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171379 No. 171379 ID: e31d52

"There's an old myth among demons. Long ago, there was a land of strife and war, so chaotic and vile the land itself was rendered unto Chaos. In that land, the demons played with humans, made war with them, fell in love, were betrayed... and there was another land, opposite that one, where naught but Order and Law reigned supreme. In that time, the god of Chaos, the Clown, was born, and the Incarnate looked upon both lands. Together, the gods decided that the lands both had their own failings. The land of Chaos was ruthless and cutthroat, leaving little room for progress or civilization to grow, as the Gods desired. Meanwhile, the land of Order and Law was stifling and repressed, and likewise, no progress or advancement was made. So the Gods of the time made a decision. They would split each land in half... and merge the two sides closest to one another.

"At first, there was little change... but over time, the angels and the demons killed one another off, leaving the humans alone to thier land. Wars erupted, and the image of the land, neither chaotic or lawful, was established. In time, new gods rose, and with those gods, new races. Sooner or later, the lands of Chaos and Law died out, the influences dissipated, and they were populated by the humans who barely managed to survive. Each continent on this planet is one of these old lands, and the one we stand upon is that of Chaos, or rather, former chaos. While the former land of law held the Orcs, the Goblins, and the Formians, this land holds the Kenku, Rahkshasas, and Abyssinians.

"Furthermore, it has more savage wildlife than either continent, and the peoples here are more xenophobic than others. Do you understand, Rosie, why I brought you here?"

Nope, she's still confused.
Expand all images
>>
No. 171383 ID: 1ac39d

that was a good story but you forgot to include why YOU think this would be a good place.
>>
No. 171388 ID: 7524b0

Conflict. Combat. Training!

...I wanna hang out with Sanfas. Send us over, please.
>>
No. 171393 ID: e31d52

Alright, I'll transfer you.

$%#$@^@$^&@$^&^%@$#%^

Well, at least she's learned some things already. I hope we can truly take advantage of the time dilation here, though.
>>
No. 171397 ID: 7524b0

>>171393
Oooh, time dilation eh? How much of an effect are we talking about here?

Also hello. We didn't get much of a chance to talk to you before, with the hurry we were in. What did you mean by us being Raeve's spawn?
>>
No. 171398 ID: e31d52

>>171397
I said pawn! Pawn!

Although he is the one who took a bunch of wandering souls and slammed them together like a bad bunch of boiled potatoes.
>>
No. 171399 ID: 701a19

>>171398
Well, we look kinda like a bad bunch of eyeballs, but I can understand the analogy.

On the upshot I'm pretty sure he's raging so hard over what we did to him that he's gone and pissed himself. I hope that counts for something in your opinion of us.
>>
No. 171402 ID: e31d52

>>171399
You have no idea!

At first I thought I was going in over my head with some unflappable supreme tactician, but then he lost it and ordered us topside with these sloppy orders.

"Obtain the Book of Final Deeds."
and
"Slay Antares Delarosa."

That's it! And now that I'm here, he can't send me new orders, either! And my men are in place to defend from other tribes, oh man, it's just perfect!

And in addition, I found myself a little blaze and her friendly hurricane.
>>
No. 171403 ID: 1ac39d

huh, so what makes him so sure we are a pawn?
>>
No. 171412 ID: 7524b0

>>171402
Obtain the book? Not return with the book? If we gave it to you, would you be forced to bring it back?
>>
No. 171418 ID: 701a19

>>171412
While that technically may be true, there's still the order to kill Antares. Since that's not an option, the Delarosa line is going to get even stranger.
>>
No. 171421 ID: 1ac39d

what if you slay him another way? slay him with laughter, you need to become a comedian.
>>
No. 171422 ID: 0b2a05

>>171421
Seconded. Send us to Rosie and we'll ask what he finds funny.
>>
No. 171423 ID: 7524b0

...uh, this is a silly idea. Sanfas, you already said you had dropped that goal since you considered it a tactical impossibility right?
>>
No. 171426 ID: e31d52

>>171423
That's right. He placed priority on retrieving the book, so...

"At any rate, we're not likely to find any help here. So our first task is to build ourselves a shelter."

"But..." Rosie looks around. "I don't see any trees. "It's all sand until it's all rock..."
>>
No. 171429 ID: 7524b0

>>171426
Well yeah. Rock. Earth. "You're thinking too traditional, Rosie. Remember your abilities."
>>
No. 171430 ID: 1ac39d

then alchemy up a shelter by fusing the sand together into a glass house.
>>
No. 171528 ID: e31d52

"Have you forgotten your own abilities, Rosie?" I ask gently.

"O-oh, r-right!" she immediately scrambles towards the rocky land, moulding a hole in the earth and burrowing down.

I saw her go wild in combat, but now she is meek and simpering. What happened?
>>
No. 171529 ID: 1ac39d

the marriage thing is still on her mind and it's making it hard for her to think straight. that's one of the drawbacks of having a mind, you can get distracted by rather simple things.
>>
No. 171545 ID: e31d52
File 127249655226.jpg - (909.98KB , 800x1000 , KEYWORDISRANDOM.jpg )
171545

>>171529
"It's done!" she calls up from below, and I walk into the cave she has made. It's rather nice. Defensible, too.

"Nicely done. Our next objective is to secure some foods, yes?"

"Ah, y-yeah, right!" she manages, scurrying out of the cave.

J follows her, as well as myself.

When a loud crashing sound erupts and Rosie runs past me into the cave.

!!!

A huge wyvern and a... something, it's not a demon, crash into the beach together, roars of anger rising from the pile of steel, muscle, and anger.
>>
No. 171549 ID: 7524b0

>>171545
Should we even interfere...? If so, who would we assist? Let's just try to get a better idea of what's going on first.
>>
No. 171561 ID: 1ac39d

yes, that seems like the best course of action.
>>
No. 171564 ID: e31d52

>>171549
>>171561
The two continue their brawl up and down the beach, the smaller of the two hacking at the larger's tough hide with little luck, the larger, biting at and continually missing the smaller. Grunts and roars, as well as a language I know as Abyssal, rumble out of the smaller's mouth as they roll about in their wild rampage, breaking apart multiple stones and making huge ditches in the earth itself. I take a seat in a throne I construct from the earth itself, finding this quite entertaining as J and Rosie make their way inland with care, promising to return with some form of food.
>>
No. 171569 ID: 7524b0

>>171564
Alright, send us over to Rosie and we'll see if we can get her to focus better.
>>
No. 171573 ID: e31d52

>>171569
Very well. I shall enjoy watching this fight...

@$$%%@@%^@$$%^%$^

Oh my gods this place is insane! Everything that moves wants to eat me!
>>
No. 171576 ID: 1ac39d

then eat them first! duh! kill then roast a thing so it's tasty.
>>
No. 171590 ID: 7524b0

>>171573
Think of it as an intense training regimen. Staying here will heighten your combat awareness. Plus we can try all sorts of new techniques! C'mon, it'll be fun. Don't worry, J and Sanfas are here to help you out.
>>
No. 171883 ID: e31d52

I just wonder if these things are edible or not.

[Ante] .... mmm?

Ah, finally, a river!
>>
No. 171885 ID: 7524b0

>>171883
Oh hey, Ante woke up. Better bring her up to speed.
>>
No. 171886 ID: e31d52

>>171885
Ante blasts out of the ring, stammering.

"Sanfas is here?! HERE!?" she looks around. "Aaaagh! I can't be seen wearing this!" she says, her form changing wildly from childlike to voluptuous.
>>
No. 171897 ID: 7524b0

>>171886
Heh! I don't think she's going to have any trouble accepting Sanfas. Ask if the two of them have history together.
>>
No. 171901 ID: e31d52

>>171897
"I, uhm, maybe, kinda, sorta had a relationship with him maybe while I was Harumda's advisor possibly?"
>>
No. 171902 ID: 7524b0

Hah. Um, she said 'wearing' that? Does she have a true form of some sort?
>>
No. 171906 ID: e31d52

>>171902
"You have a true form?"
"You'd just get jealous, so I don't use it."
...
>>
No. 171928 ID: 7524b0

>>171906
Well, she IS a Seducer. Makes sense for her to have a perfect 'body'.
>>
No. 172021 ID: e31d52

>>171928
"I... guess that makes sense.Anyway, we're here for food..."I lean down and touch the soil on the side of the bank, letting my senses permeate the earth, feeling the soil on the riverbed. Small creatures cling to and climb the rocks below, and so I lift those stones from the river, placing them in a pot made bt a larger stone with a smile. I fill it with water mundanely, then pick the whole thing up and carry it back, reaching up to a tree, shaping the wood from it with ease into thin sticks the size of my finger, which I have J carry as Ante returns to my ring.

We return to the shelter to find the smaller creature and Sanfas speaking to one another in a quiet, whispering language. The body of the creature sits behind the smaller one, cut carefully into sections, the blood running into the sand. Large flaps of skin lay upon the rock, and the shorn bits lay upon a large, pourous blanket on the sand.
Sanfas smiles.
"You return."

Oh my god he's still just as hot as he used to be.
>>
No. 172025 ID: 7524b0

>>172021
Wait. How did you just shape the wood? That's an out-of-tier application!
>>
No. 172038 ID: 7524b0

>>172021
Speaking of Sanfas... We don't know him or J very well and would like to try to help ease them into becoming friends or more. Could you tell us more about her? We'll probably be riding in Sanfas' head for most of our free time since he's kindof the central element here.
>>
No. 172074 ID: e31d52

>>172038
>J info

J's been my friend since almost childhood. We played a lot together, and she was really protective of me... still is, I guess. She beat up mean kids who made fun of Auntie and daddy. Later on, she developed a crush on my brother, but it didn't last... She's been by my side as long as I remember.
>>
No. 172211 ID: 7524b0

>>172074
Thanks, that should help a little bit. I'm probably worrying too much.

So, it looks like Sanfas made a new friend! Ask what's up.
>>
No. 172426 ID: e31d52

>>172211
"Who's this?" I ask, setting up the fireplace on the rocks.

Sanfas looks up from his discussion.
"This is Ira," he says, the creature rising and giving a little bow. I realize that the horns stars at its chin and cover almost the entire face, save the eyes, and the mouth rests where the neck meets the chest, and is vertical rather than horizontal. Rather than hair, more horns rise from the back of its skull, making it look more dangerous from behind than from the front. The weapon was attatched to a bracer that strapped to his arm, with a handle for added support.

The creature, through Sanfas, explains he is an abyssinian, a member of a deeply underground race that only occasionally sends hunters topside to find new food, skins, and other things they have trouble finding in their personal cave system.

"Abyssinians are originally half-demon, but now they are a race of their own after long eons of breeding." Sanfas adds. "Before you ask, demons can corrupt the genetics of a person as easily as they can the soul, as the two are slightly connected."
>>
No. 172447 ID: 1ac39d

ask if that's done entirely by accident or if they have control over it.
>>
No. 172454 ID: a594b9

>>172447
Well since they have control over corrupting the soul, I'd guess that they have at least some control over corrupting genetics.

>>172426
"Nice to meet you."

Rosie, I forgot to ask. You seemed... unfocused when we first got here. Is something distracting you? Intimidated by the new surroundings?

Ensurian: Hey, any news about the 'Talakk'? ... I hope you're not taking this too badly.
>>
No. 172902 ID: e31d52

>>172454
>Is something distracting you
Most of the men I was around were plain, except Danny. This guy...

[Ante]Yeah, he takes some getting used to.

>Hey, any news about the 'Talakk'? ... I hope you're not taking this too badly.

[E]They existed around the time Hattori contacted you. Since then, they've vanished from the face of the earth. Hattori had done some research on them, seeing this as a chance to advance his soul theory, but had trouble contacting them.

As for this whole affair with Sanfas... I trust Rosie to make her own decisions.[E]
>>
No. 172961 ID: e31d52

I set up the fireplace and set the food to cooking quietly, as Sanfas stands.
"It's time for your first lesson, Rosie. Come with me."

He steps into the cave, leaving his weapon impaled in the rock, his armor laying beside it.
>>
No. 172998 ID: a594b9

>>172961
Cool. Maybe J could watch you train.
>>
No. 173013 ID: e31d52

>>172998
I walk down with J and he closes the wall behind us, locking us in total darkness.

"Your first lesson, Rosie. When do you stop fighting your enemy?"
>>
No. 173024 ID: a594b9

>>173013
Well, 'when either one of us is dead' is the cliche response, but I prefer 'when there is no longer any profit in battle'.
>>
No. 173070 ID: e31d52

"When there is no longer any profit in battle."
He turns to me in the utter darkness of the room, eyes glowing softly as he steps closer.
"Wrong. You are fighting until you win. That... is not how a true fighter does battle."
"Then what's the damn point? When do I stop?"
"When they are defeated."
"But... that's the same thing."
"Wrong. When an enemy has been defeated, they will never even attempt to attack you again. Complete, total, utter defeat must ALWAYS be your goal, lest you place those around you in danger."
>>
No. 173071 ID: d1210a

>>173070
There are ways to render one unwilling to ever challenge you again without resorting to lethal measures.
One is being toyed with, to the point it becomes maddeningly clear you cannot compete.
>>
No. 173072 ID: 701a19

>>173070
Sigh "That's part of what I said. Securing victory is a profit of battle, and whenever you battle it should be firm and decisive - without reservation or hesitation. However, fighting is nothing more than a means to an end; if your goal is defense or offense then rendering your opponent incapable of combat is usually the goal, but that is not always the case.
Against a superior force, such as those of Raeve, attempting to ensure 'they will never even attempt to attack us again' via 'complete, total, utter defeat' would be the surest way to suffer such a defeat ourselves.
For a master of war, you don't seem to understand the material."
Give him a slap on the ass "At least you're cute, though~"
>>
No. 173075 ID: e31d52

>>173072
>"Against a superior force, such as those of Raeve, attempting to ensure 'they will never even attempt to attack us again' via 'complete, total, utter defeat' would be the surest way to suffer such a defeat ourselves."

He smiles as I move towards him in the utter darkness, even as I continue to walk around him.

>"There are ways to render one unwilling to ever challenge you again without resorting to lethal measures. One is being toyed with, to the point it becomes maddeningly clear you cannot compete."

And then fires light up the whole of the cave, and he's holding me by the neck.

"True." he says, putting me down.

[Ante] Don't ever sneak up on a Warrior! EVER!

"That's right. Sometimes, you can win without even fighting. That's what I'll show you. I'll claim your defeat, here in this cave, without ever drawing my blades or moving my feet. Should you force me to violate either of these... then you will be rewarded."

I feel a shudder. Not a bad one.

"Otherwise, it will be a learning experience for you. J... you have learned this yourself, from your Ancestor. Do not interfere."

"I know, I know."
>>
No. 173076 ID: 701a19

>>173075
Don't attack him, just use your earth moving abilities to drop the ground out from under one of his feet.
>>
No. 173077 ID: a594b9

>>173075
If he can't move his feet, attack his feet.
>>
No. 173079 ID: 701a19

>>173077
No, this is an object lesson. He's attempting to trick us into attacking him while maximizing his chance for a counter-attack.
If Rosie attacks, she will get smacked.
>>
No. 173080 ID: a594b9

>>173079
Really? Smacking someone sounds like fighting.

I was under the impression that Sanfas would merely be evading every attack we tried.
>>
No. 173081 ID: e31d52

>>173076
That's right! I'll ju... what? Why won't it move! It's like my will is...

Opposed.

"Nice try. Needs a little work... focus on your strengths, Rosie."

>>173077
I summon forth a fire from one of the torches to my hand and launch it at him, but the floor in front of his feet rises up, his feet undisturbed, blocking the blast. He hasn't moved at all, save his lips, and the cavern is a little dimmer.

Damnit!

"My turn."

Wha-

I don't even see it coming until it's too late. The fist of earth rises suddenly in front and below me, slamming into my belly and launching me back a good distance, sending my rolling. I regain my footing to see another come at me, and duck it...

Just to see another sprout from that one and almost strike me in the face as I barely dodge.

The constructs fall apart and he laughs.
"Very good, after the first one."
>>
No. 173082 ID: 701a19

>>173081
Ok. New tactic: Leave.
Once you make it out the door, tell him "I'm going to go make dinner. You can have some once you surrender~"
>>
No. 173083 ID: a594b9

>>173081
Ah, so he is fighting. Just not with his body. Hmph! Call him out on his deceptive words.

At any rate let's do some experimentation. If you superheat rock can you move it via fire alchemy, but have it behave like rock?
>>
No. 173084 ID: e31d52

>>173082
I smile.
"Alright then. The water should be boiling outside, so I'll be waiting for you to give up~"

I turn around and there's a loud snap, and he's in front of -

$!%!@#%#!%^@^%&&@^$&

Oh my god, he kissed her. That bastard actually... RRRGH!

@$%$#@^%@#^@%^$^%$@&^$#&

I... uh.... wow.

"You win. Denial of resources, striking at their mental weak points, knowing when and where to use force... all very important lessons you have learned." he says, holding my chin, looking into my eyes.

And then, without a word as he releases me and I stumble back, J steps forth and slaps him loudly across the cheek, then huffs and steps out as he blinks and touches the bright spot.
>>
No. 173086 ID: a594b9

>>173084
>switch to Sanfas
Dummy. You never asked for her permission. Either of them.
>>
No. 173087 ID: 701a19

>>173084
Ask Sanfas if he can take us on a quick trip over to see Achilles.
I think J is feeling threatened, and wants some assurance that she will always be your number one. Naturally, the proper response to this is to ask Achilles for some loaner parts so J can bear your child, vice versa, or both.
Since this conflict will be over in less than a month it wouldn't cause any problems until everything is resolved one way or the other.
>>
No. 173090 ID: e31d52

^@^%$@&^#$&$@@%@$#%^&*
I shall never understand the way this works...

"I... ah... It seems I have blundered."

Rosie looks away.

"I'm sorry. I... do not quite understand these things quite yet."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." she says quietly.

I turn around and walk outside, happy to have the full light of the sun on my skin.

I don't see J anywhere...
>>
No. 173092 ID: a594b9

>>173090
Are you looking up in the sky?

Look, J is very protective of Rosie. Always has been. If you want to get in her good graces you have to both show that you won't steal Rosie away from her and that you can be trusted to protect her as well.
>>
No. 173094 ID: 701a19

>>173090
J is very protective of Rosie, and feels that you are threatening her position.
If you want things to be stable and happy, I think your best bet would be to court them as one instead of as two; rather than a three-way pairing, let them be paired together and then pair with their union.

In simpler terms? Treat them as one person, and court that person. We have little enough time to do this right, and no time at all to do it wrong.
>>
No. 173095 ID: e31d52

>>173094
>>173092
I look, she's not there.

I don't understand... I thought humans thought it was uncivilized to own others completely. How am I stealing anything?

Rosie leaves the cave.

"Where's J?"
"I do not know. I have not seen her yet."

Rosie goes pale.

She feels I am... taking her position? I should court both?

Very well. Let us do that. For now, though, Rosie let's out a little wail.
"I-isn't this place dangerous!?"
>>
No. 173097 ID: a594b9

>>173095
I suppose so? Most humans believe that it is difficult to love more than one person at a time. So then J thinks you are trying to keep all of Rosie's love to yourself. That you're trying to make Rosie love you more than J.

We'll find J and make sure she's not getting into trouble and/or come back to tell you where you need to go. Try to reassure Rosie that J knows how to handle herself.

>switch to J
>>
No. 173098 ID: 701a19

>>173095
Yes, you have the gist of it.
The fastest way to secure this would be to have them bear each others children; we have an ally who is capable of making that possible. Once that is established so that J is secure in her position, you could proceed to court them both with deference to their bond.

Your children would be born later, but the relationship would be far healthier and more stable for it.

[Switch to J]
>>
No. 173099 ID: e31d52

>>173098
>>173097
I shall see what I can do. However, there is a reason I am staying he-

@%$^%^#$%^$#^%#$

Cocksucking motherfucking goddamned shitheads.

I hate birds.

They literally tackled me to the ground, dragged me into a tent, and now they've tied me up. I can't understand a goddamn word they're squaking!
>>
No. 173100 ID: 701a19

>>173099
Can you tell us where you are? You can't be far away, since you've only been gone for a minute or two.
>>
No. 173104 ID: a594b9

>>173099
Tell us what direction or location you went and then send us back to Sanfas so we can get you some help.

Unless you think you can use Pacting to get out of this.
>>
No. 173110 ID: e31d52
File 127287992619.jpg - (107.11KB , 650x540 , Kenkuqueen.jpg )
173110

>>173100
>>173104
I don't know! I got hit by a hard wind, then these assholes took me as soon as I landed. I was only going to sulk above the clouds for a while...And now I can't even get at my pact...

Oh, wait, here comes one that at least looks a little normal... Except she doesn't say anything. She just sits across from me, staring into my eyes.
>>
No. 173112 ID: 701a19

>>173110
Kenku? Those fucking birdkind?
They plan to either eat you or fuck you. Either way, try to cut your bonds.
[Switch to Rosie, give her an impression of where J is]
She's been captured by Kenku.
[Switch back to J]
>>
No. 173114 ID: a594b9

>>173110
Hm. Kenku. Well, it sounds like we have no way of knowing exactly where you are.

Tried talking to them yet? The silent one is the queen, apparently so try to make a good impression.
>>
No. 173115 ID: e31d52
File 127288059783.jpg - (51.42KB , 606x900 , Spargen.jpg )
173115

>>173112
%$*&(($
KENKU?!
@#$^@^&

I would have a long time ago if I could!

She smiles, moving closer, her face inches from mine, my sight filled with the golden color of her eyes. I can feel her looking inside me, baring all the secrets of my soul, as if I laid naked before her, not even skin between us.

She smiles eerily.

"Well, you're not optimal... but you will do."

Oh, now I can understand them. Perfect.

"Shall I release her from her bonds, milady?" asks one that enters.

"Not yet. She will likely be violent due to her confusion in the matter."
>>
No. 173116 ID: a594b9

>>173115
"Maybe you should cure me of that particular ailment. What do you want of me?"
>>
No. 173117 ID: 701a19

>>173115
"I'm not one you should worry about. Why have you taken me from my mate?"
>>
No. 173119 ID: e31d52

>>173117
The queen looks at the other bird, who holds up his hands.
"She was alone, my queen! I made certain!"

"Alone then, Spargen!"

He looks nervous.
"I, ah, I shall go and... er, see if I cannot find the others, sh-shall I?"

"Good boy."

He zips away.

"Now, as for your confusion..."

"Let me guess, you need my help against some mean nasty villain or something? Because the Delarosa kid is the other girl."

She blinks.

"Er... I got it right."

"Y-yes."
>>
No. 173121 ID: a594b9

>>173119
Great, I bet it's Virulent again. We recently received a message from him. Apparently he's not dead. He escaped the limitations of his flesh, and is now a being of mind like we are. A kind of madness that moves from person to person. Granted, that means WE can personally deal with him if we need to... but it also means he'll be harder to track down.

I bet this is what he meant when he said we'd know what he was planning soon.
>>
No. 173123 ID: 701a19

>>173119
"Alright, you can untie me now. In the future, remember it's a lot easier and less stressful to ask for help first. Lucky for you we're used to such silly behavior.
Oh, and I should go back with Spargen, as otherwise he'll lose life and/or limb.
But before we leave, is Virulent involved in this fiasco, and if so on which side?"
>>
No. 173128 ID: a594b9

After they've answered some questions you should send us back to Rosie or Sanfas.
>>
No. 173249 ID: e31d52

>>173123
She unties me, then calls for the eagle she had sent. He returns.

"I know nothing of this Virulent you speak of. The threat is the Rahkshasas of the northerlands..." she sighs. "They slay our tribes constantly. I am only queen because my grandmother and mother passed away in the space of a month."

We walk with the eagle towards my campsite.

$#%@#^@#%^#%$#@!%$$@!#

J's alright? Thank goodness! What's going on?
>>
No. 173257 ID: a594b9

>>173249
The Kenku just want our help. They're sending some dude to find you two so you can join J, so inform Sanfas of the situation. It won't do to kill our guide.
>>
No. 173316 ID: e31d52

>>173257
...Oh...

J and the bird arrive, along with a little girl covered in feathers.
"Rosie Delarosa?" she asks.
"Y-yes?"
"We need your help. Sanfas..."
He bows immediatly.
"Yes, milady."
"Your contract has been fulfilled."
"Thank you, milady, but I have personal reasons to stay."
"... very well."
>>
No. 173318 ID: a594b9

>>173316
Ask Sanfas what the hell that was about.

...I guess we might've left right as he was about to tell us.
>>
No. 173320 ID: e31d52

>>173318
"I was summoned by her about an hour before the war began." he states, standing up. "She asked me to find the one named Delarosa, the most recent in the line, and bring you here."

"Really. Is that why you stopped everything back home?"

"It's... not the only reason." he says quietly, scratching the back of his neck.

"The mighty Sanfas shows emotion. How endearing." the queen states.
>>
No. 173373 ID: e31d52

>>173320
Sanfas's eyes widen.

"Legion... can you sense it?"

A great, oppressive force, like a shadow on the very sun, approaches the area. Demonic abilities have been reduced or rendered useless.

Laughter, wild and mad, echoes in the area.
>>
No. 173376 ID: 701a19

>>173373
"Yes. I think this probably is not a good thing for us..."
>>
No. 173379 ID: a594b9

>>173373
I KNEW THAT FUCKER WOULD SHOW UP HERE!

Virulent.
>>
No. 173383 ID: e31d52
File 127296187399.jpg - (233.16KB , 640x853 , Serrin.jpg )
173383

>>173376
"I speak for legion when I say there's bad news coming."

"Oh, you'd be mostly right."

We look up at the source of the voice. "But I owe you, Legion. Had you not freed me the way you had, I'd be trapped in a weak, simpering body. Now I have this one, free of mental trouble save myself and with the most skill I've ever seen." he leaps down, and walks o-

%$^W@^$%%$^@#$#@%#$

-ver to Rosie, smiling. I had heard of this Virulent. He had ruled a large area of another continent... but had not Antares defeated him some twenty years hence? Damnit! I cannot move!

"You are the daughter of that strong young man, aren't you?" he asks, looking down at her, grinning. Why can't we move?!
>>
No. 173387 ID: 701a19

>>173383
[Push our way back to Rosie by thinking about 4D squid monsters on unicycles - ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE EMPEROR!]
>>
No. 173388 ID: a594b9

>>173383
Alright, I'm going to try to get in his head. Virulent can't possibly be stronger than US.

>switch to Serrin
>>
No. 173391 ID: e31d52
File 127296256519.png - (322.31KB , 1152x718 , ScepteroftheFinalKing.png )
173391

>>173388
#$@@#$#$@#$@#$@#@$
HAHHAHAHAH! You're a demon, not something like me. I'm a being made of nothing but psionic energy! You're just a bunch of wild upstarts who think being the main character gives you power. Sit down, shut up, and let daddy Virulent talk!

#@#$

I blink, finding myself able to move again. But I cannot leave my place.

"Listen here. I know what Raeve is going to do. I know EXACTLY what he has in mind. I don't much like it... But I can have a little fun."

He holds something up.

!!!

"You want this, right? You want to keep it safe and make sure that Raeve doesn't get his way. Well, the way I see it, it doesn't matter who has it, so long as mister longface doesn't."
He puts it away. "So I'm going to propose a little game!" He hops into the trees, laughing. "You can have it if you bring me her head."

He throws a sword at the feet of the Queen and dashes away, laughing madly.

A few moments later, we can all move and walk.
>>
No. 173392 ID: 701a19

>>173391
So bring him the queen's head.

...

Completely attached to the rest of her.
>>
No. 173396 ID: a594b9

What a shitty situation.

Virulent was defeated, yes. But apparently, he lives on as a psionic being of pure mind.

Tell the Queen who we're dealing with, and what that Scepter is. The Scepter of Final Deeds... the second item in the set of three. Key to ultimate power.
>>
No. 173397 ID: a594b9

Oh before I forget, at the earliest opportunity you should take J aside and apologize to her.
>>
No. 173400 ID: e31d52

There's some discussion.

We will not kill the queen. Rosie smiles, pulling something from her backpack, the peices of the Spear of Darian.

"We will stop him."

"But if you kill-" J begins, but Rosie interrupts.
"Who said anything about killing him?" she cuts in, grinning. "We're going to set him on fire, and then entomb him in solid diamond, and if that's not enough, proceed to bury him as far underground as we can. We won't kill him. We will defeat him."

The queen smiles. "I see I chose wisely."

"My grandfather killed a god. My father defeated Virulent the first time. I've got to do something to make my own name. I can't keep relying on others to protect me... this is something I have to do myself."
>>
No. 173401 ID: a594b9

>>173400
Wait, won't he die if he suffocates or is deprived of food and water?

Or can we do some magic stuff to prevent that?
>>
No. 173441 ID: e31d52

>>173401
@#$@%#$^$&
Crystal hibernation is a technique that a few earth elementalists can pull off. I'm not certain I know it, but I can try. And only managing halfway will merely make it more painful~
>>
No. 173824 ID: 0b2a05

Will halfway still work?
>>
No. 173833 ID: e31d52

>>173824
My father was too kind to Virulent. Should have thrown him into a jar and then the bottom of the sea or something.

"Rosie?" J asks, moving closer. "What's wrong? You look... odd."

I shake my head. "I'm fine."

Sanfas gives me a long look. "Queen. Your people will take refuge with the Abyssinians. I will gaurd you. J, Rosie, You must find and defeat Virulent. The Rahkshasas occupy the northern lands of this continent." he and the Queen leave, leaving me and J behind.

"Some wooing." J says with a scoff.
>>
No. 173840 ID: a594b9

>>173833
Some things are more important. We will have more time later to continue where we left off.
>>
No. 173851 ID: e31d52

>>173840
"Some things are more important, J. We can make with romance later. Right now, we have a job to do."
...So I say. But I've got no idea where to start... How should I approach this?
>>
No. 173854 ID: a594b9

>>173851
We need to find the location of the enemy, then see if we can find a weakness to strike at.
>>
No. 174278 ID: e31d52

>>173854
"Well, we need to know where they are, right?"
"The Queen said they were north. They sounded militant from what I heard, so... unless we have an army, we'll need to assassinate this guy. We can't just walk into their nation and expect to be left alone."
"Can we scout from above?"
"At the point where we wouldn't be noticed the wind is too wild to be controlled."
Hurm...

How should I approach this...
[Maybe we could find a cave system? | Sneak into the country? | Ask for help (the queen | Sanfas | Ante)]
>>
No. 174290 ID: a594b9

>>174278
Find a cave system? We can MAKE a cave system. Of course we still need to know exactly where Virulent is IN the nation that we're infiltrating.

Then we find out how to reach him. Via some sort of weakness in his defenses. After that we just need to ambush him in some way that keeps us from getting paralyzed.

Hey Rosie you never answered my question. How did you shape the wood into thin sticks?
>>
No. 174529 ID: e31d52

>>174290
Tunneling? I'd tire out pretty fast. That cave I made almost made me want to lie down for a nap... Going miles and miles (without using a previously enchanted Way, like at home) is only for masters of Earth.

What wooden sticks? I found those... I think.

Ugh, why does J look so smug about this development? Doesn't she understand the gravity of it?!
>>
No. 174531 ID: a594b9

>>174529
Maybe she has an idea.

Well, if it does take that much out of you to tunnel like that, you could find a cave system via sensing the pattern of the earth.
>>
No. 174543 ID: e31d52

>>174531
"Do you have any ideas, J?"
"We can't fly in, tunneling is too much trouble... why not see if we can find another Abyssinian tribe?"
"But we don't know their language..."
"Ante has Tongues."
"Tongues? I was pretty sure she only had one... I mean, that thing she did..."
"No, I mean she can speak any language."
I blush heavily.
"O-oh..."
>>
No. 174917 ID: a594b9

>>174543
Right, let's do that then.

And if you don't want to believe me about shaping wood even after bringing it up TWICE now, send us over to J.
>>
No. 174928 ID: 830a9f

>>174917
It's not that I don't believe you it's just.... I can't remember it. It's weird. And the time directly after our encounter with Virulent is hazy too...

Whatever. This needs to get done as soon as possible... I let Ante out of my ring, and we search the area for a cave.
Ah...
There we go.

I follow the cave to the opening, where a single Abyssinian stands gaurd with a similar arm blade like the one we saw before.... only he doesn't have horns, instead he has eyes that seem to be literally made of fire, and no mouth present on his face.
>>
No. 174930 ID: 1ac39d

>>174928
it's probably somewhere else. don't think too hard on that.
>>
No. 174933 ID: a594b9

>>174928
Rosie... are there any other events you can't remember? Like perhaps the sparring session with Gerard? I wonder if there's something special about you...

Anyway, get some dialogue going with the guard to find out if we can get some help from them or at least safe passage.
>>
No. 175008 ID: 830a9f

>>174933
Sparring with Gerard? Of course I... I... Oh no...
"Rosie?" J asks, a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"I'l.... Be fine. I'll tell you later."
"Okay."
We approach the gaurd, and he holds up a hand, which blurts out a single grunted word. So that's where it was... It's pretty clear he wants us to stop, so we oblige and Ante speaks with him.
"What is your business with the Tribe of Smoldering Fire?" she translates.
>>
No. 175341 ID: 34470e

>>175008
Tell him you seek help.
>>
No. 175357 ID: 830a9f

>>175334
"We seek help."

Ante relays this, looking slightly nervous, but the gaurd thinks for a moment, then begins to speak.
"We have issues of our own at the moment. Our trade tunnel with the Rahkshasa has been invaded by a very strong, intelligent undead, claiming it as his place of buriel. Attempts to speak with him are not fatal, but pointless... and attempts to remove by force are fatal and equally unfruitful. We can do little to help you with such an issue on our hands..."
>>
No. 175359 ID: 701a19

>>175357
"Show us to this undead, and we'll see what we can do."
>>
No. 175363 ID: a594b9

>>175357
Sounds like perhaps a mutually beneficial arrangement can be made.
>>
No. 175369 ID: 830a9f

"Lead the way. I'll help you, you'll help me." I say, and Ante translates.

"Very well. I warn you, however... this creature was able to kill a great many of our man. We just, at this point, want him to go away."

He leads us down into the caves, his eyes like tiny lanterns. The caves are deep, cold, and lonely, and I see several other Abyssinians peering from their dwellings to look at us. They are all perfectly unique, save the humanoid body shape.

"In there." he says, gesturing to the tunnel he stops at. He hands me a torch. "Whatever you do... Do not let this go out." He lights it, then runs off.
>>
No. 175373 ID: a594b9

>>175369
Okay... keeping a torch lit should be easy for someone with control over fire like you right?
>>
No. 175413 ID: a594b9

You could even use the cane to keep the fire going. Not necessarily by spinning it. Taking the sword out for its lesser flame is more reliable.
>>
No. 175611 ID: 830a9f

>>175413
Yeah... Yeah, that's right. I hand the torch to J and pull out my sword, and we progress through the cavern slowly but simply. The smell of embalming fluids fills my nostrils and involuntarily I retch, thankfully not sicking up then and there.

"Visitors again..." says an old voice from the darkness, similar to an instrument that has not been played in ages. "I'd advise you to leave. I'm in no mood to quarrel with thew odd folk any longer."
>>
No. 175612 ID: a594b9

>>175611
Inform it that we are not Abyssians. He's got special guests, now. Tell him he shouldn't be rude.
>>
No. 175621 ID: 830a9f

>>175612
"We're not abyssinians." I call out, trying to keep the nervousness out of my voice.

"Ah. So yeh aren't." He sighs. "Same difference. You're here to walk all over Ol' Kayles's tomb, so I'm sorry to say that if you take another step you'll be sorely wanting for lower extremeties. Just want to be left alone. And this is where I want to be. Sorry, them's the beans."
>>
No. 175760 ID: a594b9

>>175621
We're at an impasse. Fine, let's just have a friendly chat. Ask him more about himself.
>>
No. 175925 ID: e31d52
File 127353688574.jpg - (60.16KB , 560x800 , Kayles.jpg )
175925

>>175760
"Very well. If you won't let us pass, we may as well chat, Kayles."
There's a brief silence.
"I suppose that wouldn't be too bad." says the old voice as he walks into our light. He sits before us, his face hidden in the dim firelight by the shade of his cowl, as he slams the sword into the earth, leaning back against it. I can hear him creaking like old driftwood as he moves... How did this man kill so many?

"Why don't you tell us about yourself, to start?"

He rubs his chin.
"My name is Kayles Delarosa." he says quietly. "And I am the greatest assassin to have ever lived."
>>
No. 175945 ID: a594b9

>>175925
Oh boy.

"You wouldn't happen to know a Hattori Delarosa would you?"
>>
No. 175958 ID: e31d52

>>175945
"My grandson?" he growls, spits in the dirt and scoffs. "Disgraced me and his father. We were all assassins before him. My son. Me. My father. My father's father... We used to be the greatest, the best, death on legs. But he came along and his new thinking changed everything. We taught him all the techniques and he tossed it all down the fucking toilet."
>>
No. 175962 ID: a594b9

>>175958
Well, that explains his rather surprising ability with short blades, even taking into account being a lich.

May as well tell him what Hattori accomplished. The whole shebang. Medical experiments resulting in exile from the community at large, culminating in mostly-lichdom... then the whole Coyote Incident.
>>
No. 175984 ID: e31d52

>>175962
I tell the story of my grandfather, and he listens impassively.

"Rosie, huh?" he asks quietly, looking into the distance. "How... fitting." he sighs, "The one woman I could never kill." he stands up, taking the sword out of the ground.
"You can pass. You're family. Those two, though..." he points at the others, "Those two should be warned that my attitude towards them is unchanged."
>>
No. 176017 ID: a594b9

>>175984
I wonder if he would be interested in helping us assassinate a being who cannot die?

Also, I think I know a solution for the Abyssinians. You could create a tunnel that circumvents his tomb.
>>
No. 176034 ID: e31d52
File 127355637723.jpg - (159.02KB , 610x576 , ???.jpg )
176034

>>176017
I could do that...
"How large is your tomb, Kayles?"
"Mm... it's about ten yards in every direction. See? The entrance is right here." he points to a stone arch, then blinks.
"Hol' on a sec. Got a gift fer ya. Never managed to use them myself, couldn't figure them..." he dashes inside, then returns with a set of plate gauntlets.

"Here."
he hands me them, scratching his head. "Could never figure them out for the life of me..."

I sense the area of his resting place, and build a tunnel around it, offering a wide berth. I feel tired, but not to the point of passing out.
J and Ante come to my side, and Kayles seems pleased. "Thanks for talking to an old soul." he murmurs.

"Kayles... how would you like to kill something that cannot die?" I ask.

He laughs.
"We dead folk, we know the way of things. And let me tell you... the one who saves the world this time won't be you... but you will play the most important part. Now git." he finishes, making a shooing motion. "You have business to take care of!"
>>
No. 176060 ID: 701a19

>>176034
Have Ante try them on!

Head back to tell them there's a path around the tomb now, and they should leave the tomb alone.
>>
No. 176061 ID: e31d52

>>176060
We run back to tell them the news, and they thank us deeply. However, they are too low on supplies to give us anything but a small amount of dried food for traveling, so we set out again.

I hand Ante the gauntlets, and as soon as she puts them on, the sides of the fingers shine with strange, nonrunic symbols.
>>
No. 176062 ID: 701a19

>>176061
Have her punch something.
>>
No. 176066 ID: e31d52

>>176062
As she curls her fist, there's a brief flash on her thumb and index finger symbols, but it dies out as she finishes and punches a nearby wall, to no effect. She shrugs as we continue walking in the darkness.
>>
No. 176094 ID: a594b9

Okay, I think I get it. Make a thumbs-up with the index finger sticking out while pointing at a wall.

I think these are gun-fingers.
>>
No. 176179 ID: e31d52

>>176094
Again, nothing.

"Hurm." Ante shrugs, and we continue our walk. It's going to take a while...
>>
No. 176183 ID: a594b9

>>176179
Pinch a rock with them. Or touch both index fingers and thumbs together, either in a diamond or rectangle shape.
>>
No. 176184 ID: a594b9

Also, maybe you should revisit that missing memory topic? Please explain to us what's going on.
>>
No. 176185 ID: 701a19

>>176179
Try it again, but this time quickly bring the thumb down to lie along the index finger and say "Bang".
>>
No. 176187 ID: e31d52

>>176183
>Or touch both index fingers and thumbs together, either in a diamond or rectangle shape.

As soon as she does so, placing her thumbs and fingers together to form a circle, the symbols flash, and a bubble appears around Ante, lasting about a full second before disappearing.

>Memory holes
Looking back, there's four main holes in my memory:
>just after virulent appeared
>during the fight at Rivermeet, when I pacted with Ante
>during my sparring matches with Gerard and Danny
>>
No. 176189 ID: a594b9

>>176187
Hm. Hmm.

Virulent's presence dampened all demon powers. Also, during those other three periods of activity, you demonstrated surprising amounts of skill. The question is, are these facts related or did you simply react to his presence by preparing your mind for battle?

I want you to spar with J or Ante soon. While you are in this... state of mind that allows you to fight so well, I'm going to try to talk with you. Figure out what's going on.
>>
No. 176190 ID: a594b9

On a different note, Ante could try smashing the gauntlets together. Or clapping.

Or she could try forming an X with the index fingers.
>>
No. 176214 ID: e31d52

>>176189
I-if you insist. Once we leave the cave.


>>176190
Nothing occurs out of the ordinary.

"These are really strange..." Ante mutters. "Something about these symbols seems familiar, yet not..."
>>
No. 176218 ID: a594b9

Could you describe the symbols for me?
>>
No. 176219 ID: a594b9

Ask J what she meant when she said you looked "odd" during the conversation after you met Virulent.
>>
No. 176221 ID: e31d52
File 127361887667.png - (5.65KB , 640x480 , Symbolgraph.png )
176221

>>176218
Well, they are all the same on all the fingers and thumbs... except each finger has a unique symbol. It looks like this:
>>
No. 176222 ID: a594b9

>>176221
Ohhhh.

Okay, try a circle with the thumb and other fingers.
>>
No. 176223 ID: e31d52

>>176222
"Ah... Right."
She makes a circle with her thumb and middle finger, and I barely dodge out of the way in time for a summoned blade to dig into the wall beside me... then vanish just as suddenly.

"D-d-dangerous..." Ante stammers, looking at the gauntlet.
>>
No. 176261 ID: a594b9

>>176223
Well, okay. How was the circle orientated? Does the sword just target whatever's closest or what?

The other fingers should be fire and water. Is it possible to combine the shield and sword fingers? At more of a distance this time, of course.

(and ask J what she meant about you looking 'odd' during the conversation after we met Virulent)
>>
No. 176265 ID: e31d52

The sword shot straight out of the circle made by her fingers...
>>176261
"You mentioned I looked odd after our encounter with Virulent..."
"Yeah. Like... your eyes. You looked..." she pauses.
"I met Hattori once, when I was younger. I injured another student during a sparring session, on accident. We took him to see Hattori. The look he gave me when he reprimanded me..."
she sighs. "It's probably nothing..."

Ante thinks for a moment, then puts her thumbs touching and her middle and index finger touching, and a cloud of blades springs up around her, spinning and slashing the air.
>>
No. 176272 ID: a594b9

Okay let's try all the other combinations, one by one.

@Ensurian: Did Rosie look any different to you during the sparring match than she did at other times?
>>
No. 176289 ID: e31d52

We emerge aboveground, and we go through the combinations of the gauntlets.

The fingers, we decide, are Cantrip, Sheild, Sword, Fire, and Water.

Cantrip + Sheild doesn't seem to produce anything, but her hand glows softly.

Cantrip + Sword launches a short-lived sword out from the circle.

Cantrip + Fire launches a gout of fire forth.

Cantrip + Water shoots out a lance of ice as big as my fist.

Sheild + Shield creates a shortlived physical barrier.

Sheild + sword makes a barrier of blades that lasts a few minutes.

Sheild + fire creates a nova of pushing, hot air.

Sheild + Water creates a sweeping wave of water.

Sword + Sword creates a sword that lasts for a few minutes.

Sword + Fire creates a dancing sword of fire.

Sword + water creates a jet of water only an inch wide but highly pressurized.

Fire + fire creates a jet of flames fifty feet long, very hot.

Fire + water issues a gout of scalding steam.

Water + Water creates a jet of water wider than the sword water does, but less pressurized.
>>
No. 176311 ID: a594b9

What does Cantrip+Cantrip do?

Also perhaps cantrip+shield allows better punching of things.

Try using the spyglass to get an idea of what's around you.
>>
No. 176319 ID: a594b9

>>176289
Oh yeah, is it possible to make more than one circle at the same time? Like, connect all the fingers?
>>
No. 176342 ID: 1ac39d

pretend you are holding binoculars. do it right and all four fingers should tough your thumb.
>>
No. 176371 ID: e31d52

>>176319
>>176342
She tries, and there's a flash, the gauntlets flying from her hands and onto the ground, smoking quietly as Ante rubs her hands.

"Well..."

I look around with the spyglass to see there we're alone for at least a few hours of walking distance.
>>
No. 176372 ID: 1ac39d

okay then, overload. let's not do that again.
>>
No. 176382 ID: e31d52

Oh! right, you wanted me to spar... With whom?
>>
No. 176482 ID: a594b9

>>176382
Uhm... it doesn't really matter, but I don't think we've seen how Ante fights yet, have we?
>>
No. 176485 ID: e31d52

>>176482
"Ante... I need to see how you do in a fight."
"?"
"Just in case. I want to spar with you."
"You sure? You might get hurt."
"I'll be fine. J can heal me afterwards."
"Allrighty." she smiles, a ring of fire blossoming around us, yet not burning anything. Her body changes, and she grows taller, leathery wings blossoming from her back as her fingers grow long claws. Her outfit changes to a simple wrap top and a long loincloth that exposes the sides of her hips.

She smiles, leaning low, her tail whipping about like a cat's. I pull the sword from the cane, and assume a defensive position.
>>
No. 176500 ID: a594b9

>>176485
Earth Body should work best here. Try to remember your sparring with Gerard and Danny.

Try tapping the cane once and controlling how it shakes the earth. Can you direct that force in any way? To increase the speed at which you move earth? Speaking of speed, I thought maybe you could get a boost by instead of simply moving the ground, having the earth GRAB your feet for better traction and actually assist your movement.
>>
No. 176514 ID: e31d52

>>176500
I activate Earth Body.
!!!
This land is tainted! If I do this again, I might be changed by the chaos in the soil...

I feel more bonded with the earth than usual, spikes of stone rising from my shoulders as my skin feels rough to the touch. I grip my feet with earth and slide out of the way of Ante's first lunge. Using the opportunity, I tap the cane once, using the force and concentrating it to launch a spike of earth at her. She throws up a strange, rectangular field, and there's a flash as the rock collides with it... and then nothing, the rock having simply vanished, Ante smiling as a breeze ruffles her hair.
>>
No. 176515 ID: a594b9

>>176514
Change...? Like the Abyssinians are changed?

Remember anything yet? Like Quake Counter?

Test Ante's defenses. See how rapidly she can move that shield around.
>>
No. 176535 ID: e31d52

>>176515
I'm not sure what would happen! I just know I wouldn't be able to predict it!

Ante lunges at me, and I block her hands with the cane, claws inches from my face.

"You're good... but you aren't Rosie..."
"Shut up."

QUAKE COUNTER!

Ante is launched across the circle, stopping herself just barely. She seems more wary, putting up more of the strange sheilds to block the stone spires... only to miss the fist that erupts from the ground and sock her in the jaw, landing her roughly on her back. She rises and growls lowly.
"Awnser me!"
"Shut up!"
I launch more spires, only to have them blocked, and this time she leaps out of the way of the fist, breaking it off and tossing it back into a stone wall I create in the nick of time.
>>
No. 176537 ID: a594b9

>>176535
Okay, who ARE you?
>>
No. 176539 ID: 701a19

>>176535
So, who are you? Why are you in Rosie's body?
>>
No. 176543 ID: e31d52
File 127370306940.jpg - (49.57KB , 600x798 , Eisor.jpg )
176543

>>176537
>>176539
Ugh, you found out...

It doesn't matter. All you need to know is that I'm on your side! Call me whatever you want, I don't care, just help me keep Rosie safe!
>>
No. 176545 ID: 1ac39d

this is a sparring match, rosie IS safe. you, on the other hand, are not, Eisor.
>>
No. 176547 ID: a594b9

>>176543
Sure, but uh... where the heck did you come from?

Also, how exactly will we call you?
>>
No. 176550 ID: e31d52

>>176546
>>176545
I'll... oh, fuckit.

Let me explain...
Humans are made of the Mind, Body, and Soul, right?
Well, Demons are all Soul, Undead are all Body, and me and you? We're Madnesses, all Mind. Though you're technically a demon. Something like that.

Look, to be blunt, I'm a runeforged construct made by the gods to help out Rosie in times of trouble. I love her like a sister... I just didn't want her to find out about me. Knowing someone else lives in your head and can control you... it might scare her...
>>
No. 176551 ID: 701a19

>>176543
It does matter, actually. It matters a lot.
This fight right now? Rosie isn't in any serious danger; Ante won't hurt her beyond J's ability to heal.
This fight is happening for the sole purpose of luring you out so we can talk to you.

We want little more than to keep Rosie and the others safe, but in order to do that we need to know who you are, why you're here, what you can do, etc...
Keeping information from us only serves to put Rosie in danger. Start talking.
>>
No. 176552 ID: a594b9

>>176550
When you're in control, can you use elements out of tier? We noticed that Rosie molded some wood before, which should be impossible. That was you, right?
>>
No. 176553 ID: a594b9

...Eisor is Rosie backwards.

Who named you? Not very creative are they?
>>
No. 176554 ID: e31d52

>>176552
>>176551
I can do anything Rosie can do. She just doesn't know it yet.
>>176553
Sh-shut up! It's my name and I like it fine!
>>
No. 176556 ID: 701a19

>>176554
That's fine, just don't keep silent all the time, 'eh? *Psychic hair ruffles her*
>>
No. 176557 ID: 34470e

>>176554
Well, if you like your name so much, then we won't change it Eisor.
>>
No. 176560 ID: a594b9

>>176554
Well, I think Sanfas is going to be a little disappointed that the one he saw fighting (and liked their 'honest' style) at the fort wasn't... really Rosie. Then again we could just not tell him. Hmm. That's probably best.
>>
No. 176563 ID: e31d52

>>176556
H-hey! D-don't touch me like that, you crusty old demon!

>>176557
You'd best not...


>>176560
O-oh, yeah, S-sanfas. What are we gonna do about him?
>>
No. 176564 ID: a594b9

>>176563
Well, Sanfas seems like an okay dude so we shouldn't betray him or anything. However I grow less and less confident that the marriage thing will work out. We may have to give him the book, in the end.

Hey, how come we couldn't 'see' you in our mind's eye during that encounter with that... 'Talakk'? Did you get damaged in that fight too?
>>
No. 176583 ID: 1ac39d

hehe, not even sure we exist when not summoned, we could very well be considered young :3c
also, while rosie's method of fighting wasn't what he saw at rivermeet, it was definitely her power. you said she COULD do anything she would be able to she just doesn't know. meaning that she very well could fight that well if perhaps you stopped covering for her and let her learn how to fight. sparring is an important part of learning and if she never remembers a spar she will stay weak. try to give those memories to her.
>>
No. 176589 ID: e31d52

>>176564
When I'm not in control, I'm insulated from her mind. It's why you couldn't contact me before.
>>176583
I... I know. I just get so scared about losing her...
>>
No. 176596 ID: a594b9

>>176589
There's something I always wondered about using elements out of tier. Could you use Body and Magnetism or Kinesis to pin people to the ground or throw them around? Or Earth(constitution), Body, and Magnetism together for a kind of strong healing ability?

How do you think we could teach Rosie to better use her power without exposing her to enough danger to prompt you to take over?
>>
No. 176597 ID: e31d52

>>176596
As to the first, yes... as to the second, only on oneself, and only with diseases/poisons.

I can try to instill ideas into her head, but not much else. I cannot communicate with her.
>>
No. 176600 ID: 1ac39d

if you are here to stay though, then you and rosie are essentially two sides too the same coin. we may be able to be okay with sanfas if we explain it like that.
>>
No. 176603 ID: 34470e

>>176597
Wait, how much of Rosie's memories do you have access to, Eisen? If you have access to more memories than Rosie has access to yours, it seems a little unfair.
>>
No. 176605 ID: e31d52

>>176603
I can't access her memory at all! I can throw stuff at it, but... I dunno where it would land. That's why I'm always trying to help her... I don't know what's going on, half the time!
>>
No. 176608 ID: 1ac39d

oh, so whenever she get's into a fight you activate and just wing it based on what is happening. that's a pretty bad rap. i guess switch back to Rosie now or something. we'll tell her what's up.
>>
No. 176655 ID: 701a19

I'm going to call you Flora from now on.

So, there's no way we can talk to you unless you're in control?
Well...
[Extend a mind tendril and connect it to her, providing a link]
>>
No. 176659 ID: e31d52

>>176655
H-hey now! That's s-s-slightly i-invasive!
But... uh... Flora? I... I guess that's okay. I mean, I wouldn't mind it... terribly...

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

I, ah... Did I win? I was... I was sorta winging it there after you guys dissapeared, but, uh... I think I won! If, uh... being on top of her naked is winning. I mean... uh.
>>
No. 176660 ID: 701a19

>>176659
I guess so! Take advantage of your position.

@Flora There are far more invasive ways we could have done this, but now we can talk.
So, who was involved in your creation?
>>
No. 176681 ID: 1ac39d

we found... something. you may not like it but it's been around so long it can't be removed. it's not a bad thing though so don't worry.
>>
No. 176696 ID: e31d52

>>176681
?
Well, if you say so.

>>176660
I smile and set to tickling her happily. Everything here has been so serious, it's nice to play like a little kid for a bit.
>>
No. 176702 ID: 701a19

>>176696
You have another thought construct in your head. It was made by some of the gods to protect you, so you probably shouldn't worry too much about it.
[Pokes Flora with the thought tendril, and tries to reestablish communication.]
>>
No. 176719 ID: e31d52

>>176702
What? There's...
Someone else here? In my head? besides you guys?
Th-that's... creepy...

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

G-g-guys, don't d-d-do that!
>>
No. 176728 ID: 701a19

>>176719
Wait, so you're ok with your head being host to a demon which was made by your most hated enemy of all time, which happens to be able to devour minds...
But playing host to a helper created by divine hands for the explicit purpose of protecting you is creepy?

Don't worry Rosie, we've got your back. Er... Back of your mind, I guess.

@Flora: Ah, good, we CAN talk to you now. You're acting a bit strange, like your entire form is one big erogenous zone.
[Gently remove the stitches from Flora's 'eyes' and 'mouth']
>>
No. 176729 ID: e31d52

>>176728
N-no, don't touch those. That image I use is just a representation. It's not really anagolous to anything...

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

Well, I summoned you! I just... It's like finding out that someone's been hiding in your closet your whole life. No matter their intentions or origin, it's unsettling... Does it have a name?
>>
No. 176731 ID: 1ac39d

>>176729
she goes by Eisor, which is just your name backwards. also, it's less like she was in your closest and more standing back to back with you. she has no way of directly talking to you because you have some kind of buffer between you two.
>>
No. 176732 ID: 701a19

>>176729
It used to be called Eisor, but that name's an eyesore so we changed its name to Flora.

[Pulls Flora close, and binds with her enough so she can piggyback on Legion's communication channel.]
>>
No. 176734 ID: 1ac39d

>>176732
['bind' is a bad operative, more like grab her by the hands and pull her over to the microphone]
>>
No. 176736 ID: e31d52

>>176732
>>176734
I, ah, uhm, wait...

Another voice? No... that... That's like...

A sister you never had, right?

...

Sorry. I know it's a sore spot.

Why?

Father asked for it. So now... I'm part of you.

...
>>
No. 176737 ID: 701a19

>>176736
Antares asked for a construct similar to us to become part of his daughter? When did that happen?
>>
No. 176738 ID: e31d52

>>176737
[Flora has returned to her place.]

No, Legion... you see, I was... I was part of a set of twins. But in the womb...

Sorry, it isn't important. We need to keep moving.
>>
No. 176740 ID: 1ac39d

walk and talk.
>>
No. 176741 ID: 701a19

>>176738
@Flora So, you were absorbed by her or died in the womb, and Antares cut a deal so you could survive as part of Rosie? I suppose that means you've got far more soul than us...
[Psychic-embraces Flora]
Well, I suppose we'll have to see about getting bodies for the both of us after Raeve is defeated.
>>
No. 176742 ID: e31d52

>>176741
Sh-shut up! I... I don't even... even like you!

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

At any rate... What way should we head? North, East, or West?
>>
No. 176744 ID: 701a19

>>176742
[Maintain the embrace]
@Flora: What does that have to do with getting bodies? Also, your Tsuntsun is showing; protest less if you want to be more convincing.
>>
No. 176745 ID: 701a19

>>176742
Right-hand rule. East it is!
>>
No. 176760 ID: a594b9

Well, we don't know if we're in Rahkshasas' territory yet... I guess we can go laterally until we find out exactly how far we went underground. North is deeper in.

>>176744
Now now, let's not be rude. Give her a little space, yeah?
>>
No. 176768 ID: 701a19

Then North!
>>
No. 176828 ID: a594b9

Hey Rosie, since we missed part of that sparring match with Ante, care to fill us in on how it went?

Also, we have found out that you are currently capable of using elements out of tier. I want you to grab some sticks and attempt to mold them into a different shape while we travel. Don't give up. You can definitely do it.
>>
No. 176868 ID: e31d52

>>176760
Th-thank you. I'm not used to talking to others...

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

As to the sparring match, well... after you left...

It's a bit embarrasing...

Anyway! Northeast! Right! I pick up some sticks as I walk, trying to remember the out of tier basics. I can feel it... just outside of my reach. My body is capable... but... nnngh...

"Rosie!" J catches me before my balance gives out, and I lean against her, catching my breath.
>>
No. 176871 ID: a594b9

>>176868
Hey don't just gloss over the sparring. Did you learn anything from it?

As for the out of tier issues... you just need more practice.
>>
No. 176872 ID: a594b9

And thank J for catching you.
>>
No. 176874 ID: e31d52
File 127378364192.png - (203.43KB , 360x492 , Algol.png )
176874

>>176871
I do...

Well, basically, I went fire form. I managed to save my clothes, and it allowed me to tell that Ante was using advanced temperature manipulation to make screens made of plasma. I managed to redirect these and use them as weapons, though I only really succeeded in undressing her, and... things went on from... from there.

Hm? There's something inspecting a pile of skulls here...

"Atrocious. Utterly tasteless! Really now, why would anyone..."
>>
No. 176878 ID: a594b9

>>176874
Aw hell. Try to remain undetected. We don't want to get paralyzed.
>>
No. 176901 ID: e31d52

>>176878
We cloak ourselves with Air, watching him move around the pile.
"Really now, this is utterly barbaric!" he says, kicking one closer to the mass. "No respect for the dead at all. Doesn't even suit a purpose. How can I be a general if I don't even know why we are at war? First the Grand Sultan disappears, then this utter horseshit starts up. Ugh, a lesser man would be hiring assassins."
>>
No. 176904 ID: 701a19

>>176901
[Jump into his head]
Why hello there! How can we help you?
>>
No. 176905 ID: a594b9

>>176901
Haha. So that's what's going on. Virulent, or someone else related to him possibly, started this war. Probably. Regardless if we offer our assistance we could find out more about the situation.

"Why hire assassins when someone's willing to do the job for free?"
>>
No. 176909 ID: e31d52

>>176904
Your path is blocked.

>>176905
His ears perk.
"Stay right where you are." he growls. "Names, affiliates?" he asks, his grip tightening on his cane, which glows slightly.

You feel a slight intrusion on your mind, and the mind of your host.

"It is a mere cantrip for finding lies. Now speak."

Argh! It's not nearly as strong as before, but I feel rooted in place.
>>
No. 176912 ID: a594b9

>>176909
Okay, tell him the truth then. Our names... and I guess we would be considered independent. We are in search of one particular Rahkshasa. Who is probably behind the upheaval.

Don't try to use alchemy yet. We can do that after he's less likely to attack at the slightest provocation. I am curious as to if we can, though...
>>
No. 176913 ID: 701a19

>>176909
Go ahead and answer him.
[Act to completely block it from being able to detect Flora, then tickle the mind-probe and 'shout' into it "HEY! WATCH WHERE YOU POKE THAT THING!"]
>>
No. 176917 ID: e31d52

>>176912
We sound off our names.
"We're looking for a specific Rahkshasa. A panther..."

His ears perk.
"Ah, the royal gaurd captian. Right arsehole, that one." the glow fades, as does the strange presence.
"You have a daemon... no, two daemons with you. Are they bound?"

"Yes." Ante says.

"And the other?"

"Summoned." I say. "And bound to my bidding."

"Oh, good. Because it just attacked me."

Legion!

"No worries, though. It seems to be a Commune, not a Hashin." he says. "So how may humble Algol help you?"
>>
No. 176935 ID: a594b9

>>176917
Well, I suppose yelling at him was technically an attack. It's not like we tried to kill him or anything.

Wait, are we really bound to do your bidding? I never sensed any sort of compulsion. I bet Raeve made us immune to that when he made us, so that he could ensure we wouldn't get compromised. Um. You trust us anyway right? You probably shouldn't trust us completely to be honest. We're terrible at keeping secrets.

I wonder if Algol would object to teaching us some of his skills? We could be more useful to you like that. We may even be able to break that paralysis if he teaches us enough.
>>
No. 176936 ID: a594b9

>>176917
By the way, what's a Commune and Hashin?

Finally, we would like to end this war between the Kenku and Rahkshahsa, if possible... alongside kicking Virulent's ass.
>>
No. 176947 ID: 701a19

>>176917
Think you could tell him that didn't attack, we simply tried to pop over and say hi. Although I might be able to see why he could think that way.
Oh, and we mucked about with his mind probes, but in our defense imagine if he was probing you all over with a tentacle. Not pleasant.

... Wait, we're bound to your bidding? Since when?

Gah! Going off on a tangent!

Anyway, tell him that the Rahkshasa you're looking for is possessed by a transient psychic being of immense power, and since there's no known way to kill it you want to trap it in its current body and seal it away where it can never escape.

Possibly by having a non-sentient golem carrying it down into the time dilation dungeon so years pass like seconds and it's trapped here until well after the end of the universe.
>>
No. 177050 ID: e31d52

>>176936
"Commune? Hashin?"
"Types of mentally possessing demons."

-------------
Most mythology doesn't distinguish between demons and madnesses...
-------------

"Communes are merely advisors and sometimes channels for communication. Hashin worry and tear at the mind of the possessed, changing the person into something they are not." he snorts. "I believe that is what happened to the head of the royal guard."

You aren't... technically bound to my will. You're bound to help the one who summoned you, but the term is rather vague.

"We have reason to suspect you may be correct Algol."
I explain what Virulent stated in our encounter.
"That explains it..."
"Hm?"
"The king's disappearance. He knows how to make himself psionically invisible. He must have done so to evade the creature when he saw it, and it was forced to take someone nearby." he growls, feeling the long hair of his beard.

"Truly, this is a problem for all sentient races..."
>>
No. 177055 ID: a594b9

>>177050
Well we're not bound to help Raeve either. When we wound up in his head we weren't compelled to obey him.

So I don't know what's going on with that.
>>
No. 177059 ID: a594b9

>>177050
Also:

"Yeah, that's why we're hunting him. The plan is to seal him away to live trapped, hibernating in diamond for all eternity."
>>
No. 177067 ID: 701a19

>>177050
Assuming that bind actually does anything, which I kinda doubt.
Still, it's kinda insulting that whoever made the summoning ritual put it there; we help you because we want to help you, and if we didn't want to help we would still be perfectly capable of giving bad advice or simply not bothering to think of ways to solve problems.

Blah, I digress. Sorry, I hope you didn't think I was directing that at you. It just bugs me, is all.

Oh, and mention that the time dilation dungeon should be a wonderful place to toss virulent once he gets captured.
>>
No. 177072 ID: 0b2a05

Virulent must die. The people he's killed need to be avenged. Erghal, the goblins, everyone. No matter what, this will not end until he is annihilated forever.
>>
No. 177075 ID: e31d52

>>177072
No. Punishment. Punishment is what he deserves!
---------------------------------------
Flora, hush. Legion's right. We can't risk him coming back.
---------------------------------------
You can't kill a madness, though! Especially not one as strong as Virulent.
---------------------------------------
What about...

"Banishment."

"Hm?"

"We can't kill him, imprisoning hiom is too risky... what if we were to banish him from reality?"

"It might work. We could send his vessel to the space between spaces... If you like, I can have a trap set up."
>>
No. 177080 ID: e31d52

>>177075
>>177050
((Thank god for ID, but, uh, these are me. Sorry! ^^;))
>>
No. 177082 ID: a594b9

>>177075
Space between spaces? That's a new concept to us. What is it?
>>
No. 177084 ID: 701a19

>>177075
"Or we could stick him in a certain time dilation dungeon. It would be rather hard for him to escape if every second he experiences is a century to us."
>>
No. 177085 ID: 1ac39d

as long as you are SURE that when you open the hole to throw him out you don't let anything worse in. like something that would be capable of driving even Reave insane if he were to catch but a glimpse of such a thing. a thing capable of making a sound that is both the best and worst thing you have ever heard simultaneously. such is that nature of things that live within the cracks.
>>
No. 177088 ID: e31d52
File 127381970961.png - (18.56KB , 640x480 , Toexplain.png )
177088

>>177082
"Put it this way... There are three planes of existence here, and they all touch, barely. However..."

Algol explains that the three planes here are not the entirety of existence. There is a huge number of worlds, drifting in a sea of nonreality. Things can be pulled from nearby realities, and things can be pushed out, and so on.

"However, without outside help, he couldn't come back. Ever." he says with a smile. "Ingenious, young lady. And here I thought you were all looks."
>>
No. 177094 ID: 1ac39d

what about instead of putting him on one of those other realities we just put him in the emptiness between them? trapped in a place that both does, and does not, exist.
>>
No. 177098 ID: a594b9

>>177094
I think that is exactly what we were planning.

So yeah that's good. If we can pull it off.

Hell, why don't we seal him in diamond THEN toss him in the Between? We won't even have to lure him into a trap. Unless that's easier, somehow.
>>
No. 177107 ID: 0b2a05

Anything can be killed. Virulent should not even be able to exist, if anything he should be easier to kill. If it comes to it, we will find a way to retroactively destroy him.

...What would happen if he was inscribed with healing? A madness, an embodiment of an ailment, healed.
>>
No. 177115 ID: e31d52

>>177107
Look, you can't really die either. Madnesses are eternal, most of the time. I'm not, since I can't bodyhop, but you are. It's just the way we are... Healing the vessel would simply push him out again, like killing his vessel. Same thing with you, Legion.
>>177098
This would work really well, right? And if we put a warning on it somehow not to breach the container, we could be certain that even another world wouldn't have to worry overmuch about it.
>>
No. 177123 ID: 1ac39d

well... that mind control guy managed to REALLY hurt us and we may have died if it wasn't for us getting you to go full flame mode. find another one of them and point it at virulent may damage him if it does then he would need to rest and while he does we can swoop in for the kill.
>>
No. 177130 ID: e31d52

>>177123
That's a good point... however, there's still the risk that the host would die first and Virulent would abort.

Mindless can't really harm one another. It ends up as zero-sum... while he could hurt you, the rebound would be equally bad, and in the end, you'd both die.
>>
No. 177135 ID: 1ac39d

but we have another, Eisor. we double team him and while we would take some damage we would be able to heal it.
>>
No. 177140 ID: 1ac39d

of course this would be a plan Z. if this trap to launch him into negative-nothing doesn't work then this is what will happen. having a back up plan is good. i also don't think he knows she is in here so we would have a maximum lvl surprise with that.
>>
No. 177142 ID: e31d52

>>177135
I, uh, I don't know how much mental prowess I...
>>177140
Ah, good. I'm relieved.

"The main problem is..." Algol says, "that we can't lure the bastard out ourselves..."
>>
No. 177150 ID: 701a19

>>177115
If you're fated to die with Rosie then we could absorb you into our collective eventually.
>>
No. 177196 ID: a594b9

Or just find a way to let you out, into a free-roaming entity like us. Unless, of course... you would prefer to be mortal. A life with no end has less meaning, after all...
>>
No. 177266 ID: e31d52

>>177150
>>177196
I'm glad you're all so worried about me, but what are we going to do to lure out Virulent?
>>
No. 177270 ID: 701a19

>>177266
We play the part of magnificent bastards.

@Xom: Hey, want to create a believable fake head so we can torment a major political figure for both a good cause and petty vengeance?
>>
No. 177290 ID: a594b9

>>177270
If we even need a fake head at all. We might be able to just tell him to meet us somewhere, and then ambush him.
>>
No. 177685 ID: e31d52

>>177270
Xom/Coyote: Eh, Fake head? Whatever for? I'm all for a trick, but I'd need to know more...
>>
No. 177690 ID: 1ac39d

>>177270
SEVEN what have i told you about coming up with plans and not tell the rest of us?
>>
No. 177699 ID: 701a19

>>177685
@Xom: Easy. Virulent wants us to bring him a head of the Kenku queen, so we bring him a head of the Kenku queen. Combine that with masking her existence and Virulent would probably come out to investigate, and then we can troll him by shoving him into a rock.
Oh, and dya think you could chunk him into the 10000th floor of that time dilation dungeon once we catch him?
>>
No. 177706 ID: e31d52

>>177699
Xom/Coyote: First is easy peasy for me. Second... not so much. The only way to access the dungeon is to actually walk in... there's no outside to enter in from after the first floor, see? And I'm not going down there and forgoing my duties like that after you worked so hard to help me into it! Hahahahah.
>>
No. 177708 ID: 701a19

>>177706
@Coyote: Don't you craft the items in there? How do they get into the dungeon? Couldn't one of the items be "Crazy Psion In Catman In Rock"?
>>
No. 177709 ID: 1ac39d

OH i know! carve a smiley face into it so it counts as something you made!
>>
No. 177713 ID: e31d52

>>177708
Anansi is the Father of Magic, not me. I birthed the Dungeon... and thus I know exactly how it works.

And no, Anansi can't do this: >>177709 either. My... father... cannot place anythign in the dungeon unless he made it from the ground up. Though for the trapping bit, Raven may be able to help. Those boring plans are right up her alley.
>>
No. 177717 ID: 1ac39d

darn, it would have been so funny if someone managed to get to him. 'congratulations! you beat floor fifty, you win.... a dude with a insane thing in his head frozen in a block of diamond!' i could almost see the expression that dude would make...
>>
No. 178349 ID: e31d52

>>177717
Xom/Coyote: As funny as that would be, I have my limits. Here you are, for now...

Coyote appears beside me, smiling as he walks up with his cane.
"Legion asked me for a favour." he says simply, a fake but detailed head of the Queen appearing from thin air. "Make it a great trick." he whispers in my ear, then vanishes.
>>
No. 178354 ID: a594b9

>>178349
...it seems like Xom and Coyote are the same God now? How does THAT work?

At any rate, we have the bait. We can set up the trap. How do we contact Virulent?
>>
No. 178355 ID: 34470e

>>178354
>Xom and Coyote are the same God
What did you two do?
>>
No. 178422 ID: d6cb21

>>178354
Split personalities that represent different aspects perhaps?
>>
No. 178497 ID: a594b9

>>178422
That would certainly make sense for a Chaos God and Trickster God.
>>
No. 178593 ID: e31d52

>>178497
Yes, that seems most likely. Now how do we contact Virulent?

Demon abilities are now supressed.

"Shit!" I hear myself say, then cover my mouth. Algol frowns.

"Run." he states, slamming his cane into the earth. Energies scatter, and I feel the strange suppression vanish. "I shall see to it that you have time to plan."
>>
No. 178610 ID: e31d52

>>178593
Something feels wrong...

Off...

Like we aren't supposed to be here.

Laughter echoes all around us. Algol growls, drawing a longsword.
"Vile blackgaurd! Emerge from thy place of hiding and fight like a true predator!" he roars, his voice ringing true.

You have learned new PSIONIC POWER: Command.
Command allows you to issue a single, simple mental command, attempting to force the mind to commit the action. It is not subtle or gentle. Commands must be three words or less in length, and cannot be complicated ((GM Discretion)). Using Command costs 5% influence.

>>
No. 178705 ID: a594b9

>>178610
I think we had better run away for now!

Also we just learned a new trick. We can 'command' someone to do a simple action. It's not limited to whoever's head we're in either. It takes a bit of energy though.
>>
No. 178714 ID: e31d52

>>178705
That's good to hear! Running!

As we flee, I throw fire behind me, putting up a wall of fire and smoke to delay his chase. Thankfully, J managed to cloak the fake head in air so Virulent didn't see it, and we manage to get a good distance away, huffing anf panting with exhaustion.
>>
No. 178717 ID: 0b2a05

@Virulent: Run away.
>>
No. 178720 ID: 1ac39d

>>178717
[negatory on that one, it would be like suggestion, suggesting something that is nonsensical to the person would be dismissed.]
>>
No. 178721 ID: e31d52

>>178717
You feel your power arc out and... fail to penetrate. You'll need more practice before you can use that on Virulent!
>>
No. 178763 ID: a594b9

Okay. We have several things we can do right now.

1) practice out-of-tier alchemy.

2) practice this 'command' power we got.

3) explore Rahkshasa territory further and find some way to contact Virulent, then set up the trap.
>>
No. 178778 ID: e31d52

>1) practice out-of-tier alchemy.

I pull out the sticks from before, and try again. I can feel it.
....
I've been trying too hard this whole time. I just need to...
....
Let go.

The sticks slide together into a mass, then into an orb. I... I did it. Yay...

$%@#%%^@^%^
50% influence in this mind.
Aaah! Rosie!
I catch her as she falls to one side, a smile on her face as she sleeps.
Haha, Rosie, you silly girl.
>>
No. 178783 ID: a594b9

>>178778
Another step towards the power she needs. Now if only we can get her to do that again *without* passing out!

So, hey J. We've got a new ability too. We can force people to follow simple commands. I'd like to try practicing it with your permission. You get to choose the command. It must be 3 or less words.
>>
No. 178784 ID: 1ac39d

like 'jump' or 'walk in circles' or 'look left' or whatever.
>>
No. 178785 ID: e31d52

>>178783
Well, so long as nothing strange happens...

((In order to use Command, bold the words ([b]) you wish to command with and roll a d100 (dice 1d100 in email))
>>
No. 178786 ID: 1ac39d

rolled 63 = 63

okay then, how about you take a seat
>>
No. 178792 ID: e31d52

>>178786
>63
><50, <60

I feel compelled to sit down for some reason...
So I do, and the feeling goes away.
>>
No. 178797 ID: 1ac39d

okay then, you get up if you want. it seems it's a luck based variable influence thing. a good stroke of luck makes it a more powerful compulsion while bad luck weakens it. to explain, a 50 would be neutral, higher is good luck, while lower is bad luck. so a 100 on the scale would be ungodly good luck, while a 1 would be supremely bad.
>>
No. 178802 ID: a594b9

rolled 37 = 37

Also our connection to fate and luck allows us to see how effective it's going to be.

Now, I'm going to 'command' you to stand back up again. Try to resist it this time.

On your feet!
>>
No. 178807 ID: e31d52

>>178802
> less than 40
> less than 50

How about no.
>>
No. 178808 ID: 34470e

rolled 87 = 87

>>178802
What happens if more than 1 voice commands the same thing? On your feet.
>>
No. 178810 ID: e31d52

>>178808
((When more than one voice commands the same thing and both roll, I will average the results.))

I leap up onto my feet.

Wait, what? I didn't... Huh?!
>>
No. 178815 ID: a594b9

>>178810
Okay, so higher is better. That first command we used was strength 63. The second, which you resisted completely, was strength 37. That last one was strength 87.

Looks like the compulsion grows exponentially. Want to try a more complicated command?
>>
No. 178817 ID: 34470e

rolled 68 = 68

>>178815
Wait, we should see what happens if we have 2 completely different commands. Someone tell her to look right. Look left.
>>
No. 178829 ID: 1ac39d

rolled 68 = 68

look right
>>
No. 178832 ID: 1ac39d

>>178817
>>178829
holy fuck! no way! i rolled the EXACT same number?!
>>
No. 178834 ID: a594b9

...I hope we're not going to break J's brain like this. Hopefully she'll just look left then right with equal urgency.
>>
No. 178835 ID: e31d52

>>178817
>>178829
WRTQRTTRGQ%#^!&^Q$UQHY$^TY^H

Huh? Why did J just go crosseyed, there?

And how are you talking to me in the gem?
>>
No. 178839 ID: a594b9

rolled 75 = 75

>>178835
Uhm... well...

We learned how to use a new ability, where we can force someone to follow a 'command' and she was letting us practice it. We tried finding out what would happen if we used two opposing commands at once. That was "look left" and "look right". By chance, both commands manifested at exactly the same strength. The results are hilarious but undesirable!

Gonna see if I can fix that.

@J: Cancel commands!
>>
No. 178978 ID: e31d52

>>178839
>Cancel was rolled higher than commands

@$%#$^$%#&%*^(&*&^%$@#
Ugh, guys... be more careful! That really hurt!

Now that Legion understands the basics of Command, it now adds 5 to all rolls made to Command.
>>
No. 178987 ID: 1ac39d

sorry sorry. but you need to stress test this of thing or it craps out on you when you need it. the odds of it happening again are astronomical, i'm amazed it happened at all.
>>
No. 178996 ID: e31d52

>>178987
Understandable, I guess. Oh, Rosie's waking up again...

$^^%$&*^&^$%

Hey, it's me. Flora. I put Rosie under so she can dream a little longer and recover more casting ability while being active. 'Sup?
>>
No. 178998 ID: 1ac39d

hey, just finished a round of tests with J on the command power. it's a rather powerful little thing.
>>
No. 179002 ID: e31d52

>>178998
Oh, good. You sure we're safe now? If not I can make us safer. Or should we move deeper into Rahkshasa lands?
>>
No. 179007 ID: a594b9

>>178996
Oh yeah may as well tell you too. We learned the ability to 'command' people to do stuff. Aside from one odd, extremely unlikely event where two conflicting commands with the same strength are used... it seems to work as much as we expect it to. Though... the strength varies wildly. We don't have a lot of control over it. Half the time it won't do much of anything. But still! Useful.

Did you notice that Rosie managed to use alchemy out of tier for the first time?
>>
No. 179047 ID: a594b9

>>179002
What do you mean by 'safer'?
>>
No. 179292 ID: e31d52

>>179007
That's great news! On both counts. What I mean by safer is to put us back underground.

Or we could go into the Rahkshasa lands. They aren't hostile with humans right now, just Kenku.
>>
No. 179328 ID: a594b9

>>179292
We should be safe. Probably. We ran while setting fire behind us... but if Virulent is able to find our tracks he might be able to follow us anyway.

If possible we should manipulate the earth as we walk, so that we leave no tracks at all. If that's possible, then let's just go further in.

Currently the plan is we find a way to get Virulent to come to us, then set up a trap for him with the fake Kenku Queen head as bait. We want to put him into Crystal Hibernation, then toss him deep into the puzzle Dungeon so that noone could reach him for an eternity.
>>
No. 179428 ID: e31d52

>>179328
Alright. We'll be heading deeper into the territory, then.

About the dungeon... how will you get him deep enough to matter?
>>
No. 179430 ID: 1ac39d

he wants to throw he into the time dungeon while most of us want to hurl him into another dimension.
>>
No. 179432 ID: a594b9

Oh, I forgot about that. Yeah, throwing him into the Between would be safer, if we can manage it. We might be able to get some Godly assistance to send him deep enough into the Dungeon though.

Either way works.
>>
No. 179465 ID: e31d52

>>179432
>>179430
Ah, I see. We could do an Alchemy circle to trap him... But ripping a hole in the Real would take someone who REALLY was a great spellcaster.
>>
No. 179476 ID: a594b9

>>179465
Well, we'd have a lot of time to find a spellcaster strong enough, once he's in Crystal Hibernation.

Have you always been this good at Alchemy? Do you think you can give us any tips that might help Rosie with her practice?
>>
No. 179479 ID: e31d52

>>179476
>Have you always been this good at Alchemy? Do you think you can give us any tips that might help Rosie with her practice?

You might say I was the one with the talent and Rosie was the one with the looks. Sorta. She's far more charismatic than I am, thinking back to how I handle people. I might be able to implant some ideas, but it'll be like flinging pasta at a wall and hoping it sticks.
>>
No. 179480 ID: 1ac39d

try throwing it at us, hang on, we'll get into absorb mode

[absorb combat data from Flora]
>>
No. 179484 ID: a594b9

>>179479
I think I like you better. Talent is one of the qualities I appreciate most. Talent, and sharpness of mind. Charisma I could care less about, so long as there's a good heart behind it.
>>
No. 179514 ID: e31d52

>>179484
I... I, uh.... E-excuse me.
---------------------

Hunh? What?
>>
No. 179517 ID: a594b9

>>179514
Aww, she ran away.

Hey Rosie. Feeling better after your nap?
>>
No. 179521 ID: 1ac39d

oh, hey. we ran some command tests on J, did something with insanely low probability and made her go cross-eyed, and were just now telling flora about our command powers as well as our plan for virulent.
>>
No. 179537 ID: e31d52
File 127423625345.jpg - (12.26KB , 360x254 , city_view.jpg )
179537

>>179521
She let you do that? Wow, she's normally so... dominant. So we're headed into the Rah... wow...

We crest a cliff, looking down into a large city. It's bigger than Rivermeet!
>>
No. 179546 ID: a594b9

>>179537
Impressive. Oh, apparently there's a bit of political upheaval so we should avoid the palace and upper class districts.

Hmm, we have no idea where we can go to find an information broker. I wish Shi was here. Then again maybe she wouldn't even be able to tell us, considering we're on the Dark Continent and all.
>>
No. 179589 ID: e31d52
File 127424532916.jpg - (33.18KB , 537x599 , Solbad.jpg )
179589

We're looking down at the city when someone taps my shoulder. I turn to see a man covered in robes and cloth.

"Are.... you.... Rosie....?" he asks slowly.
>>
No. 179592 ID: 1ac39d

"maybe i am, depends on why you are looking for her"
>>
No. 179595 ID: e31d52

rolled 4, 4 = 8

He looks me in the eyes, and something shifts oddly.

His sword glows.

Element Suppressed:
1:Earth
2:Air
3:Fire
4:Water


"Awnser. Or I shall assume."
>>
No. 179597 ID: e31d52

rolled 3, 2 = 5

>>179595
Rerollan two
>>
No. 179604 ID: a594b9

Hmm. Let's look at this logically.

A) Our enemies know what we look like.

B) Our enemies probably wouldn't be worried about killing someone innocent.

So tell him that you're Rosie.
>>
No. 179607 ID: e31d52
File 127424653967.jpg - (99.50KB , 400x545 , Danny.jpg )
179607

>>179604
He impales the sword in the ground and sighs in relief.

"Thank goodness." he pulls off the mask.
"I was getting a little worried!"
>>
No. 179608 ID: 1ac39d

WHAT A TWIST!!
>>
No. 179612 ID: a594b9

>>179607
What.

@Ensurian: Wait, is that really you?
>>
No. 179615 ID: e31d52

>>179612
"Yeah, it's me. I uncovered something important, so I tunneled over as fast as I could. You see, the one who started the Order of the Soulless was none other than..."
"Virulent, right?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"Been that kinda day. We're going to seal him up and throw him between realities."
"Sounds like a plan."
>>
No. 179619 ID: 1ac39d

problem is getting a way to pop open a space hole to throw him into. got any ideas?
>>
No. 179633 ID: e31d52

>>179619
"I happen to know a contact here. She-"
!!!
"might be able to help you. She runs the library in the city."
>>
No. 179636 ID: a594b9

>>179633
Huh? Was that a twinge of jealousy I just detected?
>>
No. 179646 ID: e31d52

>>179636
I, uh....
--------------
Yes~ :3c
--------------
Hush!

I follow him as he picks up the blade and throws it into the earth. clearly he can summon it so long as he's on normal soil. We make our way through town, though I note everyone is very cautious, as if expecting to be killed any moment.

We approach the library and Danny smiles wide. "This is the place, alright. On a leyline of Fire and Earth, too. This all used to be desert!"
"All..."
"The city extends some distance north."
"Oh..."

He knocks on the door, and a young woman opens it, barely.
"D-danny! It's been ages since I heard from you!"
!!!!
We follow her inside as she sets down the books, smiling.
"How can I help you, Dan-Dan?"
?!!!?!
>>
No. 179647 ID: e31d52
File 127425057920.png - (19.27KB , 294x374 , Hidimba.png )
179647

>>179646
((Courtesy of Larro~))
>>
No. 179652 ID: 1ac39d

oh man, you are so jealous it's not even funny. try to stay calm and tell her why you are all here. if you don't think you can stay calm we can give you a chill pill.
>>
No. 179655 ID: e31d52

>>179647
"An evil creature known as Virulent has stolen the name of a prominent member of the royal gaurd. We wish to trap him in crystal and throw him between the planes." I say.

She frowns for a moment. "Maybe... yes, but it will require some preparation. I am, after all, master of this library. I can open a way to the NonReal, but only once. So it HAS to work the first time!"

I nod.

"Furthermore, keep in mind that this place is a bastion of Law. That might explain the problem with your demon friend."

I look down at Ante...

And she's smaller than my middle finger.

"I'm okay!" pipes a comically quiet and high-pitched voice.
>>
No. 179659 ID: 1ac39d

as long as she isn't in pain then it's okay. now let's set him up the bomb.
>>
No. 179661 ID: e31d52

>>179659
"The only problem is that her power counts for nothing here." the catgirl goes on. I shall prepare the portal in the next room. Danny, I'll need your help."
"Okay~!"
>:C
>>
No. 179663 ID: 1ac39d

oh calm down, you said you were over him when you found out he was eaten and replaced by a demon. you remember that?
>>
No. 179664 ID: a594b9

>>179661
J isn't enough for you?

...I don't know what else to say.
>>
No. 179667 ID: e31d52

>>179663
>>179664
I... I don't know what came over me. It... Seeing his face again... Hearing him talk like that... Call me stupid if you want....
-----------------
...?
She subsumed... herself? That's a first.
>>
No. 179668 ID: a594b9

>>179667
She had that reaction to both Sanfas and Danny. But... not Harumda?

It feels like there should be a pattern there but it doesn't fit.
>>
No. 179669 ID: 1ac39d

i think she is feeling confused. she got jealous because someone she said she was over, was talking to another woman.
>>179668
handsome unmarried demons turn her on?
>>
No. 179670 ID: a594b9

>>179669
Erh... I thought it was more intense than that.

I dunno, maybe it's nothing.
>>
No. 179680 ID: e31d52

It might be the fact that boys mostly found her unnapproachable through most of her life up to and including adulthood but what do I know I'm just an alternate personality that has sentience.

I hum to myself as I draw the elemental circle for the crystal tomb, J watching discreetly.
>>
No. 179685 ID: a594b9

>>179680
I guess you're right. We don't know much about her past, really.
>>
No. 179699 ID: e31d52

>>179685
To be blunt, neither do I. I just know that J pushed away a lot of men... and then sort of stood between Rosie and the rest, whether she realized it or not.

There, done. Now all that's left is to get him to come here.
>>
No. 179706 ID: 1ac39d

everyone get into position, we'll try getting him here when you are.
>>
No. 179803 ID: e31d52

>>179706
"Preparation is complete!" I call out. "Everyone in position!"

Danny and J flank me, the cat seems to be pleased to stay where she is.

The doors slam open, and Algol stumbles inside. His arm is missing, one eye socket bloodied and ruined.
>>
No. 179810 ID: a594b9

>>179803
He survived!

...wait a second everything's going to go wrong if Virulent sees him! Get him out of sight and have someone treat his injuries.
>>
No. 179816 ID: e31d52

>>179810
"Algol! Get out of sight!"
He stumbles into the portal room.

Seconds later, I hear mad laughter.
"Here you are!" Virulent says, walking into the room. "My, what a little chase that was." he says with a snigger.
>>
No. 179831 ID: a594b9

>>179816
"We have what you want now. Our friend here had transportation issues, and was carrying your prize. Do you have what we want?"
>>
No. 179832 ID: e31d52

>>179831
"Right here." he says, holding up the mace. "But before I grab my prize, let me give you some spare change for a reward. A little... story. J knows it by heart, of course. The story of love, twisted and bloody and mad, just how I like it."

J looks nervous...

"A story of how she killed to stay close to someone..."

"Shut up! It's not true!"
>>
No. 179839 ID: a594b9

>>179832
...oh boy. Glad Rosie's not here to hear this.

Tell J he's trying to provoke her, and not to fall for it.
>>
No. 179840 ID: a594b9

Wait. Better idea. Tell him you already know.
>>
No. 179844 ID: e31d52

>>179840
"I already know the story, Virulent."
"What?" him and J say in unison.
"It doesn't matter to me what someone has done before, so long as they are my friend now. My grandfather always used to say, everyone deserves a second chance."

"Ha! What a worthless philosophy." he says, walking and picking up the head.

It laughs.
"JOKE'S ON YOU!" says the voice of Coyote, as the crystal begins to envelop Virulent.
"Everyone... but you." I say, as his look of horror is frozen onto his face, forever.
>>
No. 179847 ID: a594b9

>>179844
EXCELLENT!

Now let's make sure Algol is okay. Virulent can chill in his crystal for the moment.
>>
No. 179848 ID: e31d52

>>179847
Algol is bandaged heavily, wearing an eyepatch and panting.
"Well-done." he manages. "Well-done indeed."
>>
No. 179851 ID: a594b9

>>179848
"Are you going to be okay? We need to get Virulent on his way to the Between right away, in case he has friends waiting for him."
>>
No. 179864 ID: 1ac39d

let's open up that space hole and launch him through.
>>
No. 179874 ID: e31d52

>>179864
We open the portal, pulling the crystal into the room and kicking him through it.

It closes behind him, and we sigh in relief.

Then we hear glass shattering.
>>
No. 179880 ID: a594b9

>>179874
From where? He probably wasn't working alone, so we have some cleaning up to do.
>>
No. 179881 ID: a594b9

Who has the Scepter, anyway?
>>
No. 179902 ID: e31d52

>>179880
>>179881

The central room!

We run inside, and we can feel the chill of ambient soul energy floating about. J speeds forth, grabbing the scepter, and returns.
>>
No. 179936 ID: a594b9

>>179902
What broke, then, if nobody's here? Also, tell J to be careful, we don't know what the Scepter does or what side effects there may be. If it's anything like the Book, the side effects are nasty.
>>
No. 179937 ID: 1ac39d

probably random magic cold broke some glass.
>>
No. 179938 ID: e31d52
File 127432497955.png - (2.33KB , 640x480 , OW.png )
179938

>>179936
One window is broken.

I can't see any-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!
>>
No. 179945 ID: a594b9
File 127432558551.png - (2.26KB , 500x500 , RECOVER.png )
179945

>>179938
Flood your mind with FIRE!

Oh god we're going to be out of commission for SO LONG after this. A full day, probably. Unless you can help us recover. Beware, we will be HUNGRY.

@Talakk: BACK OFF.
>>
No. 179948 ID: e31d52
File 12743258664.png - (5.08KB , 640x480 , FIRE.png )
179948

>>179945
MIND OF FIRE Power gained! When being attacked by another Madness, or a mind controlling creature, roll 1d100. This will attempt to damage the mind of the intruder.

A Talakk hops over one of the bookshelves, accompanied by ten or so more. One of them stumbles slightly away, but the rest only continue to attack mentally...

But the Rakshasa have set up some sort of barrier, and J seems completely untouched.
>>
No. 179956 ID: 1ac39d

rolled 23, 17, 89, 88, 24, 21, 76, 41, 90, 30 = 499

>>
No. 179958 ID: a594b9

rolled 62 = 62

>>179948
It looks... like we're recovering faster this time around, as we eliminate bits of their attack. We must be toughened up from last time.

What about Danny, and the librarian? Careful, either one of them could be taken. I doubt they'd be able to touch Ante, her being a demon of passionate Fire. Don't ignore J either. They might have taken her mind so fast we didn't notice, and are simply playing it sneaky.

Ground your mind with Earth to fend off their attack. We'll go on the offensive for now.

(FIRE)
>>
No. 179962 ID: a594b9

rolled 29 = 29

Hrm, can I do a two-pronged attack?

@Talakk: Sleep!
>>
No. 179965 ID: e31d52
File 127432677247.png - (7.50KB , 640x480 , FIRE.png )
179965

>>179958
Danny is made of daimond, but unmoving, and Ante is a small orb of fire. Two of the Talakks fall... and then strange red tendrils engulf their bodies.

You feel a lance of mental energy surge from you, grazing two other Talakks, making them grasp their heads.
>>
No. 179968 ID: 1ac39d

rolled 79 = 79

FLORA! she must be helping us!
keep firing!
>>
No. 179973 ID: a594b9

More likely it's the Bastion of Law thing affecting them once their defenses are down. Also isn't Flora currently dominant anyway?

See if you can disrupt their focus with some physical combat.
>>
No. 179976 ID: e31d52
File 127432822280.png - (9.65KB , 640x480 , FIRE.png )
179976

>>179968
>>179973
The lance shoots out, and...

One of the Talakk's heads simply detonates, the body falling over.

The two that fell before now rise, wings unfurling with a hiss as they turn towards me, the world around them warping and shifting oddly.

You feel minor backlash from the blast.
>>
No. 179980 ID: a594b9

rolled 17 = 17

>>179976
Alright I think those two are going to start with some physical combat. This is a library so we don't really want to burn anything. Get some earth control going and spike them!

@Winged Talakk: Don't move.
>>
No. 179981 ID: 1ac39d

rolled 94 = 94

make sure we take the path the lance cleared!

FIRE!!
>>
No. 179982 ID: a594b9

>>179981
I think we should direct that towards the winged guys if we can.
>>
No. 179983 ID: 1ac39d

should clarify, try to fill in the cleared path with us, use fire at whatever.
>>
No. 180009 ID: a594b9

rolled 18 = 18

>>179981
Wait a sec I just realized we're going to have a lot of backlash from a lance that strong so let me moderate that a bit.
>>
No. 180024 ID: e31d52
File 127433313540.png - (8.25KB , 640x480 , FIRE.png )
180024

>>179981
pchoooooo
Every single Talakk simple explodes, save one.

"My, my. My, my, my. Such opposition."
Only now, though, do you realize that your own tendrils were caught in the blast. Ow.
>>
No. 180030 ID: 1ac39d

Switch out with rosie, we'll use your buffer so rosie can fight physically while we fight it mentally.
>>
No. 180047 ID: e31d52
File 127433585524.jpg - (175.42KB , 919x1300 , Brujah.jpg )
180047

>>180030
The final Talakk looks around him, then removes his mask and places it on the ground beside him. He falls to all fours and bows until his head touches the floor.
"Elder master, please I beg you, take my body and let me become your will."

I feel the power slip away from my mind, and J looks at the new creature that forms from the Talakk's body, half as tall as the building, twice as large as any one of us.

Danny shifts into his Demon form, leaping before me and the others.

"This is a fight between demons! Let me handle this!" he roars. He assumes a defensive stance, his body turning to polished metal.
"Brujah, I thought I recognized thee."
"Ensurian the fool. Forever defending the meek."

...
-------------
I'm not sure what to do here....
>>
No. 180049 ID: 701a19

>>180047
Let him handle this. See if Ante can help, but don't send her in yet.
>>
No. 180052 ID: 1ac39d

we need to time it right but we may be able to give him an advantage, such as distracting it at a crucial moment.
>>
No. 180053 ID: a594b9

>>180047
If Danny wants to fight alone, okay. You could send us over, though, if you think we could help.
>>
No. 180064 ID: e31d52

>>180049
>>180053
@##$%$^&%$#@
Ensurian The Mountain:

One with the Earth: Ensurian is an Elemental Demon, one of the last, with strong ties to the earth and stone. As such, he can modify his form into Stone, Steel, and Daimond, eash with a power and a weakness.

Form of Stone: The least draining of the three forms, Stone form limits Ensurian's speed but empowers his toughness and strength. Furthermore, in Stoneform, Ensurian can mold the earth into hand-shaped formations with but a thought.

Form of Diamond: Enhancing his speed and stealth by a great deal, Diamond lowers Ensurian's defenses. While Diamond is indeed very hard, large masses of it are brittle and prone to shattering. While in this form, Ensurian has incredible swiftness of mind and can create diamond daggers.

Form of Steel: Ensurian's toughest form, and also his favourite, Steel Form grants him a huge defensive bonus at the cost of lowered dexterity and speed. Furthermore, in this form, Ensuiran can cover his body in long spikes rather suddenly.

Knight in Shining Armor: When acting to defend another, Ensurian is much stronger and much more driven, acting until death if needed.

The others leave as I had hoped, and Brujah stands before me, cracking his knuckles.
"You're serious, aren't you? You think you can fight me and win, little demon?"
>>
No. 180080 ID: a594b9

>>180064
Don't even bother talking. Just attack. Start off with some relatively conservative punches. Find out what his fighting style is. Those spikes... if we use them at the right moment they could really do a lot of damage. Especially if he's not expecting it. Best to try to keep it a surprise for now.
>>
No. 180089 ID: e31d52

>>180064
I run forth, dodging the the initial attacks to attempt to slam my fist into his belly, but his leg comes up and soundly slams into me, slamming me back and into a wall.

"Foolish little thing, thinking it can HURGK!"
I dash forth and slam my fist into his belly, forcing the spikes out and through him...

"Haw. Haw. Haw. Little Demon thing is can AAAAGH!"

And he picks me up like a ball, which I punish by forcing the spikes through his hand, landing on the ground when I withdraw them and fall.

Brujah isn't laughing anymore.
>>
No. 180095 ID: 0b2a05

He'll probably rage at you for a bit, diamond form around him and chuck a knife.
>>
No. 180116 ID: e31d52

>>180095
I see him raise his arm to attack, and then take diamond form, vanishing from veiw as I manuver around him.

"WHERE ARE YOU! LEETLE DEMON!"
>>
No. 180125 ID: 0b2a05

Remain in diamond form. Rush at his back and move into steel form.
>>
No. 180126 ID: a594b9

First, use your diamond daggers to cut his achilles tendons.

Then switch to Stone form, and use stone hands to tip him over. Switch to Steel and send a spike through his skull while he's prone.
>>
No. 180135 ID: e31d52

>>180126
"I am the avalanche that claims your home."

He swings where I was.

"I am the cliff that breaks your bones."

I easily evade his next blow, slicing open the back of his foot.


"I am the boulder that crushes all you hold dear."

I move to slice open his other foot.

"I am the earth, feeble monster, and my size is far greater than yours!"

Great hands emerge below him, lifing him up as another throws me into the air. In midair, I switch to Steel, slamming down on his face.

I retract my spikes as he trns back into a soulstone.
>>
No. 180136 ID: a594b9

>>180135
Hah. Well done!

Let's not forget to collect all the soulstones into a protective shell so that nobody gets possessed.
>>
No. 180142 ID: 1ac39d

or, if you really don't want to deal with him ever again, smash it.
>>
No. 180143 ID: e31d52

>>180142
I do so.

Demon fueled mind controlling monsters. Damnit!
>>
No. 180144 ID: 1ac39d

hopefully with him gone they won't be as big a problem.
>>
No. 180152 ID: a594b9

That was likely the biggest group we're going to fight. After all, they were with Virulent. Man, what kind of demon do you have to be to team up with THAT guy?

So. We dealt with Virulent already. That's got to be a new record for saving an entire continent. Though... the political upheaval is probably still going. We have to find the king and let him know it's safe to come out and end the war. Let's get everyone together for another discussion on what to do next.
>>
No. 180159 ID: e31d52

>>180152
Actually, that was a Lost back there. An EXTREMELY powerful one... but a Lost all the same.

I call to the others, and they come to me.
"The thread is over. I have slain the beast."

Rosie hugs me, and I hug her back.
>>
No. 180165 ID: a594b9

Uh oh. You shouldn't be doing that. J is a little funny about that kind of thing... Gonna go try to calm her down.

>switch to J
>>
No. 180166 ID: e31d52

>>180165
%^&%$^##^%@$%#@%#$
No. Not again. Never again. It's up to Rosie who she ends up with... she gave me the chance... I'm not going to squander it.

No matter how much it hurts.
>>
No. 180173 ID: a594b9

>>180166
Very good. That's correct. However, it's just a hug. Get ahold of yourself. Feel free to pointedly clear your throat if the hug goes on for way too long though.

Say, did you want to talk about what happened? Virulent kindof let the cat out of the bag already, but we can lend an ear to the full story anyway.
>>
No. 180175 ID: e31d52

>>180173
It was... a long time ago. When we were teenagers. About ten years.

I... I worked in a bar at the time, and so did Rosie. A guy got too close with her. Got too... nice, for my liking.

I lured him out after my work time, and... And...

"J? Are you alright? You're crying."
I hug Rosie tightly, mumbling apologies.
^$&%&$^##^$

What... What's going on?
>>
No. 180181 ID: a594b9

>>180175
J... made a terrible mistake, in the past. Recent events have reminded her of that. Do you have any idea what I'm talking about, Rosie?
>>
No. 180186 ID: e31d52

>>180181
N-no. I have no idea what sh'es talking about.
"It's okay, J." I say, hugging her back, and she cries harder. "I don't know why you're crying, but you know I'm here..."

she pauses.

"You... didn't know?"
>>
No. 180203 ID: 701a19

>>180186
@J: Nnnnnnope! You should probably tell her anyway, since now she knows you have a horrible secret.
>>
No. 180229 ID: a594b9

>>180186
Errgh... suddenly this all gets far more complicated. I was hoping you overheard it even though Flora was in charge at the moment.

Tell her "Legion and Flora lied to Virulent."
>>
No. 180277 ID: e31d52

>>180229
"I... Oh."
There's a long pause, and she shakes her head, clearing it of doubt.
"So what do we do now?"
"Things will settle." Algol says simply. "As the Prince, I can issue a statement, after all."
>>
No. 180416 ID: e31d52

>>180277
There's a long, akward pause.
"I really wish I could be kinder about this, but..."
"Yes?"
"You need to leave. Before strangers take notice there's a coupla baldies here." he says baldies like a deep insult. "You've been a great help. That's why I'm not snapping your minds in half right now. But my citizens are not so kind. I am sorry."
>>
No. 180419 ID: 0b2a05

He is... not very nice. Suppose you'd better go then.
>>
No. 180424 ID: e31d52

>>180416
"There is one thing." he says, walking up to me. He hands me the cane he had used before. "I created this when Virulent attacked me latre one night. I have no need of it, but perhaps you shall?"

I take it from his hands.

"It is a crystal filled with the chaotic energies of this land. Those with abilities of the mind can tap into it. I do not reccomend doing so often, or it may harm the one reaching into it."

"Thank you."
"Nay. Thank you, young lady. You and your friends saved me. Perhaps someday my people will welcome you. But it is not this day. Now go."

Ensu-Danny, actually... leads us out of the city expediently.

Obtained the Staff of Potency!

You may tap into the power of the staff to receive a psionic power. Do this too often, however, and you will mutate your carrier negatively.

In order to access the staff, roll 1d100 to determine the tier of power you will gain.

>>
No. 180427 ID: a594b9

rolled 7 = 7

>>180424
Alright let's use it right now so we can get the cooldown started.
>>
No. 180441 ID: e31d52

>>180427
You have earned Stomp: Rank 3 (15% influence) and Vigor (20% influence).

Stomp(3): Target a location and enhance the gravity in a fifteen foot radius for a bare instant, throwing all in the area to the ground, or breaking bones if they resist. Those already prone must save vs death.

Vigor: Pushes the Host's systems forth, making them move beyond normal operating capacity. At the end of this heightened state, the user is fatigued.

You feel that activating the item again within the next hour would be unwise.

>>
No. 180443 ID: a594b9

>>180441
Ooooh, that's nice. Can't wait to try these out.

We just learned Stomp, which is a powerful gravity crush in a 15 foot radius of our target, and Vigor, which is... some kind of adrenaline burst, I think. There's fatigue at the end.

We've got another hour before we can use the staff again safely. Do tell us when that is!

Let's get back to the Kenku Queen, and Sanfas. Then, we can continue the 3 days of romance/training.
>>
No. 180548 ID: e31d52

>>180443
To the queen!

J looks over the Scepter, scratching her head. "Do you have any idea what this does, Rosie?"
"Nope!" I say happily, "And frankly, I don't really care. We're just going to toss it in the box like the other one, right?"
"Y-yes, I suppose." she replies. "Something about it bothers me, though. I can't place it."
"It's like it weighs more than it appears, right?"
"Yeah..."
>>
No. 180576 ID: a594b9

>>180548
Whatever it does, it will surely come at a steep cost. Using the book was barely worth it for Danny. The backlash on this will be similarly severe.
>>
No. 180589 ID: e31d52

>>180576
"Whatever it does, it's probably not worth it. The backlash will probably be as severe as the book's was. J?"
...
"J?"
I run around. J is curled up tightly into a ball, red energy arcing from her face and neck as she screams. "J!"
>>
No. 180596 ID: a594b9

>>180589
AH... shit. We don't know what it does, or what the cost is! We don't know if it's safe to try to take the Scepter away, or even if we can get in her head! DAMN IT!

I don't know what to do! The safest thing seems to be to do nothing, and let the Scepter take its price for whatever boon it's granting J. But what if the price or the boon is going to be dangerous to us? DAMN IT!

Screw it, I'm going in! I feel confident that we should be able to either survive or escape.

>switch to J
>>
No. 180598 ID: e31d52

>>180596
I trust you, Legion. Help her...

#%%$^^#&**&&#

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH

THE PAIN

IT WON'T

STOP WHY

WON'T IT STOP

IT'S LIKE IT'S PULLING SOMETHING OUT OF ME

PULLING SOMETHING INTO ME

Something I always had.... something I never wanted!
>>
No. 180605 ID: 701a19

>>180598
What did you do?
What did you ask for?
What is it taking?
>>
No. 180609 ID: e31d52

>>180605
I DON'T KNOOOOOOW!

Hunterkillerfinderstalkerseeker

SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP THATS NOT ME THAT NEVER WAS ME!

walkerinthenightdeathbehindtheshadow

AAAAAAAAAAAGH
>>
No. 180618 ID: 0b2a05

Listen, there's two ways for this to go. One, this is a manifestation of your dark side, in which case you need to let it in. BUT! From how it sounds, this seems like an outside force. What happened that night? We want to help you, but we need to know what happened.
>>
No. 180620 ID: e31d52

>>180618
I KILLED HIM!

I MURDERED HIM IN COLD BLOOD BECAUSE HE MIGHT TAKE HER FROM ME!

I HUNTED HIM DOWN, I STALKED HIM, I DESTROYED HIM UTTERLY!

AND THE WORST PART WAS...

THE WORST PART...

youenjoyedityouwantmoreitmakesyousohappy

The worst part is, it's right...

yesyesyesyouareterrormurderkillinghuntingslaying!
>>
No. 180626 ID: a594b9

VIGOR

Fight through the pain and let go of the scepter! You can stop this. You can become more than a hunter, seeking nothing but their prey, caring only for their own goals.

Remember Rosie. She would never accept you if you became a serial murderer. A mindless killer. Don't forget the goals of your friends! Don't squander your second chance!
>>
No. 180630 ID: e31d52

>>180626
30% influence

I am more than my lineage.

I am more than a demon, I am a woman. A human being.

huntslaykillstopthemdon'tletthemhurther

She is free to make her own decisions now.

Shedoesnotknowthemlikeyoudo
theywillhurther
theywillbreakherheart
justastheydidyours


And she'll learn. It's how people grow up.

Thisisyourprice! Therewillbeconsequences!

Let them come! Let them try!

Verywell.
Yourvigilancehascostyou
Onefinaltoll
Onelastregretyoushallneverescape


How many times do I have to tell you, I don't fucking ca-

NEVER SLEEP AGAIN.
>>
No. 180633 ID: 1ac39d

... well this ether means one of two thing, you are immune to sleep, or sleeping will result in bad things. regardless i wouldn't test it from trying to sleep.
>>
No. 180634 ID: a594b9

>>180630
...oh, that sucks. Well, there's always meditation.
>>
No. 180635 ID: 701a19

>>180630
So we ride shotgun next time she sleeps, and eat whatever is attacking her. No big deal.
>>
No. 180643 ID: 0b2a05

If the ability to sleep can be taken away from you, it can be given back to you. We'll find a way to fix this J.
>>
No. 181664 ID: e31d52

>>180643
Th-thanks for the... s-support.

It feels like I've lost a limb, or like I've been struck blind. The sense of loss is overwhelming.

Withoutsleep,yourwillwillfade.Withoutyourwill,youshallchangeintowhatyoutrulyare.andoncethatiscomplete,sleepshallreturn.

Acceptyourfate.Donotfightit.Youshallbecomestrong,youshallstillhavecontrol.You willnotkillanyoneyourcarefor.


I don't care! I don't want her to see that side of me!

It's only happened once. Father said it was strange since the blood is so thin...

My skin blackened, my eyes became green orbs of light, and I could feel the insatiable desire for the hunt. Everything felt so easy, so simple. I could fly without even thinking, I could make weapons from literally nothing but air! It was exhilerating.

But I know that that is a monster. I can't let it happen again.
I'll just use the extra time to watch over Rosie more diligently.
>>
No. 181681 ID: 701a19

>>181664
Monsters are defined by actions, not form; some of the worst monsters are completely human.
Ask your father-in-law to be for help once this is over.
>>
No. 181693 ID: e31d52

>>181681
A monster in form... I just... I wouldn't be able to bear it...

"J..." Rosie helps me up, then holds me close. There are no words in this embrace, and I hold her as well.

"We need to move." I say, parting with her.

"Yes." Rosie says in reply. "Ante, do you have your gauntlets?"

"Yes'm."

"Alright, we're going to go directly to the Queen! We can't waste any more time, who knows how many more Talakks there are?"

"Right." I nod in agreement.
>>
No. 181694 ID: 701a19

>>181693
Oh, I'm not saying you should give in, just that looking different doesn't make you a monster.
>>
No. 181805 ID: 3afd1f

>>181693
I'm curious... do you think Ante is a monster? What is it exactly that you object to?

Just keep in mind that you would gain power from this. In a moment of crisis, remember that sacrifice is a virtue. You may need that strength if we are to succeed.
>>
No. 181809 ID: 701a19

>>181805
Needless sacrifice is stupid.

J, how about you ask the voice if you can cut a deal? You'll accept that form and use it in combat, IF you are granted the ability to freely switch between them.
I suspect that the voice believes you'll grow to love the form, so it's likely to accept this term expecting you'll use it a few times and then just switch forever.

Make the offer, abide by the terms, and your life can proceed normally.
>>
No. 181812 ID: 3afd1f

>>181809
What the hell? Make sure it's as needless as you say before calling my suggestion stupid.
>>
No. 182466 ID: e31d52

>>181809
I...
Yes.

When I am in danger... When I need it... I shall take it.

No more.

Verywell.Fool.

I feel whole again.

"J... your eyes."

"My eyes?"

"They're glowing green."

I said no more!
...
I... We had... a deal...
>>
No. 182467 ID: 1ac39d

as long as nothing else is different, a nice green glow looks pretty nice.
>>
No. 182468 ID: a594b9

>>182466
It's just your eyes. Relax. It's symbolic or something.

Now, either tell Rosie the truth or that you don't want to talk about it. Don't lie. That only comes back to bite you in the ass later.
>>
No. 182486 ID: 701a19

>>182466
If that's the mark of the deal, then it's an acceptable cost. Later you can experiment to see if you can hide that as well, but right now you have far more pressing concerns.

Tell Rosie everything. If there isn't time to do it now, then tell her the short version and promise to explain everything later.
After all, you live for her, right? Betraying her by doing things like keeping secrets from her is the only source of shame - anything else, no matter how horrible it may seem, is simply the way things are and not shameful at all.

Worrying that she'll see you as a monster is betraying her trust; you are deluding yourself into thinking that she would reject you for things beyond your control, which is doubting her love for you.
Tell her everything. Become an open book, and let her be the editor of your pages.
>>
No. 182749 ID: e31d52

>>182486
I... I guess you're right.

So I talk. While we walk, I tell Rosie everything. My heritage. My failures. My... wrongdoings.

She listens silently.

When I finish, she stops walking.

"Rosie?"

"Why did you keep all this from me, J?" she asks quietly.

"I... I was afraid."

"I see." she looks up at the sky and takes a deep breath. "When.... When Ensurian revealed himself to me, I was scared. I was frightened, I was angry. But... Danny is and Danny will always be Danny to me. That sort of thing doesn't go away in a few hours." she turns to face me, and grabs my shoulders tightly. "The same goes for you, J. No matter what you become, no matter what you are... You are always J to me. Nothing will ever change that."
"Do you... Do you love me?"
She sighs, looking up at the sky.
"I... I can't answer that right now. I have a lot of things to think about. What should I do about Sanfas, what to do with the book and the sceptre, my own abilities, Flora..." she sighs. "Whatever happens, J, I want you to know that you'll always be the one I trust most."

I'm such a fool...
>>
No. 182757 ID: 1ac39d

>>182749
you WERE a fool, but you have seen your folly and changed. the truth is more powerful then any lie. after all this is over i am certain she will say she loves you. she is right that all this stuff happening is confusing. probably has a headache.
>>
No. 182760 ID: 1ac39d

heck, it's giving US a headache, and we have HOW many heads in here?
>>
No. 182761 ID: 701a19

>>182749
I want to point out that she's not upset by the truth, she's upset by the secrecy. She said it herself: you are the person she trusts most, and you were keeping major secrets from her.

You were such a fool, but I expect things will work out fine as long as you learn from this.

Here, send us to Rosie. Not to interfere, just so she can vent her frustrations.
>>
No. 183254 ID: e31d52
File 12748540866.jpg - (791.28KB , 1236x1020 , Rosieolder.jpg )
183254

I see. You're right. I should stop focusing on the little things.

Rosie lets out a little sound of delight, and there's a flash of bright... no, not a flash, this is a sustained, firght like. I can barely look at it.

"It's beauti-"
And then the light surrounds her. And shatters, if you can picture that, leaving her in beautifully ornate armor. Her hair turns red. Wind billows up around her as the light dies down to a soft pink-red.
>>
No. 183261 ID: a594b9

>>183254
A NEW TOY

I MUST MESS WITH IT

talktoyoulaterandgoodluck
>switch to Rosie
>>
No. 183271 ID: e31d52

I can see why Rosie likes you so much.

#%^$%&^#
It's so beautiful...
>>
No. 183274 ID: a594b9

>>183271
What's it do what's it do?
>>
No. 183278 ID: e31d52

>>183274
Well, ahaha, the funny thing is, er, the funny thing is.... I have no idea.

spear of Darian:
Discovered functions:
Acts as a fire elemental focus.
Sheathes the user in heat so profound it takes physically solid form. Atmosphere and the wearer are immune to this heat, and it does not radiate.
Constantly emits fire equal to the anger the weilder feels.
???
???
???
>>
No. 183279 ID: a594b9

>>183278
Spin it. Slash something with it. Jab the point into the ground.
>>
No. 183280 ID: 1ac39d

hang on, we got a read out
Acts as a fire elemental focus.
Sheathes the user in heat so profound it takes physically solid form. Atmosphere and the wearer are immune to this heat, and it does not radiate.
Constantly emits fire equal to the anger the weilder feels.

interesting. well once we get into a nice big empty place mess around with it, spin it stab stuff the whole shebang and see if you can make it do anything else.
>>
No. 183282 ID: e31d52

>Spin it

I spin it in my hands, and after three rotations.

SPLIT ITEM FOUND:

Shield of Durian:
A mobile, sealed portal to the Eternal Fire Plane, this sheild is about as tall and wide as Rosie is, if a few feet taller.
It is covered with a thin membrane.
>>
No. 183286 ID: a594b9

>>183282
bwah

Okay that's new.

Point it at something you don't mind getting burnt to a crisp, and say "Open portal"
>>
No. 183288 ID: e31d52

>>183286
Nothing happens. Hurm.

After a few moments of me doing nothing, it turns back.
>>
No. 183296 ID: a594b9

>>183288
Well, we'll try blocking something with it after we mess with more spear functions.

Stab a boulder with the spear. Tap the pommel against the ground.
>>
No. 183302 ID: e31d52

>>183296
>Stab a boulder with the spear.
Property discovered: The spearhead is very hot.
As in, the rock bubbled after a few seconds.

>Tap the pommel against the ground.
Nothing.
>>
No. 183318 ID: a594b9

>>183302
Try throwing it. Perhaps it returns afterwards.

Also, Seeran were known for their jumps. Can you jump any higher now?

I wonder, can you pull the spear apart into more than one piece?
>>
No. 183331 ID: e31d52

>>183318
I throw it into the sky.
...
With a flash of heat it returns to my hand.

"We need to get going." J says.
>>
No. 183335 ID: 1ac39d

okay. we can mess with it while moving. try jumping in the direction you are going.
>>
No. 183339 ID: e31d52

>>183335
Jumping? How would it help me Ju-ohmygodohmygodlandinglandingLANDING!

I hit the ground, hard, and get up.

...My armor melted the ground I landed on, fused it, and then broke the glass into little peices from het expansion.

This is slightly terrifying.
>>
No. 183340 ID: 1ac39d

would think you learned by now to never discount anything. it's a artifact spear, what it does, does not have to make sense. besides, we were basing our assumption on a group known as dragoons you would fight flying dragons by leaping into the air and spearing them. obviously being able to jump REALLY FUCKING HIGH would make doing so easier.

anyway, assure J that you are alright, just surprised.
>>
No. 183770 ID: a594b9

>>183340
Uh... you're thinking of something else. Seeran are similar though, in that they use spears and can jump really high.

So, this spear is a fire elemental focus. What does that mean? Can you use it to control fire better? Mess with its fire a bit.
>>
No. 183791 ID: e31d52

>>183770
Elemental foci bring one closer in touch with an element. In other words, through the spear, I can manifest fire alchemies far far better.
>>
No. 183833 ID: a594b9

>>183791
So you'll have no trouble blasting fire at things from now on, I assume. Oh hey I just realized, that armor it covers you in is likely immune to the effects of Fire Body. You don't have to worry about burning your clothes anymore!

So what do you think of that whole thing with J? I think she's had a couple of realizations that could help with her getting along with Sanfas better...
>>
No. 183847 ID: e31d52

>You don't have to worry about burning your clothes anymore!
Yay~!

>So what do you think of that whole thing with J?

I... She kept a lot of secrets from me, but I can see why. I don't know. Like I told her, I don't really have time to think about romance.

We continue walking, until we enter the caves, come out the other end, and keep going. At the entrance...

Hey, it's that eagle guy.
>>
No. 183849 ID: a594b9

>>183847
"The mission was a success!"
>>
No. 183850 ID: 1ac39d

wait... give him a question that would prove it's him.
>>
No. 183863 ID: a594b9

>>183850
Hm? Well okay. How about...

"Which of us did you contact first?"
>>
No. 183902 ID: e31d52

>>183863
He chuckles.
"I contacted J first by knocking her out." he replies. "Have no fear, I am not a spy of any sort. Nay..." he looks at the ground. "I have bad news. While you were away, monsters attacked us in the form of iron-masked men."
>>
No. 183952 ID: 1ac39d

ugh, fucking Talakks. i mean jeez! seriously.
>>
No. 184056 ID: a594b9

>>183902
Damn... ask about casualties.
>>
No. 184171 ID: e31d52

>>184056
"None of us fell, but only because we had time to run. Sanfas gaurded the way, and when we returned we found only their bodies and this."

He pulls out a small diamond.
>>
No. 184173 ID: 1ac39d

is that his soul stone? if it is then i think the marriage is postponed. if not then examine it.
>>
No. 184174 ID: a594b9

I would like to point out that he is touching the diamond. If it were a soulstone he would know that Sanfas was inside it, or be possessed.

Go on then. Take it and figure out what it is.
>>
No. 184177 ID: e31d52

>>184174
I take it. "What is it?"

Ante looks at it closely.
"I'll be damned. An empty soulstone."
"What."
"Yeah. He's got a lot of dscipline to pull this."
"To pull what?"
"Put it simply, he dispersed his soul to the open air as he passed, so that the soulstone was utterly pointless. It has no connection to him, it's just a pretty rock."
"So where is he now?"
She shrugs.
"He probably managed to take one of their bodies while going down, I imagine."
>>
No. 184192 ID: a594b9

>>184177
Great, now we can't just blast every Talakk we see. One of them is Sanfas.

If I were him... I'd be waiting somewhere we'd be sure to go. Try the cave shelter we made.

Tell Spargen that Virulent will no longer be a problem. The war has ended, but the Talakk are still going to be around and getting all up in our business.

I think we should try to hunt down those still hounding the Kenku here before going back home... unless the Rahkshasa are willing to hire out guards for them.
>>
No. 184274 ID: e31d52

>>184192
He nods quietly. "We shall be fine against creatures such as these with the support of the Abyssinians. As I understand it, there is some danger against your home you need to go back to, yes? Please, go. We shall be fine."

I nod and leave the cave, and we all begin to make our wat back to the cave. I note that the spear reduces itself to a small dagger shaped like a candle flame when not in use, and the armor does not damage my equipment.
>>
No. 184281 ID: a594b9

>>184274
That's convenient. The only problem with the spear so far is that it renders the cane somewhat redundant! Unless you think you can wield both at the same time...
>>
No. 184282 ID: 1ac39d

fuse them together!
>>
No. 184341 ID: e31d52

>>184282
I.... What?

>>184281
Well, yes. However, the cane is mine now... so...
"Ante, I want you to have something." I smile, handing the Cane to her.
"Really?"
"Really really."

We make our way back to the cave shelter, where a small man sits in the center.

"You got the rock?" he asks. "Been waiting here for hours."
>>
No. 184342 ID: 1ac39d

"spy check first, how did you meet me?"
>>
No. 184345 ID: a594b9

>>184341
Hrm. Ante's got two magic items now. I guess J has the scepter though so things aren't really that unbalanced. I wish there was someone more appropriate to give the gauntlets to. Someone who can use Fire, Water, and Steel alchemy.

Well, that probably is Sanfas but of course, we have to ask him a question to make sure. My compatriot has already suggested one question. I've got another. "Why did J slap you?"
>>
No. 184348 ID: e31d52

>>184342
"At the battle at the wall at Rivermeet." he replies. "Hold on one moment..."

He leans down, grunts, and there's a lot of popping and snapping, J turning me away. I turn around once it stops.

"Oh my." I manage, while J rolls her eyes and covers him in her cloak.
"Turn around, elephant." she grumbles, then hands him the diamond.

"There. You can look now." she says, and he's back in his armor.

"Mmph. Thanks. I received a message from my lieutenant Yoshimitsu. He's stated that while the line holds... well, there's evidence of a large-scale calling taking place. 'Master' has gone mad. He ate the soulstone of Lucifer."
>>
No. 184351 ID: 1ac39d

well shit, the coot really must of gone mad. not sure if this is a good or bad thing though, by doing it it confirms that his plans really have been shot to hell, pun intended, but it also means he is at the moment crazy powerful..
>>
No. 184352 ID: a594b9

>>184348
WHAT

THAT IDIOT! DID HE NOT REALIZE WHAT HE WAS DOING!? There's no WAY any vessel can contain Lucifer for long! He just went and doomed himself and possibly EVERYONE IN HELL in a desperate move to overpower our forces. I can only HOPE that this doesn't fuck over Hell for long. Lucifer's kindof a big deal as far as stability is concerned down there.
>>
No. 184353 ID: e31d52

>>184351
>>184352
"Exactly." Sanfas states, strapping on his armour. "He has at best three days before..." he pauses. "Something happens. We are not certain what would occur." he looks at me and sighs.
"It appears that my real goal must be brushed aside. What a bother. I shall send you off whilst I meet my last contact. We shall try to stall the calling that will bring him here as long as possible. To that end, I have someone I need to speak to."
"Who?"
"A certain... kobold. Get on." he snaps his fingers and a disc of force appears, about ten feet around.
>>
No. 184354 ID: 1ac39d

let's ride, try to look as cool as you can.
>>
No. 184355 ID: a594b9

>>184353
Kobold? What kobold?

I really am disappointed. It seems we are not going to get much romance out of you in this third adventure.

Then again, we have met someone special this time around... hee

Uhm. Get on the disc. Wanna practice more out of tier stuff?
>>
No. 184358 ID: e31d52

>>184355
"What kobold?"
"You have to ask? Well, I guess you never met all of your grandfather's contacts."

We get on the disc, and are sent speeding away.

I'm a little sad I didn't get much time alone with him. I mean, he seemed like an okay fellow, after all.

I relax on the disc and Ante curls up atop me, tiny, the items in a weighed bag beside us. I gently pet her long hair, and J lies beside me, her head resting on my shoulder. Danny looks at us, scratches his chin, sighs, and sits on the edge, his elbows resting on his knees.
>>
No. 184362 ID: a594b9

>>184358
One of Hattori's contacts? He couldn't mean Trik could he? What's she been up to that would make her able to stall the calling?

Danny looks so lonely over there... Ask him how he knows that Rahkshasa librarian.
>>
No. 184364 ID: e31d52

>>184362
I have no idea.

"Danny? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I... uh, I'm fine." he says, haltingly. I gently pick up Ante and slide out from under J, sitting beside him.
"What is it? I know when you're upset, Danny. I've known you for a long time."
"You mean you've known this facade."
"No. That's wrong. You know it is. You're more than a mask to me, and you know it."
"But every minute I'm like this... Rosie, it's a lie. You know it's a lie. How can you stand me?"

...

"I... Danny, I met you after the real Danny died, or close to it. Demon or cute boy, I care about you. I..."

J rises.

"I think..."

She stands. Her shadow over Danny seems to grow, swell somehow. I turn around.

J's holding a hand over her face, blackness spreading over her skin as wings spread from her back.

"J!"

She's panting, even as her teeth lengthen and claws grow on her fingers.
>>
No. 184366 ID: 1ac39d

@J: [mind slap!]

kiss her out of it.
>>
No. 184369 ID: a594b9

>>184364
She's slipping a little... Send us over, we can either calm her down or restrain her if necessary.

Although... I am also worried about you. Did you change your mind?
>>
No. 184370 ID: e31d52

>>184369
I like Danny. He's... He's dedicated to me, and... no matter what he is, he's kind, and gentle...

And he came out with his secret when I asked, the first time.

I'll send you over now.

$%#^&^^^%%^$%

No... No... I can't do this to her... Not now, not again.

youwantittakeityouhateitslayityouwishforitobtainitthatisthedemonscreed

No, I'm not like that!
>>
No. 184372 ID: 1ac39d

calm down j, they won't run off and do it behind your back, you know rosie is better then that.
the soul is the goal, the body is the ability, the mind is the how. your goal is rosie, it is not killing those who stand in your way. just walk up to rosie and hug her, squeeze her tight, and drive it away.
>>
No. 184377 ID: e31d52

>>184372
I stumble over, and hold Rosie tight in my arms, willing away the darkness with all I have.

I've never felt so pitiful.
>>
No. 184379 ID: 1ac39d

it's okay, everyone here is your friend. showing weakness in front of them is no big deal, they'll understand.
>>
No. 184400 ID: 701a19

>>184377
[Command: Banish the darkness]
[Command: Calm yourself]

Feel better?
Rosie still loves you. Yes, she's hurt and confused, but if she didn't have so much on her mind then she would have worked this out already. You've been together all your lives; that counts for a lot.

Anyway, tell Rosie you love her, and that she's your life. Later, ask sarsaparilla to train you in controlling your demonic nature.
>>
No. 184457 ID: a594b9

>>184377
Everyone needs help sometimes.

Distract yourself; ask Danny what his Demon Goal is.
>>
No. 184551 ID: e31d52

>>184457
"Rosie, I... I love you. That's why..."
"I know, J." Rosie replies, smiling. "But, ah... Danny, what is your demonic goal? What drives your soul?"
"To be with you and protect you."
Rosie chuckles nervously.
"You see the situation I'm in, here?"
>>
No. 184553 ID: a594b9

Well. Perhaps we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Figure out what kind of relationship everyone wants. It may be possible for everyone to be happy, even WITHOUT the kind of thing Antares has going for him.
>>
No. 184556 ID: 1ac39d

hahahahaahaha. oh man. middle of a love dodecahedron.
>>
No. 184611 ID: 701a19

>>184551
Have Danny clarify what he means when he says "be with you".
>>
No. 184622 ID: e31d52

I, ah... I don't... Uhm... I think Rosie should ask that.

%#^$&%*(^%$#@

"Could you clarify?"
He blushes deeply.
"By your side. I, ah... This is hard to say... ah..."
"You want me to love you? Is that it?"
He recoils a little.
"I'm sorry. I just don't think... now's the best time."
He nods. "The world is on the line right now. It's not that I don't care, it's that we all need to dedicate our energies towards having time to deal with this. Agreed?"
They both nod.

------

My, my, when did you get so competent?

------

Sh-shush!
>>
No. 184637 ID: 701a19

>>184622
Rosie, I can give you a basic rundown right now:
You+J+Ante is a stable relationship.
Add in Sasquatch and it remains stable - he's not going to get between any of you, and won't leave anybody out.

Danny would destabilize any relationship. He has the same goal as J, and would try to drive her away. Since he's far stronger than her, he might try to eliminate her from the 'competition' while you aren't looking.

I think it would be best to keep Danny as a friend, and not take him as a lover.
>>
No. 184638 ID: a594b9

>>184622
I suspect that this time around we're going to have trouble resolving this romantic conflict. It's a very good idea to put a hold on this until everything is calmed down... but I'm rooting for J. She is trying so hard to change her behavior, and suppress her demonic nature... all for you. It's really very impressive.

And hello there, Flora. I was just about to see if we could have a chat, since things have calmed down a bit.
>>
No. 184655 ID: e31d52

>>184638
She is, is she?
...

Argh! I should just forget about it for now!

---------

?

---------


We pass over the beach and continue speeding towards Rivermeet, and I notice the earth is littered with more and more soulstones, their concentration increasing as we make our way there. And then I see it. At least a thousand demons in a large circle, seemingly kneeling or praying. We make it to the walls of Rivermeet, where Yorick is waiting, looking through a square crystal.

"You made it just in time." he says.
>>
No. 184677 ID: a594b9

>>184655
Oh? Ask him in time for what. Also ask him if he knows about that big circle of demons you flew past.

Flora: Well I was just wondering if we could talk more often. I know Rosie doesn't really want to be 'out of action' so to speak unless it's necessary so I wanted to see if we could just chat on the side. Is that possible? I wish I had asked this earlier...
>>
No. 184715 ID: e31d52

>>184677
"What for?"
"For show!" says a high-pitched voice behind me, and I turn and look. Standing on the parapet is an elderly kobold, wearing a deep red apron. She smiles.
"I Trik. Is nice to meet grand daughter of Hat. Watch this!"

She points her finger, imitating a gun, and I follow her pointing.

Then she brings down her thumb and whips up her hand while saying "Pow!"

One of the demons simply disappears and Trik laughs. She does it again. And again. "This more fun than I thought it be!"

--------
Yeah, anytime.
--------
>>
No. 184718 ID: 1ac39d

try doing the same thing, maybe it will work?
>>
No. 184726 ID: a594b9

>>184715
Haha, she undermined the poor bastards. How's she getting it to collapse with such good timing though?

Flora: What happens to you when you're not receiving glimpses of what Rosie is doing? When we are... in between summons, we're sortof spread out through the whole of Hell. Can't remember much of note though. If you're curious about Hell, we do have some memories from before we were Legion. Go ahead, ask us anything.
>>
No. 184783 ID: e31d52

>>184726
----
I sleep, mostly. I get access to long term memories, so I... watch them. I'm up to her third birthday now!
----

"How do you do that?"
"Series of minor explosives that open holes to long pits that lead to Sanfas. I drop them... he takes care of them." She smiles. "I've done my part, but we cannot stall long. The ritual almost done, say Bone Guy."
"Yorick." he reflexively corrects, and, "Yeah, we're just buying time for the gods to get thier shit together."
>>
No. 184790 ID: 1ac39d

try sniping a few with the spear to help.
>>
No. 184793 ID: a594b9

Better check to be sure that won't fuck everything up, first. Ask what we can do to help.

Flora: Ohh. Somehow I think we'd better not tell Rosie about that; I can see her thinking it's weird. Why'd it take so long to get to the 3rd year?
>>
No. 184795 ID: e31d52

>>184793
---------
I only discovered it three years ago.
---------

"What can I do to help?"

"Not much." Yorick states. "I'm worried: Lucifer was the angel who became a god in his own right, and made Hell after rebelling from the Incarnate. There's an old prophecy... No immortal, man, or fae shall defeat Lucifer."

"So how did he end up soulstoned?"

"The Lady of the Seducers stabbed him after three nights of..." he turns his head and coughs a bit. "Courtship. She tired him so, he could not stop her. Since then, Seducers have been nominally dominant... Ah, shit."

The Earth begins to split between the demons in the circle, opening like an eye.
>>
No. 184799 ID: 1ac39d

i dunno, we are a gray area. rosie though is a mortal woman, that is no where near the list.
>>
No. 184800 ID: a594b9

>>184798
Oh wait, ignore my asking about the staff. We have to wait days, not hours for it to finish charging...
>>
No. 184801 ID: 701a19

>>184798
Flora, if things go south we want you to engulf Rosie's soul as tight as you can, and we'll do the same to you. Hopefully, that will let us drag you and Rosie someplace safe and avoid death.
>>
No. 184802 ID: e31d52

>>184798
Seems that way. I pull out the spear, feeling the changes overcome me.

Then I pull in the ambient heat and form a long pair of fiery wings, taking off into the sky. It seems I'm the only one who can.

A great hand reaches out of the portal, easily a third of the size of Rivermeet istelf, and slams onto the ground. It is huge, and covered in black carapace, with feathers sparesly covering it. The other arm reaches out, and then his face rises above the portal, mad eyes quickly sliding to take in the world, eyes of red and black and yellow fury. Long horns rise from his head, then swirlk above it to make a black, bony halo, his wings spreading, bare of feathers, yet still shaped like a birds, ending in long blades of bone.

"Today... is the day chaos dies." rumbles his sinister and otherworldly voice.
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