Valhalla of Legends

Last Battlefield

Their opponent was good. Very good. Dust's sabres impacted the other woman's weapon instead of her actual target, and upon landing again she immediately began to anticipate her next move. The thrown flag would've been a nuisance if she had gone with any other strategy, but Dust's visage instead seemed to freeze—the shots from the woman's guns blowing through her torso. Sand bursting out from her and scattering across the ground, she appeared to waver...

But the flag passed straight through her image, and ‘Dust’ seemed to flicker somewhat.

Suddenly, a single sabre shot out from seemingly empty space—thrown in the woman's general direction as a distraction while the real Dust worked on a counterattack of her own. The leaking, false image of herself faded with a gust of wind as Dust's actual position was revealed a few feet to the right of where the shots had landed, apparently gathering sand in her off-hand with her other arm still oustretched from having thrown her sabre. She didn't expect to actually hit with it. Anything to occupy their enemy's attention.

Goliath and Diane appeared to be working on something. Good. She made a mental note to thank them for knocking away the thrown guns—which probably would've been just insulting compared to being shot. Dust prayed that whatever they were doing would be enough. If she could just get her own shot off...

HP 10/10. Dust uses Mirage (1). Sandblast charging; 1/2.

Forgotten Temple

One gruesome explosion after another, Kyo can only look on as the thrill of sheer delight begins to push his mind to the brink of overflow. It wasn't very common for his control to slip like that, no, but this was something else. This chaos that could only really occur in such an esteemed hall of glory.
The world’s stage, where no talent in combat could be held back by time or death.

As if to reflect his own emotional state, the effects of Head In The Clouds rage on seemingly even madder, the ground splintering into a messy break along the middle of the temple floor.

Sassan’s ability rises to break Kyo from his daze of grandeur—if not in an overtly violent manner, crashing into him from behind and sending the boy hurtling towards another pillar. As he gets to his feet with a spray of rubble and a lighthearted chirp of “man, that huuurts!”, Kyo lifts one of the massive slabs of sandstone away from him, his own gravity seemingly unaffected by the field.

In spite of it all, the Mystic’s chant wouldn't escape his notice. That damn incessant smile would only grow seeing Sassan prepare another of his abilities. And, by the looks of it, it would be a brand new one—the remaining wisp of logic in his mind telling him only to keep his distance from whatever the masked man was about to let loose.

It was almost a shame he might never get to see him use it.

Kyo vaults towards him in a blur of viciousness and splintering debris, targeting a kick towards his chest, then one to cuff him on the side of his skull. The latter would only turn out to be a feint, however, his real attack arching up and above Sassan with the intent of punting him in Zsran’s direction, upon which he’d likely accelerate even faster towards the ceiling thanks to the anti-gravity.

9/10 HP remaining. Lunar Rings (x1) used, 1 damage to Sassan imminent. Sassan and Zsran take 1 damage from Head In The Clouds, Round 2.

Forgotten Temple

NOW.

The spiritual build up was radiating off of Zsran unleashed itself in one hideous burst of necrotic energy. His jaw unhinged and his eyes erupted in bright green energy. His cackle mixed in with the screams of horror of the undead that suddenly surged forth from his mouth, like some kind of deranged cannon. The sudden burst was enough to send him skidding back, his claws digging deep gauges in the ground as it aimed at whoever was in front of him...

And at that moment, that happened to be Sassan.

• HP: 6/10
• USED: Toll The Dead (2/2) Sassan takes 2 Damage

The Forgotten Temple

Sassan kept praying, as Kyo was hit by Daeva's Left Arm. He had to concentrate here, as this ability required a lot of energy. In turn, defending himself would be close to impossible. A terrible risk, he knew. But this battle would wear him down first. He didn't have the resilience of this mad monster nor the speed of the boy. If he wanted to win, he needed to gamble.

And for a moment it looked like it might work. Daeva's Left Arm could match Kyo in speed and slammed the boy face-first into another pillar. For a moment, it looked like he had knocked him out with this surprise-attack. But then, Sassan grunted in pain, as Kyo grabbed the arm and crushed it in his hand. Lifting off a huge boulder, he freed himself and looked little worse for wear.

"I made a mistake, it seemed...I ignored the real monster the entire time.", mused Sassan tired, as he saw Kyo grin at him. What kind of enviroment could create such a thing? He dared not to think of it, but he did realize that he severely underestimated the boy.

As Kyo raced towards him, Sassan closed his eyes. He could reform Daeva's Left Arm to defend himself. But that would interrupt his incantation. He smiled quietly. "A gamble.."

Sassan crossed his arms, blocking Kyo's heavy kick towards his chest. Then he got punted back into the temple. Sassan grunted in discomfort. That strike nearly broke some of his ribs. What a terrifying strength...

Then he saw the tyrant under him open his mouth. He saw the energy building. Sassan just closed his eyes. "Guardian of the Holy Flame, aid me...", he simply mumbled. Too late to finish it....

Szrans energy cannon engulfed the mystic. Souls surging from him at terrible speed and power, as they broke through the temple-ceiling. Debris and broken pillars were spilling everywhere and deadly velocity. Sassans smoking body crashed into a nearby wall and was buried under a collapsing pillar.

He didn't move anymore.

Sassan suffers dmg from Head In The Clouds. Sassan suffers critical hit from Toll the Dead.

Last Battlefield

The warrior watched Dust's mirage fade away and for a moment it looked like she was actually surprised. But then she seemed to make a mental note and her eyes flickered around to get a bead on Dust again.

Not that she would get the chance, as Goliath and Diane charged her again. But instead of just blindly rushing into her again, they actually had a strategy this time around.

Using the battlefield to their advantage, Goliaths tentacles grabbed a nearby battleaxe and threw it towards his opponent. The warrior saw it coming and made a single step to the side, diverting the blade with her halberd. But Goliath wasn't finished, his tentacles lashing out and gathering more weapons to throw at her.

Soon enough, a hail of weaponry ensued as the warrior weaved ducked and parried the improvised projectiles. This went on for several seconds, before she seemed to notice something. Her eyes flickered over the battlefield and finally caught Dust, standing to the side and gathering sand. The warrior's eyes went wide. She gritted her teeth and looked at Goliath. Then she switched her stance and released on hand from her halberd. A hammer was thrown at her.

She caught it at the grip. Without losing momentum, she swung it around and fired it back at Goliath. Her eyes catching on to his tentacles, she saw him throw a sword and let it ricochet off her halberd. She then walked slowly towards him, parrying and catching his projectiles, stuffing them into her belt or simply throwing them back. In under four seconds, she had become a walking arsenal, with a axe on her back, three swords, two spears and ten daggers in her possession.

Then she closed the gap. Tentacles reached out and she cut one off with her halberd. Two more jutted forward, punching the weapon off her hands. She drew a sword and cut them off. Then grabbed a second one and severed three more. All without so much as a twitch on her face, as she never broke concentration.

She seemingly decided on taking Goliath and Diane out first. Catching more of his tentacles, she caught them like snakes with her spears and trapped them between them and the ground. Then she drew daggers and lunged at the two, trying to tie them into an in-fight.

All the while, her eyes were flickering between them and Dust. Watching, analyzing...

Landsknecht inflicts 1 dmg on Goliath with Battleforged And Deadly, boosted by Weapon-Mastery. Landsknecht blocks Goliaths Tentacles. Landsknecht charges Warrior Of A Thousand Battles 1/3

Edited by TheNohen on Apr 7th 2020 at 9:50:52 PM

Dust – Last Battlefield

Dust only watched impassively as the Landsknecht concentrated on Goliath and Diane, matching her wary looks in her direction with blank, unreadable stares of her own. She'd begun a slow walk to circle around, only to pause as her gathering sand appeared to reach a critical mass—and after disintegrating her sabres she let them coalesce along with the rest of the sand in her attack, now cupping them in both hands so as to steady it somewhat.

This is a risk, most likely. But if I don't even try, why would I be here? she reasoned. They selected us for a purpose. I might as well follow through on it.

It was in an oddly relaxed and almost bored manner that she raised her hand towards the woman and fired. So dull and to the point that she might've even missed it. But the approaching mass of sand and intermingled shards of glass wouldn't be nearly as easy to miss. It was rocketing towards the Landsknecht with all the speed and potency of a railgun, whistling dreadfully like a ballistic missile. It was tearing up the ground beneath it due to its sheer speed, and Dust remained in her impassive state even as she watched it spiral towards her target—lowering her arm again as if it meant nothing to her.

She hoped it'd be enough to give Diana and Goliath even more breathing room.

HP 10/10. Sandblast charged 2/2. Landsknecht takes 2 damage if hit.

Forgotten Temple

Success.

A smile of contentment washes over Kyo's face. All the more happily, he watches as the pieces he'd been setting into place connect.

Sassan the Mystic, used as a mere human shield and discarded thoughtlessly underneath the piling rubble, as any worn-out weaponry should be in the end—he'd hand it to the masked man for that.

Zsran's enthralling display of power, ripping apart the temple at its seams to let its lethal rain fall, only to slow as it touches the floor and travel towards the destroyed ceiling gaping open in a scream.

Amidst the anguished shrieking of the dead, this gravity well seems to come to a final still. Remains of the dome and its pillars begin to collect at the highest point they could reach. Some managing to tumble outside of the Shard itself, and lost forever to whatever void of nonexistence awaited.

Kyo's excitement similarly begins to settle as an eerie clarity returns to his mind. Still, this was the kind of battle he'd want to go on forever; if only it would last.

There was just one thing left to take care of.

Kyo takes a step forward to address Zsran, though always remaining cautious of any unknown attacks he might suddenly let loose. "I'll have to thank you," is his inital greeting. "You made this fight so much more interesting...so the least I can do is apologise in advance."

"But the show's over now."

He breaks into a zigzagging dash over the distance for the remaining fighter, though instead of leaping into the air to bash him as he normally would, breaks his pattern to start bizarrely skidding close to the ground as if to go in for a slide-kick. On reaching his opponent, Kyo rotates hard clockwise and attempts to drag Zsran off his hold on the ground and into the air like shot-put, his weights activated as added help to the momentum. If this worked, he'd land a punch square into his spine to carry him faster on his way to the debris gathered at the top of the dome.

Head In The Clouds, Round 3 causes 1 damage, deactivation is imminent. 1-Up (x1) used, if hit Zsran takes 1 damage.

Last Battlefield

Although she tried, Diane was unable to hide her own grin. The battle was going terrible, and this chick was a tougher nut to crack then she thought, but now she was exactly where she wanted to be.

Without any hesitation, Goliath picked up a weapon from the ground, a glaive, wielded by a fallen titan, and in one fell slice, severed the his own restrained tentacles. The woman had let them get close, at least now they might be able to do some damage. Using the momentum from his own charge, Goliath fell forward and, with his other set of arms, grabbed the woman’s arms, and slammed her to the ground.

They had to act fast, before she could do something to retaliate. With his tentacles once again regenerated, Goliath took the two leftmost tentacles, cooled them together, and sent them into the the woman’s torso, hoping to pierce an organ or the like. The duo didn’t get a chance to admire their handiwork however, as Diane looked over to her other teammates, and the sandy projectiles careening toward them.

She didn’t fret however, as she knew exactly what to do. Ever constantly in sync, Goliath lifted up the woman and pressed her straight into the path of the sand blast, holding her tight. They couldn’t afford to let her loose now. Neither of them knew what was going to happen, but hopefully it would be good...

9/10 health. Tentacles 1/1 charged! One damage imminent.

Edited by Randomperson1212 on Apr 1st 2020 at 5:58:09 AM

The Forgotten Temple

The old man would have been a delicious meal for him had this annoying little child not gotten in his way. He turned his attention as he spoke to him, as if an equal, and gave a little sneer behind his mask as his eyes flared green again, and he chuckled a bit as he opened his mouth, preparing to unleash another blast of necrotic energy-

When Zsran, much to his confusion and shock, found himself suddenly floating up into the air and shot with an intense and admittedly surprising strike of force. He found himself floating into the air nearer and nearer to the debris that clung to the top, collected by the lack of gravity and he turned his attention back to him.

Maybe equal was a bit more on the nose than even he thought. So he chuckled a bit, and twisted his massive body around to face him before he got a face full of random rocks and boulders as his claws began to glow bright green before a long whip of spectral energy shot from his wrist, which he gripped and wasted no time in swinging at Kyo's waist, with the intent on either dragging him up there with him...

Anchoring him down to the floor and allowing him to gain control of his movement and general weightlessness...

Or with the intent on keeping him right where he was because all of this was gonna fall eventually and at the bare minimum, he'd be sure to make sure he suffered that as well.

All depended on if it connected...

• HP: 4/10
• USED: Soul Slash (1 point)

The Forgotten Temple

Zsran's whip of green energy wrapped around Kyo's arm, which had been raised in a defensive gesture. For a brief moment, both struggled to keep position. In case of the boy to get rid of the binding, while the dark warrior stabilized his position, ready to strike.

None of them spared a thought about anything else happening around them.

The pillar rocked and shuddered. Then, with a groaning crunch it was lifted up and crashed to the side. Sassan slowly stood up, aided by the fake gravity. He swayed and stumbled, barely able to stand. His right arm was a broken, mangled mess. His turban torn and tattered, his clothes mere scraps on his blue body. Red blood dripped down, before slowly rising upwards.

His eyes focused sharply and he coughed a bit, blood running down from his lips. His arm was useless, his rips broken. Probably some organs crushed as well. He was a dead man, that was for sure.

Yet, he smiled. Somehow, he felt elation fighting this hard and against such terrible opponents. A struggle worthy of the Holy Spirits attention. And he may yet be able to tip the balance. To show the power that rested with the faithful...

The mystic slowly raised his left hand, the palm held out in a silent prayer. "Hear my prayer and my call..."

He looked at Zsran and Kyo, his remaining hand pointing towards them. Debris began to float and congregate around him. Not because of Kyo's gravity, but rather attracted by the massive ammount of energy Sassan gathered.

"Mithras Wrath."

A light appeared between Kyo and Szran. It was small, but burned bright. As it touched the green lash, it snapped with a loud bang. Then the light grew into a flame and out of the flame rose a red arm. Then another. And another. And another.

In less than a heartbeat, over a dozen hands stretched out of the fire. Then they clasped together and a ball of fiery energy formed between them. It grew, before contracting, pulsing with terrible power.

Sassan smiled and lowered his hand. "Release."

The red arms unleashed the energy-ball. It expanded in the blink of an eye and the temple was engulfed in a massive, terrible explosion, that obliterated whatever was left of the structure and blinded whoever was not hit by it.

....

Slowly the dust settled. Sassan stood alone in a circle, untouched by the explosion. The temple was gone, with only the plateau it stood on remaining, along with a bit of debris and broken pillars.

He waited.

Sassan fully charges Mithras Wrath 3/3. Sassan = 1 HP left

Last Battlefield

The warrior silently cursed, as Goliath rushed closer and grabbed her. His massive hands grabbed her arms and pressing them together into her sides, preventing her from moving. Then he slammed her into the muddy ground, taking full advantage of his superior size and strength.

The woman reacted quickly. She saw the tentacles coil and strike at her belly and quickly raised a leg to block it. They penetrated her boots and pierced through, drilling into the ground below. She didn't scream, just twitching a bit. Then she thrusted out her free leg and kicked into Goliaths stomach. The brute could feel the hidden knife in her boot-tip ripping through his skin and flesh, as she kicked him repeatedly, drawing blood.

But he continued his grip, refusing to let her go, now that they had immobilised her. Instead, he stood up and held her out in front of him. For a moment, the warrior looked confused, before her head rocked to the side and she saw Dust beginning her attack. Seeing this, she stopped struggling for some reason. Instead, she again stared at Dust intensely and seemed to calculate something.

Whatever she had planned, she had no time to put it into action. The Sandblast hit her, Goliath and Diane with full force, enveloping them in a strom of sand, rocks and shards. The power was so strong, she was flung out of the golems grip and crashed into the ground, being carried by the blast before it lost momentum.

Several heartbeats passed. Then, the woman struggled to her feet. She was bloodied, her uniform ripped to shreds and blood seeping from uncounted small wounds. Yet, she did not stumble or sway. Her eyes stared unbroken as ever and she simply reached out and yanked a saber out from the ground. Her hat was lost and her brown locks flowed in the wind. A gash on her forehead seeped blood into her left eye, keeping it closed.

She was hurt. But not beaten...

Goliath suffers 1 dmg through Battleforged and Deadly. Goliaths suffers 2 dmg from Sandblast. Landsknecht suffer 1 dmg from Tentacles. Landsknecht suffers 4 dmg from critical hit by Sandblast. Landsknecht charges Warrior Of A Thousand Battles 2/3. Landsknecht = 9/15 HP

Edited by TheNohen on Apr 4th 2020 at 3:36:21 PM

Last Battlefield

“I'm sorry. But I was obliged,” Dust called out in apology—or at least seemed to. Her tone didn't indicate one way or the other. “I'll try not to extend this unnecessarily.”

She's readying something. I could see it before the Sandblast hit, she noted, eyeing Landsknecht warily as she slowly lowered her outstretched arm. Maybe if I distract her a second... or perhaps...

Her form began to fray a little at the edges, trickles of sand leaking off from her as she gradually began to fade away into the wind. It was a fairly slow process, however—her form was still for the most part solid. Perhaps she'd lessen the blow this way. Or if she ended up caught regardless, still serve as a distraction.

There was no uselessness in her mind. Only a different advantage.

HP 10/10. Dust charges Sandstorm; 1/2.

Edited by Enirboreh on Apr 4th 2020 at 6:53:11 PM

Forgotten Temple

Zsran took the hit head on and went spiralling into the air. Ah, too bad—Kyo half-hoped there would be some other trick hidden up his sleeve. He'd even tried to attack him in return with the soul lash from earlier, but that hardly mattered when Kyo's ability would be taking care of the rest either way; the boy in question doesn't even bother to move about in its hold, smiling through the hiss of burning flesh as he grabs firmly onto the whip itself, its necrotic effect beginning to rot away at his wrist.
And just like that, the fight was over. In what he'd do in the next fraction of a second, the victor was decided for certain.

...Or so he thought.

With a horrific rumbling, one of the pillars that had been knocked over earlier abruptly rises back up on its own. To be more specific? The one under which Zsran seemingly put the Mystic to his grave. Both fighters caught there soon found out the hard way that things weren't always quite what they appeared—wouldn't you look at just what that tiny oversight had cost.

In the very same moment, Head In The Clouds finally decides to cave in, bringing its captured titan and the temple's only remains violently into the ground with it. Watching Sassan's mesmerising fireball then expand to consume all of this entirely in its rage, it now hits the fascinated Kyo, both literally and figuratively.

He had miscalculated.

But he couldn't help but think it was such a wonderful mistake.

A little while after the arena's been reduced to near-total nothingness, a voice rings out from within the stirring clouds of residue.

Followed by...a round of applause?

"So this old geezer's gone thinking he's slick, doesn't he? Is it that you just can't stay dead or what?"

Though his tone was genuinely impressed in contrast to the words it carried, admittedly, it was more than a little hypocritical of Kyo to say that on both counts. And while he was stepping out of the decimated ruins he'd mostly created himself, nonetheless. But that was the least of his concerns right now.

Because upon emerging from behind the last bits of debris and scrubbing at the collected dust on his face with a free hand, a dripping inky-black substance happened to come with it—blood.

His own blood.

It really has been a while, huh? was his first thought; but after looking nonchalantly over his shoulder for Zsran, the foremost part of his attention turns back from the incredulous fact that he'd actually managed to injure him to the point of spitting blood to the man himself standing before him, confirming his suspicions.

In spite of what just happened, Sassan was inevitably a goner. His last-ditch act of defiance was...well, last-ditch, as anyone could plainly see from the sheer state of him. But even if his surprising attack wouldn't gain him an upper hand, it would Kyo's respect—he had a feeling this might be one of his more memorable bouts.

For that, at least he could go out in style.

Kyo hefts the crumbling pillar lying next to him, and gives a final bound upwards. If Sassan tried one of his arm gimmicks again, he'd simply use it as a barrier; letting the hand obliterate it instead of him while he'd speed through the hail of debris, then securing a hold on the arm to use as sort of leverage to haul the Mystic into the air.
This would then send him flying in a blur through the obliteration, and eventually, the ground...or infinite void past it. The cheery redheaded source of it, on the other hand, immediately turning to skid over the plateau in face of the aftermath, as if he'd just made a home run.

If he didn't even try to use an ability to defend himself, even being ganged up on with an entire pillar like that? Well, gee, wonder how that situation could possibly end up?

Pitifully—that's what the word was.

Head In The Clouds deactivates, both fall damage and damage from the temple falling on Zsran imminent. Kyo suffers a critical hit from Mithras Wrath. 3/10 HP remaining. 1 Up (x1) used, 1 damage to Sassan imminent.