The moment Majima's stepped outside Tahn's cell, Botar would already be waiting for him.
"Sounded like you managed to cheer him up a bit.", he comments before warping Majima back outside.
—
Inside the cell, Tahn rolls over, now laying on his stomach, grinning eagerly towards the ground, having positioned himself in such a way that the camera won't be able to see his face.
"Ever since they got that tracking bracelet on me, they've stopped blocking my powers with that weird metal glove. So my powers are working perfectly., he thinks to himself.
"And now I can sense it again. That growing sensation in my mind that tells me my chance will come soon. Yes, soon I'll be able to make my grand escape."
Edited by DevilPsyco on Feb 21st 2021 at 1:59:27 PM
In the year 202X, all is devastation... Soon, any last shred of hope had by the saintliest optimist shall die and decay."So... this demon or whoever's hunting for the artifacts, they're someone that Loki and I are familiar with?" Thor inquires, carefully studying the Deliderp's drawings. "If this person is a friend, I'll do everything in my power to dissuade them from using these weapons. Should they be an enemy, I'll ensure that whatever they're plotting doesn't come to fruition."
"Okay, so it's not Mara. In my defense, collecting mystical artifacts that are literally made of evil would be right up her alley," Pietro says, examining the drawings as well. "Alright, I'm guessing Thor, Loki, and the mystery demon are gonna wind up getting their hands on one artifact each soon. Maybe that means whatever artifact they find, they can grab it without becoming another Culmination."
Edited by IchigoMontoya on Feb 21st 2021 at 5:18:50 AM
The Deliderp continues to stare... then almost seems to outright silently sigh as it hangs its head. It's looking like they didn't get what it was trying to say at all.
It then suddenly wipes out the drawings with its foot, though lets the demon's head last a bit longer before wiping it out too.
It ponders for a moment, then draws one last thing: the rough outline of a castle. Which most would assume to be the Cyber Angel Fortress.
The thing is though, not only does this drawing look way different than the Cyber Angel Fortress did, but this rough outline doesn't actually match any of the castles and forts in the Arena.
Regardless, after about ten seconds it wipes this drawing away too, then starts hopping away.
Edited by DevilPsyco on Feb 21st 2021 at 2:25:04 PM
In the year 202X, all is devastation... Soon, any last shred of hope had by the saintliest optimist shall die and decay.Dawnguard Fort
It's nighttime. Both Orange and Purple are sleeping, hugging Belle between they. But she awakes and slips out of the bed, and she goes out of the room. There, she takes off her disguise and her wig... she is Belen herself!
They passed my test with flying colors... but I don't know yet who I do like more.
Edited by BombonBombin on Feb 21st 2021 at 7:35:55 AM
Three freaking ghosts!Aleifr vs Sarah
"Very astute." It's hard to tell if he's being sarcastic. The electricity on his hand starts to dissipate, but then jumps back to Sarah as he returns her stolen power. "And you chose a good location for it, too."
"You said earlier that my body is weird. It's a manifestation of density manipulation, one of my areas of expertise, both as a mage and a brawler. Intangibility, size-shifting... but it doesn't stop there." His body begins to flicker, not as the side-effect of casting an illusion, but like he's struggling not to glitch out of existence or split in half. "What happens when you consolidate multiple copies of the same power? Turns out, it doesn't always just become stronger. Sometimes... it evolves."
With that, he stops restraining himself, and more crystals grow out of his body, uncontrollable this time, while his form glitches harder until there are multiple overlapping copies of himself, occupying almost but not quite the same space.
"You might want to get out of the way." In the distance, Lambert and Martin float back as well, until they're just specks in the sky.
Then, a blinding light, spreading in all directions.
As the space around them warps again, Sarah would see flickers of different locations. A town on the valley of a snow-covered mountain range. A floating city, starting to fall and break apart. Another town in a similar location, but grander, more bustling and in nighttime. A cathedral. A battlefield. Different worlds. Different timelines.
And in each one of them, an iteration of Aleifr. Most visibly younger than the one she was fighting. Most of them don't get to grow this old - they died trying, one way or another.
"I'll save my city, even if it costs me my soul!"
"Even if you kill me, I'll just walk it off and come back!"
"What good is a king who can't protect his subjects?"
"Nothing will keep me from the people I love, you hear me? Nothing!"
"You wanna know what drives me? Spite. I'll get back up again and again, because fuck you."
"I'm a thief. A scholar, at best. A proper nation shouldn't need someone like me to lead it."
Each one of them is pulled into the epicenter, this Aleifr calling upon more of himself as they merge for one singular purpose. "Eeeeaaaaaa aaaahhh!!"
What's left in the region is desolation. Whatever life was present - plants, microbes - has been scoured clean. The ground is pure white. Even the water is solid - not quite ice as one would normally recognize it, just... crystallized. The sky no longer has a visible sun, but instead pours down rays from above on every surface, banishing night from the planet.
And standing in the center is Aleifr in a different form. Where before he was visibly dwarvish even when sized up, he's now standing eight feet tall with a proportionally Heroic Build. He's clad in armor from the neck down, looking halfway between metallic and crystallized. A simple crown sits on his head, and a pair of wings adorn his back, along with four disembodied hands floating to his sides.
On his chest piece are three different gems in a circular formation. On the top is the Reality Stone, now shifting between different parts of the rainbow. To the left is Metatron, massively condensed into a single jewel, white with a spot of black in the center. The Yang half of a Yin-Yang symbol. Finally, to the right is a shard of Galeem, forged into the shape of a cresent moon overlapping an eight-pointed star.
He opens his glowing eyes and turns back to Sarah in the distance, flying up to present his angelic form in all its twisted, royal glory, looking good as new. "Come. Let's fight the real battle."
Reality Stone Charge: 100%
(Innocence's Theme - Insanity
)
Edited by AqueousBunnies on Feb 21st 2021 at 8:48:39 AM
Once the Deliderp has cleared its drawings and departed, Thor and Pietro watch it leave before turning to each other.
"Right, first, I'm going to share this... prophecy with Loki. If we're destined to obtain two of the three artifacts or come into conflict with this demon over them, he'll probably want to know," Thor says. "After that, we'll use what information we can gleam from those... those incredibly vague drawings to figure out what the Hel our next move should be."
"Yeah, maybe we should've found someone who actually understands that thing before asking questions," Pietro replies. "If someone like that even exists... Come on, I think we should keep talking about this over drinks."
With that, the god of thunder and the silver-haired speedster begin making their way towards Dawnstar.
Sarah quietly sighs as she process everything. With her healing unbound by the toxin and the Arena, all her fatigue and wounds vanishes, making her fresh as new. Ideal for the next phase of the fight, though she seems almost more interested in studying what happened to the world before she spots Aleifr, perhaps being glad that an empty planet was chosen for such a showdown.
Then, when she notices him in his new form, the Sister emanate an impressed whistle, before composing herself and just raising an eyebrow. So, you've fused with the Aleifrs across realities, right? Well, I know that I told you to go all-out, so... let's go.
Sarah, seemingly opting for a clash of raw power, leans backwards and raise her fist, awaiting for Aleifr to get ready in a similar manner. A coy smirk appears on her lips, though it widen as she realizes what she's in for. However, it's with surprising restraint that she dashes at him, creating a "meager" shockwave around her as she take off!
Sarah pulls her fist back while holding up her other arm, curl both her fists and goes for a swift PUNCH with her right hand. Two seconds after the impact, a lightning bolt strikes from the sky, aiming to hit Aleifr in almost-tandem.
Then, like back at the lethal lava land, Sarah start tossing a swift amount of punches and kicks, very slowly upping the precise speed and power of each hit. She is tossing out a lot of them after all!
...
Thor behold the fight from way after, various shockwaves disturbing the frozen tranquility of the world.
IN YOUR OPINION, SPECTATORS, WHO HAS HELD THE UPPER HAND FOR THIS BOUT? AND WHO SHALL WIN THIS GLORIOUS FINAL ROUND?! He asks... Lambert and Martin. I AM NOT WHOLLY UNBIASED IN THIS COMPETITION, THOUGH REST ASSURED THAT I SHANT INTERVENE UNLESS A MOST BASE DEED IS COMMITTED TO WIN THE FIGHT!
Nautolan picture belongs to Bonesmarinated on twitterThundercloud Temple
Nyr sat at stone desk and set out a large piece of hemp paper, set down an inkwell of a fairly normal ink, and dipped a quill into the inkwell. He stared blankly for a few second, his artificial hand against his face as he pondered his next move.
"Hmmm... If I want to bind a planar spirit, that's one thing, but an Elemental...? Hmm... I'm not sure that I even want to do this. Summoning and binding was never my forte, even when the Order of the Eternal Storm had me do it as part of my Trial."
Seliana Gathering Hub
Sofia sat, much like she had before, with many books open before her — though this time, she was also filling out a fair few documents of paperwork, and only a few of them seemed to pertain to the Hunter's Guild. How curious...
The Skyforge
In light of the fact that Eorlund Graymane didn't seem to exist in the Arena at present, Thranix had decided to claim The Skyforge and Underforge, at least in part, as his workplace. At present, however, the coals rested at a idle simmer, as Thranix sat and stared into the Evil Eye he had carved from Fatalis.
"..."
It made even his spine crawl with unease.
College of Winterhold
Megan strode in from the howling cold winds, seemingly not terribly bothered by the ice and snow — though she did spend a few moments warming her hands near one of the magical orbs of warm light that floated around the college grounds in their odd stone braziers. She passed a strange, cloth-wrapped, talisman-clad bag between her hands as she warmed himself, before moving onwards and upwards towards the Arcaneum. It might have all the knowledge she was looking for, but perhaps she might be able to meet someone who could help her find that knowledge.
"The Stick has sentimental value. It's like an enormous, hideous teddy bear we can kill things with." -rikalousThundercloud Temple
Phosphora appears behind Nyr in a flash of electric sparks. "Oh, honey, you're hopeless. You have the powers of a god and you don't just make your own minions? You gotta summon 'em? Yami-no-Arashi made the Gekiryuu with less than what you have access to."
College of Winterhold
Terlette is currently practicing magic in the courtyard, slinging huge blasts of elemental energy every which way.
Reprium
Rui
◊ suddenly rises up like from a Catapult Nightmare.
He looks himself over.
Still a demon...? Is this my punishment in jigoku?
Edited by KiriK on Feb 21st 2021 at 9:44:18 AM
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."Rui's bad awakening might get even worse very soon. He can clearly sense something approaching. The familiar energy of his own kind - lots of it.
Two figures emerge from the darkness of the woods - a male demon in a green yukata, with a necklace of large blue beads around his neck, and a woman wearing a black coat over an orange kimono. Her eyes shine in the darkness, displaying the Upper Kizuki, Rank Three emblem. The man's eyes are closed, but from the amount of Blood Demon Magic emanating from him, it's unlikely he's any weaker.
Lord Muzan does not tolerate failure very well - that, Rui probably knows. With that in mind, it's likely that the arrival of such high-ranked demons does not spell good news for him. At best, he's probably about to get a stern reprimand accompanied by a harsh lesson. At worst, well... it may be best not to think about that.
Rui tenses up and glares, gritting his teeth. He doesn't say anything or make any moves, though.
Eight yellow eyes light up in the gloom behind Rui, and he suddenly looks back in shock.
Am I... being ambushed?
Edited by KiriK on Feb 21st 2021 at 10:14:55 AM
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."As Rui stands up with the obvious intent to fight, the man turns to the woman with a disapproving expression.
"Susamaru! I told you that we shouldn't just emerge without saying anything! We probably scared him!"
"But we were so cool though! Now that we're Upper Kizuki, we need to be appropriately intimidating and all!"
...ok, they're a couple of dorks. Very powerful dorks though. Probably a good idea to watch his step nevertheless. The demon woman known as "Susamaru" takes a few steps forward and positively squees in delight as she catches a glint of the emblem in Rui's own eyes...
"Whoa... Yahaba, look, he's a Kizuki too! That's amazing!" She actually bows to Rui, even though she handily outranks him. What the actual hell is going on here? "How long have you been a Kizuki for? How did you gain the Master's favor? How many humans have you killed? What was the hardest battle you've ever been in?" She piles on the questions like a curious child.
"Oi... Susamaru... if I were you, I'd be a little more worried about that," he warns, pointing at the source of the glowing arachnid eyes.
"Whoa... what is that? A morphed demon?"
"No... I'm pretty sure not. It's..." Yahaba points a hand at the creature, showing the large eye embedded within his palm. "No magic, no demon blood. As far as my eyes can tell, it's a mere beast, but... I've never heard of bugs growing this big, so I don't know whether to be relieved or not..."
Rui stands there, blinking in silent surprise.
"Er... I only remember that he came to me when I was sick and offered to heal me, and that's how I became a demon. I became Kizuki for the amounts of humans I killed."
He turns around to look at the eyes.
The thing creeps out of the brush. It's a gigantic arachnid
◊ absolutely covered in webbing, with a surprisingly long neck like that of an assassin spider. It tilts its head quizzically at the demons.
Rui's eyes seem to sparkle in silent awe, and he reaches out to touch its face. "It's... adorable."
It's what?!
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.""Adorable? I'm... not really sure I see it," Yahaba says with a shrug.
"Well, it's definitely pretty cool! And look, it's friendly! How cute!" Susamaru exclaims. She then nods in response to Rui. "Yes, that definitely sounds like him! He is a very kind and merciful person!" Not words most would use to describe Muzan, but she seems to hold genuine admiration for the Demon Progenitor.
Yahaba, meanwhile, perks up as he realizes something. "Wait... you actually remember how you became a demon? I... can't seem to recall. I... remember my gratitude to the Master, but the rest seems to slip my mind. I don't think Susamaru recalls, either..."
Rui looks back at his superiors as he strokes the Rakna-Kadaki's forehead, which it seems to be enjoying. "I remember... because I died in this place once before. As I began to burn up, my memories of humanity came flooding back. Then I suddenly woke up and I was still a demon, but the memories did not leave. That was moments before you found me."
"So, forgive me for speaking out of turn... but why are you here?"
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.""So, people really do come back from the grave here..." Yahaba muses, seemingly more to himself than anyone else. "I wonder... if we died here, would we also remember our past..."
"A friend- or... I'm not sure that's the right word... an associate of the Master has sent us here to scout this area. He didn't say why, but, I guess he knew! He must've known we would find a new friend here!"
Friend..? What an odd word. Most demons, let alone high-ranking Kizuki, are preoccupied with two things, power and food... things such as "friends" are rarely anywhere on the radar.
Yahaba's face, meanwhile, becomes a frown. "Susamaru, does anything strike you as... odd about this?"
She tilts her head quizzically. "What do you mean, odd? Lord Narktus always welcomes new friends!"
"The Master should know full well there is a demon in the area, let alone a Kizuki. But it was not he who sent us. It was Lord Narktus. This... I'm unsure of what this could mean, but I must say... it leaves a strange taste in my mouth."
"... Friend?"
Rui is troubled. Friendship is like family, but demons don't make friends, and his prior efforts to start a family, as he's now realized, were just a sham. This...could be his chance for a genuine bond, if they're being truthful.
Time to test that.
"... If the Master knows of my presence, it is likely he would not care to have me back, seeing as I was killed without the use of a nichirin-to. It was a pathetic death unworthy of Kizuki."
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."Susamaru's excitement seems to deflate like a pierced balloon, though instead of the expected anger and scorn, it gives way to what seems to be genuine sadness. "The Master... really doesn't want you back?"
Yahaba sighs. "I didn't want to think of it, but... that would explain the situation. However, truth be told... even though my memory of it is hazy, the Master made it very clear that, back on Earth, we... also failed pretty miserably. I was destroyed by a novice Slayer who should have been an easy target, and... the less said about the way Susamaru screwed up, the better."
"Hey!"
"And we weren't even Kizuki. He had promised to grant us the rank if we succeeded, but, well... that didn't go as planned. It was Lord Narktus who brought us back and convinced the Master to give us a second chance. And, well... I like to think that if he has since made us Upper Kizuki, that means we're doing pretty well, so... maybe he can be convinced to give you a second chance too. Beside, if there is something out here that can slay a demon without a Nichirin Blade, that, in and of itself, could be important information."
Susamaru nods energetically and puts an encouraging hand on Rui's shoulder. "Mm-hm! The important thing is to learn from the mistakes you make, right?"
Edited by Arachnos on Feb 21st 2021 at 1:14:50 PM
Thundercloud Temple
Nyr set down the quill as the entirety of the shortened 'why are we still here
' speech ran through his brain.
"... Fuck, is it that easy?"
College of Winterhold
Megan stopped as she set her things down in the at one of tables. It seemed that she hadn't realized that Terlette was present, lost in thought as she was. After a moment, she headed back downstairs and poked her head out of the door.
"Well, long time no see! How've you been, Terlette?"
"The Stick has sentimental value. It's like an enormous, hideous teddy bear we can kill things with." -rikalousThe wave of information is too shocking for Rui to fully process. He shyly turns away from Susamaru, seemingly blushing. "I-in that case... I have just one question. Can I..."
He looks up at her. "Wherever we're going, can I take the spider with me?"
Seems he's still a kid after all.
Phosphora nods, maintaining her smug grin. "M-hm!"
Terlette continues her practice. "Aeleris... got turned into an emissary of darkness. Hyah!"
She conjures a pillar of roaring flames, then cuts through it with a traveling whirlwind.
"And I'm... training... to stop him. So... not great."
Edited by KiriK on Feb 22nd 2021 at 8:23:29 AM
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."Dawnguard Fort
It's morning again. Orange and Purple wakes up, and discovers that they were sleeping while hugging.
Both: EEEEEW!!!
Huh... Where is Belle?
In this moment, Belen entered into the room.
Good morning, guys.
Hey, good morning! Back already?
Yeah, and I have a letter from Belle for you.
Both guys read the letter:
Dear guys:
I had enjoyed too much with you yesterday! Thank you for everything! I'll be back some day... altough I'll be with you together... in your heart.
Love, Belle.
The 2 guys were bemused by the letter...
Hey, don't you think that the letter is very similar to Belen's?
Maybe... but in something they must be similar, right? They are cousins, after all.
Edited by BombonBombin on Feb 22nd 2021 at 11:34:44 AM
Three freaking ghosts!Thundercloud Temple
Nyr stared again into the eye he had wished to conjure a summon around. It seemed, even in death, to watch him perpetually... like it knew everything he had ever done. Like it hated him for it.
"I had hoped to conjure and bind something with this as the catalyst because I dont know if I'll actually be able to control something built around this eye. Hmmm... If my control is indeed as strong as youre saying, then..."
He put his various spellcraft implements away for now, and held the eye in his flesh-and-blood hand.
"Perhaps my worries are unfounded."
He held the eye up, and suspended it within an electromagnetically suspended holder made of the Red Storm.
"I suspect I'll only have so much space to work with — not due to my own limitations, just due to the nature of this place. Let's see what sort of creature these storms can make..."
College of Winterhold
"Ah... "
Megan thought back to her earlier encounter in the forests — with the mechanical glavenus, and that maddened warrior.
"... I... May have encountered him, once before — albeit, his skin was darker than you had described, and his eyes were yellow... Barely got out of there alive, and I'd have lost my arm even if I had escaped, if it wasnt for Reyna."
She shielded her face from the light and heat of Terlette's flame-pillar, and for a brief moment, her brain... locked up, for lack of a better word. She seemed to stare into the vast swirling white all around them, before she snapped herself out of it, and turned away from Terlette's spell area, respectfully.
"Erm... I might be able to offer some assistance — even if I myself can't do as much as I would like. Alchemy from my world, information... A mech and some big guns, if you think they'll be neccessary. My apologies for... rambling, somewhat... Do you have any clear gameplan right now, if I may ask?"
"The Stick has sentimental value. It's like an enormous, hideous teddy bear we can kill things with." -rikalousDawnguard Fort
It's nighttime again. The musicians are sleeping in their bed... and Purple is dreaming.
...
In his dream, Purple is sailing in a boat with Belle, at the lake, only they two. A shining crystal castle can be seen in the other shore.
I have something to tell you... I love you.
Awww, how nice of you! But... I don't like men like you. I mean, you are handsome, a nice guy and everything, but... you are also under the boots of your "friends".
What do you say? My band are my friends, we lived many things together, and we'll return to our home together.
Yeah, whatever... But they use you to get their goals, and essentially you are their Butt-Monkey.
Is that so...? What can I do?
You must get rid of your friends, and then we'll be happy together, living in that beautiful castle. Are you OK with this?
Yes... I'll do what you want, my dear.
...
The Dreamstalk
Painty's computer is beeping.
Great... We'll have a nightmare.
Edited by BombonBombin on Feb 22nd 2021 at 7:20:14 AM
Three freaking ghosts!

Travelers Tower
Defense reclines, drinking a coffee. He had been up for the better part of 2 days, and a new report just came into his view.
Defense: "It begins... Now is when we make our move."
Defense: "I'm gonna take Ashnard, maybe Kaze... and soon, I'm gonna go see him. Maybe something can be worked out."
Takemi: "Alright then. I'll go get the proper people for a memo. Time to catch a demon."
Anderson, who had been leaning against a wall outside of the office, looks up and laughs.
"DIO is the ultimate being! The being of the future! Dare you not to rival me!"