[] Visit R&D and try picking up a few tricks for your Brand Craft
[] Acquisition some sweets and find someone to read a book to you
So you have a day to yourself and a campaign coming up, meaning you should probably stock up on useful knowledge and relax. Good thing you have ideas for both of those.
Entering the R&D department is only prudent at this point; you picked up quite a few interesting tricks from Epsilon Aaron the last time, with the promise of more if time permits. The Dark Star was quite clear about the fact they do it to examine you from up close and learn from what you know in turn, but that is fine with you. Give and take is not an unfamiliar concept.
Today however, you already forgot that you have two new, or rather improved senses. The moment your destination nears, you can already hear angry sizzling noises all over. What you find when you actually enter the area, however, leaves your mouth open in surprise.
Dark Stars are mostly dark to normal eyes, for whatever reason. Maybe it is the easiest kind of colouration they can take, or their actual colours simply fall beyond what a human can perceive.
Now that you can truly see however... it is breathtaking.
Despite the almost uniform air of cold and caution surrounding you, all those Dark Stars emit more light than you ever saw before; each of them has at least a dozen different colours that mix and match constantly, forming patterns unique to them even though their form is exactly the same. Every single one is a living kaleidoscope.
But this is only the beginning, as the area surrounding them provides a roiling, ever changing background to all those different patterns. They almost resonate with it, influencing the area immediately around them and connecting to others over rainbow-like tendrils you know can not even be seen with normal eyes. Gathered here are more colours and tones than you have seen in your entire life, many of which you could not even perceive until a few weeks ago.
Yellows brighter than the sun yet not hurting the eyes, purples darker than black itself, pinks that seem to have reds and blues shining through from below, and so many more that you would need hours to even just describe them all. They keep on shifting as they go about their work, but their patterns never break no matter what.
You never thought much of abstract art before, hell, you did not even think much about art in general. This however, despite looking like Picasso's greatest dream slash nightmare on drugs, is beautiful. You do not even mind the headache all those sensations give you for once.
Perhaps that is what people see in art? Or maybe this is still different because the beings before you are actually alive and not just paint on a canvas.
A few seconds pass as you take in everything around you, though the changes in the room quickly make it clear that you were noticed; you blink once, twice, then step inside.
Epsilon Aaron already awaits you, thankfully the only one of their shape; you would never have expected someone as bloodthirsty and merciless as them to have so many blues and pinks in their hue, though there is some angry reds in their claws.
"I see you have returned for further instructions?" You nod, eyes still roaming over the Dark Star's body. They consider you for a moment, their pattern slowing down the slightest bit. "Is something the matter?"
You briefly consider keeping it a secret, but you doubt it would stay one for long. What does it matter anyway? "I can see you now, fully."
That, however, quickly gains the attention of the entire room; Epsilon Aaron leans closer to you with a flicker rushing through his patterns, something that might indicate surprise. "Is that so? Interesting." There is some warbling behind you which a quick glance reveals being the other Dark Stars whispering with each other, more magical than physical.
Before any more can be said however, a viciously snarling claw wraps around your arm and gently pulls you forward; where it was previously flying telekinetically, you can now see a sturdy strand of magic connecting it to the body like a boneless arm. You follow the Dark Star's lead into the Fairy chamber, both of you quiet.
It is weird how monochromatic those Fairies are; in death, their crystals only have a single hue and even the entire bunch of them is less colourful than the single living creature aside from you.
"How is it that the most ruthless species looks the prettiest?" You just have to ask, even if there is no real answer. Epsilon Aaron, however, laughs. Actually laughs, warbled as it is.
"Because beauty is not a matter of alignment or morals, wherever they may fall. I accept your compliment though, on both accounts." They are right, though that last bit makes you a little sheepish; it was not meant to be a compliment, but you can see how it sounded coming out.
Deciding to change the topic, you speak up properly: "Anyway, I was thinking another lesson would be good; we're going to Valhalla soon and if I can, I'm going to enchant some stuff for my team. Not entirely sure what to make just yet, though."
Epsilon Aaron hovers in the air quietly for a long moment and you force down the strength of your magic sight so their patterns do not distract you as much. They are done thinking by the time you are done: "That is a prudent idea; I recommend to provide them with better armour and auxiliary effects, as most demonic troopers can not really enchant their weapons with Brand Craft. We mostly covered traps and direct combat applications before, so let us see your capabilities in Dark Star's speciality."
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
As expected, you learned a great many things about supportive enchantments; you will have to practice those in your downtime so you can remember them all, though. Your ears almost emit smoke by the time you leave R&D due to how many things the lecture contained.
But now you are at least certain that you can provide some interesting things for the campaign. No power armour or other advanced stuff like that, but at least enough to make sure your team does not get killed immediately.
Hopefully.
Ignoring that train of thought, you decide it is time to do some of the relaxing you have been planning. It is right after noon, the perfect time to join Maya for lunch, followed by disappointment.
Hell has no books.
Or rather almost none, exceptions being a few historic records and the occasional looted tomes or libraries. Just how they managed that is beyond you, as with the vast amount of Demons there ought to be some that decide to write in their free time or whatever.
Well, apparently not. Maya does not even understand why you have a problem with this until you explain the matter to her; there are millions of books on Earth alone, with thousands, maybe tens of thousands being published every year. Not to mention all the magazines and the recent rise of the internet.
"Think of it this way," you tell her with a finger pointed at her four oldest hybrids that joined you for the meal. "You know how to raise children, right?" She nods and her kids do the same. "So now consider that another Succubus comes and asks you for advice because she doesn't have any idea. As is, if you want to help her, you need to take a lot of time to explain the basics, then everything around that. Still with me?"
Maya nods slowly, brow furrowed in thought. "But if there was a book on how to raise children, I could simply point her to it?"
"Exactly. But if there isn't and you spend all that time explaining things to her, she might tell others that you know what you're doing. Then you have to explain the same things to them as well, and so on." You sigh and gulp down another glass of milk whose origin you have decided not to question no matter what. "It's probably much more important for humans and Elves because we don't live even a hundred years. Books are how we relay knowledge to the next generation. I get that you don't have novels or the like in Hell, but basically no books at all is just so weird."
After having to explain what a novel is as well, you give up on the topic. At least Maya does have some sweets for you and appears thoughtful when you leave; you are also not at all unhappy to hear her children pester her about wanting to read books a moment before you close the door. Maybe that makes her get some.
Now however, it is still half a day to spend and your plan to kick back and relax was just shot. Heading back to your room and laze around in bed sounds tempting, but as you have no books, no phone, and no internet accessible, you would be bored out of your mind before the hour is up.
You might as well just accept it and look for something else to do; practice can wait until tomorrow, but running around does not appeal either.
After some thinking and wandering through a few streets, you find a solution for now; the package from Maya firmly in hand, you leap five metres in the air against a taller building's wall, then hop off of that one and against the wall next to it. This continues a few times until you reach the roof and some people were definitely watching.
You ignore the gawkers, all of which quickly return to their own business, and lie down on the aslant ground. With your heels carefully balanced against a sturdy outcropping, you are in no danger of sliding off.
Granted, if it was height you wanted, you could simply travel to the main spire's top; it still reaches into your field of vision even now. That was not your intention, though. All you wanted was to kick back and watch the sky for a bit while eating your sweets, and this is what you get.
You have to admit that infernal sweets are unconventional, though; what Maya gave you has a certain spicy aftertaste. You do not even notice at first, but it quickly turns from a faint tingling to a weak burning sensation you know well from home.
The interesting part about it is that they somehow managed to make it taste good; the sweetness soothes your mouth for a moment, only for the spicyness to return a little bit stronger right after. It is good.
The flavour stays with you for a while even after you ate them all, slowly fading as time passes. You watch the clouds pass by in a state that can almost be called tranquil, were it not for the constant noise from fifty metres below that you somewhat fail to ignore.
In the end, you have no idea how long you were up there; going by your slightly aching neck, it was long enough to regret the hard surface.
You push yourself into a sitting position and look around, then quickly find something unexpected from your perch. An Elf and a Fairy, the latter slowly walking after the former. You know there is only one of each on base and are immediately curious.
People make an effort to stay out of their way even as you watch, seeing that they obviously 'belong' to Maya; it is still weird to see how much respect one can get by just being affiliated with her. Then again, your Succubus friend also gets along well with the base commander... and you. Moreover, her daughter recently began to make a name for herself.
You get up and make your way down, quickly running down the wall. Yes, you can do that now, could do it for a while. Up is easier though, as down requires you to jump and roll to bleed off momentum; gravity is one of the things you can sadly not defy, and running face first into the ground is quite low on the list of experiences you want to have.
It does not take long until you step into the moving crowd, with people quickly making room for you as well. At this point, you understand why Hell works as it is; having so many people step aside and project respect or fear feels more than a little intoxicating after a while. It is a nice feeling, even though you know you should not feel that way.
In addition, anyone on the other side of the process wants that very same feeling, creating a constant drive to grow stronger and seize it.
You shake off the thought and approach the two men with a wave; this is the first time you have see the Fairy since his Death Squad attacked the Keep, and on getting closer you notice that he is not looking good at all. His eyes are sunken in, his wings were apparently surgically removed, and he does not even look up when the Elf stops.
"Ah, young Heidi. A pleasure to see you today." You grin at the polite greeting and wave it off.
"Yeah, nice to see you too. What are you doing?" Your eyes naturally wander to the Fairy, who wears little more than a loincloth and still has not so much as looked at you.
He follows your gaze and, much to your surprise, sighs. "I was hoping to make his situation a little more bearable by letting him catch some fresh air; he doesn't eat without one of the girls feeding him." You cast a more pitying look at the Fairy, whose head remains bowed; Maya's husband sighs once more. "I failed, obviously. Perhaps seeing the child might change the situation, but I doubt it."
That turns your attention back to him, confusion evident for a moment before you understand. "Why would that change anything?" Getting to see the child one was forced to sire does not sound like a good influence on one's mind.
He shrugs weakly, eyes distant. "It helped me, back when I was first brought here. I didn't really believe that things turned for the better until I got to hold Paoras in my arms." The warmth his words carry even makes you forget the other situation for a moment; he is obviously quite proud of his children.
Then a sharp gasp rings out and as your head turns, your eyes meet a pair of orbs that almost bulge out of their sockets. He only reaches up to your waist, meaning that you tower over him... and apparently, he recognises you.
"Now now, Sirius, there is no need to-"
He stops, and everyone stops with him. You all feel it, suddenly, without any warning; something is here, but you can not tell... actually, you can. Your sight begins to shift slowly, filtering whatever effect it is; the effort feels as if someone rammed a hot iron bar into your head, making you take a sharp breath as you jump back from whatever just appeared. Everyone else looks around alarmed, but unable to see anything. Their gazes hitch momentarily whenever they pass it, but move on as if nothing was there.
It stands right behind the frozen Fairy, taller than even most of the Demons yet also thinner; as if the dark robe has nothing within, the dark shadow over its face hiding pure nothingness.
You need a moment to get used to the splitting headache, but that is how long it takes for the creature to finish measuring Sirius. Something like wind runs over all of you, unnoticed by everyone, and then...
(The ???: +1000 Base Damage, +565 dice, +1000 Unseen Attack = 2,565 Total Damage
Sirius: +50 Base Resilience, dice negated due to existential dread, -100 Unresponsive = 50 Extra Damage
2,615 Total End Damage Sanctuary (50%): 1,308 Final End Damage
Sirius is very dead.)
Your elven friend jumps back and to your side when what sounds like an angry gust of wind runs over Sirius, with it coming a thin mist that neatly cuts off the Fairy's head. He does not even know what hit him, both parts falling to the ground.
Your eyes tingle and flutter as you try your best to behold whatever this is, the rest of you barely noticing how Maya's husband draws a gladius.
And everyone else is still looking around, many of them actually going back to back as they do not seem to notice the monster in their midst aside from knowing it is there.
...what the hell just happened?
-------------
[] Plan?
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
=====
+10xp The Beauty of Dark Star
+145xp 'Met' Your First Nightmare
Active Effects:
-Splitting Headache (Defiance, -1 ApT)
-Headache + ? (Everyone else, can not tell where ??? is or what ??? does)
-Sanctuary (All allies, deal doubled damage and take halved damage)
[] plan I didn't see that
-[] act as if you are under the same effect as everybody else
--[] Hide reapers will in off mode
-[] If it falls for the act
--[] try to 'just happen' to be close to it
--[] Surprise it by stabbing it
--[] Get as many hits in as possible in the shortest amount of time.
-[] If the nightmare it does not fall for the act
--[] Scream to Mayas sweetheart that he should get Maya to figure it out
--[] Cast Argent Star whenever it tries to approach another opponent
--[] Try to cut of body-parts to see if the effect lingers on things unattached.
--[] Switch weapons where appropriate
You have never seen anything like this before, which means it can only be one thing. A Nightmare.
Instead of charging immediately however, you wait; this thing seems to be imperceptible to everyone else, so chances are you can catch it off-guard. That might be worth trading your first strike, even though you know how much of a risk it is.
The Nightmare does not attack anyone else. The Demons keep looking and you carefully start to turn your head, hoping that your previous actions went unnoticed. The Handle materialises in your hand before quickly transforming; a quick flick of your thumb turns the lightsaber's blade off before it can even ignite.
"What's going on here?" You turn your attention to your elven friend, whose eyes are on the partly crystallised Sirius. His mouth works without producing any sounds for a moment, then he throws a glance your way. You shrug and try not to cast glances at where the creature is coming closer now.
"No idea." It is standing right next to you; your fingers clench around the weapon, but so far the Nightmare remains curious. If you can make it turn around, you can stab it in the back. "But something is definitely here."
He nods while you try not to look at the barely visible wisp of air floating around you; it makes your hair flutter a little, which you take as a prompt to look around again. Even from right in front of it, the Nightmare's face still remains in pitch black shadow and no actual body reveals itself under its robe. It warbles something that your Brand Craft does not translate, if it was even any actual language.
And on top of all that is the headache; you hiss quietly and press one hand to your forehead where it throbs, though the pressure does little to alleviate the pain.
"Are you alright?" You nod softly while keeping the Nightmare in your peripheral vision, just in case it attacks.
"Yeah, just a headache. Might be a migraine, though." It is not. Curiously, the Nightmare is still examining you. Moreover, the feeling of enemies being present has ceased; Elisabeth's power still saturates the area like flakes of ash, but it does no longer react to this creature's presence.
Then a voice almost makes your head split apart: "You can see me,can you not?You can hear me,can you not?" You flinch visibly as it assaults your ears, an empty howl that is many voices yet one and underlined by a creepy score.
"You do." You can not even tell what languages it speaks, but you understand it anyway. Maybe some Elven tongue?
"Are you really alright?" Your eyes turn back to the only Elf present, who is now clearly worried but still holds his blade ready. "You are so pale." Which means the game is more or less up, yet the Nightmare has still not attacked.
No, in fact, it has taken some distance and is solely focussed on you now. "I mean no harm," it actually pleads with you, if the tone of voice(s?) is any indication. It still grates on you, but the headache you already have can not really get much worse.
Nevertheless, you are presented with a choice. Were it before you landed on Sheol, you would not trust a Nightmare at all; now that you met so many Demons that defied expectations, and this creature having refrained from attacking further, you decide to take the risk and shift your body to face them.
After taking a deep breath to force some focus into your mind, you motion for Sirius. "And what about that?"
Those around you still and turn their heads to where you are looking, but obviously find nothing. You cross your arms and wait while the Nightmare actually fidgets; then their hood turns away. "I'm... sorry?"
That, you admit to yourself with a sigh, is at least something. If only that stupid headache were not there. You see some others ready their weapons and whistle sharply to get their attention. "Wait. This one doesn't seem hostile anymore."
You get some owlish looks and a few more gazes to the dead Fairy, which prompts you to cast another glance at the Nightmare. They are still not looking at you, or at least have the opening of their hood averted. "It is frustrating, immensely so. Wherever I go, none can so much as hear my words."
You drop the pose and start to think; at least your ears are adjusting to whatever eldritch vocal organs this being has, though it will take at least a little longer until you can hear properly. Your eyes are adjusting as well and the headache slowly fades already. "Okay, so you got mad about it?" The Nightmare nods, or at least you think it does.
The surrounding Demons begin to relax, though they immediately stand straight when Elisabeth and Argus burst around two different corners; both of them raise their weapons warily, but pause when you wave them off. "You're a little late, I got things under control here." Then you grimace and cast another glance at the Nightmare, who is simply floating a little ways away. "Is there anything in the rules that forbids a Nightmare from wandering in here?"
The two commanders appear to exchange glances, then Elisabeth shakes her head slowly. "Not directly, though few Children of Nightmare arrive in a peaceful manner. And this?" She motions for the dead Fairy, which takes a moment to consider.
"Let's call that a misunderstanding," you finally settle on. Just as expected, Elisabeth accepts the reasoning because, despite everything, Sirius was Maya's possession. None of the surrounding Demons will care, and that makes you feel awful; the fact he would have died soon, be it of Maya or plainly losing the will to live, is not much of a consolation.
On the other hand, you can understand the Nightmare more than you like to admit; becoming impulsive like that is a part of you as well, though it never escalated to outright murder before. Maybe it would have, or it is because they are strong enough to simply do it without much trouble or repercussions.
Taking your mind off the matter, you cast another glance at the Nightmare. "I'm more curious how you got here in the first place." They just appeared out of nowhere after all.
Argus answers the question quite quickly: "As far as we know, the Children of Nightmare move interdimensionally through fear. They can sense strong sources of fear in nearby dimensions." He steps forward cautiously, though his sword remains pointed at the ground.
At this point, the other Demons have dismissed their weapons and begun to close ranks while Maya's husband is kneeling next to Sirius' remains.
You sigh again and rub your forehead. "Okay, thanks." It is good to know, especially when considering that your knowledge of Children of Nightmare, or Nightmares in short, is sparse. "I know they come about from fears, but there was some kind of distinction."
You had been looking at Argus, but Elisabeth answers this one while the other Demons march off: "We differentiate between Lesser Nightmares, who incorporate specific fears, and Greater Nightmares. Though we know little about them aside from that they are absurdly powerful."
"They are wishes," your new acquaintance chimes in with a serious tone. "That is what we call them. Wishes. Wishes of others, twisted viciously and without any hope to achieve happiness. They bring suffering as part of their existence, both to others and themselves. Wishes suffer and rage against the cruelty of creation that made them to suffer, and us, the Fears, often follow their anguish. They are pitiful beings."
That coincides with what you remember reading, though most of it is news. Argus noticed your eyes shift and waits, so you turn to address the Nightmare: "So, 'Wishes' would be Greater Nightmares, and 'Fears' being Lesser?" A nod. "And you are a Fear?" Another nod.
You almost ask what fear they are supposed to represent, but hold your tongue. That might be a sensitive topic... not to mention that you have a few ideas of your own for what it might be. Still, that leaves one question. "What's your name?"
The Nightmare pauses for a long moment, making you think this might have been a sensitive topic. Then however, they almost shudder giddily: "Neverwas." Your ears may be deceiving you, but the eerie music underlying everything finished transitioning into a catchy tune that one would hear in an old video game.
"Okay. Um, let's see." You turn back to Elisabeth with a weird feeling; it definitely was supposed to be a fight, but here you are without having swung your weapon and a new acquaintance. Imps are already busy cleaning up Sirius' blood and carrying the body away, and Maya's husband is quickly following them. "From what I put together, Neverwas isn't all that happy that he has nobody to talk to. Do you mind if he stays around for a bit?"
The Nightmare visibly perks up and you have to suppress a sigh. Meanwhile, Elisabeth considers you and then the empty air where Neverwas is not. Her weapon disappears with a few flickers of heat, then she offers you a smile. "As long as he behaves himself, I have no problem with that."
You do not really have to ask whether that is okay; Neverwas obviously wants to stay. The slightly roiling cloud of dark air recedes back into their robe, but none of that alleviates your headache much. It went back from head-splitting to uncomfortably painful, but no more.
"Is it really okay for me to stay?"
You say your goodbyes to the two commanders and motion for the Nightmare to follow you before answering. "It's fine, just don't make trouble."
"I can do that." Their words still grate on your ears, though much less than at the start. You still grimace and rub your forehead again.
"The problem is that just seeing and hearing you hurts, and I mean that literally. I can come talk to you a little every day, but I have stuff to do as well." Like the next week of training with Lu.
Neverwas hesitates for a moment, but does not seem too bothered by the matter; at least their tone of voice does not reveal anything like that: "I understand. It is enough to know there is someone I can actually speak to. What kind of 'stuff' is busying you?"
Now there is a Nightmare interested in your everyday life on Sheol. How did this happen so fast?
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
The next week is... bizarre, especially after you thought you got used to the weirdness. Aside from your training with Lucifer, you now talk to Neverwas for a little bit every day; they actually followed you around to watch you and Lu one day, and were introduced to Maya on another. She did not do more than scold them for killing Sirius either, much as you expected.
Something interesting you learned about their powers is that once they leave someone's direct vicinity, that person can recall everything Neverwas said and did. This is a discovery which greatly improves the Nightmare's mood; they went and began talking to more people, but prioritised Maya and her children. In their words, they are nice.
You also got confirmation that they are indeed speaking Elvish; when prompted about that, Neverwas explained that speech depends on a Nightmare's origin. Lesser Nightmares are fluent in every language spoken by the beings that birthed their fear, Greater Nightmares key off of the individual whose distorted wish they represent.
As a bit of a demonstration, they quickly went through several Elven dialects, then switched to the more melodic Fairy languages, and followed it up by what may have been Dark Star. They know a lot more than just those, though.
A side effect of being around Neverwas so often is that you go to bed with splitting headaches for most of the week; you do not say anything, but both Orux and Maya definitely noticed. You can tell because the Succubus actually tells you to take it easy, and because your boyfriend of sorts insists you rather rest instead of hanging out with him in the evening... after coaxing the matter out of you somehow.
What this encounter taught you is that information is key, though. It was pure dumb luck that prevented you from fighting and thus maybe killing someone you are now on good terms with. Trading the first strike for information can be useful, but it should not become a habit. Especially not against opponents more powerful than yourself, unless you can ensure that a quick attack from them will be ineffective in the long run.
Fortunately, Lu's training continues to draw results out of you. Just a little longer and you can be completely confident in your abilities.
First however, you have another free afternoon and thus time to spend. Hopefully without another distraction popping up this time.
-------------
Pick two:
[] Spend some more time with Neverwas
[] Hang out with Lucifer
[] Find Orux to spend time with
[] Go see Maya and her family
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
=====
+200xp Never Was Neverwas So Happy
+300xp Befriended A Child of Nightmare
+150xp Derailed the Neverwas-Subplot so Fiercely That I Need to Rewrite It Fuck You
EXP gained: 650 Total EXP: 1,181
=====
(Unlocked Level 5 (Max) Character Sheet: Neverwas)
=====
Well... congratulations to WallFlower for the winning plan. This did not go as intended. Neverwas was supposed to be a recurring enemy.
I am not even mad; mostly just amazed that someone managed to derail something this much after I put so much effort into making derails difficult in PO.
Level 8: Triple Cast upgrades to Quadra Magic (four castings instead of three)
Level 10: Spell gains Perpetual Caster (for a number of turns equal to the spell level's first digit, it is recast for free)
700 EXP spent
481 remain
[] Spend some more time with Neverwas
[] Hang out with Lucifer
After some thinking, you decide to make sure Neverwas is settling in properly. Actually finding them is already difficult, though; that kind of makes sense when you are the only one who can actually tell where they are. Not to mention that you were never the kind to ask directions more often than you had to.
The place you find your newest acquaintance annoys you somewhat, though; after almost an hour of looking around, the Nightmare reveals himself to have been sitting on the westward spire's roof.
At least you can get there easily enough, even though the outer spires have spiked rooftops; your new sense of balance and the footholds someone conveniently added are enough to keep you up. Then again, that kind of architecture makes sense with all the various kinds of Demons around; these are probably for Imps that have to do repair work.
Looking at Neverwas is still a little grating on your head, but the pain continuously lessened over the previous week. Maybe one more and you will have adjusted well enough to only feel mildly uncomfortable while talking to them and not get any lasting headaches.
"Hey there."
"Oh, hello, Adelheid. Were you looking for me?"
You can not tell whether it is your magic filtering everything properly now or just that you got used to it, but their voice is no longer a cacophony of different noises; you understand Neverwas just fine and listening to them does not hurt your ears anymore, either. "I was; have the day off, so I wanted to see how you're doing."
"I see." The Nightmare slowly motions for the edge they are sitting on, an invitation of sorts. You sit next to them and peer down at the various people walking underneath; they are far down, but your magically enhanced sight makes it possible to see them as if they were but a few metres distant. Handy thing, that. You are pretty sure that one is a universal thing and not just your sight, too; it already got better before the augment.
"I am doing well." Neverwas' voice brings you out of your ruminations, an undercurrent of happiness both in his tone and the sound of his magic. "Though most are quite wary of me, I manage to get along with most. Maya was quite understanding and her children are all quite lovely; although I am not sure what to think of her visible disappointment when I told her I can not sire offspring."
You blink and try to forget you heard that, as well as the mental images it conjures up. You fail.
"Don't think too much about it," you finally advise the Nightmare with a sigh. "Maya is probably just... curious, I guess? And she wants to have an evergrowing family, so I can see why she'd be interested." You quietly omit that the fact she is technically, or maybe even legally, married. If Demons have such a thing; maybe you should ask someone about that.
On the other hand, Succubi in particular are born from, among others, broken vows of marriage. It might be a sore topic for them.
This does bring up another question, though; you cast a glance at Neverwas and ask: "Are there any more of your kind?"
They still for a moment before tilting their headless hood in a sign of obvious curiousity. "Why would there be?" He has a point, though you were mostly wondering if there were others just as isolated.
"Just curious, I have no idea how Nightmares work."
Your response leads to another moment of silence while Neverwas mulls it over. "That makes sense," they finally allow. "While the rules are different for every single Wish, the Fears are generally unique unless they are believed to be capable of reproduction. Of the more well-known Fears, I could name Pestilence, though he hardly counts in the way we are talking about. Hm..."
Considering that name, you really do not want to meet Pestilence. Ever. The point is more or less clear, though. "I think I get it. Actually, do you mind telling me more about Nightmares in general? How do you live?"
Neverwas shrugs at that while a stronger breeze ruffles his robes and your coat-ribbons. "We live is all. Home is a quite unusual place; the laws change from time to time, and there are some larger communities of Fears led by a few Wishes. Some like me rather go out to explore what lies beyond, or hunt the creatures there, or other such things."
You listen curiously and try to imagine, but it is not that easy without having seen the place. Considering how the Dark Stars ended up looking to your eyes, you have the feeling the Children of Nightmare's home dimension would be somewhat similar. Still, you wonder about some parts: "Why are the Wishes in charge? And why does the law change?"
"Hm." Neverwas carefully oozes sparkling mist and slices off a tiny piece of the spire's tip, then shows it to you. "I think I used the wrong term." Then they flick the little stone off, far down and thankfully not on anyone's head. "What I meant is that here, a stone always falls downward. At home, they may sometimes start falling up or to another side entirely. Fire is always hot, but at home it may at times be cold. These laws are what fluctuates."
You mull that over and quickly stop trying to understand how that makes sense. Magic is the answer, leave your sanity at the door. If it wants to bend the laws of physics into a pretzel, it very well will.
"And to answer your other question, that is a bit more complicated but also much easier." Neverwas reabsorbs the mist as they speak. "For one, Wishes have a compelling aura to Fears. There are few of them in comparison to us, but each of their voices has almost palpable weight to it; obeying them is easy, especially if we more or less agree with whatever they are saying. Moreover, few Fears are capable of so much as hurting a Wish; they protect us from more volatile Fears and the occasional Wish that rather hunts their own kin, so we do not mind leaving them in charge."
That is a little more difficult to digest, but Neverwas leaves you some time to do so; it makes sense to let the strongest person lead, though that may just be your time with the UD speaking there. At least they get things done.
Thinking of that, you decide to change the topic. "I guess I can see what you mean. Speaking of leaders, have you spoken to Elisabeth yet?"
For some reason, they visibly perk up at the reminder. "Oh, I did indeed. She worked out a way for us to communicate already, though it is somewhat clunky." When you turn your head and motion to go on, Neverwas elaborates cheerfully: "You see, at first we managed to converse by having me ask or answer a question and leaving the room so she knew what I said. After a while however, Elisabeth figured out that we can do this easier in writing; she can not see me writing a response or read it until I left the room, but it is much easier to keep up with the conversation that way. We made a habit of it to write down our entire conversations by this point, if just so those pages appear less weird."
That is honestly a really neat idea and you are wondering why you did not think of it before. Additionally, these two apparently just created a bootleg version of a chatroom. You are not sure how to feel about that.
"It is so wonderful to converse with non-kin," Neverwas mumbles more to themselves, though that does catch your attention.
"You mean other Nightmares can see and talk to you?"
They flinch slightly before shaking their head. "Not directly, no. Or, at least not many. A handful of Wishes I met are immune to my powers; it is not particularly uncommon for a Fear's power to fail against a Wish. Anyway, while I can converse with them, those Wishes are not good company." They hesitate for a moment before slumping slightly. "They are usually mostly plotting where to go and what to kill in their insanity; I heard one or two are actually pleasant even while mad with grief and wrath, but I never met any such Wishes."
You wince at that; having no one to speak to feels almost preferable to only having lunatics for conversation. Then again, it is not like the Wishes are at fault for their situations.
Another breeze ruffles your clothes and hair, but you pay it no mind. It is good that Neverwas found a better place, for however long that may last.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
Afternoon has almost passed by the time you part ways with the Nightmare; a quick lunch later, you spot a feathery spot of darkness flying in; she is too fast for you to track reliably, but you have do not actually need to. And you have a means to catch her attention.
"Argent Star!"
One perk of having a long transformation time limit is that you can walk around transformed at all times without having to worry; with your Automatic Identity Protection being useless, there is no downside to it either. Which means you can start casting whenever you want.
Surprisingly however, instead of the three spheres you wanted to send after Lu, there are four. Argent Star grew more powerful again, you can feel it.
She obviously noticed your spell and quickly extinguishes them as she slows down to a speed where you can follow her properly... except that something is weird.
You can see your own magic linger around you for a few seconds, shining in a pretty silver almost the same colour as your hair; what is more however, it carries the same almost angry sizzling your spell just held.
People around you hardly bat an eye at your antics, seeing that you do catch Lucifer's attention like this from time to time. Even you see some turn their attention to you when the spell recasts itself, though. Another four spheres form a few seconds after the first batch and you quickly assign them the same target; no one but Lu would survive them.
The echo fades and Lu lands in front of you not much later; her brow is furrowed and you have an idea for why she frowns at you. Which is why you pre-empt her quickly: "I didn't do it on purpose; it grew stronger again and then just... cast itself, or something like that. We have to look into that tomorrow."
Her eyes narrow for a moment, searching for lies in your face but finding none. Lu nods and dismisses her weapon. "We will. Such an ability is peculiar, but also problematic if left uncontrolled."
You nod in agreement before pointing at the main spire. "Anyway, care to join me?"
"For what?"
"No idea, I'm still figuring that out."
Lu's first reaction is a long-suffering sigh, but she does follow your lead without much complaint. And if she sees the grin on your face, she does not comment.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
The next two days are quite intense; Argent Star became something quite versatile by this point, though anything you feel you could do with it will require a lot more practice.
More importantly however, you finally made it; after a last long training session and some final tests, you feel ready to go head to head with almost anyone. It is so much easier to deflect attacks now that you freely beat a half dozen men from your team into the ground with only one sealed weapon and not a single hit on your person.
You are still not happy about going to war, but now you are a great deal more confident about your chances in battle.
At the end of the second day, the two of you are sitting on top of the central spire and look out at Metatron's Divide. The silence is comfortable, but you break it in the end: "I went a long way to get where I am, didn't I?"
"That you did." Lu looks at you from the corner of her eyes, though the faint smile she wears makes it clear she is just as happy as you are. "You will still need some more actual experience to expand your flexibility, but your progress is quite incredible." She chuckles quietly and turns to look you over in detail. "Three months. That is how long it took you to reach a point that took us more than a century. Even with your Interference-Affinity lending itself to the subject matter, this is still amazing."
You can not help but blush a little at the praise and sheepishly play with a strand of your hair. "Well, uh, thank you." You really did make it far. "And thank you for teaching me all of this, Lu." But you never would have gone anywhere without her.
When you go over her words again however, you pause. "Wait, did you say 'us'?"
Your friend stiffens for a moment before sighing heavily. "Yes. An old habit. I used to practice together with my friend Leliel, long before I fell." Her shoulders slump far enough that you can reach them without standing up, if barely. "I have not spoken to her in ages."
"I understand." It was probably not easy ever since Lu fell; you carefully squeeze her shoulder and give her a moment, curious once more. "Say, how long has it been since your fall?"
She shrugs, almost shaking off your hand with the gesture. "I do not count anymore, though I roughly remember how long the Fairy-Dark Star war had been going back then." She pauses for a moment and closes her eyes, then nods. "About fourteen hundred years now. The last time I saw her was right after my fall, and never thereafter."
You let that sink in and quietly squeeze again; the kind of horror Lu must have lived through is difficult to even imagine.
The silence that follows holds tension and awkwardness alike; you are still thinking about how to go from that point while Lu seems content to just sit quietly. Your salvation appears in form of Paoras, who charges up the stairs and almost stumbles trying to stop when she sees you. She giddily waves at you. "Heidi, Lulu! Come quick, Mama had twins!"
You both stop to look at the giddy half-Elf, then at each other. You consider following Paoras immediately, but then decide to start with some teasing. "Lulu?"
It is difficult to see with her hair in the way, but you think Lu is blushing. She quickly turns her head away and gets up to walk toward Paoras. "She started calling me that for some reason and will not stop."
"Yup," your small friend confirms with a big grin. "Lucifer sounds mean and Lu is too short. And Lulu sounds cute!" She hops in place while you try to rein in your grin, then takes both of you by the hands and starts to pull with surprising force. "Come, come!"
There is a certain irony in the fact that you tower over her like Lu towers over you and yet Paoras being the one to pull both of you through a few corridors, but you do not comment on it. At least you do not need to bow down so she can keep holding your hand, as Lu does.
A quick trip with Elisabeth's runes later, you are led into Maya's living space; most of her younger children are present and greet you with smiles, though most keep some distance from Lu when she makes to stand upright again. The Succubus offers you a smile as well, unable to wave because she is currently busy nursing two babies. Tiny babies, at that.
"Have a seat, you two. I didn't manage to hold Paoras back for longer than a halfday. Were you still training?" She never stops tending to her children, but does not seem to have any problem talking to you at the same time. You smile at the sight and sit, with Lu to your right and Pao climbing up the cushion next to her mother to watch her new siblings.
"We were finished for the day," Lu answers with a faint nod to you. "Heidi reached a state of mastery I would call adequate."
You make a face at Lu while Maya chuckles, then snap a ballistic ball away with a small magic wave from your finger. It flicks up and bops Paoras' next younger sister on the head; she threw it, so that is only fair. "Don't try that again."
"Okay!" Going by the shine in her eyes, she is going to try it again; you sigh and cast a glance at everyone else. "Who told them what Lu is teaching me?" Paoras immediately raises her hand with a grin. "Figured as much."
Maya is finished feeding her babies by this point and carefully hands them off to her daughters so she can push her dress back into place. You give her the moment and watch the babies, one with a shock of black hair, the other with a silvery white similar to your own. They are both giggling and grabbing for their sisters who coo at them with happy expressions; it is a sight that almost makes you want a sibling of your own, or to coo as well, but you manage not to let it show.
Then Paoras casts a glance to you, one at the silvery-haired twin in her arms, and carefully gets up to move over. "Here, you hold Helena."
You blink at your friend and look at the baby who is examining you curiously; then you turn to Maya, who motions for you to do it with a smile. "I don't mind that at all." So you carefully reach out and take the girl into your arms; she giggles again and waves her hand after a strand of your hair.
She is tiny. Even smaller than the baby you got to hold back on Earth, Sara's little brother. You are actually afraid to hurt her if you move too much, so you hold still and just watch. Her budding magic sounds like windchimes and looks quite a bit more dense than most of those around you.
Lu leans a little closer to look at Helena, but Maya gets her attention by holding the other twin out to her. Strangely enough, that one is actually reaching out toward your angelic friend with wide eyes. "I think Lilie wants you, Lucifer."
She gives the baby an owlish look before taking her hesitantly. If anything, Lu appears even more cautious with Lilie. Both twins seem happy where they are, which makes Maya smile in turn. "They seem to like you two."
"So they are both girls?" Your question is answered with a nod and a loving expression that makes you a little bit envious of the child you are holding.
You all sit quietly for a minute or so, observing and playing with Helena and Lilie; you may actually have cooed over her once or twice, though the embarassment of realising it quickly made you stop while Maya laughed.
Then however, your Succubus friend sighs. "I was thinking that you should hear why exactly I do what I do. If you would listen?"
Her words make you sit a little more straight, though you cast a glance to Lu, who is carefully stroking the top of Lilie's head but without doubt listening as well. Maya follows your eyes and shrugs. "It is fine. I doubt either of you would pass this on." So you nod and Lu does the same without hesitation. Maya eyes her children thoughtfully before pulling both of her oldest hybrid daughters into her lap; her husband already herds the rest out of the room... though you did not even see him before right now.
It is quiet for a moment before Maya begins: "About twenty years ago, a young woman of Uruk promised her husband a healthy son. She became pregnant and looked forward to raising her baby, but died in an accident before it was due. I think you can guess how I come into this." You nod slowly; if this was the promise that created Maya, you can see how she turned out the way she is.
"Either way," the Succubus continues after a moment, "I was born with the wish to do what she could not, to bear healthy children and raise a happy family. No matter what needs to be done to achieve this, I will make it happen." Her daughters hug her closer and Maya smiles while you and Lu digest what you just heard.
Lu is the first to speak up, audibly curious: "I never heard of a realm called Uruk before."
"That's not surprising." Maya actually grins now, her somber mood mostly gone. "Uruk is a human realm, and thus located where none of us could ever go for the next five thousand years. Though I would love to see it, and to find out what happened with king Gilgamesh; it was merely the second summer of his reign when I was born."
Your mind stopped at the word 'human'.
In hindsight, it makes sense that there are still Demons born from human promises even though there is no magic on Earth at the moment. That still leaves you with questions, though. "Okay, uh... I don't get how nobody knew about humanity until we showed up." Which was, after all, the reason Hell had allegedly invaded Rome soon after first contact. Only for the one responsible to get a nuke slipped into their stronghold; it was all over the media when it happened and all the anti-gate arrays were set up soon after, to prevent another disaster like that.
Maya only shrugs at that. "Well, I would assume that this particular habit does not change; us Demons rarely talk of how we were born, and then only to someone we trust a great deal. With how things are in Hell, I would assume that few ever feel willing to share this with anyone. How is it with Angels?"
The question goes to Lu, who mulls it over for a moment while Lilie tries to grab her still finger. "Similarly. Most Angels hold the prayers close to their heart as a source of strength, and that is something personal. Actively asking someone you have not known for at least a thousand years about their birth prayers is seriously offensive. That aside," she adds with a glance in your direction, "I would assume the gist of it is that some knew, but nobody ever asked if anyone knows the new race."
"...because they never asked." You can not help but chuckle over this. The golden age of Magical Girls, the fall of Hope, hell, maybe even the Akashic Pillar's original entry into the war all turned out as they did because neither side ever asked about humanity. It is as hilarious as it is sad.
Maya waits until you regained a hold on yourself and offers a soft nod. "That's why I was only mildly surprised to meet you back then, too. I already knew humans existed, though I never expected to see one with my own eyes."
You roll your eyes at that, but a cry from Helena delays any answer you might have given. The baby is tearing up, so you quickly hand her back to her mother who calms her down without much trouble. Lu does similarly with Lilie, though the black-haired twin did not seem agitated just yet.
It is a weird evening, but you do not mind it at all.
And your next day is another day off, which means you have time to spend...
------------- Pick Three
[] Talk to Epsilon Aaron again
[] More training? More training!
-[] (optional) Write-in what to train
[] Hang out with Lucifer
[] Maya might like some company while she takes care of her babies
[] The Ashen Maiden is a curious character, perhaps now is a good chance to find out more about her?
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
=====
+5xp How Nightmares Live
+5xp Angelic Appreciation
+10xp Met Helena
+10xp Met Lilie
+15xp She Is So Small
EXP gained: 45 Total EXP: 526
=====
(Soft Mechanics updated. New exploits added to training choices [Inhuman Skill has an entry as well, be sure to check])
(Unlocked Level 5 (Max) Character Sheet: Helena)
(Unlocked Level 5 (Max) Character Sheet: Lilie) You get their full sheets because they will not reach the age to enter any battle before the Quest ends
=====
Ability Upgraded
Master Skill
-Sacrifice three actions to nullify an opponent's action.
----->
Inhuman Skill
-Sacrifice two actions to nullify an opponent's action.
Quick heads-up for anyone who rarely checks or only reads story posts, the last chapter has been put up last week during a timeframe where SV's alert system was borked. So if you missed it, make sure to go back to chapter 2.7 before reading this one.
[] More training? More training!
-[] -set the target as a coordinate in space instead of a living being to set up a mine, or an area relative to something else to make spheres follow it around [Argent Star] [1 Training Action]
-[] spend an action to route more active magic into Perpetual Caster's echo for an immediate recast, using up one of them in the current turn instead of waiting. [Argent Star] [2 Training Actions]
[] Talk to Epsilon Aaron again
You talk to your friends for a bit after getting up; Elisabeth used the opportunity to tell you there will be a meeting in the evening, exactly at sunset. You take note of that and tell everyone where to find you if something is up, then depart; not for the spire's top this time, but for the mountain.
Most of your day will be spent practicing something you thought of, as well as an idea Lu gave you. Problem is that both involve generous use of Argent Star, which is not the kind of spell you want to shoot around on-base. You could justifiy one of the training fields if it were just a few test shots, but this will be a lot more than that.
"Are you out hunting?"
The voice is a little unexpected, but you do not let it bother you as you turn to Epsilon Aaron; they lower themselves to ground level after apparently having been flying around. You knew there was a Dark Star from the various colours in the air, but did not expect this one. "Not directly, no. I'm practicing spellwork for now, and I wanted to drop in for Brand Craft later. What are you doing out here?"
Metatron's Divide is already looming over you at this point, the ground slowly beginning to rise. Epsilon Aaron's colouration shifts to brighter colours as they motion for the nearest mountaintop. "Merely a bit of exploration to let my mind rest for a time, though this is more interesting by far. May I watch?"
You eye the Dark Star curiously before shrugging at them. "Sure, I guess? I'm not sure if it will be all that interesting, though. Just trying to figure out some stuff."
"I disagree; your spells are quite unusual in their behaviour." That is the last they say as they begin to follow, so you quickly make to find a proper training ground.
Thankfully, you do not have to look for long; there is a rocky area shielded from sight by a larger slab of stone right at the mountain's foot. Not that you need the privacy, but it feels weird to be open to all sides. After deciding that this is the place, you take a moment to think while your audience sets down on top of the slab.
The first idea you are planning to work on is easy in concept; seeing that Argent Star has you set a target, it can be assumed that this target needs not be a living being. It can also be an object, you know that much.
Now the tricky part is to see about assigning other targets. Specifically, positions. You focus on the area above a particular stone, taking a moment to concentrate, then call out: "Argent Star!" The spheres all fly there and...
(Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, dice irrelevant = 650 Total Damage
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, dice irrelevant = 650 Total Damage
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, dice irrelevant = 650 Total Damage
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, dice irrelevant = 650 Total Damage
2,600 Unified Damage
Stone: +10 Base Resilience, no dice = 10 Total Damage Reduction
2,590 Final End Damage
Stone Health: 25 - 2,590 = -2,565
Boom)
...target the rock instead, annihilating it in a silvery, sizzling explosion. You frown at that and keep trying with different ways of mental gymnastics.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
It takes a while until you have your first success; the problem was not how you went about it, but your focus. It is difficult to describe, but the targeting easily slips from 'above that rock' to 'that rock' depending on how you think of it, so you need to be careful how you designate the target. Actually designating a point in space is the easiest solution, but that is also more difficult than working off of a reference point.
But you succeeded, and even managed to set all four spheres up in a square around your current target. They sizzle quietly as they hang in the air, umoving. You grin at the sight while Epsilon Aaron hovers closer to inspect your work.
"I see," the Dark Star muses as they circle the arrangement. "Instead of making them hunt your enemies, these spheres can also be made to guard an area. Could you make them follow an entity that passes by after they were set?"
You shake your head at that and pick up a few bigger stones. "Not a chance. I designate their target while casting, not afterward. I can't change it later, either. Else I could make them patrol, which is a bit of a shame. Could you step back?" They do, and you quickly toss the stones into each sphere, making them explode. "This is why I came here, too."
Looking around, the entire area is already riddled with holes from your practice. Epsilon Aaron nods at you before falling back as you return to practice.
Once you actually figured out the trick, it becomes easier rather quickly. All of your spheres fall into position before noon and you feel confident in your little trick. However, there is one more interesting point about it. "Argent Star."
This time, you designate a space two metres in front of the tip of your index fingers for two spheres and have the other two take position over your head in three and six metres of height. then you take a step forward to check what you noticed earlier.
Just as you thought, the spheres in front of your fingers hover backward. Trying to look up is a dumb idea however, as the ground behind you explodes because you leaned back too far. You sigh and look forward again, though the Dark Star's amused flickering is visible even from where you stand.
After a moment of thought, you raise one hand upward. The sphere designated to that finger follows, then floats back down in a slow arc as you lower only the finger. Then the echo casts itself and you assign those four spheres in a straight line based on the tip of your nose. You could probably make it a spiral, but you are not going to test that kind of thing with yourself as the guinea pig.
"Most impressive." You silently agree with your audience's assessment as you direct the spheres set to your fingers into the ground, the kick rocks into each of the four right in front of you. Once they are all gone, you allow yourself a sigh while looking around at the ruptured area.
Then another question from Epsilon Aaron gives you pause: "Could you assign several spheres to the same point?"
Your eyes wander to the Dark Star, then back to the area around you. You did not really think of that before. "No idea, but I might as well try. Argent Star."
Again, four spheres form and are directed by your will; this time, you give each of them the same target coordinate right above another peculiar stone. You half expect them to explode upon contact or push each other around or something like that; this particular magic of yours is just that aggressive after all.
Instead, the spheres begin to melt into each other as they close in, overlapping and finally fusing into a single sphere that hovers in its designated spot.
You blink at it, waiting for whether anything might happen; your magic sight tells you that the sphere is as stable as the rest of them, so it will not suddenly blow up. It does look bigger, though. Good thing you have another batch coming without any further effort.
The echo is assigned to the exact same spot as the one already in place, and all four spheres converge on the position just like the previous group. Then they all melt into the bigger one, this time clearly fusing with it and adding their 'mass' to the whole. The sphere you have there is almost twice as big as a normal one.
"Hm. It got bigger, but does that actually mean anything?" you muse out loud. Technically, more mass means a bigger boom, at least in regard to explosives, but this is magic. You carefully pick up a bigger stone and make to throw, but then pause... and pass it to Epsilon Aaron. "Mind throwing that for me? I need more distance."
"Of course." They take the stone and you quickly turn around to take cover in one of the larger holes you created earlier. Once you show them a thumbs up to indicate your readiness, they throw with far more force than you could have mustered.
The stone does not hit dead center, but close enough to trigger your sphere.
(Argent Star: +5200 Base Damage, +35 dice, +112 dice, +94 dice, +7 dice, +83 dice, +8 dice, +16 dice, +17 dice = 5,572 Total Damage
Stone: +13 Base Resilience, no dice = 13 Total Damage Reduction
5,559 Final End Damage
Stone Health: 32 - 5,559 = -5,527
BOOM)
The explosion is visibly more violent, tearing the projectile apart and grasping outward for any other target; you can not say for sure whether it is exactly eight times stronger from just observing, but that would be your first guess. Its radius is about the same as on a single sphere, though. Except that it looks bigger because the sphere itself is.
Wait a second.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
"This is dumb."
"No, this is hilarious!"
You do think so, though the almost fifty spheres combined into one would probably kill most things they contact. You set them ten metres away from your nose again, palms put toward it and head held high. The sphere is big now. Not monstrous, but big.
You sadly can not actually shoot it like they do in the show, but if you put some more time into it, you could make it an even more convincing spirit bomb. It only took a minute or so and you are still busy giggling about it.
Another four spheres join the bunch, the last echo you are willing to put into this. With another giggle, you bring down both your head and arms so that it looks as if you actually threw the thing into the ground.
(Argent Star: +31200 Base Damage, +4935 dice = 36,135 Total Damage BOOM
The ground takes tons of damage)
This time, the explosion is almost blinding in its intensity; when you look again, there is a sizable crater where your sphere impacted; the edges are completely smooth when you check, having been perfectly shaved off, though specks of earth begin to break off after your finger runs over it.
Once you are done laughing, you wave the Dark Star over to check it as well. "Sorry about that," you tell them with another chuckle. "I never thought I could reference that is all."
Their response is a curt "I see", so you leave them to it and eat the sandwiches Maya made for you; it is about time for a short break anyway, though you still have something else to practice. It will probably be a lot less amusing or interesting, though; quite useful, but less interesting.
"Anyway, next up is something else. You've seen how the spell casts itself a second time?" You receive a nod and continue explaining: "Lu brought me onto this one; I might be able to get those echoes faster, so I can get a bit of a barrage going. That one will be more fiddly, though."
"I can imagine. Please proceed, I am still learning many things here."
"Sure, just let me finish this." As if to demonstrate, you take another hearty bite out of your second sandwich.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
A good part of your afternoon goes into trying to make this other technique work, but you can not quite work out how much magic to pour into Argent Star. The echo is fleeting and sometimes you actually manage to shoot a second batch only moments after the first goes flying, but most of the time it simply does nothing or fizzles out.
In conclusion, you need to be more delicate with the spell, which is kind of amusing when considering how volatile it is.
Before you can actually finish that however, Epsilon Aaron reminds you of the time and you decide to let it rest for a bit. A lesson in Brand Craft sounds like a good way to conclude the day.
True to your previous decision, you kept reviewing the tricks you were taught before; this time, your teacher decides to use the distance from Charon's Keep for a more practical lesson... which leaves you a little stumped at first: "Turn this area into a small fortress."
At first you want to protest, knowing that there is not enough time in the day to actually get enough set up. But then you narrow your eyes and decide to do as much as you can with only Brand Craft. Arrays are set up as you explain the functions, each one meticulously checked as you have long since been taught. Instead of experimenting with things like raising the ground or transforming solid steel into buildings, you set up several traps in the free directions, as well as two barriers; one only against physical attacks, the other only against magical attacks.
And that is as far as you get; the sun begun its descent by the time the second barrier goes up; Epsilon Aaron looks over your work curiously before returning to you with several flashes of colour. "Your choices are quite interesting. The barriers would need to be better reinforced, they break too easily and parts of their arrays stick out into undefended territory. Good work on the traps, though they depend on someone stepping directly on them."
You nod slowly and sit down with a sigh. "Yeah, I would have made more, but there was no time. The barriers would have been so much easier with Magic Binary, but...." You shrug to make your point clear; MBinary is not Brand Craft after all.
The Dark Star perks up, though. "Magic Binary?" They pause and regard the sun, then motion for the Keep. "I would ask you to explain, but there is a meeting we need to get to."
They are right; you blink at the distant fortress city and consider your chances, then cast a glance at Epsilon Aaron. "I tell you on the way if you carry me."
You are considered for a moment, then they nod and hold out a claw. "You have a deal." Moments later, you are lifted in the air while strands of magic wrap around your waist; you can not really feel them, but seeing them makes your skin tingle a little where they touch. Epsilon Aaron quickly takes to the air and dashes off at a convenient speed while you begin with the basics.
"Magic Binary is a human invention; one of several that were added to the general magics. It's a lot like Brand Craft and can create many similar effects, but has different specialties. Magic Binary always applies effects to specific areas and is more efficient than Brand Craft, but can not really be used to enchant equipment and such. I know they built giant arrays at home to prevent dimensional travel into most major cities, all of them via Magic Binary."
You pause to think about how to continue while Epsilon Aaron glides through the air. "Fascinating," they note after a moment of mulling over what you told them. "How are those arrays powered?"
That draws a grin from you. "They aren't." You can tell they are looking at you incredulously now, much to your amusement. "Magic Binary arrays don't need to be powered, they are self-sustaining once set up. Only setting them up costs mana, though the amount grows with the area and effects to be invoked."
You leave out that MBinary looks a lot like computer code in writing, as that would require you to describe computers and how to code with them; you understand both somewhat, but do not really want to talk about them.
"That is quite interesting to hear. Would you demonstrate this to me sometime?"
"Sure, just need to find the time."
They seem fine with that and soon set you down in front of the main spire, the distance having melted away quite quickly. "This way."
You are led into a large hall that is already filling with people of all kinds; Demons in the dozens, or rather hundreds, are gathering and you can see a few Dark Stars as well. In front is a large stage, currently unoccupied, it as well as the hall itself made of dark stone. Great banners are hung along the walls and uniformly red carpets hide the ground, you note as you weave through the growing number of people to a position at the side.
Elisabeth already told you that you are technically too low in rank -meaning: have too few people under your command- to attend, but your unique situation warranted an exception. All the people here look quite strong, a few auras wash over the room and you can see their powerful magic roiling. You quickly settle to stand next to Lu, who offers you a nod in greeting as she waits. Everyone else keeps their distance from her, so you have some space.
Conversation quickly dies down and the mass parts when another handful of people enter, Elisabeth and Argus in the lead. The rest must be the other generals. They all move with confidence and strength, their mere presence silencing the room.
The stage has no stairs in front; all of them simply leap up onto it without much trouble instead of going around. A few Imps scurry around and offer maps, all hand-drawn and copied by their workforce; you take one and hold onto it for now.
Elisabeth steps up first, prim and proper as always. When she speaks, you can see a Brand Craft array around the stage flare to life; her voice easily carries through the entire room without any need to raise it. "I welcome the commanders of the next push into Valhalla; today, the command staff will address the general strategy and assign a few particular assignments that need to be known by everyone." You and Lu receive more than a few glances over that, which you can kind of understand. "Details of the specific units' objectives will be delivered over the following days.
"With the formation of the Unified Light and the Unified Darkness, we find ourselves at war with a new foe. The Fairy Home Realms are but a shadow of the Fae Empire's old power, but nonetheless powerful opponents, proven by the fact they not only survived but held against Dark Star for three thousand years. We may consider their way of life weak, yet we must not assume this makes them weak."
You are curious what this empire business means, but now is not the time to ask. The crowd remains strangely quiet, though you can imagine that making noise here could lead to harsh punishments.
"Therefore," Argus continues into the pause his sister leaves, "we will strike Valhalla before the Valkyr Legion manages to integrate Fairy strike forces into their ranks. Dark Star's presence in our ranks is greater, and we have two other surprises for the Valkyries." This time, even some of the people on stage are looking your way. Subtle, they are not.
However, Elisabeth takes over again, her words distracting the rest from Lu and you: "You are of the Twelfth Legion, so I expect that most of you have never set foot on Valhalla. This world is Heaven's deformed twin and almost as annoying. We may not die the moment we set foot on it, but it has a strong regenerative effect on the defenders; anyone you do not kill, no matter how badly you maim them, will eventually make a full recovery and rejoin the attack. Be certain to deal killing blows and pass on all of this information through the ranks."
Silence continues to reign before Argus continues: "Open the maps that were distributed to everyone. Valhalla gathers conflict-oriented prayers and births the Valkyries, masters of arms. They lack the burning presences of Heaven's spawn, but are ultimately the better combatants. Our standard tactics will be less effective." Standard tactics being 'rush the Angel until they are buried in bodies'. You almost snort, but manage to keep quiet. "We will break the stalemate they have held us in for a thousand years; the peninsula we still hold has been warded off by grand castles that are heavily fortified and defended."
You cast a glance at your map and find about exactly what he said; a handful of markers that appear like a tower form a curving line cutting off the UD's staging ground from the mainland. All around is the sea. "The Sixth Legion remains in charge of our beachhead and keeps engaging the Valkyries even as we speak," Argus adds while everyone takes a look at the map. You can see that everything behind those fortresses is marked as thick forest while nary a tree can be seen on Hell's side. Makes sense, considering the charging hordes.
This bottleneck where the castles stand makes those same hordes lose a lot of their effectiveness, though.
"Due to our constant assault however, Heaven has little opportunity to repair any damage to those castles. They have already been eroded somewhat, and every further push will get us closer to overwhelming and destroying them." Argus appears certain about it, though you have to sigh about the fact they throw their troops into a constant grinder. It is like-
You pause. Then you close your eyes and take a deep breath, trying to come to terms with the fact that your first battle in the Eternal War is being held in magical Stalingrad. Joy.
Before you can actually start pitying yourself, Elisabeth takes over again with a motion encompassing the room. "Some of you will be reinforcing the Sixth and distract the defenders, but most will be held in reserve until our Gate Demons make it past the bottleneck. Once those gates stand, we will crush the defenders with an assault from both sides.
"Dark Star's summoners will assist us in this endeavor and deploy by the dozens, though the Valkyries may have been warned already. This is why we are also sending out another squad to escort a Gate Demon, a squad with a surprising amount of combat strength that the Valkyries will neither expect, nor be prepared for."
And with that, she points a hand at, who else, you. Attention shifts to you again and you know you will hear the details later, but you can only roll your eyes at the completely expected revelation. Escorting a Gate Demon still sounds better than joining the frontal assault, though.
"Our larger kin and the beasts you brought along will be put to use in creating a path for the army once the gates are open," Argus notes calmly as he steps forward to overlook the crowd. "Most of Valhalla is a particularly thick forest, which makes actually charging forward troublesome; once the trees are trampled into the ground however, it will be even and sturdy enough to march on. I will be following right after the first wave with the Twelfth's first twelve batallions."
It continues like that, but nothing of particular importance to you is said after that point. You are a little surprised when the meeting concludes with an almost ear-shattering roar from every throat, the Demons raising their fists in expectation of battle.
After that, Lu takes her leave and you follow Elisabeth to her office, though there is not much to talk about. She tells you that you enjoy her full trust and thus have free reign; flattering, but also daunting. You can ask for whatever materials you think you will need, within reason; any ideas you have, you can discuss with Elisabeth to see if they are workable.
It is both a proof of trust and a test, she admits that much without hesitation. That is why so little was set for you, not to mention she figured that you would hate the idea of being given direct orders. She is right, too.
That woman is good.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
After all of this however, you do not really feel like sleeping yet. Yes, it is already night and late, but much was said that you have to think about.
So you decide to do something that easily manages to clear your mind: exercise.
You are bathed in moonlight as you swing your weapon, completing sequence after sequence just as Lu taught you. Sometimes you vary the movements and test new ones to see if they work, sometimes you flick around and react to an imaginary enemy
Then you pause, feeling your magic swirl with every swing. It is different tonight, more clear. More... simple.
Was it really that easy? Was that there the whole time and you never noticed?
Inspired, you put yourself to work; magic flows with the weapon's movement but never truly materialises. So you swing and try to get a better feeling for it. You swing and stab and swing again, going through the motions with every single weapon type.
In the end, you almost giggle as it clicks into place. "Arcane Slash!"
And magic becomes visible even to the normal eye, a turquoise shroud around your weapon that follows its strike and flickers out after reaching a full metre beyond your weapon. You do it again and again, noting that sometimes the magic echoes, similarly to Argent Star. This one is more fickle though, inconsistent and sometimes doing nothing while sometimes repeating itself several times.
It was so easy that you never thought of it. Though the attack itself is rather weak, you have the feeling that this will do quite nicely. And you are training with Lu tomorrow, so you can figure out what it does.
Now however, you realise with a sudden yawn, it is time for bed.
Still you might be able to squeeze something in tomorrow.
------------- Pick One:
[] Hang out with Lucifer
[] Just laze around, this might be the last time you can do that for a while
[] Spend some time with Neverwas
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
=====
+10xp Learned Magic Stuff
+25xp You Are The Special Forces
EXP gained: 35 Total EXP: 161
=====
Unlocked Soft Exploits:
-set the target as a coordinate in space instead of a living being to set up a mine, or an area relative to something else to make spheres follow it around [Argent Star]
--assign two or more spheres to the exact same area to make them merge, folding damage and modifier rolls into one stronger attack
Practiced Soft Exploits:
-spend an action to route more active magic into Perpetual Caster's echo for an immediate recast, using up one of them in the current turn instead of waiting. [Argent Star] (1/2)
=====
New Spell
Arcane Slash Wrapped in magic, this strike will not miss. Reaches one metre beyond melee-range of current weapon.
Level 1
Base Damage: 150
Magic Modifier: 25
Affinity: Story Maker
Ability: Unblockable | Echo
(Unblockable: attack can not be negated, dodged, or intercepted. Automatically applies itself on the winner of an Intercept-conflict. This Ability does not belong on a weapon or spell and should only be granted by other effects, except that That Which is Forbidden flips that rule the bird.)
(Echo: Attack has a 50% chance of repeating itself. [Recursive])
Recursive Abilities are a special category of their own, seeing that they can simply keep triggering as long as their conditions are met where every other Ability merely triggers once in a single instance. For example, if Echo triggers, the attack it creates may once again trigger Echo. A non-recursive Ability of the same effect would only trigger one additional attack. Another example would be another Magical Girl's To Stand Amongst Gods, which keeps reducing damage as long as it is higher than 20% of that girl's maximum Health, effectively making it so she can not be hit for more than a fifth of her Health at most in one attack.
New Ability: Trans Smasher (attack ignores existence bonuses of higher growth Magical Girls and Divine Beings, allowing to bypass even the latters' morality barriers which prevent most mortals from targeting them. Technically exclusive to War-Affinities, but this one is complicated; That Which is Forbidden and direct contact with the deity in question allow to wield it)
There is a certain irony in the fact people keep being right on the milestones despite the fact I made it so they are difficult to predict. Then again, this one was probably because of a lack of EXP to spend 150 EXP spent
11 remain
[] Hang out with Lucifer
Seeing the area from up high is decidedly weird; not necessarily because of the perspective, but because a slender arm is slung around your waist. You mentioned earlier that you wondered how it felt to fly, and Lu offered to give you a taste of it.
Most people would have described the sensation instead, but you are not really surprised; your friend is not the talking kind and far more about actually taking action.
"This new spell of yours is interesting," she notes after a while of soft gliding; Angels project force with every feather of their wings to fly, so they do not need to flap them at all. You could say the same to her about all the magical things she can do, but you get what she means.
"Yeah. It's hilariously simple and yet so horribly effective that I don't even really want to use it in our spars." As you found out, it is some kind a spatial manipulation that ensures your strike hits its mark no matter what. May they dodge or try to deflect, or even just to catch it, it phases through all of it. "I can actually see it at work; the spell basically follows your moves and then slaps you. Or, well, it tries to."
Seeing that Lu has an anti-magic weapon, she can at least do something about it. Or rather, she can pulse that property to delete Arcane Slash entirely, seeing that it ignores her cross.
"So I noticed." Lu slows down a little further, though you could follow everything quite well so far, and carefully rearranges you in her hold. "It is no game-changer of its own, but a basically guaranteed strike to the neck can be a powerful tool, especially with those echoes."
You nod at that, watching the colourful flows of mana below; from this far up, you can even see the thick streams of leylines below ground and how they feed into the vast array under the Keep. You had quite a few interesting ideas for what to do with Arcane Slash, though some will be unusable as always and most of the rest is going to be difficult to pull off.
"I'll just have to be careful about when to use it. Argent Star is pretty useful as well, so it's more about choosing the right tool for the job."
"Quite."
The ensuing silence brings you back to your previous session; aside from the warping property, you got a better idea of those echoes the spell does. They are irregular, but also much faster than those of Argent Star. About a heartbeat passes between the impact of the initial attack and its echo; you actually tested it to make sure that something leaving your spell's reach while the echo moves does not stop the hit; every echo will follow no matter what, as long as the target was initially in reach.
What is also interesting, aside from the spell's fast growth, is its corrosive attribute. It is mostly dormant, but you can tell it is there; this one feels off in a way you can not describe, yet achingly familiar. Without ever having used it, you can tell it is not really power but desire. The desire to overcome, to strike that which you shall not strike. This one property, you feel, may be the closest to your nature; raw defiance filtered into a corrosive effect.
You have the feeling it will reveal its true power someday; either if you poke it into doing something like Lu suggested, or if you end up fighting an enemy strong enough to trigger it.
Existence Bonuses, as Trans Smasher targets, belong to Magical Girls of higher growth and comparable existences. The former are the most straightforward about it, though.
Starting at Story, if a Magical Girl's attack or spell carries their growth Affinity, it also carries their Existence Bonus, which is a situational modifier that represents them putting the weight of their very existence into an attack. Story receives +100, Myth +200, Legend +300, Epic +400, and Divinity +500.
If an enemy attacks with their existence backing the attack, one's own existence will automatically move to counter; for Heidi, this would mean if she targets a higher-growth Magical Girl with Arcane Slash, which carries her Story Maker Affinity, their own Existence would move against it and improve the target's defense. Trans Smasher allows for this to be made a non-issue, as it nullifies the bonus.
You just hope it will not be anytime soon. Though now you are wondering whether it would do anything to Elisabeth or Argus; they are certainly powerful.
"Are you considering which of our ideas are worthwhile?" You shake your head against your friend's chest, though you probably should put some more thought into that soon.
"Not really, just wondering what kind of enemy the corrosion might work on. Any ideas what could be strong enough?"
Lu sways in the wind for a moment, almost completely still now as she thinks. You give her the moment and look at the mountaintops in the distance; Sharon's Keep is far away now, though Lu followed the leyline's path to some extent.
When your friend speaks, her response is measured: "I can think of three, none of which you ever want to face. First being Archangels; though their individual strength varies, they are quite a bit more powerful than most anything you could find on this world." You nod understandingly; Archangels are a big deal.
Though you also feel that there is something unsaid about them. "You ever fought any before? Aside from Metatron?" You quickly add the last part with another glance at the mountains, recalling the origin of their name.
"One. They bleed and die like any Angel against me, but you could not take one of them."
Her response is curt and though it makes a bit of anger bubble in your core over being told to be unable to do something, you have to agree with Lu. "Makes sense. What are the other two?"
"The second," she continues while nimbly dodging a flock of birds, "are actual gods. Divine beings, Heidi, should never be on your list of opponents. I do not think many of them would even care about a being as small as you or me, but I know you. Trying to think of a way to kill a god sounds like something you would do."
You make a face, though she can not really see it. "Harsh. But fair." She has a point; on the other hand, you never really thought of Gaia as someone to defy and still do not; she is the planet you live on. Just there, always there. Perhaps she is doing something in the background, but you never even heard about any such thing. And as long as you do not know, you can not get mad about it. Great, now you are curious about what Gaia gets up to. "And the third?"
Lu's silence successfully diverts your attention from Gaia; it holds for an uncomfortable five seconds or so until she speaks a single word: "Dragons."
Her answer immediately fills your mind with large scaled beasts, flying through the air with mighty breaths of fire. "Dragons? There are dragons around?" Now you want to see one.
Lu quickly shakes her head, though. "No, and do not dare to look for them. Dragons are the original reason for the creation of the Archangels. I do not know what stories there are about them on your world, but they are not to be approached. They are the gods' natural predators, as their very presence devours all reality around them. A divine being will die if even one such beast stays around, and even their smallest form, the wyvern, could maul its way through most of the army currently on Sheol."
You pause at Lu's unusual insistence, but her explanation makes it understandable. "Okay, yeah. That sounds nasty. I always thought they made Archangels... well, I never even knew they made them, but I always thought they were for fighting Hell."
You hear a humourless chuckle while Lu flaps her wings once, not out of necessity but for effect. "They are nowadays. Few Dragons pass through the local dimensional cluster; the Elvin Empire possesses an ancient blade which can kill them, and I know for a fact that the Fairies managed to... devour one. Do not ask me how," she pre-empts your question. "I just heard that it happened long ago."
...'here there be dragons', except with the meaning completely inverted. The thought has you grin, even though you wonder what the Fairies might have done. Or what that sword is.
Well, questions for later. Or someone else. "Anyway, you have a point; I really don't want to fight any of those three." Though you immediately have to stop yourself from thinking that maybe you can give it a try at some point; this is not about your whims, it is about your survival. Living comes before trying to prove someone wrong... is what you think, but your feelings say something slightly different.
Still, the self-control you are practicing does work somewhat; the you back before all of this would have gone and looked where to find a Dragon, or an Archangel. It is difficult, oh so difficult to rein yourself in, but it works. You never thought that possible in the past.
Then Lu suddenly begins to descend, cutting your train of thought short. Before you can ask what she is planning to do, your friend distracts you with another tidbit of information: "Perhaps I should mention that only children of False Heaven become War Angels. The Valkyries have an equivalent, the Selectors, who focus more on single combat than destroying armies with their mere presence." She pauses for a moment as she looks around, then changes direction. "Though I doubt you will encounter any of them; I killed the only one they had about a hundred years ago. They may have appointed some more in the meantime, though."
Her musing is cut short when she lands on a small plateau far up and lets go of you. Flying is fun, but you do like the solid ground below your feet a lot more. The air is a little thin this far up, though. At least thin enough for you to notice, though it does not seem to impact your combat capability. Yay for magic?
"Either way," your friend finishes as she materialises her cross, "you should keep it as an ace up your sleeve. Our general growth is not indicative of opponents we may face in the future, though we often adapt to them a while after such encounters. Let us call it good fortune; if you ever find yourself facing something monstrous like that, you can likely use this spell to disorient them while you make your escape."
Except that you have a time travel spell. Which you would not use outside of mortal danger, but that is neither here nor there. You quietly materialise your own weapon and wait for whatever your friend wants to do now, noting how she takes a defensive stance.
"I just remembered that many spells such as your Arcane Slash can easily be layered over the strike carrying them. It works for many others as well, but those that inherently require an action with your weapon are usually easy. Try it." She motions for herself, though you do not move.
"On you?" With how fast it grew, its echoes would most likely hurt her. You do not like that at all.
However, Lu merely huffs and gives you a slightly mocking look. "Neither do I fear pain, nor will any damage last for long. This kind of spell is best tested on a living, breathing target instead of a dummy due to its fickle behaviour. I appreciate your unwillingness to injure me, but we do not have enough time to set up another session today, so I will have to do."
"I hate that part of you." She blinks at your muttered response, but you take up speed toward her before she can reply. The handle swings and with it and -"Arcane Slash!"- you cast, magic rushing with your blade as it connects with Lu's bare stomach, bypassing her raised stave despite it being right in the way of your stab. It is bent around it without being out of shape, ugh.
(The Handle: +160 Base Damage, dice suppressed, +900 Arcane Slash, +5 dice, +100 Stomach Blow = 1,165 Total Damage
Echo: 2; Echo triggers!
Arcane Slash: +900 Base Damage, +140 dice, +100 Stomach Blow = 1,140 Total Damage
Echo: 2; Echo triggers!
Arcane Slash: +900 Base Damage, +61 dice, +100 Stomach Blow = 1,061 Total Damage
Echo: 2; Echo triggers!
Arcane Slash: +900 Base Damage, +74 dice, +100 Stomach Blow = 1,074 Total Damage
Echo: 1; No Echo.
4,440 Unified Damage
Lucifer: +50 Base Resilience, +11800 dice, -10 Flat-Footed = 11,840 Total Damage Reduction
Looks like the dice really do not want to see her get hurt. Are they playing favourites? This was the third time or so this happend.)
You had carefully suppressed your inherent magic to minimise the damage, though you can not stop the echo. It surges once, twice, thrice, before fading out; every single slash hammers into Lu's midsection, though a protective flow of her own magic prevents even the smallest of scratches on her form. Lu simply nods, though her expression is a little weird. "I can guess what you mean, but this is who I am," she starts. "Just like you would not, can not change who you are, I refuse to stop being me because of your preferences."
She has a point, though you do not have to like it. "Nobody said I'm not a hypocrite. I don't like hurting you, even if you're fine with it." You do not like hurting any of your friends in general.
"Yet you did. Or rather, attempted to." Lu eyes you with a raised eyebrow, a gesture which you avert your gaze from. "Though I am unsure whether that says something about your respect toward me, or your temper." The nasty look you throw her only prompts a chuckle. "Maybe both."
She readjusts her grip on the cross and closes her eyes. "Either way, what I saw was that it worked, though something about that whole matter was off. Did you notice, or should we repeat the attempt?"
You noticed it too and shake your head, though returning to her previous point is tempting. "The echoes hit without any trace of my weapon. Only the original slash bent it around your counter." But in the end, you feel that the life you live now may require an adjusted mindset. Thoughts for later.
For now, you ready yourself to practice on nearby rocks under Lu's observation; that first strike went well, but you feel a little luck was mixed into it. In other words, time to turn it from luck to skill.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
That little thing you worked out for Arcane Slash was actually a really neat one. It may give you another edge when fighting someone strong. With the other preparations you make in-between practicing with your team, things may just work out.
Sadly, your sparse conversations with Neverwas make one thing quite clear: the headache from interacting with them will never truly go away. It no longer hurts enough to make an impact, but it remains as a constant annoyance.
They also mentioned that they will not join you on Valhalla and rather remain back at the Keep; the thought of war seems to scare them a little.
In addition, you looked a bit into psychological warfare, mainly using your own words to manipulate the enemy in battle. Dragul and Orux were quite good teachers when you asked them, though you are not half bad yourself. They even had something interesting for you to think about; most people do not know your powers, which means you can set up nasty surprises by keeping as many aces as possible hidden until they are needed.
In retrospect, you are unsure how you managed to do all of this and even fit a training session into it all, but you did.
Now however, there is only a single day left until the invasion begins. You made your preparations and feel surprisingly calm, all things considered. Nonetheless, it is probably time to take a breather before the fighting starts. What to do, though...
------------- Pick Three:
[] Put in a last training session to make sure you have everything ready
[] Talk to Orux and Dragul; they will come in with the second wave, but in the end it will be all of you in the field
[] Elisabeth has been rather subdued the last few days, perhaps you should have a chat?
[] Paoras is nervous, as is Maya. Take the time to calm them both.
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
Bonus: Heidi had the time to fit in an extra training session off-screen. Vote for what she trained.
[] [BONUS] Pick one exploit
=====
+15xp Tales of Powerful Beings
+10xp Your Magic is Getting Into it's Own
+5xp Calm Before the Storm
EXP gained: 30 Total EXP: 41
=====
Unlocked Soft Exploit:
-layer Arcane Slash over a regular attack
Soft Mechanics updated and new exploits unlocked to train
[] Talk to Orux and Dragul; they will come in with the second wave, but in the end it will be all of you in the field
[] Paoras is nervous, as is Maya. Take the time to calm them both.
[] Elisabeth has been rather subdued the last few days, perhaps you should have a chat?
[] [BONUS] spend an action to route more active magic into Perpetual Caster's echo for an immediate recast, using up one of them in the current turn instead of waiting. [Argent Star] [1/2]
It is difficult to decide; not what to do, but in what order. You want to talk to Paoras and Orux, seeing that both are quite dear to you by this point. If you push Paoras off too long, she may have been tucked into bed; if you decide to look for Orux later, he might have gone off somewhere, as he does from time to time.
So you definitely know your last stop of the day will be Elisabeth. Paoras, and her mother by extension, are probably better visited in the evening; neither of them looked particularly relaxed recently, so maybe you can at least get one of the two to sleep without tension.
Therefore, Orux it is. With your decision made, you quickly zip off toward the training grounds after asking some soldier about where he is.
You find him in the same spot he and Dragul always occupy during their training, somewhat detached from the rest. Not that it matters today, seeing that most are preparing for the following day in other ways than sparring. Most of the other Demons around are part of a group Argus parades around.
You slow down a while before reaching them and watch; it is not a serious spar, but you can see that both sides are having their guard up. Dragul's normally immaculate suit is torn and bloody in places while Orux has some gouges in his thick skin; Blood Lust's swirling red shroud roils around him
An axe has a much easier time actually blocking attacks, though. As you close, you can see another attack.
(Bloodthirst Spear: +1000 Base Damage, +33 dice = 1,033 Total Damage
Block!
Bladed Ax: +220 Base Damage, +6 dice, +150 Blood Lust, +110 Stronger Combatant = 486 Total Damage Reduction
547 Difference, Bloodthirst Spear wins!
Bloodthirst Spear: +547 Intercept Damage, +109 dice = 656 Total Damage Crystalline Skin (50%): 328 Total Damage
Orux: +180 Base Resilience, +23 dice, +30 Rolling With the Blow = 233 Total Damage Reduction
95 Final End Damage
Orux Health: 2,451 - 95 = 2,356
Vampire heals Dragul for 48 points)
It is quite obvious that Dragul is faster and more agile, but Orux is easily the stronger of the two; he almost expertly uses the split-second his block grants him to lean back from the blow. Dragul follows up, but the force of his attack bounced Orux' arms upward; his spear merely scratches tough skin and he is right in Orux' reach with no chance to get out of it on time; the larger Demon brings down his axe with a roar.
(Bladed Ax: +220 Base Damage, +25 dice, +150 Blood Lust, +55 Overhead Swing, x3 Crush = 1,350 Total Damage
Dragul: +375 Base Resilience, +17 dice, +250 Attemped Block = 642 Total Damage Reduction
708 Final End Damage
Dragul Health: 4,293 - 708 = 3,585)
Dragul brings up his spear to block the attack, but does not manage in time due to his position; the weapon is pushed aside but manages to redirect the attack. Now Orux' axe merely rips through the front of Dragul's suit around the chest instead of hitting his head; it only barely stops before slamming into the ground and the vampire's clothes quickly turn crimson around the open wound.
You do not even pause at the casual carnage; it is a matter of course by this point.
"This may have been a little much," Orux admits quietly as you near; both of them step back and dismiss their weapons. "My apologies."
"It is quite alright." Dragul investigates his wound with a weak frown, though his expression shifts when he sees you. "We seem to have company. I doubt she is here for me."
You roll your eyes at him while Orux gives you a toothy smile. "You're right, but having me around is definitely better than getting your ass kicked." Only after that do you grin back at Orux, who snickers. "Anyway, wanted to check up on you two before we get going tomorrow. But, uh, I guess you're doing alright."
Dragul's eyes go down, indicating toward the blood still dripping off his torn clothes. "For a given meaning of 'alright', yes. Althought you may as well just admit you are worried about your, ahem, 'friend'." He even delivers his retort with a fake cough to underline what he thinks of the matter.
"Must you even argue on a day like this?" Orux only mutters it, but you both can hear him clearly.
Dragul puts on his usual arrogant smirk while mockingly bowing in his direction, one arm folded before his chest. "Why, of course. In difference to your own self, I do not find it possible to have a pleasant conversation with the young lady. Not that either of us wants to do so."
You offer a snort and point at the vampire with your thumb. "He has a point, you know?" But at least that means they are alright, doing the same things they always do. It is a relief.
Orux just huffs and crosses his muscular arms in front of his chest. "There is a certain irony in the fact I am the most calm member of this group of three."
You feel like quipping about substituting inner beauty for outward appearances, but do not find it in you; with all the time you spent with him, you actually begun to appreciate Orux' build more than you ever expected. Of course one could not call him handsome by any definition, but all the muscle does not appear ugly to you anymore; the crystals lacing his skin are outright pretty if the light hits them in the right way.
...what exactly are you thinking about right now?
You shake off the stray thoughts and turn your attention back to the bickering pair of friends. They are probably tense as well, but hide it well like this. Still, even if they are in the second wave, they will be fighting soon enough; be it you or them, someone of those present may be dead by this time tomorrow. Maybe all of you, even.
Your audible sigh interrupts the two and brings attention back to you. You might as well make the best of it and summon your weapon, which you quickly throw. It spears into the ground a bit in front of Orux, sticking out diagonally.
Both Demons eye you curiously as you raise one leg to step onto the elevated shaft, then pull yourself up on musclepower alone; it allows you to be more or less face to face with Orux, who only blinks when you lean in to kiss him.
Neither of you has much experience and it shows, but it is warm and that is enough for now; he is your boyfriend after all, something which you really should not have taken that long to get used to. His hands are warm around your shoulders when he embraces you, which makes it simply more clear. It makes you feel protected.
When you separate a little later, a somewhat amused Dragul breaks your little bubble: "About time." You blink and step back on your weapon, carefully balancing yourself so you can stand straight. "And a good idea, that." He notes with a glance at your impromptu stool. Orux just chuckles.
You just shake your head and hop down before pulling your weapon out of the ground. "If you can talk smack, you can spar."
He just grins, accepting the invitation. "Let me just freshen up first. You can have some, ah, practice while I do that." Then the vampire walks off with a chuckle of his own, leaving you alone with Orux for a little while.
You will let him off the hook for that just this once. Not that he is getting around sparring with you.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
That was basically your afternoon; you went over your own strategies with Orux and Dragul both, did some light sparring, laughed at the men as they tried and failed to keep up, then left to visit Maya after another kiss. You could get used to this.
What you find when one of the younger children lets you in however...
"Stop it, my hair is fine!"
Is an exasperated Paoras, with Maya doing her hair. She pleadingly looks your way when you enter, reaching out with both hands. "Heidi! Save me, Mama is fussing!"
You simply snort and drop down on the couch opposite to mother and daughter, the former of which offers you a distraught smile. "Heidi, dear. You remember to eat enough, too. And make sure you keep your hair bound so it doesn't get into your face mid-fight." You consider mentioning that all you have in that regard are your shining hairclips, but decide against it.
Having an argument with Maya about what to do with your hair right now would be a bad idea. "I'll see what I can do. You're not with the offensive force?"
The Succubus shakes her head minutely, eyes never straying from her daughter's blood red hair; it was already bound in a proper style before this point, though. Properly cut bangs that are not long enough to cover her eyes, with two pigtails falling right in front of her pointed ears. What Maya was actually working on so far was the back of Paoras' head.
"I'm with the reserve and busy treating all the lucky ones that make it out with just a few broken bones or lost limbs. You might see me if the fighting takes more than a bit longer than they expect." You can hear the conflict from her tone of voice; on the one hand, her three oldest children are heading out to battle, on the other hand, the rest of her family is here.
So instead of continuing the conversation, you decide to cut to the chase: "Don't worry so much about her. I'll be right there."
What you earn is a chuckle. "You can't just say that and believe it works. My little girl is heading out to war." Maya then lets go of her daughter and smiles your way. "But thank you for trying, sweetie."
"I'm not a little girl," Paoras interjects with a pout, arms crossed over her sizable chest. "I'm a woman... even if I don't grow anymore." You do admit that physically, she is right. Mentally, however... well, no. That will take another five years or so.
Not to mention that even being grown up in mind will not stop Maya from fussing. Which means that all you can give your friend is a shrug. "That's how moms are, don't worry about it. She won't stop that kind of thing anytime soon, or maybe ever."
"Mhm...." Paoras makes understanding noises and sits still so her mother can finish doing her hair up, then reaches back to pat it over curiously. Her eyes wander to you, though. "What's your mama like?"
She might as well have pulled out the couch under your butt. Of course the question comes to mind, but you did not expect anyone to ask about her. It has been so long that all you can do is shrug and greet back the longing you feel every time you think of her. "She died long ago and my father raised me on his own." It has been almost ten years now; you were around six years old then.
"Oh, I'm sorry...."
"It's fine," you reassure your friend, though she does not appear the slightest bit less sad. "I heard she was a good woman, though my papa says I'm twice as fierce as her at my worst." You can not help but smile and note Maya's barely suppressed chuckle. "So cherish Maya while you can, yeah? She might not be there someday."
The very idea of Maya's death makes your friend's eyes widen; she quickly turns around and wraps her mother in a hug that makes the Succubus squeak in surprise. "I'm sorry, Mama. Please don't go away." Great, now you feel bad for throwing reality at her face; at least Maya does not seem angry about it, just understanding.
"It's fine, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere." She holds her daughter close and is then quickly crowded by her other children, or at least those old enough to understand what all of this is about. You can feel that little spark of envy again, but shake it off without much thought as you wait for them to finish their little moment.
You probably should not mention that your own mother died during World War Three, though. Not with the prospect of war being on everyone's minds right now. She had been among the unlucky garrisons near the border when Germany was invaded.
Perhaps you got your martial inclination from her? She was a career soldier after all.
"Well," Maya speaks up once her children let her go, "if you ever feel the need for an actual mother, I can always adopt you as one of mine. How does a strong big sister sound?" There is general cheer while you begin to grin; Maya grins as well, even when you shake your head. "Figured as much. I could also marry your father in future times. Any man who raised a minx like you on his own has my interest."
This time she got you good, though. You avert your gaze sheepishly while your friend chuckles. "Be sure to introduce me to him then?"
"I have the feeling this wouldn't end well." Be it either because imagining a Succubus as your stepmother is a little beyond what you expected of life, or because your father might actually pass out from finding out that you consort with Demons these days. Maya thankfully just laughs.
You all relax after that and even the babies show up, carried by the older pair of twins and happily grabbing for you. In the end, you guess all Maya and her remaining family can do is pray for Paoras' safety.
Once you thought that, Lu's explanations return to the forefront of your mind. That makes you curious. "Maya?" The Succubus turns her attention back to her while you watch Helena play with one of the ribbons attached to the back of your top. "Lu told me that Angels get sick and in pain if they break promises, worse if they are important ones. Does something happens to Demons if they pray?"
Your friend mulls that over while everyone else waits curiously. Considering that she is actually taking the time, you guess there is something about it.
"In a way," Maya finally tells you. "I heard about it a while ago; if one of us actually prays, their skin begins to subtly shine and sickness follows. If we continue praying despite that, we might even die. It's a rare occurence, though. Most of us do not see any reason to pray in the first place."
That sounds less dangerous than what happens to Angels, but there are also a lot more Demons and the individual means a lot less in Hell. It kind of makes sense if you think about it like that. Not that you like the idea much, but at least it is not totally one-sided.
You tickle Lilie a little bit and make the baby laugh, then do the same to Helena. "I guess so. Thanks for telling me."
"It's no problem." Maya pauses and considers you carefully. "Have you had lunch yet?"
Her question gives you pause. It also reminds you that you, in fact, forgot to eat again. Hunger is kind of weaker than it normally can be while you are transformed. "Uh... whoops?"
The Succubus just sighs and gets up. "Watch her, children. This young lady is not leaving before we have filled her belly."
A chorus of "Yes, Mama!" can be heard and you slump a little in your seat. At least the twins in your arms seem happy, not understanding what is going on at all.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
Maya only lets you go after some more chatting, banter, playing, and a filling meal that doubles as dinner. It is not that late yet when you leave, but the sun is sinking already.
Then again, you do not regret having spent most of the day as you did. Now to find Elisabeth.
Thankfully, the bastion commander is in the first place you check, namely her office. She bids you to enter moments after you knock, revealing herself and Argus at the table to the side. They both offer you nods in greeting, which you return carefully. "Do you mind if I join you for a bit?"
"Not at all, please have a seat." Elisabeth motions for the chair next to herself with a warm tone; Argus does not object, though you did not expect him to. His sister makes to offer you a glass of wine as they have in front of themselves as well, but hesitates until you motion for her to hand it over. "I recall you mentioning that you are too young for alcohol?"
You shrug at her. "I'm technically too young to be a soldier or go to war, too." Not that the Akashic Pillar cares much about that one when it is about Magical Girls, but the point stands. "So I might as well." You sip from your glass and taste the fruity flavour, though you can not say for sure which fruits it reminds you of.
Argus remains quiet, but you can tell his attention is on you. He does that more often than not, all things considered. You are still unsure whether he does it on purpose and for what reason.
A somewhat awkward silence develops as each of you waits for someone else to say something. Due to not knowing all that much about Argus, you are not sure what kind of subjects to bring up; it is tempting to ask about their past together, but you doubt they would tell you much. You already have Maya and Orux telling you about everyday life in Hell, a life you would rather not have, so there may not be much for them to tell you.
In the end, it is Argus who breaks the silence; he quietly empties his own glass, however he does it without actually taking off his helmet, and makes to stand. "I am afraid I still have preparations to oversee. If you excuse me, sister, Adelheid."
This, you know, is little more than a phrase to be polite; he could just walk out the door without a word if he wanted to. Still, you play along and give him a little wave while Elisabeth smiles. "I understand, it is fine. Take care, Argus."
He actually pauses for a moment for some reason, but then quickly leaves. You wait until the door closes and you see his aura move down the hallway before speaking up: "What was that?"
"What was what?" Elisabeth turns her attention to you, expression calm as always.
You point toward the door. "I think he was surprised when you told him to take care. Is there any reason for that?"
You expected either a refusal to speak of the matter or maybe an attempt to change the subject. She is not the kind to talk that much about herself. Today however, Elisabeth herself pauses for a moment before emptying her own glass and quickly refilling it. From a bottle that is almost empty already, at that. Then she slumps forward, almost resting her face on the wooden table. "I, I don't think he likes when I worry about him. Argus is the stronger of us, so he has authority over me wherever people can see. But he is my only brother, what else am I about to do? I never know how to talk to him about taking better care of himself and, ugh...."
Now she actually slumps over with a groan, one cheek resting on her folded hands. You take in the new revelation of her worries before leaning toward her. "How much did you drink so far?"
"Three bottles." The response makes you sigh; she does not even sound miserable yet, just drunk. And drunk she is, considering how animatedly she begins to talk after pushing herself back up: "It's just, I'm always thinking he pushes himself too far and that he needs to stop looking out more for others than himself. It is wonderful that he does, b-but what if he ends up getting himself killed? What do I do then? I don't want to lose him, but I can't actually say it because the least Argus needs is a clingy sister."
You try to get a word in, but she ignores you and continues to pour out her heart; how did she manage to hold it all in until Argus left? "And at the same time I don't even know what he thinks about me, he never actually says anything. He just sits there like a rock and talks about everything else, and we do not even see each other that often because he works so much." She pauses to fill her glass again, the task apparently requiring quite a bit of precision from her. You carefully only sip from your own, no longer sure if it is actually as low on alcohol as the wine at home.
Elisabeth does not care, though, she simply downs it all in one go before refilling it again.
"I always try to do my best for him," she tells you wistfully, nursing her glass as if it was a precious jewel. "But I don't even know if he appreciates it, or if he'd rather I do something different."
At this point, you decide to carefully put an arm around her shoulders; she lets you and even sighs under the touch, slumping forward again. Maybe you can get her to put down the drink somehow, but first you need to ask something else of her: "Did you ever try actually asking?"
She shakes her head weakly. "No. I could, I guess, but I always get so nervous that I can not bring myself to say anything. I don't even like talking to people at all, I just got good at it because I had to." Now this is new; you throw Elisabeth a surprised look, but she does not seem to notice as she continues: "You're a bit of an exception because you don't judge my every word, or care for the status I have. Your brutal honesty is endearing in its own way... I might even envy you, because you live free from anyone's judgement. You can do what you want without caring what others think of you. That's something I never could."
You have no words for what you just heard. It is strange how someone experienced and strong like her would envy you, but her words also make you feel a little warmer. You never even realised she thought that highly of you.
Still, you should probably not let her go on like this. "It's okay, you are just being yourself. And right now, you're also drunk. Come on, put the glass down and get up, you should get some sleep." Your soft coaxing at least makes her consider the act, though she only does as told after emptying her glass again. You get up and carefully steady her, though she could probably still walk on her own.
Thankfully, her private chambers are just a single door away, right behind the Ashen Maiden's office. You really do not want anyone to see her in this state, so the convenience in design takes care of the problem.
Once you enter however, you are quite surprised by the almost spartan furnishings. The only place that looks in any way extravagant at all is Elisabeth's queen-sized bed, covered by a crimson blanket that does not fit her normal choice of colours at all. There is barely any other furniture aside from a separate desk with some parchment on it, a nightstand, and a blocky wardrobe.
Elisabeth sits down at the edge of her bed and looks down at her hands for a moment, then up at you. Then she falls back and sprawls herself over the mattress, which reveals a little problem; that dress she wears is not something she can stay in. "Come on, you can't sleep like that. How do you normally sleep? Nightgown, pyjamas, naked?" You expect either of them, though there is no actual response. At least she does sit back up and lets you help her undress, though it is mostly you doing the work.
Once Elisabeth is only in her chemise, you put the dress over the only chair in the room. By the time you made it so it can air at least a little and will not fall off, the Demon worked herself under the covers and is lying quietly, apparently asleep. While still wearing that mask of hers.
You shake your head and step over to take it off, careful not to pull or push; it takes a moment until you are holding the accessory. Elisabeth's eyes are closed, as expected.
You should put it down on her nightstand and take your leave, but... you are curious. Curious about this little thing she almost never takes off. She would have tan lines on her pretty face if she actually got out often enough to be anything but pale.
So after some fiddling around, you slip it on; it immediately adjusts its size to your smaller head and sits tightly without being uncomfortable. You barely even feel it, the material much softer on the inside than the metal exteriror.
What is most impressive however, is the fact you can see as if you were not wearing a mask at all. Your field vision is the exact same, though the fact there are streamers of ash-coloured magic right in front of your eyes confirms that this is an enchanted item. A masterpiece at that. You briefly wonder how long it took Elisabeth to craft something like this.
Then a soft sound from the Demon makes you almost jump; you quickly take her mask off and put it on her nightstand, then turn to leave.
With how you are trying to be as quiet as possible, you can hear her murmur without any trouble: "You come back alive, too."
Those words follow you back to your own chambers, and almost into your dreams.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
Morning comes too early. You wake up when the usual Imp shakes you awake softly, having slept like a log despite the nervousness that began to settle in the back of your mind. Getting ready for the day is the same routine as always, though you can feel the tension in the air.
Or maybe it is the crackling and sizzling and growling of magic all around.
Surprisingly, the first person you see upon leaving your room is Elisabeth; the bastion commander waits right outside of your door, hands clasped behind her back and dressed as immaculately as always. Not a trace of her state from the previous evening, though the words she said are still on your mind.
"Ah, Adelheid." She greets you with a polite smile and an appreciative nod. "I was hoping to catch you early. About yesterday-"
You interrupt her there with a knowing look; it is easy to guess what she wants. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
Elisabeth visibly relaxes and her smile grows a touch warmer, at least you think it does. This is difficult to tell with her mask in place because you can not see her eyes. "Thank you kindly. How are you feeling today?" The change of subject is basically seamless and you allow it without a second thought.
Still, how are you feeling? Today is the day, you will meet up with your squad and head out to do battle soon. You never even thought about enlisting with the Akashic Pillar back at home, before all of this. But in the end, you do not feel any existential dread or stress, just some nervousness and fear because you are going to war. Which is why you shrug at Elisabeth. "As good as I can be feeling, considering the circumstances. Better than I thought I would."
You have the feeling that it helped to have been around a martial society for a while beforehand, as well as having Lu's extensive training to prepare you.
"That's good to hear. Shall we walk together?" She motions for the outside, a prospect which you find yourself agreeing to. Elisabeth leads the way you both know well by this point. "I am certain that you will do well, Adelheid. Your powers are well-suited for the battlefield, and I believe they will soon grow further."
"Thanks." Though you do not need her praise to be confident in the near future, it is good to hear her say it. Then again, you are not the problem. "But I'm more worried about my team. I know its normal not to care, but I do and I'd rather they make it back, too."
You actually came to like the guys over the last few weeks; they are all rough around the edges, and you are quite sure some of them are actually the kind of psychos one thinks of when talking about Demons, but they behave around you.
Elisabeth offers a thoughtful hum, her measured stride unchanged. "Such is the burden of command. If we care, we hurt. If we do not care, they hurt. My observers tell me that your care for them has been noticed, though. If you can bring them through, they will be loyal just like Argus' personal battalion is." She reaches out to pat your shoulder for a moment, but you are back to walking normally when you leave the Keep and become visible to others. "I have my own duties to attend to now. Good luck."
"Yeah, thanks." You answer without thinking, mind still on what she said before. "See you later."
The walk to where your team waits is not long, but quiet. You mostly ignore the other teams, even if they offer respectful bows whenever you pass them. Demons begin to array slowly, though you know the truly massive numbers will only begin to assemble later. You technically have a week or so to get the gate set up, but you would rather have it done quickly.
What catches your attention are the colourful bodies of Dark Star Summoners swaying in the wind; they are huddled together in groups of their own, dozens of them. They have the same mission as you do, except without any backup or aid; each one will attempt to bypass the battlelines on their own.
With your own team is a new arrival, though. You quickly wave at everyone else, noting that Paoras looks a little sleepy, but then turn your attention to them. A barely visible aura of mana flows around them, accompanied by the sound of boots hitting the ground in marching order.
For one, they are tall; a head or two taller than most of the Demons in your team. For two, their body is covered in tough scales aside from the strong legs and arms. Sharp spikes extend from their shoulders, forming what almost appears like armour, and two horns of similar sharpness crown their head. The Demon has no eyes, you notice; just a maw filled with vicious teeth.
Yet the creature bows to you without hesitation, making sure to keep all the pointy bits well away. "Greetings, commander. I am Pazuzu and under your care for this mission. I shall aid you as best I can and set up my gate at your order." His voice is pleasant despite the rough appearance, though you can not tell whether he is just trying to build rapport.
Not that it matters. You nod at the Gate Demon while he rights himself. "That's good to know. Can you give me an overview of your capabilities while we wait?"
His scaly tail lashes over the ground once, unclear whether it is as an affirmative or a reflex. "Naturally. For one, I am stronger and tougher than my fellow Gate Demons. Our personal strength, aside from being able to erect Hellgates, is that we can move fast at high speeds and transfer the same Ability to nearby allies. Moreover, we also become more resilient while running, which makes it difficult for attackers to get at us."
He pauses and bows his head for a moment. "Although I am afraid my Hellgate will require me to stand still, both while setting it up and to maintain it. I will be dependent on your protection at that point, but I can join battles before then."
You do your best to internalise the information and take a few seconds to think it over. "Okay, I think I can work with that. Thank you."
"It is no problem at all, commander."
"Yep, the only problem is that we're going into magical Stalingrad." You only mumble it, more resigned than actually mad. You knew it for a while now and can only hope your team can stay out of the grinder. Nobody questions your words, though you know they were heard at least by some.
"Guesses on how fucked we will be?" one of your men chimes into the ensuing silence, his attempt at humour met with a few shrugs and chuckles at first.
Then you join in, having decided that you might as well: "Eh, so-so. At least the Angels are prettier than you lot, so I wouldn't mind it as much." Your retort earns some more snickers and the others start to joke among each other, though Paoras prefers to nap; your little friend is leaned against Mokutuuk's flank.
"Speaking of, boss," another notes with a large grin as he points behind you. "I think you've got a visitor."
You turn around and almost blush as you connect the dots. Orux is standing nearby, eyes on you and expression unreadable. Your gazes meet for a long moment, his about as calm as your own.
There is no need for words today. All was said and done already. You simply nod at each other and he turns away; the message was mutual after all: 'Don't die, or else.'
You get a sign from Lu not much later; she is far up high with her own detachment and can see that things are progressing. It is almost time.
You know you lack the experience for the job, but you will do what you can. You will do your damn best to see them through. For that matter, you even practiced a short speech. While the gates begin to rise in the distance, towering far above the Demons present, you begin to speak to the soldiers under your command.
"I won't be stupid here and think all of us will make it. Some of us won't and we all know it. But that doesn't matter, because we will succeed in our task, and I will bring as many of you through as I can! Keep to the plan and follow my lead, and we will show them what we're made of!"
You practically shout the last part, eliciting roars in response. Your soldiers raise their weapons as you do yours, your Dark Stars create sparks and the Hell Beasts howl. Those around them soon follow and with the thundering of displaced earth, five Hellgates finally settle. They are only for Demons though, which is why you are going with the Dark Stars who are already opening a portal for your team.
You go first, everyone else following. As you throw yourself into the portal however, you dearly hope that your plan will hold.
-------------
Devise a plan.
[] Write-in
This plan is important and will be important for several chapters. Therefore, votes will be open for at least ten days and no new chapter will be released next week; if you still need more time the week after, the deadline will be extended.
Whatever you end up deciding on was planned and prepared retroactively.
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
=====
+15xp Catching up with Friends
+5xp Met Pazuzu
+150xp Your First Battlefield
Active Effects:
-The Land of Heroes: Unified Light entities do not suffer from fatigue and can not die unless killed in direct combat.
-Absence of Light: All Presence of Light Abilities on the field are sealed.
-Pumped Up: Defiance's strike team can not lose morale even under tremendous losses while Defiance lives; increase damage dealt by 50% for anyone under her command.
Objectives:
-Circumvent the defending castles and open a Hellgate behind enemy lines
=====
Things to keep in mind:
-This is a plan Heidi made on her own; as she is stubborn, voting to ask someone else for a plan is vetoed by default
-If you need additional information, ask; anything Heidi is supposed to know or can get her hands on, I will provide
-You can ask for things, within reason
-other characters will adjust their plans to match whatever you are doing
-Paoras can join another unit's stats; she will default to backing up Heidi unless told otherwise
=====
Additional vote for what Brand Craft Heidi prepared for this day. This vote is by plan, and the players may choose three options.
[] [BC] Improved Armour (+300 Base Resilience for everyone except Heidi and Paoras)
[] [BC] Strength Augment (Doubled Base Damage for all Foot Soldiers)
[] [BC] Grenades (Brandcraft grenades; 1,000 Base Damage, Detonate Ability (affects areas instead of just one target). 2 per person per battle, but can be refilled easily)
[] [BC] Mana Batteries (Every member of the team may max out their modifier roll once per battle; need to be recharged in-between uses)
[] [BC] Write-in
(write-ins are subject to QM-veto; some more elaborate options may require several slots)
=====
(Unlocked Level 5 (Max) Character Sheet: The Ashen Maiden)
(Unlocked generic sheet: Gate Demon)
(Unlocked Pazuzu's sheet)
(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Pazuzu
Stats
Health: 20,000
Base Damage: 60
Base Resilience: 600
Magic Modifier: 100
The Run Grant all surrounding allies use of the Sprint-Ability at the same level as your own.
Level N/A
Base Boost: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Brimstone
Ability: Boost-All | Sprint
Abilities
Infernal Traveler
Level 20
-While running, Pazuzu receives 2,000 less damage from all sources.
Sprint
Level 4
-Pazuzu may run up to 40mph.
Gate to Hell
-After standing still and focussing for six turns, Pazuzu may create a Hellgate in front of himself, and an entrance in a location within three dimensions of his position; Pazuzu is rendered unable to move while sustaining the Hellgate.
[] Spellboosted Demonic Marines
-[] Ask Epsilon Aaron if the dark-stars have a compass we could use.
-[] Stealth is our go-to here. Hell is made up of mostly Cannon Fodder, and they know it. Meaning they know how to get creative with it. Our one and only job is to get behind those fortresses and out of the blocking zone the Valkyr set up for the rest of Valhalla. So...
--[] Prior to running the gauntlet, ensure that you've cast as many buffs as possible, so long as it doesn't make you glow like a Christmas tree. Maximized Grand Shroud and Wrathful Strike at a minimum, possibly Maximized Conundrum and Paradox Charge as well.
--[] Keep Pazu towards/in the center of the formation at all times as much as we can. Keep his speed boost up on the entire squad, if you can't keep up, don't step up.
--[] Stick to the ground as much as possible, use the rest of the charge as a smoke screen for our squad: Aim for a place where a squad disappearing into the sea will not stand out.
--[] Dive down into the Sea. And stick and to it's floor.
---[] If at this point (when you and your pursuers are out of direct sight of the Castles) pursuers are on your tail, have your Dark Star Sorcerers bring the immediate pursuers down with Decree on the move and snipe the no-longer-flying Valkyries with Argent Star. And try not to leave a trail of corpses leading straight to your hidden place.
--[] Walk around the battle and try to resurface in the Forrest far away from the battle.
---[] before resurfacing Refill/ Recharge any BC gadgets we took with us.
--[] If we found a nice location for the gate and there are no pursuers yet, then see if we can fortify our location.
[] [BC] Batteries and Bubbles
-[] Mana Batteries
-[] Charm of Air bubbles (2 slots)
Walking through the portal feels like walking through syrup. It is as colourful as most things Dark Star, but it also clings to you and only reluctantly peels off. The feeling is not nice at all.
Then you are through and stand in a wasteland filled with deep pits Hell's armies dug as fortifications. The ground shakes as a wave of Demons marches out of the gates set up hundreds of metres away; their goal is obvious even from as far as you stand. Stone spires reach up into the sky, the air filled with mana in a storm of colours. That is one of those castles in the distance.
Even at this distance, the swarms of Valkyries gliding around are easily distinguished; spellfire rains down already, decimating the predecessors to the tide of Demons marching toward their doom right now. You try not to think of it, or of the fact you thought you could actually pass through there for a while. Light gleams in that area, familiar yet different.
The sea is not too far away. You landed basically on the peninsula's southern beach.
Then another portal opens nearby and disgorges Lu, as well as five Demons under her command. In that very moment, her presence rushes outward.
(Lucifer is on the field. All Presence of Light and derivatives are sealed.)
Now you know why that light in the distance was so familiar; it layered itself over everything just like Lu's darkness. Except that with your friend's presence, the light that once was there is snuffed out. You shudder at the implications while the fallen Angel gives you a curt nod.
"To the skies," she commands and takes off.
The five Angel Slayers, bulky with their black, minotaur-like forms, leap after her with wild roars and spread their batlike wings.
You do not watch them further, instead focussing on your own goal. The team is present and arrayed in the loose formation you are using during transit; Hell Beasts and Dark Stars flank the force, slightly spread so you have everyone in a rough circle. The center is taken up by Paoras, Pazuzu, and your eight carriers with the bubble charm.
You nod once and raise an arm toward the sea. "March!"
Roars are uttered as you give your order; even Paoras joins the shouting either on instinct or because she likes to take part. It is at least a few hundred metres, so as you move next to Paoras, you clap Pazuzu's shoulder. "Let's see some magic."
He lowers his head in agreement and stomps the ground, red energy flitting through the cracks and from there into all of you. "The Run!"
(Defiance's whole team now has Sprint at level 4)
You can see his power course through everyone, hear it thrumming, and feel your legs kick with an ease you never felt before. The whole formation shudders a little as everyone begins to run faster, but it holds together. Even the Hell Beasts somehow manage to keep up despite the fact they are built for flying and not running.
"This is great!" Paoras cheers as she runs by your side; you catch some of the men watching her bounce and roll your eyes. Not like they are going to try anything, and your busty friend probably does not mind the attention. You wonder if her demonic resilience is what makes that not hurt like hell, though.
The distance melts away even as you trawl through the sandy beach and soon you slow down; eyes begin to wander toward the contraption you created. Pazuzu appears as intrigued as everyone else while you grin and jog closer. "Keep up a steady walk, we're not stopping." Then you place a hand on the bubble charm, pushing mana through it.
The interconnected arrays light up and get to work; you tested them before, but now is their first actual deployment. And much as you hoped, all the work paid off; a stone slab of six metres in diameter, and more than a metre tall; you inscribed it with several layers of Brand Craft that are connected in specific areas where needed, creating your most intricate and elaborate work to date.
Sure, it looks like a big rock and you need eight guys to carry it safely, and it could have been more compact if you asked the Dark Stars for help, but... well, you made this. And you are damn proud of it.
Not to mention that involving anyone else in a project that opens the way to underwater assaults sounded like a really bad idea.
The water is pushed back as the bubble meets it; no wind reaches your troops anymore, either. The enclosed space you created will keep everyone dry, except for their feet. You march into the sea and smirk at how awed your soldiers look. They knew what you were planning, but you doubted they expected it to be like this. Wet sand makes running difficult, but even then you can jog at a decent pace.
Soon the light from above fades to little more than nothing as you wander deeper, the bright shine of your charm and some rays from the Dark Stars being your only reliable sources of vision. Not that you need any more; the wildlife flees before you can see more than outlines of mana, various kinds of fish and other critters. Some would be big enough to make you trouble, but either they are natural cowards or have some other reason not to attack. The water glimmers weakly from the mana it contains.
The excitement soon turns into a quiet sense of wonder as everyone looks out into the dark ocean all around you, weakly illuminated as it is. One of the soldiers stumbles once, but that is it in terms of incidents.
You need a few minutes to get used to it all, but everything seems to be working. The bubble holds, air is refreshed constantly, all of that. The march goes slower than you hoped, but still faster than you feared; Pazuzu's magic helped a lot with that.
Either way, it is not possible to go faster with the ground being what it is and a good part of your troops having to carry that heavy array around. You considered making some kind of contraption to strap it to the Hell Beasts, but decided against it; they are about as smart as dogs and already growling about having to walk; chances are they might break it on accident.
You shake your head and keep an eye on your compass instead. The Dark Star's gave you one, though it is weird; from what you found out, due to not every world having actual magnetic poles, the concept you thought of does not really work. Dark Star has a subtitute that can be attuned to specific items or locations, and you got one to attune to the castle near the southern sea.
It is not even remotely accurate in regard to distance, but at least you can roughly guess your position relative to it. This will ensure that there is enough distance when your team... resurfaces.
You frown and almost groan once realisation hits. The only one who notices anything is Paoras, seeing that she has some kind of link to your mind whenever she links up with you. You do not tell her what happened, though.
Only now do you realise that you are attacking from below the sea, almost like an assault via submarine. Good thing nobody around knows to tease you about it. Nobody back home in Germany will ever hear about this.
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
Time passes; you do not know how long exactly it takes, but it is enough to have a short break at some point. Everyone sits down to rest their feet, you reload the array just in case, and people start chatting a little.
You double-check all the mana batteries you handed out just in case, but they all seem fine still. Good.
After a few minutes of rest, you clear your throat and immediately have everyone's attention: "Alright, I can't tell you how long exactly it is until we resurface, but we're going to take another break to armour up once the water is shallow enough to let light through to us. Get back in formation."
Your order is followed without hesitation, though nobody roars this time; it is probably for the best, seeing how you are in an enclosed space.
The continued march remains almost eerily quiet; the ground became more ruptured and uneven for a while now, with various kinds of aquatic life being dried as you pass by. The journey is mostly uneventful aside from people stumbling here and there on the slimy ground.
Then, after you do not know how long and a few course corrections based on the compass, you can tell that the sea noticeably brightens. You are ascending, leaving behind the darkness without meeting anything hostile and getting around anyone who might be watching the water for swimming invaders.
Another minute passes until you call for everyone to stop. "Rest your feet for a moment while we prepare the rest. Dark Stars!"
Both creatures bob up and down, their patterns changing a few times as they invoke their magic while activating their batteries with a single tentacle each. "Wrathful Strike." "Grand Shroud." Mana fills them and spreads.
(Wrathful Strike: +1000 Base Boost, +2000 dice = 3000 Total Damage Boost
Grand Shroud: +2000 Base Boost, +2000 dice = 4000 Total Defense Boost
Every member of the team is boosted.)
You can see colourful fumes expanding from both Sorcerers, enveloping everyone in faintly glistening auras. There are two, similar but not the same.
That is when Paoras pokes your side curiously. "Do we use ours, too?" Right, you and her have something to add here as well. So you do, activating your own batteries to fill you with additional mana as well.
You feel light as the mana rushes through your system and directly to the forming spell, then feel it empower you. With Aetheric Tide in hand, you know this will now hurt a lot. Cries of "Blood Lust!" all around tell you that your soldiers are readying themselves as well.
You can not help but feel sorry for whoever is keeping watch out there. If there is someone keeping watch, at least.
Once the surges of magic have ceased, you wave the Dark Stars over and quickly pop open their batteries; the arrays themselves are simple, just forming a container to store mana for use. You gave them a protective outer layer so enemies can not just shoot them from afar that easily, but that means you actually need a little bit to open and recharge them. Once they are filled again, you hand them back and move to do the same thing to your own and Paoras' batteries.
Once that is done as well, you address the troops: "Listen up! We're making landfall soon and once we do, we're breaking and leaving that thing behind." You motion for the bubble charm; as much as it hurts you to just scuttle your own work, you can not afford to carry it along. Leaving it there to be picked up by someone is even worse. "It's all or nothing from there. We're making our way inland and find a nice spot for a gate."
Grim nods are exchanged between soldiers and you grin as you turn. "Then let's make this a running start. Ready!" Low growls answer you from behind as you go into a runner's starting pose as best as you remember. "Go!"
And everyone takes off running; even the Hell Beasts, having roughly understood what you want, follow. You take up speed and the waves quickly become brighter, brighter, before breaking open.
Bright light almost blinds you for a moment, but your eyes quickly adjust to find an untouched beach ahead; the treeline is not far, just a few hundred metres.
Your soldiers roar and a moment later, the bubble charm is thrown forward, right into your path. Not that you care, you simply take aim and prepare for the moment you reach it.
(Aetheric Tide: +1820 Base Damage, +548 dice, +3000 Wrathful Strike, +9250 Paradox Charge = 14,618 Total Damage
Aetheric Tide: +1820 Base Damage, +548 dice, +3000 Wrathful Strike, +9250 Paradox Charge = 14,618 Total Damage
Aetheric Tide: +1820 Base Damage, +548 dice, +3000 Wrathful Strike, +9250 Paradox Charge = 14,618 Total Damage
43,854 Unified Damage
Bubble Charm: +800 Base Resilience, no dice = 800 Total Damage Reduction
43,054 Final End Damage
Bubble Charm Health: 10,000 - 43,054 = -33,054
Rock shattered, then ground to dust, then more or less atomised)
You had meant to split it open, but with all the power swirling around you, you instead pierce right through the whole rock; the shock of your spear's impact runs further than its blade, breaking the whole thing. Then Paoras' club slams into it and basically grinds it to dust. It had not even hit the ground yet.
You charge through the cloud of mana-enriched dust, having destroyed the array so fast that it could not even malfunction. Your soldiers charge after you, Hell Beasts swinging into the air with happy growls.
A horn sounds from up ahead and six Valkyries rush in to meet you, but you already made your choice. "Argent Star!" You do not know how many it takes, so you let the first salvo rush at the leader instead of spreading it. The Valkyries are still slow enough that everyone can see them, and your Sorcerers already take aim.
(Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +63 dice, x4 Purge = 2,852 Total Damage
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +63 dice, x4 Purge = 2,852 Total Damage
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +63 dice, x4 Purge = 2,852 Total Damage
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +63 dice, x4 Purge = 2,852 Total Damage
11,408 Unified Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 8556 Total Damage
Valkyrie Warrior: +1400 Base Resilience, +87 dice, -700 holyshitwtf = 787 Total Damage Reduction
7,769 Total End Damage
Valkyrie Warrior Health: 4200 - 7,769 = -3,569
Return of Splotch)
The two archers the Valkyries have also aim, but your spheres hit first, correcting their own course and impact dead center; what follows is, uh, an explosion. A red, gory, explosion that splatters the first Valkyr over his surprised comrades. Two shadowy projectiles crash into the following two, a doubled Decree from your Sorcerers. You immediately feel your own magic surge and call out Argent Star twice in a row.
(Decree: 2 Valkyrie Warriors lost their ability to fly.
Deathtrap triggers; Heidi gets a free spell against each one.
Splotch. Splotch.)
They fall out of the sky and explode before even hitting the ground. Their friends finally shoot their arrows, but...
(Warrior's Bow: +2100 Base Damage, +159 dice, +525 Glory Against Chaos = 2,784 Total Damage
Hell's Foot Soldier: +50 Base Resilience, +2 dice, +4000 Grand Shroud, -200 Out in The Open = 3,852 Total Damage Reduction
Attack Ineffective twice)
...they either did not see or underestimated your defenses; instead of shooting the same target, they tried for two different soldiers. Their arrows ping off.
Before they can shoot again, you are done having the three echoes of Argent Star rebound; another twelve spheres find their marks in rapid succession.
(You do not need combat math for this. Everyone is dead, Jim)
Their remains shower the sand you pass moments later, though you try your best not to think about what just happened too much. It has to be done.
Horns are sounding from the distance, so what those six did must have alarmed others; you grit your teeth and call to enter the dense forest, but to slow down a little so no one stumbles over roots and such. This is the last thing you need right now.
Paoras does her best to keep up with you and for a while, nobody notices you. The compass still tells you that you need to head further inland for at least a straight line toward the southernmost castle, which is what you want.
Then the sky begins to swirl with colours, grabbing your attention even below the treetops. You can see it even through the ambient magic, an insane amount of mana solidifying up high; it becomes a giant rock that begins to descend at great speed.
Moments later, the meteor impacts what was probably the UD battleline and shakes the earth. Which means the Fairies are already on Valhalla.
You ignore the meteors that follow, instead focussing on clearing the terrain. The forest quickly grows thick and more difficult to maneuver, but this is also an advantage; fliers have even greater trouble because of the many branches below the canopy. Many of those are thick enough for people to stand on.
That is when the Valkyries appear again between the trees, this time with twice the previous number and something that makes you worry: not only is one of them dressed and armoured more impressively, there are also a War Angel and two Fairies with them; the latter three keep their distance while the Valkyries close with battlecries that your soldiers match.
You saw the War Angel coming, with how far their presence spreads. Lu's own presence does not reach this far, though. You can probably outrun them within the forest, and definitely with a few well-aimed harpoons, but if you do not kill that War Angel quickly....
-------------
[] Do something about the War Angel
-[] (optional) What do exactly?
[] Keep running, you can not let yourself get bogged down by anything
Note: The previous plan is still in effect. You do not need to double up on anything noted in there.
Parts struck through are completed or no longer relevant.
[] Spellboosted Demonic Marines -[] Ask Epsilon Aaron if the dark-stars have a compass we could use.
-[] Stealth is our go-to here. Hell is made up of mostly Cannon Fodder, and they know it. Meaning they know how to get creative with it. Our one and only job is to get behind those fortresses and out of the blocking zone the Valkyr set up for the rest of Valhalla. So...
--[] Prior to running the gauntlet, ensure that you've cast as many buffs as possible, so long as it doesn't make you glow like a Christmas tree. Maximized Grand Shroud and Wrathful Strike at a minimum, possibly Maximized Conundrum and Paradox Charge as well.
--[] Keep Pazu towards/in the center of the formation at all times as much as we can. Keep his speed boost up on the entire squad, if you can't keep up, don't step up. --[] Stick to the ground as much as possible, use the rest of the charge as a smoke screen for our squad: Aim for a place where a squad disappearing into the sea will not stand out.
--[] Dive down into the Sea. And stick and to it's floor.
---[] If at this point (when you and your pursuers are out of direct sight of the Castles) pursuers are on your tail, have your Dark Star Sorcerers bring the immediate pursuers down with Decree on the move and snipe the no-longer-flying Valkyries with Argent Star. And try not to leave a trail of corpses leading straight to your hidden place. --[] Walk around the battle and try to resurface in the Forrest far away from the battle.
---[] before resurfacing Refill/ Recharge any BC gadgets we took with us.
--[] If we found a nice location for the gate and there are no pursuers yet, then see if we can fortify our location.
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
=====
+250xp This is Not The Place For a Story Maker...
+250xp ...But That Does Not Seem to Bother You
+50xp Encountered Your First Angels (War Angel and Valkyrie)
+180xp Defeated 6 Valkyrie Warriors
+180xp And One-Shotted Them All in Five Seconds
EXP gained: 910 Total EXP: 1,121
=====
Allied Forces:
-36x Hell's Foot Soldier
-2x Hell Beast
-2x Dark Star Sorcerer
-Pazuzu
-Paoras (linked with Heidi)
Active Effects:
-The Land of Heroes: Unified Light entities do not suffer from fatigue and can not die unless killed in direct combat.
-Pumped Up: Defiance's strike team can not lose morale even under tremendous losses while Defiance lives; increase damage dealt by 50% for anyone under her command.
-Presence of Light: UL-units heal for 500 each turn, UD-units take 500 damage each turn.
-Determined Soldier: Defiance has +5 ApT
-Irony Tide: Paoras' stats are added to Defiance
-Wrathful Strike: All allies deal an additional 3,000 damage.
-Grand Shroud: All allies gain an additional 4,000 Resilience
-Blood Lust All Foot Soldiers deal an additional 50 damage.
-Paradox Charge: Heidi deals an additional 9,250 damage and Total End Damage against her is reduced by 9,250.
-To Glory: All Valkyrie Warriors receive 420 less damage; armor-piercing Abilities are only half as effective on them.
The Valkyrie Commander receives 4,366 less damage and deals 2,866 more damage
-Judgement The lone War Angel deals an additional 1500 damage and adds a d250 to every attack.
Objectives:
-Circumvent the defending castles and open a Hellgate behind enemy lines
-(optional) Spend time killing War Angels to protect your soldiers
New Ability: Anti-Air (attack deals 6x damage against flying opponents)
New Ability Unlocked
Defiant Streak
-If Health drops below 0, Defiance may remain alive until end of the current turn. If she heals back above 0 in that time, her death is prevented.
900 EXP spent
221 remain
New Shop Item Unlocked!
Overarching Plan:
--[] Keep Pazu towards/in the center of the formation at all times as much as we can. Keep his speed boost up on the entire squad, if you can't keep up, don't step up.
---[] If pursuers are on your tail, have your Dark Star Sorcerers bring the immediate pursuers down with Decree on the move and snipe the no-longer-flying Valkyries with Argent Star. And try not to leave a trail of corpses leading straight to your hidden place.
--[] If we found a nice location for the gate and there are no pursuers yet, then see if we can fortify our location.
Battle plan:
[] Plan: Reckless Charge redux
-[] Sorcerers use Decree on War Angel and Valkyrie Commander, Defiance autocasts Argent Star on them.
-[] Defiance charges and attempts to kill the now falling War Angel leaving her troops to fight the normal Valkyries
-[] Spend Actions to trigger Argent Star's Perpetual Caster and assign spheres to kill Fairies and Valkyries.
--[] Starfall should ensure we only need one Sphere per flying Valkyrie and since we just used it before, we noticed that we only need one as long as they are flying.
-[] Should something still live at that point we still have our spell available to cast Argent Star again and trigger Perpetual Caster.
You can see the light cascade all around, but you do not feel it. Everyone else, however, burns.
(Presence of Light: 500 damage to Defiance's troops. Defiance is immune. Paoras is immune due to being a part of Defiance. Pazuzu takes 2000 less damage due to Infernal Traveler and is thus immune.
All Foot Soldiers: 750 - 500 = 250
Mokutuuk: 16,000 - 500 = 15,500
Hell Beast B: 20,000 - 500 = 19,500
Dark Star Sorcerers: 4,500 - 500 = 4,000)
You grit your teeth as you hear the various grunts and see their flesh char; Pazuzu somehow does not seem affected, but that does not matter right now. "Dark Stars, aim for the War Angel and the fancy Valkyrie!"
Then you wait; even though you feel so much faster due to the many enemies closing in, you wait for your casters and hope that it is the right decision.
They need a few moments to take aim, the Valkyries still being a few dozen metres away, then shoot at the same time as the two Fairies; but in difference to your casters, the Fey have aimed at the same target.
(Warbook: Ethereal Blade: +450 Base Damage, +1271 dice, +1920 Spell Boost = 3,641 Total Damage
Warbook: True Strike: +100 Base Damage, +362 dice, +778 Spell Boost = 1,240 Total Damage
4881 Unified Damage
Dark Star Sorcerer B: +150 Base Resilience, +987 dice, +4000 Grand Shroud = 5,137 Total Damage Reduction Unstoppable
4881 Total End Damage Intangible: Ignored due to Ghost Touch
4881 Final End Damage
Dark Star Sorcerer B Health: 4,000 - 4,881 = -881
You are not the only one who makes people go splotch, though that Dark Star rather goes pop.)
(Two Decrees hit. The War Angel and Valkyrie Commander lost their Ability to fly. Deathtrap triggers!
Heidi gets two free spellcasts.)
You can see it, how the Fairies weave their spells together into a single whole; an actinic blade riding on a wave of pure power, passing over the heads of the descending Valkyries even while black streams of power come flying from the other direction.
The melodious magic impacts one of your Sorcerers in a cacophony of sound and what may be a scream, popping the circular creature like a bubble. You avert your gaze from the momentary firework of mana spreading out and focus on casting your spells. "Argent Star! Argent Star!" And eight spheres fly, four toward the falling War Angel and four toward the Valkyrie commander.
You notice that they have grown bigger before the first bunch impacts their target, the Valkyries now almost in reach of your troops.
(Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +146 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 7,960
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +146 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 7,960
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +146 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 7,960
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +146 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 7,960
31,840 Unified Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 23,880 Total Damage
Valkyrie Commander: +1800 Base Resilience, +162 dice, +4366 To Glory!, -450 Currently in Free Fall, -100 Incoherent Screaming = 5,778 Total Damage Reduction
18,102 Final End Damage
Valkyrie Commander Health: 9,600 - 18,102 = -8,502
Return of Splotch, the Second
Bonus ApT reduced by 1)
Just like before, your spells impact; this time however, the explosion is even more violent than the previous ones were, tearing even this unusual Valkyrie to shreds and showering those who come after her in red. Not that it stops them.
Damage multipliers are generally straight-forward in what they do. When two or more multipliers apply themselves to the same string however, they do not affect each other and are summed up into a single multiplier instead. In this case for example, the x4 for Purge and x6 for Anti-Air combined into a x10.
Your eyes narrow while the remaining spheres simply puff out as they close in on the angel falling further back. Then you dash forward, aiming to go through below the descending Valkyries.
(War Angel is immune to Spell damage)
Paoras is right behind you, keeping up easily. You dart ahead of the team, nimbly stepping over roots and tearing through bushes without slowing; your goal is obvious, the place the War Angel will fall.
Three spears fly your way as you pass the Valkyries, but you ignore them in favour of recasting Argent Star twice and aiming it toward them.
(Warrior's Armaments: +2100 Base Damage, +124 dice, +550 Enemy's Just Taking It = 2,774 Total Damage
Warrior's Armaments: +2100 Base Damage, +191 dice, +550 Enemy's Just Taking It = 2,841 Total Damage
Warrior's Armaments: +2100 Base Damage, +103 dice, +550 Enemy's Just Taking It = 2,753 Total Damage
8,368 Unified Damage
Defiance: +325 Base Resilience, +556 dice, +4000 Grand Shroud, -100 Pushing Through = 4,781 Total Damage Reduction
3,582 Total End Damage Paradox Charge (-9,250): 0 Final End Damage
Attack Ineffective)
Paradox Charge is powerful; in combination with the Dark Stars' defensive augment, which the spears punch through, you can not even see it dent. Silvery spheres rise to meet the Valkyries before their surprise becomes actually visible; with how powerful they just became, you simply assigned one per enemy and hope for the best.
(Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +181 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 8,310 Total Damage per piece Valkyr Armor (25%): 6,232 Total Damage per piece
Valkyrie Warrior x8: +1400 Base Resilience, +106 dice, +420 To Glory!, -700 She's A Monster! = 1,226 Total Damage Reduction per piece
5,006 Final End Damage per piece
Valkyrie Warrior Health: 4,200 - 5,313 = -1,113
SPLOTCH, the Reckoning!
Bonus ApT reduced by 2.)
You only hear the nasty sounds and feel your magic weaken, which tells you all you need to know. Your attention is already on what is going on ahead; the Fairies are diving after the falling Angel to keep him out of your reach; not that it helps. You consider running up the trees, but that would mean disconnecting from Paoras. Instead, you make use of your magic once more. "Argent Star!"
Assigning two spheres per Fairy is probably overkill, but you can not really turn around right now.
(Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +33 dice, x8 Purge and Anti-Air = 5,464 Total Damage
Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +33 dice, x8 Purge and Anti-Air = 5,464 Total Damage
10,928 Unified Damage per piece
Yeah, uh, let's leave it at that.)
Both only just managed to take a hold of their larger companion's arms when the spheres turn them into crystal dust. You shelve the revulsion again and focus on the falling Angel; a moment before he impacts the ground, your spear reaches. At the same time however, his burning sword moves for you despite the fact he is falling; it is quite the feat, but you deflect the swing with a small magical push that makes it go over your head instead.
(Blade of Light: +1000 Base Damage, +58 dice, +1500 Judgement, +119 dice = 2,677 Total Damage
Attack Negated)
(Aetheric Tide: +1820 Base Damage, +246 dice, +3000 Wrathful Strike, +9250 Paradox Charge, +1213 Horrific Speed Gap = 15,529 Total Damage
Aetheric Tide: +1820 Base Damage, +246 dice, +3000 Wrathful Strike, +9250 Paradox Charge, +1213 Horrific Speed Gap = 15,529 Total Damage
Aetheric Tide: +1820 Base Damage, +246 dice, +3000 Wrathful Strike, +9250 Paradox Charge, +1213 Horrific Speed Gap = 15,529 Total Damage
46,587 Unified Damage
Yeah, uh... in clinical terms, he contracted death.)
(Demons vs Valkyries:
3 Valkyries: +2100 Base Damage, +94, -100 Hit to Morale, +600 Ramming Speed = 2,694 Total Damage per piece
Foot Soldiers: +50 Base Resilience, +10 dice, +4000 Grand Shroud = 4,060 Total Damage Reduction per piece
Two Valkyries gang up on one guy and cut him to ribbons, the last one pings off.
Foot Soldiers: +200 Base Damage, +9 dice, +50 Blood Lust, +3000 Wrathful Strike, +100 Pumped Up = 3,359 Total Damage per piece
Valkyrie Warriors: +1400 Base Resilience, +55 dice, +420 To Glory!, -1200 Far Outnumbered = 675 Total Damage Reduction per piece
I am not studying math, but I can tell those guys are not surviving without having to calculate it.)
Your spear pierces through the Angel's robe-like armour without any resistance, being pulled back for another stab and then a third. Blood splatters everywhere, doubly so when Paoras' empowered club hits home in tandem and ends the Angel's fall with a snap against a tree fifty metres distant. His aura of light fizzles out even before the impact, telling you that he is not getting up again.
A few screams of pain and howling from behind makes you turn, to see the last of the remaining Valkyries being hacked apart by axes. Your team makes this more bloody than it has to be, but they are probably just glad; that many Angels would normally be a death sentence for ten times as many of them.
Your status after all of this? All enemies neutralised, though your blunder also lost one of the Dark Stars and one of the foot soldiers. You sigh at that and do your best not to feel guilty; it helps that Paoras' squeezes your hand. Everyone else is still there, so as bad as it is, you have not failed them yet.
However, there are bright areas slowly moving around in the distance; nobody else seems to be moving in on your position, but it is only a matter of time. Looking at your charred soldiers, you can tell that they will not survive another War Angel so much as coming close.
With that in mind, you jog back to the team; they immediately shut up and turn their attention to you. "Good job, but we can't really do that again. There are more War Angels around; try to stay quiet, I will see about avoiding them." It was supposed to be a stealth mission anyway. "Pazuzu, refresh your magic."
He does as told without hesitation and you look around; there is light behind you, in the direction of the beach where you made landfall. Not good. Light toward the castle, obviously, and light in various other directions. But not everywhere. You point toward the greatest opening still somewhat in the direction you want. "This way. I take the lead now."
. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE . . .
The canopy is thick, so thick that the only reason you can see the Valkyries and Fairies passing by above is the fact their mana is that much brighter, or rather stronger, than the ambient mana in your surroundings. It is not too many because you try your best to avoid patrols, but they thankfully stay above the trees.
Thankfully, these very trees are far enough apart to make running possible; flying is much more difficult due to the many branches further up. Even if it was not, you would not let the Hell Beasts fly either way. No matter how much they grumble.
It might have been an hour or so, tense as you snuck through the endless forest and toward a more favourable position. The boosts, except Pazuzu's, ran out a while ago and recasting them might draw attention, so you delayed that decision for now. They are bright enough to be seen from a distance, and your luck is unlikely to hold. At least you have some time to come to terms with the fact two of your team are dead, though the expected feelings are a lot less overwhelming than you expected.
Some more time passes quietly, only interrupted by light passing by and you changing course to stay out of those patrols' ways.
Then they move into a tighter formation, either due to their routes intersecting or because they know you are near. You can not tell for sure. All you know is that there is now a nearly solid wall of light between you and your target direction. Going around would cost at least hours, that is too much time to stay unnoticed in. It will not be long until the news of your presence and the absence of the squads you came by earlier are spread.
You have two choices here; your soldiers can not take any more War Angels, but you can. If you go ahead alone, you can open up a path for the rest. This is likely to draw attention, though.
On the other hand, this may just be a coincidence. You could be patient and wait it out where you are until those several patrols separate again.
Decisions, decisions...
-------------
[] Wait them out
-[] Recast buffs?
[] Go ahead and fight the War Angels with Paoras
-[] (optional) write-in how?
-[] Recast buffs?
[] Take a third option (write-in)
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
--[] Keep Pazu towards/in the center of the formation at all times as much as we can. Keep his speed boost up on the entire squad, if you can't keep up, don't step up.
---[] If pursuers are on your tail, have your Dark Star Sorcerers bring the immediate pursuers down with Decree on the move and snipe the no-longer-flying Valkyries with Argent Star. And try not to leave a trail of corpses leading straight to your hidden place.
--[] If we found a nice location for the gate and there are no pursuers yet, then see if we can fortify our location.
=====
+250xp Surprisingly, It Takes More Than Angels to Beat You
+20xp Killed Two Fairy Battle Mages
+25xp Killed a Valkyrie Commander
+80xp Killed 8 Valkyrie Warriors
+20xp Killed one War Angel
+15xp Allied Kills
+20xp Lost Your First People
EXP gained: 430 Total EXP: 651
=====
Allied Forces:
-35x Hell's Foot Soldier
-2x Hell Beast
-1x Dark Star Sorcerer
-Pazuzu
-Paoras (linked with Heidi)
Active Effects:
-The Land of Heroes: Unified Light entities do not suffer from fatigue and can not die unless killed in direct combat.
-Pumped Up: Defiance's strike team can not lose morale even under tremendous losses while Defiance lives; increase damage dealt by 50% for anyone under her command.
-Irony Tide: Paoras' stats are added to Defiance
Objectives:
-Circumvent the defending castles and open a Hellgate behind enemy lines
-(optional) Protect your soldiers from War Angels and their Presence of Light, no matter how
New Ability: Damage Barrier (Reduces damage taken; in difference to Damage Block, this does not add a modifier to the defensive string, but reduces Total End Damage directly.)
600 EXP spent
51 remain
[] Crystalwatcher's Unload Satan Plan
-Have our last Dark Star float to the top of the tree line to check our current position.
--Be Extra Careful not to be seen.
-Once we're sure of where we are in relation to the Valkyr battle lines, search our immediate vicinity for a good spot for Pazuzu to open his gate that won't get it immediately noticed.
--Once Pazuzu starts opening his gate, have the rest of the squad dig in for a siege.
-Have Heidi and Paoras on high alert, if it seems like we've been had at all, rush the closest group of Unified Light warriors and kick up the biggest fuss we can to draw attention away from Pazuzu and the squad.
--If someone bypasses our fuss and rushes Pazuzu and the squad, make sure they remember to die with honor and to take long enough that Pazuzu gets his gate open.
You take a few moments to think hard. Your main options are waiting and hoping, or going forward and distracting them.
There is, however, another way. Risky, oh so risky, but then again, you do not have time to play it safe. At worst, the War Angels up ahead had their patrols pulled together to comb through the forest. At best, you lose minutes waiting for those patrols to pass by each other on their regular routes.
So if you can not get past them right now... then you're going to set up where you are.
"You," you call out while pointing at the Dark Star, "float up to the treetops and check our position relative to the castles; I want to know how far away we are. Make sure you aren't seen." The magical being flashes an affirmative and starts rising while everyone else's attention is on you.
"Pazuzu." The Gate Demon stands straighter, though you only notice it in your peripheral vision while looking around. "I don't know how big exactly your gate is, so find a spot nearby where you can set it up without too much trouble." There is some underbrush, but not enough to hide something as massive as a Hell Gate. The Demon nods and begins to wander around.
"Everyone else... prepare to dig in." You only need one minute; that is all it will take to set up the gate, and the horde rushing outward will probably take all attention from your squad. And maybe you can actually buy them a little time, but not like this. You check your compass again and hold down a sigh. "This position isn't ideal, but we'll make do."
Then you turn your attention to Paoras, who already knows you want to address her next. "Stay with Pazuzu, okay?" Her eyes widen and she makes to protest, but you stop her with a pat on the head. "I'll be fine on my own, but we need this gate." You put more emphasis on that word and, somehow, can tell that Paoras understands what you want to tell her. You trust her the most out of everyone, and you want her to be the last line between anyone that breaks through and Pazuzu.
You considered taking her with you to be the first line, but that is... problematic. The thought has her pout at you, a reminder of the weirdness that is her powers. You just shake your head with a huff. "It's not that you're weak. But if I want to stall them properly, I need to catch them before they reach us. So...." You point up at the trees; many branches extend further up, interlocking and thus making it easy to stand there. "Unless you can run up there like I can, it'd cost too much time."
"Oh." Your friend deflates for a moment, but then apparently remembers that you are counting on her. "Okay. Be careful, Heidi." Her magical bond with you dissolves, the friendly presence in the back of your head removed.
You still smile at Paoras and give her a thumbs up. "You too."
She nods strongly and turns around to bounce over toward Pazuzu; the horned Demon is looking around a small clearing at the moment, but returns a nod when he notices you looking. Just a few dozen metres from where you are, still completely under cover of the trees, but not with anything directly in it; enough room to set up a gate without uprooting a tree on accident.
One of the presences is coming closer. Slowly, but surely; not good. They are above the treeline, but they do not need to see you to burn everyone. You hold back a curse and look around at your troops. Then you look up. Okay.
This is a decision you hate to make. The Hell Beasts can fly, and so can the Dark Star. You can take them along as reinforcements, but chances are they will not make it. No, too risky. They are staying down here with everyone.
Once the Dark Star is back with information of how far away you are, a few dozen kilometres, you have everyone form up around the clearing and point Pazuzu into the direction he has to face the gate. Then you address them all with barely not gritted teeth. "Alright, everyone. This is the final step of our mission." The presence is coming closer still, not good. It swerved away for a bit, but you do not trust that. "Pazuzu will set up his gate here and now. I leave protecting him from any stragglers up to you. Paoras is in charge while I'm up above; I can't fight off all of them, but at least the War Angels shouldn't make it through."
You throw your own mana battery to the Dark Star, who catches it a little clumsily. "Once I start fighting up there, boost everyone with both of your spells. Not a moment earlier." They bob up and down in acceptance, loosening their own battery for ease of access. Everyone else awaits your orders, so you grin at them. "If anyone shows up, I expect you to win or go down fighting."
A row of grins answers you, at which you nod before turning away. "Good luck."
No response, at least not verbally. Now is not the time to shout, and they know that as well. The Hell Beasts grunt as their riders make them settle down, then Pazuzu begins to focus and infernal light shines by his feet. You quickly dart up the nearest treetrunk, ignoring what happens below in favour of the sky.
The War Angel is coming this way again.
(6 turns until Hell Gate is completed)
You quickly hop on a thick branch and dart forward, the steady tap-tap of your shoes on the wood now barely audible under the chirping of various birds and buzzing of insects. Did they flee demonic forces, or just not like the damp darkness below?
Either way, you have to slap away some things that may be mosquitos. They are annoying, but amusingly unable to actually pierce your skin. Magic is a great thing.
Once you reach the leafy branches, the presence is almost close enough to wash over you.
(5 turns until Hell Gate is completed)
Your heart beats heavily in your chest, anxiety about the question whether you were found out. You could leave the Angel flying above be, as well as their... seven companions, but you can tell it now. Those War Angels fly just deep enough that their presence catches the forest floor, knowing that any Demons hiding will be burned away. And they are on the way toward your team.
So you quietly hurry through the trees, making noise that is hopefully not enough to carry over the distance. No reaction from the patrol, so you settle in right in front of them, legs coiled and slowly filled with magic. A moment of thought, then you decide to kill before defending yourself.
When the Angel is right above you, you jump.
(4 turns until Hell Gate is completed
Determined Soldier: Defiance +2 ApT
Also, Defiance is immune to Presence of Light)
Your legs catapult you out of the treeline and into open sky, right in a very surprised War Angel's path. They attempt to stop, but can not cancel their momentum while your weapon changes shape and a blade ignites.
(Reaper's Will: +400 Base Damage, +18 dice, +3000 Superslayer, +800 Surprise Motherfucker!, +266 Horrific Speed Gap = 4,484 Total Damage
War Angel: +500 Base Resilience, +89 dice, -1000 Right Through The Middle = 411 Extra Damage
4,895 Final End Damage
War Angel Health: 3,000 - 4,895 = -1,895)
Neither the five Valkyries, nor the two Fairies can do anything in time as your lightsaber buzzes and cuts through armour, cloth, flesh, and bone as if it was butter. You quickly grab for the dead Angel's robe, feeling their aura fizzle out, and pull yourself up. The corpse falls while you land on their shoulder, then push yourself off to stay in the air a moment longer. No blood beneath you even though the upper half is propelled below the lower half; the blade cauterised everything. "Argent Star!"
Four spheres shoot outward, each one assigned to a target while all of them begin to move.
(Argent Star 2x: +650 Base Damage, +33 dice, x8 Purge and Anti-Air = 5,464 Total Damage per Fairy
Fairiy Battle Mages: +50 Base Resilience, +3445 dice, -25 holyshitwtf = 3,470 Total Damage Reduction per piece
Argent Star 2x: +650 Base Damage, +33 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 6,880 Total Damage per piece Valkyr Armor (25%): 5,160 Total Damage per piece
Valkyrie Warriors: +1400 Base Resilience, +122 dice, -700 holyshitwtf = 822 Total Damage Reduction per piece
1,994 Final End Damage against each Fairy
4,338 Final End Damage against each Valkyrie
Two Fairies and two Valkyries go splat.
Bonus ApT reduced to 1)
And then half of them explode in bright light, right as you begin to fall after the corpse of your first victim. Your eyes narrow and a quick sweep cuts through a thrown spear.
(Warrior's Armaments: +2100 Base Damage, +21 dice, +1050 Target mid-air = 3,171 Total Damage
Attack negated.)
It is not difficult despite the fact you are in free fall, your blade cutting through the weapon and a small burst of magic making the two halves sail past you. What it does do is cost time, which the other two Valkyries use to loudly blow horns they carry.
So much for stealth. You recast Argent Star before any of them can attack you again, the horns cut off before they even ended their call.
(Argent Star: +650 Base Damage, +9 dice, x10 Purge and Anti-Air = 6,590 Total Damage Valkyr Armor (25%): 4,942 Total Damage per piece, one doubled
Valkyrie Warrior 2 and 3: +1400 Base Resilience, +180 dice, -400 Occupied Blowing Horns = 1,180 Total Damage Reduction
Valkyrie Warrior 1 takes twice the damage and is dead. Valkyrie Warriors 2 and 3 take 3,762 Final End Damage
Valkyrie Warriors 2 and 3 Health: 4,200 - 3,762 = 538 each
Bonus ApT back to 0. Both Valkyries lack arms and the horns they carried.)
You quickly turn in mid-air and fall back into the trees; some small branches try to scratch you until you stop on a larger one, but they slide off without doing anything beyond ruffling your hair. You lose a few strands pulling it loose from where it got caught, though that is an acceptable price for being otherwise fine.
Two of the Valkyries, however, are still alive; their arms are bloody stumps and they are obviously dazed from the impact. That must have been those who held the horns. You click your tongue and dart over the branches before they can recuperate; neither screams in pain, though. That is impressive, as you imagine getting your hands blown off to hurt a lot.
Either way, you bring your lightsaber to bear and finish them off after a quick jump to catch their reeling forms.
(Two clean beheadings. It's quick.)
A moment later, your heels tap on the wood as you look around, trying to see what else is coming; you find no less than three further patches of searing light rushing your way. Within them are... twice the same compositions as the one you just defeated, and one that is only three other Angels. So four Fairies and thirteen Valkyries; not good, but it could be worse.
(3 turns until Hell Gate is completed)
You consider to greet them with Argent Star, but chances are the War Angels will catch most of your spheres. Instead, you armour up while spells are cast in the distance. "Conundrum." Your voice is quiet as you watch the nearing Angels.
(Conundrum: +1125 Base Boost, +993 dice = 2,118 Bonus Resilience
Damage Block active, Damage Barrier active.
Enemies armoured up as well.)
In the few quiet seconds you have, you realise something interesting; Conundrum gained another layer somewhere along the way. The first one that stays a few centimetres away from you at all times is still the same, if perhaps stronger. The second one, however, is brand new. It lies directly on your skin, more firm than the outer layer. That is a welcome boost.
Still, you need to talk to Lu about this soon. There is something else there that is new, but discerning what it is is difficult at best.
You take a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling Valhalla's warm air. Then you swing yourself through the trees to take some cover; your colouration, turquoise and silver, is not the best for staying hidden in the treetops, but it could also be a lot worse.
The three groups moved toward each other and ended up forming one bigger group, which begins to dive for the treeline at this point. So you try for one last trick and hop out, quickly flipping yourself onto the tip of a slightly thicker tree, Aetheric Tide clasped in your hand and held to the side. They see you without doubt.
Now that you can see them up close, you notice that the group of three consists of the differently dressed Valkyries you saw one of earlier. They move directly for you while the rest still seems to be diving. Not good.
"No mercy to the wicked!" the lead Valkyrie shouts out to a chorus of answering shouts. "Glory to Valhalla, for I am Hildr of the Valkyr Legion!" More roaring and you can not help but grin. If they want to do it that way, you do not mind.
You are Defiance. You will not falter.
They reach you moments later.
(2 turns until Hell Gate is completed)
-------------
[] Wat Do?
-[] Take down the small fry first
-[] Take down the leader first
-[] Focus on the War Angels
-[] Something else (Write-in)
[] EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it
=====
+100xp Turbomurdered Angels Even Without Team Buffs
+20xp Killed two Fairy Battle Mages
+50xp Killed 5 Valkyrie Warriors
+10xp Killed one War Angel
+50xp All Eyes on You
Active Effects:
-The Land of Heroes: Unified Light entities do not suffer from fatigue and can not die unless killed in direct combat.
-Determined Soldier: Defiance +6 ApT
-Conundrum: Defiance gains an additional 2,118 Resilience, and Total End Damage is reduced by 2,118.
-To Glory!: Valkyrie Warriors gain an additional 419 Resilience; Valkyrie Commanders (including Hildr) gain an additional 2,936 damage and 4,439 Resilience.
-Judgement: War Angels deal an additional 1500 damage and add a d250 to every attack.
Objectives:
-Hold out for two turns, until the Hellgate stands
-(optional) Defeat Valkyrie Commander Hildr
-(optional) Protect your soldiers from War Angels and their Presence of Light, no matter how
[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
