The Council of Mythos - The Final Chapter

[Gunhaven]

Parrn grins and yells (Common) "Knocked out daughter! You next, prey!" With a hyena's mocking laughter he and his companions charged toward the insectoid spiders to try and free up people to concentrate on the important thing.

Spoiler: Jesus, 9 attacks?

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Also Imprinting Hand and a knowledge check for these insectoid spiders? (1d20+20)[33]
Asena:
Swift: Coordinated Charge
Attack (1d20+22)[29]
Damage (2d6+23)[31]
Trip (2d20b1)[11] + 26

Full: Bite
Attack (1d20+18)[32]
Damage (2d6+21)[30]
Trip (2d20b1)[20] + 22

Courtaud:
Full: Charge
Attack (1d20+18)[23]
Damage (2d6+20)[25]
Trip (2d20b1)[20] + 22

Swift: Snapping Flank
Attack (1d20+14)[27]
Damage (2d6+18)[26]
Trip (2d20b1)[19] + 18

Parrn:
Swift: Coordinated Charge
Attack (1d20+25)[34]
Damage (1d8+25)[26]
Intimidate (1d20+22)[41]

Full: Hack 1 (1d20+21)[38]
Damage (1d8+23)[28]
Intimidate (1d20+22)[33]

Hack 2 (1d20+16)[36]
Damage (1d8+23)[27]
Intimidate (1d20+22)[34]

Hack 3 (1d20+11)[22]
Damage (1d8+23)[24]
Intimidate (1d20+22)[40]

Secondary Bite (1d20+14)[29]
Damage (1d8+11)[19] + (2d6)[5] Vicious, (1d6)[5] backlash
Intimidate (1d20+22)[40]
Trip (2d20b1)[13] + 16

[NeoSeraphi]

The insectoids are swarming faster than anyone can take them down. Since Parrn and Nissa arrived, their numbers have jumped from 30 to 45.

Parrn does kill two of them.

[Diachronos]

Seeing the horde's increasing numbers, Nissa turns to start dealing with them.

Spoiler: Attacks

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Nissa:
Attack 1: (1d20+25)[40]/(1d20+25)[27]
Damage 1: (1d8+14)[20]/(3d8+42)[53] plus (1d6)[5] acid
Attack 2: (1d20+20)[31]/(1d20+20)[39]
Damage 2: (1d8+14)[15]/(3d8+42)[58] plus (1d6)[2] acid
Attack 3: (1d20+15)[29]/(1d20+15)[29]
Damage 3: (1d8+14)[18]/(3d8+42)[56] plus (1d6)[3] acid
Speed enchant: (1d20+25)[26]/(1d20+25)[45]
Damage: (1d8+14)[21]/(3d8+42)[58] plus (1d6)[4] acid

Ghellin (including +2 from charging):
Talon 1: (1d20+23)[37]/(1d20+23)[27]
Damage: (6d6+13)[30]/(12d6+26)[63] plus (1d6)[4] fire
Talon 2: (1d20+23)[26]/(1d20+23)[29]
Damage: (6d6+13)[26]/(12d6+26)[71] plus (1d6)[1] fire
Bite: (1d20+23)[41]/(1d20+23)[30]
Damage: (3d6+13)[19]/(6d6+26)[42] plus (1d6)[2] fire
Claw 1: (1d20+23)[25]/(1d20+23)[31]
Damage: (3d6+13)[27]/(6d6+26)[46] plus (1d6)[3] fire
Claw 2: (1d20+23)[40]/(1d20+23)[40]
Damage: (3d6+13)[18]/(6d6+26)[47] plus (1d6)[6] fire

[NeoSeraphi]

Nissa, Ghellin, and Hemet work together to try and fight back the horde, collectively killing 5 more enemies. Sakura roasts 10 on her own, bringing the number down to 28. But then they swarm even more, and now there are 60 insectoids of various types (wasps, spiders, ants).

Alistar chuckles as he looks up. "Oh look, Sora. Your pretty little wife is here. I hope she's been worth all the trouble and suffering you've dealt with for ten years."

Arios glares at him and swings his blade in a barrage of cuts at the air. Alistar raises his weapon to block, but none of the attacks even come close to hitting him. He looks around, confused, as eight new portals open in various spots around him. "You cheeky little..."

Arios opens a portal on the ground and drops through it, then charges out of a portal above Alistar, ripping into him past his defenses, before dropping into another portal at his feet. Then the portal to his right glows and Arios appears, slamming his fist into the fey's cheek, before darting into the portal to his left. They both close. Alistar roars and swings his weapon in a wide arc, aiming to hit anything that would come out of any portal, but instead all of them close. Alistar looks around, breathing a little heavily. Silently, a new portal opens up behind him. Arios creeps out and taps Alistar on his left shoulder. When Alistar looks behind him Arios swings his blade to the right and hacks deep into his shoulder.

[Diachronos]

Nissa looks around and finds the source of the insect swarms: the nest hanging overhead. She whistles for Ghellin to come back, then focuses on her mythic power to call down a bolt of lightning to strike one of the portions holding it up.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Mythic call lightning, dealing (3d10)[12] damage to the tether holding the hive in place. If it matters, the damage is half electricity and half sonic.

[NeoSeraphi]

The nest shakes and the signal's tune changes immediately. Forty insectoids immediately stop what they are doing and rush for Nissa.

As she braces herself for the stings of death...again...she hears an odd sound.

From behind her! Nissa turns to see...her daughter, playing the hand made flute Nissa gave her with all her might. The sound is loud enough to disrupt the signal, and all of the insectoids have halted. If Nissa and Parrn spend their next turn clearing up the last of the spider webs, they'll have a clear path to Alistar!

[Diachronos]

Maybe that was a bad idea... The sound of flute music makes her turn, and she nearly drops her bow in shock upon seeing Tiana there. How had she gotten here? Wasn't she supposed to be unconscious?

Still, there was no sense in questioning it right now. She turns and sends a line of flames into the webs, directing it to clear as much space for them as possible. She sends Ghellin to stand by Tiana and defend her.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Casting fire snake to clear the webs, directing it to keep it from hitting any allies. Fire damage if needed: (14d6)[34]

[NeoSeraphi]

Nissa's spell clears the path! However, with the way Arios and the others are positioned, there is only one square adjacent to Alistar within reach right now. Parrn or one of his wolves can go in this round, but they'll be going in alone.

[Gunhaven]

Parrn laughs as the path clears to Alister. Seeing his chance he and his wolves charge forth with Alocer granting them the courage to continue the hunt despite the obvious dangers.

Spoiler: Another 9 attacks!

Show

Also Imprinting Hand and a knowledge check for Alister? (1d20+20)[36]
Asena:
Swift: Coordinated Charge (1d100)[15]
Attack (1d20+22)[39]
Damage (2d6+23)[33]
Trip (2d20b1)[14] + 26

Full: Bite (1d100)[65]
Attack (1d20+18)[33]
Damage (2d6+21)[33]
Trip (2d20b1)[12] + 22

Courtaud:
Full: Charge (1d100)[62]
Attack (1d20+18)[23]
Damage (2d6+20)[24]
Trip (2d20b1)[12] + 22

Swift: Snapping Flank (1d100)[44]
Attack (1d20+14)[22]
Damage (2d6+18)[21]
Trip (2d20b1)[19] + 18

Parrn:
Swift: Coordinated Charge (1d100)[72]
Attack (1d20+25)[37]
Damage (1d8+25)[33]
Intimidate (1d20+24)[32]

Full: Hack 1 (1d100)[82]
Attack (1d20+21)[39]
Damage (1d8+23)[25]
Intimidate (1d20+24)[44]

Hack 2 (1d100)[70]
Attack (1d20+16)[31]
Damage (1d8+23)[30]
Intimidate (1d20+24)[25]

Hack 3 (1d100)[42]
Attack (1d20+11)[21]
Damage (1d8+23)[29]
Intimidate (1d20+24)[32]

Secondary Bite (1d100)[36]
Attack (1d20+14)[15]
Damage (1d8+11)[19] + (2d6)[8] Vicious, (1d6)[2] backlash
Intimidate (1d20+24)[30]
Trip (2d20b1)[16] + 16

[NeoSeraphi]

Every single one of Parrn and his wolves' attacks miss. The fey looks over at them with annoyance and raises his greatsword. His swings are extremely precise, and even when they seem to go wide Parrn can't seem to escape them entirely.

Spoiler

Show

Attack: (1d20+50)[69]
Damage: (2d6+20)[27]

(1d20+45)[51]
Damage: (2d6+20)[25]

(1d20+40)[51]
Damage: (2d6+20)[27]

(1d20+35)[43]
Damage: (2d6+20)[27]

[NeoSeraphi]

Parrn goes down and Alistar chuckles madly. His eyes turn back to the warrior in front of him. Arios looks in surprise to see Tiana there. "It's dangerous! Nissa, get her away from here!"

Alistar glares at him. "Hey! Don't take your eyes off your opponent!" He slams his foot into Arios's side, not even flinching as one of Arios's armor spikes goes right through his foot and leaves a gaping, bloody wound. Arios groans and staggers back, and Alicia raises one hand. A gate opens up behind him and a celestial creature floats down, heals Arios, and vanishes.

Arios slowly picks himself up as Alistar grins and kicks him again.

[Diachronos]

Nissa retreats back beside Tiana, with Ghellin moving to her other side. "Tiana, what are you doing here?" She raises her bow and fires an arrow at Alistar. "How did you even get here to begin with?"

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Hit: (1d20+25)[32]/(1d20+25)[28]
Damage: (1d8+14)[18]/(3d8+42)[54] plus (1d6)[5] acid

[NeoSeraphi]

Tiana gives Nissa a look and nods to the insectoids, standing perfectly still in the air as she keeps playing. The look in her eyes obviously says "Do you really want me to stop playing long enough to answer?"

[Diachronos]

She nods and turns her attention back to Alistar. How in the world were they going to contribute to that fight? And what was going to happen if Tiana had to stop playing?

She looks over to Sakura, to see if the nymph was still capable of fighting.

[NeoSeraphi]

Nissa looks over to Sakura, who is now standing with her hands clasped together and her eyes closed. She appears to be chanting in Draconic.

Spoiler: Draconic

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"Oh heart of flame, burning inside with the passion of love and battle! I call upon you to bring ruin upon those who stand in our way! Lay waste!"

Her eyes snap open and she raises both hands. "Ashmond's Dark Firaga!"

An enormous ball of black fire gathers inside of her outstretched palms and she launches it at the hive, completely incinerating it. Hundreds of corpses drop to the ground, including the queen's.

[Gunhaven]

With the leader down and the teeth snapping at air, Asena and Courtaud take the opportunity to move back and guard Tiana. They knew that they could protect the small hairless one from insects and hopefully that would give Arios the peace of mind to finish the battle. Parrn meanwhile bled on the ground.

[NeoSeraphi]

Asena and Courtard step around Tiana, as the insectoids in the air and on the ground fall down. It appears that their queen's death has resulted in all of them perishing. Alistar looks surprised, and he leaps forward, dragging Alicia with him, as he heads to fight with Sakura. The witch gasps and starts to back away, as Justin dashes for her and slams his fist into the ground, creating a wall of earth 10 feet high and 10 feet wide. Alistar pulls his fist back and punches through the wall, shattering it instantly.

[Diachronos]

Nissa unleashes another volley at Alistar. "Tiana, if things get bad, I want you to run. If I tell you, get on Ghellin and get yourself out of the forest as fast as you can."

Spoiler: Attacks

Show

Attack 1: (1d20+25)[32]/(1d20+25)[34]
Damage: (1d8+14)[17]/(3d8+42)[55] plus (1d6)[6] acid
Attack 2: (1d20+20)[22]/(1d20+20)[32]
Damage: (1d8+14)[20]/(3d8+42)[49] plus (1d6)[3] acid
Attack 3: (1d20+15)[21]/(1d20+15)[31]
Damage: (1d8+14)[22]/(3d8+42)[54] plus (1d6)[4] acid
Speed enchant: (1d20+25)[34]/(1d20+25)[34]
Damage: (1d8+14)[15]/(3d8+42)[53] plus (1d6)[3] acid

[NeoSeraphi]

Nissa hits twice. She immediately feels the backlash. A burning sensation as she is struck by pure hatred. Her legs feel weak in the presence of this behemoth. He looks over at her and starts to advance. His blade glints with fury as he raises it over Nissa's head.

Arios starts to rush forward, but he's too far away to intervene. He screams out to her as she involuntarily shuts her eyes, waiting for the blow to come. She hears the sound of impact, but feels no pain.

"Tch. Got in my way again?" Alistar asks. Nissa opens her eyes to see Justin standing in front of her, arms spread wide, with Alistar's blade sinking into his left shoulder. Alistar looks annoyed. He grips the blade in both hands and slashes it downwards, cutting the changeling's body in half. He collapses, looking up at Nissa with a smile. "Remember what I said about you having no friends? Well...as far as I'm concerned, you had at least one. I'm...glad we met."

The light leaves his eyes.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hemet closes his eyes and clasps his hands together in prayer. "The hunt is not over yet. Alocer, grant this boy the strength to go on. Miracle."

Parrn slowly gets to his feet. He is at half his max health with 1 temporary negative level.

[Diachronos]

Nissa feels her eyes stinging as she looks down at Justin. Why had he sacrificed himself for her?

She pulls back from Alistar, bringing Tiana with her, as Ghellin lunges at Alistar.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Withdraw action away from Alistar, Ghellin's going to step in and make a full attack.

1st Talon:
Attack: (1d20+21)[40]/(1d20+21)[25]
Damage: (6d6+13)[41]; Crit Damage: (12d6+26)[73]
2nd Talon:
Attack: (1d20+21)[30]/(1d20+21)[41]
Damage: (6d6+13)[33]; Crit Damage: (12d6+26)[56]
Bite:
Attack: (1d20+21)[25]/(1d20+21)[36]
Damage: (3d6+13)[17]; Crit Damage: (6d6+26)[53]
Claw 1:
Attack: (1d20+21)[23]/(1d20+21)[30]
Damage: (3d6+13)[26]; Crit Damage: (6d6+26)[49]
Claw 2:
Attack: (1d20+21)[28]/(1d20+21)[30]
Damage: (3d6+13)[25]; Crit Damage: (6d6+26)[51]

[NeoSeraphi]

There is dead silence as the Council watches Justin fall. Alistar nimbly dodges out of the way of the dinosaur's attacks, before looking around in confusion. "What the hell are you all looking at?"

The silence finally breaks with the very last noise that Nissa expected to hear in this situation...laughter. Sakura cracks up, laughing her ass off as she shakes her head and buries her face in her hands.

Alistar looks very disturbed by this. "What the - I just killed one of your comrades! I sliced his f**king throat open! What's so damned funny?"

From his feet, Alicia starts laughing too. She shakes her head in disbelief, pounding the ground and coughing a bit. Alistar growls and yanks on her leash, which only causes her to laugh more.

"You too? Grr...I am the God of Wrath! I just killed one of the most powerful mages in the world! You WILL respect and fear me!"

Cassandra chuckles herself, lowering her hands. The barrier around the forest falls. "I'm so sorry, my dear. We do respect and fear you, honest. It's just that...well, you have no idea what you just did, and that's beyond hysterical."

"What I just did?" Alistar asks, blinking.

Alicia lifts her head. "Yeah. It's priceless. You know, even in the future, where all your plans come true, and The Destroyer becomes the God of Sin, one of the most feared and hated beings in all history, he still didn't kill The Immortal."

"That's right! He and I were longtime sex buddies, he and Alicia were close friends who had saved each other countless times, and he worshipped Cassandra as a goddess, but he had no trouble killing each one of us and making us into devil puppets for his new world. But not Justin." Sakura comments, shaking her head.

Alistar stares at the two of them. "Wh-what are you saying?"

Max sits back against a tree, any and all tenseness in his face at the severity of their opponent gone. "They are saying 'you dun goofed', old boy. You call yourself a God of Wrath? You haven't seen Wrath yet!"

Arios steps forward. He throws his sword to the ground and slams his fist into his chest. The black hellknight full plate shatters in an instant, collapsing to the ground in a million pieces. Alistar turns and stares at his odd behavior.

Arios raises his foot to take another step, and suddenly he's in front of the small demon girl, still playing her flute. He looks down at her. "Tiana. We will discuss your punishment when I get home."

Tiana's eyes are wide at her dad's serious voice. "O-okay Daddy," she replies, not even able to call him 'father' like she normally does. Arios scoops her up and teleports away.

In a moment he's back. He looks at Nissa. "Oy! High Priest!"

Hemet looks up from where he's treating Parrn's wounds in surprise. "Er...ya mean me, lad?"

"Take my wife, that gnoll, and their pets and get as far away from here as you can. Now!"

Hemet grits his teeth and quickly scoops Parrn up, whistling to Asena and Courtard as he gives Nissa a look and nods for the exit.

Alistar growls and raises his sword. "Hey, where do you think you're going, pre-ARGH!" He looks down to find Arios's fist in his stomach, and then he flies back fifty feet and hits a tree trunk, snapping it in two as he collapses to the ground. Arios looks down at his hand, which is now bleeding from Alistar's Revenge aura.

"Max. Orion."

The two mages tense up and stand straight. "Y-yes?" "N-need something?"

"Give me your power. All of it."

Max and Orion look at each other with a frown, but then Max gives a shrug of helplessness. "As you wish." "Whatever you want, Arios."

Max raises his hand and a glowing white light appears. It swirls around, forming a rotating helix that shoots forward into Arios's body. Orion does the same, though his aura is black.

Arios absorbs their magic and clenches his fists. Alistar slowly gets up, picking up his greatsword and looking angrily at Arios. "What's that Sora? Finally getting serious?"

"My name," Arios replies, slamming his palms together. "is Arios Heartshield! I am not the little boy you met ten years ago! I am The Black Knight, the Mercenary of Hell! I am a warrior, and I will kill you, Alistar!"

He separates his palms and drops to his knees, pressing them into the ground. "Heartshield's Forbidden Art - Planetary Devastation!"

In an instant, a black aura sweeps through the ground, coating everything for miles around them. All of the trees in the forest instantly shrivel up and die. The grass grows brown, the flowers wilt. Birds fall out of trees and cicada hums are silenced. After a moment, the forest they were standing in is now indistinguishable from the desert that Nissa met the banshee in. The same magic that cursed the earth?

Arios stands up. His arms look like they belong on a giant, not a half-elf. He has grown at least 10 feet taller, and probably gained over 2000 pounds. Alistar stares at the behemoth in front of him. "Heh. Killing me won't erase your Sin, Sora."

Arios snaps his finger, and the black blade he had created to spar with Justin appears out of nowhere, instantly growing to fit his new size and dropping into his hand.

"All this hatred. Just because I was the one who taught you that ritual? The ritual you taught to Jacob Revane ten years ago? The ritual that killed your parents?" Alistar asks, grinning from ear to ear.

Arios takes a step forward. The ground shakes.

"You seem upset. Does it bother you when I bring up how your selfish actions and conspiring with demons caused you to lose the two people who cared the most about you, and then in order to run from that you closed your heart and blamed the girl you loved? Despicable, truly despicable. And now you've killed an entire ecosystem just to gain the power to avenge one death. Thousands of plants and animal lives taken in an instant. For what? For this?" Alistar shows no signs of fear or remorse as he taunts Arios.

"Heartshield's Black Blade...of Disaster!" Arios raises the weapon and slashes it forward. Alistar's laugh echoes through the empty world as he chokes on his own blood. The erlking dies at the Black Knight's feet.

[Diachronos]

Nissa helps Hemet with Parrn as they hurry away from the area. She forces herself to keep looking forward, out of fear of just what she was going to see if she turned around. As they leave the clearing, Nissa grabs onto the others and triggers her boots to bring them back to her home in Mys'tai.

[Gunhaven]

Parrn blinks in disbelief. When they arrive in Mys'tai he immediately fishes out the locket Arios gave him, as well as his other trinkets from the various pack mates. While he's most concerned with Heartshield's health, it can't hurt to check on the rest of his mates while he's at it.

[NeoSeraphi]

All of Parrn's pack members are alive and well. Hemet glances back at the other two. "Damn...so that's what it's like to have the power of a god, huh?" He looks down at his rifle. "I guess...hunting the tarrasque might be as high as folk like you and me can aim, Parrn."

Tiana is sitting in her room petting Sofia. She looks up at Nissa when Nissa enters the room to check on her. "Mother! What happened to Alistar?"

After about ten minutes, Arios enters the mansion. Taalia looks surprised. "O-oh! Erm...Arios you're..not wearing a shirt!" she comments, covering her mouth as her cheeks flush red. Arios ignores her, his black slacks now ripped into a pair of shorts that barely provide any modesty. He walks into Tiana's room. "...It's over. It's finally over. The Seven, everything. The world can finally rest in peace."

[Diachronos]

Nissa sits down beside Tiana and hugs her. "He's gone now, Tiana. Your father's dealt with him, and he's not going to hurt anyone anymore."

When Sora finally returns, Nissa gets up and hugs him. "I'm happy to hear that. Now we can move on with our lives." She looks down at the floor. "I'm... I'm sorry about Justin..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Arios sighs and looks down. "It's...okay. His friendship is a treasure that I will never be able to replace, but I'm going to honor him rather than grieve. I'm going to make the world a better place, the way the two of us always envisioned it would be. ...Lately, with me leaving the Council and spending so much time with you and Tiana, we didn't have much time to hang out together. Maybe...maybe he was starting to think that our friendship didn't mean as much to me anymore. Or maybe he hated me for it? I just wish I had the chance to tell him how important he was to me, and to hear him say that back. It's a little selfish, but I just want to know that I meant as much to him as he did to me, you know?"

[Diachronos]

Nissa thinks for a moment before pulling back and setting her bag down on the floor. She digs through it until she finds the book that Justin had given to her the day before. "He asked me to give you this in case he didn't make it. At the time I thought he was just being overly cautious, but..." She holds out the book to him. "If the things he's said to me lately are any indication, you were one of the most important people in his life, right up until the end."

[NeoSeraphi]

Arios takes the book from Nissa. He looks down at it and reads the cover, smiling. "You...stupid idiot, Justin," he mutters, a tear escaping his eye as he quickly wipes it away. "I was always the one who was going to fall in battle. Why would you leave me behind?"

He sighs and turns around. "I'll...be at home. Tiana, you're grounded missy. No leaving the house except for school. Or to pick up food for Sofia. Or to get something for dinner if we're out of food. Or if there's an emergency and you need to leave the house. Or to visit your mother's grave. Or if it's a really nice day and you want to go for a walk. You know what? If you want to leave the house, just ask your mother, she'll let you know if it's okay." He walks away. Still the doting father, even though his words were heavy with grief.

"So...you actually managed to pull it off,"

Parrn turns around to see a young witch drinking tea and sitting on a cat umbrella that has morphed itself into a chair. "You not only won the Game and prevented the world from being destroyed, you even reached above to drag the gods of this world down beneath you. You have truly, finally, freed humanity to live on its own, with no interference from dragons or fey. Even the mages, once as demonic and twisted with Sin as Lamashta Herself, have surrendered their power voluntarily. An impressive showing."

[Diachronos]

Nissa starts to follow as Sora leaves, before deciding against it. Right now he probably just needed a moment alone.

She turns back to Tiana. "As upset as I am that you ran headlong into danger like that, you did an amazing job, Tiana. If you hadn't arrived, we'd likely have suffered a lot more injury than we did... how did you get to the forest, anyway?"