Outside 40: It's all downhill from here

[Shadowcaller]

[Lost Temple]

"I don't care about the demons, the explosion is just supposed to deal with this temple and I know for a fact it can blow up buildings. Even if we didn't get the demons themselves, we can at least mess up their stuff." She turns to look at Ithuriel, taking off the goggles. "Unless you have an better suggestion of course, I still like to at least look at whatever treasures they have in here."

[ThirdEmperor]

[The Silver Castle]

To her obvious distaste, all he can do is shrug, face impassive. It is how it is. "Oh, they get use enough of us." They're heading, not up the grand stairs and through the double doors, but down one of the side passages - a winding hall, the walls adorned with oil paintings of the stern-faced men in faded cavalier's uniform. "I was a deserter, if you must know. Abandoned the front with my brothers, kept our swords, stole or robbed what was needed. They caught us for banditry."

[Ionbound]

[Lost Temple]

Ilthuriel's evildar will pick up a curtain of evil over the same doorway where there was a magic signature, as well as a massive chunk of evil energy in that same room (that I should have mentioned before but I didn't). Otherwise, however, it's oddly quiet

[Recaiden]

[The Silver Castle]

To the explanation, Ashna shrugs. There are reasons for it, and she doesn't know them. She follows closely down the halls, giving each portrait a quick glance to see that they're no different from their fellows. The flames that linger in her footsteps can scarcely be said to linger, each tiny fire exhausting all its energy in a single fierce blaze.
"Were things better then or now?"

[The Bushranger]

Melody's Island - Beach

Toby's best method of dealing with that kind of crippling psychic attack is to play a quick game of mental Chinese Fire Drill that leaves his artificially sociopathic personality in the driver's seat. So Quinn is unarguably handling this much better than he would. That's why he's keeping the telepathic link sandboxed outside his mental defenses. It's okay, Quinn. I love you and I don't hate you at all. He has to remind himself that this is exactly the wrong time for a sarcastic quip along the lines of "well, maybe a little". You're very strong and I know you can make it through this. He sits on the beach and pulls her into his lap.

Now he knows what's going on. Mostly. Everything with Quinn and Rein and Neirian sending them to rescue this girl related to Melody makes sense. Happy's also connected to Melody, so that explains her presence. But what was Lord Magtok doing here? He was involved enough to make the phone call, but the Druid is unaware of any connection he has to anyone here. The girl was saying that her Grandfather was the villain, which he supposes could be Magtok... but he was standing right there when she said that and nobody even looked at him. If he was attempting to curry favor with GLoG by helping their most important members, he wouldn't have brushed Toby off so insultingly. Unless he was trying to curry favor with someone, not as a member of GLoG...

She said Reinholdt also helped her. Did he come back with you, Quinn?

Estia sits down and watches. "Will she be alright, Momma?" she asks Jezebelle.

I'm not sure, honey. Jezebelle answers. Is there anything I can do for you, sir? A blanket? Something to eat?

At first, Quinn flinches as Toby pulls her into his lap...but then she turns, burying her face in the Druid's shoulder and starting to cry.

No, scratch that.

To outright bawl.

It's several minutes of sobbing, as she hugs him tightly, before she manages to regain enough coherence to answer his question. "He had to leave again right away," she whispers, before she pulls back slightly, looking up and into Toby's eyes, searching...then leaning in once more.

And kissing him. Fiercely.

Mood swings, ho.

[ThirdEmperor]

[The Silver Castle]

"Awful personal questions you ask, miss." The man replies, voice sinking into carefully held patience. And that seems to be that. Her guide doesn't speak again as they walk, not until the the winding corridors give way to a spiral staircase, and he comes to a halt at the first marbled step. "You'll find the meister at the top of the stairs. Do be polite."

But, he doesn't leave yet. Considers it, certainly, but instead he leans forward with his arms crossed over the balustrade. "Isn't my business to ask questions back, 'course. But what's it like, the future? Ain't right to say you're from there and then leave a man in suspense." He asks.

[Morcleon]

The titan tries to Swat him out of the air when he flies by, but if it doesn't succeed will be cut down as Sophia tackles the other one and begins pummeling it with crystal-plated fists

[Field of Mock Battle]

Yuki dips out of the way of the large hand, feeling the rush of air from the creature. He strikes true and pulls up, glancing back down at Sophia's fight.

[Arkhosia]

[Field of Mock Battle]

Yuki dips out of the way of the large hand, feeling the rush of air from the creature. He strikes true and pulls up, glancing back down at Sophia's fight.

It's a brutal and quick struggle, the skinless titan viciously pummeling the smaller behemoth with primal fury and determination, before crushing the abomination's neck and slaying it (but not after turning the giant's face into chunky sauce), before emerging from the body that slowly disintegrates and climbers down.

[Recaiden]

[To Duel, or not to Duel]

)(Open Scene: Don't join unless you are actually willing to lose a PC, possibly permanently. That is the whole goal of this meetup.)(

The Mourning Hoplite waits in a clearing, the only thing that identifies it being a single gazebo. The structure seems capable of holding fifty people comfortably, and is has eight sides, each with a wooden half-wall.
The man has erected a large tent which connects to the gazebo, where the those harmed by sunlight can teleport in without harm. The gazebo itself is well shaded, but the roof can only cover so much while the sun travels across the sky.
It is around noon, so now is the best time for a challenger to approach. Once nighttime strikes, the Hoplite will set torches around the perimeter.

Hawthorn busies himself with an open grill, preparing food for the living viewers who care to take in the spectacle.

((I'm afraid none of my current PCs are stupid/honorable enough to do this, and also involved in the conflict.))

A hole is sliced in the air on the tent, and a man steps through it, the wound in reality quickly healing itself behind him.
He's tall, with ruddy skin, a vampire flush from a recent kill. Blond hair is tied in a halo of tiny braids, a many-pocketed vest of human-skin leather conceal unknown things, and a dressy sword is girded at his side. His eyes, an empty black.
He enters the gazebo confidently, arrogantly. This place is a joke, a show. But if the silly mortals line up to be killed...why not oblige them?
"I answer your challenge."
His voice, like his expression, is cold.

[The Silver Castle]

"Awful personal questions you ask, miss." The man replies, voice sinking into carefully held patience. And that seems to be that. Her guide doesn't speak again as they walk, not until the the winding corridors give way to a spiral staircase, and he comes to a halt at the first marbled step. "You'll find the meister at the top of the stairs. Do be polite."

But, he doesn't leave yet. Considers it, certainly, but instead he leans forward with his arms crossed over the balustrade. "Isn't my business to ask questions back, 'course. But what's it like, the future? Ain't right to say you're from there and then leave a man in suspense." He asks.

"The future?" Ashna shakes her head and laughs. "It's a patchwork. There's places just like this, still." Her eyes get a faraway look. "There's also a lot more. There are trains, great vehicles that can cross a country in minutes. There's a city where they've blotted out the sun from their sky, and built a machine that replaces it. There's a whole land that flies through the sky, with towns following along in its shadow. But it's just people. She pauses and looks up the stairs. "Thanks." Before ascending them and knocking at a door at the top, should there be one.

[Arkhosia]

"Maybe you could stab me until I do." Arlem rubs his arm, not that it actually hurt, but appearances matter, and tries to give Sakura a light shove.
How good are you in fights against people who aren't me? Honest, not just more talk about killing evil-doers in the abstract.



Ashna grimaces; what a barbaric practice. "Heh. Not exactly a common punishment around my parts? What did you do?" Here eyes trace the lines back and forth as she waits for them to resume. "Puts peoples' minds too much on the crime, not on getting use out of the criminals."

Nah, that's too easy.
A laughing Sakura replies as she is shoved, attempting to put an arm on Arlem's shoulder after returning.
Pretty good, to be honest. Not Ezio level good, but good.

[Lord Magtok]

Melody's Island- Barn

Melody's Island- Barn


Melody begins to wake after a few more minutes. Wh- Momma? Derek? She then looks at Magtok, a little uncertain. Magtok?

"Yes, and Magtok."

Magtok finds Melody's continued lack of faith disturbing. He wasn't that bad of a bad guy, was he? Okay yes, he might've kidnapped Melody years ago, and may or may not have been planning to turn her into gold and/or sell her to some creepy, balding wizard and his ugly cat, but still! D=

[Lex-Kat]

Melody's Island - Barn

"Hey there Melody, how are you feeling?" Derek says sitting up wondering how effective his magic had been. He sure hopes that he cured the broken bones, and if everything went perfectly she shouldn't even be sore.

"I'm right here, baby," Happy says. "Estia and Lyanna are safe with their mother, and Quinn is with her husband, so it's just the four of us in here for now."

"Yes, and Magtok."

Magtok finds Melody's continued lack of faith disturbing. He wasn't that bad of a bad guy, was he? Okay yes, he might've kidnapped Melody years ago, and may or may not have been planning to turn her into gold and/or sell her to some creepy, balding wizard and his ugly cat, but still! D=

Melody breathes in, then out. I feel better, thank you. She stretches up, winces a little as her should cracks, then breathes out again as she lowers her arms. Oh Momma, I'm so glad you are here. she reaches out to hug Happy. And I'm glad that Quinn was able to rescue Estia. Did she say what happened to the old guy?\

She waves slightly and smiles to Magtok. Momma, what's he doing here? she asks, in a whisper.

[Morcleon]

It's a brutal and quick struggle, the skinless titan viciously pummeling the smaller behemoth with primal fury and determination, before crushing the abomination's neck and slaying it (but not after turning the giant's face into chunky sauce), before emerging from the body that slowly disintegrates and climbers down.

[Field of Mock Battle]

Yuki stares down at Sophia in shock and awe, landing beside her slowly. He glances at the quickly evaporating titan flesh and whistles. "...wow. That was... very impressive."

[Arkhosia]

[Field of Mock Battle]

Yuki stares down at Sophia in shock and awe, landing beside her slowly. He glances at the quickly evaporating titan flesh and whistles. "...wow. That was... very impressive."

Sophia bows, smiling.
To change something, there must be something else as a sacrifice. For me, I have to sacrifice my ability to hold back my anger to defeat the monsters that threaten my friends and family.
Sophia informs, moving to clear up the campsite.

[Morty]

[The Deep Dark Woods]

The sense of being watched will suddenly turn to movement for Sakura and Arlem. A swarm of small, incredibly skinny and vaguely humanoid figures emerges from the undergrowth and from among the trees. They're dark grey or black, and have vaguely rat-like features. Their eyes glow dim red and they have sharp teeth and claws, visible even from a distance. The swarm starts closing in on the two HALO members.

[Recaiden]

[Deep Dark Woods]

Arlem laughs as Sakura comes back in, and nods.
Well here's your chance to prove it.
She quickly draws the knife from her belt, and slides the mask down over her face. Now she's ready for a fight.
"Is that all that's out here? Little rats?" Far too many little rats, that's true. All around, glowing like dead fires, but still. Gotta put up a brave front.

[Arkhosia]

[Deep Dark Woods]

Arlem laughs as Sakura comes back in, and nods.
Well here's your chance to prove it.
She quickly draws the knife from her belt, and slides the mask down over her face. Now she's ready for a fight.
"Is that all that's out here? Little rats?" Far too many little rats, that's true. All around, glowing like dead fires, but still. Gotta put up a brave front.

Oh goddamnit, it has to be the things I'm afraid of that we gotta fight?
I'm actually not afraid of rats, I'm seeing if they understand human speech.
Sakura mutters, drawing two long sickles from the folds of her cloak (and getting an inch shorter in doing so), and putting on the appearance of someone who is hiding her fear of rats very well.

[Morcleon]

Sophia bows, smiling.
To change something, there must be something else as a sacrifice. For me, I have to sacrifice my ability to hold back my anger to defeat the monsters that threaten my friends and family.
Sophia informs, moving to clear up the campsite.

[Field of Mock Battle]

"I see..." Yuki follows, still a little awestruck. "So if you're releasing all of your anger, how much control do you have over yourself in that form?"

[Morty]

[Deep Dark Woods]

The swarm of the rat-like fey closes in on the two heroes, skittering, scraping and snarling. Then, the front row of the bunch leaps. Four critters jump at Sakura, trying to tear into her with their claws and teeth. Five attack Arlem, but they don't seem to be going for the kill in her case. Their efforts seem focused on hamstringing her and bringing her down.

[Recaiden]

Arlem starts moving towards the four attacking Sakura, for just a moment, before realizing that's not how things should be. She swings at the nearest of the monsters with her knife, which twists as it moves into a slightly longer slashing blade.
Regardless of its success, the monsters bite into her legs and she falls back. Silent, almost uncaring of the injury.

[Arkhosia]

[Field of Mock Battle]

"I see..." Yuki follows, still a little awestruck. "So if you're releasing all of your anger, how much control do you have over yourself in that form?"

Really as much as you would if you were absolutely furious, honestly.
Sophia replies, cleaning up the camp

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Lost Temple]

"I don't care about the demons, the explosion is just supposed to deal with this temple and I know for a fact it can blow up buildings. Even if we didn't get the demons themselves, we can at least mess up their stuff." She turns to look at Ithuriel, taking off the goggles. "Unless you have an better suggestion of course, I still like to at least look at whatever treasures they have in here."

[Lost Temple]

Ilthuriel's evildar will pick up a curtain of evil over the same doorway where there was a magic signature, as well as a massive chunk of evil energy in that same room (that I should have mentioned before but I didn't). Otherwise, however, it's oddly quiet

Ithuriel peers at the doorway in question suspiciously. Something is definitely not right here. "This. Right here. There's something about this doorway. I don't-" She runs a hand through her hair in confusion and takes a step back, "How can a doorway be evil? It's got to be some sort of trap. And the treasure room itself, there's something in there too. Some kind of crazy demonic artifact, I guess. You know the sort of thing, slowly corrupting you as long as you keep it in your possession and you find yourself unwilling to part with it." Heck, it's probably an evil ring or something.

"You raise a fair point though, I don't have a better idea as to how to deal with the demons. I'm sure there's plenty of angels and holy soldiers that would just rush in, confident that the light of their divine master will banish all evil. But, well, I'm not that stupid. Oh sure, we could probably take a fair few of them down, but I'll admit it would be foolish to charge blindly into the depths of the temple. We've been lucky that it's been so lightly guarded so far. But is it worth setting off this crazy evil doorway of doom to get a look at the treasure?"

[Morcleon]

Really as much as you would if you were absolutely furious, honestly.
Sophia replies, cleaning up the camp

[Fields of Mock Battle]

Yuki wipes off his scalpel and puts it back, grinning a little at her. "Ah, I see... so I shouldn't get you mad?"

[ImpSyndrome]

Displaced Spirits Incident

[STAGE 2: Ashen Glade]
So much smoke, as if a raging fire was violently snuffed out all at once...

Hiizumi grunts in a rather undignified way as she desperately claws at herself, trying to fight off Chiaki's control, before eventually managing to say, "Augh...This won't do...Sanji, I can't hold her off...But..." She closes her eyes and unleashes a burst of her own brand of magic, trying to use the same magical pathways Chiaki created when she took control to erase the Magician's knowledge of magic, rules of Spell-Card dueling be damned.

Despite Hiizumi's best efforts, Chiaki remains unfazed by her counter-magic, and Sanji barely has time to move at all before a barrage of magic energy lashes out at him at point-blank range. ((If Hiizumi is still resisting at all, it'll be Chiaki who strikes, taking advantage of his confusion.)) "A valiant effort," the spirit comments as she feels yokai power straining at the edge of her conscious mind. "Unfortunately for you, a spirit's mind is not so easy to manipulate as a living human's. Now, submit." That last word is more of a command than a taunt, and her magic continues to constrict Hiizumi's will, even as Sanji takes on his salamander form and charges Chiaki with an indignant roar...

[MEANWHILE, STILL ABOUT A MINUTE IN THE FUTURE...]

Sophia nods, smiling (which is kinda creepy, because titans look super creepy when smiling), before erupting from the nape of the titan form's neck and clambering down and off of the gargantuan humanoid before getting on her horse, grinning triumphantly, and bowing.
The shell of a titan form begins decaying, and will be gone in 10 minutes.

With a renewed sense of urgency, Midori leads the charge toward the smoke trail, traveling as fast as she can without leaving her comrades behind. As they approach, a cloud of ash and smog suddenly billows out of the dead and dying trees, cloaking the area in a thick grey mist. "This is bad," the oathkeeper mutters. "We'll be blind as bats in there...How will we ever find Sanji in time?"

Sasha realizes her chance to shine and darts ahead, shouting, "Let me lead the way! This cloud doesn't bother me at all. Time to show everyone what a dust yokai can do!" Charmed, Midori gives a fleeting smile and answers, "Alright, Sasha-chan, lead on. Sophia-san, we must stay close to Sasha as we press forward. I doubt we'll make much progress if we get separated."

[Ionbound]

[Fallen Glade]

Hiizumi's mind falls, and her last words are, "I...Am sorry, Sanji-san..." before she is completely Chiaki's and unleashes a blast of her signature white magic at Sanji as she transforms.

[Shadowcaller]

Ithuriel peers at the doorway in question suspiciously. Something is definitely not right here. "This. Right here. There's something about this doorway. I don't-" She runs a hand through her hair in confusion and takes a step back, "How can a doorway be evil? It's got to be some sort of trap. And the treasure room itself, there's something in there too. Some kind of crazy demonic artifact, I guess. You know the sort of thing, slowly corrupting you as long as you keep it in your possession and you find yourself unwilling to part with it." Heck, it's probably an evil ring or something.

"You raise a fair point though, I don't have a better idea as to how to deal with the demons. I'm sure there's plenty of angels and holy soldiers that would just rush in, confident that the light of their divine master will banish all evil. But, well, I'm not that stupid. Oh sure, we could probably take a fair few of them down, but I'll admit it would be foolish to charge blindly into the depths of the temple. We've been lucky that it's been so lightly guarded so far. But is it worth setting off this crazy evil doorway of doom to get a look at the treasure?"

[Lost Temple]

"True, but I could always send Violet in and she could loot the place for us." Dena replies, picking the scout drone out from her pocket again. "It might take a while, but the fact they have a trap here might mean that the treasure itself isn't trapped. But if it is, you can sense it right?" The drone is already moving towards the treasure room however.

[Arkhosia]

Sophia nods, riding her horse at full gallop after the two and downing a large bottle of water and some dried meet as she does so. It appears her Titan form has a cost on her body.

[Fields of Mock Battle]

Yuki wipes off his scalpel and puts it back, grinning a little at her. "Ah, I see... so I shouldn't get you mad?"

Sophia chuckles, and nods. She grabs a bottle of water and downs it, before replying Well, sorta. It seems to involve a lot of determination and self inflicted injury to transform.

Arlem starts moving towards the four attacking Sakura, for just a moment, before realizing that's not how things should be. She swings at the nearest of the monsters with her knife, which twists as it moves into a slightly longer slashing blade.
Regardless of its success, the monsters bite into her legs and she falls back. Silent, almost uncaring of the injury.

Sakura swiftly strikes at the rats with her sickles, percision in her strikes.

[Morty]

[Deep Dark Woods]

Arlem nearly slices one of the rat-fey in two, and it falls to the ground. Those that managed to latch on bite into her legs, trying to cripple her, while two more jump at her arms.

Meanwhile, Sakura is faced with a much more direct assault. She kills several of the creatures with her strikes, but more come. Unlike with Arlem, they seem to be focusing on her upper body, trying to get to her face.

[Morcleon]

Sophia chuckles, and nods. She grabs a bottle of water and downs it, before replying Well, sorta. It seems to involve a lot of determination and self inflicted injury to transform.

[Fields of Mock Battle]

"...do you want me to check out that wound?" Yuki frowns at him, glancing down at her hand.

[Recaiden]

[Deep Dark Woods]

Arlem sinks to the ground, these legs too damaged to hold her up. THe wounds do not bleed, though. Her empty hand swings at the two clawing at her arms, trying to ward them off while she maneuvers her knife to be facing, point down, towards Sasha.
These things seem to be trying to incapacitate me particularly. You should withdraw and allow me to be captured. More information that way.
Arlem concentrates on the etchings in the handle of her knife, an eagle fighting with a serpent.
"In Ariezes name, cold iron." A conjured spray of sharp fragments of the metal shoot out from the blade towards, generally, the rats attacknig Sasha, as she knew they would. Dorothy often wondered to Arlem whether the god still existed, if he ever had, but here was his magic, strong as ever, just as she knew it would be.