbow, the elf clutched tightly to a tall spine as they cut through the air. This was not his preferred method of flight, he decided, leaning in close to keep the wind from snatching at his hair and clothes. Too many sudden motions, too little protection from the elements. Aaxir's haste, however, was much to be admired and the heroes quickly descended on Hofn.

Slipping off the red dragon's back onto the rubble-strewn streets of Jorvik's capital, Fel took a moment to assess the scene. What he saw was horrifying. Ignoring the massive black dragon toying with their own pair of lizards and Morgana doing Morgana things, the sight of Kai and his god's strange divine sync procedure brought about a visceral sense of revulsion in Fel. He contemplated tearing out his eyes or turning around and leaving, then settled for finding someone to wipe his memories after the battle.

The familiar rush of Kai's healing soothed Fel's wounds, washing away the stretch of burned flesh stretching across his forearm as if it had never existed to begin with. He flexed the limb, relishing in the lack of pain or discomfort. Taking up his staff, Fel waved off Tiberius's concerns.

"No, there's no need for that just yet," he said, reaching into his cloak again and withdrawing a slender vial of the blue liquid. "Use this one for yourself. I have more than enough mana remaining to see this day through." Fel paused, shading his eyes with a hand as he looked up at the sky. "But not enough to tangle with that one in the air. Keep your guards up so some nasty little vermin doesn't sink its teeth into your ankles. Call out if anyone needs assistance and I can provide support from elsewhere."

His part said, Fel burst into a cloud of crows, splitting apart into dozens of small birds that quickly swept across the battlefield. The little birds moved almost independently, ducking under arrows and around rubble to converge and reform behind the remains of a collapsed building. Fel shivered as he came back together. Even after all his practice, Parzival's cloak still felt so alien to use and left his slightly nauseated. Shaking off the sensation, he knelt down beside his target.

"Yi Nuo," he murmured, pressing his fingers to her neck. The faint, rhythmic pulse and rise-and-fall of her chest proved she still lived, but her condition was poor. Fel had never seen the moon elf -- the oldest and wisest of them, always the mentor, always the protector -- so completely beaten before. At any rate, he needed to get her to safety.

Then there was a sudden shift in the air, a change in the winds Fel sensed keenly. He could taste the energy in the air.

“Everyone, take cover!" Ragnir's booming voice echoed. "If you cannot find a place to hide, come to me, I will protect you!”

Fel looked up, seeing the black dragon above swell with the bright heat of fire, and cursed. No time to move her now. "May the earth shield me from all harm, Titan's Aegis." A thick layer of stone, much more fortified than his previous, rushed attempt, curled up and around the two elves, closing them in darkness.

Not enough. "The spirits of fire bless us this day, grant me the strength to tend to the flames. The Hearth-Keeper's Appeal." A pale blue film settled around the enclosed stone sphere, flickering brightly in the darkness. Fel layered more mana into both the spells, fed them as much as he could manage. He forced the two elemental barriers to mesh more closely, fusing them into a single conglomerate. Maintaining the combination sapped at his newly-rejuvenated strength already, but he doubled down, intent on weathering the next onslaught.

 

[Nano]

Enthyskana Rhoda

Interactions: --

Mentions: --

“The Dragon Emperor? I thought you hated fairy tales.”

Enthy’s brother fixed a disdainful, half-lidded stare upon the crooked form of the little girl who’d haphazardly balanced herself into a sideways bend to peer at the cover of the beat up book in his hands. Faded, embossed letters curled across worn leather, and the stitches constituting its binding had become partially undone. Though she’d referred to the text as a fairy tale, the appearance of the book was reminiscent of the various second-hand travel logs and personal research journals their adoptive father liked to collect from pawn shops.

While Enthy’s left leg quivered in an attempt to hold her position as she continued to contemplate her brother’s choice in literature, Lyle pulled a thin red ribbon between the pages of the book and shut it closed with a sharp clap. Before she could inquire further about his actions, the young girl felt the spine of a book press into her forehead and shove her backwards. Ignoring the crime of having been sent toppling onto her side, she waited patiently as the clear voice of her sibling finally graced her with an explanation.

“The Azure Star, Ranzark. The stories mother used to tell don't seem to match up with what I’ve read in passing, so I’ve been doing some research,”

Lyle said vaguely, flapping the journal dismissively as if he didn’t expect his sibling to understand even if he bothered to elaborate on the matter. Her pensive expression as she spread herself out on the carpet warmed by the crackling fireplace served to prove his assumption right.

“Um, the dragon who our grandfather was named after,”

Enthy finally managed to spit out after an eternity of racking her brain for that singular crumb of information she knew about the current subject. Given their parents’ peculiar shyness towards mentioning information about their race, stories about the prominent figures among Dragons were sparse throughout their life in the mountains. However, the manner in which she sheepishly looked away from her brother’s look of scrutiny made it evident that she recognized that her lack of knowledge was further complicated by her past tendency to forget any tales and legends she was told if they were unrelated to Rhoda and Wallace.

“The dragon fabled to be so powerful that a mere breath is enough to reduce a human to bone ash,”

Lyle corrected. If he saw Enthy wince at the grim imagery, he pretended not to notice.

“If a dragon didn’t fear him, they respected him. Some took his word as law, while others were suppressed and forced to conform to his vision of order. He’s the driving force behind why so many of our kin chose to retreat to underground dens.”

“Legends state he’s still alive out there, sleeping while safeguarding his kin. A lot of texts point to him slumbering somewhere in Kalmar, and some even claim that the entrance to his lair is somewhere near Arden. If mother’s words are anything to go by, I think he’s located somewhere far away from here, though.”

Enthy curled her fingers around her toes as she rocked back-and-forth and hummed. Did her brother wish to find Ranzark? Even if he did manage to meet him, he seemed like someone far too important to casually stroll up to. Furthermore-

“I’m not sure I’d want to meet him. He sounds scary,”

Enthy said.

“Mother said she left the den she was born in because she had a disagreement with our grandfather, but are you sure she didn’t leave because she felt the Emperor’s rules were too stuffy and used grandpa as a scapegoat? She hardly ever mentioned the Emperor, so it doesn’t seem like she respected him all that much.”

Her words seemed to have shocked her brother into speechlessness. Then, helplessness.

He slumped forward and pressed the book he was still holding into his face.

“Just don’t think about it. It’s better for both you and me that way. Anyway, I don’t want to meet him. There’s something of his I want, but I don’t have enough information to replicate it.”

Enthy never understood the subcontext behind their conversation that day, nor did she understand the strange spell Lyle used to raze Arden down to the ground. Their parents had never taught them such magic, and no other dragons had been present in their lives to guide her older brother into developing that technique.

As Golroth berated her for her ignorance, something seemed to click into place.

However, she didn’t wish to pursue that thought.

While Golroth began his tirade against Tiamat, Enthy chose to question her own god, albeit with far less venom and vitriol.

“Did you see this information as unimportant? Not worth mentioning?”

Enthy asked Veritas, though the god remained silent in the face of her caustic tone. He played at being preoccupied, not even bothering to warn his champion when the sudden shift in temperature tickled her scales.

Without another word, the dragon spiraled down into a sharp dive before tucking herself behind the spires of ice created by the King of Jorvik. She positioned herself at the forefront of the group, still covered by the spires but standing tall as a secondary defensive wall in front of King Brynjolf and those who’d gathered near. The ideal result would be that his magic reinforced by the rubble around them would protect them from the incoming blast, yet the dragon would rather have herself soak up whatever penetrated through the wall compared to the other heroes who weren’t nearly as fire resistant.

Enthy had no doubt that her spells would do little more than bounce harmlessly off of Golroth’s scales if they even hit at all. It wasn’t guaranteed that the use of his spell which left Hofn awash with flames would leave him winded and vulnerable for a brief moment, but their best chance to strike was nonetheless after they weathered this firestorm, and the less injured the others were, the better.

 

[LazyDaze]

AAXIR THE RED

Interactions:
Mentions: CasualTea Nano Nessi

"I AM AAXIR THE RED! I AM THE DRAGON THAT WILL LEAD OUR PEOPLE INTO THE NEW ERA! YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A RELIC!"

*Moments earlier*

Aaxir could feel the cracks in his armor forming as he was immediately sent barreling toward the ground with a mere flick of the mighty dragon's tail. No, this was not enough to physically incapacitated him, but with every recent failure Aaxir's pride and belief in himself showed a weakness that had not been there in quite some time. Perhaps, unbeknownst to him, it had been chipping away ever since he met Arlux; however, it was always easier to fall back on the belief of his birth rights and natural advantages over other species. However, now he stood on equal footing, the only difference between them being their strength, Hargred, Golroth, and even Enthy as it seemed that Golroth was having some sort of conversation with her earlier maybe they-

Aaxir, snickered to stop his thoughts, spreading his wings and flapped mightily to stop his momentum. He landed safely on the ground, just in time to witness Rohen's Divine Sync form. “Tiamat..,” Aaxir said. If you listened carefully you might have even heard him growl. The original dragon...the one Aaxir decided he would supplant. It was ironic that he technically would be fighting alongside Tiamat while it was Golroth who he believed understood their plight. In another world, it would be Aaxir and Golroth against the primordial Dragon. Nevertheless, he watched as they all took their place in the heavens and a strange sensation took hold of him…Aaxir felt as if he didn't belong there. When was it last, since Aaxir doubted himself. His vision?

Hey guys don't look now, it's Aaxir the crier

Kind of a runt isn't he? Are you sure he's yours?

Aaxir the coward..

Is he even a real dragon? Not much of a fighter is he?​

Aaxir stood frozen watching Tiamat, Golroth, and Enthy dance among the skies. He searched for the usual words that would beckon his legs to move, the prideful, borderline insane, boasts that would usually propel him against his fears.

"Golroth huh? I bet he wasn't afraid of anything! Do you think he could have beaten Tiamat? I bet the demon king would think twice about crossing him!"

He wanted to be like him, Golroth. Unafraid, and unapologetically strong. He was not the demon king, nor a hero of renown touched by the hands of gods. Yet, he was an immovable force that would strike fear into all who heard his name and spark confidence in all who called him an ally. No, he didn’t always understand the myth that was Golorth, but as the years sped by Aaxir identified with his ideals more and more. If anyone could change their circumstances it would have been him, but he was just a myth…so Aaxir would become the real thing, or so he thought. Now that he had come face to face with the real thing...Aaxir was starting to believe that what he had been doing these past few years was nothing more than a facade. Mimicking something he could never truly be. Golroth wasn't the myth; Aaxir was.

Aaxir, are you talking to your reflection again? Stop talking to the lake, it’s weird!”

“I'll say it as many times until I can convince my heart! I'll-”​

Involuntary, Aaxir's muscles loosened...and his head started to sink as Golroth moved effortlessly through the attacks of his comrades before charging up for an attack that would wipe everyone and everything out. Aaxir knew he had to move...that he had to do something, but his body was chained to the earth. Someone would do something right? Someone much stronger…more capable, more worthy… "T-This is nothing, I won't die he..re," Aaxir tried to say. His body didn't believe him. Aaxir cursed himself, he had thought he had moved past this and discarded that part of him long ago. He was to follow in his footsteps and do what they could not....change this world; however, seeing Tiamat, and Golroth, Aaxir realized that maybe he really was delusional, riding a high of having borrowed the power of a real goddess. For the first time in a long time, Aaxir couldn't convince himself to stand. He could not convince himself to charge into death…to change their circumstances. There was a commotion...were they all going to die? He could hear people shouting, orders being given...temperatures rising....Aaxir closed his eyes. Closer the flames threatened to incinerate him and all that was around him

"Ew..."

Pele's voice triggered something in Aaxir, causing him to instinctively defend against the blast, creating a large wall of thick molten rock to shield him from Golroths flames much to his own surprise. He stared at the wall as if it was not his own creation, letting out cold rasps, realizing he was still apart of the land of the living.

"Who is this imposter and where is Aaxir? I am morbidly offended."

"This isn't the time Pele,” Aaxir growled.

"Like hell it isn't? You were about to permanently embarrass me? Is the world you wanted to create a world where I am the laughing stock of historians and deities for the rest of eternity? Pele and Aaxir the greatest jesters to ever live. That's what they would say!...... Aaxir...hun, be a better a dragon before I find a new one."

Aaxir was understandably left speechless by the Volcanic Goddess' tirade, but it was as close to a slap in the face as you could get without actually getting hit with a physical blow. He laughed..."You could probably find one," Aaxir said sincerely before releasing a long winded sigh.

"OhbythegraceofPele, it's utterly disgusting...depressed is not a good look on you at all. FINE I'm leaving...............................................YOU INSUFFERABLE HANDSOME INGRATE are you just going to let me leave? Do YOU not CAAAAAaaaRRREEEE about me at all!? Are you not even a tiny tinsy weensy bit jealous, furious,....ClIngy? Chase after me you chiseled bafoon!"

Aaxir couldn't help but shoot a glance as if to say that her leaving wouldn't be a bad tradeoff. Addition by subtraction, or so the saying goes. "Pele....I'm."

"Ugh.....I know very well who you are. You're the dragon who will ascend mortality right? His limits.....and yes, even his fears. You made a ridiculous promise remember? Soooooooo ridiculous that it even had me, the greatest goddess of the entire pantheon, the main character of all historic texts, intrigued."

That was true...Aaxir couldn't help but smirk as his joints find the strength to move once more. It was never a question. It was a statement, a promise before Tutu Pele had appeared before him. He must have said it over a thousand times while gazing upon his reflection in the lake until the moment arrived when he believed it. "I'll create a new world for them," Aaxir said with a chuckle, reminicing on how ridiculous it sounded when he first said it. For a brief moment, he was that child again, spouting off a fairy tale until he belived in the lie that he would make truth.

"NOW, SHOW OFF MY MIGHTY GIFTS SO THE WORLD MAY TREMBLE AT MY...AHem...our♡, unshakable strength!"

Aaxir had to finally admit that for the first time in a long time...he was genuinely afraid. He accepted it, no longer fighting the reality of it. Maybe he didn't belong here. Maybe he wasn't worth the ink it would take to write history...yet, but he would be. Life was actually more simple than people gave it credit for. If you wanted to have something, you just take it. If you want to be something, you just do it. If you couldn't, that just meant that you weren't strong enough to realize your ideals. Yes, there was a time where his fears would chase him to the ends of the earth grasping at the swiftness of his feet, or the wind beneath his wings; however, today he bares his fangs, prepared for a battle with death. It was because he was afraid that he had to stand. It was because he was afraid that he could not run...if they saw him running, or giving up, what would the rest of them think. He had to make up for that shameful display. It was because it was Golorth. Aaxir looked around...he could not find the rest and Rohen was too far away for him to give a signal; however, it seemed like most of the others were able to shield thmselves from the attack; nevertheless, buildings and the majestic stones that held the city of Jorvik were easily incinerated, even Aaxir's wall was beginning to crumble underneath the intense force and heat behind the attack; however, such an attack would be hard on anyone...even the mighty Golroth. Aaxir bet on himself...and the others. There would be a moment to gain the upperhand, but they could not waste it. Aaxir was shaking, but he smiled, his eyes focused on the sky.

"Pele you're right. I've crossed blades with Arlux and warred against the Crimson King. I will not fear my own," Aaxir said as sparks of electricity sparked violently around him. Just as he felt the increase in temperature just before the deadly wave of blinding flames, Aaxir suddenly felt the tiniest decrease in force and decided now was the time to make his move. The first thing he needed to do was draw his attention, at the very least, his flames would not consume the mighty wrath of Pele. The lightning that would strike from the very ash of her might. Aaxir would send a few bolts of lightning towards the heavens, hoping to strike Golroth; in reality, it was a signal. The odd methodical thunderclap of his evenly placed strikes communicated the timing...Aaxir would not be able to turn the tide on his own, but at the very least he could avert his gaze before allowing him a moments rest. Aaxir raised his wings as his legs trembled. The familiar green lights flickered around his body. It was odd, he had always hated his innate dragon magic, but it has proven more than useful thus far. No, this was probably not the smartest thing to do, but Aaxir had to do this for himself, or else he would never stop shaking, doubting...he had to walk through his fears, Golroth.

"I AM AAXIR THE RED! I AM THE DRAGON THAT WILL LEAD OUR PEOPLE INTO THE NEW ERA! YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A RELIC!!"

Aaxir broke through his defensive wall and entered Golroth's hell. Even englufed in his own healing flames, Golroth's blaze seared his scales and burned him faster than he could heal and for every inch he covered, the flames grew more intense. Aaxir couldn't believe that it was possible for someone to get this strong without a patron deity, but it was too late to turn back. Like a green comet, Aaxir flew even faster, the adrenaline taking over. He healed his injuries, staving off death for as long as he could. He gritted his teeth through his forced smile and dared death to take him. Where was everyone? Were they safe? It was getting hotter, but Aaxir knew he could hang on a little longer. He roared, hoping anyone that could hear him would understand they weren't finished yet. Someone, anyone...now was the time.

 

[CasualTea]

Rohen Xiong

CS Link

STATUS:

Divine Synchronization

LOCATION & TIME:

Jorvik Warzone (Day?)

Soundtrack:

Sound of the End

"The Primordial Waters"

Rohen, in her divine synchronization, never had a chance to practice with her form as this was only the second time she's used it. However, she can definitely sense the boost in her spells which is the only thing she can use against something like Golroth. Alas, he dodged her aquatic projectiles. She mustn't immediately send out a barrage and is in a need to test him out. Recognize his movements and attacks. But all she could think about was his hatred for Tiamat. It was eye opening. The things that he saw, the things that he loathed her for. It was no wonder the dragon race would be in such disfavor of Tiamat, let alone hate her. But there's just one thing in his needless ranting.

It was pointless.

"It's honestly cute to see you talk as if she'd actually be here to listen." She taunted. "You do not face her in the here and now. All you have, is me: A fucking human in her twenties in an artificial body that dates way back than you were born."

She would've continued to taunt him even more to draw his attention in order for him to focus on only her as the real dragons formulated ways to take him down, but she sensed the rising temperatures and the distant shouting of Ragnir. This attack felt like a massive area of effect attack. A deadly one at that without protection. She got right to work to coating herself with more than enough water to protect herself from the assumption of incoming flames. "Shuǐ cúnzài yú rén tǐnèi." She incanted. A thick layer of water had coated her whole body, even having the surplus of making an additional layer of scales to take the initial brunt of the attack. Her body being up-armored began locking up her armor to withstand the attack. As the blaze hit her, she could feel that her armor sizzled and evaporated away, but she continued to maintain it adding more water as the attack went on.

"For you will never know her reasons, I won't ever too!" She yelled. "But I'll give you a glimpse of what I've figured out for myself."

"Her job was to create, not to cradle. She's done her job and created the universe. Showing divine intervention between the two races would inevitably make either side hate her anyway. She created all things living in the world, we are but a small grain of sand in the vastness of what she created!" Upon sensing the attack slowly come to an end, she began to transfer the water from her inner layers of her armor coating towards her mouth. She was charging up an attack which can only be described as a water beam cannon. She doesn't exactly know how powerful it is, but she knows she's using a lot of water in this attack while also packing a lot of velocity behind it. "Any divine being who would settle any and all disputes in the world... Would share no less difference as to a tyrant!!" She exclaimed as she accumulated more water towards her mouth to build up her attack for the water beam cannon she will shoot at Golroth who would be high in the sky. As she was drawing water from her inner layers of her coating, the amount of water was a massive proportion to her large body. She was sure it'll pack a hard punch when she will inevitably release.

 

[Nessi]

Eleanor

“You’re awfully weak, brat.”

Eleanor opened her eyes, and looked around. She was in a desert, but the sand was black, as was the sun that was high in the sky.
“Who said that…where am I!?” Eleanor asked, frantically searching for some sort of landmark.
“Does it matter where ‘here’ is?” the voice spoke again.
Eleanor wasn’t fully conscious before, but now she could fully tell that the voice speaking to her did not belong to Paimon. “You aren’t Paimon, what’s going on here!” she shouted.

The ominous voice let out a cruel, almost mocking laugh, similar to the way Morgana laughed. “You truly know nothing, Eleanor.” the voice giggled. “Fret not, child. I won’t be harming you, afterall, I need you to be in tip top shape for the future.” The voice said ominously.

Golden patterns began to appear in the sky, forming into the same pattern that Eleanor saw in Paimon’s eyes.
“Looks like our time is up. We’ll see each other again soon.” the voice spoke.

~~~​

Eleanor woke up with a frost giant standing over her. Specifically, it was Brynhilde, shielding the hero from Golroth’s inferno with her ice.
“Paimon…what the hell was that?” Eleanor said in her head.
At first, she was only met with silence, but eventually, the eternal king responded with a simple question.

“Eleanor, do you trust me?”

“Of course.” Eleanor responded without hesitation. After all, with the dozens of allies Eleanor has had, the one constant that has been with her throughout the 4 years of this war has been Paimon.
“Then I beg you, forget about the experience you just had.” Paimon requested.
Eleanor nodded, despite being skeptical of what her patron god was hiding from her, she knew that right now, she had bigger fish to fry.

“Um, Brynhilde, can you explain to me what’s going on?” Eleanor asked.
Brynhilde studied Eleanor’s face, before looking out into the sea of fire. “The crazy one has summoned a black dragon. Tiamat’s chosen has fallen, and the red one is charging straight at the black dragon.” The queen of Jorvik recapped.

Eleanor wasn’t familiar with a black dragon being a part of Morgana’s armory, but it wasn’t surprising for her. Rohen falling wasn’t expected, but it didn’t worry her too much. Out of all the heroes, Eleanor considered Rohen to be one of the more resilient ones.
“Wait, what did you say about the red one?” Eleanor inquired.
“Axe something, the red dragon. He’s charging at the black dragon as we speak.” Brynhilde said casually.
“That mother fucker!” Eleanor yelled out.

As the flames died down, and Eleanor could finally properly see the sky, she instantly transformed into her divine sync form, shooting into the sky. Lo and behold, Aaxir was indeed charging straight towards Golroth, and the black dragon was charging straight towards him.
Eleanor shot towards the duo, moving as fast as she could with her golden wings.

 

[Nessi]

Golroth

Golroth could hear Rohen retort back to him, but unfortunately for the merc, they did little to actually stop him from performing his attack. As much as it sickened him to look at the fraud of a dragon, he couldn’t help but feel some respect for trying to take his attack head on.
However, the ancient dragon knew that Rohen’s attempt wouldn’t be enough to stop his attack.

At first, the water surrounding Rohen’s divine form did well to protect against the fire. But it wouldn’t take long before the water began to vaporize, and bubble, its temperature increasing rapidly. When the inner layer of water was removed, the remaining water would be vaporized in mere moments, and Rohen was exposed to the full force of the black dragon's fire. It wouldn’t be long before the mad orca would fall from the sky, severe burns coating her entire body.

Golroth shut his mouth, and promptly ended the fiery assault upon Hofn. “Ask your benevolent deity, if she thinks her choice is correct.” Golroth spat. The black dragon turned, and as he went to face what remained of Hofn, he noticed that the very tip of his tail was beginning to fade away. “It looks like the tiny human is hitting her limit, I sho-”
Aaxir’s triumphant roar broke Golroth’s focus, as he was surprised to see the young dragon he had spared earlier charging at him, covered in burns and green fire.
“You charged through my flames, and used your dragon magic to heal yourself as you flew…” Golroth uttered in disbelief. “In another world I would have spared you, brought you under my wing, to teach you so that we may one day, destroy the great mother…” Golroth spoke, flapping his wings so that he would rise higher than before. “But that’s not the case, vainglory is a dangerous trait, one that will cost you your life!” Golroth roared, opening his mouth to shoot Aaxir down once and for all.

“Oh no you don’t, ya overgrown lizard!” a voice cried out.

Eleanor slammed a golden hammer into Golroth’s head, throwing his head to the side. The black dragon quickly regained his composure, but it was too late, for Aaxir the red had closed the gap, and now he could deliver an attack of his own.

 

[Nessi]

Morgana & Ragnir

Morgana gritted her teeth as she hid behind the shield of her knight. It wasn’t the heat bothering her, but rather the mass amount of mana being drained from her as Golroth performed his massive attack.
By the time the attack ended, Morgana was on the ground, blood flowing from her eyes, mouth, and nose. A red spirit gem slipped out of her cloak, but the summoner didn’t notice at all. Instead, she rose up, and smiled at Ragnir, who was staring her down.

“Looks like your summons are fading, witch.” Ragnir stated, causing Morgana to laugh.
“Look’s like we’ve reached the finale, m’lord! I think it’s time we wrapped this up, me and you!” Morgana yelled out, pointing her dagger at Ragnir.
“On this, we agree.” Ragnir said, before charging at Morgana.

The first clash between the hand, and the king of Jorvik, caused a shockwave on the battlefield.
Morgana lept back, and ducked underneath a swing that was aimed directly at her head. She then rushed Ragnir, jabbing her dagger into his side. Upon trying to retrieve her blade however, she found that the dagger was stuck.

Ragnir grabbed Morgana by the throat, and slammed the hand into the ground thrice, before throwing her away. The king pulled the dagger from his side, and tossed it to Morgana, his piercing gaze staring directly at her. “Pick it up,” he ordered.

Morgana scrambled backward, her eyes filled with fear as she tried to escape. “FAAUUUSST!” She cried out, her voice quivering in desperation.
“You have no more cards to play here, witch.” Ragnir said calmly, kicking her dagger to her feet. “Pick your weapon up, die with honor.” he said calmly.

“Unfortunately for you Ragnir, I always have a back up plan.” Morgana giggled, her one fright filled face now grinning from ear to ear.
A massive sigil appeared in the sky and Ragnir growled as he swiftly rushed in to skewer Morgana. Before the attack could connect, a barrier would form around the hand, and Ragnir was sent flying backward.
“Everyone, seek whatever cover you can find!” Ragnir yelled out.

 

[Nano]

Faust the Stargazer

Born to unremarkable parents in an equally unremarkable backwater town, the boy who would eventually become a household name as Faust the Stargazer had a childhood that could only be described as ordinary at best. He was a recluse, preferring the company of aged parchment and wildlife to that of fellow humans. The workings of the world fascinated him, yet the vague answers to his inquiries given by the adults around him never satisfied him. While his parents viewed their son as a child too precocious for his own good, a traveling scholar was all too willing to ferry him all the way to The Isles in hopes of nurturing a budding talent.

To the dismay of the scholar, the child was an erudite thinker but a terrifyingly horrible academic. Grades were mere numbers upon paper, and he had no need for the brief bursts of fame garnered by authoring reports on ground breaking discoveries. His peers called him a fool for chasing the whats and whys without claiming ownership of his research, while his professors shook their heads at yet another bright mind who refused to do more than the bare minimum required to remain within the academy for the sake of accessing their materials.

The Stargazer’s unexpected, meteoric rise was sparked by a divine revelation from none other than El, the lightbearer and creator of the stars. No matter how people poked and prodded, the normally loose-lipped Faust refused to divulge the details regarding the incident. With whatever price he paid, whether big or small, it came with the revival of an ancient magic thought long lost to time: cosmic magic.

Then, after a half decade of fascinating the world with his unique magical talent and ability to weave all manners of spells together as easily as he breathed, he disappeared without a trace. No one, not even his roommate back in The Isles, knew where he went. Had he perished in a random corner of the world, or had he simply gotten sick of all the eyes on him and cloistered himself in a well-hidden abode?

Hints of his whereabouts first appeared during the beginnings of the war sparked by the Emperor of Olrodia. Eerily familiar spells followed the death march of Tiryan’s otherworldly army, yet those familiar with Faust dismissed the rumors, incapable of believing that he would use his magic to harm others given that he’d refused to do so before. The nigh irrefutable evidence of his signature spells was countered only by the fact that witnesses never spotted hide or hair of the mysterious mage throughout the war. No one knew who this mage raining devastation upon vulnerable towns and cities was, therefore the possibility that the mage was not Faust existed, slim as it may be.

Popular theories claimed that the mage utilized an advanced form of anti-detection magic that not even the most talented of spellcasters could crack, yet the truth was the man in question seldom left the heart of Olrodia’s capital. Or his room, for that matter.

For a sizable den whose resident left for no longer than a cumulative half hour each day, the space would be considered inhabitable by most. The air was stale, and thick layers of dust coated many of the furnishings in the room, threatening to choke anyone who dared to displace it by breathing a little too hard. Despite the large space allotted to the room, it felt incredibly cramped with massive towers of books haphazardly stacked around the room. The tallest reached the ceiling, swaying dangerously yet magically remaining in one disorganized stack regardless of the apparent lack of balance. Any space not taken up by books was full of scattered papers on miscellaneous topics, with the ones pasted upon the walls appearing particularly faded.

The cleanest corner of the room contained a window and a singular work desk, yet crumbs of food and empty bottles littered the floors around them while the window sill held up several cups with cultures of mold dancing along the surface of stale water. The desk struggled against the weight of the various relics and apparatuses placed upon the humble wooden structure. Even the owner of the room had clearly given up on using the desk for his experiments and utilized it as a makeshift shelving unit, given that the instruments with less wear and dust-free books were set down on an empty albeit singed floor space not too far away.

A lump of blue cloth which appeared to radiate cleanliness as a result of its pristine condition compared to the shoddy state of the room steadily rose and fell, accompanied by a muffled sound of snoring. The sleeping man woke with a start when a small sphere placed by his head shined brightly and began ringing incessantly. Though he considered ignoring it, his brain barely managed to pull itself away from the embrace of sleep and recall that he’d set the crystal to react to Morgana’s signal.

Right, he had a deal to fulfill.

(Why had he agreed, again?)

Pulling his hat off of his face and wiping away the drool caked upon his cheek, Faust languidly blinked as he took in his surroundings. When his eyes landed on the book he’d been reading before falling asleep, his sleepy gaze quickly morphed into a scowl.

The left-hand pages were sticky and stained with a blue liquid. Given the almost empty mana potion bottle rolling around nearby, it wasn’t difficult to put together that he’d accidentally knocked the makeshift late-night energy drink over in his sleep. Whatever. The topics in the book had been boring enough that he’d dozed off while skimming its pages anyway.

Rolling onto his back once again, the mage closed his eyes and began chanting a spell in a hushed voice.

“The stars bear witness to all that are touched by their light…”

He trailed off, lips trembling as he attempted to stifle an incoming yawn.

“Mmh… Somethingsomethinggrantmevision.”

A bird’s-eye view of Hofn appeared in Faust’s mind, and as he flicked his “gaze” through the city in search of Morgana, he sighed. With this amount of damage done to the city…

“I still don’t see why she needs my help- oh, that DOES look bad.”

Upon opening his eyes, Faust patted his hand across the floor to his left until it hit a rod-shaped object. Gripping the staff, he used it to hoist himself into a sitting position and knocked the tip upon the floor before him thrice.

“As ordained by the celestial sovereign, day eclipses into night, revealing his divine blessings to the mortal plane. The blazing dewdrops of the darkened sky illuminate the enigmas hidden within the shroud of the night. Once again, the skies are graced by the first light granted by the heavens, obscuring the agony of the world’s genesis before the ascent of the evening star. Thus, I beseech: relive this memory, and may these celestial bodies fall. Cataclysmic Revelation!”

Though Faust’s words disappeared into the silence of his room, the air within Hofn seemingly shook as a large sigil appeared in the skies above the city. Balls of earth and fire emerged from the glowing circle and began their gradual descent towards the heroes. However, within seconds, the subsequent meteors that appeared from the magic circle grew larger in size and hurtled down upon the city with increasing speed.

In the midst of the chaos, a visibly thick barrier formed around Morgana, courtesy of Faust who had the foresight to provide an extra layer of protection to his winded ally. He couldn’t have her fall here, not when she was holding his reward hostage.

 

[Nano]

Ballad of the Goddess

Carmen Brio

Fire, Lightning, and Earth. The Knight wasn’t the only individual present capable of adapting to incoming spells, and had Carmen possessed the extra energy, he would have praised Fel’s brilliance as a spellcaster. As one of The Isles’s best and finest, the sun elf’s magic was as potent as his tongue was sharp, far eclipsing that of both his peers and even those wisened with longer years of experience. Few and far between held the honor of being considered a friend, or rather a person the sun elf would miss should their spirits depart from Veita’s mortal plane.

Carmen Brio was one such person who possessed that privilege. At least, he prided himself in the fact that as much as Fel spat upon his displays of affection, he was never truly rejected. Yet the strain of his Symphony Magic wasn’t the sole reason behind why the fingers gripping his conductor’s baton were twitching intermittently. Pride in his friend’s achievement colored his ashen visage with liveliness in spite of his evident exhaustion, but the tips of his fingers dug into the wood of his baton slightly too hard as he tried his best to ignore a familiar feeling that threatened to crawl into his headspace.

He ignored it all—the brief flash of jealousy, and the faint memory of the feeling of crumpled paper in his hand as he pressed his cheek against a cold desk covered in the marks of the frustration he kept away from the public eye. While telling himself to forget it again and again and desperately shunning the way his desires always fell short of his abilities, the sin of envy persistently held onto him like a parasite.

However, he swiftly hid those feelings away. He could forgive his bouts of weakness, but he would never allow them to leech the color from his music.

The brief refresher as Aaxir the Red flew the heroes back into the heart of the city didn’t cure the wear and tear resulting from the battle against The Knight, but it did enough that Carmen’s complexion no longer made him look like a ghoul. From what he observed from a distance, he knew that wouldn’t be the case for long if the current situation held up.

“That doesn’t look good,” Carmen said, lifting his baton to prepare another spell the moment he slid off the red dragon’s back. Dulcet tones of a harp strumming into the wind followed the flow of his baton, gradually beckoning the arrival of brass. “I was hoping to do this in a safer place, but it’s clear we don’t have that luxury right now.”

A low hum followed by a high-pitched whine reverberated over Carmen’s song, stemming from the massive magic circle that had appeared in the airspace behind him. First came what appeared to be a thick branch curled around a sharp point. Then, the body of a massive, wooden beast appeared as it slowly pulled itself forward with feathered fins, revealing a ship that appeared to be a cross between a living tree and cetacean.

“Sorry to put you through the wringer as soon as I called you, but we’re in a bit of a tight spot.” Carmen’s smile turned strained as he witnessed the first of Faust’s meteorites begin to descend from the giant sigil in the sky. He gestured towards the airship and shouted at the heroes, “Jump aboard and hold on tight!”

As soon as Carmen hoisted himself up onto the deck of the ship with magic, Hilda ran up from the rear with Ingrid tossed over her shoulder. Using the ship’s fins as leverage, the woman launched herself from the appendage before taking hold of one of the loose branches entwined within the borders of the ship and flipping herself aboard.

Carmen nodded once he did a quick headcount.

“Let’s go, old friend. To The Isles!”

 

[Worthlessplebian]

Tiberius Helvian, Longinus

In the closed darkness of the alleyway crack, Tiberius waited, armoured with the hard, craggy shadows that drew on him. The walls of the buildings were battered and cracked, honeycombed with holes, exposing interiors littered with debris of wood and stone. Even in the bottomless darkness, the air stung, the gladiator felt the sweat pool beneath his leather attire. He took a step back, furthering into colder shadows. The clash of metal filled the bleak passage, underlying the smouldering wind as it moaned across Hofn's scarred surface. His heel crumbled a loose stone underfoot. The floor was carpeted with battle refuse — shattered stone and splintered wood and wet gore. A feeling of disgust crept over him, causing him to grip his spatha tighter. Tiberius did not let his focus wander, he had to push them away, finding the strength to throw away the undue thoughts. He watched Nel and Morgana dance, eyes trawling for the opportunity to intervene and plunge the pitiless blade in the summoner's back. He waited. And waited. And waited.

Until a voice, as stark as a starry nightsky and yet all the more chilling, called out his name. "Tiberius." Her voice a low whisper knifed through Tiberius' focus. His breath was caught, lungs filled with scorched air, hair strands ignited then burned as he shifted his head upwards. The roaring flame screamed over the open air like the thunderous roar of an arena crowd, shaking the very buildings around him. The edges of the shadows flickered. He went down on one knee, a puddle of blood splattering up his thigh. He raised his shield reflexively, before feeling the charging footfalls of a giant behind him. Polux's dire form towered over the gladiator's kneeling body, the black metal covered Tiberius from helm to boots, the man could not tell from sight alone, but he knew that Polux stretched himself. Hearing the dark iron armour shriek, flex. He grit his teeth fiercely as the wave of flame washed over them both, first throwing monstrous shadows against the rough-hewn walls then consuming them as well. However, the fire within burned hotter than the blaze without. His anger flared again. Aware of it keenly like a cold blade against his hot temple, something that he could not stop. A spark fell into a thimbleful of black liquid, lighting ablaze a great pyre within his soul, illuminating the dark, cold depths.

Golroth's burning roar thinned then died out. Tiberius breathed instinctively. The hot and dry air, along with black smoke, flooded his lungs. He choked and gagged, spatha clattering to the ground, hand cupping his mouth and nose, eyes wide as struggled for breath. He emerged from beneath Polux' cover, the giant's limbs were locked in place. Streams of thin, white smoke trailed upwards, twisting and coiling. He lifted a hand up, stretching over Polux's back, as though to touch. His hand stopped mere inches away, the radiating heat caressed his skin, hesitated, then withdrew. A grating, whining noise came as Polux shifted his head towards him. They exchanged nods as Tiberius turned then ran down the alleyway, bounding over a burning chunk of wood. He emerged, finding Ragnir repelled by Morgana's defensive barrier, a hard thump as Ragnir's back slams into the wall of a decrepit building.

Wordlessly, Tiberius moved swiftly to strike, but was brought up short when a rune etched and spread across the very sky itself. Another Hand has deemed fit to involve himself in Jorvik's razing. Tiberius' eyes narrow upon the markings that befouled the wide sky, feeling the space shudder and quake from the potency of the energies that coursed through it. The chaos was palpable, the orderly lines that warp and weft the sigil's makeup a wax to the danger of it all. The gladiator's limbs tremble with another anger. Not one born from the fetid carcass of wrongness, but of opportunities denied. Morgana will survive another day, and that stoked the edge within him, growing a prickly, rough surface to his stone heart. He sighed, remembering what Qin had taught him, the balm to his furies. He quieted his mind as he moved, shrouding himself in the silence of his thoughts. Letting the fury, just for now, slide off his cloak. Steadying his racing pulse, slowing his rushing breathing.

Carmen had summoned a ship in the trappings of an oceanic creature, he could not see if it had eyes, but Tiberius imagined them to be gleaming with life and serene. He's heard tell of these creatures from Olrodian poetry. Great leviathans that surge from the darkest, coldest depths to the shallow waters, break through the blue film of the sea in greater plumes. Tiberius runs then leaps for the crook of a window then another, scaling a wall to the ruined roof of a building. He breathes, driving wind into his tired lungs. He looks up, the feathered fins of the airship rising and falling gracefully, passing Tiberius by. His muscles burned with ache, exhaustion and time have taken their toll. With a final breath, he sprints forward. He leapt, and with faith, he felt Polux catch him from behind. The behemoth's momentum carried them just over the airship's stern.

Reunited at last, he walked past Carmen, giving him an appreciative nod and salute, rapping a knuckle against his chest. He joined the other heroes on the deck, observing them with his azure eyes. The chainmail of his helmet clicked and clinked as Tiberius removed it. He strode down the deck passing his allies along the way, letting a dry smile play on his features. He was glad that they still survived. He stopped by Aaxir and Enthyskana. "You did well battling against Golroth, I had only wished to see the battle in its entirety, instead of the few snippets I caught." Tiberius said, his stoic voice a lighter tone. Eleanor had delivered the killing blow, but their efforts have not gone unnoticed either.

Then he found Yī Nuò. The smile faded from his features. He sat by the moon elf warrior's unconscious body, saying no more.

Interactions: Nano (Enthy), LazyDaze (Aaxir).
Mentions: Nessi (Ragnir, Avia, and Morg),

 

[LazyDaze]

AAXIR THE RED

Interactions:
Mentions: Nessi

It was like chasing after the sun. The distance between he and Golroth seemed insurmountable, yet he continued his great struggle, gritting his teeth through it all. Aaxir's emerald flames flickered violently in defiance to Golroth's blinding fury, but no matter how valiant their effort, it was clear that this was a losing battle. Every agonizing second felt like a lifetime, and with every few ticks Aaxir's flames would start to fade until the searing flame consumed even his thoughts. The next to fall were the exposed scales, unable to fend off the blast even in his Divine Synchronization. For a moment, Aaxir thought he had died when he was exposed to the sudden quiet. The blinding flames were gone. A little less than half of Aaxir's body emitted the proud flames of his innate magic while the other half was marked by Golroth, steam still emitting from him. Aaxir locked eyes with Golroth and from this distance he could have sworn he saw regret in his eyes, or perhaps pity. Aaxir could not quite make out everything he said while trying to regain some sort of orientation, many would be shocked he was still alive after withstanding such an attack. In fact, Aaxir's eyes were now so glazed over at this point as he was merely operating on pure will power and adrenaline. Like a comet entering the atmosphere he had gotten close, but not close enough. Aaxir managed to crack a weak smile, realizing he had lost as Golroth flew higher, mirroring this actions before the blast that had put Aaxir in his current condition. There was no chance that he would be able to defend from whatever Golroth had in store for him. If Aaxir had enough energy, he would have laughed. As absurd as it was, Eleanor of all people who flashed through his mind during this critical time; more specifically the gift he had constructed with the guidance of Kai. It was such a small, insignificant thing; in fact, the entire ordeal was annoying. Nevertheless, it would be a shame he would never get to apologize after all of that. He could practically hear Kai would probably attempt to drag him from beyond the grave to see it through. Yes, it was all absurd, but it was also surprisingly pleasant. Just before Aaxir could close his eyes and be put to a final rest, a familiar streak of light cut across the sky in that reckless manner he knew so well. If Aaxir hadn't known any better he was either hallucinating, or discovering that he had an innate talent to summon others.

"Eleanor," Aaxir said in disbelief as Golroth's counter was halted by his comrade. To think, she would be the one to save him. Race, lineage, or upbringing didn't matter in this moment...it was simply because she wanted to. Could life actually be that simple? Irony was an interesting force of nature....Aaxir had his opening. "Thank you!"

With Eleanor's appearance, Aaxir had regained enough purpose to continue his brave charge, putting everything he had left into his final attack. As haughty, and arrogant as Pele was, Aaxir had to admit that there was some truth in her self proclaimed benevolence for he personally knew the destruction she was capable of if she truly unleashed her fury. "I don't have much left, but we're not holding anything back!"

"Hmph, Of course not, who do you think I am? My sister?"

Coinciding with a mighty roar born out of pride, desperation, and even fear, Aaxir's mouth fired a mighty blast of lava that could only be described as an eruption. Even wild sparks of lightning danced around the blast as Aaxir unleashed his entire arsenal of volcanic energy to seize the opprotunity that Eleanor had provided him. His mana, pride, frustrations, fears, it was all a message to the mythical dragon he respected. He said everything with his final attack until there was nothing left to say.

****​

Aaxir would not know what became of Golroth. The next thing he knew he had subconsciously reverted back to his humanoid form, staring up at the heavens that seemed to be chasing him. Was this also the work of Golroth? Morgana? Had they lost? Did he lose? He was descending and the world around him was crumbling, he could still feel the heat from Golroth's blaze tearing into his body , and yet he was at peace.

Am I evil?
​

It was a question he had asked himself a few days back. During that time Ragnir gave him some comforting words. He saw his naivety in Hargred, his callousness and pride in Golroth, and the weight he wanted to bear in Tiamat, but after seeing them all he was sure of it...he had yet to truly see himself. Now that he had come face to face with the devil, he was convinced....he wasn't Golroth, Tiamat, or any of them. Amidst all the destruction Aaxir smiled without having to grit his teeth, or false bravado through insurmountable odds. It was genuine...probably something none of his comrades had seen. He could never admit it aloud, but he was relieved.

Notes*

Spoiler

Had to cut it short here, LOL, until he gets the Eleanor taxi it didn't feel right to interact with the people on the boat since idk what would be in Nessi's post but I did not forget about you guys!

 

[Bloody_Death]

KAI NAKAYAMA

Things were looking quite grim as the current battle continued onward. The large sea of fire quickly began approaching and he wasn't exactly sure how they were going to counter that. He did not hesitate to retreat behind the king who looked ready to defend them all. He'd try his best to make sure the king didn't burn to death faster than he could heal him. But, thankfully, pillars of ice soon arrived to protect them!

Kai watched the battle in the sky between the dragons in awe. It really was something happening up there. Something very huge. He frowned slightly. The main battle was happening in the sky. And he felt a bit frustrated that he couldn't help in a way that wouldn't make him a liability. "Kore wa kanari īnode,-betsu no jinsei o ikitakunai." He shook those thoughts away and focused on helping those who were around him. Ragnir looked very energetic while chasing after Morgana. So he assumed he would be fine. He instead focused on healing the soldiers around who were still alive while still keeping an eye on Ragnir should something go amiss within the battle

Everything seemed to be turning in their favor for a brief moment, but a shout from Morgana followed by the king as he was tossed back is what drew his attention next. Morgana seemed to be calling on some backup. That's not good. They were barely managing against her!! Let alone a second hand! First a dragon and now a meteor shower. What's next? Is a volcano just going to spontaneously appear and erupt on sight? God, he hoped there weren't any hands capable of doing that. He frowned at the sigil in the sky before making his way over to Ragnir. However, he came to a small stop when he noticed something sparkling in the dirt. It looked like some sort of gem? It also looked really important too. Maybe it was some sort of bird instinct while he looked like a tengu, but he couldn't help but snatch the gem off the ground before continuing to the king. Grabbing his arm and helping him up. "Okay, mister Ragnir! We have to go now. Even I don't think you could stop a meteor...or twenty." Yeah- it was just best to go. "Apologies if the ride is a bit...uncomfortable, sir" Kai mused with a coy smile.

Okay! Time to make it onto the airship before he runs out of mana! "Anata no rei o watashi ni musubitsukemasu!" He moved through the air and a fast pace as he made his way up to the ship. Using streams of water to grab Ragnir and any stragglers who looked like they might not make it to the ship in time. That mainly being any soldiers who were alive and whoever else might have needed help. Also, he made sure that Hargred could manage to get on the airship as well. Even if that meant grabbing him himself! Unfortunately, those who caught a ride would be dangled around like kites on a string. He apologizes once again for those who got caught up in that.

He soon landed on the dock and sat everyone down before flopping down against the dock. Shifting out of his sync form and just enjoying the fact that he could lie down. "I might have to run away to the garden...once I'm able to summon the key. Actually, can you just open the portal for me Wanga?" He mumbled tiredly but soon forced himself back up to look around at those on the ship. Wanting to really make sure no one got left behind and ended up getting crushed underneath those meteors.

---

Interactions: Nessi (Yi Nuo & Ragnir)

Mentions: Everyone else who's on the ship

 

[Kibaa]

Khatiy

Heavy, animalistic footsteps are heard crunching through the distant snow as 4 swift figures dash bravely towards the direction of the legendary cetacean and the airship. Khatiy, riding upon the back of Ter Fuzen, orders the beast to leap forth, confident that she and her party would be safely ensnared by Kai's water tendrils. The Usaaman gazed back onto the carnage as she and the Children of Bastet accompanying her were pulled onto the deck of the ship.

Letting out a tired breath once being placed on the ship, Khatiy glanced to Salbjorg the sabrecat, and her two sons, all three of whom Khatiy had not planned to make them stay as long-term companions. But now, with their home gone, there was little choice. "I am sorry, your majesty. Hofn as you once knew it is gone." The Sultan explained to Salbjorg and her sons, watching as the three sabrecats paced panickedly across the deck of the ship, howling and roaring out at the meteor storm that consumed their home. "You must come with me and Prince Fuzen. By the power bestowed upon me by Mother Bastet, it is my promise to you that we shall avenge Hofn, and your kin, the Tundra Clan." Now that the sabrecats were enlisted under her service, the Magic of Bastet manifests itself in the air in the form of sparkles, granting the three of them a blue cape, as well as two large necklaces similar to those of Ter Fuzen, the necklaces bearing the sigil of Hofn and the sigil of the Tundra Clan.

Khatiy blew out a breath, slumping herself down to sit on the wooden floor, resting her back against one of the walls. She glanced down at the bronze crown of Usaama in her hands, it was broken and bent out of shape. Her eyes look depressed. Setting the large Khopesh of Amanirenas across her lap, she silently began to wrap its long blade around with fresh white bandages that she pulls out of her inventory.

 

[DSLIX]

Chrome Van Der Linde

Nessi (Raggy) Bloody_Death CasualTea

Unlike what we usually know of Chrome he was surprisingly distracted, so much so he practically contributed naut to the fight against Morgana. Once the fight against the Knight was finished and everybody was headed back to fight Morgana, Chrome was suddenly startled by an old and sudden urge that made him lightheaded and start to slowly droop down out the air. The mere feeling of this overwhelming and powerful urge making his vision being overtaken by red as black silhouettes warp into existence replacing the previous world around him with one bathed in red and darkness, it being a sight he'd thought he long got over. His head was pounding and his vision was going in and out of focus as he heard his heart beating wildly in his chest. He crashes into the ground into a pile of bodies left behind from the first waves of the siege and as he looks upon the mangled mess of corpses he sees their dead and cold muscles, veins, and arteries through their skin and feel a disturbing hunger start to grow in his stomach. He turns his gaze a way to only meet the gaze of a mysterious silhouette of a person that deeply shaken him to the core that sense of real danger starting to unnerve him.


As he held eyes with the figure multiple small and random voices start to arise in his head. All of them trying to convince Chrome to do one thing, and that's feast on all the blood around him. Chrome violently shakes his head as it becomes harder to defy them as all the blood around him starts to gather under his feet. The ominous silhouette from before now even closer to Chrome as the blood starts to gather around and slowly forming a crimson and ominously shaped armor threatening to possess him completely. The intensity of the silhouette's gaze spoke values to Chrome as he felt his mind being assaulted by his most primal and basic urge to consume blood and what he believes to be the voice of the silhouette silence all other voices and ring out in his mind "You can't escape your most basic urges child, now look at you about to be consumed by them. Do not fret though this one will make sure you grow strong enough to carry out my wishes……now bow.“ Chrome felt his body become nearly unbearably heavy and steps forward a few times to gain his footing and stop himself from collapsing completely on the ground from the entity’s command. He simply grunts and meets the entity’s gaze with a defiant smirk as he feels a warm sensation slowly move in a familiar pattern on his back. “Not in a million years.“ Chrome grumbles in a smug tone as the symbol of Hanuman etched onto Chrome’s back starts to glow and emit a powerful white aura as Chrome’s eyes glow a bright gold-ish yellow feeling the pain and weight holding him down disappears. The aura from the symbol starts to push back the twisted world of darkness and blood in Chrome’s view returning it back to normal as it should be. The entity makes a foul growling noise in response to the sudden resistance but simply stares maliciously at Chrome as he fades back into nothingness. This grim encounter is merely one of many for Chrome as a reminder of his vampire lineage. All vampire's struggle with their own beast or whatever they call the manifestation of their insatiable thirst for blood. Though after living a certain age or gaining enough self-control you can overcome the beast and it'll leave you be, unlucky for Chrome though despite being able to stave the beast away for the past 20 years ever since he's left the prison he's always felt his mind was at conflict with itself. Still even after all this time too his beast is still just as imposing and powerful as it's always been. No matter how strong or impervious Chrome became his beast mere words nearly make him fall over, so experiencing this all again fills Chrome with a sense of dread and frustration that tempts him with the thought of trying to impale himself on something but realizes it'll be much harder than it seems. Chrome now lays out though trying to relax and ease his mind from that dreadfully familiar experience.



Chrome sighs deeply relieved once his senses return back to normal. Chrome lifts a thumbs up to the sky thanking Hanuman for the interference as he crouches down momentarily to gather his thoughts. Though the only word he managed to think describing this situation was a long and stretched out ‘Fuck’. This situation only proved to him that the curse of his family is very much alive and kicking despite his and Hanuman’s best efforts to shake it off. That entity or ‘The Beast’ as Chrome calls it claims to be the personified form of the vampiric rage and bloodlust in him and all vampires, which his mother struggled with the same entity but it eventually stopped bothering her not too long before Chrome was conceived. Chrome didn’t really know or care to ever try to speak to the entity due to it’s clear intentions, but knew that the entity had an odd fixation with calling itself the ‘Original King’ which chrome suspects he means the Crimson King but never wanted to dwell on that thought. Another favor he needs from Kai is what he eventually decides he needs before suddenly bursting into the air with a sudden flap of his wings. Though be the time he regrouped with everyone it seems the battle had been fought already. He grits his teeth with a slight hint of shame on his expression before zipping through the air to catch the wounded and falling Rohen out of the air. He adjusts her to be comfortable in a bridal style carry as he presses her against his chest to block her from the air resistance blowing viciously against them. He simply glances down at Rohen before flying over to Kai’s position saying “Well look at this here. Nobody told me it’ll be raining damsels in distress today.“ He flashes her a sly smirk trying to uplift the mood as he always does. Arriving at the ship with in a somewhat flashy but quick manner he lays Rohen on a nearby bench to allow her to rest only numbing her pain by striking her pressure points as he lays her down. He then approaches the exhausted looking Kai before crouching down in front of him saying with a warm smile “Kai….it is good to see you again friend.“ His smile drops into a deadpan expression as he simply says after “The beast still lives my friend, but we can have that conversation later…….once you’ve rested of course.“ Chrome stands keeping his emotionless stare before averting it off into the distance and then looking over at Ragnir with a newfound smile and approach the King of Jorvik giving the man a polite bow saying “Your majesty……I don’t believe we’ve actually spoken yet. I appreciate everything you done for Jorvik, and I apologize I couldn’t be there to prevent it’s sad fate.“ Then like a man on a mission Chrome walks away again looking around for the rest of his allies taking a mental head count simply out of concern of losing another ally.

 

[CasualTea]

Rohen Xiong

CS Link

STATUS:

Divine Synchronization

LOCATION & TIME:

Jorvik Warzone (Day?)

Soundtrack:

Halo Reach - Epilogue

"Deja Vu"

Rohen's attack did not work. Before she could even fire off her water cannon, she was already being fried at other parts of her body by Golroth's fire. It just wasn't enough water to sustain the armor coating of her body, most of it evaporating into the air as it normally should. Her accumulation of water focused in front of her for the water cannon became unstable and blew up in her face along with the rest of Golroth's flame engulfing her body, heavily damaging her artificial dragonic body and forcing her out of her divine synchronization. Even then, she was still pretty badly wounded.

She remembered this feeling all too well. She was close to death's door once again. Just like in the beginning of her journey with Tiamat, her descent was one for her grave. But in the beginning, Tiamat was able to fish her out. She was enveloped in water and was pushed to the surface and used that same water to rid her foes. She was in her element and environmental advantage is what kept her alive as well as her new found strength to keep her functioning.

However, now she was purely out of her element. Only on very rare chances that she'd find herself high in the sky. Even higher than children's kites can fly. Once more, she was descending. Falling fast, having been blasted out of the air. Her body was badly wounded. She could move, but not as fast as she'd like to. Most of her mana drained from her attacks and attempts at facing Golroth so she could not make any oceanids quick enough or conjure up anything that could help her break her fall. Was she really going to die? There was a chance she could survive, but the meteors would finish off her broken body.

She couldn't help but let out one final war cry before her assumed descent into death's hands. Closing her eyes shut, she really didn't want to see the end come. It wasn't until she felt flesh take hold of her and she was moving in a different direction and velocity that her voice ceased. She slowly opened her eyes to look up to see a familiar vampire, one she definitely judged before. "Ch-Chrome...?" She muttered, wincing in pain as her head was laid against his chest. “Well look at this here. Nobody told me it’ll be raining damsels in distress today.“ The vampire stated, flashing her a sly smirk. "Cheeky bastard..." Rohen thought in her head, judging him even more. Though, she can't say that he shouldn't be thanked. In fact, she considers that she owed him one.

Though, even when she was saved, her adrenaline was starting to die down. Meaning she began to feel the pain of her wounds more apparent. It slowly became unbearable. She tried her best to cope but her expression of agony was quite obvious. It wasn't until she was laid down and Chrome numbed her pain by striking her pressure points, she let out a breath of sudden shock before feeling her pain fade away. A feeling of relief washed over her and she used so much of her energy within the last few days. Training and then fighting her damn hardest. Whatnot with teleportation sickness in the mix, she was spent. Her heavy eyelids slowly closing as she tried to fight to keep her eyes open. But the sweet embrace of sleep was just too enticing and strong to resist. She drifted away into a state of sleep to replenish her energy and just enjoy the rest while she can. Even if they were still in the combat zone, she could tell she was safe for now.

 

[ThatWhichShouldBe]

Huang San

Huang San is rising through the air, an unconscious soldier over one shoulder while other soldiers hold onto his unwavering body for dear life. The Hero is clutching onto his Ruyi Jingu Bang, the staff extending, extending, extending into the air to lift him and the people he was saving up and out of the flames. The farmer is glaring at Morgana and Faust with a sullen fury. Damn her. The battle against her had gone poorly enough, but now there was backup? Another Hand? It was infuriating. But there was nothing to be done about it.

Eventually, Huang San manages to make it to the deck of the ship, dropping off his cargo of soldiers as they collapse to the deck with cries of relief as they can finally let go- or in the unconscious man's case, just collapsing in a heap. Huang San calls upon his Ruyi Jingu Bang to withdraw, the iron staff shooting up as it shrinks, and he looks to the other heroes.

"Is everyone alright?"

 

[Nano]

Enthyskana Rhoda

Interactions: Bloody_Death (Kai)

Mentions: Worthlessplebian (Tiberius), LazyDaze (Aaxir)

As tendrils of scorching heat leaked through the gaps of King Brynjolf’s ice spires, Enthy peered into the blazing inferno, nictitating membranes protecting her vulnerable eyes from the strength of the blast. Intense heat distorted the air and caused Golroth’s form to waver, while the rapidly shrinking ice disappeared into a veil of steam as soon as the meltwater began its descent down the spire’s cold body. Explosions of searing pain splintered underneath her scales as Golroth’s flames bit into her hide, but the young dragon remained firm as she glared up resolutely at the far larger, far older dragon.

The hubris within his overwhelming strength and the wrath from centuries of built-up resentment towards the gods would become Golroth’s fatal flaw. Though the ancient dragon appeared as if he’d never tire, the same couldn’t be said about the summoner whose life force he relied on to manifest into the world once again. Bound together in some twisted form of symbiosis, he drained her until she was at her break point, yet the heroes would fail to deliver a final blow to the vile woman while she was at her weakest.

“Faust...”

That familiar name had no sooner rolled off her tongue than the descent of a devastating starfall. A quick turn of Enthy’s head confirmed that everyone had been quick on the uptake, grabbing the injured and retreating to the ship the representative from The Isles summoned with his baton. She took a quick whiff of the air, hoping that none had been buried and left obscured within the chaos. The first of the injured she carefully gathered into her arms struggled at the sight of being held by a reptilian beast—as small as she may be—eliciting a chuff and a gentle press of her snout against his shoulder in an attempt to appease him. Others wouldn’t be given the same luxury, being injured but not in a critical enough state for the dragon to mind how carefully she handled them in favor of delivering them to safety before what little time they had ran out.

Enthy’s wings flapped furiously, practically snagging the remaining soldier by the claws of her feet like an osprey before beginning her ascent towards the airship. Their descent towards solid ground would be far gentler, with the dragon angling her flapping as to hover in as close to the ship’s deck as possible before depositing the human within her claws. A few ways from her deposited cargo, scales flaked from her flesh, obscuring her form within a shimmering cloud that danced around the platinum dragon before quickly dissipating into the skies above like petals scattered by the wind. Fur-lined boots landed on board in the place of clawed feet, and Enthy shook her head to rid herself of any excess scales still stubbornly clinging to her hair.

Whilst the injured soldier was still held secure within her arms, Tiberius approached Enthy and Aaxir, commending their fight against Golroth before heading off to tend to Guo Yi Nuo. Though Enthy personally felt she hadn’t done much throughout their clash with the ancient dragon, she didn’t forget to send the red dragon next to her a pointed stare. She was aware of what his past actions had meant: a trial by literal fire meant to forge proof of his willpower. Or die trying. Emphasis on the latter scenario.

However, the longer Enthy looked at his exhausted figure leaning upon Eleanor for support, the more tightly her mouth forbade itself from opening to give him a tongue lashing. He somehow seemed relieved, at peace, as if something had finally lifted the yoke of the weight of the world off his shoulders. With a helpless smile, she left the two be, hurrying off to the nearest cabin in order to set down the injured soldier (whom she’d nearly forgotten about) in a safe cot.

“Sorry, we have a shortage of medics, so we’ll have to make do for now,”

she murmured, though the human was no longer conscious to hear her words. With the finesse yet distinct lack of professional skill expected of travelers who’d learned first aid on the road, Enthy did her best to stem the bleeding, splint, and bandage the human’s injuries the best she could with the supplies on hand, whatever it took to tide the injuries over until someone with more knowledge on the matter could take a closer look.

By the time Enthy finished and returned above deck, dull aches with a gradually increasing sting danced under the muscles running over her left scapula, a remainder of her failed evasive maneuvers around Golroth. Fortunately, though she’d felt several bumps from stray meteors hitting the hull of the ship throughout the half hour period that they’d been on board, it appeared that the heroes were now in the clear and could finally relax. From the looks of it, Carmen had finally retired to his own cabin in the ship. The living vessel was now calmly bobbing along the waves, presumably heading in the direction of The Isles. However, a niggling curiosity and suspicion dug at the dragon’s mind, seeking out Wanga’s hero to sate it.

“Kai! Um, I hope I’m not disturbing you,”

Enthy apologized the moment she spotted the Yamatoan. He was likely busy or needed his rest, but she couldn’t get her mind off of the object she’d seen him pick up off of the floor from the corner of her eyes before they retreated from the range of Faust’s spell.

“Do you still have that red gem you picked up? May I see it for a second?”

 

[Fluff]

Kannaka

No matter the distance... I will find you.

The raven's steady exhale escaped her in a thin, continuous stream of mist, catching in her throat as she struggled to breathe past the soot and the ash. For many a night, after Arlux had fallen and her comrades shackled, she had dreamed of fire. The insufferable heat that threatened to choke her alive, the stinging pain that sang over her body, the gnawing dread as she watched it wash over her friends, not knowing who would survive the trial and who would not. The cruel blaze that burnt friend and foe alike, the dim light illuminating Tiryan's silhouette as he held aloft his prize, golden and resplendant even in defeat. How many nights had she suffered the torment? The nightmare relentlessy incinerated, devoured it all with nought but ashes to mourn.

"Hou Yi? What do you fight for?"

The ephialtes' rankling claws sank deeper into Kannaka's core, the girl trembling as she watched the world come alive in flame again, and again. She had watched her comrades call out to each other, ducking for cover behind colossal ice spires in the great, heavy silence - the moment that she had wanted, with all her being, to lurch forward and save who she could-- but-- she - before Golroth belched forth a torrefying death, laying waste to the mangled landscape of Hofn. It was all she could do to spread her wings wide and ride the parched air high into the clouds, where even their glacial embrace wasn't enough to shield her from the scorch.

"Hmm...? Well... what do you fight for?"

And under the rolling cloud cover, she could feel tears wordlessly stream down her cheeks. She should have gone. She shouldn't have hesitated. She was fast. She could have reached in time, whisked them away. She was the fastest flier she knew, she was supposed to be of use, she was supposed to be enough. Angrily wiping away her tears, she made a second start, budging forward into a stoop and-- nothing. Her body wouldn't move. It would move - she was flapping, she was breathing, she was blinking. And yet... it wouldn't move.

"You always do this! I really don't know how you convinced your kingdom... ministers... to believe your drivel about this answer within nonsense." A pause. "Fine. I suppose... it was for my family at first. It was always about trying to contribute to a better lifestyle and help out where I could, and repay my parents for everything they did for me..."

"So it was for your bonds and loyalty."

"Well... I also wanted to live up to my siblings' expectations. I had to be someone strong, someone they could rely on. I wanted to be the strongest one around so that I could always help them, and always protect them!"

"The allure of renown?"

"Huh?" A brief explanation. "Oh! It's more than that, now I want to grow strong so that I can fly into battle alongside my teammates, defending Bharata, and maybe even Veita, strike down those who threaten us, and use my abilities honorably and righteously."

"And it all comes back to fealty."

Why was she remembering this now, of all times? Why was it that her mind always muddied with thoughts in the heat of battle? The arena of war far below her had settled, a dense mist descending on the superheated and cracked soil as the earth sweltered. Her rankling, bristling feathers picked up every gentle draught as the cool air inscrutably poured into the battleground, a thick brume settling upon the ground like a flock of birds. Too far to hear any calls of action, too lost to take any on her own, she did the only thing she could think of - loudly curse out Hou Yi and every Bharatan god she knew and dove straight to the ground, searching desperately for any surviving teammates.

"Bleh! Now it's your turn, can't avoid the answer now!"

"I too was like you once, a Jiànshì seeking fame and fortune, propelled by attachments and duties, responsibilities and honor. But I think, beneath all that, I fought simply for I was a humble wanderer who studied the art of war. For in the end, a blade, an arrow, a bow - they are all simply weapons, an instrument that moves beyond such notions. It simply carries out your will, and just as simply, determines the all-important balance of life and death."

She did not know where Hou Yi "lived". She had heard from Kai Nakayama, her jovial teammate, that his god lived in a separate realm, one that looked like a garden. If Hou Yi possessed such a garden, or a place to call home, he didn't seem too fond of it, considering she always felt him lurking in the back of her brain, a presence that made no efforts to hide itself while similarly refusing to present itself upfront. Perhaps he liked ignoring her, but in such a fashion that she knew he was ignoring her. Regardless, as her talons found purchase on the crumbled and incinerated earth, clearing a sizeable radius of the haze with a beat of her wings, she could feel him quietly watching, with all the quiet detachment of a reader reading a book, or an audience watching a movie. She scrambled for purchase along the floor, propelled half into flight and scything a clear tear through the haze as cries rang all around her - a grim, twisted placation wormed in her as she failed to recognize any of them.

"I think there is a time to seek all of these, Kannaka. Now that you are young, you will seek riches, a name for yourself. Perhaps when you grow older, you will seek knowledge, devotion, faith. And perhaps when you grow older still, you will seek simply to see how far this mortal vessel will take you. I suppose all that matters is for you to have a clear mind, a strong body, and to wholeheartedly believe in what it is that propels you to pick up your sword. When I chose you, I saw a part of me in you - honest, just, disciplined. Let your upcoming trials serve you as stepping stones as well as reminders - that you must temper the flame within, that you may gaze upon those who chose a different path, one that led them down unfettered ambition, those who discarded moderation and balance for the alluring temptation of excess."

As her thoughts raced on, her body came to a dead stop as she finally spied someone she did recognize, someone she'd recognize any day, or night, past the pall of life and death-- no! She was not dead! She was not like Ar- Kannaka was already stumbling forward, planting herself unsteadily next to Nani Yi Nuo. Zephyr-like, feathers drooped softly around them, as though to shield them from the cruel, glaring gaze of the world, a refuge between the biting winds and the scorching sands. Trembling, blistered hands found their way to the moon elf's face, gently cupping them and with no small amount of relief, feeling the steady rise and fall of the comatose body under her. "Nani..." A hoarse croak was all she could muster before the battlefield shifted yet again.

"But now, back in the flames of war, I see now what you must become."

Her body moved automatically as instructions rang out around her - voices, all familiar voices, thank every god that looked down upon them - gently picking up the limp body of the strongest warrior she knew. Perhaps one day she would look back upon this memory and curse that it had to be her, that it had to be Naniji's wounded, fallen body that she had to cradle instead of the other way around, that defeat and failure would have been a kinder bedside companion than loss of this magnitude. But for now, she mutely cast a glance around the ruined city, rimmed by the light of the devastation she could not bear to gaze upon. Life was the struggle of those who yet lived, and life was hers to toil onwards with. Seizing allies amidst her talons, she set off to their new ride with a beat of her wings.

"With righteousness, restraint, wisdom and control, you must forge yourself anew. You must know when to stay your hand. But always remember that injustice will never spare you these concessions. Your enemy will not allow you these prelimnaries, these prerogative privileges. The war you wage is not with the outside world alone. You must treat your own weaknesses like an enemy to be struck down. Do you see now? Only when you've walked the fiery trail, and cut through every impediment can you understand the purpose behind every swing of your sword, every arrow that you draw."

Tenderly setting Nani Yi Nuo on the wooden deck and moving aside to make way for her grieving comrades, she turned to look back on the sanctuary they failed, the country they fled. And as she looked at the fading form of Golroth and the echoes of Morgana's scream died down, she knew that her nightmares had a new form. They would no longer be the flames that devoured all those around her and left her clutching at ashes, but a great black dragon looking her straight in the eye.

"Do you understand, little aurelian raven? I fought to vanquish every enemy of mine. Your goodness is impediment in your way, so let your eyes be red with anger, and gather strength to strike down the injustice with a firm hand."

 

[Nessi]

Chapter 03: The Eternal King

As the sun began to rise on Leona Academy, the sound of music began to emerge as well. It started off faint, but as it grew louder and louder, students and professors alike began to rush to the docks in droves.

“Hey, move aside! I want to get an autograph signed!”

“Oi! I want to see them too!”

“...I don’t get paid enough for this….”

Carmen’s ship approached Leona Academy, his music as bright and clear as can be. With as much grace as possible, the young mage set the ship down, and a walkway was set out immediately to allow passengers to disembark.

“Make way! We have injured people on board!” Ragnir boomed, causing the crowd to quickly disperse.
Medics were quickly brought to assist with the wounded, and those who died during the journey were set to the side in order to be dealt with later.

Despite the somewhat chaotic arrival, for the first time in a while, the heroes were finally able to relax, and feel some sort of joy having been able to have some sort of victory against Tiryan.

 

[OldTurtle]

Fel Petri

Interactions:

Mentions:

It felt like they were being cooked alive. Even behind his layered shields, the heat of the dragon's flames threatened to ignite Fel's lungs. The thick stone shell around him and Yi Nuo's prone form glowed cherry-red as it weathered the seemingly endless stream of fire and all he could hear was it screaming and scorching as it clawed and consumed anything left unguarded around them. With every second that it continued, the mage could feel his spells sap away at his dwindling mana stores. He rarely ever tried to withstand such an oppressive attack directly -- evading was magnitudes simpler -- but now he crudely poured energy into maintaining the magic. After only a few seconds of hunkering down in his makeshift bunker, he'd abandoned all thoughts efficiency or grace, not when it took all his attention to keep the pair from being roasted like succulent ducks. His hands trembled from the effort, white-knuckled grip on his staff slick with sweat.

After a few more long, painful moments, the firey barrage cut off and Fel let his spells fade. The near-molten rock shield hissed and steamed as the frigid Jorvik air rushed back in, slowly cooling it back to a reasonable state. Fel split the conglomerate in twain, letting its blackened remains fall to either side of them, and panted as he relished his freedom. All around him, Hofn lay in ruins. Much of the once proud and stout city had been reduced to ashes -- and what little hadn't was almost unrecognizable. Smoke hung heavy in the air, thick and acrid. Fel grimaced and rose to his feet. It seemed wherever they went, destruction followed.

Further away, the muted din of battle continued. A few lingering conflicts and paltry resistances, sure, but all slowly, inevitably, closing in on their inevitable conclusions. Fel couldn't make out any sign of the great dragon in the dark, hazy skies above. Had Morgana fallen? As much as he would've preferred it so, the sun elf doubted she'd die so easily. At the very least, he hoped she'd finally expended all her resources and decided to cut her losses. Still a thorn in their side, but one that could be extracted at a later date.

Fel went to Yi Nuo again, kneeling down to check on her state. A faint, albeit regular, pulse thumped against his fingertips, but it was noticeably weaker than earlier. He bit back a curse. He'd never been much suited for healing magics to begin with, but ever since Kai and Aaxir had joined the party, the need to learn it had completely passed. Concerned as he was with the elder elf's condition, he'd nearly missed another's approach.

"Kannaka," he recognized as the slight girl alighted on the ground behind him. The near-silent rustling of her wings and the faintest of shifts in the air were all-too-recognizable even from a distance. Fel rose to his feet and turned to face Hou Yi's young hero, his visage betraying a hint of relief. "Where have you -- Oh, no matter. Come, carry Yi Nuo to the others quickly. Her condition grows poorer by the second and if she doesn't--"

He cut himself off with a sharp hiss as the sky blossomed into brilliant runes and diagrams. A massive magic circle, large and bright enough to blot out the sun spread out across the cloudy backdrop. The sheer volume of mana coursing through the structure stung Fel's senses, like a thousand little needles dancing across his face. He recognized the magic -- not by purpose, and never by structure -- if only through his complete inability to understand it.

"Faust." Fel glared up at the sigil as if he could somehow make out the Hand's visage within it. While there was nothing so identifiable to be found in its depths, he knew of no one else alive capable of casting such a spell. The man's skill was renown, the sole user of an ancient magic long thought to be lost to time. And yet, such a stunning, once in a millenium talent chose to squander it in Tiryan's service. Just the mere thought threatened to send Fel into an incandescent rage. By the time he'd managed to reign in his anger, Kannaka had already vanished into the distance with Yi Nuo, ferrying her off to safety. In the skies above, projectiles of stone and metal emerged from the large sigil one after another and began to descend onto the vulnerable city below.

Time to leave, the elf decided, and joined the stream of fleeing soldiers and heroes. He took off with a burst of wind, launching himself through the air like an arrow from a bow. In the distance, Fel spied another magic circle come to life, and from it emerge the strangest of creatures. Carmen's ship, he identified, and redirected himself to land on its surface with as little grace as he could muster through his exhaustion. Staying on deck despite as they took flight with a lurch, he watched on as the great ship weaved its way through the falling meteors, barely scraping by without major injury. Soon enough, the capital was a speck in the distance, reduced to a smoking pile of rubble and ruin.

Yet another remnant of their failures.

With a bitter taste lingering in his mouth, Fel made his way deeper into the belly of the ship and collapsed into the first room he found that was not already occupied by bleeding Jovik soldiers. The tension in his body, wound tight like a spring, began to slowly bleed out. Safe again, but for how long would that last?