Lives Ruled by Hearts (Player-Driven RP)

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???

Everything was normal for you when your eyes were embraced by the darkness of sleep. Even your dreams were normal enough... Yet there were these barely audible voices going on in your dreams, as if completely disconnected from their events. The only things you could make out were your name and the phrase "Trial of Will". Then you awaken to see the world before you.

Now in a strange realm of stained glass and pinkish clouds, there is nothing nor anyone else. You do note there are two voids, one of white in the distance, and one of blackness in the back. Neither seem to change distance as you move. Though, it isn't long until a voiceless voice speaks to you.

"You may have believed you were something before this, but do not lie to yourself. You were nothing. However, now is a moment of opportunity. Follow my instructions, and you will have the chance to be something great. First, simply proceed onward until you find the three columns. I do worry you lack the strength, stamina and strategy to complete this. Prove to me you can handle your trials."

???

[1]

Alice Jimenez woke with a start, and quickly picked herself up off the floor. Where the hell was she? It looked like the weird cloud place from Big Hero 6, but with more glass and weird voids. And what was up with that voice in her head, the one that didn't make any sound? I was nothing, my ass, she thought. She wasn't really inclined to do what the voice said after hearing it call her basically worthless, but the alternative was sitting there and waiting until she rotted away, so Alice began walking forwards, towards the white void-thingy.

The moment Jania woke up she had as massive headache and apparently had bit her lip with the one fang she had in her sleep. They rose up, taking in the enviroment around her and...

"...This is a joke, Right? Goddamnit I knew I shouldn't have taken that bet..." Wait, why was she clothed? Did she fall asleep like that again? Uuuuugh...

The half-vampire took out a comb she always has on her person and decided to walk a little bit, but nothing seemed to move. The hell? Then that voice started speaking, where DID it come from? "...This better not be f*cking Jim. If it IS you, Jim, I'm feeding you to a Manticore." Doing just as the voice says, really what other choice was there, the blue haired female proceeded. All the while Combing her hair.

edited 28th Mar '15 7:38:30 AM by Nickpws

Michael wakes up, groggy as the swirling darkness gives way to light. He stares around.

"Wha...What is this? Where is this? Furthermore, how did I get here?"

He hears the voice.

"Trial of Will...why does that sound familiar to me? Prove myself? Just how should I do that?"

He then walks forward, treading carefully as he follows the voice's instructions.

edited 28th Mar '15 1:04:58 AM by UndyingPhoenix

"Still don't see anythin'... Gods, where are these supposed pkkar anyway? And how the hell is this so long?" Jania starts asking herself some questions, feeling like she's been walking for at least a day.

Jacques awakened from his slumber, yawning before blinking and looking around in alarm. "Oh bother" he exclaimed as he stood up, resting his old pal the ley catalyser on his shoulder as he looked around. It was as if someone had slipped him some some YS(yellow submarine) on his meal. How bad must things be if the better alternative was that he was actually wandering around the streets, drugged up. He lit a cigarette to calm his nerves and began walking, that's when the voice came.

"Trials then eh? well, we'll see" He said, thinking that it was the only direction towards getting out of this place.

Quif woke up from a with a calm expression, he'd always been a light sleeper. The calm was quickly drained from his face as he realized where he was...or, didn't realize where he was...

He quickly rose to his feet and adjusted his eyes to the area.

"Hello...?" Quif said cautiously, memories of recent voices popping up in his head.

When another voice apparently came from inside his head, Quif frantically spun his head from side to side to locate the source. On the ground next to him he spotted his training sword, a thin and rounded off blocky sword. No, it wasn't meant for fighting real people, but it'd at least be some help versus whatever unknown he may come by. Quif quickly picked it up and got into a defensive stance.

Once again getting silent, Quif caught the rest of the voice's speech beginning at, You were nothing.

After a quick prayer and the mutterings of protection, Quif slowly stalked off towards where he, for some reason, felt the correct way was. Whether it was the way out, he had no idea.

edited 31st Mar '15 5:05:43 PM by Hasame

Realm of Trials

Continuing to walk onwards to see no columns, as you begin to give up three columns suddenly rise out of the clouds you walk on. Noting that each column possesses a singular symbol on its base representing your ideas of strength, defense, and intellect a transparently red hexagonal wall suddenly sprouts up behind you as the area before you stretches out into a circular spot.

"You have found the columns, and thus your first trial. It is admittedly quite simple. You must decide what one or two qualities you will embrace, and what to reject, to cast into oblivion. You cannot become truly strong if you refuse to commit to a path of your choosing after all. Thus, what matters most to you? Power supreme perhaps, maybe an absolute defensive, or simply knowledge for the sake of knowledge?"

edited 1st Apr '15 3:19:23 PM by Kkutwar

Mike sees a Manablade, a Manashield and a spellbook representing the ideas of Attack, Defence and Mind.

"Power...Unrelenting defence...or knowledge and wisdom? Strange, disembodied voice, you didn't really leave me much of a choice. All else matters little before knowledge and wisdom."

He heads over to the spellbook, looking over it carefully, before picking it up, almost reverently, and holding onto it firmly.

"...?" Once the voice spoke again and most certainly after the red wall blocked off her way back she shut up. Three pillars, strength, defense and knowledge... She did see three pillars, but none of them had a symbol.

"Oi, Great job. You put up somethin' for me and y'don't even show me anything. The heck am I supposed to know what those three stand for anyway? I guess for wisdom lying'd suit me, a good liar always gets through life..." That last part was a mumble, but then something shifted. On the third pillar a head and hand appeared, as if listening or talking... Was that supposed to stand for the lying comment she just made?

"Ah, I see how 'tis. You do it like that. Aight, I'll play yer game. Strength is how good a gambler is, the better you are the stronger you're suited for any danger. If ya can't flinch on your last chip than why should ye flinch in the face of death?" And with that a stack of cards and several casino-chips appeared on the first pillar. Needless to say this made Jania content.

"Now you're also asking about defense Eh? Simple." Jania points to the fang sticking out of her mouth and resting on her lower lip. "...The vampiric disease, or "Curse". It's s'possed to improve your endurance after all." And then the 2nd pillar, the final without a symbol had three lines in a certain pattern lined up, wwhich was the insignea to have been infected.

"For my choice? I'm a born liar, what else would I take but what I'd requested first? I'm good enough at gambling as is and shielding myself really isn't my schtick. I don't fear anything. Now, can I continue with yer lil' game voice? It's becoming rather amusin'." As two pillars sank the half-vampire gave a smirk. For now she'll hold off the thought this is just a prank as it's actually fun.

edited 7th Apr '15 9:58:33 AM by Nickpws

Jacques looked at the items before him.

On the first pillar an exquisite tasseled cane, concealing a straight double-edged blade. Beside it a revolver, made of silver, with ivory details and handle. Weapons of an aristocrat, the kind of people he worked for, well, mostly everyone worked for them in any case.

On the second a navy blue long high collared cloak, with a golden chain holding it shut at the neck, white trim at the hem. The cloak of a royal guard. Jacques touched it, beneath the deceptively soft but tough fabric, there was a fine layer of chain mail made of a light, yet resistant alloy.

Finally in the third there were three books; the journal of a military man thought unbeatable, General Ambrotio Damanz, the field journal of the most brilliant man in the whole empire, a natural philosopher called Equino Satz, and finally the original memoirs of Saint Joshua the Long-living, founder of the Church of the Giant of Light.

Joshua was torn, tempted to take the power, his hand caressing the finely crafted cane. It vexed him, to ascend to the status of his rulers... but couldn't, it wasn't in him to do so. He threw the cloak on himself. Self preservation, keeping himself alive was more important than killing others. And he grabbed the tomes, knowledge that great couldn't be wasted"

Quif walked for a while before setting his eyes upon three separate pillars.

A broadsword with no sheath, padded vest just like his (but his had no pads for it was the training version), and tattered scroll each appeared on their own pillar.

"One or two, huh..." Quif immediately knew what he wanted. He briskly walked over towards the nearly identical vest, the only difference being the amount of protection it gives, and removed his vest. Before putting the other vest on he paused and looked around, searching once again for the voice. "Nothing." Quif said as he walked over to the scroll and picked it up. This scroll was one of the Protector's. It taught the magic necessary to protect in even the worst of situations.

Pillars of Choice

Alice nearly walked into one of the pillars, which on closer inspection had a Desert Eagle at its base. She half-heard the Voice's instructions, busy as she was investigating, but she got the gist. The other two pillars had a Hylian Shield and a hockey stick, respectively. Hmm... After careful consideration, Alice picked up the Deagle in her left hand and the hockey stick in her right. ([1]) They felt... right in her hands, and Alice grinned a deadly grin, all fire and ivory. This was gonna be awesome.

edited 4th Apr '15 8:11:36 PM by Tojin

Realm of Trials

• (Abilities unlocked!)

• (Mike Langley: Ethereal Wall [Summons a translucent purple wall to block weak attacks and soften stronger blows], Barrier Arms [Wraps your arms in magical energy similar to Ethereal Wall, meant to fight foes without physical contacts], Mana Arrows [Fires translucent arrows in a barrage], Drop [Forms a large sphere in the air to drop on targets])

• (Jania Demthos: Sky Dancer [Can perform actions in mid-air, with a slower fall speed as well], Dash Storm [Manipulate wind to launch yourself in one direction, pushing aside the wind and small objects along the way], Weaving Tongue [Distort sound by controlling the wind, such as producing horrific noises or being unnaturally quiet], Whirlwind [Launch forth a partially controlled small whirlwind, more useful for disorienting and throwing enemies than direct damage])

• (Jacques Jones: Binding Tendrils [Summon forth intermingled tendrils of light and darkness to restrict enemy movement], Blinder [Fire a quick blast of light at someone's eyes before quickly following up by enveloping their face in darkness], Caltrops Field [Produce a series of light and darkness caltrops to limit enemy movement], Barred Law [Form twilight bars to block a path, or drop them over an enemy to inflict some damage])

• (Quif Corren: Terran Armor [Manipulate earthen materials to wrap yourself in armor, capable of softening blows], Earthen Deflector [Rapidly flip up a piece of stone to deflect an attack], Disarming Launch [Raise an extremely thin stone pillar with enough force to knock objects away], Spike [Fire one earthen spike with speed, though it needs to be charged to move quickly])

• (Alice Jimenez: Psycho Flames [conjure a pillar of wild flames that lasts briefly but inflicts a lot of damage], Fire Shower [quickly sprays intense flames before yourself], Ignis Palm [Slam a giant hand of fire onto a target], Hellfire Dance [Summon a rotating ring of flame lasers around yourself])

The choices made, the columns left unchosen suddenly start to be covered in spiderwebbing cracks- Before abruptly shattering unnaturally, like a picture being ripped apart or a computer screen glitching into oblivion. With this the voiceless voice once more contacts you, though oddly as if with an amused inflection.

"What has been rejected can never be recovered, what has been acquired will forever be you. What regrets you have will have been earned, and now won't we see what becomes of you? However, it is time for the second trial... Can you deal with the demons inside of you, or is your resolve too weak to overcome them?"

Suddenly, five small creatures start to appear around you. Perhaps they are sturdy predatory creatures made of magic, stubby winged creatures made of wind with a vicious appearance, twilight creatures covered in natural weaponry, sharp earthen dog-like things or fiery turtle-men each finds a different monster appearing before them.

Before they've fully formed, one suddenly lunges towards you.

Jania quickly scouted the five little bastards suddenly in front of her, defensive instincts immediatly kicking in. Her right foot quickly stepped backwards as she notices a rascal attempting to claw her. Were they claws? It looked like claws... But they didn't seem to be ful-

Before the blue haired woman could finish that train of though a second launches, and a simple dodge wouldn't do justice this time. The creature nearly took out one of her eyes before...

[Whirlwind]

...A strange gust of wind immediately flings it back. Did she do that? ...Wait, she felt something inside her... Knowledge of certain actions... That must've been what that was. What was another one? Suddenly all five, including the one still near her launched forward. A whirlwind wouldn't do again, so instead...

"Not t'day..." Kicking off from the ground the words [Dash Storm] were muffled in her speech, launching her high up in the air to gather a bit of distance and a few precious moments of thought. What was another of her abilities?

[Sky Dancer]. Right, she could move around in the air. What if...? Jania used this to reposition herself, then using [Dash Storm] again to kick herself off mid-air again and crush one underneath the force of the kick. Suprisingly, Jania connected and one of the four was dead.

The blue haired womman couldn't relax for a long while though, as the ravaging imps around her were still attempting to tear her to shreds... What was another one of her abilities? She pondered over it while dodging from the claw strikes and lunges aimed at her before landing on the answer.

[Weaving Tongue].

Once far enough Jania immediately used this to cause a loud shriek aound her 4 oppponents, loud enough so that the vampire could use another [Dash Storm] to kill two more.

Only two remained now, but repeated running and storms caused her to already become fatigued and heavy breathing. "G'damnit... You lot don't give up do ye..." They muttered in between heavy breaths. She wasn't much of a fighter and is amazed to even get this far... Once again the creatures lept forward to strike Jania down, her moving side to side to avoid the claw strikes coming at her. Once a window of oppertunity presented itself, the half vampire used [Whirlwind] to launch one into the other, and both towards a fallen comrade... To then get impaled on its claws. Not the most civil way to end a fight but it'd do...

"Whoegh..." The woman dropped to the floor after that battle, coughing a little from overexertion. "Da hell was that all 'bout...?"

edited 16th Apr '15 6:33:36 AM by Nickpws

Realm of Trials

Before Alice had time to react to the weird reptilians appearing, they were already leaping at her face. With an involuntary squeak, she shied away-

[Fire Shower]

-and then two of them were on fire and the rest were keeping their distance. Alice looked on in brief shock. "Did I do that?" she wondered. She tried concentrating on one of the turtlemen she had hit previously-

[Ignis Palm]

-and it was promptly slapped by a large firey hand. Alice grinned manically. This was gonna be fun.

She immediately started laying into her enemies, singing all the while.

"Everybody ought to let their soooouuul... CATCH A FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!"

And before long, they had all been blown, showered, or smacked into ash.

edited 16th Apr '15 9:22:03 AM by Tojin

Mike flinched, briefly cowering. His mind instinctively goes into reflex, making Ethereal Wall appear to block the attack.

"H-Huh? Hey! My magic's back! Get ready to pay!"

He starts using Barrier Arms, and lets out a barrage of punches on the magic creature. He expertly defends against the attacks, normally parrying them before sending out a powerful jab, hook, and then an uppercut. The creature is finished off with it being picked up and tossed to the side.

"One down, four to go. I hope you're ready for the hurt!"

He shoots several Mana Arrows at three of the magical creatures. The arrows carve their way through the air...and through the creatures as well, as they drop, defeated, hit square in the head.

He turns to the last creature left, and begins charging up for Drop, as mana starts to gather in his hand, gradually becoming larger and larger.

"Here's my trump card...especially for you!"

As soon as the ball of mana reaches the biggest possible size, he throws it. It weaves its way through the air, before stopping above the last creature. It has only seconds to realize what was about to happen...but by then, it's too late, as the ball drops, crushing it.

"Whew..."

Mike bends over a bit, slightly exhausted after the whole ordeal.

"At least they weren't giant bugs..."

edited 9th Apr '15 10:54:00 PM by UndyingPhoenix

"inner demons?" Thought Jacques as hear the voice in his head talk, he felt secure with his cloak over him, and his books under the arm. He feels a bit less secure when the creatures begin to form, taking a few steps back out of caution. He knew this scenario very well, ancient pre-imperial equipment goes bust, they sent him to fix it and suddenly there's an eldrich swarm chasing him or a guardian statue comes to life and wants to cave his chest in. It was obvious he was supposed to beat them, maybe a good wallop of his trusty wrench or- His train of thought was interrupted by the oncoming attack of the twilight beings.

His first instinct was to dodge, then impede their pass so he could deal y with them one at a time. But he only had his wrench with him, no release charges, no spare parts nothing he... felt something in his hand. Spiky little things seemingly made out of solid light and shadow. A <Caltrop Field> yes, this would do... did he made these? why did he have powers now? well might as well take advantage of it. He tosses the caltrops multiplying them in the air as they rain down. He jumps back to create distance "right then... now if I had a hefty stick to beat them back" The rest of abilities fill in the blanks "Oh... well brilliant" He said summoning a pile of the bars made by the <Barred Law> and using the admittedly weak telekinetic of his wrench to propel them at the creatures. Then he would use the <Binding Tendrils> to set the other two in place while he opened another two torrents of <Barred Law> over them. The last one would get <Blinder> all over the face as he proceeded to beat him up with his wrench.

edited 16th Apr '15 6:40:39 AM by Sanojutsu

The ground began to slightly tremble under Quif's feet. It would have been impossible to notice if he hadn't been still already, looking at the scroll in his hands.

Five creations from the earth itself quickly formed together, they weren't smooth creations, but jagged as if hastily put together.

As the last finished building, one of the other four monsters lunged towards Quif's face with abnormal speed.

Taken off guard, Quif flinched and wrapped his arms around himself for protection.

[Disarming Launch]

He opened his eyes when no pain came. Before Quif stood a thin pillar made of the earth he stood on. He looked around and found the crumbled remains of the first monster sinking into the ground a few yards away.

Is that why there was nothing on the scroll? Do you just absorb its power? Quif thought as he tensed and looked to the four remaining hounds before him. He'd been taught to not break under pressure and adapt to his situation. He could do this.

"So what else have you given me?" He whispered as all four of the creations charged him at once. He tried to once again summon a pillar and launch the dogs, but nothing came. He still had to get used to these gifts it seems. In response Quif pulled up his training sword and prepared to block the incoming attacks.

[Terran Armor] [Earthen Deflector]

His old sword broke loudly, but once again, Quif seemed alright. He looked to his shoulders and saw that he was covered from the neck down in stone and dried mud (Mostly stone) and in the air in front of him was a still slab of rock, protecting him.

On the ground lay the sinking carcasses of two defeated enemies, and the last two were recovering on the ground beside his feet, one's face had cracked and partly fallen off. A smile involuntarily stretched across Quif's face as he lifted both of his hands towards the recovering enemies and began to charge up power, tensing up his muscles to prepare for his last attack.

[Spike]

They both crumbled into nothingness, swallowed up by the terrain.

The armor also crumbled off of Quif's exterior, and as it did he stared up in wonder. "I've made it."

edited 15th Apr '15 12:52:45 PM by Hasame

Realm of Trials

Even with the creatures dead, the barrier behind you remains and the area doesn't go back to its original state. Suddenly, the voiceless voice calls out. "You have proven control over your abilities and that you're willing to fight your demons manifest. However, this was not doubted. Those were the weakest of your demons, a mere taste of the horrors you hold within your soul. Now is the time for your true and final trial."

Five doors emerging from the ground, the voice goes off as each one rises. "Will you move through your fears and become brave for the battles ahead? Will you gaze into your past and realize why it meant nothing? Will you take a glimpse of your dreams, and fondly regard those pleasantries? Will you challenge the lies you made of a future, and abandon them? Or, perhaps, will you delve into a place beyond your beginning to remember things you never knew? Once you walk through that door, you cannot return yet there is nowhere else to go but through."

[1]

Alice looked at the doors, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. What did she want? The obvious choice was the middle door, the dream one... And yet. It didn't really seem like the best choice. Besides, she knew what her dreams were, so it'd be boring to experience them once again. That left fears, past, future, and the unknown. Her fears she was also well-acquainted with, experiencing them whenever she was bored. Her past she knew full well meant almost nothing, especially to her. Her parents she dearly loved, but...

A terrifying thought entered her mind. Where would her parents think she went? Would she ever see them again? And her friends, all the people who had been taken in, taken up, and taken root with the odd albino girl? That changed almost everything. It also left her with no doubt in her mind as to her choice. She would experience the future, and make damn well sure she would go back home again. She stepped through the future door, her resolve like a bonfire that would never fade.

edited 16th Apr '15 9:42:59 PM by Tojin

Jania cracked her neck while still sitting down and then let her body slump to lay down on the ground. "Oh. My. God. This' ridculous..." with a heavy sigh, she got up. "I don't 'ave a goddamned choice, idiot. And wha's dis Bullcrap 'bout inner demons? Now yer just pullin' me leg." Walking over to the five doors, she turned her back to the the one with lies. "'Cor... I don't do nothing but lyin'." Then walked over to dreams... "Hah. Dreams? Y'have those at nite." Then the one about the past... "My past? 's been okay. Dunno why yer trying to freak me out." Then the first one, bravery... "Really? I dun need this crap. 's all I got to say 'bout that." And finally, Jania arrives at the last door. "Aight, I gots a feeling y'want me to enter this one. Deal." And so, she entered.

Mike stood, gazing intently at the doors.

"What do I want? Bravery? No, I'm not one for charging heroically. My past? I...I think I'll pass on that. It means little to me. The future? I don't think so. I don't care to think of the future. Dreams...perhaps, but I don't have any that are really all that great. The unknown though...to remember what I don't know. To gain knowledge unknown. THAT sounds interesting, wisdom and knowledge are greater than all else."

He steps tentatively as he passes by each door, considering each option deeply, pausing occasionally as he reconsiders each time.

The creak of the door opening, and Michael steps forward, into the Unknown.

"I guess this is my choice."

Jacques sat down to think. Looking at the doors... Fears... Past... Future... Dreams... and The Beyond. Dreams was tempting as was his past, the voice seemed to make it be that way. Future... Lies of a future, promises he'd made out of duty but not passion, stay with the banshee of a girlfriend, never traveling, taking care of his old folks... Future was out of the question. His eyes settled on another door... Fears, the door promised a baptism of fire... all the monster in the darkness all the pain and torture... he feared that, failure and suffering. But he felt confident, safe. The cloak of his father could protect him, the tomes could guide him. He stood up an pushed through. Face his fears, big and small, childish and the so very dire ones.