Outside 43: Where the sun hurts your eyes and burns your skin

[UncleWolf]

[Cavern of Steel]

Wenomir is silent for a long while.

"People have called me many things," he says. "They called me a master swordsman, a leader, a lover. Also a stubborn, irrelevant, powerless fool. Until some time ago, they called me a demon-hunter. An even longer time ago they called me a monster, created to fight other monsters." He paces back and forth a little. "I have called myself other things still. A warrior, a seeker of the Riddle. But beneath all those labels and titles..." he stops. "I think I'm still that young peasant, born as the lowest of the low, who looked around him and decided he'd rise above what others said his station was. That he'd scratch and claw his way to greatness, even if the whole world told him to keep his head down. I decided, a long time ago, that I wouldn't bow down to what's expected of me. And I still don't."

Cavern of Steel

"So why does a peasant with delusions of grandeur seek The Answer to The Riddle of Steel?" The Sphinx asks, still prowling around the warrior. It seems that one answer has been given satisfactorily. That just means two more

[Morty]

[Cavern of Steel]

"I've believed in the Riddle ever since my mentor told me about it," Wenomir says. "I was content to live by what I believed to be its tenets. But recently, I found that it wasn't enough. I suffered the most bitter defeat of my life, losing my home, several people who looked to me as their leader, and the love of my life. I saw that I had been giving the Riddle lip service, but become complacent. I felt a need to take another step on this path. Maybe the last step, or merely the first step of another stage on the path. But I had to move forward."

[Nalix]

The Tower - Floor Four

"I've studied enough dark knowledge for my tastes. It has its uses," says Phil to the book. "What knowledge do you recommend? I seek power, or added control to the power that I currently have. What kind of knowledge do you offer?" Phil can hear Luna moving around, but still thinks that she's Raikiri. He's also considering absorbing this bug-sword, though is concerned how that might affect him or affect its power. The thing is unwieldy and he's not exactly good with a sword. Perhaps Luna could give him some pointers. He'll hang on to it for now. If he could unlock either Power or Balance magic within himself that would be a good start. He has studied both but never took the steps necessary to actually use them, except by proxy through chaos.

[Earl of Purple]

The Tower- Floor Four

"Carpentry is always useful. Origami is relaxing, some find- but don't practice on Me. Power, or control. I can offer political power, with advice on swaying the masses, voice training, and deniable corruption. I can offer magical power, and teach necromancy, daemonology, pyromancy, transfiguration, divination, and other forms of magic. Or religious power- I can help ye ascend to divinity. It's all power, and it all needs control. I Know enough to start the path to mastery on any subject, and guide ye along that road till completion, or till ye be no longer interested and wish to embark along another road. What interests ye most?" Alas, Balance, Power and even Chaos are all too broad subjects for the book to simply say 'yes, I can do that'. Also, I don't know how Phil's magic system works.

The Pokeball has been altered. It doesn't contain a pokemon- it contains something else. Specifically, a demon. Luna should know that something alive is in the ball, but it isn't a pokemon.

[Ionbound]

[Death Knight's Escape]

Hikari nods and says, "Of course, Lady Izanami. Let's get out of here." She rushes with the goddess to the exit of the cave, attempting to deflect any rocks that get too near by cutting them in half.

[Nalix]

The Tower - Floor Four

"Actually, I would like to know a bit about who or what you are," said Phil. "I've heard legends of talking books on my plane, but no one I know has ever heard of someone finding one." Phil senses that the book may need more information to work with, and the fact that he is from another world may need to have terms defined. "Power magic is all about manipulating the fundamental forces of reality through compulsion, using anger, fear, greed, and other similar concepts as forces rather than mere emotions. It pushes these and other emotions to extremes in order to maximize it's effects, though naturally with corresponding risks. It's the essence of demons in my world. Balance is it's opposite, using invitation and trust rather than compulsion. It's the essence of angels and works by gaining the trust and confidence of matter, life, and other natural forces. It's considered weaker but safer. Chaos is oriented towards Power, but it can be used for either. I've studied both, but never opened myself to either. I've never been able to decide which one to choose. Unless you know a way I can choose both?"


((I hope responding out of turn isn't a problem, I figure it won't hurt since this is just conversation and there wasn't any other interaction.))

[Cyber Punk]

The Tower- Floor Four

(Well, they both aren't interacting at the moment, so yeah.)

Luna doesn't know it's a demon inside the pokeball, but she can guess, given what's been encountered in the place so far. As she puts it down, she accidentally presses the release button.

Realizing this, she shrugs and throws the ball out the door, where the mutated pikachu sits, waiting for Luna to return from her looting. The ball hits the Pikachu on the head, causing it to yowl and yell angrily.

"Pika! Pi-ka-CHU!"
"Sorry, Pikachu."

[Earl of Purple]

The Tower- Floor Four

"I am a Book of Knowledge. I contain much that is written and can serve as a teacher and guide in many fields. The magic you describe is an art unknown to me, however. Such is a rarity. Power seems similar to the abilities of Brass and Zinc in the field of Allomancy, enabling a user to push or pull on the emotions of those around them- though Emotional Allomancy is blocked by the Allomantic ability of Copper, and aluminium foil sewn into a hat also protects the emotions. Allomancy is an inherent ability, and cannot be learnt. Its abilities can be captured and transferred using the related art of Haemalurgy, and that I can teach you. Indeed, I believe there is already a charged Haemalurgic spike elsewhere in this building, as I guided the last Scholar along that path, till he chose a faster, riskier route to power. I can also teach you Daemonology, enabling you to summon, bind and enslave such entities as demons, devils, genies and angels. What you describe are opposites, true opposites that are inherently opposed; like Fire and Water, or Earth and Air. Nothing can be both Balance and Power, without a third part to neutralise the explosive reaction that should otherwise occur." Haemalurgy requires death, powering metal spikes with part of somebody's soul and then inserting that soul-fragment into another and thereby transfer the captured ability, but if the spike was not applied correctly on either end then nothing shall occur; it is tricky, time-consuming, little understood (as Brandon Sanderson hasn't announced a full list of what is stolen by spikes of which metal), and also works in tandem with the other Metallic Arts of Scadrial, Allomancy and Feruchemy. And to my knowledge, I'm the only person who has introduced Allomancers and Feruchemists to the Nexus.

The release button pressed, after the pokeball comes to rest it bursts open and reveals a floating squid-thing with a cluster of long, barbed tentacles dangling beneath a bloated bag of translucent skin and equipped with a pair of disproportionately large eyes. The tentacles each ends in a three-pronged hand-like protuberance, the eyes are glazed and dead-looking, and the main part of its body, the bulging sac of skin holding it aloft, glows a pallid and wretched green. The creature gently turns, the tentacles writhing, and fixes its blank gaze upon the mutant pikachu, sending forth a telepathic missive to that which it believes to be its rescuer. Afflishex the Innocent greets you, o noble Releaser of Chains. Afflishex the Innocent is ready to do as thee commands.

[Shadowcaller]

[Temple of Conversion - Forest]
Even after all of this, The Portal was still ready to fight. Slowly but steadily, he begins to take stock of his situation. There was no way he could win a fight with the demons, not as exhausted as he is right now. Sure he could go out in a blaze of glory, keep the moral high ground in death, yadda yadda, yadda-but Portal has always been a bit more pragmatic than that. If he goes with the demon, there is a chance of survival, perhaps even obtaining something new. It seems more likely to him that it's just a death trap, but there isn't much he can do about it at this point. "Alright", The Portal sighs wearily, "let's go." He will follow the demon wherever it takes them.

And Felandria simply nods in agreement.

[Temple of Conversion - Forest]

The demon lord pauses for a moment. "curious. but i have to witness this."
Then the two will find themselves dragged into the darkness, wherever it might lead.
(Just to Random as it turns out.)

[UncleWolf]

Cavern of Steel

"So you decided to seek The Answer because you consider yourself a failure since you strayed from the path. Many you see before you have died yet never strayed." She warns him before stopping behind the warrior and leaning her head close. "You have come to seek a blade called The Answer but in the end it is merely that, a blade. Tell me, what is The Answer to The Riddle of Steel?" She asks as she reaches around with a clawed paw, holding it in front of the warrior and ready to strike. This close, he can smell the stench of rotten flesh coming from her breath behind him, warning that a wrong answer would have him end up eaten. "You have come this far, Wenomir of Raven's Ford. Failure and a wanderer from The Riddle you may be, but surely you have some sort of grasp on it to have survived this long."

[Morty]

[Cavern of Steel]

"The answer..." Wenomir pauses. What is the answer to the Riddle of Steel? He's quested for it so long. Now it's in his grasp. What is it? He remembers the old blank verse:

"It is invincibility—to strike with all and to be struck by none.
It is understanding—to ask questions and to know the answers.
It is peace—to walk without fear, to know that the end is in your own hands.
It is skill—to feel the elegance found in violence, and to know the beauty found in stillness.
It is Spirit—To gaze into the face of your God and to know him before he comes for you."

But that's about the Riddle itself. What is its answer?

"I think... there is no one answer. The Riddle isn't something tangible. It won't give anyone a transcendent understanding of battle or the means of victory. But if you keep it in your sights, and walk towards it... then your path will be one worth walking."

He stops, then continues on.

"My path towards the Riddle has always been about not giving up, even though I could. There are so many easy ways I could have taken, but I haven't. People kept telling me to, but I haven't. There's worth in that. I see it now, even if they won't."

His voice slows down again, but then he finishes firmly.

"The Riddle is something different for everyone who seeks it. Truly seeks it, rather than think it's just a means of gaining power. We start looking for it when we ask ourselves why we're fighting. When we take the road less travelled and peer beyond the surface. And that's when we stop being instruments of murder, and become more. That is my answer. After all I've won and lost, I finally see it."

[UncleWolf]

Cavern of Steel

"If that is your answer..." The Spinx whispers darkly as she raises her claw to rest on his throat. For one brief horrible moment the blackened claw that's ended so many lives has his in its grasp before the Spinx gently and slowly removes her paw and sets it back on the ground. "Then I am appeased." She tells him before walking forward. "Follow me and I shall take you to the blade."

The path is long and winding, but eventually she leads him to one pillar identical to all the others except for a small gash in the side. "Put the blade of the dagger inside and give it a twist and the blade shall be yours. It is a blade that will slice through all armor and be able to parry any weapon used against you if you have the skill to do so. Any attempt at destruction will fail as it isn't merely a blade but the embodiment of an ideal. An ideal far older than even myself and I have been here almost since the dawn of creation." The Spinx tells him as she settles down on her haunches. "It can sunder spear, shield, and even soul all at the same time, but it must always be used with conviction and clarity. Muddled thoughts or hesitation will render the blade useless in your hands. Rage, anger, desperation or despair...any such thoughts. Commit yourself to it as you commit to walking the path of The Riddle."

Should he do as she asks, he'll feel the dagger catch and press back against his hand, ready to be pulled.

[Morty]

[Cavern of Steel]

Wenomir reaches down and places the dagger in the gash, then pulls. If he's feeling any triumph after finally finding the Answer, he doesn't show it. There's just quiet purpose to his movements.

When he pulls the weapon out, it becomes a longsword. Wenomir has wielded many weapons in his life, with different results. But the Answer takes the form of the one that he all but forgotten, but that remained in the back of his mind as the weapon he grasped while making his first steps on the journey that led him there. His master had got it for him, having dismissed the longsword he'd purchased himself as crude and ineffective.

It's a long, narrow blade, tapering at the end. There's a strip of leather wrapped just above the cross-guard, to make half-sword manoeuvres easier. The cross-guard itself is fairly wide, with steel buttons at both ends. Simple, coarse leather covers the long hilt. The pommel is an unassuming metal stud. Not a weapon that would draw anyone's eye, to be certain. Not in the Nexus, filled as it is with weapons fantastic and enchanted. But that's the shape of his chosen weapon in Wenomir's mind.

[UncleWolf]

Cavern of Steel

"Are you appeased as well, Wenomir of Raven's Ford?" She asks with an amused smile, showing off her shark-like teeth. "There are two more things I should tell you as well. The first is that The Riddle was never meant to only be about swords. The blade you now hold, your Answer, can take the form of whatever weapon you desire, even something non-lethal if that is what you wish. Keep in mind however that The Riddle cares not for morality. Murder or show mercy, the choice is yours. What it cares about is that you continually test and temper yourself and your Answer as you have today. You are like that dagger you used to unlock it. When heated, hammered, and cared for, even a crude iron dagger unable to cut the weakest of spider silk can turn into a masterful longsword." She explains to him before she gets up from her seat and sets a paw on another pillar near by. With a powerful downward swipe of her paw she rips open the side, revealing a portal opened to Felandria's home.

"The other thing you need to know is that when you are on your death bed, either today or in a hundred years, be it in battle or death of old age, I shall come for you. I will come for you, Wenomir: Wielder of The Answer, and I shall ask you these three questions again as you let out your last ragged breath before I take your consciousness. Then I will take you to either the afterlife or to become my next Guardian. As you travel and age, forge new answers for me and I shall await with eagerness to hear them." She tells him as she steps aside and sits down once more.

"And remember: Neither flesh nor steel is strong if you have no strength of will to use it."

[Morty]

[Cavern of Steel]

"And neither has any strength without the other," Wenomir says, remembering his earlier answer. "I hear your words and I will expect you when my last moment comes. Now, I must go. I have a lot of work to do, and many battles to win."

With that, he steps through the portal, the Answer in hand.

[UncleWolf]

Cavern of Steel

The Sphinx smiles once the warrior has passed through the portal and stands up to stretch out her body and wings. After a twist she gives the portal a quick swipe with one paw to shatter both it and the tower it was created out of. Without a word she pumps her powerful wings and launches herself into the air, awaiting the next intruder into her domain.

[Gullara]

[Out and About]

Dena covers her mouth but can't help but to giggle at the whole situation. "I guess the lesson is to not date women with talk-shows. I'm all in for that." Or dating women at all really. She continues giggling though, despite attempts to stop. This was just getting better by the minute.

"What is that supposed to mean, Kirk?" Tina returns, leaning toward him with a scrutinizing glare. She flinches and throws her hands in the air when Dena talks, exasperated, and thankfully they're on a straightaway for the moment. "I didn't know she had a-- ugh! You guys are the worst!" She wilts down in her chair, strands of curly hair dangling in front of one eye, her lips mashed together in a grumpy pout.

"A-and we're not dating," She tacks on, a little less melodramatically. "I think..."

((Sorry I missed this for so long!))

[Out and About]

"You're not exactly a master of subtlety is all. Don't worry, it's very endearing." Kirk assures her. Somehow his tone doesn't sound very reassuring. It's more like he's still laughing at her. "It could be worse. She could've had a bad time."

[Cyber Punk]

The Tower- Floor Four

The Pikachu stares at the creature. "Pika pi!" It shakes its head and points to Luna, who stares at the tentacled creature and wonders if it was a good idea to release it from the pokeball.

<Owner.> Pikachu mentally informs the creature.

"Well I'll be. Is everything in this Tower so ugly?" She wonders aloud.

[Nalix]

The Tower - Floor Four

"A third part," echoes Phil to the book. "Such as my chaos magic. I can already imitate other spells with it, but not without generating random magical effects alongside the intended effect. That is the price of power, in the case of chaos. I suppose that I could try to forge a magical artifact that produces the effect I want, and then just deal with the aftermath as I usually would, but I'd rather keep my abilities as innate as usual. These spikes you mention sound risky, difficult, and with minimal flexibility in their return. I don't supposes there may be some way I could make one half of my body align with Balance and the other half with Power? What I mostly want is the ability that basic skill with Balance or Power magic grants that allows those mages to see the flows of power in their surroundings. Magic, life, relationships, all the connections that make us who and what we are. It doesn't mean that they can understand them, but they can see them."

Phil hears Luna outside along with another voice, but as she doesn't sound agitated and didn't call for him, he doesn't respond.

[Shadowcaller]

[Out and About]

"That's a good question actually, just how many people are you maybe-dating right now Tina? Gotta be a few am I right?" Dena asks, barraging the poor woman with more teasing.

[Earl of Purple]

The Tower- Floor Four

"I am sorry, but I cannot help ye with the knowledge ye seek- yet. Perhaps some day I shall have the knowledge ye require, but as it stands I don't know enough about the system to assist. Though currently this symbol is restricting much of my power. To remove it, ye can just rub it out willy-nilly, but if ye'll remove that bit that looks like a pair of Ys, one upside down and atop the other, and replace it with a double Z, its effect will be reversed, magnifying and not binding the power within it." Since 'Power', 'Balance' and 'Chaos' are all very broad subjects, and I'm not sure I could do the system justice, or what if Phil's asking is even possible within the system's constraints.

Hotaru's in the tower. Does that make her ugly?

Dost thou wisheth Afflishex the Innocent to free thee from thy monstrous slavery? Is directed at the pikachu, though the hovering squid-thing turns its blank eyes on Hotaru now, who should be completely unable to hear a word it is saying, unless she is secretly telepathic.

[Recaiden]

[Outside the Temple Gate]

His colleague's words sink into the chronomancer's mind. He lets out a brief sigh. The fighting and other pleasant sounds heard just ahead bring about a rueful look from the Bronze Wizard.

"I suspect you may well hold a point, my dear. I do really wish it did not need to come to using magic for violence. I am sure the powers that granted us these boons would not very much appreciate such uses." Suscipio states, with an uncharacteristically angry look flashing over his face momentarily. In seconds it's gone, replaced by a more normal upbeat smirk generally adorning his features, and his knuckles whiten while gripping one of his katana. "I suppose I could degrade them until they have returned to dust, the turrets I mean. Do you think you might have a way of dealing with the fodder? I have my consternation regarding the use of pausing time here, what with the shifting."

The man's free hand rests on Ebb, waiting for when he'd soon need to use it again. It had been a long while since he'd drawn it.

"It's that, or leave it in others' hands. I don't like hurting people. Or whatever these are. But sometimes that's all there is. If the source of the Stormguard doesn't like it, we'll do without them." Cleo's voice is bitter, but confident, and her expression a smile.
"I'll make them stone, and then dust, or bury them in thorns, or-" She laughs a deep laugh, showing off her teeth, and flexes the claws on one hand. And with the chronomancer here, what do they have to be afraid of?

[Fenric]

[Death Knight's Escape]

Hikari nods and says, "Of course, Lady Izanami. Let's get out of here." She rushes with the goddess to the exit of the cave, attempting to deflect any rocks that get too near by cutting them in half.

Rocks fall and everybody...

gets out with only minor bruises and scrapes for the most part... though it looks like Izanami's right shoulder may very well be dislocated and her dress is much the worse for the wear.

Well... that was something else entirely! Thank you Hikari.

But despite it all, she beams happily

You did it! We got away, and I didn't do anything evil!

[Murkus]

((Sorry I missed this for so long!))

[Out and About]

"You're not exactly a master of subtlety is all. Don't worry, it's very endearing." Kirk assures her. Somehow his tone doesn't sound very reassuring. It's more like he's still laughing at her. "It could be worse. She could've had a bad time."

[Out and About]

"That's a good question actually, just how many people are you maybe-dating right now Tina? Gotta be a few am I right?" Dena asks, barraging the poor woman with more teasing.

Tina imagines, with a wince, what it would've been like if she'd treated Lydia to a bad time. But... "Kirk, who are you kidding?" Tina says, a small smile eking out from her frazzled face. "People don't have bad times with me."

Tina screws up her eyes and tightens her grip on the steering wheel. That narrow gaze takes in Dena. "You got it wrong too, hon'. I'm not maybe-dating anybody."

Whatever that could mean, Tina purposely doesn't finish her thought.

[Cyber Punk]

"I am sorry, but I cannot help ye with the knowledge ye seek- yet. Perhaps some day I shall have the knowledge ye require, but as it stands I don't know enough about the system to assist. Though currently this symbol is restricting much of my power. To remove it, ye can just rub it out willy-nilly, but if ye'll remove that bit that looks like a pair of Ys, one upside down and atop the other, and replace it with a double Z, its effect will be reversed, magnifying and not binding the power within it." Since 'Power', 'Balance' and 'Chaos' are all very broad subjects, and I'm not sure I could do the system justice, or what if Phil's asking is even possible within the system's constraints.

Hotaru's in the tower. Does that make her ugly?

Dost thou wisheth Afflishex the Innocent to free thee from thy monstrous slavery? Is directed at the pikachu, though the hovering squid-thing turns its blank eyes on Hotaru now, who should be completely unable to hear a word it is saying, unless she is secretly telepathic.

The Tower- Floor Four

Pikachu vehemently shakes its head. <No! Owner free you! Me love owner.>

Hotaru exhales loudly and walks out of the room. "Who put you in that pokeball, err... thing?"

[Nalix]

The Tower - Floor Four

"An interesting suggestion," said Phil, "Though I have no way of knowing if giving you extra power would be wise. I could give you a body, or any number of other freedoms, though you don't seem to know much about the magic of my world. That's another reason for me to hesitate to accept your offers. What I would like is simply to be able to see the flows of power, magic, and relationships of things. One of my most frequent frustrations is creating something without knowing what it is. I think I would rather rub out the symbol entirely or transform you into another form. Forgive me if I don't trust the works performed in this building."

[Earl of Purple]

The Tower- Floor Four

Afflishex turns to Hotaru. Afflishex the Innocent greets you, O noble Breaker of Chains. Afflishex the Innocent is ready to serve thee. Afflishex the Innocent was placed into its binds by a hideous bipedal thing whose form was similar to thine, though no disrespect is intended. Afflishex doesn't like the humanoid form, and finds her as horribly alien as Hotaru finds it. Possibly more so, if Hotaru is familiar with squid or octopi, since Afflishex is not familiar with humanoids.

"I am a Book of Knowledge. If I am no longer a Book, I will lose my Knowledge. That I will not abide. I contain spells of flight and teleportation which, were I not bound, I could exercise at will. Movement is not an issue. If ye do not trust me, leave. I can teach nothing to those whose minds are closed, though I do not require the extra power, it shall make my magic easier and assist in my teachings. There is a thing I can teach you to show you the energies and natures amongst things, though relationships are intangible and fluid. Close your eyes, and focus. Reach in, feel the magic inside you, channel it ready to cast, but redirect it away from your fingers, push it into your eyes, and let it dissipate. Now, open your eyes." If Phil does as directed, it still might not work. It works for most forms of magic, however, so the Book would be surprised if it isn't. Afterwards, if it works, Phil will see the symbol glowing, and can tell that the Book told it true about subverting it, and can follow the path of magic through the symbol to possibly manifest one himself. The Book itself, however, is a great repository of magic of all sorts, but the book is dark and confusing, several magics of different sorts conflicting and combining within. Specifically, the magic is soul-magic, and the Book learns by absorbing the souls of others. Its aim is to learn about Phil's magic, which it will be able to attempt as soon as the symbol is rubbed out.

[Cyber Punk]

Afflishex turns to Hotaru. Afflishex the Innocent greets you, O noble Breaker of Chains. Afflishex the Innocent is ready to serve thee. Afflishex the Innocent was placed into its binds by a hideous bipedal thing whose form was similar to thine, though no disrespect is intended. Afflishex doesn't like the humanoid form, and finds her as horribly alien as Hotaru finds it. Possibly more so, if Hotaru is familiar with squid or octopi, since Afflishex is not familiar with humanoids.

The Tower- Floor Four

"Hi, Afflishex, I am Luna. Your form is as weird to me as it is to you, Afflishex." Luna says, successfully hiding her grimace, for the most part anyway. "What do you mean by 'serve', exactly? And why are you called 'Afflishex the innocent'?"

[Ionbound]

[Death Knight's Escape]

Rocks fall and everybody...

gets out with only minor bruises and scrapes for the most part... though it looks like Izanami's right shoulder may very well be dislocated and her dress is much the worse for the wear.

Well... that was something else entirely! Thank you Hikari.

But despite it all, she beams happily

You did it! We got away, and I didn't do anything evil!

Hikari smiles as she sits down outside of the cave, looking exhausted, and says, "Indeed. That you didn't." She takes a deep breath and then sighs, saying, "I suppose that's that, then. What were they even trying to do?"

[Nalix]

The Tower - Floor Four

"Normally something like that could turn my eyes into muffins," considers Phil. "But I can also change them back. This sounds like a version of Fate magic to me. I'll trust it." He channels a mid-grade charge into his eyes, as that is the most stable version of his magic. He assumes that the book is using something like fate magic to affect the result of the charge, as this is a technique he has studied and is familiar with: Fate alters the future probability and Chaos gives that probability the push it needs to manifest.

Assuming it works Phil will then proceed to rub out the symbol using a light spray of low grade chaos so that he doesn't have to touch it directly, but instead hovers his hand over it and turns the symbol into whatever element the spray produces.

[elemental deterioration: spirit] Spirit is an element in Phil's world. This may be convenient for the book, as it uses this sort of energy... up to you.