[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/BHScL9w.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/C7nwoGY.png[/img]
[b][color=Aquamarine]wordcount:[/color][/b] 3,690 (+4) (+4 rapport)
[b][color=Aquamarine]Midna: level 9[/color][/b] EXP: [color=Aquamarine]////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (146/100) 
[b][color=ea590c]Edward Portsmith: Level 2 [/color][/b][color=ea590c]/////[/color]/////////////// (5/20)
[b][color=Aquamarine]Location:[/color][/b]
[color=Aquamarine]Warp Charges:[/color] 1
[hider=warp locations]
Virgin Victory teleport room
Top of the Split mountain
Outside the Convent of Our Lady of the Charred Visage
Tostarena Town
S.O.U. Building
Seiran Clinic
Underground Roadway (Seiran Rebel Base Outskirts)
Below City of glass entrance (plate maintenance tunnel)
Vandelay Campus (Alleyway)
Arahabaki’s entrance
Deep Ground - the Source
[/hider]
[/center]

The last drenaught exited onto the Ivory Citadel‘s landing pad as the one who had cleared it (according to one of the wounded he had spoken to) returned, along with her battered squad. Going by her dissonant appearance and arrival among the goddess’s forces since he was seized from them, he assumed she was another one of the Seekers. He’d been told about the eyes, of course, but this woman had her’s covered by both a blindfold and her snarling mask, so his confirmation was the way he was quite sure those unseen eyes locked with his, somehow seeing past all that shielded her eyes without trouble.

Hopefully now he could get some proper answers, rather than the verbal equivalent of a student's scribbled notes. 

First however, he stepped aside to let the wounded through and informed them that [color=ea590c]”The wounded and healers are held up through the first door on your left. There’s been a few corrupt stragglers, so watch your backs till you are there, just in case”[/color] getting a nod of thanks from the troops, and one of approval from the dragon knight.

Once they were past he stepped towards the knight and introduced himself as [color=ea590c]”Edward Portsmith. Dreadnought, and leader, or I suppose former ladder, of the Commonwealth Remanent”[/color] along with a proffered hand to shake. For her part, the knight slipped off her steed and took the hand, while at the same time using the other three to remove her helmet, revealing dark orange eyes that were indeed free of Galeem’s light, ones that looked at him with curiosity. They were found on a face that was not quite as elven as the pointy ears that had been sticking out her helmet had made him assume it would be, but certainly featured a striking grace all of its own. 

[color=Aquamarine]”Midna, still princess of twilight even away from my people”[/color] she replied once the helm was off. She certainly had the air of an exiled royal about her, Edward found, though without the somewhat pitiable arrogant insistence he associated with such types. Here, it seemed, was someone who simply knew that it was only a matter of time till they were back on the throne. Which was its own kind of arrogance of course, but it was at least more charismatic than the former.

The swing then, from that, to a more casual tone for the rest of their conversations was an interesting one, of that there was no doubt, starting with the princess telling him [color=Aquamarine]”Welcome to this herd of cats we call a team. Now where’d you get dug up from? Anything to do with why my heels are on fire instead of the corruption’s forces, hmm?”[/color] before clicking the claws of one of her metallic boots on the ground, which were indeed aglow with his magic.

[color=ea590c]”The corruption dained to take me alive and use me to command its forces, so I am afraid I’ve been something of a bother. One of your number, a Queen Sectonia inducted me into your number as part of releasing its hold on me”[/color] he informed her, and at the same time wondered if it was coincidence or not all the members of the seekers he was aware of, himself included, were rulers. 

[color=ea590c]”She was, however, a bit light on the details in the name of expediency. I was hoping you might fill in some of the gaps? And provide transport. I am sadly lacking the tome that will let me sprout wings”[/color] He requested, having overheard talk of what the overall goal here was, and wanting to play at least some part in it. 

Complete elimination of the corruption in a single day, quite the tall order, and one he assumed the Seekers were involved in inducting the initiation of, given the prior stagnancy of the situation.

[color=Aquamarine]”Well you could always gamble for them,”[/color] the princess replied in a joking tone, before saying [color=Aquamarine]”but if you’d rather not leave it to fate I can get you to the Harbor at least. Actual combat flying might be out of the question though”[/color] and before he could point out that surely assaulting the next would involve aerial combat the island in question lit up behind the princess, silhouetting her in holy light.

It also made them both flinch and shield their eyes (despite the princess looking his way rather than towards the island) rather ruining the dramatic effect of the timely delivery of information. 

[color=ea590c]”I see”[/color]

[color=Aquamarine]”Good for you, I can’t right now”[/color] the princess replied, half joking, half complaining, as far as he could tell.

[color=ea590c]”Ah, princess of ‘twilight’ I see-I gather”[/color] he corrected himself rather than play into the pun/pain and instead winding back the gears of their conversation to ask [color=ea590c]”So what was that about gambling?”[/color] to which his latest source merely responded [color=Aquamarine]”Spirits”[/color] unhelpfully leaving him to deduct what she meant

[color=ea590c]”Queen Sectonia merely said for me to gather them”[/color] he said as he thought, before guessing that [color=ea590c]”there is a way to gain power from them? Is that why you Seekers seem to overflow with strength?”[/color] not entirely sure how he felt about such a necromantic practice around the would be saviors of all worlds.

Seeming to pick up on his discomfort, the princess swore to him that [color=Aquamarine]”Trust me, you’ll need it. It's not like they are actual souls, Galeem has a tight grip on all of those after all”[/color] only adding to the pile of mysteries, before explaining swiftly [color=Aquamarine]”Press one to your head for passive skills, heart for powers, crush for equipment, or form a pact to bring them back for just a moment to aid you in battle as something called a striker. The first two come with some kind of downsides as well, but we have a tool that can undo the resulting ‘fusions’ back at base, so you won’t be stuck with them. Items are permanent, and for strikers, the max is two if you care about your lifespan, but we have another device to swap those out as well”[/color] 

[color=ea590c]”That… is a lot to take in”[/color] he replied, but, then, well, he had always been a practical man, and if it was reversible, and did not cause additional harm, then the only recourse was to see if this was as useful and necessary as she insisted. 

For that, fortunately, he had the resources with which to experiment, reaching a hand into a pocket and retrieving a quartet of fallen feathers, seeking, in a way, to take his failures and in some small way help himself makeup for them.

Shield for mind, bow for heart, sword for fist, and staff for word. Four fruitlessly lost lives for four pearls of wisdom.

[color=ea590c]”Still, I suppose I am willing to experiment”[/color]

[hider=for Edward]
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/QRhdbKH.png]Feathershield[/url][/b]
The host's black armor is now a much shinier dark silver, his sash is now a royal blue, and his hair now sports platinum blonde streaks. This spirit grants the the Skill [b]Mirror Weakness[/b], which gives the host 1 PP. It's spent automatically when a negative status effect is inflicted on him to reflect that status onto the caster instead. If multiple debuffs are cast at once, all are reflected. The host regains all PP at the start of a new engagement. This spirit also confers the Weakness [b]Walk in the Light[/b], inflicting a minor stamina regen and accuracy penalty at night

Item obtained:
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/Dkh54iO.png]Heavenswing Shield[/url][/b]
A slender kiteshield emblazoned with white that's well-suited for safeguarding an offensive frontline fighter. Equipping it seems to clear one's mind and tighten one's reflexes, offering a small boost to accuracy and evasion.

Spirit consumed:
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/Y8SGtEH.png]Featherbow[/url][/b]
The host is a little bit shorter and more slender. His hair is a bit longer and straighter, and much more of it is platinum blonde. He's received a silver mask to be worn over the eyes, embellished with wing decorations. His armor is a little lighter and his boots are now leather; the red cloth beneath his cuirass has lengthened into a proper fauld. Angelic wings sprout from his back, though the feathers are a sooty, black-speckled gray rather than white. His personality is slightly more respectful and supportive. This spirit grants the Ability [b]Wings of Albion[/b], allowing the host to take flight. He can only fly about as fast as a dove and flight is quite stamina intensive. This spirit also confers the Weakness [b]Wing Stop[/b], making him vulnerable to projectiles that deal pierce damage and other attacks/weapons effective against fliers

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/3TONFfm.png]Featherstaff[/url][/b]
An angelic healer capable of working potent supportive miracles, offset by his long, 2.5-minute cooldown. When invoked, he can use Overheal to restore HP to a whole row of allies at once, with any extra health increasing their max HP up to 150%. Honed Healing can grant a row of allies a minute-long buff that doubles healing received, and Holy Cradle can grant a row of allies a thirty-second buff that allows them to survive a single lethal blow at 1 HP
[/hider]

[color=ea590c]”Well I can feel that that worked”[/color] Edward said calmly even as he found the sensation of having two extra limbs quite disconcerting, though not, he noted, in any way dysphoric. That was certainly an issue reported by the subjects of less skillful or more callous rulers of his reality (modifying entire peoples with magic in the name of enhancing their military capabilities was a common practice there) and one he was glad not to be experiencing right now.

He checked himself over, flexing his fittingly ashen wings and examining change in his clothing, and while he did so he also looked inward to a new well of power within him. Touching it, he found it rather familiar, identifying it as the feather-sheild’s status effect reflector skill. The very same one that had prevented the throne from stealing their minds during the chaos that had been his biggest failure. In this new world at any rate. 

A very poignant thing to have gained. ‘Fate’ as the princess had described it, was either mocking him or saying this was a first step on the road to redemption. Then again perhaps that was applying too much agency to random chance. 

He added finding out if there was a discernible pattern to what spirit usage granted to the list of things worth researching, which was a rapidly growing list, of that there was no doubt.

Still, even with this internal and external self reflection, he did still desire an actual reflection of himself, namely from a mirror. This was because while he could see part of his changed appearance, he could hardly see his entire new ensemble, let alone what it seemed to have done to his hair. For that appraisal had to rely on Minda’s assessment, which was: [color=Aquamarine]”Not half bad. I’ve seen, and been, some right messes as a result of fusion so you’ve gotten off lightly. Maybe even well, the black and blond look is pretty striking”[/color] with just a little bit of a purr in her words on that last.

[color=ea590c]”Yes, well, while the complement is appreciated, a warning of the physical changes would have been appreciated even more”[/color] he replied, unsure of the intent of her tone, only to gain the rather flippant reply of [color=Aquamarine]”It also changes your personality as well”[/color] 

[color=ea590c]”Of course it does”[/color] he replied, suppressing a sigh and starting to see a pattern here with the Seekers not giving out information in a timely manner

The princess merely shrugged and pointed out that [color=Aquamarine]”We have a war to win”[/color] before re-donning her helmet.

[color=ea590c]”That I suppose we do”[/color] he confirmed, strapping his new shield to his arm, and then raising an eyebrow at the way doing so seemed to affect his body and mind just a touch. Magical, clearly.

Before they could set out, however, there was a pounding of boots and flapping of wings behind them, as from the tower emerged a mixed assortment of angels. They were an eclectic group, drawn from recovered wounded of a dozen or more squads, which included those who Edward had been tricked into leading into a trap. These in particular halted in surprise at the sight of the changes he had undergone, but there was a general degree of curiosity as to who this unknown unique angel was.

[color=Aquamarine]”Palutana’s blessing for outstanding service”[/color] the princess smoothly lied before he could make his own excuse, and unfortunately this got some dark looks from the troops who had served under Edward himself. He was not, in their eyes, deserving. Still, he had words for that, swiftly adding that the false blessing’s were also made [color=ea590c]”to ensure purity by her own hands instead of merely mortal ones”[/color] throwing Sectonia into the line of fire in the process.

Not that that lie was going to hold up for long, but it would do for now. It certainly stopped any sort of mutiny, and soon enough they were on their way, during which Edward learned something important about flying.

It was bloody hard work.

By the time they touched down on the wiped clean harbor, he was beat, and more or less forced to walk the span of it to reach the far side where the others were regrouping, while the angels themselves went on ahead. He really was doing a terrible job at inspiring confidence in the troops.

This, at the very least, gave him and Minda space to talk that they had not had been surrounded by the flight of angels, though with how out of breath he was, this mostly consisted of her needling him about his fatigue and sunken mood rather than being helpful/informative. At least she let him know that Palutana was one of the seekers and their lie about the source of his new wings would hold up. She also found some sympathy in her for his state and situation, though only once they were in sight of the angels once more, and it was not in a way that made him feel any better: [color=Aquamarine]”If you were under the corruption control for, what weeks? What in the goddess’ name was it making you eat?”[/color] 

His footsteps faltered, and then, after a moment of horror where memories of meals he now knew to be tainted by the corruption’s deception flashed through his mind, he replied [color=ea590c]”I believe I never want to know”[/color] with forced calm.

[color=Aquamarine]”No wonder you're exhausted from just that flight then, and here I was thinking you were just a out of shape lead from the back kind of general”[/color] the princess replied, before opening a portal, catching the launched content, and then offering him a cereal bar, water bottle, and one of the hot cross buns the troops were eating (each one held in one of her four hands) [color=Aquamarine]”here, eat something. The ‘troops’ already are after all”[/color] 

His stomach protested due to his flashback, but he could entirely see the wisdom in this, and so soon enough had joined the troops in chowing down. Which did wonders for his mood. And his memory.

As the troops prepared to take off and assault the titanic magical construct (the closest reference he had for it was the Commonwealth's Ironclad landships) he instead pulled out another one of his tomes, the [url=https://i.imgur.com/2Q7z3z6.png]tome of enchantment[/url] and began to recite another ritual.

This tome one was one he had himself had a hand in forging, and though his mind then had been addled by Urrath at the time, it had not yet bloomed into the destructive fury in which he had written the tome of the reavers or that of the dreadnaught. As such, there was little fight to be had between reader and author when it came to intent or ideology, and so the words needed flowed freely and swiftly.

[color=ea590c]”What was once made can be unmade. What was forged, unforged. What was crafted, broken. With these enchanted armaments, let no armor stand in your way, let no wall impede your progress. Sunder it all and bring a swift end to this war, so that we may one day unmake all blades and forge them anew into plowshares”[/color]

As he finished the words, a golden glow pulsed out. Its magic joined the burning enchantment of the angels and seeker’s, adding an aura of sparks, like those that might burst from a weapon being forged or sliced through, that promised to bite into enemy armor, and leave it ripe for the piercing.

[hider=Edward level up]
[url=https://i.imgur.com/Nhiosf1.png]Sundering strikes[/url] (tier 1 enchantment): melee and ranged physical attack of the caster and their allies are enchanted with sparkling golden armor breaking aura. This causes them to be able to inflict a sundered defense debuff on their foes on 90% of their strikes (weak fast attacks only have 60%, strong slow attacks have 120%, and physical resistance reduces the chance). The sundered defense debuff reduces enemy armor and status effect resistance by 10%, lasts for 30 seconds, but can be stacked up to 5 times for a total of a 50% reduction.

The debuff visually looks like golden glowing cracks on the armor of the foe, which become larger and more numerous the more stacks have been applied. 
[/hider]

[color=Aquamarine]”So that’s how you did it. Very rousing”[/color] Midna commented from behind him, having approached to see what he was giving a speech to himself about, before asking [color=Aquamarine]”got any more tricks like that in those books?”[/color] 

[color=ea590c]”One, if I can re-research it. However other than the marking spell you might have seen, the only other I have re-acquainted myself with would be the construction of golems. That one requires time and space to set up however, which as you might imagine is difficult to find when landing on corrupted sky islands”[/color] he informed her, that sort of spell being much more suitable for preparing in advance and then marching into battle.

[color=Aquamarine]”About the same amount of time as that one?”[/color] she asked, and when he confirmed this, she offered [color=Aquamarine]”Then I’ll find you space to do it. Better golems fall than angels, right?”[/color] 

With that he was entirely in agreement.

[hr]

Even with the energy boost from the food, the flight to the train was still an endurance test, though with guidance from Midna and her reduced squad he did at least learn the benefits of gliding, leading to him swooping towards the train in a downward dive alongside them, rather than stubbornly simply flapping his way towards it. 

Still, he did slow them down, but that only meant that when they were closing in they spotted the perfect way to provide him an opening: Roxas’ setting up of his deadly obstacle course.

Midna swooped ahead of him and the troops, crashing down ahead of where Roxas was setting up his sweeper, adding her own lighting strikes to the mix with an electrified spear and a brief summoning of a bizarre hybrid golem dragon wolf creature that showered the train with a lightning storm of its own.

[color=Aquamarine]”Clever trick! Keep it up!”[/color] she called out as her troops swooped in to join her to keep covering Roxas’s back so he could continue his ploy for as long as he was able. 

And to cover his own less impressive one. 

The last Dreadnought touched down close behind Roxas with a polite [color=ea590c]”Smartly done”[/color] before pulling out the tome of enchanting again, and beginning his chanting. 

[color=Aquamarine]”Magic is a tool, and the golem, the greatest of those tools. See here, as copper and tin make bronze, so too do metal and magic melded together make marvels greater than either could hope to achieve alone. By meticulous design be forged, oh towering twin sentinel of the people! Stand tall so that they might never fall!”[/color] 

This one had a touch of inspiration from a theocrat’s work infused with it, one who had taken the copper golem as a baseline when creating these constructs, so it had been little effort to work back to his own writings and ideals again.

Before him two great constructs were forged, metals spinning out of the astral sea, before being actively forged, the impressions of hammers and tongs upon them as they were made into the form of a towering sentinel. It was as if what was occurring was a far more careful, slow, and meticulous act of creating a golem by hand, which had been recorded, replicated and accelerated by the power of the tome.

By the time he was done speaking, the twin sentinels of which he spoke had been forged and where ready for battle. These [url=https://i.imgur.com/uK7TydD.png]Bronze Golems[/url] stood at twice the height of the man who had forged them, and their towering helbards even taller still, their points and blades aglow with his enchantments. 

Without a word, they marched forwards to join the ranks of Midna’s forces. As they did, Edward experimentally activated his new Featherstaff striker, the fallen angel appearing beside him and overhealing the bronze golems and the ranks of angels they were carefully stepping their way through. 

Just in time for them to meet the enemy.

Those great hulking contraptions of corruption, flesh and steel were near impossible for the angles to actually hold at bay. Instead they had simply relied on cutting them down fast enough before they were overrun, which was a very dicey proposition. The introduction of the golems changed that situation. The titans hefted their monster slaying helbards, thrusting them forwards to skewer the masses of blackness as they tried to charge through their ranks. Then they held them back with fearless metal hearts and durable frames while arrows, musical bolts from Midna's lyre, and feather swords darted past them to cut down the pinned foes.

Behind them, Edward nodded to himself as he stowed the tome, before pulling out his magelock pistol, and entered the fray as well. With shield in one hand helping him block and evade stray projectiles, his magical firearm barked like thunder as its red hot armor sundering slugs hammered into the most mechanical of their foes, spreading golden cracks across the infernal engines and setting the corruption ablaze.