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pawnstorm2016-09-19 07:13 am
boardmaster) wrote in pawnstorm2016-09-19 07:13 am
Entry tags:
- !dungeon,
- alice liddell (american mcgee's alice),
- arashi narukami (ensemble stars!),
- archer (fate/),
- bolin (legend of korra),
- caren ortensia (fate/),
- commander syrlya (guild wars 2),
- corrin (fire emblem: fates),
- elise (fire emblem: fates),
- favaro leone (rage of bahamut: genesis),
- felicia (fire emblem: fates),
- gilbert nightray (pandora hearts),
- jae-ha (akatsuki no yona),
- kaede (elfen lied),
- kija (akatsuki no yona),
- koumei ren (magi),
- lenalee lee (d.gray-man),
- mammon of greed (umineko),
- masakuni doudanuki (touken ranbu),
- masamune date (sengoku basara),
- mikleo (tales of zestiria),
- minato arisato (persona),
- miranda lotto (d.grayman),
- niles (fire emblem: fates),
- one (drakengard 3),
- orihime inoue (bleach),
- owain (fire emblem: awakening),
- pacifica northwest (gravity falls),
- rory connor (original character),
- setsuna f. seiei (mobile suit gundam 00),
- sion astal (lolheroes),
- slaine troyard (aldnoah.zero),
- sorey (tales of zestiria),
- subaki (fire emblem: fates),
- wander (wander over yonder)
DUNGEON ♛ GRANTEBRYNCGE LIBRARY
20 SEPTEMBER (SYLVANT) 2016
In the morning, the Heroes chosen for the dungeon will receive a message via Carrier to meet at Grantebrycge. Heroes already in Grantebrycge will have a quick trip. For those who are not, however, the recommended method is to use Platform 42 5/8ths and then head to Cochrane's train station. The ticket is sponsored, and will arrive with the orders.
The train will pass through Friedgood before arriving at Grantebrycge. It's a long ride. Sit back, have your breakfast if you haven't eaten already, and hold your breath when riding through Friedgood.
After arriving at Grantebrycge Library, Verdoni can be seen with a number of professors. Nosy students stare at him (and you) from a distance. A few might try to introduce themselves to you before being shooed away by their professors.
Basic info on the dungeon can be found here. Dungeon mechanics can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.
The train will pass through Friedgood before arriving at Grantebrycge. It's a long ride. Sit back, have your breakfast if you haven't eaten already, and hold your breath when riding through Friedgood.
After arriving at Grantebrycge Library, Verdoni can be seen with a number of professors. Nosy students stare at him (and you) from a distance. A few might try to introduce themselves to you before being shooed away by their professors.
| Verdoni Despite the ongoing investigation, we haven’t the slightest idea what would cause this anomaly… [ pause ] That was my attempt at humor, mind; save your laughs for later. Someone has been practicing forbidden magic deep within the library. Who, why and since when are unknown, as it is impossible to enter. However, the mana fluctuations match the dungeons, which I’m sure you’re all acquainted with. Investigate the library and find the dungeon core. Failure is an option, but we don’t need to embarrass ourselves, do we? [ snaps his file shut ] |
Basic info on the dungeon can be found here. Dungeon mechanics can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.
ONE ♙
It's eerily quiet when you enter the first room, which, given that it's a library, says something.
The first thing you'll encounter is a massive library counter. Atop it are three things: a bell with a sign that reads “Ring to get the librarian's attention”, a sign, and a list. There's no librarian to be seen. If you try ringing the bell you'll discover there's no clapper inside of it and it makes no sound. If you try reading the sign it says, "Please return all books in a timely manner." If you look at the list, it has the names of unreturned books.
You can try to leave, but for some reason no matter how far you go or how many times you turn, you seem to pass by the same three shelves and end up right back where you started. Strange. Was that potted plant always there? How about that couch? All of the bookshelves look alike after a while...
The only way to continue is to return the books to the front counter and scan them with the magical lens there. And it will be a hunt. Behind that potted plant (and how is it growing when it's so dark below?) is a copy of Wretched in the Fog. Over, under the chair, is Friends Behind the Counter. (There's nothing behind the counter. You checked.) In that drawer, halfway shut with traces of blood on the handle, is They're Watching You. And there's more books above bookshelves and wedged in shelves incorrectly, sandwiched between 15 medical records which shouldn't be there.
Once you're done the doors behind you will open up to the rest of the library. And running towards you are...
Once the mandrakes are defeated, the way is clear and you can move to the next area. Ahead of you is a long and dark hallway with several closed doors. They have signs telling you which department the room belongs to, but you can't quite read what they say. Must be the lighting. Or maybe you just forgot how to read. They do seem to be getting more and more nonsensical as the seconds pass.
Why does it feel like you’re being watched?
Attempt to turn the doorknobs, and you and your teammates will hear chilling whispers of “You had everything. I had nothing.” And if that message doesn’t sink in the first time, perhaps the way the words are quite literally being carved into your arm will make it stick.
Unfortunately, there’s no other way to get through. You must keep trying to open doors. Eventually one will open, right? Just how long is this hallway, anyway? You tried twenty doors but you've barely moved away from the entrance. Eventually, you'll discover that one door is unlocked.
TWO ♙
It's a study room, complete with two couches, a rug, and bookshelves. And more bookshelves. Lots of bookshelves. Did we mention bookshelves yet? You can't see an end to them. You may attempt to leave, but outside is the same corridor as before, unchanged and with all of the doors locked. If there's a way forward it must be inside the study room.
Searching the couch will reveal a note written in Prehnite green talking about adding to the underground tunnels and a code to unlock the doorway. If you search the bookshelves you'll discover that there's one particular book which seems to attract your attention. Do you dare pull it? Of course you do. One sharp tug later, you unwittingly summon:
Once all of the ridewords are defeated, one of them will drop a key. Back to the hallway.
THREE ♙
The hallway suddenly doesn't seem so long this time. Unlock the door at the end and you'll see a long and winding, spiral staircase, surrounded by bookcases, leading below. Keep an eye out, as ridewords will pop out from the shadows or from the bookcases themselves. They'll drop from the upper levels, launch themselves from behind darkened shelves, and so on. You can fight, but there's too many to fight off indefinitely. You can only run.
To make matters worse, the ridewords seem to have some friends. Massive and ornate paintings decorate the walls around you. Initially benign, as paintings tend to be, they now literally fill the hallways with new life. The subjects jump at you from the walls, hostile. Between them and the increasing numbers of ridewords, it would do you good to figure out an escape quickly!
Calm down for long enough to examine the paintings further, and you'll notice that the clues are in the colors...
Keep going, and you’ll eventually reach the next area. It's another library room, with more bookshelves and books. The lighting is as bad as before but luckily, there seems to be a lack of ridewords. Given the number of book corpses on the ground, their fate seems obvious… or if there were ridewords they all were killed given the number of book corpses on the ground.
There are no doors in sight, except for the mess of books on the ground, and there is a sign that reads: “Please return the books to their rightful place when you are done reading and arrange them properly.” The way is unlocked by arranging the books in alphabetical order on the empty bookshelf in the middle of the room. It doesn’t matter if it’s by title or by author, as by coincidence the author’s names start with the same few letters as the title. The poor lighting and blurry font on the books will make the task tedious. Is that an ‘o’ or an ‘e’?
Heroes will have to be creative in coming up with a light source. Those who brought the Prehnite note from the study room will probably have an advantage? It did mention a well-hidden reading lamp behind a certain set of shelves in the corner… Except after you finally locate it, you realize it’s broken. There’s a note that reads: "Sorry man, we broke it. We'll bring down a replacement later.” Either try repairing it yourself or start looking for an alternative which doesn’t involve burning the books you need.
Once the puzzle is solved, the center bookshelves will suddenly move by itself to reveal the final passage leading to the last room in The Detention Hall.
FOUR ♙
In the deepest part of the dungeon is a research room, one that seems to be dedicated to the study of alchemy. There's a strange scent, akin a women's perfume. The walls are covered with photographs of blurred out faces. If you look closely, you'll discover that most of them have been scratched at or appear nicked.
Most likely you will not have the time to investigate, though. A hysterical laugh echoes in the area. If you hesitated too much or entered too quickly, violent matagots pounce you. And while you fend off the matagots, a beautiful woman enters, looking young enough to be a recent graduate. If it weren’t for the ancient cruelty in her eyes, she might have fooled you into mistaking her true age. She refuses to give her name, though if you ask nicely enough she'll introduce herself as the Mistress.
The moment anyone in your party says anything about Pigeonsblood or asks what she’s doing here, she'll start her agitated rant. She'll talk about how things have taken a turn for the worse, how talents are wasted, and how they're driving the school into ruin, how misguided everyone is. The Mistress says she'll turn the tides of the academy and she'll make everything right again. Starting with your defeat.
The Detention Hall’s beginning to fade away like ink on old paper while a school bell echoes. Looks like school’s out.
FIVE ♙
The moment you return, the people of Grantebrycge will cheer, and pop lights or throw confetti… but not too many. They know that you're tired.
… Though some Prehnite students might try to slip you their dorm room number and ask if they can talk to you about the dungeon later.
Heroes who have enrolled in Pigeonsblood will have access to their dorm rooms, where a hot meal is already waiting for them if they're hungry. Heroes who have not enrolled will have a temporary room assigned to them. A hot meal will be belatedly brought to them; however their portions seem to be more rushed, considering the quality...
In the morning of the following day, Heroes will receive news that the Royal Family of Cochrane, House Amethyst, will be sponsoring an extravagant field trip for Heroes with regards to their job well done and continued service for Gammon. Details on this will be released in a few days.
It's eerily quiet when you enter the first room, which, given that it's a library, says something.
The first thing you'll encounter is a massive library counter. Atop it are three things: a bell with a sign that reads “Ring to get the librarian's attention”, a sign, and a list. There's no librarian to be seen. If you try ringing the bell you'll discover there's no clapper inside of it and it makes no sound. If you try reading the sign it says, "Please return all books in a timely manner." If you look at the list, it has the names of unreturned books.
You can try to leave, but for some reason no matter how far you go or how many times you turn, you seem to pass by the same three shelves and end up right back where you started. Strange. Was that potted plant always there? How about that couch? All of the bookshelves look alike after a while...
The only way to continue is to return the books to the front counter and scan them with the magical lens there. And it will be a hunt. Behind that potted plant (and how is it growing when it's so dark below?) is a copy of Wretched in the Fog. Over, under the chair, is Friends Behind the Counter. (There's nothing behind the counter. You checked.) In that drawer, halfway shut with traces of blood on the handle, is They're Watching You. And there's more books above bookshelves and wedged in shelves incorrectly, sandwiched between 15 medical records which shouldn't be there.
Once you're done the doors behind you will open up to the rest of the library. And running towards you are...
| MONSTER ♟ Mandrake | ||
| Weak against Fire |
Strong against Earth |
Immune to Water |
| Creatures born of an ALCHEMY EXPERIMENT GONE WRONG. They have precise control over the growth and movement of their roots, which they use to ENSNARE OR HIT TARGETS. Don’t get hit by the POISON EXTRACTS that they launch via their leaves, either. As a last resort, they will shriek loudly, STUNNING any Hero nearby. Killing a Mandrake makes it lose its magical nature, and they cannot be replanted. DROPS: Mandrake Core, Leaves, Roots, Poison Extract, Mana-rich Powder |
||
Once the mandrakes are defeated, the way is clear and you can move to the next area. Ahead of you is a long and dark hallway with several closed doors. They have signs telling you which department the room belongs to, but you can't quite read what they say. Must be the lighting. Or maybe you just forgot how to read. They do seem to be getting more and more nonsensical as the seconds pass.
Why does it feel like you’re being watched?
Attempt to turn the doorknobs, and you and your teammates will hear chilling whispers of “You had everything. I had nothing.” And if that message doesn’t sink in the first time, perhaps the way the words are quite literally being carved into your arm will make it stick.
Unfortunately, there’s no other way to get through. You must keep trying to open doors. Eventually one will open, right? Just how long is this hallway, anyway? You tried twenty doors but you've barely moved away from the entrance. Eventually, you'll discover that one door is unlocked.
TWO ♙
It's a study room, complete with two couches, a rug, and bookshelves. And more bookshelves. Lots of bookshelves. Did we mention bookshelves yet? You can't see an end to them. You may attempt to leave, but outside is the same corridor as before, unchanged and with all of the doors locked. If there's a way forward it must be inside the study room.
Searching the couch will reveal a note written in Prehnite green talking about adding to the underground tunnels and a code to unlock the doorway. If you search the bookshelves you'll discover that there's one particular book which seems to attract your attention. Do you dare pull it? Of course you do. One sharp tug later, you unwittingly summon:
| MONSTER ♟ Rideword | ||
| Weak against Water |
Strong against Wind |
Immune to Status Effects |
| MAGICAL FLYING BOOKS that cast spells, the nature of which is BASED ON THE BOOK’S GENRE, at their targets. Horror books will cast waves of darkness, religious texts deal Holy damage, and romance novels will either engulf their enemy in flames or charm teammates into fighting each other. These are just a few examples, but there are many more genres of literature, and these little books are creative with their spells. DROPS: Enchanted Book Pages, Glowing Bookmark, Saucy Pin-ups, Bags of Potato Chips |
||
Once all of the ridewords are defeated, one of them will drop a key. Back to the hallway.
THREE ♙
The hallway suddenly doesn't seem so long this time. Unlock the door at the end and you'll see a long and winding, spiral staircase, surrounded by bookcases, leading below. Keep an eye out, as ridewords will pop out from the shadows or from the bookcases themselves. They'll drop from the upper levels, launch themselves from behind darkened shelves, and so on. You can fight, but there's too many to fight off indefinitely. You can only run.
To make matters worse, the ridewords seem to have some friends. Massive and ornate paintings decorate the walls around you. Initially benign, as paintings tend to be, they now literally fill the hallways with new life. The subjects jump at you from the walls, hostile. Between them and the increasing numbers of ridewords, it would do you good to figure out an escape quickly!
Calm down for long enough to examine the paintings further, and you'll notice that the clues are in the colors...
| MONSTER ♟ Surface Painting | ||
| Weak against Fire (red), Lightning (yellow), Earth (green), Water (blue) |
Strong against None |
Immune to None |
| A magical animated blob of paint that can move between finished works of art or CAUSE PAINTINGS TO FLOAT. It’s the mischievous type, finding fun in jumping from painting to painting, using its camouflage to animate pictures. THE COLOR OF ITS ORIGINAL FORM INDICATES ITS WEAKNESS, which makes things quite confusing! DROPS: Oil Paints, Playing Cards, Sunflowers, Floppy Clocks, Fig Leaves |
||
Keep going, and you’ll eventually reach the next area. It's another library room, with more bookshelves and books. The lighting is as bad as before but luckily, there seems to be a lack of ridewords. Given the number of book corpses on the ground, their fate seems obvious… or if there were ridewords they all were killed given the number of book corpses on the ground.
There are no doors in sight, except for the mess of books on the ground, and there is a sign that reads: “Please return the books to their rightful place when you are done reading and arrange them properly.” The way is unlocked by arranging the books in alphabetical order on the empty bookshelf in the middle of the room. It doesn’t matter if it’s by title or by author, as by coincidence the author’s names start with the same few letters as the title. The poor lighting and blurry font on the books will make the task tedious. Is that an ‘o’ or an ‘e’?
Heroes will have to be creative in coming up with a light source. Those who brought the Prehnite note from the study room will probably have an advantage? It did mention a well-hidden reading lamp behind a certain set of shelves in the corner… Except after you finally locate it, you realize it’s broken. There’s a note that reads: "Sorry man, we broke it. We'll bring down a replacement later.” Either try repairing it yourself or start looking for an alternative which doesn’t involve burning the books you need.
Once the puzzle is solved, the center bookshelves will suddenly move by itself to reveal the final passage leading to the last room in The Detention Hall.
FOUR ♙
In the deepest part of the dungeon is a research room, one that seems to be dedicated to the study of alchemy. There's a strange scent, akin a women's perfume. The walls are covered with photographs of blurred out faces. If you look closely, you'll discover that most of them have been scratched at or appear nicked.
Most likely you will not have the time to investigate, though. A hysterical laugh echoes in the area. If you hesitated too much or entered too quickly, violent matagots pounce you. And while you fend off the matagots, a beautiful woman enters, looking young enough to be a recent graduate. If it weren’t for the ancient cruelty in her eyes, she might have fooled you into mistaking her true age. She refuses to give her name, though if you ask nicely enough she'll introduce herself as the Mistress.
The moment anyone in your party says anything about Pigeonsblood or asks what she’s doing here, she'll start her agitated rant. She'll talk about how things have taken a turn for the worse, how talents are wasted, and how they're driving the school into ruin, how misguided everyone is. The Mistress says she'll turn the tides of the academy and she'll make everything right again. Starting with your defeat.
| BOSS ♟ Mad Matagot Mistress | ||
| Weak against None |
Strong against Lightning, Status Effects |
Immune to Dark |
 “If I knew what would happen, then it would not be called research, now would it? Oh-- but oh, my. It appears I've drawn in some special little guinea pigs. I'm all full up on living subjects, but that's an easy fix, isn't it? Let us begin.”With a sharp clap of her hands the Mistress summons her familiars, her FAITHFUL MATAGOTS. Seemingly harmless, they will nevertheless CLAW AND SCRATCH at any Hero while she casts off quick but DESTRUCTIVE ELEMENTAL SPELLS. Heroes who ATTEMPT TO CAST A SPELL themselves may find a matagot attacking their head! Unlucky Heroes will discover them attempting to claw out their eyeball, or trying to scratch out their tongue. “Hehe, what’s wrong? We’re just getting started! Show me more, show me why they noticed you, what makes you so special…” They CAN BE PACIFIED. Food and toys work wonderfully, and Heroes who dare to pet them will be rewarded. Singing a sweet lullaby for them will put them to sleep. A Bishop Tamer’s ability can win them over temporarily to the party’s side, though a Queen’s charm magic is ineffective. The matagots will not betray their Mistress, but they can be convinced to STOP ATTACKING. The Mistress will use her charm to regain influence over her matagots if they’ve taken too long to attack. ”Oh no no no, you didn't think that would work, did you? You should know better. My babies are incredibly loyal, you see.” Distracted Heroes, watch out! The matagots will start attempting to steal your blood, a scrap of your clothing, or some of your hair. If the Mistress gets these items, she will use her ability to create VOODOO DOLLS that will render you immobile, making you easy targets for her spells and for her pets. And if you are male, she will give you a PRIVATE LESSON, where she enticingly steals mana to fuel her next attack. The only thing that can free a Hero will be destroying the doll. “I was the special one, once. I was the one who... well, it doesn't matter, does it? They passed me over. But mark my words, darling, Pigeonsblood was mine. Not his, mine!” She will also use “Private Lesson” to SEDUCE MALE HEROES and turn them into her willing human shields. In order to snap them back to their senses, you must overwhelm her charm magic. For example, KISSING an affected Hero will instantly free them from her control. The more intimate, the better. ”I've worked so, so hard! I did so much for the academy! And how do they repay me?! How?!” The Mistress is now angered and will begin displaying her remarkable grasp on COMPLEX ELEMENTAL MAGIC. She will combine multiple elements to blast her enemies. Her favorites are water with lightning for painful shocks, or fire and wind in high speed flame curtains that sear the very air. The ALCHEMY BOTTLES in her dress will turn her attacks into an overwhelming force. For instance, she will use poison with her water magic to create acid rain in the room. Break or steal the bottles before she has a chance to use them. ”I just wanted to make the school a better place. I really, truly did.” With tears streaming down her cheeks, she falls, and the DUNGEON CORE appears in her hand. Her beloved matagots, the only ones the Mistress could count on, will drag her body into the shadows. The core is left for your party to take. DROPS: Catnip, Fish Heads, Toy Mice, Dead Mice, Alchemist’s Dress, Assorted Alchemy Potions, Life-like Dolls, Pins and Needles, Lesson Planner, Alchemy Recipe Book |
||
The Detention Hall’s beginning to fade away like ink on old paper while a school bell echoes. Looks like school’s out.
FIVE ♙
The moment you return, the people of Grantebrycge will cheer, and pop lights or throw confetti… but not too many. They know that you're tired.
… Though some Prehnite students might try to slip you their dorm room number and ask if they can talk to you about the dungeon later.
Heroes who have enrolled in Pigeonsblood will have access to their dorm rooms, where a hot meal is already waiting for them if they're hungry. Heroes who have not enrolled will have a temporary room assigned to them. A hot meal will be belatedly brought to them; however their portions seem to be more rushed, considering the quality...
In the morning of the following day, Heroes will receive news that the Royal Family of Cochrane, House Amethyst, will be sponsoring an extravagant field trip for Heroes with regards to their job well done and continued service for Gammon. Details on this will be released in a few days.
no subject
Living subjects?
[ She had been a subject of numerous studies and experiments herself back in the asylum. Calm on her face, but the words were enough to rile an old anger in her. The memories of her fellow patients in the asylum began to stir, Alice prepared herself. She tsks softly, taking another glance at the others to ensure that they're still safe. Nonchalantly, she speaks, belying the anger that resonates through her. ]
Ready when you are, I suppose.
no subject
Living. Dead. It doesn't matter, [He said clearly, his voice ringing with a level of calm that should not be heard in a man who wasn't prepared for this kind of combat--
Although his mind whirled with recollections of his own studies with the dead and his methods of treating the bodies with respect-- recollections that stood counterpoint to the grotesque husks of men that his adopted brother had made of their countrymen when war raged across the same plains that played stage to battles in every generation-- he had learned a long time ago how to not allow his emotions to overtake him in a crisis.
As a military man....no, as a scientist, this stood counterpoint to everything he had ever worked on in his lifetime.
A hand tightened around the handle of his fan in a white knuckled grip, betraying the depth of his emotions that he was tightly containing. Had he the resources, had he the power....]
Sion. Alice. Shunsui.
[For once all formalities were dropped; his voice rang out with the clarity of a bell.]
One way or another, we can't allow this to continue!
no subject
[He'd have rathered the Mistress hadn't been able to hear that, but you couldn't have everything! Instead, he drew his scythe and cast darkness in an expanding arc around the party, hoping it would make the Mistress and her creatures unable to see an advance!
But there was no such luck. He was very close to her and about to strike when he realized he was frozen, his mind numbing far too quickly...and then he was lost.
There was a very small part of him that remained cognizant of what was happening, but it wasn't enough to stop him. She'd ensnared and seduced him completely, by manner of a spell or something else entirely, and for all that he cared for his party, he found himself turning back to attack them instead.
Nothing he did could stop it, and he advanced on Alice first, seeing as she was closest to the Mistress and thus to him.]
1/2
[ Cloaked by darkness or otherwise, to so heedlessly throw oneself into the thick of battle while leaving one's party behind is folly. It is reckless and it is obtuse and yet Shunsui Kyouraku has gone all the same, surging forward before the King has had chance enough to raise his barriers; to renew the blessings imparted upon their company of four. Golden eyes narrowed to gleaming slits, he sees: Shunsui, blitzing toward the Mistress in all his passion, and matagots descending upon two made impossibly alike in their frigid calm, Koumei and Alice, who Sion makes the imperative decision to prioritize, for a Knight can withstand more than a Pawn and Queen combined. ]
What I seek is reflection! [ —by way of incantation mana is given shape, actualized in the form of a barrier which shines, iridescent and bright, as it domes above, arching over Koumei and Alice both to secure a small area which might stand as sanctuary for the duration of the fight...! And as the matagots claw forward, attempting to reach the three, each and every swipe of heavy paw and gnash of teeth is greeted with an equal, opposing force which sends the creatures reeling back, unsteady on their feet.
He nearly misses it, amidst the hissing, the pained feline yowls, the words—Private Lesson—falling from the Mistress' lips in a (sickeningly) honeyed voice. And it is after Sion has raised a second barrier (two out of three—the limitations imposed upon him by rank are ever cumbersome), the construct fashioned to absorb magic, that Shunsui has returned to them--...
(But no, that is not Shunsui at all.) ]
Wake up, Shunsui! [ The man's mana is in flux, that boisterous spirit of his suppressed by what the King knows to be charm magic. ] If you cannot, you will not escape the grasp of fate!
[ Summoned by the King's incantation, it is dark magic which coalesces from the shadows of the research room, taking shape as tendrils which ensnare the Knight's limbs and mercilessly bring him to his knees, rooting the mountain of a man in place with vinelike manacles about the wrists and feet. True, Sion is of King's rank and not of Queen's, but the spell is practiced and strong, for as surely as holy magic is his affinity, darkness has always been his weapon and his curse. ]
...our friend has been returned to us bewitched. [ Steadfast is the King's grip on Guiding Light, elegant and poised as though he were not presently feeding mana into a trio of spells. ] If he does not rouse by force, then...
[ The shadows constrict with expert precision, applying a measure of force with which to jolt Shunsui free of the charm magic's haze. ]
Koumei...
2/2
[ Cause ain't nobody got time for this. ]
1/3
He should know better than anyone Alice struggles with restraint. And that restraint crumbles immediately when Alice sees Sion fall, she loses her temper, completely. ]
no subject
[ She flees the safety of the barrier, immediately to his aid. She isn't sure how she'll do it, considering dark magic is her strongest form of magic. The little she knows of magic, she'll find a way. It doesn't matter to Alice, she's always sworn to protect Sion by any means. She panics, running to his direction with her sword streaking as she does. What little she knows of casting spells she feels the best answer she has is her own brute force.
She'll find a way, she swears, her sword growing sharper and brighter as she focuses a good portion of her mana into her sword, thinking nothing more than the opposite of darkness -- light. Light to pull him free as Alice descends right onto the dark tendrils and begins to violently hacking through to free him, hoping that the blue light emitting from her sword is enough. ]
no subject
Alice would rather take the brunt of the dark magic than to see Sion subjected to it, and she does. She fights off any onslaught of attacks. Her blade work becomes much more violent and brute. Alice, standing there, right in front of him, holding her sword that now glows bright blue as she catches her breath, pointing it at The Mistress. ]
I can promise you right now, if you lay a hand on them again, I'll have your head. So, come! Let's see what you've got!
1/2
This was hardly the first time Koumei had seen or heard of such a thing-- not when there were two Djinn that he knew of whose powers could bend the minds of another to their wielder's will. He'd seen soldiers fight until there was nothing left of their bodies but broken bones and fractured minds-- he had heard tell of his sister, the bright and cheerful young woman who had no need to bear such darkness, taking control of a battlefield while speaking with the cadence and tones of a man he couldn't forgive---
And now here was Shunsui, ensnared in body and twisted in mind, in the hands of that terrible Mistress who condoned research that many would consider inhumane. The exchange they had made between themselves earlier had introduced him to the darkness in the man's heart, but it hadn't been nearly so terrible as this.
And, it certainly wouldn't contribute to the baleful gleam that he saw in the man's eyes.]
2/2
[Koumei began, pushing up his sleeves so they wouldn't be a hindrance to him as he waded through the darkness that ensnared Shunsui and taking the man's hands into his own. Koumei knew he was at risk if Shunsui escaped, since there was no way he could separate the man from his weapons, but that was a risk he was willing to take.
For Sion was right: They had no time.
Leaning forward, he focused on trying to match his own mana for Shunsui's-- darkness for darkness-- and found that he needed to stand on his toes to have any leverage over the man.]
...Then I wish it was so simple at home, [He continued. Then:] Sorry...
[The last word was barely a whisper before he pressed his lips upon Shunsui's, sharing his dreams and regrets without holding back. He was only comfortable in the darkness because he knew how hard it was to not give up hope no matter how dark the path gets.
For the stars, in their boundless passage across the sky, always flickered high above on even the darkest nights.]
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He'd heard the words, but while he'd also heard Sion's, he wasn't expecting Koumei to kiss him.
The first thing he felt aside from the constriction of the tentacles around him and his knees hitting the floor, despite the lips on his own, was Koumei's mana threading with his own. It had been quite some time since he'd felt anything similar, and while Koumei's mana was dark, he felt the light in it too.
It helped nearly as much as the kiss did, feeling blanketed in the protection of darkness concealing light. The same could be said of Sion's spell, and he felt almost armored for it. He really would have to thank everyone later on!
It took a few moments, but it couldn't have been terribly long before he was able to move of his own accord. The first thing he was conscious of doing was to put his arm, sword still in hand, around Koumei, pulling him closer. He remembered the incident with Caren, and how a chaste kiss hadn't helped overly much, so he tried to deepen it.
He'd have to apologize later, but at the moment, he wanted to be able to govern his own movements, so he pulled Koumei even closer and ran his tongue over the other's lips.]
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There is little he can do to stop it, having placed himself outside of the barriers he'd constructed to safeguard his star and his Lady, their rose-colored guardian; and with his body immobilized (tendrils of dark magic twining like art about his limbs; a particularly dense curl of shadow banding over his mouth), he is only able to watch as the Mistress procures an alchemy bottle from her robes, tossing it forward like one might feed tinder to a fire in order to fuel her spell. ]
[ Hah. Poison seeps from the uncapped alchemy bottle, imbuing the writhing, coiling mass of his prison with a venomous concoction—an agent which sees the constricting grasp of the tendrils about him turned lethal with the transference of toxin from dark magic to skin. And all at once, the world before his eyes distorts, his vision blurring as the poison courses like something vitriolic inside of him—
(It reminds him of a time when all he'd been able to feel had been pain, the Hero's corrosive presence beneath his skin eroding away at all that Sion Astal ever was. It had been torture, agony, every waking moment spent suspended in a slow, unrelenting arc of torment which made this (this petty, precarious predicament) so very inconsequential, in the end.
Though the King's ever-present glow dims, his eyes losing focus, he smiles—impossibly captivating and beautiful—all the same. All that he has weathered and endured (and will continue to on behalf of all those who he loved), it paled in comparison to the simple sensations returned to him in this world.
The breeze through his hair, the kiss of the summer's sun, the brisk of an autumn night and his Lady's hand upon his chest—all were more powerful than any alchemist's spell.)
—until the instant when Alice becomes the tempest he'd sung songs of, the storm (lovely in its chaos) that he always glimpsed when he closed his eyes.
The shadow magic burns away beneath the light cast from her blade, the tendrils of darkness cleaved away, the spell weakening as it is dismantled piece by piece—tentacle by sinuous tentacle—until the magic is dispelled in full, and the King is freed of his bonds...!
...only to collapse behind Alice as she stands before him, her sword trained upon the Mistress. ]
2/2
A kiss is not so simple a thing. [ But this, perhaps, Koumei has already realized—after all, it can be readily felt in the magnetic link of mana exchange. ] It is the meeting of two souls, come together in camaraderie, a bond far stronger than the likes of any magic a corrupt alchemist might practice.
[ Slowly, Sion stands (always, a King will rise again), and for all that he falters, his stance is undeniably regal and proud, altogether impossible to ignore as he makes to cast a spell to stand as replacement for the two barriers which had vanished no sooner than he'd sustained direct attack: ]
What I seek is sanctuary!
[ And so, given life by the King's incantation, a seal of light blossoms upon the flooring beneath the party's feet, healing all that it might be able to bathe with its gentle, iridescent glow.
For Alice, who'd likely both expended herself and sustained injury during her bid to come to his aid; for Shunsui, who had been held captive beneath the brute force of Sion's own spell, and for Koumei, who had given mana to free a friend—all may find reprieve within the boundary of the King's spell, their wounds mending in small bursts of magic, in increments and degrees, and even Sion himself takes a moment (just one) to breathe as the effects of the poison lift and fade. ]
Now, we must move together. [ As the matagots circle, unable to penetrate Sanctuary's light. ] Shunsui, Koumei...
[ He shifts, striding forward, reclaiming his hold upon Guiding Light as he stands neither before his Lady, nor behind, but simply at her side—like this, they will be able to best defend one another, and he is confident in his ability to match her unforgiving speed and relentless pace. ]
The Lady and myself will make our opponent see the error of her ways, please see to it that her pets remain in line.
[ And with that said, it's battle reset, due to start in a moment's time.
Three...! Two...! One...! Catching his Lady's eyes for an instant, gold locks and holds with green, as though waiting--...
(Is it go time?) ]
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All of the pain of loss, the Mistress would be inflicted. Hardly ever cracking a smile, Alice canted her head to the side, standing around matagots and her comrades, her breath growing quicker. Her desire to inflict the same amount of pain would overcome her.
She would not hold back. ]
I don't need magic to subdue anyone.
[ Because she knew she could easily bring anyone to their knees by the strength of her blade. The blade in her hands that was resonating with her mana as Alice started to harness that anger. The safety of her comrades would come before her own, Alice would give it her all. Her fingers running over the edge of her blade, Alice returned Sion's gaze.
No one will hurt any of you. I promise.
From then, Alice was of a few words, she would move swiftly, without hesitation to the Mistress, her blade streaking as she picked up her pace. The answer would be brute force, she would descend in, almost ravenous, onto her opponent. Light in the dark, her mind shifted to thinking of nothing but the light she called forth into her sword as Alice began to slam right on in with her blade. ]
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Somewhere in the darker parts of Koumei's mind, the parts that he didn't want to look at, something balked at the idea of sharing so much with Shunsui despite his understanding of what was at stake. Fires and death and a lifetime wading through the twilight of war had all colored his experiences-- and Shunsui's bold tongue had surprised him enough to gasp--
But, he didn't fight Shunsui's approach. Instead, surrounded by the golden mana that had been knotted into an intricate spell, he tried to match the larger man movement for movement.
His focus was solely on hope. The same hope that had carried him through the trials that life had wrought and helped him maintain dignity where others would have despaired and cursed their allotted fate in the world.
Hope..., so that they could all return to this dungeon alive and well-- for the dungeons he knew had claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands who entered and failed to solve the puzzles within.]