Ascend OCT
is a Original Character Tournament hosted on Deviantart, started around April 2016.
The story goes that in a fantasy land there is a mountain that is surround by plains on one side and a desert on the other. At the top of the mountain sits a throne made of gold where a king once ruled on till he was pried from it after he died. For years the throne sat empty. That was, until out of the blue, a young man named Bluff took over the throne and decided, just for fun, to have a tournament around the mountain. He sends out letters to different realms inviting all interested to come compete with the prize being a single wish, whatever the recipient desired, if they manage to beat the other competitors and reach the top where he awaits.
Naturally many a being answer his call, some willing, others having no choice. All with varying reasons to climb the mountain and thus begins a literal king of the hill. However is this a simple tournament, or is there something more not revealed to everyone?
The Judges
King Bluff (Flamekitjunior): Current king of the mountain and host of the tournament. He's actually just as old as the mountain, but physically looks like that of a 12 year old.
Clancey and Talift (Razzifur): A tracker on the mountain with his tiger/lion beast. Responsible for the welfare for the wildlife living on the mountain.
Prosa (SolventGrandma): A reclusive female lumberjack who lives near the mountain.
Cliff (MischiefJoKeR): A satyr who lives on the mountain looking out for it inhabitants, including the king (however begrudgingly)
Millena (LazyNinjartist): A snow alchemist living on the mountain with a magic house that teleports around it randomly.
Contestants
See here
Tropes
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General
- An Ice Person: Millena who wields power over snow and ice.
- Bratty Half-Pint: King Bluff is pretty much this, mocking the recipients in his invitations.
- Death Mountain: Shaping up to be this since contestants literally have to climb over each other for the prize.
- Fauns and Satyrs: Cliff is shown to be a satyr, also has Voluntary Shapeshifting to become a regular mountain goat.
- Hailfire Peaks: The mountain itself has a forest on one side and a desert on the other.
- Mix-and-Match Critters: Talift looks to be a mixture of a lion and a tiger.
- There Can Only Be One: Only one person can reach the mountain and claim a wish.
Round 1
- Guest-Star Party Member: One OC who wasn't accepted into tournament was a being named Pink & Green (or Motley), a stuffed cat with two minds in them. Their creator, however, allowed them to be used in other entries which many were more then happy to do so. Either taking a direct part in the story or through a a cameo.
Dexter vs Odette (Winner: Dexter)
Dexter's Side
- Use Your Head: Dexter manages to win by simply headbutting Odette and exiting out of the temple he and Odette were in.
Odette's Side
- Defeat Means Friendship: After a brief scuffle, Odette offers to help Dexter if she manages to see if the wish is true or not. He agrees.
Baba & Yaga vs Alpherius (Winner: Baba & Yaga)
Baba & Yaga's Side
- Because You Were Nice to Me: At the start of the entry, Baba and Yaga encounter Rollo, a dragon who works security on the mountain, and help him recover his hat. After they force Alpherius back to Hell, Rollo returns the gesture by pitching Alpherius's vessel into the distance off the mountain.
- Berserk Button: Baba doesn't take kindly to seeing her granddaughter threatened and let's Alpherius know it while he being sent back to Hell.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Earlier in the fight, Alpherius manage to paralyze Yaga with his shadow before going to deal with Yaga. Alpherius is later forced to leave his body after Baba damages it to much to be useful. Just as he corners her, the fire he used to make said shadow dies out leaving Yaga to deal with the body he possessed while it nothing more then a shell, leaving him vulnerable. What's more since Alperhius is out of the body past a certain time and can't return to it, he's forced back to Hell.
- Saying Too Much: As Baba fights Alpherius she let's slip she can't use healing spells after he nearly stabs her with his sword.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Alpherius tries to do this when he spots the two by acting like a inspector that was abandoned on the mountain. Baba doesn't buy it for a second as she can tell the smell of rigor mortis on him.
Alpherius's Side
- Blatant Lies: Alpherius tries to lie to Baba and Yaga about the contest being fake but Clancey winds up ruining this for him.
- Boom, Headshot!: Yaga tries to hit Alpherius with a truth spell but winds up flubbing it. Good thing it was just the possessed body and just wound up knocking Alpherius out of him or that certainly would've killed him.
- Tranquil Fury: After Yaga actually makes him bleed, Alpherius suddenly stops playing around and instantly knocks the two out. Yaga with a headbutt and Baba with her own stick.
Xing vs Forced Wanderer (Winner: Forced Wanderer)
Xing's Side
- Alternate Self: Xing runs into his as soon as he gets on the mountain, but he disappears shortly after.
- Defeat Means Friendship: An odd case, Xing doesn't actually win the fight. In fact the two don't fight at all, rather they team up to fight a worm monster with Xing getting wounded. F.W. manages to get him to Prosa's house for treatment, after which it offers Xing a chance to team up. Xing accepts.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice : Xing winds up getting this during a fight with a worm monster.
Forced Wanderer's Side
- Bittersweet Ending: The two fend off a crazy bear attack but Xing touches one of the crystals, which nearly absorbs into him. F.W. is forced to pull it out but it's unknown if that kills Xing or not in the process.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: The bears that attack the the two are being made crazy by crystals embedded into them.
- Stab the Scorpion: As Xing and it are making their way to the mountain through the forest at night, F.W. readies its sword and looks like it is about to attack him. Turns there was a bear behind Xing and it was attacking it. The two then team up to fend off the assault from the monsters.
Auchnein S. vs Miyo and E-go (Winner: Miyo & E-go)
Auchnein S' Side
- Aborted Arc: His creator didn't submit anything before the deadline and thus was disqualified.
Miyo & E-go's Side
- Blatant Lies: The pair avoid a fight with Auchnein altogether by claiming he had "won" the tournament and that they were messengers sent to get him.
- It May Help You on Your Quest: When Miyo and E-go reach the bar of one of the villages surrounding the mountain. E-go announces their intention to climb it. To which the bar owner gives them a box stating that Bluff ordered them to give it to anyone foolish enough to want to pass the wasteland to reach the mountain. Turns out it's a decontamination suit.
- The Long List: Miyo goes into one when they reach the bar and the patrons marvel at her Fennec appearance. Having experienced this before, she preemptively answers whatever questions they're thinking so she can get it out of the way.Miyo: Lemme guess, this is the first time meeting someone of my nature, ain't it?Patron: Yep.Miyo: Alright, first things first. 1) No, I don't carry rabies. 2) Yes, I'm 100% house trained. 3) No, you may not pet me, that's for friends and family only. 4) Yes, I can eat chocolate. 5) No, I am not a ferret. 6) Yes, I check myself for ticks and fleas on the regular. 7) Yes, I can hear you when you whisper behind my back. 8) Yes, I wear clothes often. and 9) No, I will not explain how our breeding works. Any questions?Patron: No that just about covers it.
Neven & Renning vs Ann (Winner: Neven & Renning)
Ann's Side
- Happy Flashback: This entry opens with what we can only assume is Ann some time ago, as she's at a distinctly not-mountain home and sporting a much shorter hairstyle. The flashback shows her receiving a package from an unknown sender containing mittens, much to her excitement.
- Comical Overreacting: Conflict is nearly always expected, but the means of producing it vary wildly. In this case, it's brought about by Renning demanding Neven consider what Ann's capable of. Neven violently overreacts, thinking Ann might turn his kidneys into dynamite.
- Involuntary Group Split: Comes about when Neven has to split from Renning of his own volition, but Rollo the security dragon then prevents them from reuniting. This leaves the small robot in Ann's care at the end of the entry.
Neven & Renning's Side
- Hurricane of Puns: Neven unleashes this on Renning, poking fun at his ram features. This also carries a slight undertone of Neven as the Jerk with a Heart of Gold, as he at least momentarily seems to be making these puns to distract his worried robot-friend.
- Double Take: Renning does this when he's sure he's seen something—or someONE—strange in the desert, only for them to then be gone. To his credit, there was a menacing figure there, who makes a grim reappearance in the entry's close.
- What's In It For Me?: Neven comes into possession of a note belonging to Ann, and when she asks for it back, he says he'll give it back, but only if he gets something in return.
- I Can't Feel My Legs!: A direct quote from Renning, after Ann sliiightly turns him into a toaster.
- No One Gets Left Behind: Kind of. Ann passes out from heat and exhaustion—oh, and from taking a toaster to the head—so Renning convinces Neven they must bring her along.
Shambles vs Pettie Pink (Winner: Pettie Pink)
Pettie Pink's Side
- Bad Boss: After Pink brings the trees to life, she keeps scolding them when they don't do their tasks as she orders. Eventually she scares them so much that they promptly abandon her.
- Forgot About His Powers: During the fight, Pink remembers she can use her powers to bring non living objects (in this case, trees) to life to help her. She chalks it up as living in the city for too long.
- Took a Level in Kindness: For most of the entry, Pink is hostile to her fellow superhero, Collateral Girl, who keeps calling to just make sure she's alright. But after her first experience in fighting solo and not even able to lead her tree minions properly to fight Shambles. She concedes she has no experience in leading and apologizes to Collateral Girl for being a jerk. She likewise helps Shambles get a better job, which keeps him from being reaped.
Shambles Side
- Aborted Arc: The author couldn't make the deadline in time and forfeited. Though he did draw a comic following his opponents ending.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: His journey ends before it starts, but thanks to Pink's help, he isn't reaped and even gets much better job than his previous one.
Aiden vs Mikaleos (Winner: Mikaleos)
Aiden's Side
- Aborted Arc: His creator never submitted an entry before the deadline, and thus was disqualified.
Mikaleos's Side
- Bittersweet Ending: Mikaleos makes a friend in Aiden and they travel together but then come across a sandworm who promptly eats Aiden.
- Cliffhanger: The entry ends with Mikaleos about to attack the sandworm for eating Aiden.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Aiden jumps in front of the sandworm to save Mikaleos but is eaten as a result.
Tallagag vs Terin (Winner: Tallagag)
Tallagag's Side
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Tallagag uses Terin's own arms to weigh him down enough that he can't move allowing her to get an easy lighting shot with her wand.
- Hurricane of Puns: The match is filled to the brim with them.
- Multi-Armed and Dangerous: Tallagag and Terin engage in a match where they keeping pulling out multiple arms (or in Tallagag's case fake puppet arms).
- Offhand Backhand: Terin tries to attack Tallagag while her back is turned but she easily blocks the attack with her wand without even looking at him.
- Tempting Fate: After Tallagag zaps him, Terin complains she didn't even use her fake arms to attack him. So she remedies that by dumping them on Terin, leaving him incapacitated.
- Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: After both sides show off their multiple arms, Tallagag decides to end it by just zapping Terin with her wand.
Terin's Side
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: When Terin confronts Tallagag at the bar after she tries to shut him down manually. He mentions that he replaced her snacks with cream cheese and vegetarian jerky. That gets her riled.
- Buried Alive: After Terin manages to freeze her, he puts her in a hole and states the snow will likely cover her. She'll eventually defrost and pull herself out but by then the competition will be over with.
- Companion Cube: Tallagag's laptop.
- Harmless Freezing: Tallagag's ends up frozen as a block of ice though her head is still free allowing her to continue talking.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Terin uses Tallagag's own magic against her to freeze her in a block of ice.
- My Significance Sense Is Tingling: When Tallagag senses Terin nearby...Tallagag: My hag senses are tingling.
Harjia vs Ilano & Major Cyterian (Winner: Ilano & Major Cyterian)
Harija's Side
- Bittersweet Ending: Harijia wins but feels guilty since he pretty much ruined Ilano and Cyterian's mission.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Ilano does to this Harjia after he beats her since he pretty much prevented whatever them from stopping the "presence" that Cyterian and she were after.
Ilano & Major Cyterian's Side
- Action Prologue: Continues from the audition with the pair crashing near Millena's home and her attacking them. We also get a hint of the "Presence" the duo are looking for.
- Cliffhanger: Ends with Clancey attacked by the "Presence" and it coming after Prosa.
- Enemy Mine: Ilano makes friends with Harijia and Cyterian more or less drafts him into helping the two up the mountain.
The Mecha King vs Claudia & Megasoma (Winner: Claudia & Megasoma)
The Mecha King's Side
- Aborted Arc: His creator didn't finish his entry in time and was thus disqualified.
Claudia & Megasoma's Side
- Berserk Button: Claudia's gets pushed when the Nom King insults Megasoma. The Nom King's is pushed in return when Megasoma states that the king's mech isn't much of a threat.
- Oh, Crap!: The Nom King when Malphesus tells him that Megasoma far outweighs his bot and compares it to the squirrels the king likes to kick back home..only now they're the squirrels.
- Sarcasm Failure: When the Mecha King runs into Claudia and states his intentions to fight...Nom King: What do you think Malphesus? Did I make my kingly intentions clear to them?Malphesus: Clear as mud, sire.Nom King: Hahah! Malpheus You Idiot! Mud isn't clear at all!(Malpheus sighs and face palms)
Thayar & Arbrok vs Dr. Lyssa (Winner: Thayar & Arbrok)
Thayar & Arbrok Side
- Disproportionate Retribution: Thayar sees a spider and makes to swat it, but hits Arbrok by accident. Arbrok responds by changing into his shadow form and attacking him, knocking the pair into the forest.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Lyssa hits one of the trees while swinging at Thayar. Arbrok uses the tree to incapacitate Lyssa.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Thayar tries to appease Lyssa by giving him a (cloned) vial of his green liquid. However this only make the doctor angry as he thinks Thayar stole it from him.
- Gets another when he tries throwing stuff at Lysaa and ends up accidentally giving him an axe.
- Tempting Fate: As Thayr and Lysaa are struggling over an ax. Lyssa states that he's much stronger than Thayar and won't beat him with his frame. Thayar knocks him back with a kick and Arbrok knocks over and pins him with a tree that was half cut.
Dr. Lyssa's Side
- A Twinkle in the Sky: Doubles as Running Gag from his audition, Lyssa annoys Millena that she has her house swats him into the distance rather then freezing him.
- Berserk Button: Lyssa doesn't take kindly to his bagels being wasted.
- Harmless Freezing: When the pair end up near Millena's house, she uses her powers to freeze Thayar and Arbok, though claims they're still alive.
- Shout-Out: To The Lion King (1994) when Lyssa needs to be pulled up by a bag and asks Thayar to help him. Thayar, hungry and targeting Lyssa's bagels which ar in said bag, knocks him off the cliff instead.
- Tempting Fate: When Lyssa and Thayar end up in trees opposite each other from a fall. Thayar thinks Lyssa can't get him...and then Lyssa starts swinging towards him.
Aethis vs Psyche (Winner: Aethis)
Aethis's Side
- Break His Heart to Save Him: Aethis does this to the Psyche, stating how dangerous the climb will be if he continues. Aethis actually fights him and wounds C.C. to make their point.
- Bittersweet Ending: Aethis and Psyche get along well upon meeting each other and brave most of a canyon together. However, Aethis breaks their partnership as they feel Psyche will get himself killed if he continues.
- Enemy Mine: Subverted, Psyche suggest a team up and while Aethis considers it, they ultimately decline, as they believe Psyche isn't prepared for the challenges ahead.
- High-Altitude Battle: Aethis and Psyche & C.C fight briefly in the air.
Psyche's Side
- Enemy Mine: There's no fight, Psyche meets Aethis and requests they team up. Aethis accepts.
- Wham Shot: Psyche sends a letter home telling his friend, Richard, that they're alright. When it's returned it has the words "Don't Come Home".
Prince Errent & Princess Cadence vs Ginela & Brooke (Winner: Ginela & Brooke)
Prince Errent & Princess Cadence's Side
- Aborted Arc: Their creator didn't submit an entry before the deadline, and thus was disqualified.
Ginela & Brooke's Side
- Big Damn Heroes: Motley winds up saving Ginela when they see her falling from the top after Millena knocks her out of the air.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Cadence's uncontrolled magic to make people sing is used against Errant and her when Ginela and Brooke use it to hit them with a high-pitched screech.
- I Did What I Had to Do: How Errent justifies turning on Brooke, as he says, his duties to his princess come first. And if she's being attacked by Brooke's partner, then he has to stop her before anything.
- No Fair Cheating: Ginela tries to fly her way up to the top to reach the throne, but encounters Millena who both warns her that she can't cheat (though is tempted to let her past just to end the contest quicker and get everyone off the mountain) and uses her snow power to knock her out of the air and back to the base of the mountain.
- Poor Communication Kills: How the fight between Ginela and Cadence starts. Ginela reaches the plateau they're on after nearly getting caught in a rock slide, freaking out Cadence with her victory roar who was just teleported there by Errent. Ginela didn't even know she was there until Cadence threw a rock at her face. Ginela naturally didn't take kindly to that.
- Super-Scream: How the pair beat Errent and Cadence by having Brooke twirl her head wrap to make a makeshift megaphone and Ginela using a music-enhanced screech to hit the two with a sonic blast, flinging them into a rock and knocking them out.
Kamara & Nepthys vs Darrian & Shine (Winner: Darrian & Shine)
Kamara & Nepthys' Side
- Cooldown Hug: A varient, Nepthys manages to calm down Shine through a technique that similar to this.
- Leeroy Jenkins: Kamara instantly picks a fight Darrian despite him not being interested. They only stop when they notice a nearby glow which leads them to Nepthys and Shine.
- Oh, Crap!: Nepthys when she sees Darrian and Shine embracing each other. Having seen the power Shine wielded earlier, she instantly grabs Kamara and gets out of range before the two explode and rocket off to who knows where.
- Silent Treatment: Nepthys gets angry at Kamara and leaves her by herself. Kamara thinks she'll come back within minutes. But it then cut to several hours later and Kamara is still by herself.
Darrian & Shine's Side
- Blatant Lies: Millena claims she can help turns off Shine's powers and gives her a potion. But Millena's guest, Nebulous, figures if it's from her it can't be anything good and throws it aside. Sure enough, when Kamara finds the potion later and drinks from it, she instantly gets deathly sick.
- Blood from the Mouth: Kamara gets this after finding and drinking Millena's potion.
- Catapult Nightmare: The entry begins with Darrian having a nightmare and being jarred awake from it.
- Cliffhanger: Ends with Kamara ill but recovering, Nepthys offering Darrian a chance to experience, in his dream, being reunited with Shine and all parties unaware that Nebulous and his newly arrived sister, Vega, are targeting Darrian and Shine for unknown reasons.
- Leeroy Jenkins: Again Kamara picks a fight with Darrian on sight. Though is stopped after marveling at his abilities.
- Oh, Crap!: Nebulous gets this when Shine points out a orange glow in the distance. He leaves her behind, telling her to meet him at the tallest peak of the mountain while he goes to check it out. It gets strengthened when he finds out its his sister, Vega.
- Shower of Awkward: While Shine celebrates her happiness on the mountain's base, she has the misfortune of running into Millena while she's taking a bath.
- Too Dumb to Live: Kamara drinking a potion she finds off the ground.
Tawny vs Ezekiel (Winner: Ezekiel)
Tawny's Side
- Harmless Freezing: Tawny ends up frozen by Millena upon her finding out he's one of the climbers for the wish.
- Faking the Dead: Tawny manages to get Ezekiel's dragon side to back off by pretending he was impaled by their claws, and using berries to simulate "blood".
- Please Put Some Clothes On: After Clancey finds Ezekiel and takes them away, he states that first they'll find them some clothes.
Ezekiel's Side
- Enemy Mine: The two team up to get Tawny's amulet back.
- Please Wake Up: Ezekiel passes out from exerting themself too much, with Tawny trying to rouse him.
- Tempting Fate: Twofold. When the two meet, Tawny accuses Ezekiel of wanting to fight. Ezekiel asks if there was just a way down from the mountain. Tawny helps... by pushing them off the cliff. Ezekiel manages to grab on thanks to their claws with Tawny gloating nothing gets past his awareness... until a hawk comes swooping in and grabs his amulet.
- Cliffhanger: The pair manage to get Tawny's amulet back, but Ezekiel blacks out just as someone comes up to them.
Lex & Muse vs Nemeth & Blueberry (Winner: Nemeth & Blueberry)
Lex & Muse's Side
- An Arm and a Leg: Muse loses his arm when a beast attacked him and tore it off. Lucky Cliff managed to save them.
- Enemy Mine: Both pairs are forced to team up when a monster attacks them.
- Defeat Means Friendship: Somewhat, Nemeth suggest a team up with Lex and Muse to take on the mountain. However it's obvious she's only doing so after hearing that Lex is familiar with the mountain and sees it as an easier way to get to the top.
- The Paralyzer: Lex makes a makeshift stun gun from the pile of scrap where they meet Nemeth and Blueberry.
- Pinball Projectile: Nemeth tries to get an easy shot on Lex as she's trying to deal with the monster. But Muse rams into her and causes her to miss and the bullet to ricochet around the scrap until it hits the beast in it's eye, killing it.
- Superpowered Evil Side: The end of the entry implies an evil entity is lurking within Muse's body.
Nemeth & Blueberry's Side
- Big Damn Heroes: When a monsters attacks all parties, Muse prepares to do a Heroic Sacrifice. But Nemeth charges in and prevents this by keeping the beast mouth prop open. Long enough for Cliff to tag it with a tranquilizers from afar.
- Opt Out: After the monster attack, Blueberry wants to quit the quest altogether seeing how dangerous it is. But Nemeth won't allow it.
- Unwitting Pawn: Clancey uses the pair's fight to draw out a monster he was tracking.
Round 2
Nemeth and Blueberry vs Ezekiel (Winner: Nemeth and Blueberry)
Nemeth & Blueberry's Side
- Beware the Nice Ones: Blueberry starts showing a more assertive side here, standing up to Nemeth when she takes her bullying too far.
- Bittersweet Ending: Nemeth and Blueberry escape Ezekiel's dragon form. But the experience isn't helping Blueberry's psyche with Nemeth likewise chastising him for being so trusting in a competition where everyone is out for themselves. Meanwhile the last shot of the entry is Ezekiel sitting in the cave with the shattered remains of their "mother's" skull.
- The Bully: Nemeth is really at her worst here, pushing around both Blueberry and later Ezekiel. This comes to bit her back hard when Ezekiel goes full dragon.
- Oh, Crap!: Nemeth and Blueberry get this when Nemeth shoots at the skull of Ezekiel's "mother". Naturally this pisses Ezekiel off and they go dragon, nearly killing the pair with Nemeth and Blueberry barely managing to escape into a cave.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Blueberry tries to help Ezekiel by preventing Nemeth from bullying him further. However Ezekiel grabs Blueberry and tries to hold him hostage to get Nemeth to give him her gun and leave the cave.
Ezekiel's Side
- Aborted Arc: His creator didn't submit anything for this round before the deadline and was disqualified.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Likewise we never find out what happened to Tawny either since his entry ended with Tawny still with him.
Forced Wanderer vs Aethis (Winner: Aethis)
Forced Wanderer's Side
- Apple of Discord: The box F.W carries. Aethis touched it once and witnessed what was inside. Aethis continuously brings it up in their travels, causing arguments between the two.
- Big Damn Heroes: F.W escapes the cave but is tackled by Talift, with Clancey mistaking it for a poacher. Just as he is about to bite down on F.W, Aethis arrives to stop Clancey.
- Booby Trap: F.W. and Aethis run into a few in their journey through the cave, eventually resulting in a fight against a golem.
- Continuity Nod: The crystal comes back into play again, which F.W uses to stab Aethis with, giving them a power boost against the golem.
- Enemy Mine: F.W and Aethis team up to fight a golem together.
Aethis's Side
- Bittersweet Ending: Aethis manages to get Xing out of the cave and takes him back to Prosa's place for medical attention. But in the end, F.W is buried in a rock slide, and Aethis asks its name and history before leaving it behind.
- Buried Alive: Not that F.W was alive to begin with, but...
- Continuity Nod: Follows F.W's previous entry with Xing still injured and comatose from the bear attack.
- Due to the Dead: Aethis promises to take F.W's story "to the peak," and buries the box that F.W. was carrying in respect.
- It's All My Fault: Aethis feels this way towards F.W's fate. They're partially right.
- Let's You and Him Fight: The conflict is kickstarted due to differing opinions on how to treat Xing and the crystal that was pulled from his body. F.W feels that it won't do any harm further to him, while Aethis feels that the crystal is the the cause of further pain in Xing's body. It eventually reaches a boiling point when Aethis decides to take matter into their own hands.
Darrian & Shine vs Miyo & E-go (Winner: Darrian & Shine)
Darrian & Shine's Side
- Downer Ending: Darrian and Shine give into their instincts and purposefully harm who they run into/travel with (Shine with Miyo and E-go and Darrian with Nepthys).
- Evil Feels Good: Both Darrian and Shine start to give into their destrucive instincts with the latter even stating that she actually liked burning E-go when she unwittingly hugged her. Darrian just flat out gives in, finding the dream state not able to feel the void.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: E-go is seen at the end with Cliff delivering her to Bluff but there's no sign of Miyo. We also don't see what happemed to Kamara and Nepthys's fate is likewise never revealed.
Miyo & E-go's Side
- Alas, Poor Villain: The blob monster claims he was king of the land, but ran into someone (Darrin) who scorched the area and turned him into his current form.
- Big Damn Heroes: E-go, Auchnein and Shine do this, arriving to save Miyo just in time from getting eaten.
- Combat Tentacles: Auchnein is shown to use these and the blob monster likewise has them.
- Combination Attack: E-go, Auchnein and Shine all fire on the blob tentacle monster at the same time just when it looked like it'll kill Miyo.
- Comically Missing the Point: Miyo suspects Auchnein to be the culprit behind the villager attacks due to using Combat Tentacles and accuses him. Just when it seem like he might attack E-go and her after her accusation, he....decides that they need to find more suspects.
- Guest-Star Party Member: Auchnein continues traveling with Miyo and E-go, still believing that their messengers sent to get him.
- I'm a Humanitarian: Miyo runs a blob like tentacle monster who has been starving and wishes for something to eat. Subverted as he mentions it mentions it doesn't like eating humans when it sees E-go but figure beggars can't be choosers.
- Red Herring: Auchnein is thought to be the cause of attacks on nearby villagers that Miyo heard about about the bar. Turns out it was an random monster living out in the marshes. In fact, Auchnein was actually helping the villagers.
Ilano & Major Cyterian vs Petite Pink (Winner: Ilano & Major Cyterian)
Ilano & Major Cyterian's Side
- Big Damn Heroes: Harjia comes out of his stone state to prevent the possesed Rollo from attacking Ilano and Pink. Though his interference doesn't last long.
- Enemy Mine: Rather than fight each other. Pink, Harjia, Ilano and Cyterian work together to try and defeat the Presence.
- Cliffhanger: Ends on one what with Surge forcing Bluff and his staff to retreat from their castle. Ilano finding out what Surge's true objective is and the mystery of Cyterian unresolved though she agrees to tell Ilano everything at the end of the entry.
- Demonic Possession: The Presence a.k.a Surge does this first by taking control of Clancey then Rollo.
- Guest-Star Party Member: Harjia who in this entry continues to tag along with Ilano and Cyterian.
- "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: When Ilano tries again to copy the Possessed Rollo's flame, Pink tries to use her powers to keep her from becoming possessed.
- No-Sell: When up against the possessed Rollo. Illano tries to use his fire breath against him, however it fails to do anything. Likewise when she tries to copy the blue flames surrounding him. It's start turning her into a monster.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Cyterian when Harjia reveals who the name of his master, recognizing it.
- Ilano finding out that Cyterian lied about her mission.
- A possessed Rollo arriving at the rest stop to kill Ilano.
- Ilano when Pink manages to bring her out of her possessed state and she sees into Surge's plans. When Pink asks for the gist of it at the current of their situation....Ilano: We're all gonna die!
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Surge does this to whomever it possesses.
- Robotic Reveal: Cyterian is revealed to be a cyborg.
- Samus Is a Girl: It's revealed at the end that the Presence, or as it's now named, Surge, is a female.
- Wham Episode: We find out Cyterian was discharged from service months before the main story following near fatal injuries. There was never a mission from the HQ to join the contest. It was all simply a ploy so Cyterian could avenge her sister who was killed by Surge during her first mission.
- Wham Line: This after Illano's General manages to contact her:Ilano's General: Why the Hell are you in the Neutral Zone?!Ilano: Well, my mission, duh?General: You never received a mission! Who are you with?!
- Wave-Motion Gun: Cyterian pulls one out and manages to beat the Possessed Rollo with it.
Petite Pink's Side
- Buffy Speak: When Pink's at a loss on what to say when Ilano and Cyterian resort to force to gain a mirror needed to proceed further.
- Pink: WITTY LINE! (Throws her fork at llano)
- Cliffhanger: Ends with Pink reaching the next challenge and continuing on, but starting to wonder if the wish is even worth it. Bluff, seeing this from his TV Screen, finds this ungrateful and begins plotting something by targeting Cyberbyte.
- Eye Scream: Pink throws a plastic fork at Ilano's eye. Luckily she copies Pink's powers and heals herself. Still, ouch.
- "Eureka!" Moment: Pink tries to counter Illano's controlled animals with plants, but they don't seem to respond to her. Just as she's about to throw another fit. She realizes that Ilano can easily control the animals by simply asking and saying please. Much to Pink's chagrin, it works.
- Heart Is an Awesome Power: A theme for this entry is that Pink isnt thinking of every aspect of her powers and considering them useless. She's give a slice of Humble Pie when Ilano manages to copy and use her power more effectively then she can.
- Is This Thing Still On?: Bluff does this when he announces the next challenge for the competition, but forgets to switch off the TV when he crackles about not mentioning there being dangerous beasts.
- The Bet: Pink makes one with her fellow hero, Cyberbyte, that she won't be able to use her powers for the next portion of the climb. If she manages, she can call him Simon, if she doesn't she will allow him to use her real name, "Pinkee", and have to wear a frilly dress for a week. However, Cyberbyte later calls it off when it look like Pink will kill herself in her stubbornness.
- Heroic BSoD: Pink suffers one after nearly getting mauled by the animals Ilano controls. Cyberbite snaps her out of it.
- Oh, Crap!: Pink when she realizes Ilano can copy her powers and, unlike her, doesn't have any problems commanding animals.
- Tempting Fate: When Pink gets into an argument with Cyberbyte. She claims there's a better chance of her getting hit with a UFO then giving up. Right on cue, Ilano's and Cyterian's ship falls out of the sky and nearly hits her.
- What the Hell, Hero?: After Pink defeats them, Cyterian calls out Pink for her selfishness on wanting to use the wish just to get better powers and that she just jeopardized the whole planet to the Omniversal Presence for the sake of it. Pink tries to put on her usual bravado, but the words certainly hit home.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Cyberbyte tries to tell Pink that her powers are unique to her and not quite as useless as she thinks. Just that she need to view it from a different angle.
Tallagag vs Claudia & Megasoma (Winner: Claudia & Megasoma)
Tallagag's Side
- Aborted Arc: Her creator didn't submit anything for this round before the deadline and was disqualified.
Claudia & Megasoma's Side
- Badass Boast: Megasoma gives one when he agrees to be Claudia's partner.Megasoma: 5 Wars, 120 Missions, 0 Loses. I am the epitome of core mechanics, superior to any menial mass produced scrap. You cannot find anything greater than I! I am Megasoma! And my process is VICTORY!
- Cliffhanger: Ends with Claudia declaring her intention to be the new king of the mountain to save her world and blowing up the Magicite mine to allow Megasoma, Tallagag and her to escape. However the end of the entry reveals Bluff wanted that to happen and is scheming something for later.
- Enemy Mine: Claudia, Megasoma and Tallagag team up to fight the creatures of the cave they're in.
- Just a Kid: How Megasoma initially saw Claudia when she activated him and refused to be her partner assuming she just want a new "toy". It's only when she states the dire situation her world is coming into and her conviction to fight that he agrees to help her.
- Flashback: The round starts with one which shows how Megasoma and Claudia met.
- Genre Savvy: Lampshaded by Tallagag herself when she sees Claudia rigging an explosive and quickly climbs into Megasoma before she sets them off. Stating she's seen enough anime to know what's she's planning.
- The Cameo: Neven, Renning and Ann show up in the middle of the entry witnessing the mine with the Magicite exploding.
- Wham Episode: Claudia finds out that the mountain houses Magicite, the very thing her world is waging war over, with Tallagag mentioning that it is easily produced, not mined. Cliff appears and reveals that both Claudia's and the mountain's worlds actually had good relations to each other in the past. But the current king dying and Bluff taking over lead to him hoarding the material, which in turn plunged her world into war fighting for the scraps of Magicite they had left.
Baba & Yaga vs Ginela & Brooke (Winner: Baba & Yaga)
Baba & Yaga's Side
- Abhorrent Admirer: Yaga toward Cliff.
- Armor-Piercing Question: When Brooke has Yaga tied down, she explains Baba's past to her. Yaga objects that she's not evil anymore but Brooke asks if she really knows anything about her grandmother. Yaga finds she can't answer that.
- Berserk Button: The below mentioned insult toward her food to Brooke as well as being called "Yogurt Top". Yaga weaponizes the latter to set her up for her teleportation trick which knocks out Ginela.
-
Development Gag: One of the poses on the fifth panel in the fifth page was copied from the opponents ref sheet of Brooke as a bit of a Easter Egg. - Disproportionate Retribution: What kickstarts the fight? Yaga complaining about Brooke's cooking which is a Berserk Button to her.
- Fantastic Racism: Between Ginela and Baba due to atrocities that happened in Baba's past concerning vampires and her.
- Flashback: Two showcased in the entry. One details how Yaga came into Baba's care (apparently having lost her parents) and another goes into Baba's past and how she gained infamy and ire with the vampire race.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Yaga teleports Brooke toward Ginela just as she shoots at her, causing her to hit Ginela in the process which knocks her out.
- Naked People Are Funny: After being defeated, Brooke awakens to find herself partially naked with Baba and Yaga having used her clothes to tie Ginela to a branch hanging from a cliff.
- Resist the Beast: Ginela has Baba on the ropes and tries to goad her into drinking her Strong Juice to even the odds. Baba considers it but states she's Not Herself when she goes into her younger mode and ultimately surrenders to ensure Yaga's safety much to Ginela's shock.
- Take Me Instead: Baba offers up her life in exchange for Yaga's safety then risk using her Strong Juice and losing control of her younger self.
- The Cameo: Alpherius, Yaga and Baba's previous opponent, shows up during the fight and accidentally gets hit by one of Brook's aura blasts.
- The Dreaded: Baba was quite a terror back in the day. Two mentioned atrocities here is that she cursed a village that tried to kill her by combusting the kids that stayed there, regrowing her forest in the process with each death. As well as having killed vampires and ate their brains to gain their knowledge.
- That Man Is Dead: Ginela keeps accusing Baba of being a big bad witch and wanting to see just how truly terrifying she is. Baba steadfastly refuses, stating those days are long behind her and she would rather die then show that side of her to her granddaughter.
Ginela & Brooke's Side
- Big Damn Heroes: Yaga manages to save Brooke from Millena just as she was seconds away from freezing Brooke completely.
- Book Ends: The round begins (proper) and ends with Ginela yawning, bored (the first time due to taking a long path, the second time waiting to heal up after her fight with Baba).
- Enemy Mine: Brooke and Yaga are forced to team up when Millena comes after them in anger for her damaged house.
- Death from Above: Ginela ends her fight with Baba by dropping from the air after using an explosion to get lift and falling right on the weakened Baba. Subverted that it doesn't kill her, but knocks her out.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Brooke and Yaga get this when they run into a pissed off Millena looking to vent her anger at her house being damaged from Ginela's and Baba's fight.
- Baba when she realizes her "Strong Juice" is about to wear off before she can finish Ginela.
- Hoist by His Own Petard:
- Ginela uses Baba's own stick to defeat her.
- Millena is trapped in frozen Jello after Brooke hits her with her aura power, causing Millena's ice powers to go haywire and freeze her within the jello geyser Yaga had summoned.
- Take Me Instead: When Milliena states her intention to go after Yaga, Brooke tries to keep Millena's focus on her to prevent this.
- Tempting Fate: While talking with Errant (the opponent from the previous entry, here now a partially vamped scout for her), Ginela states it should be a quiet night when he expresses worry about other climbers. Not a second later, Ginela hears someone scream and rushes to find Brooke in an energy struggle with Yaga with Baba not too far behind.
- The Cameo: Errant, Cadence and Motely are seen at the beginning of the entry encountering Clancey and Talift.
- Victory by Endurance: Both Ginela and Brooke manage to win their fights by outlasting their opponents till an oppurtunity presented itself to defeat them. For Ginela, she kept Baba busy enough that she'd forget about her time limit on her super mode till it was too late. For Brooke during her fight with Millena, it was staying alive long enough for Yaga to finish chanting her spell to save her.
- Worthy Opponent: Ginela states Baba as such after their battle as they recover. Mentioning that Baba's younger form actually managed to put her through her paces.
Dexter vs Mikaelos (Winner: Mikaelos)
Dexter's Side
- Aborted Arc: His creator didn't submit an entry this round before the deadline was thus disqualified.
Mikaelos's Side
- Booby Trap: Mikaelos, Alden and Dexter end up accidentally triggering one in the cave they're in which nearly traps Dexter in a barrier and drops them down into a pit.
- Cliffhanger: Quite literally, it end with Mikaelos holding onto a rope while holding onto Dexter as they try to escape a booby trap with him wondering why he can't just let himself die despite wanting to.
- I Will Only Slow You Down: Mikaelos tries to invoke this several times due to his fatalist nature. But Alden doesn't have any of it.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Alden calls out Mikaelos on this for wanting the him to move on without him despite his leg injury being fairly minor.
Neven & Renning vs Thayar & Arbrok (Winner: Neven & Renning)
Neven & Renning's Side
- Bittersweet Ending: Renning manages to save Neven from the tree monster and help him up the cliff. However Neven was wounded in the leg fighting it and Thayar ended up abandoning Renning and him after getting spooked by some spectre following him. What's more Thayar finds out he's infected with some kind of black spots on his arm.
- The Cameo: Ann (Neven's previous opponent from the last entry) shows up at the start. Only to abandon the duo when it's revealed Neven used her as living shade while making his way across the desert...and leaving her in poison ivy when they reached the forest.
- The Plan: We find out from a conversation between Clancey and Prosa that Bluff summoned the contestants not just for competition but to help deal with a plague that been affecting the mountain which his staff and he can't deal with by themselves.
- Oh, Crap!: Neven when he goes to scope out a cave and finds out it's inhabited by a monster.
Thayar & Arbrok's Side
- Bait-and-Switch: It looks the two are going to fight when they reach the cave. But Thayar manages to bribe Renning with some food and drink, which defuses the situation.
- Cliffhanger: Ends with Thayar and Arbrok teaming with Neven and Renning to tackle the mountain together. Meanwhile, the mountain staff picks up the duplicate object from Thayar's bag, getting a bad vibe from them and Bluff observing all of this from atop the mountain.
- Enemy Mine: The pairs team up to brave the mountain with Thayar agreeing to pay Neven for his services and even offering the wish if it turns out not as advertised. Neven agrees.
- Jerkass Has a Point: At the end Thayar states that even if the mountain's curse may just a rumor. That's still no reason not to be wary considering that they're in a place where magic exists.
- Nothing Is Scarier: Neven dismisses Thayar's fears about the mountain being cursed, figuring it's nothing but something to scare the climbers. Thayar, going off his experiences, offer this in response:
- Thayar: There was a time when I would have been agreeing with you. But these days I'm more concerned about how you do not.
Round 3
Aethis vs Mikaelos (Winner: Aethis)
Aethis' Side
Mikaelos' Side
Neven & Renning vs Nemeth & Blueberry (Winner: Neven & Renning)
Neven & Renning's Side
- Berserk Button: Neven's injury. Renning tries desperately to make him turn back as it's obvious if he continues in his state, he'll lose his leg or his life. But Renning constantly keeps telling him he's find and refuses to call off the climb. Obviously spured on by his past life and hoping the wish will help him.
- Cliffhanger: Ends with Neven forced to fight Nemeth. While he manages, his injury from his wounds from the previous entry finally get to him and he falls unconscious with Renning trying to wake him up.
- One-Winged Angel: Nemeth gets angry enough that she's goes full on chupacabra and attacks Neven.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Both parties agree to work with each other but, while Renning and Blueberry are more then cordial, Neven and Nemeth constantly sling insults at each other. Not surprisingly it eventually ends up in a fight between the two.
Nemeth & Blueberry's Side
Claudia & Megasoma vs Darrian & Shine (Winner: Claudia & Megasoma)
Claudia & Megasoma's Side
Darrian & Shine's Side
- Aborted Arc: The creator didn't most his entry before the deadline and was thus disqualified.
Ilano & Major Cyterian vs Baba & Yaga (Winner: Ilano & Cyerian)
Ilano & Major Cyterian's Side
- Bittersweet Ending: Baba and Cyterian die but Ilano, Yaga, Pink, and Hariji as well as the surviving mountain contestants are evacuated from the mountain in time, which will allow them to regroup.
- Meaningless Villain Victory: Sort of Surge manages to kill Baba due to her running out of power. But Baba doesn't despair, rather she laughs in her face, stating that while she had power. The others will find a way to stop her regardless and Baba won't give her any satisfaction by suffering so she can do her worst. Surge does so...and ultimately realizes Baba's right much to her annoyance.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Baba does one in order to keep Surge from going after the other and Cyrterian goes down fighting
- Wham Episode: Both Baba and Cyterian did and the mountain is blown up in the fight against Surge.
Baba & Yaga's Side
- Aborted Arc: Their creator's life got too busy to do the entry and ended up forfeiting. Though he did post some sketches of what he had planned for the round.
