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DarkBlade77 Posted: 04-23-2003 , 11:51 PM

Ratio 4 Vanessa Abuser

Registered: May 2001
Location: Secret Boss Stage #1

Survivor X - Round 4

OOC: In case you're wondering, TK is going to finish the Omake Round himself, so it's allright to post in there on whatever you were doing until then. I decided that I should get this out tonight rather than the next morning. So, 'Choose Your Destiny'. XD

---------

Act Four, Scene One - Outrage

As the light from Daisetsu's warp faded, he and the candidates turned around to see a windy plains region. As the majority of them struggled to regain their senses, Kalten looked towards the south.

"Man, it's about damn time we got to my-"

He stopped in mid-sentence, the words dying upon the air. Jun turned to face him.

"...Kalten? What's--oh my god..."

There was a city in the distance from where they had warped, but a strange red glow was enamating from it. Muffled bursts of sound could be heard in the distance, and the sky around that city seemed violent with struggle.

Kalten paled, then broke away from the group in a dead run. Jun called out to him, but in response his body became blindingly white and shot over to the city with a crack of thunder. Dorrin sighed.

"Rash... but I cannot say I can blame him." His eyes became stone. "Daisetsu, you know what this means. A frontal attack on the Nation of Wind will not be taken lightly to the other two nations, and we have already formed our unofficial alliances."

Daisetsu closed his eyes, and exhaled. "Unfortunately, I had feared they would go after Soulis'en first. There's no doubt about it." He turned to the candidates, who were remaining.

"My willing or unwilling allies, it starts here. Everything you've gone through will come down to a focus first, when we reach that city. I suggest you arm yourselves properly and harden your hearts, because we have reached the front of the war. And remember that from what you are going to see, things will likely get worse before they get better."

He cleared his throat. "Your task is to drive the invading Naclos force out of Soulis'en. The Naclos army is completely composed of humans, but for the country to make an unprovoked assualt like this means that they've gotten some serious edge over the An'ven there. Otherwise, they wouldn't have made it past the gates--Soujo'en is a nation where archery is the national pastime, art, and sport."

He turned to the city in the distance. "Ikuzo... Dorrin. Jun."

The two nodded silently, and the three of them vanished--obviously heading towards Soulis'en.

Soulis'en, Fallen Capital of Wind

There is only one thing that is occuring in this city, and it falls under the terms of mass pandemonium. There are several skirmishes in the streets between An'ven and Naclos soliders, but the forces of the Church are winning out as it stands. You and the Lords will be there to make the difference. The city itself is eastern-European in design, and the buildings are remarkably tall for a civilization that has not seen the advent of mass-production. There were once many commercial areas here, which have been vandalized and destroyed. Human troops run rampant within the city, plundering, looting, burning establishments, killing random civilians, and taking the better looking women aside for obvious purposes. The 'skyscrapers' boast about 10 stories of height at best, and their summits have become ideal sniping locations for the resisting An'ven that lie within the city. Daisetsu is heading for the other side of the city to cut off the flow of troops with sheer force, Jun is going to take care of the unengaged city-occupant troops, and Dorrin is assisting the resistance forces. Kalten's position is unknown.


Master List

Daisetsu --- The Red Phoenix (147 EXP - Level 2)

Sponsors
Bowling Pin - The Hulk(Marvel Super Heroes)(24)
Dry31 - Testament(Guilty Gear)(19)
Slipstream - Yuri Hyuga(Shadow Hearts)(25)
Exeter - Sol Badguy(Guilty Gear)(26)
Lantis - Setsuna(Gekka no Kenshi 2)(18)

Sidekicks
m121akuma - Dan Hibiki(Street Fighter Alpha)
Ryudo - Ryudo(Grandia II)
Anoat - Scorpion(Mortal Kombat)

Fallen
colguile - Allen Sanyder (Street Fighter EX)
Switchblade - Vice and Mature(The King of Fighters)(26)
ShinkuuR - Rydia of Mist(Final Fantasy IV)(15)

Kalten --- The Blue Dragon (129 EXP - Level 2)

Sponsors
Luna - Opera Vectra(Star Ocean: The Second Story)(9)
Baka - Ky Kiske(Guilty Gear)(28)
San Draco - Shang Tsung w/ Li Mei's skeleton(Mortal Kombat)(35)
Just Some Guy - Captain Falcon(Super Smash Bros.)(11)

Sidekicks
Magus - Blanka(Street Fighter)
Samus Aran - Samus Aran(Super Smash Bros.)

Fallen
Curley W - Jason Soe w/ Vader(9)
Zen Master - Kyosuke(Rival Schools)
Daisuke7777 - K'(The King of Fighters)(16)
S-Chicken Boner - Adol Christian(Y's)(12)

Jun --- The Green Dragon (104 EXP - Level 2)

Sponsors
The Damned - King(The King of Fighters)(25)
Wayne - Mal'Ganis(WarCraft III)(22)


Sidekicks
Psycho Power J-Yuffie-RPG-Jun-sidekick
Soujiro Seta-Mesdoram Elmdor/Zalera-RPG-Jun-sidekick

Fallen
Nif - Kite(.hack//infection)(1)
Simplistic Hero - Kuma(Tekken)
Larrok - Max (Tales of Destiny II)(14)
Thirdtwin - Chipp Zanuff(Guilty Gear)(33)
Kellios - Vincent Valentine(Final Fantasy VII)(4)
eyesaw - Storm(X-Men: Children of the Atom)(20)

Dorrin --- The White Tiger (125 EXP - Level 2)

Sponsors
Amethyst - Blue/Rouge/Amethyst(SaGa Frontier)(11)
Renmazuo - Alma Beoulve(Final Fantasy Tactics)(30)
CarlyCheeese - Hisame Shizumaru(Samurai Shodown)(23)
MageusBlack - Maya Amano(Persona)(23)
Krizak - Mint(Threads of Fate)(26)

Fallen
pirate360 - AirMan(Rockman: The Power Battles)
Adam*Warlock - Rogue(X-Men V.S. Street Fighter)
Bugenhagen - Tingle(Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker)(17)

Special Rule -- Old-School Drano

For the duration of this round, all Sponsors have 8 A-Votes; Sidekicks have 4 A-Votes, Fallen have 3. All damage dealt at the end of this round is doubled--and yes, there IS Vote Burn. R-Votes and Abilities cannot be used. Yeah, war is a bitch. ^^

Daisetsu, Jun, and Dorrin are available for interaction... as long as you give them a hand, or they'll be too busy to listen to you.

Optional minigame - Since this tournament is around to promote fighting games in general, a few extremely obscure trivia questions wouldn't be out of order, would they?

1. According to the KOF Zillion Comics, what is Mature's Orochi Element? (i.e. Chris: Wind, Yashiro: Earth, etc...)
2. In the game Bloody Roar: Primal Fury, what is Uranus' Beast Form? What does her Hyper Beast Form look like?
3. In Guilty Gear, what weapon was May originally intended to wield instead of an anchor?

The round comes to an end 11PM CST, voting ends at 10:30PM.

Last edited by DarkBlade77 on 04-24-2003 at 05:54 PM

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Amethyst Posted: 04-24-2003 , 12:59 AM

Jellomancer

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

War. War never changes. The screams, the wailing, the blood... Even great battles of magic are not without their blood.

Amethyst sat precariously on a small pile of rubble and studied his hand. A brief outline of aquamarine fire flickered along his fingers.

They gave me this power to annhilate the demons and keep myself alive in the process. But is it...

This isn't the time to be wallowing in angst, you know. Keep sitting there like a bump on a lump and someone's going to try and kill you.

You're right, but... I've got to occasionally remark on the universe's lack of fairness, you know.

Unfair or not, we have a self-inflicted duty to carry out here. I can feel that most of our healing spells aren't working. It's like back when you first came forth. The patterns are there, just... nothing.

Then we'll just have to make do with getting a little bruised.


Rouge's side of the personality smiled softly as Amethyst drew his guns and walked cautiously into the ruined streets.

---

Bwee, braindead again! Amethyst will be roaming about, aiding defenders however he can, typically with power-up spells or suppressing fire in the general direction of the Naclos forces.

EDIT: Naclos, not Nachos! XD

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The Damned Posted: 04-24-2003 , 01:45 AM

Hyperion's servant

Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Where you are not.

As I seem to be becoming too sleepy at the moment, I/King shall FOCUS on the battle before I write anything tomorrow. If that is acceptable of course.


If the good die young, then I'm effectively immortal.

Hyperion: "Stop the asteriod, Magneto. Stop the asteriod, or I'll implode your head."

Hyperion: "Give up this garbage and face the inevitable, Magneto. You cannot defeat me."
Magneto: "Everyone has an Achilles heel!"
Hyperion: "Only Achilles had an Achilles heel. I cannot be stopped."

Opposite attract only because men are sluts and women are whores. Thus the equation balances out.

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CarlyCheeese Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:09 AM

Scarlet Rain Silence

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Feudal Japan

*is also far too sleepy*

Urgh... and I forgot to FOCUS and everything, too. x_x I'll be here, just a bit sparse in the early hours because of a doctor appointment that I've been waiting nearly a month for. xo So yah, I will be here~


a lonely soul ____________________ moonlit skies
speaker of silence ________________ candlelit town
footsteps in the night _____________ eyes cast in gloom
utter reliance ____________________ a saddened frown

sweet serenity __________________ shielded by innocence
waits to be broken _______________ hidden by beauty
its mouth aghast ________________ the demon sleeps within
a demon hath spoken ____________ destroying naievte

~ hisame shizumaru, survivor x - oboeru mo ~

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Luna Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:12 AM

Tetragene

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Energy Nede

I'll FOCUS too if I can. *yawns and stumbles off to bed*


Go to the light
Kuyashisa mo zenbu kizameru tsuyosa o daite
Ikutsu no yo ake mo koeteku
Watashi to iu arika mitsukeru tame....

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Krizak Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:18 AM

The World Shall Be Mine!

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: East Heaven Kingdom Goal: WORLD DOMINATION!!!

Mint will be FOCUSing in this round as well.

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Dry31 Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:38 AM

Judge/Jury/Executioner

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

Testament looked out from his position atop the plateau. The sight of the battle below brought back memories, of the exceedingly bitter variety. Kliff Undersn, Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, the Shuusen Kanrikyoku, Justice...his face twisted into a bitter sneer as he recollected it all.

Blood, slaughter, chaos all around. Claws and blades and blunt spurs that shattered skulls, flashing through the air with deadly intent. Curses, the moans of the dying, and screams of horrible pain filled the air all around Tesu Undersn. He hated this...the soldiers of the Sacred Order, brave and noble men and women, dying by the hundreds all around him in bloody conflict. But he fought on...day after day, battle after battle, he fought, killing Gears and watching friends die. He hated it...why couldn't this war ever end?!

And then one day it had. For Tesu Undersn, the war had finally come to an end.

He saw it coming, almost in slow motion, the Gear he had gutted with a deft scythe swing lunging forward one last time, bloodstained claws outstreched in one last murderous attack. He felt the claws rip into his throat, a burning, searing pain. And then it had faded away, melting into a pervasive, chilling numbness, slowly spreading through his body. He fell...everything seemed to be in slow motion. He could feel his life gushing out from the gaping wound in his throat, as the blackness slowly closed in all around him. And in that blackness...there was peace. The world, the war, the screaming, all of it...just faded away...

But that wasn't the end. No...death was just the beginning.

Light.

He could see it...a blinding light that obscured everything. He didn't know how long it had been there. He felt...exhausted, numb, as though he was slowly being forced to awaken from the deepest, most perfect sleep he had ever known. His mind worked only with excruciating slowness; it was like his brain was trapped in a thick cube of ice. He could hear voices speaking faintly, as though from an unimaginable distance; he couldn't make out what they were saying at first, but slowly, the words began to reach him...

"...procedure seems...effective...managed to...before...degenerated too far. His body...restored...functional condition. ...suitable...cell grafting."

"Begin."

And then...he felt it. Pain...no, not just pain, but PAIN!!! White hot fire flowed through his veins, starting to flow upwards, outwards...he tried to scream, but no sound would come out. He felt it flowing, upwards, into his shoulder, into his throat, his eyes, and then into his brain. Everything was eclipsed in a white hot flare of agony, searing thought itself away...


The period after that was like a blurry, half-remembered fever dream; the kind that makes you scream at the top of your lungs until your throat bleeds. He remembered a thing of darkness, a black, screaming rage that wanted to kill and kill and kill until the earth ran red with blood. He remembered that this thing was clawing at his very essence, trying to suck him in and make him nothing more than a part of it. He remembered clinging desperately to his identity, screaming again and again as the foul darkness raged, trying to consume him. And he remembered feeling pieces of himself start to slip away...until one day, he woke up.

His eyes snapped open, and for the first time in many months, Tesu Undersn was awake once more. But he felt different...within him was a burning rage that he could not seem to quench. Once again, there was a bright light overhead, but this time, he could see faces overhead silhouetted against that light. This time when they spoke, he heard them clearly.

"The subject seems to have regained consciousness. The prototype cells seem to have grafted successfully...and the vocal replacement unit should be working as well, so it can give feedback when called for."

"Excellent. Did the programming stick?"

"Can't be sure until we run some more tests on its neural network. Nothing to worry about though; even if it didn't, all we have to do is just give it a neural readjustment."

Tesu hears all this...making a great effort, he tries to speak. The sound of his own voice shocks him, a strange, dual toned mechanical sound.

"Who...are...you?"

The figures above seem surprised to hear him speak.

"What's this?! He shouldn't be able to speak on his own!"

"He still has some measure of free will? But how can that be?! We began the Gear cell grafting before his brain should have even been functioning...how could he have enough will to resist the programming in that state?"

"I wish I could say, but frankly, this surprises me too. In any event...it would appear that some personality readjustment will be required as soon as possible."

Again Tesu speaks.

"Who...are you? What have you done to me?!"

Looking annoyed, one of the men speaks.

"Who we are is unimportant. As to what we have done to you...you have been grafted with a new, experimental type of Gear cells that will grant you enhanced psionic, dimensional, and spirit summoning powers. It's part of the Shuusen Kanrikyou's project to create the perfect assassin, codenamed project 'Testament'."

"H-hey! Don't tell him that...it's classified! You wanna get us all dead?!"

The other man laughs cruelly.

"It doesn't matter anyway. This Gear's going to be a mindless drone by tommorrow; after that, he won't know anything but his orders, anyway."

Gear...? No...t-they...they turned me into one of those THINGS?!

The world falls away around Tesu Undersn, as that blackness within his mind rushes up, a tide of madness, screaming at him to kill, and kill, and kill some more...and this time, he is unable to hold on. He screams, a scream of hatred and rage from the bottom of his soul...he tries to jerk his arms free, but they seem to be restrained by some sort of straps.

"What the hell?! Ether readings are going off the scale!"

"SHIT! Quick, get that thing under sedation!"

One of the men fumbles for an ampuoule of some clear liquid...but even as he's trying to fill the syringe, it explodes, sending shards of glass everywhere.

"You moron! Shit! L-let's get the hell out of here!!"

The men turn to run, but it's too late. One of the straps rips free, and Tesu's hand leaps out, grabbing, the man who spoke. The man struggles to pull his hand free, but it's futile; Tesu's hand is like a bond of iron. Tesu rises, ripping his other hand and his feet free of their restraints without visible effort. He turns to look at the man, his face a horrific, burning visage that looks like that of a particularly gruesome demon...

"Now...you're going to DIE!"

"Ggck! Mr...Undersn..."

"I am Tesu Undersn no more...I AM TESTAMENT! HAHAHAHHA!"


And with that, Testament had popped his head like a grape. And he wasn't the last to die that night, either...filled with a burning hatred of humanity (he later learned that this was a malfunction of the programming the Shuusen Kanrikyoku had planned to implement on him), he had massacred the entire staff of the research facility. And he had continued killing, more and more lives falling like wheat before the blade of his scythe. But it hadn't ended there. Testament's Gear enhancement had weakened his sanity, and the nature of his enhancement had rendered him vulnerable to psionic influences...including that of Justice, the leader of the Gear insurrection that had been sealed away at the end of the Crusades. Justice was able to gain some influence over Testament, and planted in his mind the idea to ressurect Justice to expedite the destruction of humanity. To that end, he had organized the Tournament of the Sacred Order of Holy Knights, to gather sacrifices for Justice's ressurection. It had taken his 'death' again, at the hands of Sol Badguy, to jar him back to sanity...his hatred of humans had remained, but he was no longer totally consumed by it. He had wandered miserably for a while after that...and then he met her. His meeting with Dizzy had started him down the road to rehabilitation. Her innocence and kindness had softened Testament's hatred, and had given him hope for the future once more...in exchange, he vowed to do all he could to repay Dizzy.

"Testament-sama! Are you alright?"

Testament shook his head, coming out of his reverie with a start. He looked up...and saw Zio hovering overhead, floating on her scythe.

"Zio...yes. I am alright. Come now...we have a battle to join."

---

Testament is now FOCUSed on the battle at hand.

Last edited by Dry31 on 04-24-2003 at 10:00 AM

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Renmazuo Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:45 AM

Cute Widdle Cleric Girl

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Graveyard of Airships

Edit: No FOCUS after all. Darn. XD


"Virtus in cordibus tranquillibus floret. Iustitia est mecum. Per animam meam, cave. Cave."

-- Sponsoring Alma Beoulve, Survivor X.

Last edited by Renmazuo on 04-24-2003 at 03:50 PM

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Soujiro Seta Posted: 04-24-2003 , 03:01 AM

The Silver Ogre

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Beyond Death

Act IV – The Memory and the Burden – I

Bring me down, you try
feel the pain and, keep it all in ‘till you die
without eyes you cannot cry

What’s your name?

I can’t remember.


This town…of all the places this journey had taken him so far, this reminded him the most of the battles he had fought in his own world, in the land of Ivalice. Except, the stakes were even higher than in those harsh times. Scattered groups of resistance soldiers rushed through the streets, dodging the death squads of heavily-armored Naclos soldiers.

Fighting against a church? Why do I feel as though I’ve heard this story before? Elmdor smiled only on the inside – any lighthearted thought would never make it to his face while he was on a battlefield. I suppose that makes us ‘heretics’ then, by Naclos’s standards. At least that’s what they’ll tell all their citizens. Now I know what it must have felt like to be you, Ramza Beoulve…

His wounds as well as his clothing had mended itself in the island paradise of Darkke’an, and the scarlet cape whipped behind him as he ran, spotless as a newly-flown flag. That ‘flag’ had hung over many a body seconds before the battlefield death sentence was carried out, fluttering down like a sheet of scarlet rain.

Elmdor’s thoughts turned to the four ‘Lords’, and their city-wide objectives. Dorrin would be helping survivors and assisting the resistance – not a place where he could really make an appreciable difference. Jun would be taking on the occupying troops – perhaps he would help the alluring ninja master and lend his blade to her cause, just as Zalera had promised her. But what really interested him was the mission of Daisetsu, the warrior of the crimson phoenix.

“An all-out frontal attack, made of of steel and sheer force.” He continued to run, black boots splashing through puddles in the streets where the haze of smoke hung low. “I like it. To slay the dragon, we must sever its neck. There…that is the place to which I must go.” He hurried, looking for a sign of anyone familiar as he crisscrossed the maze of streets of the fallen city.

“Stop where you are!” a harsh voice cried out, as a squad of hostile forces rushed him. Elmdor charged them, leaping at the last second and rebounding off the side of a building. Like reflex, his hand flew to the handle of his sword, where it lay in—

His sword.

He had none.

“Come at me again, Mesdoram!” A stern-faced Nipanese man in haori and hakama held a practice sword made of hardwood, staring down the silver-haired teenage boy who was his private student.

“’Tis madness, Heishiro-sensei!,” Elmdor protested, “you’re armed and I’m bare-handed! Were you holding a real katana, you’d kill me outright, no matter how I approached you!”

“What makes you think this wooden sword is any less deadly in my hands?” Master Heishiro – samurai immigrant to Ivalice who came from a long line of shogun’s retainers in Nipan - held out his hand, beckoning toward his student.

“Orraaaaaa!” Elmdor charged toward the silent swordsman, preparing an attack. He ducked and slid, flashing out with a low roundhouse kick. With what seemed to be just the right amount of hop, Shigeru Heishiro’s feet rode the crest just above the roundhouse sweep as Elmdor’s body spun on its axis. Realizing his mistake, Elmdor planted his left foot and pushed off the ground, rising with an uppercut meant to knock the samurai squarely in the jaw.

But instead, he met only unyielding wood, thrown down and back by the force of a precision-executed chop on his shoulder. The pain washed over his whole torso, as he struggled to rise to his feet.

“I did not tell you to attack me, Mesdoram – I said ‘come at me’. Remember the difference. It is best to not charge the enemy, but when you must – and doubly so if you are unarmed – do not attack them until they have made a move. If they do not move, then when you are close enough to negate their weapon strikes by Blade Grasping, then you may attack. But anytime before that is a folly. If they attack, you react. Counter or, as you become more proficient, ‘Hamedo’.” Elmdor recalled the monk’s training he had seen masters used that bordered on pre-cognizance, ‘Hamedo’ – the ability to anticipate an enemy’s attack and strike even before them in a way such that their strike was completely negated. “Now, come at me again!”

Elmdor sped toward his sensei, arms pulled up into a fighting stance. He ran faster and faster, but he did not attack. Trusting the words of his teacher, he kept running, muscles ready to spring at the blink of an eye. But with a grunt, he charged directly into Heishiro-sensei, pushing the much larger man back. Recovering from the rush, Elmdor blinked.

“What was that, just now? You didn’t attack at all!”

“Correct,” Heishiro-sensei replied, clearly stating the obvious. “I want you to remember the sensation of your body slamming into mine for the rest of your life. I want you to remember, and never be afraid to get that close, if that’s what it takes to defeat the enemy.” He sighed, seeming to show signs of age as he sat down on the hardwood floor of Limberry Castle’s private training room. “So many good men, friends of mine, perished in such a way…they would attack when the enemy was in range of their swords, thinking that the first attack would give them the advantage. But Shogun Zanmaru’s samurai and ninja were strong and intelligent – they waited for our men to make that one fatal mistake, a mistake that would let them take the initiative and come out the victor.” He put his hand on Elmdor’s shoulder as the youth, silver hair tied back in a kenshi’s ponytail, sat down beside him.

“Mesdoram…never make that mistake. Never be afraid to draw near to the enemy. It is only when you are willing to put your whole life on the line that you shall come out from battle unscathed.”


“Ha!” Elmdor’s body passed against the Naclos soldier’s body armor like a lancer cornering a young behemoth. Pirouetting, his hands grabbed the soldier’s neck in an iron embrace and twisted. With an audible snap, the man’s head flopped over to his shoulder like a broken toy as the body fell to the ground. The next lashed out at him with a large broadsword. Unable to avoid the swing, Elmdor crossed his arms and caught the speeding blade between the back of his palms, the durable Genji Gloves preventing him from the due uncomfortability of Blade Grasping that large of a sword. He maneuvered his hands sharply, pulling the sword from the surprised warrior’s hands. At the same time, his hands lit with a bright blue ki energy, the resulting ‘Wave Fist’ technique slamming the body against the strong stone wall of a building.

The last soldier fell with a gurgling scream that died in the haze, his throat running red.

“Are you going to test your technique all day, or do you feel like making a difference?” The voice – and the last kill – belonged to Lady Jun, heiress of the ninjas, who had stopped her momentary march toward the center of the city only long enough to call to Elmdor.

---

+ Continued +

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Soujiro Seta Posted: 04-24-2003 , 03:07 AM

The Silver Ogre

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Beyond Death

“Lady Jun, I thank thee for thy company,” he replied to her in a most polite manner, “but I’m afraid this is all I can do. I take great pride in my unarmed martial skill, but I prefer blade to blade, in the end.” She smiled at him, a gesture he found odd coming from the very private woman.

“Then I think you’ll like this.” Raising her arm, she tossed a long, slender object to him. It slapped satisfyingly in his palm as he raised his arm to catch it. “A bespectacled man with a gentle voice handed it to me before we entered the city, saying to give it to you specifically. Oh, and give a look at the note he left for you.”

Elmdor began untying the cloth strip binding an old, brownish piece of parchment to the sheath. It was then that a curiosity took him. Delegating the note as secondary for a moment, he inspected the handle and the guard. His eyes widened, and he partially withdrew the blade.

“Something interesting?” Jun inquired as she stood waiting for him.

“Very.” Elmdor had a hard time resisting the show of emotion. “I never thought I’d see this sword again, ever. It’s a sword for the purest and noblest of warriors. Put it in a stream, and leaves will flow around the blade. So also does it part strife and conflict.”

“The Masamune…” Jun eyed him with a knowing glance. “Mithrik’en has the stories of the legendary sword as well. I just wanted to see if you and I agreed on it the same.” She turned back to where the few troops and ‘summoned’ combatants behind her waited anxiously. “Follow me or not; that’s not my concern. Just use that sword as its creator intended; that’s my only request.” She turned and began to run through the streets again, her followers trailing behind her.

Once again, Elmdor’s attention turned to the note, which he untied and unrolled. The paper looked strangely old, for a note supposedly so newly written. As his eyes scanned the page, his heart skipped several beats.

To the most valorous ‘Elmdor-sensei’,

It has come to my attention that you’re in a bit of a hard spot. I hope you appreciate the sword – it took a lot of explaining to Leonid for us to take it; he paid an exorbitant amount to import another of Masamune’s rare pieces from Nipan, to replace the one missing from your collection. Also, this place is a bit…shall we say ‘difficult’ to get to, especially from ‘where we are’. It seems like getting your swords to you is a bit of a side-job for me, isn’t it? Well, don’t make a habit out of it, and don’t mistake my generosity for kindness…or was it the other way around?

So what are you doing sitting there reading this for? There’s a battle to fight, and the Masamune will show you the way! Use it well, my friend – personally, I think you’re the stuff heroes are made of. But that’s just my scholarly opinion. Best wishes from both of us.

- H. and K.

P.S. the purity of the Masamune should prevent Zalera from making any direct manifestations – it contains considerable holy power.

P.S.S. you can still find the answers on your knees anytime, my friend. There are more than just two ways for you.


Silently, he rolled up the note and tucked it away inside his sleeve. Taking the legendary katana, the Masamune, he jumped to the low rooftop of the building next to him. It was more than a sign, more than fate that the Masamune had returned to him at this hour. He would seek out Daisetsu and give whatever he could – whether commanding soldiers, as had been his experience for years, or as simple as fighting the enemy with his hand or blade. That was the way that sword was telling him to go.

To sever the head of the dragon.

---

Katana of the Round – Masamune! The Masamune is perhaps the most legendary of katanas, even regarded so high as to be seen as a holy relic. Masamune’s strong spirit wished for only those battles that would bring the world closer to true justice and peace, and so only warriors with pure hearts could effectively wield his extremely well-made swords. When drawn out, the Masamune creates no wave that attacks the enemy. Instead, its wave encircles the wielder, causing their speed and bodily regeneration rate to greatly increase. In effect, it ‘draws out’ the higher potential within the warriors who wield it.

Genji Up! – In Round Three, Elmdor came into possession of a Genji Shield – a medium-sized oval shield, colored black with silvery lining. This shield is especially effective at repelling physical attacks (as opposed to magic attacks) and he uses it in a very unconventional style called the ‘Aegis Shield Form’ – shield held out in front, with the katana drawn back behind the shield, ready to strike when the shield turns away an enemy strike that leaves them particularly vulnerable. It’s a very defensive-based style, so he’d probably not use it against larger groups of enemies. The shield seems to come to him when he needs it, which is to say, it’s not impairing his mobility when not in use.

Last edited by Soujiro Seta on 04-24-2003 at 03:25 AM

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Wayne Posted: 04-24-2003 , 03:52 AM

The Night Beckons...

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

In this entry....

-Mal'Ganis's psychic powers have heightened during the conflict of the past few days.
-He begins spinning a plot to come to fruition later. Yes, my friends... I'm going to try to build up to something decent. If you actually do see it coming, feel free to tell me and crush my feeble Snifit ego.

Nestled within this post are two quotes from a Super NES-age Square RPG. First person to post with both wins my fourth and final gift R-vote-- any more and I won't be able to hand them all out in one round, assuming I don't become Fallen before R-votes are available again.

Edit: Nice post, Soujiro. Um... let's say this happened right after yours. No real conflict, save we were both using Jun.

---

Mal'Ganis stood, arms crossed, looking down on the burning city far below. He had stayed back when the other "Lords"-- Kalten, despite some visible strain on him; had dashed off at once; and the others had followed soon after. He let his mind search out for what was happening... Daisetsu was, as always; explaining the situation and giving orders. Dorrin had left to aid the resisting defenders in the bowels of Soulis'en-- there, another of those bloody apostrophes. And Jun... Jun had advanced on her own to attack the invaders, whom the Fire leader had explained were mostly mundane, mortal humans.

I suppose I should help her. But that facade is over with now. No... no, I will wait.

The Dreadlord led the fierce winds from the mountains of Soujo'en howl around him, extending his wings and letting it carry him high into the air; looking for all the worlds like some demonic gargoyle. Now walking on the winds, he jerked his head to the right; a loose rock in a landslide crashing down a nearby mountain flew off at the same angle, freeing a massive avalanche to fall. He grit his fangs and waved his left hand; a decaying tree in the path of the avalanche exploded, cracking down its center and leaving only a spray of splinters and wood to be buried by tons of stone.

The winds died down of their own accord, and Mal'Ganis slowly descended to the hilltop he had been left on. He was panting now; telekinesis was very similar, and yet so different; from the telepathy he had mastered. In a sense all Nathrezim "magic" was a form of psychokinesis manifesting with arcane energy, but only the most disciplined-- such as Tichondrius-- had been able to master it.

Tichondrius had such mental strength that he could will any weapon to turn aside against him... only a demon or demigod could even wound him. I will never have that power, being a Desecrater... but I will be greater than what I am now.

...those fools.
he thought, turning his mind toward Jun and the others. And yet we-- those 'coerced,' as Daisetsu said-- are more the fools for going along with him. What manner of godhood does he pretend to grant us? When he cannot fight his own battles?

This... this 'event...' is a farce. Are we merely here to do their dirty work? Is Jun's dainty manicure to precious to risk damage in battle? They are strong, yes... greater than most mortals and even demons I have seen. But they are only mortal. If not for their 'avatar' power... they would be nothing.

I... am angry. Burning. Seething. Never have I been so wronged.
His eyes flickered, if only briefly; with an unholy glow. It is time. I will show you my true powers. And I shall have my revenge.

A sudden storm began whipping up behind him, and he knew the battle had begun. Mal'Ganis stood, immortalized for an instant in front of a flash of lightning. When the thunderclap resounded behind it, the Nathrezim was gone.

---

Hooves echoed on the cobbled streets of Soulis'en. Mal'Ganis, who never ran; was nevertheless walking quickly and purposefully toward where he knew Jun to be. The normally-bustling city streets were empty here. The occasional An'ven defender, usually an Archer; could be seen running to and fro, taking up positions, then falling back to heal up; as the front lines in the city drew closer. The demon's keen eyes could already see smoke billowing from one of the tall buildings six blocks or so ahead of him; the architecture, he stopped briefly to notice; strongly resembling Azeroth's own. And it too fell.

A pair of Naclos soldiers-- for so their red, Templar-style armor and uniforms revealed-- spotted Mal'Ganis. With a cry both raised their swords and charged. One-- a young man with a slight scruff of a beard, he could see-- was a little faster, and came down to the demon's right side. Mal'Ganis lashed out with his claws, almost faster than the eye could follow, and sliced into the soldier's vulnerable throat, following up with a fatal flurry of blows. The other just then reached in the next instant, and Mal'Ganis struck him in the chest with an open-palm strike. Stunned, the swordsman fell back, recovering quickly. The Dreadlord sneered and mentally focused on his longsword, tossing it aside with a flick of his wrist. The stunned soldier narrowed his eyes and balled his hands into fists, and Mal'Ganis shook his head. His eyes locked with the mortal's, and he died, screaming, as a swarm of bats appeared from nowhere and shredded into him, the coup de gras coming from his own sword, which had joined the sudden attack.

He advanced without a word, pausing only to Preserve their souls; he had a use for them later. Within several minutes he had finally caught up to Jun, who, alone, had already felled two dozen of the enemy.

One mounted crusader bore down on Jun, but as she coiled her legs, preparing to jump and, no doubt; execute the fool in one of many different but equally fatal ways, Mal'Ganis's mind reached him first. The demon raised his hand, eyes burning with intense focus on the Knight, and yanked him bodily off the horse. The surprised mount overshot Jun, and in the same motion Mal'Ganis tossed the warrior nearly thirty feet to the side, smashing him through the wooden wall of one of the burning 'skyscrapers.'

A trio of footmen charged in from the north, clearly not, as any sane mortal would; seeing the score of slain at Jun's feet as a warning; bearing down on the ninja. Mal'Ganis, behind her, could easily see the three, and closed his eyes.

His right hand shot forward, and the man on the left of the three suddenly stopped running, kicking his legs uselessly in the air. Mal'Ganis smashed the disabled man into his ally right next to him; and both fell to the ground. Then the Dreadlord focused on the still-standing warrior, and with a draining surge of telekinetic energy lifted him off the ground, then higher, then pulling him so quickly that he flew cleanly past Jun and even the demon nearly forty feet behind her, landing headfirst on the street somewhere behind Mal'Ganis.

"Mal'Ganis... I appreciate it, but you should really keep your eyes open in a battle like this." Jun's voice gently but firmly chided him.

The Dreadlord slowly opened his burning eyes. "Yes?"

The ninja tsked behind her mask, and held up an arrow caught neatly between her index and middle finger. She then pointed with it down the street to Mal'Ganis's left-- where an enemy bowman lay dead, with a pair of shuriken, dart-style, imbedded in his chest.

"Mal'Ganis... are you all right?" Jun asked as politely as she could manage; her eyes still darted to both sides, ever wary for the next group of attackers to find their way here. "...I need to keep going. So if you--"

"Jun." Mal'Ganis said flatly, and she paused. "...I have not forgotten what you did." She raised her hand in protest, flustered; but the demon shook his head. "No. You were right. And I suppose I wish to amend for that. Tell me... do you know where Kalten went? I could see that he left alone."

"Mal'Ganis, that's so... I... yes, no, I don't know. I'm sorry." Her voice rose. "...I know what you can do... at least a little, now. If I help you, can you find him?"

He nodded. "I believe so. Simply relax, and free your mind."

Jun frowned. "Will this take long? I mean--" her voice faltered as Mal'Ganis stepped up to her, placing both of his hands-- claws retracted-- to her temples.

"...no. In fact, I believe that will do it. Can you hold them off for a moment longer, Jun? I will need to focus, then I can probably find him."

She sounded immeasurably relieved. "Of course, Mal'Ganis. Thank you... I don't really know what to say. I mean... I couldn't expect...."

He forced his iron gaze to soften. "You need to hurry, Lady Jun. You're needed."

Mal'Ganis watched her run for a few seconds, barely hiding a smile as he noted her incredible grace... and beauty, of course. As soon as she faded further into the front lines, the fierceness in his visage returned.

The demon saw another small platoon rush into the square. Evidently Jun had spared them, and the awestruck men had seen her pass by.

"Wow... did you see that?"

"Yeah... she's like, a goddess or something...."

"...how many Gods are there, Cadet?"

"What I wouldn't give to get night poison from that ninja...."

"One, Sir. I'm sorry."

"They keep... spinning... and spinning...."

"Oh, that dress, so scandalous, you know a monk can't handle it...."

"So she's shakin' that thing with a look that's devilish--"

"Cadet!"

"Sir!"

Mal'Ganis ignored them. He had already done enough for that miserable city, and the only thing left now was the other half of his plan. He leapt as high into the air as he could, gliding toward about halfway up on the nearest intact tower. He stuck his claws in it for balance, then jumped again; this time clearing all the way to the top. From there he could see the entire panorama... well, everything in front of that position. And with no interference....

He closed his eyes and crossed his arms. And he let his mind search.

---

Nothing really so far. I'm assuming that Storm has started a, well, storm and have been using that. Feel free to write something in with Mal'Ganis before he gets to Jun; I merely wanted to establish this much for later (I fully intend to post again later on in the round to actually directly attack some sponsors, something I've heretofore done very little of :/).

This is also an apology for not doing nearly as much as I would've liked to; I tend to revolve my stories around other sponsors as best I can; I'm not very proactive (you've probably seen me take Vote Burn rather than vote dump in at least a few rounds so far). This is also thanks for keeping me around so long; this is farther than I've ever gotten in one of these tournaments.


"As you can see, your people are now mine. I will now turn this city, household by household, until the flame of Life has been snuffed out... forever." - Mal'Ganis

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Dry31 Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:29 AM

Judge/Jury/Executioner

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

Quotable Quotes

Okay Wayne...here's your quotes.

"I... am angry. Burning. Seething. Never have I been so wronged. It is time. I will show you my true powers. And I shall have my revenge." - Super Mario RPG, Smithy.

"They keep... spinning... and spinning..." - Super Mario RPG, random guy obsessed with spinning signs.

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MageusBlack Posted: 04-24-2003 , 05:41 AM

Grab your asses and run!

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

Maya Amano 4:1

Chaos consumed every inch of the place. Muffled screams of innocents could be heard from the distance, its memory echoing in her ears. The red glow that could be seen was eerie and warned every one of the dangers that were happening inside the city. She could feel a shadow covering the land in its darkness, and it scared her. This was war, and war was not a pretty thing.

“Oh, God…”

They were the only words the seeped out of Maya’s mouth. No matter how many times she and the others had been warned about this moment, Maya could have never imagined it to be this bad. Even when in her world, Joker-sama and Nyarlathotep had corrupted Earth with their rumors and magic, there was always a slight glint of hope that everything would be fine. Maya couldn’t feel that here.

The European-looking city streets already had battles in them. As quick as she could, Maya dropped her bag on the ground and took out her handguns. Making sure they were fully loaded, she put all her restoration items on the top for easy access, closed the bag, slung it over her shoulder and ran, ready for the battle.

“Whoop ass time!” she murmured to herself through gritted teeth, giving a stronger grip on the pink guns, ready for anything that was to attack. She could smell the scent of blood which filled the air in heavy doses. It was terrible. She ignored the screams her conscious said about what she was about to do. It wasn’t important now; it was survival of the fittest, the strongest win; eat or be eaten. Maya didn’t want to die, and she certainly didn’t want to be eaten.

Cautiously, she crept along the streets, checking around the corners to see if anyone was there. With the exception of expressionless bodies which Maya prayed to never see after this day, there was no one along the path she walked. Breathing heavily, she pressed on.

“You, Halt!” yelled a gruff voice from behind Maya. Instantly she bolted as fast as she could go - their footsteps in close pursuit. She turned her head to see how many were after her – Four, maybe five. She clicked her guns and fired randomly behind her, praying that at least one bullet would stop on of the soldiers, but she didn’t stop to check. She just kept running. She didn’t stop until she was sure the only footsteps on the ground she could hear, was hers.

Turning, she noted there were two soldiers, though far, were in sight. One pointed off towards her and they both started to run where she was. But this time, Maya stood her ground. She was tired of running, tired of being useless. She wasn’t going to just sit around and let everyone else do the work like she had let them in the other places.

“You're there, aren't you?” she spoke softly to apparently no one, “My guardian angel... I'm with you!”

At once, an aura, blue in colour, surrounded the Japanese woman from Sumaru. It rose high until it completely covered her and from the top appeared the figure of the woman. She was dressed in long bright pink robes with black patterns and stitching. She wore gloves which had sharp claws protruding from the tips of them. Her hair was red and shiny and curled itself into a coil. And around her face, was a visor which covered her eyes.

My name is Maia, of Subaru sparkling in the heavenly dome. I support the holy moon, and pray on your behalf...

In seconds, the being raced down towards the two soldiers, both dazed at the figure which approached them at rapid speed, almost like it was flying. It raised her hand above her head and cast a spell at one of the soldiers.

Hama

Bright red bricks fell from the sky as the holy spell started to take effect. Trapping the solider, the patterned bricks glowed, then shattered into nothing. The soldier that was trapped in the spell fell to the ground, his face in a confused expression; the instant-kill spell was successful. His companion looked around for Maia, but she was already gone. Confused, he retreated.

The glow around Maya faded, and she smiled. “Whoop ass completed!” she said happily.

“I’ll say you whooped their ass pretty well,” commented a voice. Turning sharply, she came face to face with a man dressed in a strange combination of blue, green and yellow patterned robes and jewelry. His hair was long and white, and tied neatly at the back. Maya recognized him as one of the people in tourney, but had never asked for his name.

“Thank you,” Maya said, and blushed happily.

She didn’t feel useless anymore.

---

8 A-Votes

Last edited by MageusBlack on 04-24-2003 at 06:30 PM

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Baka Posted: 04-24-2003 , 06:51 AM

Heaven or Hell?

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

If I'm still allowed to, I'll focus. Check that one with Kyo later. Post comin' in a bit.


Baka // Black Angel // Salva Nos

"I'm not good- looking enough to be party leader." - Robin Cook

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CarlyCheeese Posted: 04-24-2003 , 07:11 AM

Scarlet Rain Silence

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Feudal Japan

Ack ack ack - you can't really tell from my first post there that I had intended to FOCUS at that time. xo So if I can, then please make it so. XD; (I can just get a hold of you then to see if I did, ne, Kyo? @_@)


a lonely soul ____________________ moonlit skies
speaker of silence ________________ candlelit town
footsteps in the night _____________ eyes cast in gloom
utter reliance ____________________ a saddened frown

sweet serenity __________________ shielded by innocence
waits to be broken _______________ hidden by beauty
its mouth aghast ________________ the demon sleeps within
a demon hath spoken ____________ destroying naievte

~ hisame shizumaru, survivor x - oboeru mo ~

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Krizak Posted: 04-24-2003 , 07:15 AM

The World Shall Be Mine!

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: East Heaven Kingdom Goal: WORLD DOMINATION!!!

Phase Four (Affection): The Object of Her Desires

Mint ran into the city, looking about her in a mix of awe and horror. I've never seen a city this huge... Or this devastated. Well, those Naclos forces had better watch out, because they're about to get a taste of... SHIZU!

Her train of thought completely derailed as she saw the red-haired samurai enter the street a block away. The young warrior held his umbrella at the ready as he scanned the crossroads for possible threats. Spying Mint, he nodded at her and began to walk towards her... not noticing the arrow that pierced the ground just a metre behind him.

The sorceress' breath caught in her through in her throat. "Oh, my Aeons, Shizu's in danger..." Wasting no more time to think, Mint hurtled herself down the street, running as fast as her legs could take her. Glancing upwards, she could barely see the archer on top of one of the buildings, another arrow at the ready.

thought the archers were on our side run faster run faster why don't I have a shield spell for others purple purple that's it

"Purple, Circle, Warp!" A purple flash of light consumed Mint's body, and before one could blink, another purple flash signaled her arrival just behind Shizu. Before she even managed to gain her bearings, she had held up her rings to the sky. "Gold, Cosmic, Valiant!" The golden prism of energy encompassed her body just moments before another arrow struck it's upper edge, deflecting away from the trajectory that would have put it into Shizumaru's heart.

Shizumaru quickly turned around, a bewildered look on his face. "What? Mint-himesama, what is...?" He fell into silence as he looked first at Mint - her Valiant spell fading away, as she had no target to release it on - then at the arrow that been deflected away, and finally at the other arrow that stood sticking out of the stone road a few metres away. "Mint-hime, what...?"

"No time, inside, inside right now!" Mint grabbed the bishounen's arm and pulled him towards a nearby wooden door, an arrow bouncing off the ground just a few inches from their feet as they ran. The two young warriors threw themselves at the door, but it was locked tight. "Stupid [expletive] door! Black, Nor-OHH!"

Mint sunk to her knees, clutching her left shoulder in pain as a red stain flowered on her white undershirt, and Shizumaru's eyes widened at the sight of the feathered arrow sticking out of the young woman's back. "Mint-hime!" Raising his Kirisame, he slashed at the door with all his strength, breaking it off it's hinges. The young warrior then picked up Mint, hissing in pain as another arrow sliced across his arm, and ran inside.

"Wait... let me down... I can take care of it." Mint protested being carried, despite her weakening state, and Shizumaru set her down on a nearby counter. The young princess looked down at her arm and grimaced. "Heh... Well, there goes my new shirt. I'm never going to get that out..." She looked up at the arrow that protruded from her collarbone and grasped it firmly. Pulling on it hard, she let lose a howl of pain, followed by almost every foul word she could possibly think of, but the arrow had barely budged.

"...Alright. Shizumaru, dear, I'm a big wimp and can't stand the pain I'm causing myself. Could you get this arrow out of my shoulder so I can heal myself?" She smiled weakly, despite herself.

"Um... Hai..." Shizumaru looked unsure about the request, but he stepped forward and grabbed the arrowhead. Placing his left hand on Mint for leverage, he sighed. "One... Two... Three." With great strength, the red-haired bishounen pulled the arrow out of Mint's shoulder, eliciting another loud string of curses from the young woman.

"...Okay, then, with that out of the way.... Blue, Hyper, Restore." Mint gasped involuntarily as the magical blue energy worked it's way across her body, finally centring on the wounded shoulder and concentrating there. Shizumaru watched in wonder as the flesh mended itself at such great speed; though he had known of such magic for a long time now, it was the first time he had seen magical recovery in action. Within moments, the wound was no more than a faint scar, and even that had already begun to fade into nothingness.

Mint flexed her arm, ignoring the sticky sensation of her blood drying against her arm. "Ahh, there we go... Stupid arrow ruined my brand-new shirt, though. I'll have to have a word with Daisetsu on how well his troops are trained to distinguish friend from foe." The princess hopped off of the counter and faced Shizumaru, her most charming smile in place. "Thanks, Shizumaru. I really owe you."

"Ahh... but I-I should really thank you, not the other way around." Shizumaru rubbed the back of his head. "If you hadn't stopped that archer's shot, I would have surely died. I am truly in your debt, Mint-himesama." He bowed, which caused her to bop him in the head. "Ahh! What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his

"Don't bow to me! All my subjects have to bow to me because I'm beautiful and powerful and oh so rich, but anyone who is my" beloved "peer shouldn't have to!" She crossed her arms in a mocking way.

"I'm sorry if it offends you, Mint-himesama, but it's not meant to. It's a part of my culture. We bow to show our respect, both to our superiors and our peers."

"Oh. Oops. Hehe, now I feel silly!" Mint waved around one of her rings indifferently. "Well, Maya is always saying that I should be more respectful to other cultures, so... I guess it's okay if you bow." Mint walked away from the counter and began to walk around the shop. "Now, let's see where we are... Various liquids and powders on the shelves, cauldrons of all shapes and sizes," - she grimaced slightly - "disgusting bins of animal body parts, incredibly overpowering smell... An alchemist's shop! Cool! Let's see what sorts of things they have in here..."

Mint began to rummage through the shelves, making idle banter as she did. "So, Shizumaru, why do you always call me 'Mint-himesama'? Is that another one of your signs of respect?"

"Oh, uh, yes, it actually means princess. I heard you say that you were a princess back at the dojo." Shizumaru walked to the other side of the shop, looking for bandages to wrap his arm with. "May I ask what kingdom you are the heir to?"

"The East Heaven Kingdom, largest nation of the east, only rivaled by the nation of Laramin. At least in my world." Mint pulled another bottle off of the shelf. ...'Contains Worm's Blood, Pig's Eye, Bat's Wing, Iocaine Powder, and Red #7. Warning: If you try to drink this potion after reading all the ingredients, you're incredibly stupid and deserve the painful death that you will suffer.' Okay then... "I'm not really just a heir anymore, though; ever since my father got sick, I've been running the country, with a little help from my sister..."

"I am sorry about your father... My father also had... a disease, of sorts, and ever since he died... it has been a great burden on me." Shizumaru placed a hand on his chest, feeling the faint glow that most couldn't even perceive.

Silence filled the shop for a few moments, and then Mint squealed with glee. "Yes! Clothing-Repair Solution! 'Apply directly to damaged area of clothing. Solution will also clean any clothing it comes in contact with.'" Over-excited, Mint pulled the cork out and poured the potion on her left arm and shoulder. Within seconds, the hole had been fixed, and all the blood that stained Mint's shirt had disappeared.

The red-haired mage ran back over to Shizumaru, holding out her arm. "There we go! Doesn't it look brand-Hey!" She walked up to the young samurai and grabbed his injured arm. "What is this? Why didn't you tell me you got hurt?"

"I-I didn't wish to trouble you, Mint-himesama. It's nothing really; only a flesh wound. I just need to find some bandages so I can-"

Shizumaru's words were cut off by Mint, who placed her finger to his lips. "No, no, no! If I can get rid of some gaping hole in my shoulder, I can certainly do something with your arm! Now hold still!" Mint held Shizumaru's arm in one hand, while she held her other hand with her palm facing up. "White, Super, Remedy!" A softly-glowing sphere appeared in Mint's hand, which she then pressed onto the young man's arm. The sphere slowly melted, spreading it's glow over his arm and mending the injury.

"Ahh, arigato gozaimasu, Mint-himesama." Shizumaru looked up at the same time as Mint, their reddish-brown eyes meeting each other's gaze. "Uh, sorry, that means thank you in-"

kiss him

"-my language, and I'm always-" The young bishounen's words were cut off as Mint leaned over, her lips meeting his in a passionate embrace. For the split-second before Shizumaru could think again, instinct ruled over his actions and he began to return the young woman's kiss. Then, like a dam breaking under too much pressure, his thoughts returned to him in a tidal wave, with two in particular riding the crest. Rimururu... Alma...

Shizumaru broke away from the kiss and stepped back a few feet, staring at Mint with regret in his eyes. Before he could even begin to explain his feelings, though, she had already begun to speak. "I-I've been thinking about you ever since that night in the restaurant, when I first saw you. I just haven't been able to keep you out of my mind since then; I keep following you and watching you and thinking about and it's been driving me absolutely crazy and please kiss me again?"

Mint looked at Shizumaru with both longing and a hint of desperation, and the boy's thoughts all went completely blank. He opened his mouth a couple of times, wanting to say something but lacking the words to do so. Finally, he turned and ran out of the shop, leaving Mint standing there, alone and crushed.

"Shizu? Shizumaru? Please... don't...." Mint fell to her knees and began to cry, her tears pooling on the shop's floor.

"Please don't leave..."

---

New Spell Revealed!
Warp - Purple/Circle - Mint instantaneously appears in another location. Warp's range is limited to a few hundred metres.

Ack, 6AM in the morning. Well, Carly, as you can see, no duel, both for reasons of time and of character. (I decided that Mint wasn't quite unstable enough to try to kill someone who rejected her. ). She is, however, currently quite depressed, and will have probably have taken out some of her anger, sadness and guilt on nearby Naclos forces by the time anyone meets her.

Oh, and don't you go thinking that there's no fun and games to be had in my post! There are two references in this post, two references to a couple of the best movies ever! The first person who manages to find both references will receive one of my R-Votes next round.

And this message is exactly 10968 characters long. So close, and yet so far.

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m121akuma Posted: 04-24-2003 , 08:27 AM

t3h 3v1l av: Part 2

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Southfield, MI. Bitches.

And suddenly, Dan Hibiki understood.

He understood why he was called upon for this task. He understood why he was taken to this strange world. He understood why the Lords were so desparate for help. This was more than a war. It was a massacre. Dan knew what he must do. He adjusted his pimp hat on his head and pulled out his cane. He noticed Daisetsu running towards the battle. He ran after the Lord of Suzaku.

Dan: Wait up, big dawg! I've got your back!

And with that, the battle was joined.

Edit:Whoops, didn't notice the part about no R votes....sorry!


Southfield Board of Education: Prepared to be Schooled

quote:
Originally posted by Starhammer
SRK.com is the new evercrack. All we need is some Idiot to kill someone and blame SRK.com for it, and its status will be irreversible.

-Starhammer-


---Team Southfield Website---

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Lantis Posted: 04-24-2003 , 08:40 AM

Death roams next door

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Between hell and a world filled with grief. Take your pick

The city appeared to be slowly engulfed in flames all around, with the sky bathed in a red hue as smoke slowly rised up from the fallen buildings around Setsuna. He, along with 4 other warriors, had decided to accompany Daisetsu in his attempt to drive away the Nacios troops. He was alongside Sol Badguy, as he saw all around, the screams of women, the crying of children, and the death cries of dozens of men. The cracking sound of clashing swords could be heard everywhere. Several bloodbathed corpses lied on the streets, some with several arrows impaled in their motionless bodies.

"War truly takes out the worst traits in men, don't you think? It's easy to forget what sins are in the middle of the battlefield....", Setsuna calmly said as he walked past two corpses of Soujo'en soldiers who had been slayed like animales, tied up by the hands.

"That's right. No can do, though. Humans are stupid, irrational creatures by nature. They content themselves with killing each other without even knowing why they do so. But I guess we are here to kick ass and don't ask questions, I believe..."

"Fine with me. As long as I get to slay some dirty mortals, I'm not complaining.", Setsuna said with a grin, as he carressed his sheated Blade of 80 Days. The sword had tasted blood for quite some time...and now he was up to feed on more lives than he could account for.

"Hmmm....", Sol said as he looked at his side. "It looks like Testament is already beginning to have his own share of fun." He said so after looking at some decapitated heads of Nacios soldiers. "That boy...he truly knows nothing else but to kill and never even bother. A sicko, mind you. But oh well, he is already beyond hope...."

"I do believe we will be in the same position soon enough...."

Setsuna turned to his side...Hulk and Yuri Hyuga were also walking beside them. Testament had left to go on his own killing spree it seems. He turned to face his leader, Daisetsu.

"So, boss, what is your game plan to take out the Nacios soldiers?"

"It seems that Testament has taken his own course of action, so we won't bother about him now. We are to meet the Nacios troops head on near the main square of the town...in the very center. They plan to take on the government buildings there, and add to the overall chaos."

"Hmmm...nice plan. I wonder if I'll get to see how Nacios troops bleed?"

They continued to walk down the path. The sound of action was near....

----
1 A-Vote to Dorrin, Jun, and Kalten. 5 left.


Want to take me on another time? Sorry, life is too short to wait for your brain to assimilate your stupidity.

*First Champion of SRK Survivor Tournament - Character: Rock Howard
*6th place in SRK Survivor Tournament II - Character: Kibagami Genjuro
*6th place in SRK Character Battle Poll - Character: Flik

She once believed in every story he had to tell.
One day she differed, took the other side.
Empty stares from each corner of a shared prison cell.
One just escaped, one is left in side the rails.
He who forgets will be destined to remember.

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Exeter Posted: 04-24-2003 , 09:21 AM

Rock You

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

Quick note before going to school:

Sol will be FOCUSing if he can. If not, well...I'll ask in IRC this afternoon.

Back in six and a half hours.

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Lantis Posted: 04-24-2003 , 09:22 AM

Death roams next door

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Between hell and a world filled with grief. Take your pick

After walking for about 30 minutes, the small group doubled around a street corner. The image that now spread in front of them was amazing. A huge bunch of about 200 soldiers was walking in a monotonous pace towards the main plaza, which was behind the party, along the same street. In the town square, spread forward a park, and a huge statue in the middle, resembling the founder of the city. But in front of them, many soldiers with all kinds of weapons walked forward...and didn't seem to slow down.

"Very well...we have arrived...Total chaos is about to ensue. Now, only your spirit and skills will be able to see you through now. Fight with your heart, not with your fists! Because true heroes are born from brave decisions...not from their amount of skill."

Having said so, Daisetsu teleported to one of the buildings along the street. Setsuna and Sol just stood there. They saw the soldiers suddenly stop, and inspect the 4 warriors ahead of them.

"So, Sol...what do you expect we do now?", Setsuna said with a grin

"What do you think we are? Kick ass, of course. But please don't be so selfish and spoil all the fun...I also need some heads to roll."

"OK...seize the day. Let death cover these corrupt, spent souls!"

Then they saw the troops advancing towards them like a raging sea of destruction, yelling and stomping. Setsuna and Sol drew their swords. Sol quickly waved his sword, and shot a fire wave that spread throughout the street.

GUN FRAME!!!!

This definetly dazed the soldiers, and set the soldiers on front on fire. As they ran around screaming in their pain, Setsuna and Sol raged forward with a path of death. They slashed down some of the front troops, gutting and severing them. The other soldiers were fast in the draw, They attacked Setsuna from 3 different sides. Setsuna kicked one down, gave an open electric palm attack to the other, and gave such a strong slash to the other, he not only cut his sword, he split the poor sap in half. He grabbed the head of the soldier who was getting up, and slammed it back down on the floor, and giving an upper slash to another incoming soldier.

Then he noticed how a sleuth of fire arrows were coming his way. Setsuna spinned his sword, deflecting some shots. Then he had an idea. He grabbed the wounded soldier from the electric palm attack, and used him as a human shield against the fire arrows. The body soon caught fire, but Setsuna was still dashing and decimating...slashing down another 2 soldiers. He finally dropped the burning body, and now raised his swords to the heavens.

"Think you can all do against me? You are nothing more than insects, which means you will be STEPPED ON!"

A thunder bolt surrounded Setsuna's sword, and then swinged in an arc that covered his front. 4 more soldiers were slashed and shocked, falling down in screams of pain. But he then noticed that about 5 soldiers more were surrounding him. He backed up until he met another back.

"So, Sol, how's your day going on?"

"Not bad! I actually have killed 7 fuckers already. Bastards couldn't stop ranting about how strong I was..."

"This doesn't look good...but we shall teach them!"


Want to take me on another time? Sorry, life is too short to wait for your brain to assimilate your stupidity.

*First Champion of SRK Survivor Tournament - Character: Rock Howard
*6th place in SRK Survivor Tournament II - Character: Kibagami Genjuro
*6th place in SRK Character Battle Poll - Character: Flik

She once believed in every story he had to tell.
One day she differed, took the other side.
Empty stares from each corner of a shared prison cell.
One just escaped, one is left in side the rails.
He who forgets will be destined to remember.

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Baka Posted: 04-24-2003 , 11:10 AM

Heaven or Hell?

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

Kiske 4:1 - Calm Passion

Rushing into the town, Ky grabbed at the swords at his belt. Fuuraiken and Fuuenken, together at last. He'd lost Sol, but that was probably for the best right now. He still wasn't sure exactly where he stood on that.. darnit, his mind was in a mess at the moment. All he knew right now was that this was the reason for his being brought here, and this was his job.

Coming to a halt in an empty street, he surveyed the destruction - what destruction! - and grimaced. The appearance of this town.. hit too close to home. The destruction caused by the Crusades... the Gear armies.. and the annihilation of Japan.

But there was one difference. In his world, the Gears were the oppressors, the destroyers. In this... well, it wasn't the Gears. Daisetsu said it was the church of Naclos.. and that was where Ky's brain rebelled. The church is good! "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want", is that not what the hymns said? And yet... they could cause such destruction? Such terror?

Much of Earth's history was lost, destroyed by the rampaging gears - but the Holy Orders kept some, which Ky had spent time perusing. The church had not always been what it was... the middle ages in particular were a time of much strife.. religion begets anger and violence at other religions. Ky sighed.. such was obviously the case here. It was tricky for his mind to accept - the church was something much different in his own world - but the evidence was infront of him, smouldering and burning.

Ky shook his head, walking silently through the destruction. Such a shame.. such a waste of life.

It must be stopped.

Ky reached to his belt, to the swords, and drew them. Fuuraiken, Fuuenken. Sister blades.. united. Time for a Holy Knight to show these Naclos despoilers the true power of God!

-----

A-vote to Jun
A-vote to Daisetsu
A-vote to Dorrin

Ky is now poised to deal out some holy smitage, full of righteous anger and suchlike. Prolly all from me until a certain person gets online...

Oh, and Lantis, Sol doesn't have his sword right now.


Baka // Black Angel // Salva Nos

"I'm not good- looking enough to be party leader." - Robin Cook

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The Damned Posted: 04-24-2003 , 12:27 PM

Hyperion's servant

Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Where you are not.

Angry

Oh, [expletive]! Why the [expletive] do I always oversleep on vacations?! This is why I [expletive] hate [expletive] vacations!

*tackles TV through wall, then walks back inside*

Just a moment. I have to read everything first, which thankfully isn't much surprisingly.


If the good die young, then I'm effectively immortal.

Hyperion: "Stop the asteriod, Magneto. Stop the asteriod, or I'll implode your head."

Hyperion: "Give up this garbage and face the inevitable, Magneto. You cannot defeat me."
Magneto: "Everyone has an Achilles heel!"
Hyperion: "Only Achilles had an Achilles heel. I cannot be stopped."

Opposite attract only because men are sluts and women are whores. Thus the equation balances out.

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Daisuke7777 Posted: 04-24-2003 , 01:51 PM

K' -- KOF

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Ara? Oro? Eh?

K' threw his elbow against the soldiers head, a member of the Naclo Army. The combatant staggered backwards, stunned by the sudden blow to his forehead. Before the man could even recover, K' thrust his knee into the soldier's chest and threw him towards a nearby tower over his shoulder. The impact at which the soldier had landed against the concrete wall of the building was so forceful it left several fissures and fractures. The combatant grasped his chest, trying to regain his breath as he hoisted himself up with strain and difficulty. Blood was dripping from his mouth, staining the untainted ground. K''s eyes met with those of the soldier; his stare was icy and callous. "I can see fear in your eyes. It's what makes you weak." K' said snickering.

The combatant, still clenching his chest tightly, fumbled for his switchblade out of sheer desperation. K' crossed his arms and began to whistle as if he had all the time in the world. "I'm waiting." K' said in a melodious tone of voice.

The soldier continued to sift around for his weapon as if he had not heard a word of K''s. K' let out a heartless laugh. "Looking for this?" he said throwing the small razor blade up and down in his hands. "I took it when I struck you on your forehead. Was I too quick for you to even notice?" K' said smirking.

The man stopped abruptly, eyeing his own weapon in the enemy's hands. He fell back against the wall of the monumental tower and realized how futile his attempts had been. The soldier began to become emotionally unstable--rolling himself in a tight ball, he huddled and began to cry. K' frowned at the scene that lay before him. "Pathethic..."

K' clenched the handle of the blade tightly, aimed, and propelled it forward towards the Naclo soldier. The man gave a small yelp and shut his eyes awaiting his death, still sobbing uncontrollably. Debris and rock burst beside the man's head and all became quiet. The combatant slowly opened his eyes and stared at the tower wall beside him. The switchblade had been driven inside the wall, only a few mere inches away from the soldier's skull. Trembling, he looked ahead of him, expecting the pale haired man still there with his cruel smile. Nothing, he was gone. All the Naclo soldier saw was dust and sand swirling in the air carried by a gust of wind. He slumped backwards unable to speak, no words would form from his mouth as he lie there alone...

Meanwhile, K' had been only a few feet away, out of the soldier's line of sight--He had been behind a small house for quite some time observing his opponent's reaction. "You've been given mercy. Don't waste it now." he said to himself whispering. He proceeded to pull out a cigarette from his coat pocket lighting it with the power of the Kusanagi, and left the area.

---------------------------------

K' continued forward in a desolate part of the warring city. Bodies and weapons lay everywhere, and dark, wine red blood defiled the terrain. Cigarette in mouth, K' headed towards the distant screams and moans of death. That would be where the bloodshed was being caused. K' sighed and sauntered along the dusty path, picking up items he thought would earn him some money.

"Isn't that called stealing?" a nearby voice said.

"It's not like these rotting corpses are going to use them anytime soon, King." K' said sardonically.

"True." she retorted back with a small laugh. "Where are you heading to anyway?"

"Where do you think?"

"Seeing as that your the violent type, I'm guessing towards all the chaos and mayhem."

"You know me better than I thought." He snickered. "Well, I'm leaving. Your choice if you want to tag along. That is, if you man enough to do it."

"Shutup." King said with irritation. She headed towards the front line of the war, peeved at K'. K' simply laughed and followed suit.

***************************************

Status:

3 A-Votes

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San_Draco Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:01 PM

El Bruje Sale

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: The realm between the worlds...

In which Shang Tsung gets what's coming to him...

[OOC]And Draco gets to goof off in school. The benefits of knowing HTML upside down and inside out. Anyway, this is just a temporary post, unless one person comes in on time. But, considering that I have about one hour before I go to school, I doubt that I'll get to write. *sighs*[/OOC]

Shang Tsung... was happy. Extremely. At last, a round that works for me! What took these fools so long? With a smile, he began walking down the street, looking at the corpses.

Come to me. The sorcerer stretched forth his hand, and called the soul of a dead warrior to him. He cradled the green light, and smiled.

He had died by an arrow through the heart. As well he should have. The soul slipped into Shang Tsung, and the sorcerer smiled again. "I can feel it. The power, flowing through me again! And that is just the first... the first of so very many. Come, warfare. Come, violence and unnecessary bloodshed! Bring me that which I so greatly desired!"

Shang Tsung began laughing as he walked down the street, taking souls as he went.
---

[OOC]Anyway, that's the beginning. Souls are teh ***age. [/OOC]

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Renmazuo Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:02 PM

Cute Widdle Cleric Girl

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Graveyard of Airships

Eek! Psycho Power, let's pretend your post comes after mine, ne? Alma's gonna be rushing all over the place- Yuffie should be welcome company, though.

Canto IV + In Medias Res + Dim Dream


It would figure that the war would dawn, just as I was starting to feel happy again...

Alma had reached the city some distance behind the others- she wasn't much used to running into battle, especially over such terrain. The sight that greeted her was of a broken, lonely district, rubble littering the fountain in the center of the plaza. Her little shoes crunched over broken glass and small coins, her eyes warily catching sight of the fountain water- water that was now red. She clutched her staff closely to her side, taking advantage of her her amethyst's newfound glow as though to ward away any evil spirits. That was something new, she discovered; she hadn't seen the glow before the fight with the Hokage. Perhaps it had become a little more empowered...

She hadn't felt Altima in hours- not since the hot springs. Had she not been in a war zone, Alma would have had a smile stuck on her face.

What, no thank you?

Oh! She almost stumbled, catching herself. Sir Suzaku! I didn't know you were still around in there...

I have nowhere to go when I'm bored. Tell me you didn't come all this way just to linger behind the action.

She frowned. That 'action' was costing people lives. Still, she had to thank the Phoenix- she wondered if it was, because of him, that Altima was nowhere to be felt or heard. Maybe he'd driven the Bloody Angel out of her for good. Yes, of course, thank you, Sir...I have no idea why Lord Daisetsu would seek to keep you imbued in me, though- Altima is gone, is she not?

The Phoenix was strangely quiet. Alma twisted her lip, supposing it was just as well; it wouldn't do to have otherworldly entities talking in her head on the battlefield. Though, in most normal cases, it wouldn't do to have her on the battlefield- another liability! She could find no sight of Shizumaru, or Vincent or Vice and Mature or Ky or Yuri or anyone, and perhaps she was just as well not being close to them. They were all fighters, all trained in the martial arts. What was she to them? She could only heal, and if she was cut down or wounded badly...

Well, then it's Magic Power Restore to the rescue. Come on, wench, what are you waiting for?

Strange that her thoughts would echo in that voice. Alma smiled a little, and it seemed but a second in which she recalled it, yet every ounce of that conversation came flowing back to her.

---

"Well now! You've gotten better."

Alma looked up from the chess table with a flattered smile. "I have? Really?"

"Oh, quite." Zalbag's grin was not something that could be faked, let alone sugarcoated. He scratched a finger along his thin red beard, studying the black-and-white 'battlefield' with a glint in his eye. "Taken both my bishops and a knight, left me with but two pawns to guard His Majesty himself- so aptly named King Zalbag the Manly-Muscled Heartthrob of the Women, the Beloved Star of Lesalia, the Envy of the Men, the White-Toothed Astounder. Under the name of Beoulve there is victory, and within the swooning embrace of Zalbag there is-"

Alma nearly knocked over her queen with her giggling. Zalbag chuckled with her, his grin showing off those 'White Toothed' beauties, and set his finger idly on the head of a pawn. He moved it in front of his king. "And of course you've set up such a tight defense around your own king and queen, eh? May I presume that alongside the Beautiful Queen Alma of the Blushing Cheeks, there is His Majesty, King Clayton Sorabus?"

She slapped her forehead. "Ugh, don't dare that far, brother. I'd rather you use your Mind Ruin technique on me than go out with Clayton for a night...it would probably have the same effect." As Zalbag laughed, she moved in her bishop. "Aha! Check."

"Wench," Zalbag said jokingly. He slid in his remaining knight and took her bishop. "And once again, the military triumphs over the clergy."

Alma rolled her eyes. "Oh, you'll never let that go, will you?"

"Never, my fair lady." Her older brother eased back in his seat, tugging his mantle a little loose over the hinges of his suit (he seemed to wear his armor everywhere, regardless of whether it was polished or not). "I still think you'd have made a fine Magic Fencer, like Dycedarg."

Not a name she wanted to hear, but Alma let it slide. She tapped the head of her remaining bishop, deciding to save it, and instead moved her queen forward. "Not with the way I am," she said, sighing. "My arms are too weak, even for a foil- and even then, what am I, a duelist? Blood makes my eyes tear up. You know that."

"Only because the most you've ever seen of it is from a cat scratch." Zalbag moved his knight closer to the king. "Perhaps you'd have been a little more interested in archery, then. Your coordination is remarkable- that's what old Cid said of you, you know- ho!" He suddenly grinned. "Perhaps he is your King, then? I remember that crush you had on him when you were, what, six?"

Alma failed to stifle another laugh. Old Cid- he was on the other side now, fighting against Zalbag, and yet her brother still talked fondly of him. Dycedarg certainly didn't, but Zalbag's respect for the man wasn't even grudging. They'd all loved the man who was called T.G. Cid fondly as children, as surely as Father had. Zalbag had often looked up to Cid, and was determined to one day match him in the arts of the sword. Alma agreed with the whispers in the Imperial Capital, however- he already did. As much as he joked, as much as he made her laugh, Zalbag was always ready. He was Arch Knight for a reason.

It's so strange. My old Zal, a match for Thunder God Cid...

She moved her queen again, narrowing in on the king but just out of range of both knight and pawn. "Nay, I think Cid fits more as a muscle-bound rook...whom the queen has an affair with." Zalbag laughed heartily, obviously pleased with her response. Alma gave him a teasing grin- those kinds of jokes weren't her cup of tea, but with Zalbag it seemed to come naturally. He was a bit of a corrupting influence- a Cleric shouldn't be making such jests- how scandalous! "As for your other comment, archery is a little too slow- stringing the bow, drawing the arrow, aiming, firing...too worrisome. Crossbows are heavy and cumbersome...mm, you know, I think it's the whole 'killing people' thing that gets to me."

Zalbag nodded, exhaling through his nose. "Yes, that's one aspect of Father you didn't inherit...perhaps your mother passed that on. She was a peaceful woman."

Alma nodded, a little pang going through her when he said 'your mother.' It was well-known that she was a barely legitimate child, like Ramza- only half a sister to Zalbag and Dycedarg. She idly scuffed a dainty foot along the rug below them, wishing for the thousandth time that she might have been born a man. Someone who wasn't the illegitimate little girl, someone who was as good with handling their emotions as the brothers and the father of the family. Someone who wasn't a whelp, who could take up the sword and not cringe at the weight of the lives held on it. Someone who could be valued.

Someone like Ramza.

Zalbag seemed to catch the sudden pain he had prompted in her. He pursed his lips, and Alma frowned. He looked like he was thinking about something beyond her, which she detested above anything else. If he'd only open up to her more often- she'd stayed here at Lesalia for two months now, since leaving the convent at Orbonne, where she'd been for, what, a year and a half or two years, and since then, Zalbag had been so amicable, so...well, brotherly. Yet he kept to himself most of the time, reading his books or polishing his swordwork in the huge wooden-floored training room just a door over from this little guest room. Not to mention, of course, that he was Hokuten commander for this newborn war- this 'Lion War.' The action had been quiet for some time, but he would be summoned off soon, no doubt. And then Zalbag Beoulve, the Destroyer, would fight again.

So Alma was very alone in the huge Lesalia Castle. So alone that her thoughts turned to Ramza, and Ovelia, and Delita...and Teta. She had touched the gleipnir strand so many times now, touched the Barette that felt like Teta's own skin...

Zalbag coughed, bringing her out of her trance. "Ah, your move, Alma."

She glanced down, and saw that he'd moved his pawn forward a space. Dispelling her thoughts with a shift in her chair, Alma moved her queen forward, a space shy of his pawn's range of fire. "So...what kind of man has a chess table in a room full of fencing foils, mm?" she asked, looking at him with a reassuring smile.

"Chess is a gentleman's game- a lady's, in your case, of course," Zalbag said, grinning toothily. "Have to be politically correct. Ah..." He moved his king over behind his knight. "And on that note, if you're that perturbed by the act of killing, perhaps you could choose a profession that fights without taking life, eh?"


"Virtus in cordibus tranquillibus floret. Iustitia est mecum. Per animam meam, cave. Cave."

-- Sponsoring Alma Beoulve, Survivor X.

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Renmazuo Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:06 PM

Cute Widdle Cleric Girl

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Graveyard of Airships

"A Cleric does so, but go on." Alma tilted her head curiously. "What else but a mage could I be?"

Zalbag winked. "A dancer."

She took her queen, raised it, and emphatically struck his pawn down. "Ahaha. No."

Zalbag bit his finger to hold back another laugh. "All right, I concede defeat. You are a fine mage, Alma. A healer is most valued in this world- I would rather have you behind me than a whole legion of Knights. If the power to heal is what you desire to give yourself, then by all means, do it. You will bring great pride to the name of Beoulve." He smiled, and suddenly moved his rook forward. "Checkmate."

Alma looked down, gaping at her side of the chess board. Her king was dead in front of the rook and had nowhere to go. She groaned, and began putting the pieces back in their places. "Oh, I thought you said I was getting better at this..."

"Oh, you are! Just not enough to match a handsome Arch Knight yet." Zalbag winked, then took her hand and kissed the back of her palm. "Mwa. Good game, sister."

She patted his armor-plated shoulder with a smaller grin. "Good game, brother. Maybe next time."

"Indeed." Zalbag rose from the table and pushed in his chair, glancing at the large grandfather clock by the door. He bit his lower lip in thought, tapping the rim of his chair. "Huh...I wonder if I can get in a good hour of training or so before I go over the reports. I think I'll try." He reached down under the chess table, and grabbed something- the sword, which had been there all the time.

The thief had me by the arm, he was wrenching on it- I felt it sprain, felt the bone jostle as it twisted. I couldn't do anything, I couldn't lift a finger to save Teta. All I could do was call for someone who could...I called for him, for Zalbag. The thief looked at me as though he were going to strike me down, and for that instant, I saw his face. I remember it to this day. He was in his thirties, must have been a veteran of the 50 Years' War. He had grizzle, and a scar under his nose, and dark eyes.

Then Zal was there, and he shoved me aside- so strong- and I fell to the floor. The thief was moving, but he had only a second. Everything was so fast...Zal was so fast. He brought down that same sword, already unsheathed, and the shock on the thief's face...the crushing weight of the sword as it cleaved his body in two. His skull cracked from the force and everything inside of him was just ripped apart by the sword...and then Zalbag's face...


He slid the impressive Defender sword over his back, his handsome features beaming at her. "I'll see you at dinner, all right? Godwilling, we'll go for a ride, maybe see the town."

"Yes, that's okay..." Alma smiled, her face paling. "See you then."

Zalbag winked at her, then turned and walked for the door. He turned the knob and was gone, leaving her alone in the little storage room with the chess table. Alma looked down at the table, running her finger idly down the center of a knight. Her red shoes brushed over the floor as she swayed her legs, thoughtfully circling the knight's polished wooden helm.

"Ramza..." she whispered, an old pain rising in her throat. "Ramza...Teta, Delita...where did you go? Where did you go...?"

Alma slumped forward, her face falling into her hands. Her elbows knocked the chess pieces over and sent them clattering to the ground. A king's crown dug into the flesh of her elbow. She didn't care. She wrenched her face and would have beaten her breast if she weren't trying so hard to hold back the tears. She bit her lip and felt the quiet beat down on her, felt the awful silence of two months crush her like a paperweight.

It is March 1- almost two years to the anniversary of when they left me. That it was the monastery again...that it was our home again...that it was Igros in that dead, cold alley once more...ah, I still remember that thief's face before he died- the horror, the shock...

God...could that have happened to-


"No..." Alma rasped, "no...not Ramza. Not brother. He's too strong...unbeatable. Always unbeatable. Always, always, always." She repeated it over and over, grabbing her left sleeve and tugging it up and down over her small arm. Ramza...she hadn't seen him in so long, and sometimes she feared the worst. She feared it of Teta, of Delita, of Ovelia- of all her dearest friends. The reports from Fort Zeakden over a year and a half ago had been bleak, and in a world at war, nothing was sacred- nothing was safe.

But...but Ramza is strong. Strong enough. He will be safe... She forced a smile. He's like Father. Strong, and just...and brave. And Teta is a fighter- I bet he rescued her, along with Delita. Hah, when I see them again, they'll keep me up all night telling me about the adventures they've had, surely...

"Please, God?" Alma whispered, staring at the ceiling above. "Please bring them back to me...? Please, do this for me? Let them be safe..."

The quiet allowed only the sound of a bishop clinking next to a knight to answer her. Then it was quiet again, her own sniffling not enough to stop it.

---

Perhaps not a second had passed, in remembering that. Alma wiped moisture from her eyes as she stumbled along through the cracked ground. "Zal..." She sighed, another blast in the distance only adding to the weight on her shoulders. "I miss you, brother..."

"Hrraaah!"

Alma perked up, again, as the sound of something heavy and dull smashing into pavement lit up the square. Shaking off her vagrant thoughts, she rushed through the plaza and into one of the many alleys of the magnificent city. Alma reached another plaza, and found it lit up with action-

-namely, action that stemmed from Dorrin's mace flattening a Naclos soldier.

Alma's hand flew to her mouth at the sight, and she turned away from the giant man who in one blow destroyed some hapless enemy. She clutched her stomach as an awful cold ran through it again, the cold that only came from seeing another human being slaughtered. Yet she still forced herself to look again, and survey the surroundings. Ash, smoke, and blood was everywhere. Dorrin was there, along with many other An'ven forces (she could tell by their uniform), and some others she knew, driving back Naclos soldiers. They were in a sort of encampment, using the rubble of a collapsed building as a barrier against the oncoming Naclos forces. An arrow whizzed by, and Alma crouched low, reminded of the ongoing combat. The An'ven forces here were many, though the Naclos clearly had more. She wondered why that was-

-and it came to her as she looked behind the battlements, to where dozens- or hundreds- of soldiers lay strewn about in makeshift clinics.

Oh, no...

"Oraaa!" Dorrin's huge mace came swiping in a horizontal blow, cracking the ribs of a Naclos swordsman that came bounding over the rubble. The huge Lord took another step, and then suddenly there were three swordsmen coming down. He grimaced, bellowing to the rest of the An'ven, "haven't we got any damn archers around here!?" He lifted up his mace again, readying a second strike for the oncoming bladesmen.

"Deflagrate muri tempi et intervallia!"

Alma's resounding voice rang out over the sound of something like a clock slamming to a full stop. Dorrin looked on, bemused, as the swordsmen suddenly froze in midair, their blades upraised and their eyes fierce, but completely motionless. He recognized it- a spell of Time Magic, meant to stop not only movement but the walls of time and space around individual targets. But to affect all three targets at once...

"Haha! So it's you again, Cleric girl," he said, turning to Alma with a daring grin. "I was wondering when you'd pop up to help."

"Any time," Alma said, her staff still radiating with energy from the spell. She was tempted to bend the knee, but she remembered hearing something about how you shouldn't salute your superior on the battlefield. Instead she simply nodded, discrete and secretive. "I shall see to the wounded!"

Dorrin nodded, going back to the fight- with his frozen enemies, anyway. Alma turned quickly, biting her lower lip; her Stop spell would keep those men frozen for hours if it wasn't interrupted, but if she'd doomed those poor men to die, she felt she'd never know how long it would take her to forgive herself. All the same, Alma had work to do. She rushed back and towards the prone soldiers, and sucked in a deep breath. They had many medics going to work on them, but the wounds...

Some of them fatal...Holy Magic, don't fail me now.

"Oh, and girl!"

She turned- and caught a bag that Dorrin had tossed to her. She looked at it curiously, and gaped. "This is...a Chemist's bag?"

"Figured you might need it," Dorrin said, winking- and Alma saw he'd simply knocked out the men she'd frozen. The older Lord flashed her one final thumbs-up, and then returned to his duty.

Alma was only too glad to strap the bag around her waist, positioning it over her belly. She felt vials of potions, remedies, and all manner of healing tonics jumble inside it, and felt like grinning. A pained moan from the fallen dispelled that, however. She clutched both staff and gear, as though imbuing her own trust into them.

"No more Tetas..." she whispered. "No more Ramzas, no more Ovelias...you've fought well. You're all going home."

Alma wished she could guarantee that for everyone there, and unzipping the bag, she went over to the wounded soldiers and went to work.

---

Ability of the Round - Item! The Chemist's skill, this uses knowledge of the human anatomy as well as minor surgery and potions to heal wounds and cure ailments on the battlefield. Alma knows how to prepare many of these tonics, particularly X-Potions, Phoenix Downs, Antidotes, Holy Water, and Remedies. She has also learned how to Throw Items across the battlefield, so as to toss medicine at a wounded fighter and still be able to heal them. It's a crude ability, but Alma's made surprising good use of it.

And yes, Alma will now be with Yuffie around her. ^^


"Virtus in cordibus tranquillibus floret. Iustitia est mecum. Per animam meam, cave. Cave."

-- Sponsoring Alma Beoulve, Survivor X.

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Psycho Power J Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:08 PM

Still nothing here to see

Registered: Dec 2001
Location: Wouldn't you like to know

No problem. A little cut and paste, then deleting my earlier post should do the trick.

----------

The air is alive with sounds of seagulls chirping through the air and the crashing of the waves on the shore. Yuffie is laying on her back, eyes close and a content smile on her face.

"Aaaah! Now this is relaxing." sighs Yuffie. The pain and fatigue fades from her body as she lay on the beach. The sun is high in the sky, it's rays shining down on her, warming her. She breaths in deep as the wind breezes over her and brings the wonderful scent of smoke.

Smoke?


Yuffie's eyes pops open and she sits upright. Instead of laying on the beach she imagined, she's actually on a street. Looking around she sees that she is in a city. A burning city.

What the hell!?

She springs to her feet. Hearing a yell from behind, she whirls around and reacts just in time to duck under a blade that's swinging towards her head. She comes back up with a punch that staggers the attacker. Then, she leaps towards him and swinging her leg around to kick him on the side of the head, she sends him sprawling on the ground. She follows it up by stomping down with both feet. Yuffie jumps back and stood ready.

When the attacker didn't move, she collapses in relief. "That was close! I could have lost my head!"

"Are you all right?" Yuffie turns to see a young woman with a staff and a medic bag, looking at her with concern. Yuffie jumps back to her feet.

"Yeah! Of course! I AM the great ninja Yuffie, after all!" she brags.

"Oh...of course." Alma look uncertain. "Well, uh, Yuffie isn't it? If you don't need any help, I'll be going now." She turns and start walking away.

"Wait!" Alma stops and sees Yuffie running after her.

"What's going on?" Yuffie asks her.

"What do you mean? Aren't you a civilian here?" Alma looks at her questioningly.

"No." Yuffie admits. "Actually, I don't even where here is."

Alma looks at Yuffie more closely, who's wearing a sleeveless green turtleneck, unbuttoned shorts, and strange armor and shield. Her outfit is definitely not like those of the civilians that are fleeing, or of any of the people in the cities that Alma has been in. "Oh, you must be one of the people brought here. This is Soulis'en, and it's under attack from the invading Naclos. Didn't you hear what Daisetsu said?"

"Who's Daisetsu?"

Alma is taken aback. "Don't you remember? Daisetsu is one of the people who brought us here, so we could aid in the fighting against Naclos." Yuffie gives her a blank look. Alma sighs and says, "I guess I'm mistaken. You're apparently not one of the people who were chosen."

Alma looks at Yuffie. "I'll explain as we go. But for now, we have to help in defending against the invaders." Alma turns and heads towards those injured in the fighting. Seeing no reason to disagree, Yuffie starts after her.

----------

4 A-votes

Last edited by Psycho Power J on 04-24-2003 at 04:53 PM

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Renmazuo Posted: 04-24-2003 , 02:12 PM

Cute Widdle Cleric Girl

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Graveyard of Airships

Aha, thanks! XD My own fault for working on such monstrously big posts!


"Virtus in cordibus tranquillibus floret. Iustitia est mecum. Per animam meam, cave. Cave."

-- Sponsoring Alma Beoulve, Survivor X.

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Wayne Posted: 04-24-2003 , 03:36 PM

The Night Beckons...

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

Dry, of course, wins the prize. Which means that everyone I've promised R-votes to is going to go Fallen this round. That's just my luck.

In this entry....

-Better than Energizer... better than Duracell... it's... S O U L S ! Mal'Ganis uses Preserved spirits to push his psychic powers, but the strain is starting to catch up with him....
-He's distracted by fighting nearby, especially when said fighting involves someone calling down lightning. And since the demons owe Setsuna from earlier anyway....

---

Lightning crackled in the sky high above the city, an odd phenomona; since as yet there was no rain. Mal'Ganis was still searching as distantly as he could, but even from his vantage point and relative ability to concentrate he couldn't find Kalten.

He paused and sat down; slowly massaging the sides of his head. He had manifested more psychic power in the last hour than he had in many years; and most of it had been psychokinetic, an art he was hardly accustomed to.

Ragged breaths escaped, and Mal'Ganis shook his head. Almost trembling now he converted the pair of souls he had taken earlier, consuming them; focusing their spirit energy into his mind. Almost at once his feeble telepathic scan spread, psychic ripples coursing for kilometers around.

Much... much better... ah, and there he is....

Kalten was actually beyond the edges of the city, striking, fading; picking off soldier after soldier from the Naclos reinforcements line. He was agitated; Mal'Ganis could easily sense that much. Something-- or someone-- was occupying his thoughts, and apprehension was nearly as thick as rage in the vestiges of his ego.

The Dreadlord attempted to focus even more... 'zooming in,' as it were, on the fearsome archer, but whether it was simple distance or the natural psychic resistance adrenaline brought out; he couldn't seem to ensure the accuracy of his mindlink.

No matter... I have a general idea as to where he is, and once I get closer I'll be able to reach him. Jun... I certainly hope she appreciates this.

Mal'Ganis saw a stroke of lightning called down from above; and it struck only a few blocks distant. He smiled darkly and leapt from the roof of the tower he had been standing on, gliding toward it. Very few Nathrezim could fly, and none with merely their wings; but they were large, and extremely resilient; and could catch even a small amount of wind. He landed near the top of another tower, and glanced down.

His eyes were instantly drawn to a tall, dark swordsman, his longsword still crackling with just recently-discharged electricity. Mal'Ganis recognized him at once.... Setsuna. Mahannarin fought him, but we left Kaintor'en before the engagement could really get underway... I should step in. And besides, I sense quite a few souls from him....

The demon narrowed his eyes, gaze boring into the swordsman. Blood... blood and death. The carnage you seek will not be found merely staying in Daisetsu's shadow.

Mal'Ganis could sense Setsuna pause, glancing around warily. To his credit his senses were greater than most; and slowly his cold stare made its way to the giant buildings above him.

You are sustained by evil, aren't you? You live so that others may die? Yet here you are... working together with these other mortals. Which is it, boy?

He smirked as he saw Setsuna grip his blade even tighter, then start to walk off on his own, toward the tower Mal'Ganis was waiting upon.

This city is full of life, both Naclos and An'ven... but to you, aren't they merely mortal constructs of flesh, waiting for their merciful demise? He broke the link with Setsuna. ...that is far enough. And now, swordsman... you are mine.

Just as the evil-tainted fencer crossed into the shadow of the usually-giant housing complex he stood on, he jumped straight down, landing without injury on his hooves nine stories below; having magically cushioned his fall.

Setsuna whirled around, curved sword flashing. "So it was you?" his voice betrayed no emotion.

Mal'Ganis smirked. "Yes... yes, it was I. You are sustained by souls, aren't you? They call out to me as a beacon... and you made yourself a target by your actions in Kaintor'en."

The swordsman smirked. "Is that so? Demons didn't strike me as the type to watch out for their own." He held his blade ready, eyes focusing on Mal'Ganis, who stayed in a relaxed, confident stance.

"We are usually not, true," he explained, but added, "...although that changes when our common enemy is a mortal. Especially a dangerous one."

Setsuna's lip twitched in another half-grin. "Dangerous... you don't know the half of it."

Mal'Ganis chuckled. "Oh... I believe I do." He extended both his hands, and a red flare appeared between them, slowly cooling and expanding, revealing itself to be the Pitlord's twinblade.

The weapon was over six feet long; with a grip of about fourteen inches positioned between two curved blades, both thirty inches in length themselves. The Dreadlord twirled it once, then shifted into the offensive-based stance of a Nathrezim Destroyer, one hoof forward, blade held flat, but diagonal in his hands; the right hand about just below the shoulder, and the left further down.

Setsuna nodded in reply and struck first, slashing sideways with his famed 'Sword of Eighty Days,' and Mal'Ganis, nearly underestimating his enemy, barely parried it with the top blade. He spun it around, forcing Setsuna's arm down; but the swordsman saw an opening in Mal'Ganis's stance and thrust forward, missing the demon's side by a fraction of an inch. Mal'Ganis snarled and kicked at Setsuna while his sword was locked by the twinblade; and struck his gut, knocking him back.

The human sneered and lunged again, this time twisting away to evade a long, risky sweeping slash by Mal'Ganis. Setsuna swiped at Mal'Ganis's leg, now vulnerable, but only scored a light gash as the demon twisted aside.

"First blood," the human announced coldly, and Mal'Ganis nodded.

"It is all the blood of mine you will shed."

Setsuna again took the offensive, rather than bother replying; but this time Mal'Ganis, using his superior agility, jumped cleanly over his enemy's attack. He landed barely behind Setsuna, jabbing him in the back with an elbow while the swordsman wrenched his body around to turn. He staggered forward, then finished his turn; and leapt at Mal'Ganis, who had also jumped backward to dodge. The Dreadlord suddenly focused both eyes on Setsuna's right leg, and as the swordsman flew Mal'Ganis telekinetically pulled on his ankle, flinging him to the ground.

The human cursed as he rose, wiping away a trickle of blood on his lip from where his face struck the cobblestone road. "Good trick."

Mal'Ganis narrowed his eyes. "You've seen nothing." It wasn't entirely true; but then, boasts between warriors rarely were.

Setsuna, more wary this time, slowly circled around Mal'Ganis, who mirrored his motion. After a few seconds the swordsman shot forward, darting aside to dodge another preemptive strike from the Dreadlord. He spun around toward the Dreadlord's back, then with a cry charged his blade with another powerful bolt of lightning. He dashed toward Mal'Ganis, sword sparking--

And stopped. The Dreadlord, nearly shaking with concentration, was holding his twinblade with his right hand, clenching his left seemingly in the air. At first Setsuna felt nothing beside a weakness in his body... then at once fell to the ground in wracking pain, dropping his sword.

"What... what have you done to me?"

Mal'Ganis, so intense was his focus; could barely reply. "...your existence was brought about by malevolent spirits. 'Evil souls,' so to say. ...they are currently fighting against my will. I have summoned your entire spiritual energy force into my hand, and although you will resist it in the end, you will suffer much, and I will grow stronger."

Setsuna, hissing now; finding breathing much harder; grabbed his blade again and stood.

The Dreadlord nodded. "You will still be able to fight me. But--" he warned, voice lowering, as his eyes opened, "...you will not defeat me now. Call out to your allies if you must, or drive me back... but the longer you take the more souls I will draw into myself."

He tightened both hands on his twinblade again, fighting defensively now; waiting for the Soul Preservation to run its course.

---

A-vote to Setsuna.
A-vote to Ky.


Since Setsuna survived when evil souls merged with him, and Mal'Ganis has the power to drain souls for use later... he has a pretty decisive advantage. Of course, he's fighting alone; and while Mal'Ganis is just about fearless, he's not going to risk a fight he believes he might lose. Take that as you wish.


"As you can see, your people are now mine. I will now turn this city, household by household, until the flame of Life has been snuffed out... forever." - Mal'Ganis

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DarkBlade77 Posted: 04-24-2003 , 03:46 PM

Ratio 4 Vanessa Abuser

Registered: May 2001
Location: Secret Boss Stage #1

I can't believe I didn't mention this, but ah well.

FOCUS is not allowed. I'm sure you know why.

If I see someone FOCUSing in a post, I will just disregard it, so there's no need to edit.

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Exeter Posted: 04-24-2003 , 03:48 PM

Rock You

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

Writing something now...

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The Damned Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:07 PM

Hyperion's servant

Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Where you are not.

This happens before K''s post obviously, though like Yuffie to Alma, he's welcome company:

King
Chapter 4: Death's Eterne Patience
Section 1


City Limits of Soulis'en, Fallen Capital of Wind

The scene, full of smoke, blood, screams, and fury, horrified King. She immediately wondered why she had not rested yesterday, instead venturing off with Amethyst, and slaughtering all those horrific, fairy tale creatures. It's not that she didn't enjoy yesterday, no, she did. The fighting finally released her from her fury and she, though she didn't want to admit, was starting to develop a bit of a crush on Amethyst, especially since he was kind enough to teach her some new fighting techniques. But something from yesterday still bugged her, and it wasn't only what she had seen, or rather not seen in that "trench" at the end of Rhea Munde. It was all the memories she had been suppressing ever seen she had warped to this bizarre and frantic place, and the teleporting only added to the stress. The memories of Ryo, Jan, Yuri, Thailand, Southtown, and even Rydia came flooding back to her. Especially Jan, how could she have forgotten about him, there was no true excuse as she saw it except her own weakness.

I'll pay you back, little brother.

And with her mind set on penance, she leapt into the fray.

****

Within Soulis'en, Fallen Capital of Wind

King soared through the air, her Tornado Kick's initial attack disarming a rugged man in red armor, the long sword flying from his hand. The follow-up attack easily knocked him into the wall of a small concrete building, probably a residence, that part of the structure effortlessly cracking from the sudden force. And a solitary Venom Strike flung him the rest of the way through the wall before the whole top of the new man-sized hole also collapsed on his prone body. She turned to the defenseless child he was about the murder, a lanky, young male teenager, that she reminded her too much of Jan. Not that she would not have stopped - she would have abhorred herself even more if did not - if it was someone of another gender or age or even an An'ven soldier.

"Are you okay?" She asked him, slightly tearful.

"I.. I'm... I'm alright," "Jan" stammered back in reply.

She helped him up, his thin body covered with many scratches, of all them seemingly superficial at a glance. She spoke again, gently patting him on the shoulder as she did so.

"Good. That's great. But you shouldn't be staying here," her voice gripped by a motherly sense of caring. "Go and hide somewhere safe." His eyes widened.

"B.. bu... behin--" King didn't wait for him to finished as she pushed him back, gently but with enough force to actually move him. Then she too ducked away from the nigh-decapitating blow that would have struck her. She fiercely kicked her foot backwards, knocking back whoever was behind her before turning around to stand up and assess the threat. She found another soldier in red.

"Run!" She shouted to the boy without turning around to look him, the motherly tone still in her voice.

"Bu--" he began.

"RUN!" This time she turned around, seeing the pleading in his eyes eclipsed by the rage in hers. This time, there was no motherly tone. "RUN! NOW!" She doesn't turn back around see if he does, all she could do now was focus on the armored solider in front of her. Focus on the way he gets up. Focus on the way he charges her.

Fool. And with that thought, her mind floated back to yesterday.

***

Yesterday, Darrke'an, Nation of Ease, Rhea Munde

"The Fool."

"What?" She inquired, mystified by his reply.

"You asked, albeit sardonically, do I have anything that isn't useful. And I replied, 'The Fool', which is indeed my most useless attack spell." Amethyst replied once more, his voice in that unusual but alluring monotone.

"So," she began sheepishly, "what exactly does 'The Fool' do?"

"It makes me disco dance to lull my enemies into a false sense of security." Amethyst absurd statement had nearly caused King to facevault, especially since he had said it so matter-of-factly.

"I see... I think," she stammered, slightly bemused about why he would ever learn such a useless attack if he could just vaporize his enemies.

"So... what was the attack that use back there to knock out the werewolf?" Her question rang out, alluding to the event just moments before while steering away from the extremely odd conversation just prior.

"You mean the Triangle Kick?" Amethyst stopped, this time asking the questions. "Why?"

"It was quite powerful," she said as she too stopped. She suddenly became as shy as a schoolgirl for some reason. His hair looked beautiful... King started to blush at the realization, but she turned away, remembering that after all he didn't know she was a woman and that might put him off.

"such a stupid woman," she muttered to herself before continuing. "And um... I was just wondering, since you aren't a fighter, and yet you know that type of fighting move... Could you perhaps teach me?"

"I see," Amethyst said, acting as if it were an extremely unusual request, and perhaps it was, coming from a professional fighter to a mage, one who usually does not dabble in the physical arts. He took a deep breath before replying.

"Very well," his voice lit up a bit, a subtle prelude to his next lighthearted statement. "Just as long as why don't get nearly mauled again. But I don't think the back of head has eyes.

She blushed even more before laughing - a manly laugh - and then turned around to face him, just in time to see him walk over a tree in the clearing.

"Okay, watch me," he said as he jumped.


***

The Present

The recent memory flashed across King's mind and she leaped back as soldier's sword once again nearly hit her.

No time for daydreaming! Her mind screamed. However beautiful.

She inwardly sighed as leap out of the way of yet another accursed slash. As she dodged out of the path of the soldier's intended overhead strike, his sword getting stuck in the ground, she decided to put what she had learned yesterday to good use. Spotting a tall building close to her and behind the soldier, she bounded up to the side of the third floor. As soon as she met the side, she instantaneously bounced off at a different angle, right leg outstretched, with the preoccupied soldier's head as her target. Just as he gotten his sword out of the ground, her foot smashed in the back of his skull, cracking it. His limp body flew through the air before hit the ground ten yards away from his previous position.

Hitting the ground, King quickly turned, and once again ran into the fray to help others, paying no heed to the monster she has slaughtered.

---

New move revealed!... sorta: Triangle Kick. The exact same attack from SaGa Frontier, Amethyst taught it to her yesterday. For those of you who have not played SaGa Frontier, the attack is as its self-explanatory name implies, the attacker jumps, bounding to a vertical surface ("wall"), before bounding off that vertical surface towards the enemy.

A-Vote to Daisetsu.
A-Vote to Kalten.
A-Vote to Dorrin.

EDIT: What?! No FOCUS! Oh well...

Mode ON!


If the good die young, then I'm effectively immortal.

Hyperion: "Stop the asteriod, Magneto. Stop the asteriod, or I'll implode your head."

Hyperion: "Give up this garbage and face the inevitable, Magneto. You cannot defeat me."
Magneto: "Everyone has an Achilles heel!"
Hyperion: "Only Achilles had an Achilles heel. I cannot be stopped."

Opposite attract only because men are sluts and women are whores. Thus the equation balances out.

Last edited by The Damned on 04-24-2003 at 04:10 PM

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Curley W Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:09 PM

Basic Lurker

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

"So where were you last round?" Vader asked, his form that of a montrous bulldog with grey skin. It looked akin to a monster Jason remembered from an old FF game. "Judging by that blood on your nose, I'd have to say..... spying topless sunbathers?"

"Aw, shuddup!" Jason grumbled. He had spent the last hour or so venting his anger out in the form of his bazooka, which he had used quite freely on the Naclos soldiers. "I'm having a bad day, alright?! Let's just focus on-SHIT!" His cursing stemmed from the volley of arrows shot at him from a Naclos archery squad. Jason ducked down as fast as he could, but felt one arrow strike his neck, dispelling on impact the Force Field spell that had just saved his life. The alchemist quickly scrambled for cover around a building corner Vader following shortly.

"Wanna play games? Fine!See what happen's when you mess with a hormonally scorned teenager!" Reaching into his bag, he focused his attack formula in an area where he sensed the most soldiers were clustered together. Professor Ruffleberg had taught him this Alchemy forula, and the limited blast range it covered. "Nuke Zone!"

A small circle of light appeared at the advancing soldiers feet, swelling and pulsing as it grew unstable. Before the troops could figure out what it was, it burst, sending a wave of horrible silvery light skyward like a pillar, followed by black smoke, and flying human ash. Chancing a look, Jason peeked around the corner to see more than half of the original twelve archers still alive, shocked at the blasted that had just taken four of them. One of them spotted Jason, and the remaining squad darted toward his location, arrows already set to be pulled back and released onto the hapless fanboy.

"Crap! First I get my ass dropped by that ninja in one hit, then I lose my best chance yet of getting laid, only to enter a raging battlefield. And now THIS! How can this get any wor- Wait. That sound... is that..." A quartet of explosions delayed the rest of his question. Looking around the corner, he saw that the Naclos soldiers were quite dead, blown to pieces by the surprise attack. "...Sleigh bells?!"

"Ho ho hooooooooo!" A jolly voice bellowed. Looking up, Jason saw a bright red sleigh soaring through the air, eight reindeer dragging it through the air with a huge bag in the far back. On the bottom of the sleigh, a small hatched opened, revealing four black orbs he could only guess were bombs. Riding atop the sleigh were a slew of elves armed with AK-47 machine guns. And at the helm clad in red.... "Now your all mine, Jason!"

...Was Santa Claus.

With a push of a button, the bombs were released. Jason and Vader ran as fast as they could to the side to avoid the blast. Escaping the attack by mere inches, Jason shouted toward the tubby madman. "How did you find me, Kringle?! Didn't I defeat you on Expel?!"

"I'm Santa Claus you idiot! If I can travel the entire world in one night, I can sure as hell cross into other worlds!" Santa explained. As he spoke, His troopers jumped out of his sleigh, descending to the ground by parachute. There mission was to guard the perimeter, and deal with any possible witnesses that came too close to the battle. The last thing Santa wanted was his image as a friendly, jolly gift-giver ruined. "I'm here for my shoes, and your BLOOD!"

"You just try it, you wrinkly old cookie fiend!" Jason shot back, taking aim with his Bazooka. He fired a Cryo-shell directly at Santa's sleigh, but a strange energy shield nullified the blast.

"I came prepared for you, Jason! There's nothing in your arsenal that take out my sleigh's barrier!" The fat man taunted. Coming around for another pass, he pressed a button on his console, readying four more bombs to drop on the hapless fanboy. "I'm back you naughty little bastard, and this time it's personal! Now die!
______________________________________________

That's right folks, Santa Claus has arrived on the battlefield to have his revenge! He's dropping bombs from his sleigh on Jason, while his elven militia, armed with AK-47s, kill anyone on sight in order to keep the fat man's dirty little secrets secret.

Feel free to waste as many elves as you like, but you're not allowed to take out Santa Claus unless you can make a truly hilarious death scene for him. The sole reason I brought him here was for comedy's sake. His sleigh is sheilded, but that doesn't mean his reindeer are. Plus, those who can get close enough can pss through the shield themselves, and take Santa on personally.

But what does Santa have against Jason, you ask? Click here to read the whole story. and before you ask, no, I'm not on crack.

In other news, Vader's form for this round is this. Vader recall's this type of monster from a large battle scene in FF6, and feel's it best suit's the warzone around him.

Jason has revealed a new alchemy formula! Nuke Zone! While this blast of energy is incredibly strong, it's slow to activate, and has very little horizontal range. These limitations make it very easy to dodge. Ingredients needed are one part bone, and two parts brimstone.


.......What? You were expecting something relevant? Nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk!

Last edited by Curley W on 04-24-2003 at 06:04 PM

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ShinkuuR Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:13 PM

New College Grad! Whoo!

Registered: May 2001
Location: Savannah Ga

“Yeah. Right.”

Sho sighed as he answered Ryo’s doubtful claim by raising his right hand, pointing his palm at the Kyokugen fighter.

“Chaos Stream!!”

Instantly three dark, monstrous streams of energy extended out of Sho’s palm and shot towards Ryo with blinding speed. Ryo was fortunate enough to dodge most of the blast, but one stream did make contact with his left shoulder, causing it to turn blackish-blue from the negative energy. Expecting the blast to dissipate into the wall, he was unprepared as the streams turned from the wall and redirected themselves towards their target, the heads of the energy taking the forms of snakes as they anticipated the kill by licking their dark fangs with their tongues. Suddenly the streams were stopped in mid-flight by Sho as his hand clutched the tail ends of the energy, causing the streams to head back into their master’s hand.

”Wha…what the hell was that?! Even in that body he’s at least as powerful as Orochi himself!” Ryo thought as he clutching his shoulder, grimacing from the pain. ”I need a plan…

Ryo lost his prep time as Sho once again let loose the three streams of energy against him. This time, however, Ryo was ready for them as he slid underneath the streams, and launched himself in the air as soon as he stood up.

“Hien Shippu Kyaku!” He yelled as he used his ki to vault his body towards Sho, legs ready to deal damage to the demon, who was caught off guard by the attack. Ryo’s first kick to the face landed flawlessly, but the second kick was caught by Sho’s left hand as the streams disappeared into his right.

“Humph.”

Fist met flesh as Sho’s right punch dealt untold pain upon Ryo, causing the fighter’s body to soar in the sky and crash into the back of the bar, destroying numerous bottles of liquor and beer in the process, not to mention the entire rack the held the bottles in the first place. Ryo’s slump body fell behind the bar as it was covered with glass and blood.

”Shit. If I don’t...die, King’s gonna kill me...”

“Don’t tell me that’s all, Ryo. I had at least thought you would make this enjoyable…but then again you’re just a lowly human, after all.”

Ryo answered the challenge by jumping over the bar and firing a Kouken in mid-air at the fiend, who answered it by dashing through the ki blast. Sho had disappeared by the time he landed, and Ryo instinctively executed a backfist with his left hand. His guess was right as it was blocked by the demon, and afterwards Ryo evaded Sho’s roundhouse kick by executing a foot sweep with his right leg. The Kyokugen fighter then picked up the demon and slammed him against the bar table, but Sho was quickly able to roll to the right to avoid the fist that was meant for his head, and instead it broke the table in half.

”Shit!”

Sho then proceeded to kick Ryo in the throat as he leaped to the floor, and then hit him with several elbow strikes to increase his advantage. The demon then jumped into the air and twisted his body around to deliver a kick to the back of Ryo’s head, but the fighter shook off the pain of Sho’s onslaught just in time to duck the attack and counter with an body blow to the ribs, then summoned a quick force of ki to pummel the demon.

“Zanretsuken!” He screamed as forty light speed punches rained down on Sho’s chest, causing him to scream out in pain from the furry. Ryo’s final uppercut, however, was caught by Sho’s palm as he drove a knee into Ryo’s stomach so hard that he started throwing up all over Sho’s jeans. The demon took a second to mourn his stained wardrobe before delivering a massive punch into Ryo’s cheek, then used his left arm to unleash the demon streams to grab the body out of mid air and slam it down to the ground with unnatural fury. (Think Vice’s Decide Slayer attack). After the dust settled from the crevice that resulted from the force of the attack, all that remained was Ryo’s crumpled body lying on the floor.

“Like I said…” Sho began to say as he picked up Ryo’s body by the head and held it over his body, savoring the victory before ending his life. “…Worthless.”

“Sis?”

Ryo was barely able to open his eyes as Jan’s voice echoed around the ruined bar, but he did see the look of horror on his face as Jan watched the demon attempt to crush the skull of his sister’s friend.

”Oh…god Jan…Run..”

“You monster!! Put Ryo down this instant! And where in the hell is my sister??” Sho shrugged at the little creature’s attempts at bravery as he threw Ryo across the room and into several broken tables that littered the bar. He then smirked as he approached Jan, imagining the shape that the child’s broken bones will take after he finished with them.

“Dead, for all I know. But don’t worry, you’ll be visiting her real soon…”


SRK Battle Poll II:10th place - Edge
SRK Battle Poll II: 5th place - Link


One of the reasons why the '24' threads are too good...

quote:
Originally posted by Azrael-sama

Not to mention the Triple P's New Ho is going to get herself into all sorts of shit. We didn't need to see Spinless Weasel Guy stuffing a gun into his bag to know that's a trap. You have to hand it to Shin Sherri, not only would she have recognized this blatantly obvious set-up, she would have RC'ed it into about 7 different traps of her own. By the time she was done with that guy, he'd be on welfare and PREGNANT with HER kids.

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Just Some Guy Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:31 PM

Superhero Sellout

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: a place where you are not

Falcon FOCUSES.

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Daisuke7777 Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:35 PM

K' -- KOF

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Ara? Oro? Eh?

quote:
Originally posted by Just Some Guy
Falcon FOCUSES.


JSG, no FOCUSing this round. :P Don't worry, Kyo said he would disregard all FOCUSes. Just a tip.

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Just Some Guy Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:39 PM

Superhero Sellout

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: a place where you are not

...I'm screwed...

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Daisuke7777 Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:42 PM

K' -- KOF

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Ara? Oro? Eh?

quote:
Originally posted by Just Some Guy
...I'm screwed...


Ah.. I'm a Fallen.. Can I still technically die?

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Exeter Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:47 PM

Rock You

Registered: Feb 2003
Location:

Note: This takes place immediately after Lantis's post, but starts before Wayne's.

~Ogre Battle~

Sol Badguy--Album 4, Track 1

Normally, he fought better with music, but in situations like these, the CD in his head was unreadable.

Back to back with Setsuna, Sol watched the relections of the Naclos soldiers in the cool, gleaming silver blade of the long sword he'd managed to procure earlier in the day from one of many slain before Daisetsu's group had even arrived; the corpse stripped and mutilated so not even his own unit could have recognized him, and indeed, it was impossible to tell on whose side he'd fought before his gruesome demise.

Wait till just the right moment, and...

"Now!"

Setsuna charged the soldier nearest him, his battle cry all but inaudible over the screams of the dying all around, and Sol did likewise, feinting a slash at a spear-wielding man to his left as he dove into the crowd, flames dancing between his fingertips.

A moment later, the unit of soldiers was scattered.

But neither man allowed any to escape.

Shattering a man's spine with a single kick, Sol thought of the Holy War.

Back then, they'd been fighting mindless puppets. Now, though...

Glancing down at the crippled soldier at his feet, the bounty hunter grimaced. The man lay in a pool of his own blood, screaming, his limbs thrashing uncontrollably.

Sol buried his sword in the man's chest, and the man fell silent at last.

For once in his life, the dark-haired Gear felt sick.

Turning, Sol fixed his gaze on Setsuna as the swordsman decapitated the last soldier of the group.

"All of 'em?"

"It seems so," the white-haired man replied, a touch too disappointedly for Sol's taste. "Not to worry, though," he added, gesturing further down the street, "it seems more are on their way."

And indeed they were. An even larger fleet than before, complete with an archer unit.

"Shit!"

Just ducking the stray arrow, Sol stepped around the corner of the building, and Setsuna followed.

"Don't tell me you're afraid, Sol?" he sneered.

"I don't see you charging them down or anything, kid."

"I told you, I am no child. Now, excuse me while I circle around and reduce those archers to bloody shreds."

Grunting as the swordsman ran around the corner, Sol peered out into the street again.

The few remaining An'ven soldiers were being decimated, and Daisetsu's group, though holding their own, were quickly being surrounded by a seemingly endless stream of Naclos troops.

We're never going to get around to cut them off at this rate. Guess it's time to go.

Trying to determine his options, the former knight was completely off-guard by the axe-wielding Naclos soldier. The blade tore painfully into his shoulder, cutting to the bone as it slid free. The man's follow-up swipe, a powerful blow aimed at the side of Sol's neck, was to be lethal; if it hit, it likely would be, Gear or not.

Sol frowned.

A second later, the soldier slammed into the side of the building across the street and crumpled to the ground, his body charred and broken.

"Damn it!" Sol muttered fiercely, the pain from his shoulder slowly subsiding.

Good thing I didn't make a mistake like that fighting Justice. Shit.

Sol didn't waste any more time berating himself for his foolishness, however...

The corpse jerked once, pulled by invisible strings from high above, then lay still once more. A dull light appeared, then the glowing, ethereal spirit of the deceased soldier floated lazily toward--

That damn bearded Chinese dude.

Shang Tsung grinned in satisfaction as he claimed the man's soul, then turned to the bounty hunter.

"So, we meet again...your name was...?"

"Sol Badguy...the last thing you'll ever see."

"...Soul Badguy? Why, how deliciously appropriate. And I suppose you'll be fighting to the death, then?"

His blade bloodstained but still gleaming, Sol stepped toward the sorceror. "You got it."

"Very well. I am Shang Tsung."

Silently, Sol entered a battlestance, his sword held low and to the side, and his weight evenly distrubuted.

Tsung laughed. "Ah, wonderful! Though I do hope you're capable of more than your soul indicated...after but a taste, I could tell you were of no greater threat to me than...oh, the corpse over yonder."

Sol smirked. "Prepare for a surprise, then."

The sorceror managed to get off one fireball before Sol reached him.

Wincing from the burn, the bounty hunter erupted in flame as his fist shot out, cracking Tsung's jaw painfully.

His sword flashed, and came to rest against the blade of the robed man's long sword.

Sol pressed the advantage, his superior strength forcing the sorceror back slowly, deliberately, until Tsung's back came to rest against the wall.

"And last words?" Sol said through gritted teeth.

"Yes...you fools are all the same."

A simple sidestep, and the skeleton's blade was buried in the wall instead of his back.

Least I don't make the same mistake twice.

Tsung rushed at him, his blade spinning between his hands as he advanced, while the skeleton of Li Mei retrieved her own weapon and attempted to circle around behind him, but Sol would have none of that.

You can keep my soul, sorceror, but I'm going to take your head in return.

"Gun Flame!"

As the blade Sol was now using was not the Fireseal, the attack was far weaker than it would normally have been, but nonetheless devastating to Tsung and his minion. The sorceror fell back, dropping his guard as he attempted to extinguish the flames.

Sol leapt forward, taking advantage of Tsung's defenselessness to deliver a well-placed kick to the sternum, sending the man reeling. A second kick caught the skeleton in the side of the head.

"Is that all you've got?"

Cackling, Tsung regained his balance and sheathed his sword once more, then shifted his stance.

"You look utterly ridiculous, you know."

The sorceror managed to dodge the pair of slashes gracefully, and countered with a series of punches too fast for even Sol to keep track of.

Falling to one knee as the man's attack relented, Sol muttered, "How many souls you got in there, anyway?"

Still laughing, Tsung replied simply, "One less than I'm about to have."

*******

A-votes to Dorrin, Jun and Kalten

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The Damned Posted: 04-24-2003 , 04:51 PM

Hyperion's servant

Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Where you are not.

Thumbs up

quote:
Originally posted by Curley W
That's right folks, Santa Claus has arrived on the battlefield to have his rev! He's dropping bombs from his sleigh on Jason, while his elven militia, armed with AK-47s, kill anyone on sight in order to keep the fat man's dirty little secrets secret.

Feel free to waste as many elves as you like, but you're not allowed to take out Santa Claus unless you can make a truly hilarious death scene for him. The sole reason I brought him here was for comedy's sake. His sleigh is sheilded, but that doesn't mean his reindeer are. Plus, those who can get close enough can pss through the shield themselves, and take Santa on personally.

But what does Santa have against Jason, you ask? Click here to read the whole story. and before you ask, no, I'm not on crack.



Since quotes seem to be rampant around here, I'll use the two that seem the most appriorate.

"I want to be surprised by that, but I can't be."
- Thief, 8-bit Theatre

"Bender, wouldn't you join my slaying?"
- (Robotic) Santa Claus, Futurama

And while killing Santa Claus in an extremely horrific way sounds utterly tempting, I'll have to think about it. I'll have to read the other part though. Otherwise, glad you're still in the running.


If the good die young, then I'm effectively immortal.

Hyperion: "Stop the asteriod, Magneto. Stop the asteriod, or I'll implode your head."

Hyperion: "Give up this garbage and face the inevitable, Magneto. You cannot defeat me."
Magneto: "Everyone has an Achilles heel!"
Hyperion: "Only Achilles had an Achilles heel. I cannot be stopped."

Opposite attract only because men are sluts and women are whores. Thus the equation balances out.

Last edited by The Damned on 04-24-2003 at 04:54 PM

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