I want to remind everyone that we still have a unused Mana battery.
If we use the Mana battery in combination with stardust striker we can sustain the modifiers for follow up attacks.
Hildr seems to be an opponent that is worth it.
I believe our targeting priority should be the following: 1) 4x Fairy Battle Mage - they are squishy enough for us to kill swiftly, AND they are ranged attackers with who-knows-what exotic effects like the trick they used to splotch one of our Dark Stars in the previous update, AND they are in small enough numbers for us to be able to kill them in first strike. 2) 3x War Angel - they provide team-kill aura, and it's also a team-heal aura for them. Barring special effects from Valkyrie Commander Hildr's unrevealed abilities, they are the greatest threat to our team. 3) 2x Valkyrie Commander AND Valkyrie Commander Hildr - surprises and super-self-buffs. They are the greatest threat. 4) 10x Valkyrie Warrior - Relatively simple to deal with. We may or may not be able to simply retreat once the primary threats are removed, and have our team help us with the kill. Also, return of Splotch.
@Naron - IIRC Fairies are comparatively slow (compared to Angels), so - how far are they from Heidi, and more importantly, are the War Angels on the line of fire/capable of getting into the line of fire? @Naron - Heidi has mage sight; Assuming that any kind of aura or ally-affecting skill is going to be visible to her in some manner - can she detect any irregularities about the Valkyrie Commander Hildr that would indicate her having one? If it doesn't work that way, please tell us as well. @Naron - are there any other enemy teams going to our location, besides the one we're fighting right now? @Naron - regarding War Angels - I presume that even if Arcane Slash damage doesn't affect them, it still makes any attacks on them Unblockable, right? @Naron - regarding Valkyries - when does their double-damage proc happen? @Naron - it's said that the Commanders all angle for us, while the rest are diving down still. Assuming we focus on the Commanders, what would the rest of the angels/valkyries do - aim to scour the forest floor and look for our squad?
[X] Plan Fighting Retreat
-[X] By whatever means necessary, immediately get off a clear shot (preferrably with Argent Star) at Fairy Battle Mages before they can get their own spells off. If necessary jump straight up, or jump over the heads of War Angels. Once Faeries are dead, focus on War Angels. Once War Angels are dead, consider retreating in the direction of your squad.
--[X] Switch to Reaper's Will and cut down (intercept) any attacks from War Angels and Valkyrie Commanders. Especially put your effort in cutting down the War Angels for the affront.
--[X] If any attack (preferrably from a Valkyrie Warrior and not from someone actually strong enough to damage you) actually manages to hit you, don't forget to flash your Conundrum to blind the enemies.
--[X] Send the Echo of your Argent Star right in the face of the Valkyrie Commander Hildr. If it works - great! Focus on her and cut her down (and/or send another Argent Star at her). If it doesn't? Target other Commanders with the spell instead.
--[X] If you close in on your squad while the Valkyries are still on your tail, have the Dark Star to Decree Hildr as a priority target. If she decides to retreat, send lots of Argent Stars her way.
--[X] If things go wrong and you get grievously wounded, switch to Aetheric Tide, seal Stygian Tempest or Starlight Striker, and kill one of the Valkyrie Warriors to survive.
[X] EXP Plan Balanced Battle (270 EXP, 11 remaining)
-[X] Upgrade Argent Star to level 11 (100 EXP)
-[X] Upgrade Reaper's Will to level 10 (170 EXP)
And just if anyone is interested, another plan to spend EXP:
[] EXP Plan Splotch With A Vengeance (210 EXP, 71 remaining)
-[] Upgrade Argent Star to level 12 (210 EXP)
Here are the benefits of increasing these specific levels in spoilers.
Assuming no special modifiers, here's what the opponents need to get killed:
Valkyrie Warrior - 1819d210 (rounded up to 1950) damage reduction, 4200 Health, with Valkyr Armor 2600+5600 = 8200 incoming damage.
Argent Star does 650d200 damage (avg 750), x10 for Angels and Valkyries. It upgrades to 715d220 (avg 825), or 780d240 (avg 900).
As we can see, one level makes Splotch viable, two levels make Splotch nearly inevitable.
Valkyrie Commander - 6239d420 (rounded up to 6450) damage reduction, 9600 (or 24000 for Hildr) Health, with Valkyr Armor 8600+12800 (or +32000 for Hildr).
It comes up to 21400 incoming damage for Commanders, or 40600 for Hildr. For the record, the former takes 3 spheres on any level, the latter - from 6 spheres to 5 in best case.
Faeries are squishy enough it doesn't matter, War Angels ignore spell damage so it doesn't matter either.
And here is the enemy damage potential if we Vorpal-intercept them:
Valkyrie Warrior - 2100-2310 damage, /2 - they are so weak they die easily.
Faeries - irrelevant, they should die to our spells.
Valkyrie Commander - 4200+2936d420, assume ~7300 damage, /2 it's 3650. We can also cut through their attacks with Vorpal since it gives us +50% damage on intercepts as well.
War Angel - 2500d250d100, with Double Hit, that gets cancelled by Vorpal effectively, so ~2700 damage against our attacks.
Vorpal Sword would deal 3400, 3825, 4250 damage before Vorpal itself (and dice) comes into account. At highest level, it does some 6750 damage against any intercepted attack. This is probably enough to trigger Vorpal's conditional damage nullification once it wins the intercept conflict, against War Angels and maybe Valkyrie Warriors.
To be more precise, the sword does ~5500, ~6100, ~6700 damage to intercepted attack, then adds 3000-3375-3750 damage to the post-intercept damage string.
Summing up:
Even one level of Argent Star makes Valkyrie Warriors decently likely to splotch from a single sphere. Two levels nigh-guarantees it.
If Argent Star gains Omni-Magic on any level and Hildr has no additional damage reduction in her stat sheet, one full barrage will have some chance of splotching even her.
Reaper's Will will win any Intercept conflict here and now, except maybe Hildr's if her Demonslayer procs or if she has damage boosters in her stat sheet.
War Angels and Valkyrie Commanders can and will pierce our defenses if they hit us directly, so we need either Aetheric Tide (to recover our health) or Reaper's Will (to block their attacks) as a weapon of choice. Even so, War Angels and Valkyrie Warriors are the only viable targets for vampirism, so killing them all off too quickly is slightly dangerous.
P.S. No, we do NOT have a mana battery - we threw it at the Dark Star so they could cast both buffs at full power.
1) IIRC Fairies are comparatively slow (compared to Angels), so - how far are they from Heidi, and more importantly, are the War Angels on the line of fire/capable of getting into the line of fire?
2) Heidi has mage sight; Assuming that any kind of aura or ally-affecting skill is going to be visible to her in some manner - can she detect any irregularities about the Valkyrie Commander Hildr that would indicate her having one? If it doesn't work that way, please tell us as well.
3) are there any other enemy teams going to our location, besides the one we're fighting right now?
4) regarding War Angels - I presume that even if Arcane Slash damage doesn't affect them, it still makes any attacks on them Unblockable, right?
5) regarding Valkyries - when does their double-damage proc happen?
6) it's said that the Commanders all angle for us, while the rest are diving down still. Assuming we focus on the Commanders, what would the rest of the angels/valkyries do - aim to scour the forest floor and look for our squad?
You tagged me six times, that must have been a new record
1) Distance from Heidi does not really matter; close enough to lay down spellfire, far enough that she can not jump them. War Angels are nearby but not in LoF; they could still get in LoF, though.
2) You got it right, actually. Heidi knows that Hildr does not project any buffs for her allies. Whatever the Abilities you do not know do, they are internal.
3) There are other teams further out and moving in, but none that will reach before the gate is up.
4) Yes. (What Lost said, but I figure that was the implication)
5) Every five turns starting now, so you do not need to worry.
6) Heidi does not know that. She thinks that the rest will either keep diving or change focus to her, unlikely for anyone to run. What do you think?
I want to remind everyone that we still have a unused Mana battery.
If we use the Mana battery in combination with stardust striker we can sustain the modifiers for follow up attacks.
Hildr seems to be an opponent that is worth it.
I think that there may be a non-zero chance that The Unbroken might be a anti-death (or anti insta-death) if that is the case we may want to use Stygian Tempest for its sudden-death.
Those two are actually correct as they are. First one is regarding the full half as one, not every single person of that half.
The second notes something they did before and are doing now, so the switch is intended.
1) Distance from Heidi does not really matter; close enough to lay down spellfire, far enough that she can not jump them. War Angels are nearby but not in LoF; they could still get in LoF, though.
Even if we send the Argent Star first thing in the turn, courtesy of our Priority-1 giving us immensely good reflexes? Is the flight speed of the spheres to blame? @Naron - does Overdrive Seal also renew extra actions from Determined Soldier?
If that becomes a significant obstacle, the only alteration to my plan I can really offer is trying a second time with prematurely activated Echo - but it runs into the problem of War Angels already being in the line of fire, and into the problem of the Faeries (and the rest of opponents) actually getting off their own attacks against us.
The way I see it (read - my guess, not a guarantee), the default reaction of the Faeries should be to kill us with magic, of Valkyries to engage us or escort War Angels, and of War Angels to scour the forest floor with their Presence or shield the targets of our spells. Should we actually splotch someone with our Argent Star we become an even higher priority target, switching War Angels to bodily blocking our spells and killing us ASAP, same for just about everyone else in the enemy group.
Or disregard us as someone needing immediate all-hands-on-deck killing and proceeding further down if we don't do something equally impressive as mass splotch.
Those two are actually correct as they are. First one is regarding the full half as one, not every single person of that half.
The second notes something they did before and are doing now, so the switch is intended.
Take a look at rule 8 here regarding that first one. When expressing a portion of a whole ("half" of "them"), you reverse the usual rules and use a singular verb for a singular noun.
The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb while a plural subject takes a plural verb. Being able to find the right subject and verb will help you correct errors of subject-verb agreement.
www.grammarbook.com
If that's your intent with the second one, I'd reword it a bit because that's awkward phrasing in English. English in general doesn't like when you change verb tense in the middle of a sentence. An example of something that flows much more naturally would be "The three groups moved toward each other and then started forming up into one bigger group that began to dive for the treeline."
Even if we send the Argent Star first thing in the turn, courtesy of our Priority-1 giving us immensely good reflexes? Is the flight speed of the spheres to blame?
@Naron - does Overdrive Seal also renew extra actions from Determined Soldier?
[X] Plan Fighting Retreat
[X] EXP Plan Balanced Battle (270 EXP, 11 remaining)
I was plancrafting something that relied on a exploit we hadn't trained.
I'm don't really know if it's a good plan to seal Stygian Tempest, but I will give it my vote for now.
[X] Plan Fighting Retreat
[X] EXP Plan Balanced Battle (270 EXP, 11 remaining)
I was plancrafting something that relied on a exploit we hadn't trained.
I'm don't really know if it's a good plan to seal Stygian Tempest, but I will give it my vote for now.
Remember, SuperSlayer also disables abilities that are reliant on Affinities to function. So it will probably also affect the supposed save-from-death.
And since we already have a makeshift-multi-hit exploit, we're quite capable of dismantling our opponents in melee despite their high defense.
Ultimately I chose Stardust Striker and Stygian Tempest as sacrificial weapon modes because, we need Aetheric Tide (vampire healing for Defiant Streak) and Reaper's Will (SuperSlayer and Vorpal that for us counts as negating the attack with one action, not two as Inhuman Skill does) more than we need the other two.
Also, I'm slightly tweaking the plan in order to make it blatantly clear we're killing the Faeries as our first action. Just adding the word immediately.
I guess this is all I am going to get.
Votes are closed.
Adhoc vote count started by Naron on Oct 30, 2019 at 12:35 PM, finished with 14 posts and 3 votes.
[X] Plan Fighting Retreat
-[X] By whatever means necessary, immediately get off a clear shot (preferrably with Argent Star) at Fairy Battle Mages before they can get their own spells off. If necessary jump straight up, or jump over the heads of War Angels. Once Faeries are dead, focus on War Angels. Once War Angels are dead, consider retreating in the direction of your squad.
--[X] Switch to Reaper's Will and cut down (intercept) any attacks from War Angels and Valkyrie Commanders. Especially put your effort in cutting down the War Angels for the affront.
--[X] If any attack (preferrably from a Valkyrie Warrior and not from someone actually strong enough to damage you) actually manages to hit you, don't forget to flash your Conundrum to blind the enemies.
--[X] Send the Echo of your Argent Star right in the face of the Valkyrie Commander Hildr. If it works - great! Focus on her and cut her down (and/or send another Argent Star at her). If it doesn't? Target other Commanders with the spell instead.
--[X] If you close in on your squad while the Valkyries are still on your tail, have the Dark Star to Decree Hildr as a priority target. If she decides to retreat, send lots of Argent Stars her way.
--[X] If things go wrong and you get grievously wounded, switch to Aetheric Tide, seal Stygian Tempest or Starlight Striker, and kill one of the Valkyrie Warriors to survive.
[X] Plan Fighting Retreat
-[X] By whatever means necessary, immediately get off a clear shot (preferrably with Argent Star) at Fairy Battle Mages before they can get their own spells off. If necessary jump straight up, or jump over the heads of War Angels. Once Faeries are dead, focus on War Angels. Once War Angels are dead, consider retreating in the direction of your squad.
--[X] Switch to Reaper's Will and cut down (intercept) any attacks from War Angels and Valkyrie Commanders. Especially put your effort in cutting down the War Angels for the affront.
--[X] If any attack (preferrably from a Valkyrie Warrior and not from someone actually strong enough to damage you) actually manages to hit you, don't forget to flash your Conundrum to blind the enemies.
--[X] Send the Echo of your Argent Star right in the face of the Valkyrie Commander Hildr. If it works - great! Focus on her and cut her down (and/or send another Argent Star at her). If it doesn't? Target other Commanders with the spell instead.
--[X] If you close in on your squad while the Valkyries are still on your tail, have the Dark Star to Decree Hildr as a priority target. If she decides to retreat, send lots of Argent Stars her way.
--[X] If things go wrong and you get grievously wounded, switch to Aetheric Tide, seal Stygian Tempest or Starlight Striker, and kill one of the Valkyrie Warriors to survive.
(2 turns until Hell Gate is completed
3 Presence of Light are active, but Defiance is immune to their damage and UL-entities are not damaged.)
The sky is clear and bright; more troops are rushing toward you but will be too slow to make it in time. For those opponents who are already there however, you only have one shot before they catch on. Better make it count.
"Argent Star!"
You quickly push the four Fairies as marked targets; they fly a little behind the rest, but none of the War Angels is particularly close to them. Your weapon changes form in a heartbeat, leaving you holding your lightsaber as you charge forward, toward those same Angels.
Hildr tries to stop your dash before it can really begin, but you meet her staff head-on.
(Warforged Staff: +4200 Base Damage, +11 dice, +1936 To Glory!, +1000 Offender, +700 Ramming Speed, -3923 Vorpal = 3924 Total Damage
Intercept!
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +484 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +2533 Vorpal = 7600 Total Damage
3,677 difference, Reaper's Will wins!
Warforged Staff is broken.
Reaper's Will: +3677 Intercept Damage, +189 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +900 Unstoppable (False) = 8516 Total Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 6,387 Total Damage
Hildr: +1800 Base Resilience, +105 dice, +4439 To Glory!, +8000 Underdog's Steadfastness, -900 holyshitwtf, -1000 Unarmed = 13,444 Total Damage Reduction
Attack Ineffective. Hildr says suck it.
Abrade reduces Hildr's Base Resilience by 1%)
Not only do you match her blow, but you can feel it falling short of your own. Where Hildr brings greater speed and strength, you are the far faster combatant and simply have the deadlier magic. Reaper's Will lashes out against the staff, slicing through as if it was nothing, and makes to tear into her. Except that it does not.
Hildr had been shocked when you not only matched her charge but threw it back at her. Now you are surprised by the powerful defensive field manifesting in the way of your retaliation; it is different from the one that all the other Valkyries use to weaken incoming blows, stopping even your empowered blade completely after it passed through the other one. All you manage is to leave a small line in her breastplate.
Then Argent Star finds its mark.
(Argent Star: +715 Total Damage, dice do not matter, x8 Purge and Anti-Air = 5,720 Total Damage
Fairy MM rolls: 3805, 1238, 4453, 2736
No survivors, but at least the UL forces get pretty crystal confetti!
Bonus ApT reduced by 1, Defiance's current ApT is 10)
You only see bright light exploding out of the corner of your eye while dashing past the Valkyrie before she can reverse her momentum entirely. The branches are thin, but they hold your weight and your balance is marvelous; has been since you first transformed. You do feel yourself slowing down slightly with the Fairies' deaths, too.
The Angels quickly get over their surprise this time, one of the commanding Valkyries shouting "Land!" and making you realise that the game is up. Argent Star is most powerful when striking at flying enemies, you gathered that much yourself. While you run however, you push more magic into its lingering echo to strike at Hildr behind you. It is probably not going to do anything, but it should buy you a moment.
(Argent Star: +715 Base Damage, +152 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 8,670 Total Damage
Argent Star: +715 Base Damage, +152 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 8,670 Total Damage
Argent Star: +715 Base Damage, +152 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 8,670 Total Damage
Argent Star: +715 Base Damage, +152 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 8,670 Total Damage
34,680 Unified Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 26,010 Total Damage
Hildr: +1800 1782 Base Resilience, +145 dice, +4439 To Glory!, +7000 Underdog's Steadfastness, -450 Off-Balance = 12,952 Total Damage Reduction
13,094 Final End Damage
Hildr Health: 24,000 - 13,094 = 10,906
Hildr lost her right wing.)
You hear your magic sizzle in concert with the now-familiar wet sound of flesh being torn apart, but it is accompanied by a loud scream. Pain mixed with anger; Argent Star still works, but you doubt that killed her. The regular Valkyries all landed on the treetops by now.
Either way, you quickly meet another commander's staff on your way toward the descending War Angels. One of the regular ones shoots you with an arrow at the same time, but you ignore that and trust in your shroud.
(Warforged Bow: +2100 Base Damage, +184 dice, +550 Attack Ignored = 2,834 Total Damage
Defiance: +100 Base Resilience, +234 dice, +2118 Conundrum, -75 Not Worth My Attention = 2,377 Total Damage Reduction
457 Total End Damage Conundrum (-2118): Damage nullified
Attack Ineffective)
(Warforged Staff: +4200 Base Damage, +130 dice, +1936 To Glory!, +1000 Offender, -3633 Vorpal = 3633 Total Damage
Intercept!
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +311 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +2447 Vorpal = 7341 Total Damage
3708 Difference, Reaper's Will wins!
Reaper's Will: +3708 Intercept Damage, +5 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +900 Unstoppable (False) = 8,363 Total Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 6,272 Total Damage
Valkyrie Commander A: +1800 Base Resilience, +6 dice, 4439 To Glory!, +100 Saw it Coming, -1000 Unarmed, -1500 Un-armed, -500 Flashing Lights = 3,345 Total Damage Reduction
2,927 Final End Damage
Valkyrie Commander A Health: 9,600 - 2,927 = 6,673
What is it with lightsabers and cutting off arms?
Abrade reduces Base Resilience by 1%)
As before with Hildr, your weapon cuts right through the staff and keeps going. You note with satisfaction that the arrow shot at you pierced Conundrum's outer layer, but was easily stopped by the inner one. You push into it to force the resulting glow to intensify, blinding your opponent for the one moment you need to push through her defensive fields and cut off her arm right above the elbow. The grunt of pain which follows tells you what she thinks about that.
Remembering what you were told about Valhalla, you quickly follow up on the attack; your foot slams into a branch and you lean back, then jump toward the half-turned woman's shoulder, aiming for her neck.
(Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +56 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap = 4,639 Total Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 3,479
Valkyrie Commander A: +1800 1782 Base Resilience, +345 dice, +4439 To Glory!, -9600 Off With Her Head = 3198 Extra Damage
6,713 Final End Damage
Valkyrie Commander A Health: 6,673 - 6,713 = -40
Clean beheading. Wow.)
She just completed her turn when you reach, a swift flick of your lightsaber cleanly separating her head from her body. The other commander, after seeing what you were doing to her companion, interrupted her sweep and is now hovering a bit distant, the staff in her hands being reformed into a bow. Hildr is reforming her weapon as well, one wing missing and large parts of her back an open wound; so you kick off the dead Valkyrie's front and dash toward the War Angels again.
That bunch is trying to break through the thick canopy before you reach them; they did not come in with enough momentum to do it directly, and you catch the first before he even made it as far as the first layer. Your lightsaber buzzes as you swing, and he tries to catch it as best as he can, but his inferior speed shows.
(Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +356 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +2469 Vorpal = 7,408 Total Damage
Block!
Blade of Light: +1000 Base Damage, +79 dice, +1500 Judgement, +24 dice = 2,603 Total Damage
Double Hit negated due to inferior speed and bad position.
4,805 Difference, Reaper's Will wins!
Reaper's Will: +4805 Intercept Damage, +458 dice, +3750 Superslayer = 9,013 Total Damage
War Angel: +500 Base Resilience, +97 dice, -100 Oh Shit = 497 Total Damage Reduction
8,516 Final End Damage
War Angel Health: 3,000 - 8,516 = -5,516
Yeah, he is half the man he used to be.
Bonus ApT reduced by 1, Defiance's current ApT is 9)
You slightly chip his blade as it slams against your own, but slides off from the force of your blow; the holy flames engulfing it seem to keep it safe from destruction, but they can not stop you from finishing your sweep to cut him in half around the waist. Some blood spurts at you, but you ignore that and carry on.
A quick glance below shows you a nexus of infernal mana constantly growing; that is where Pazuzu built his gate. It is some distance away, but you can see nothing else through the sheen of holy light surrounding you. It slides over your form like oil and you quickly reduce your magic vision again.
Another two arrows come for you, one of them only actually relevant because it comes in at the same time as that one remaining commander shooting. You swiftly make a pirouette as you meet that one with your lightsaber, ignoring the other yet again just like the other Valkyries that shot you so far; you did not even recognise them before, aside from the first.
(Warrior's Bow does not penetrate Conundrum, as before)
(Warforged Bow: +4200 Base Damage, +74 dice, +1936 To Glory!, +1000 Offender, -3605 Vorpal = 3,605 Total Damage
Intercept!
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +330 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +2456 Vorpal = 7,369
3,704 Difference, Reaper's Will wins!
Reaper's Will: 3704 Intercept Damage, +171 dice, +3750 Superslayer = 7,625 Total Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 5,718 Total Damage
Valkyrie Commander B: +1800 1782 Base Resilience, +164 dice, +4439 To Glory!, +900 Seen it Coming = 7,285 Total Damage Reduction
Attack Ineffective)
You easily catch the arrow; it melts as your blade runs through its path, but the energy is all there; so you take control of it and push it outward, right toward the braced Valkyrie. A wave of nearly burning air and mana lashes out from your weapon, setting fire to a few leaves on the way and shaking the treetops before striking her. To no effect aside from some burnt cloth.
Grinding your teeth, you complete your pirouette and lunge for the second War Angel, who is almost through the many branches. This time, you catch the woman unable to raise her weapon in time.
(Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +431 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +250 Unstoppable (False) = 5,264 Total Damage
War Angel: +500 Base Resilience, +49 dice, -100 Occupied = 449 Total Damage Reduction
Yep. Dead.)
She is deeper into the place than you, but more than twice your size. You reach through and stab her in the head before she can manage to meet your blade. The woman's hood falls back as she drops to the side, her weight held by the surrounding branches.
"Hyaaaa!"
Your only warning is Hildr's battlecry, but it is enough to whirl around and deflect her charge.
(Warforged Staff: +4200 Base Damage, +173 dice, +1936 To Glory!, +1000 Offender +2100 RAGE, +700 Glory Against The Darkness! = 9,109 Total Damage
Well. 'Deflect'. You cut her staff in half again and lean around the charging Valkyrie; somehow, despite her missing wing and horribly looking back, she managed to pick up speed on the branches. Now she only rams into the corpse of her ally and rebounds.
She bought time, though. The crunching and cracking of branches ends with a final crash and, to your horror, the remaining War Angel enters free fall downward. Various Valkyries follow them moments later, having foregone fighting you. Two archers, the one commander, and Hildr remain.
(1 turn until Hell Gate is completed
1 War Angel left the field. 8 Valkyrie Warriors left the field. Bonus ApT reduced by 3, Defiance's current ApT is 6.
Glory of Valhalla triggers. First turn complete. All unnamed Valkyries are full anyway.
Hildr triggers The Unbroken. Hildr's Maximum Health is increased by 6,000; Hildr's Health resets to full.
Hildr Health: 30,000
Body Damage removed.)
You think for an instant; that War Angel is not too far away, you could go after them. But then Hildr would stab you in the back, and that would be it. Or you could keep an eye on her and fail following that Angel.
If you were better at this than you are, you would risk it. But like this... you can only fight back the tears with a snarl and face the lead Valkyrie.
To your surprise and renewed horror, Hildr's pulped wing regrows and the bloody flesh on her back knits itself back together within moments as you watch, the Valkyrie becoming more radiant as power fills her. Your eyes widen at the sight while she begins to grin.
"So your power is reactive as well, interesting. You put up quite the fight for one so small," the towering woman tells you as she readies her weapon. "But it ends now."
Your anguish and rage peak, robbing you of words even if you want to throw some into her face, and badly. Instead, you ready your lightsaber and move toward the Valkyrie, speed diminished but still beyond hers. Your brows furrow as you aim; reckless it may be, but you are mad and she is the only outlet you have. And so you scream it out: "Shut up! Arcane Slash!"
You have one moment to aim this unblockable blow, one moment to not change your mind. And you do not change your mind.
So you slash her in knees, and just keep going.
(Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +246 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +900 Arcane Slash, +126 dice, +700 RAGE, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +700 Defiant Against Warriors = 7,255 Total Damage
Echo: 2; Echo triggers!
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +612 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +900 Arcane Slash, +76 dice, +700 RAGE, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +700 Defiant Against Warriors = 7,571 Total Damage
Echo: 2; Echo triggers!
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, 480 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +900 Arcane Slash, +33 dice, +700 RAGE, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +700 Defiant Against Warriors = 7,396 Total Damage
Echo: 1; No Echo
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +443 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +250 RAGE, +250 Defiant Against Warriors = 5,526 Total Damage
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +410 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +250 RAGE, +250 Defiant Against Warriors = 5,493 Total Damage
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +100 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +250 RAGE, +250 Defiant Against Warriors = 5,183 Total Damage
38,424 Unified Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 28,818 Total Damage
Hildr: +1800 1782 Base Resilience, +128 dice, +4439 To Glory!, +3000 Underdog's Steadfastness -900 holyshitwtf, -900 Have to Become a Town Guard, -900 Need a Wheelchair, -900 I'm a Lefty Anyway, -900 De-limbed, -1800 Who Needs Two Lungs?, -2700 Scraped The Brain = 651 Extra damage
29,469 Final End Damage
Hildr Health: 30,000 - 29,469 = 531
Hildr needs no Battle Continuation. Hildr survives anyway.
Abrade reduces Base Resilience by 6%, reduction at 7%)
Your power sparks with your anger against the Angel, refusing to just give in and die as she seems to expect. You roar together with your magic, see it visibly roiling around you as the first strike seamlessly cuts off her left knee. The next one comes an instant later, removing the right. Arcane Slash echoes over your blade and empowers it further.
Before Hildr can so much as register the pain, her body is falling and you use the second echo to sear through her right arm. Then the spell fizzles out, but she fell far enough for you to reach her remaining arm, surgically removing that as well. Then you stab her chest, missing the heart out of anger-borne sloppiness; but you do not stay there after pulling out your blade, instead slashing for her head. This time however, Hildr manages to lean back far enough for your strike to only scrape her forehead with the tip, opening and cauterising a horizontal line on it.
She looks at you in shock, crippled beyond compare... but her wings pulse force, once, twice, stabilising her out of reflex. She is not dead. How is she not dead?!?
You snarl and seal Stygian Tempest, using the boost of speed to actually finish your opponent. A gust of air is all that alerts you to someone else, but you are already swinging by that time.
(Stygian Tempest sealed. ApT reset.
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +400 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap, +250 RAGE, +500 Execution, +250 Defiant Against Warriors = 5,983 Total Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 4487 Total Damage
Valkyrie Warrior: +1400 Base Resilience, +153 dice, +419 To Glory!, -1400 Shield a Friend, -700 Scared Shitless of You = 128 Extra Damage
4,615 Final End Damage
Valkyrie Warrior Health: 4,200 - 4,615 = -415)
But instead of attacking you, the approaching Valkyrie flings herself into your way, blocking the fatal strike with her own body even though she herself is cut in twain. You blink, anger fading with the surprise.
Hildr is as surprised as you are while the other remaining warrior pulls her back; the commanding Valkyrie's wings still have trouble pushing in a specific direction. Before you can follow them, the lesser commander lands in your way, intent obvious.
Your eyes narrow while you grip your lightsaber more tightly. Then you step forward, swinging in a fluid motion.
(Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +461 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap = 5,044 Total Damage
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +465 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap = 5,048 Total Damage
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +580 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap = 5,163 Total Damage
Reaper's Will: +500 Base Damage, +409 dice, +3750 Superslayer, +333 Horrific Speed Gap = 4,992 Total Damage
20,247 Unified Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 15,185 Total Damage
Valkyrie Commander B: +1800 Base Resilience, +315 dice, +4439 To Glory, -900 Scared Shitless of You, -1800 Into the Jaws of Death = 3,854 Total Damage Reduction
11,331 Final End Damage
Valkyrie Commander B Health: 9,600 - 11,331 = -1,731
Bonus ApT reduced by 1; bonus reached 0.)
You cut her to ribbons, back and forth and back and forth, fluidly going through the much taller woman; she meets her fate with gritted teeth, holding the line against you while the remaining two escape into the air.
When the chunks of dead Valkyrie start tumbling downward, you look up to the surviving ones; they are out of your reach. You consider throwing your spear after them, but that would leave you without a weapon.
Your and Hildr's gazes meet, the champion still dazed from the pain.
(Hellgate stands.
Presence of Light: All of Defiance's Demon Foot Soldiers are dead.
Glory of Valhalla triggers. Second turn complete. Remaining unnamed Valkyrie is full.
Hildr triggers The Unbroken. Hildr's Maximum Health is increased by 6,000; Hildr's Health resets to full.
Hildr Health: 36,000
Body Damage removed.)
Then the ground rumbles, at around the same time your opponent begins to regenerate. Again, all of her limbs grow back and every injury you put on her vanishes, as if it had never been there in the first place. Her glow gets brighter while the roaring of titanic Demons makes the forest shudder. You can hear the trees breaking from this far away.
Yet Hildr does not attack you again. She gently pats her escorting Valkyrie on the shoulder and leaves her behind, gently lowering herself, weapon dismissed. You watch her carefully, knowing that it is over now. You are drenched in sweat and emotionally exhausted; your soldiers are dead, most likely. But the gate stands.
"What is your name, warrior?"
You blink at the Valkyrie; she stopped her descent a half dozen metres above the treetops, still in the air as she awaits your answer. You could jump and catch her, but it did not work the first time either. And now that you calmed down, you do not feel like killing more people.
"Adelheid." You could have said Defiance, but you could not care less about separating identities.
Hildr, in turn, nods. "Very well. I shall commit it to memory. You fought like a raging beast, and I feel it was not for your own sake. You went after Heaven's children first." It is merely an observation, yet you can not help but grit your teeth; which seems to be all the answer she needs. "I see. Sometimes we come upon those of the darkness that hold compassion like that. If we meet again, we shall properly duel. Once I am prepared to face you, Adelheid. It would be an honour if you were to remember me as well. I am Hildr, squadron commander of the Valkyr Legion."
She turns and makes off. You let her.
Maybe it is bafflement, or simply the same tiredness from before. You doubt you could defeat her right now... and she knows she can not defeat you. The roaring grows louder, more numerous, and the trees collapse under the thundering of infernal feet. She knows your own battleline is now near, and so do you.
You watch the two Valkyries leave into the orange of the evening sky, heave a sigh, and begin to descend. Nobody is there to see the tears in your eyes now. Whether they are about the people you killed today, or your failure to protect those under your care, even you do not know.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
Descending takes a little longer than ascending. You carefully make your way down, feeling the aching muscles in your body. It will pass soon enough, but this was your first real battle.
You... should feel more than just exhaustion about all of this, right? The grief for your team keeps coursing through your mind, but there is little in regard to the enemies you defeated. Despite the immediate fighting and tension being over, you do not feel sympathy or regret or... anything, really. Some grudging respect for how Hildr weathered your assault, and the same for the Valkyries that sacrificed themselves to save her, but nothing else.
Are you a monster after all?
You do not like that thought.
Then again, you feel you would rather be a monster than a wreck after this. You read and heard some stories about war veterans; that is not how you want to end up.
The heavy thoughts roll around your head a little longer; some Demons that appear similar to Pazuzu scurry past, nodding their heads when they come close. You ignore them for the most part, though the sight ahead quickly chases the darkness out of your mind.
The towering gate with its glimmering surface is nothing new to you. But right behind it, the forest now stops. Trees are gone in a vast radius and far into the distance; even the stumps have been burned or stomped to sawdust. A nearly unending tide of Demons continously flows out of now five gates, marching toward the battleline from the opposite direction now. A few Dark Stars scurry around and you think you recognise the one Sorcerer you had left, chittering with another of their kind.
The earth is dark and trampled almost completely solid, plants are scarce now. Whatever came through first, it did a mighty fine job in clearing the area. It has only been around five minutes since the gate was set up.
You could maybe spy the giant creatures further away, but your attention is quickly caught by Paoras, waiting next to the gates.
...and Argus right next to your friend, still like a statue and holding her hand. Okay?
He sees you first and you can tell he squeezes Paoras' hand; then the General motions toward you, to which her downcast expression brightens up. She lets go and comes running, almost tackling you to the ground with her hug. "Heidi! You're safe!"
You cancelled Conundrum before, which is why you are almost bowled over; still, but manage to catch the ballistic half-elf well enough. "Yeah, I'm fine." The warmth of her body wrapped around yours is comforting, in a way. You squeeze her tightly, but do not stop in your tracks.
Argus offers you a nod once you stand before him. He still towers above you, but you do not feel as... pressed around him anymore. Maybe it was what you just saw, but he appears less intimidating and thus less in need of you pushing back. "Young Defiance," he greets you. "Congratulations on your successful mission."
He pauses when he sees your expression go sour; Paoras softly pats your head, the friendly presence returned to the back of your mind. You are actually quite happy for that.
"I see my sister was right about your personality, then." His calm statement draws your attention back to the armoured knight, who offers you another nod. "I see it will be no consolation to you that your deeds are outstanding. What you ought to know, though, is that those under your command served and died better, and with greater purpose, than the vast majority of common soldiers in Hell's Legions. Be proud in their remembrance."
You are not sure what to say. Is this man actually trying to console you? Has the world gone crazy? Well, yeah, it kind of has, but still. This is surreal.
But Paoras' presence keeps you warm and you actually find some solace in Argus' words. The men you took along are dead. They are never coming back. However, they at least got to go out with purpose.
The tall Demon commander makes to move, but pauses next to you for a moment. Then he carefully places a hand on your shoulder and offers a single squeeze before leaving you alone with Paoras. "Take some time to calm down. Lucifer will join us here around nightfall," are his parting words.
...
Maybe Argus is not all that bad of a guy after all.
Either way, you keep a hold of Paoras and wander back to the tents that are drawn up nearby. Maybe you can find a place to just sit down there.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
That evening, Lu arrives through the air; because of course she does, being uncaring about the various Angels that fled the sky from her. You are in Valkyr territory, which is where the Fairies will not throw down their meteors. You were told they only throw those out where they do not mind destroying wider parts of the ecosystem.
Lu has less words for you than Argus did, mostly consisting of a curt "Good work" and a faint smile that still means more than Paoras' constant beaming ever could. At that point, you actually managed to work the moodiness out of your system and get back to working over your new powers. Though meditating to discern that one thing takes you the next day as well.
A few days pass in relative quiet for you while the new base is strengthened and expanded. Your two Hell Beasts and that one Dark Star still live; they use the time to recuperate as well while you practice some more.
Nonetheless, now that you had some time, you do regret having to kill those Angels. You do prefer it being them rather than your friends, but if you could have your way, you would make it so no one died. Sadly, you do not have that kind of power, and never will. Which means all you can do is hope that there will be less enemies actually facing you in the future. Maybe, with Hildr having gotten away, news about you will spread, and others will rather flee. That would be nice.
Either way, a new frontier opens despite the Valkyries fighting back Hell's assault tooth and nail; Hildr is seen a few times amongst the fighting, but she stays far away from Argus and Lu from what you hear. Trees burn and break, blood soaks grounds which have probably been free of it for ages, all because of your actions.
You made a difference, at least. You do not like the kind of difference you made, but you made your choice on that end; it is not going to have any influence on the war in general either way. That is not going to stop anytime soon and neither is this going to change the layout of the maps in the future, you are sure of it. You still believe that everything in your time is already the way it is because of this journey, no matter where it is going to end.
Five days after your arrival, Argus steps up where your diminished squad is enjoying the sunlight for a bit. You and him exchange nods before he motions into the distance. "Are you ready for another task?"
So it is time. You take a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "As ready as I can be. What do you need?"
In turn, the Demon lightly inclines his head toward you. "That is for you to decide. I have two tasks that need doing, in a way. Which one is more to your interest?"
-------------
[] March of the Dead
Necromancy is employed throughout the LDC, and the only other general application of magic next to Brand Craft. One of its most common uses is to bind a spirit into a form capable of action, to create a golem. Even if few of the great Fae Warmachines are left, the diminished versions they now produce en mass are still powerful. A wall of animated stone between their battle mages and us who wish to tear them asunder.
A larger group of combat golems was sighted marching through the forest; it is time to intercept them and prevent a pincer attack the Valkyr may be preparing. Most scouts sent in that direction did not return though, so opposition is to be expected.
Known Allies: Orux' Team, Dragul's Team Confirmed Enemies: Golems Possible Combatants: Valkyr Legion, Heaven's Host, Dark Star, ???
[] Dance of Light and Dark
Angels are an existence I have never known what to make of. They are far less numerous than Demonkind, yet even the least of them is many times more powerful. They are our antithesis and we naturally oppose each other. I can not say I am fond of them, though the few conversations I had with Lucifer were... enlightening. There is rot in the blinding light that is Heaven. I wonder why, and what they are thinking about this. Any Angel I ever asked refused to answer before I cut them down.
A powerful commander from Heaven's Host is holding command over the divisions engaged with the UD's main force. Lucifer already dispatched to deal with them, but their surroundings troops may not like that. Someone needs to keep them at bay while she fights. A battle fought in the sky.
Known Allies: Lucifer, Angel Slayers, Hellbeasts Confirmed Enemies: Valkyr Legion, Heaven's Host Possible Combatants: Dark Star, War Angel Azrael
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
=====
+40xp Killed 4 Fairy Battle Mages
+20xp Killed 2 War Angels
+40xp Killed 2 Valkyrie Commanders
+10xp Killed 1 Valkyrie Warrior
+100xp Beat Valkyrie Commander Hildr Within an Inch of her Life
+150xp Earned Hildr's Respect as a Warrior
+20xp You Cry Over Demons
+200xp Completed Your Mission
EXP gained: 580 Total EXP: 591
=====
(Added Hildr's Character Sheet to the front page)
(Soft Mechanics updated)
(New Soft Exploit unlocked:
-the inner shroud of Conundrum can be made to hold warmth inside, thus weakening the effects of cold climate or cold-aligned effects
-have each proc of Arcane Slashs Echo target a different enemy
Just so we are clear: Even I did not expect Hildr to deliver such a showing. She elevated herself from being 'just' a miniboss to being an actual character I myself am invested in. Which is why this sheet of hers, as well as the one on the front page, has a unique character portrait instead of the generic Valkyrie Commander.
You go, Hildr. First survivor of the very first Magical Girl ever seen.
My conversation with my Workshop had similar notions.
Problem is that I did not really plan for her to actually become anything at all, so I need to see whether I can fit her in.
I want to keep more exp in reserve just in case something surprising comes along. Past that, this mission sounds like it'll give a chance to show something that's unlikely to be shared in mainline that I like.
Also a chance for some really important World Building.
www.grammarbook.com
