MLP The Cycle 2: ETalUSUaSTWG 2 - The Good, the Bad and the Cutie: APØNYCALYPSE

[Theoboldi]

Silver gives a little giggle at Nobility's answer, taking in by the level-headedness she shows in spite of her confidence. "Delegating is pretty important for rulers, isn't it?" Grandpa mentioned something like that at some point, and it sounded true enough at the time. "It's one less lesson to learn, at least. And I'm sure we'll find someone with the skills to run the day to day stuff, while we handle the grand heroics."

Seeing her outstretched hooves, however, he hesitates for a moment, floating along on his wings with an uncertain stare on his face. Finally, he reaches out to her, simultaneously averting his gaze. His thoughts, once Nobility can hear them, are a rush of activity. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Does this mean we're for real? You can hear this, right? This is so weird! I don't wanna think about how awesome you are! Gah, I just thought about it! That's it, I'm gonna start digging and bury myself in the earth! This is so super embarrassing. I don't wanna look like a fool in front of you and ruin my chances! Not that I ever would, cause I'm awesome! But you're also awesome, so I need to be at my most awesome, even more so than normal!

Please keep holding my hoof."

Outwardly, once the question of who Stephen is gets asked, Silver pauses for a moment, ripped from his thoughts. Then, he gives a hesitant, somewhat sheepish answer, remembering how angry Nobility got when he first met Stephen. "Uh, he's that other shadow beast I met. You know, when I wandered off before we met Lucida."

[igordragonian]

Nobilty's face turned pink, and she looked away shyly, almost letting go... but still holding.
"Wouldn't we be fools to listen to such.. a.. what was he again?"

[DigoDragon]

Dawn internalizes her suddenly downer emotion. Her two friends started to remind her of her parents and Dawn really misses them right now. She wonders if their adventurers took them to really strange worlds. Besides that undersea place, as Dawn isn't sure how much that should count. It was still kinda in Equestria? Eh, whatevs.

"I'm sure we'll be fine going into the ruins. We're pretty perceptive to get around trouble."

[Theoboldi]

"I'm not sure if I'd describe anything that we've done so far as getting around trouble, Dawn." Silver jokes, in an effort to further distract himself from the sticky situation he has found himself in. Sadly, or perhaps luckily, it does not last.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! Gah, is it weird to hold your hoof this much? I think you're really pretty and OH MY GOSH-" Finally, the colt lets go, dropping onto his butt and holding his hooves in front of his mouth. He is staring wide-eyed at Nobility, in shock over what he just let her hear, his heart thumping like crazy.

Once he notices that he is looking like a weirdo to everyone else, which does take him a few seconds, he sheepishly gets back onto his hooves. "Y-You really are, though." he mutters under his breath.

[igordragonian]

Nobility blushed and giggled, covering her face with her wing. Nobility has realized, not only they aren't alone, they are accompanied, by a creepy skeleton.
"We..well, we did survive didn't we?" her heart pumped strongly, but she tried to avert her attention out of awkwardness.


Poor eerie friend..

Spoiler

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"He think I am pretty! He really do! Aren't we lucky?!'

[Derjuin]

"aight. welp, let's go," Lucida says, shrugging and taking lead. Dinilysia quickly follows her, looking back to you once.

As you enter the ruins, darkness falls over you almost immediately. A cyan glow emanates from Lucida ahead, and seems to light up a large enough area for you to see at least where you're stepping... yet in front of you, you can scarcely see beyond Lucida. To Silver, this darkness is even greater than that experienced before.

Soon, even sounds seem to be muffled and the darkness closes further in, choking the light.

"we must be getting close to the glowing thing. i've been taking us a back route around it, but we'll have to pass by it nonetheless if we wanna get to the castle. just... don't get any closer than i do, okay?" Lucida says, and though she doesn't turn around, there's a sudden, deathly seriousness to her voice. "i made a lot of promises to get steven to cooperate. he also guards the castle, you see, but it's not his treasure or his lair, so he isn't as upset about that. but we have to be quick and we have to be respectful."

You round what feels like a corner, and suddenly white light spills forth over the darkness, and very close by you note that there is a large, decorated stone disc, sticking at an angle out of the ruined ground; it looks almost as if it crashed into the ground at high speed, though the disc itself appears unharmed. Above it, the faded, magical image of a pony floats in the air, above a crackling orb of pale green light. Somehow, each of you feels a strong resonance with the orb, as if it's an incredibly important... thing.

Above, you note the looming shape of a serpentine shadow, and two pulsing, pale green eyes stare down at you, dangerously narrowed, as if examining your every movement.

"sup, steven? these are the fillies'n'colt i was talkin' about. we're just about to head to the castle. au revoir!"

The serpent doesn't seem to respond to Lucida's conversation, and she swiftly turns away from the serpent as if it were nothing. Not too far from where you stand, you see a giant archway, and beyond that, the barely-illuminated ruins of a castle. The darkness seems less extreme there, while the darkness behind you intensifies around the light emanating from the orb.

Please... help... You hear a faint whisper, almost as if in your mind, coming from somewhere near the orb. It might even be the image of the pony.

What do you do?

[DigoDragon]

"I heard a cry for help. Anyone else hear it?"

[Theoboldi]

Silver comes to a sudden stop from in-between throwing dreamy glances at Nobility and walking. So much for the plan, once again.

“Yeah. I heard that too.“ he tells Dawn glad to have confirmation at least that he is not halucinating from paranoia. Suddenly looking very serious, he turns to the group's skeletal guide. “Lucida, I'm gonna ask you a question, and I want you to be honest with the answer.

Was that cry just now real?“ Given the intense way he stares at her, there can really be no misgivings about that if she says yes, he will do his all to aid whatever is in that orb.

[igordragonian]

Nobility's ear twitched

Spoiler: Eerie friend

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"Did you hear that?"

[Derjuin]

"cry? what cry?" Lucida asks, turning to face you. "dini? did you hear a cry?" She asks over her shoulder, the gorgon stopping and curling around. "I haven't heard one, no. Where did it come from?"

"this isn't good. if there's a chance someone's down here, we should probably look for them." Lucida suddenly shifts and takes a single step back towards Steven and the orb, and the serpent looms low over his treasure, as if to protect it.

They cannot... hear me, You hear another whisper in your mind, this time dotted with scratchy interference. Spark core... is all... communicate... ...help Talon... The orb beneath Steven glows brighter, sending sparks shimmering and dancing across the surface of the disc; suddenly, lines and runes flicker on the stone's surface, but only for a moment before the orb dims and the disc grows dormant once again.

Spoiler: Ear Friendo

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I didn't, no. What did it say?

[Theoboldi]

"Something's saying it's down in that orb thingy. Maybe it's even the same thing as that pony image." Silver says openly, wanting to make his point quite clear to everyone. Especially Steven. As Lucida steps up to the orb, he joins her, wings flared open in case he needs to take to the air.

"I'm actually wondering, Steven." The words come calmly, directed with pinpoint focus at the slithering creature. "Are you trying to protect that orb, or whatever's inside of it...." At this point, Silver pauses melodramatically, and raises an eyebrow. "...Or are you trying to stop whatever's in there from getting out?"

[DigoDragon]

"We might have to convince Steven to let us," Dawn tells the two adults.

[igordragonian]

"Just let me hoofshake Steven and I'll take of it.' she said with confidence.her striped ear twitched again.

Spoiler: Eerie Ear Friend

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"This is wierd. Me, Silver and Dawn are hearing it in our heads,Lina can't hear it, but why YOU can't? Are you on diffren 'channel?

[Derjuin]

"don't make him angry, we don't want to have a confrontation down here if we can avoid it..." Lucida whispers as quietly as she can to Silver, though Steven seems to hear it.

The enormous shadowy serpent figure rears back, the shadows still clinging to the semisphere of light produced by the orb below. "STEVEN IS NOT MY NAME." It suddenly bellows, and you suddenly feel a supernatural terror grasping at your mind, begging you to flee, to escape this shadowy hell.

"I AM THE GUARDIAN OF THE ELEMENT OF LIFE. MEDEUS." The shadowy serpent roars again, and you see the orb brighten as he mentions the "element of life", as if it's trying to push back against the intense shadows blanketing it. "I WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO FALL INTO THE WRONG HOOVES AGAIN." Each word it roars sounds like gnashing metal and thundering drums, and you feel the terror seeking to overwhelm your mind intensify.

"LEAVE AT ONCE."

Spoiler: Ear Frienb

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I don't know, but... I can... I can feel the magic in that dragon's voice. it's fear magic... it's so oppressive... I can scarcely think of anything but running away...!

[DigoDragon]

"Element of Life? Oh, maybe we can come to an understanding. We're element bearers." Dawn points out the little charm she is wearing. "I'm Dawn, the Heir of Light."

[igordragonian]

"I am Nobility, Seer Of Heart." she present herself with a bow.
"Please, let us see your glory from close, so your beauty won't be hidden from the world anymore.'

Spoiler: Eerie Friend

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"try to imagine him in maid dress...'

[Theoboldi]

Silver finds himself shaking ever so slightly, the fearsome force behind that voice unnerving him. It's similar to what he felt when he first spoke to this creature, but on a far greater intensity. Yet, at the same time, he gets the feeling that this being is still holding back. That idea alone would be scary enough for anyone to run away.

Anyone who isn't Silver Lining, that is. If the Element of Life is asking for freedom, he can't just turn a blind eye to it, no matter what kind of scary monster is standing in his way. Nopony ever said that doing the right thing is easy, after all.

"And I'm Silver Lining, Page of Hope. Not that our friends here knew any of that, Dawn." he says, tilting his head ever so slightly towards his companions. Then, however, he returns his attention to the monster at hoof. Being snarky has helped with lowering his own tension a little bit. "So, Medeus. From the sounds of it, you were around in the last Cycle? When that other guy misused his element? What a scumbag, am I right?" For a moment, the pegasus gives a little smirk, his eyes closed, before his expression turns serious again.

"But holding her locked up against her own wishes, just to protect her, now that's just cold. Element or not. The least you could do is listen to the request she clearly has." Maybe, just maybe, appealing to the serpent's better nature will work. After all, it does seem to have a sense of morality and duty.

[Derjuin]

"THERE IS NO LIVING CREATURE WITHIN IT. THE ELEMENT IS A WEAPON OF DESTRUCTION AND POWER. I WILL NOT RELENT." Medeus roars, his shadowy coils wrapping tighter around the light. "I CANNOT ALLOW IT TO BE WIELDED BY THE INCOMPETENT OR THE VILE. THAT IS WHY I STILL GUARD IT, DESPITE THE BEARER OF LIFE'S AWAKENING. HE CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH SUCH A WEAPON. NOT AGAIN."

"of course not medeus, we dont actually want to take it from you - im sure you know exactly who should take it and i for one will trust your judgment on that," Lucida says, a sly smile on her face. It seems she's trying to butter up to him, perhaps trying to de-escalate his anger.

"THERE CAN BE NO COMPROMISE."

While the magical fear in your minds has subsided, you still feel an odd pressure in the air - a tangible tension that plucks at your hearts and minds, somehow putting you on edge before this enormous shadowy serpent. It seems you really only have a few options here, and talking him down isn't one of them...

[DigoDragon]

"So how do we prove our skill and good nature?" Dawn asks directly.

[igordragonian]

Nobility slowly flew toward the kaiju serpent. (Not that she knew what kaiju is)
"No! Of course, compromise is for weaklings!" she tried to imitate his tone.
Ponies, and maybe giant serpents also, loved when someone talked in their "launguage", make them feel less lonely after all.
"But, this place isn't the safe anymore! When reality crash down, you might be no more, and the element feel fall to the wrong hooves!"



Meta:
(2d6)[3][4](7)+6+(harmony(if somepony give)

[Theoboldi]

Silver lets himself float, leant back and his hooves cross. There is an ever so slight smile on his face. Nobi really is something else.

"She's got a point, you know. This cycle will end at some point. And then what? You'll just seek out the element in the next one? Hope that you'll find it again before whoever else does? You already can't hear her talking, so what chance do you have at being her protector?"

With a sigh, he lets himself drop down next to Dawn. "If there's anything we can do to prove that we can handle the element, we'll do it. There's a world we've gotta save, and I don't plan on beating up someone with the same interests as me in the process." It's no compromise. Silver is just taking the only path he would have taken anyhow.

[Derjuin]

"I DO NOT TRAVERSE THE TIMELINES. I EXIST IN ALL OF THEM. I AM NOT SIMPLY MEDEUS, GUARDIAN OF THE ELEMENT OF LIFE. NO... THAT IS A DUTY I HAVE SWORN TO REPENT FOR MY FAILURE." Medeus roars, and two enormous bulges appear at his side, though they pull close to his body as the shadows grow tighter. "I WAS ONCE THE ANCIENT KING OF PURGIST. BEFORE THE ANGELS... BEFORE THE DEMONS... BEFORE EQUINIA. I WAS HESPERUS. I WAS AUSEKLIS. I WAS SHAHAR. I WAS YOSEI AND KOKUSHO. IN EVERY TIMELINE, I FAIL TO STOP THE DEMONS. FAIL TO PROTECT MY PEOPLE. IT IS INEVITABLE. AND SO, MY PENANCE IS TO GUARD THE ELEMENT WITH MY LIFE."

"TO DIE AND TO PASS THE ELEMENT TO WORTHY BEINGS WILL ABSOLVE ME OF MY PAST. COMBAT WILL TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU... YOUR STRENGTH, YOUR RESOLVE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR PURITY." You feel the tension rising, something spurring you to act - whether it be to flee, or something else. The magical fear has subsided entirely...

"wait wait wait, who said anything about combat? cmon, were all friends here. lets not get too feisty -" Lucida keeps her grin about her, but she seems less certain in her movements.

"A WORLD MAY SAVED FOR SELFISH REASONS. A PEOPLE MAY BE LIBERATED ONLY TO ENSLAVE THEM UNDER NEW RULE. BUT A COMBAT... A TEST OF METTLE. IT WILL REVEAL ALL."

"It... makes a certain kind of sense. If you lack true resolve, or altruism, or strength, each will show in your actions and words." Dinilysia says with a nod, and Lucida throws her a surprised glance. Above, the darkness seems... somehow lessened, despite Medeus' form remaining black as night against the shadows. Somehow, the intensity of Medeus' dark form has grown, its edges wavering as if fighting against reality's limits.

"WILL YOU FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU DESIRE? WILL YOU FULFILL THIS FALLEN KING'S LAST WISH?"

What will you do?

[igordragonian]

Spoiler: Eerie Ear Friend

Show

"Of any of this make sense to you, please help!" she beg

"Your test is stupid." Nobility said, trying to land on his body

"You are asking us, to prove you, thst we aren't selfish, by beating you up, and take what we want by force?
She took a deep breath
maid uniform maid uniform... NOPE

She fold her ears
"Why do you want to force me, back into my evil ways? I am a bully. But I am trying to fight it! I am sure, that godly being like you,can read our minds and test our sinferith with ease!"

Ooc

Heart
(2d6)[2][3](5)+6

[DigoDragon]

"I'd rather keep my thoughts to myself, but whatever," Dawn commented. "I'm willing to test my... Mettle or what it's called if that is his request to prove ourselves."

[Theoboldi]

"You're sounding so resigned." Silver says, his head lowering slightly and his expression darkening. There is a faint melancholy to his voice, though it's hard to say what the colt is really thinking. "Like you're only good as a test for someone who's a genuine hero. It kinda reminds me of a friend of mine."

At this, Silver's head raises slightly, a glance thrown at Dawn. "She thought she was only good at doing magic. Until she realized that head of hers can do so much more than just cast spells." With a flick of his wings, he points at the ruins surrounding them. "I'm not about to kill you, no matter how much you may want it. I'm not gonna add to this rubble. If you want to repent-"

Suddenly, the young pegasus glares right at Medeus, leaning forward in a deliberately provocative way. Even his voice is raised slightly, aimed to goad the being into making a first move. "-why don't you do it in a way that actually means something?! And if you're really itching for a beating, how about you come here and get it!"

There is a plan behind this. Silver just has to figure out what it is yet.

[Derjuin]

"IT IS NOT A MATTER TO TAKE LIGHTLY. MY PENANCE PROTECTS THE SACRIFICES OF ALL THE MONSTERS THAT DIED FOR ME. I..."

"Oh for the love of - JUST FIGHT ALREADY!" You hear a voice screech from somewhere behind Medeus, and he whirls about in a frenzy.

Optional Soundtrack - Imperfect

A small creature, roughly pony sized and shaped, floats in the air, small wings buzzing incredibly fast. If it weren't so dark and the creature so bright, you could almost swear it was a changeling. A green aura radiates from its body, and you feel all tension from Medeus melt away.

"YOU!" Medeus roars, and for those of you still on the ground, you feel it shudder with the intense sound. "BETRAYER! I WILL NOT TOLERATE YOUR PRESENCE HERE!"

"Yes, yes, it's me, your worst enemy, blah-blah. Though, 'betrayer' is a little harsh. I prefer to think of myself as a freelancer." The changeling laughs, and his aura grows intense; Medeus wraps tightly around the hemisphere of light emanating from the element, but that light, too, grows in strength. By now, you can clearly see the changeling through the light it seems to be projecting - a bright blue fin of a mane adorns its head, and many white scratches or scars mar its legs.

"I am the Prince of Life, Tetrath. You have something that belongs to me, old king. I want it back." As he speaks, you feel the tension in the air rising, and while Medeus' coils around the element slowly unwind, you see that he moves closer to Tetrath as he does.

"YOU ARE THE LAST INDIVIDUAL IN THIS WORLD FIT TO WIELD SUCH A WEAPON," Medeus chides, and now you notice the shadows clinging to Medeus' body being torn away by the light around him. Glimmering silver scales radiate under where the shadows rage, like a tumultuous sea across his whole body. "YOU WILL DIE A THOUSAND DEATHS BEFORE I WILLINGLY GIVE IT TO YOU!"

"I was hoping you'd say something stupid like that," Tetrath retorts with a grin, and suddenly he looks to your group. "Do you dare oppose me as well?"

[DigoDragon]

"Yeah, sure. beatdowns for everyone. I'm buying. Sun flare!"

Dawn's horn flash an intense bright light in Tetrath's and Medeus' direction to blind them temporarily.

Spoiler

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Basically attempting to blind them a moment, so that others can get their hits in easier.

Spellcasting (best two of three): (3d6)[4][5][1](10) (9)
+6 Mind
+1 Arcane Talent

Total: 16
(paying with Mind)

Spell Name: Sun flare
Target Area (+4)
Range Seen (+2)
Duration Immediate (+2)

Effect(s) Forge (+1) Deceive (+1)
Subject(s) Light (+1) Magic (+1)
Spell Level 12
Spell DT 10

Caster created a sudden bright flash to blind/daze their opponent temporarily.

[igordragonian]

maid uniform

Maid uniform..." for very brief moment, she wondered what Night Shade has thought of this mental defence technique.
Shock after shock .this adventure rarely went on low note.
Tetrath
He was a chosen one. Like them. Why is he like this?
There had to be somethiny that could be done to save him
Or at least a danger that nopony gave them about corruption.
Nobility wasn't much of fantasy reader
(For now), but the concept of curropting artifacts was a fact at Equestria. Like the time, Rarity turned Poniville to be too pretty to handle.

Nobilty stood up and spread her wings.
She was kind enough to inform her friends
'I am going to do something reckless and stupid.' she smiled and winked at Silver Lining. She sort of hoped... it will also impress him

She flew at Tetrath, after Dawn's spell, and tried to tackle him into a bear hug. If can she pin him down- that good. But her porpuse is to read his emotional state.


Ooc:
Hug attack!

(2d6)[3][2](5)+1

[Theoboldi]

Silver raises up into the air at the new challenger's taunt. This has thrown a monkey wrench into his original plan, but at least it has also vastly simplified everything. "Would you expect anything less, you overgrown bug?" he retorts, bumping his hooves together. His blood is boiling at a fever pitch. In fact, Silver only just barely manages to stop himself from rushing ahead when Nobility declares that she has a plan of her own.

Luckily, she is speaking his language. "Oh I can't wait to see this." With a grin, he drops into a fighting stance next to the pegasus filly.

As soon as Dawn casts her spell, he moves out. Going from zero to one hundred, one beat of his wings shoots him forward, on a direct collision course with the Prince of Life. One hoof raised as if to prepare for a strike, he draws Tetrath's attention, the first and immediate threat he'll see after being blinded by Dawn's magic. However, he'll pull aside at the very last moment, and fly right past the changeling, leaving him wide open for Nobility's plan.

Spoiler: OOC

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Who's got two wings and is Acting in Harmony? This guy!

Nobility gains an extra die roll (1d6)[6] from my skill training due to the bluffing team work, +1 from my Job training, +2 from my higher Body Score, +1 from Wing Power, +1 from Talented (Fast), +2 from Friends helping Friends, a +2 bonus from Acting in Harmony, and +1 from Nobility's Wing Pony.

The total of our efforts is a nice round 20.

[Derjuin]

Optional Soundtrack - Blue Skies and a Battle

Medeus roars, what you are sure is actually a scream as the shadows slither and dance across his body, surging away from the sudden bright light. Tetrath, likewise, seems blinded by the sudden light, though he recovers much faster than the shadow dragon is able to.

Between the sudden afterimages of Silver rushing by and the light, Nobility is able to land squarely smack against his body, her hooves wrapping around him. She instantly connects to his mind and emotions...

Spoiler: Reading his Mental State

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What does this pathetic pegasus think she is doing?!

I will not leave without the element. I can't. Staresh needs it...

I could've taken the element easily... why didn't they fight?!

I can't kill them... Staresh needs them.

Brynhildr... this power. Please don't kill them...

For a moment, Tetrath doesn't do anything to wrestle away from Nobility's hug; then a surge of power wells up within Tetrath, and it suddenly explodes outward with force. It doesn't seem to hurt, but it sure does pack a punch...

"Is that what you call an attack? A flash of light and a hug?" Tetrath chides, the aura surrounding him growing stronger still. "It might've worked on the dragon, but I'm not so easily swept aside." He buzzes closer to the ground, and as he does, the ground under Dawn begins to quake...

With another sudden burst of magic, branches from a tree (????) grow up and out of the ground, rupturing the rock and stone with ease, grasping at the unicorn. The very bark, the very leaves of the branches seem to thrum with magic and life. Further eruptions around the area are followed by even greater, far larger branches and whole trees. They sway and bend with unnatural grace, as if sentient...

"Stay put!" Tetrath shouts, as the branches in the air reach out for Nobility and Silver...

Spoiler: OOC

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Dawn needs to make a reaction to the strange tree branches grasping at her.

Silver and Nobility each need to make two reactions: once to the magical burst, and once to the grasping trees.