Darog the Badger God Member
Kawaii on the streets Senpai in the sheets
STATUS: I ride the waves like a Deaf So-Cal Surfer with an inebriated left leg. 9 yrs ago
- Last Seen: 5 yrs ago
- Joined: 11 yrs ago
- Posts: 933 (0.24 / day)
- VMs: 3
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Username history
- Darog the Badger God 11 yrs ago
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9 yrs ago
Current
I ride the waves like a Deaf So-Cal Surfer with an inebriated left leg.
Bio
Darog (/ˈdʒiːzəs/; Greek: Ἰησοῦς Badass; 7–2 BC to Whenever he feels like it), also referred to as Darog the Badger God, is the central figure of Christianity, whom the teachings of most Christian denominations hold to be the Son of The Great Badger. Christianity regards Darog as the awaited Messiah (or "The Badger God") of the Old Testament and refers to him as Darog Barrowolf, a name that is also used in non-Christian contexts.
Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree that Darog existed historically, although the quest for the historical Darog has produced little agreement on the historical reliability of the Gospels and on how closely the biblical Darog reflects the historical Darog.Most scholars agree that Darog The Badger God was a great warrior and an all round badass. who preached his message orally, was baptized in the blood of his fallen enemies by some weird fuck, and was crucified in Jerusalem on the orders of the Roman prefect, some poncy no namer. Scholars have constructed various portraits of the historical Darog, which often depict him as having one or more of the following roles: the leader of an apocalyptic movement, Messiah, a charismatic healer, a sage and philosopher, or an egalitarian social reformer, or more accurately, the baddest ass of all. Scholars have correlated the New Testament accounts with non-Christian historical records to arrive at an estimated chronology of Darog's life. The widely accepted calendar era (abbreviated as "AD", alternatively referred to as "CE"), counts from a medieval estimate of the awesomeness of Darog.
Christians believe that Darog has a "unique significance" in the world. Christian doctrines include the beliefs that Darog was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of a virgin, performed miracles and blackjack parties with hookers and shotguns, founded the Church of Cool, died by crucifixion as a sacrifice to achieve no fucks, rose from the dead to get bitches and give his killers stitches, and ascended into heaven, whence he will return after his all nighters of drinking and sexual deviancy. The great majority of Christians worship Darog as the incarnation of The Great Badger, The Badger God, the second of three persons of a Divine Trinity.
In Islam, Darog (commonly transliterated as "Dargod") is considered one of The Great Badger's important prophets and the Messiah. To Muslims, Darog is a bringer of Coolness and was born of a badass sexy Badger girl. According to the Quran, Jesus was not crucified but was physically raised into the heavens by The Great Badger.
Most Recent Posts
Halloween gimmick sig.
Here's some entertainment for ya.
Why don't all of you get in line and headbutt a belt sander. I'll record it. what? I meant entertainment for me.
Why don't all of you get in line and headbutt a belt sander. I'll record it. what? I meant entertainment for me.
In
One of the first Halloween costumes I haven't had to explain to many people
→
10 yrs ago
Forum: Spam Forum
A friend of mine made Shovel Knight costume.
Shit was hot as fuck when performing in it.
Shit was hot as fuck when performing in it.
Bullshit, you can rush art.
Look at the unmade bed, that's art, right?
Look at the unmade bed, that's art, right?
Black Veil Brides....
...If they focused on their music as much as their makeup and style, they'd be a good band.
...If they focused on their music as much as their makeup and style, they'd be a good band.
vancexentan said
I disagree with the voice and the look of his face. Ultron should have a more monotone and cold voice. He's a robot not unlike Brainiac. He could also do with less human expression on his face. It would go better with a cold robot figure like him.
He isn't purely monotonous and cold though, sure, some of his appearances have been that.
He often switches to hammy, dramatic, penchant for theatrics to Cold, methodical and crazy. I think they've hit a perfect blend of that, personally.
Contra pretty much summed up my feelings for both DA:O and DA2.
Stoked for Inquisition too!
Stoked for Inquisition too!
Alfen knew almost immediately what his response would be. He simply lifted his arm, giving both Monarch and her rather muscular friend a thumbs up. He noticed the pixie ontop of the man's shoulder, giving her a smile. "So, I take it that it's quite important, yeah? I mean, my granpops is a big stickler for Hawk Affairs, so if you managed to get him to give you that kind of power? It must mean that some demons are causing some serious damage, or that a guild has gone rogue." Alfen rambled slightly, his head in deep thought about this situation. Recently he had heard only rumors, one of them absurd to a hillarious degree, of a murderous mime. He simply shrugged it off and looked back towards Monarch.
"It might be worse," Crossbones replied, shrugging. "We're still trying to make heads or tails of the situation ourselves, but we know for a fact that we need extra manpower. The Ozalian University is unofficially supporting us but they want full deniability if something goes awry, so other than equipment supplies we won't be getting much from them. It's why we're coming to you directly, since the university won't supply us with their own technicians."
Alfen pondered the offer for a few moments longer, but he found the opportunity to break the monotony of everyday life to be a gift. "Count me in," he exclaimed. "I'm either training or...getting disciplinary talks from Masuer, so I haven't got anything better to do!" Alfen nodded, smiling widely.
He nudged Rita, who stood next to Alfen. "You joining too? I mean it would look good for when you join up with the Hawks" He grinned, only getting a rather shy and timid stammer from the young girl.
"I...don't have anything planned, I'll join too," she said. Rita kept as quiet as she could as the eyes of the group descended on her, and her voice came out as little more than a squeak. She turned her attention to the man and the pixie upon his shoulders, eying them curiously. She looked up to the man and the Pixie. "Who might you two be? I'm Rita Lanna" She asked politely.
Crossbones grinned, holding out a thick, metal-clad hand for her to shake, which she did timidly. "Maddox," he said, nodding slightly. "But most people call me Crossbones."
The pixie perching on his shoulder, meanwhile, stood up straight and cleared her throat. She held her chin up high and fluttered half an inch off of the man's shoulder as if to prove that she did not need a human to carry her around. "Anna Stasia, legendary pixie explorer and baker extraordinaire!"
Mona gave her an odd look, but then gave Crossbones an even stranger one. Anna blushed and started to stutter. She made a few small lights appear in her hands. "I, um, also do magic."
"We met up shortly after we split. Anna is a talented illusionist and I think she'll be a valuable asset to the team," Crossbones continued, and Anna breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
Rita's disposition immediately improved, her timid expression turned into a bubbly smile. "Nice to meet the both of you!" she said with a twinkle to her tone and expression, making it almost sweet to hear
Alfen had not spoken since Rita had mentioned her name. The name struck a chord with him and he was sure that he had heard that full name before. Alfen leaned close to Monarch. "You don't think she's the daughter of Reeves Lanna, do you?" he asked with a whispered tone.
"Are you any relation to Reeves Lanna?" Monarch asked, showing absolutely no subtlty in her wording. Alfen cringed.
"Geez, Mona, way to be subtle about it" Alfen groaned, deep-set sarcasm in his voice. Alfen smiled nervously, laughing as a way to make it seem like it was all in jest.
Rita was taken back by the question, her face filled with worry. She stood wide eyed and stuttered, wondering just how to answer such a question.. "Yes, I'm the daughter of Reeves Lanna, Guildmaster of the Lion's Head Guild of Enchanting. I'm not like my father since I don't specialise in that style. I'm a witch, who focus on hexes and curses rather than enchantment...please do not see my father in me. You'll be disappointed," Rita explained as she looked down, her shoulders slumped.
Alfen threw his right arm over her, giving her one of his signature goofy smiles. "Hey now, don't beat yourself up about it! You managed to paralyze me! I'd say that makes you one hundred percent better than your old man!" Alfen said, a warmth to his words.
Rita couldn't help but blush. "Th-thanks...I hope I can be some use in your group, I'll do my best"
Alfen laughed heartily. "That's the spirit!"
The group chatted for a while longer, but the conversation was firmly dominated by Monarch and Crossbones. As the group walked, aiming for the quieter parts of the city where they would not be disturbed, they slowly explained the situation to the other three individuals. One of the Ozalian Magitech Guild's branches located in Edonia had been attacked, and while the organisation's head considered it an isolated incident, others thought something darker was taking place behind it all. Monarch had volunteed to organise the ground effort, working to investigate the matter with her trusted friend Crossbones.
Among the shortlist of candidates for the investigation team was Kaaj Reynir, a man with remarkable magical talents and who was rumoured to be able to track anyone. Unfortunately the man was illusive and had not been seen in years. His close friend Alfen, who stood before Monarch at that very moment, was the only connection she had to him.
In fact, Monarch opened her mouth to ask him if he knew where the man was, but she was quite rudely interrupted by a shrill voice.
"Look at these bunch o' losers!" said the first, mocking them with little subtlty. "Do you think it's really them, bro?" he continued.
The voice came from behind them, and the quintet of mages and magitechnicians turned around to spot them. Two young men slowly walked towards them, turning out from an alleyway to face them. One man was dressed in steel armor, marvellously decorated with runes and patterns. Short brown hair sprouted out from the top of his head and his expression was that of a miscreant grin. The man that stood beside him, a far taller and older man, was dressed in much simpler clothing. The only notable feature was a long pink scarf that was thrown over his shoulder, and that his features were far more rugged than his companion. His expression was rather cold and stoic, although his lips still curled into something of a smile.
"Raldo, shut up," the taller man said, taking a step closer with both hands in his pockets. As he drew closer a dragon insignia could just be seen sat on his jacket's front pocket, the scaled creature coiled around a large letter K. The insignia was infamous in this part of Edonia and all five of them recognised it immediately. The symbol of the Pyros Family.
"Don't be such a buzzkill, Kazan, or else you'll get tangled up in my web," Raldo replied, his cocky grin crowing wider and more menacing.
Kazan looked upon both Monarch and Crossbones, an expression of disgust across his face. "Weak, pathetic magitech users. You are nothing but a plague on true magic and raw prowess," Kazan stated with a tone of arrogance and lack of respect.
Although he may have expected an angered response from the two of the magitechnicians, or even a twitch of frustration from the larger metal man, Crossbones simply raised an eyebrow. Monarch ran her clawed hand through her hair, scythe-like claws shearing away a few strands of her already ragged hair. While both of them were used to being tormented as children, one of the main reasons they had bonded so well, it was rarely their skills with technology that were targeted. Still, the words of Kazan and Raldo meant little to them, and they both shrugged.
Anna was the first to respond, her fists clenched into a ball and her cheeks turned bright red. "And who are you to complain about our stuff? I happy to think the giant metal appendages look rather dashing," she called, folding her arms and puffing out her chest.
"Thank you," Crossbones replied, chuckling. He flexed his hands as if to emphasis his appreciation, the metal gauntlets clicking and groaning with every movement as metal struck metal.
Monarch pushed herself forwards, holding a hand out to keep her allies behind her. "What do you two want? Kazan, you have done enough to be a thorn in my side in these past two months so I am not going to put up with any of your tricks." She raised her claw and pointed at him, taking a few steps in his direction of her own.
Rita looked at Kazan's accomplice. The younger man was Raldo Gregor, one of students she knew from her father's guild. He had been expelled from the guild for deviant behaviour to which her father thought to be very suspicious. She reeled back from the others, wanting to curl up into a ball and just pretend she was not here at all. Rita knew the reputation Raldo had, and to a lesser extent she knew Kazan's reputation, and the sort of things that they were known to enjoy. Rita was scared of them.
Alfen stood his ground, however, and was quite ready for any aggression that the two might try to throw at him., Lightning already crackled across his body, almost dancing down his limbs and into the air around him. Every fibre of his being could feel the tension that was building between the two factions and knew that it could blow up at any minute. He prepared himself for that scenario thoroughly. He hadn't had a good fight for days and secretly he hoped that they would throw the first punch.
Rita moved closer to both Crossbones and Monarch, whispering softly to both of them. "That's Raldo Gregor on the left. He uses curse magic and creation magic together to create powerful spider threads that can do a variety of things. Watch out for him. He's not quite stable and his powers are very erratic," she explained to the best of her knowledge, but even she did not know the extent of Raldo's powers.
Kazan meanwhile had shrugged, a smile filled with pride spilling across his face. The idea that he had managed to limit Monarch's support would have pleased him enough, but the fact she had recieved almost no assistance from the guilds made it priceless. "No tricks are needed. I'm just simply here to make sure you are not causing some sort of hysteria with your ridiculous claims." He spoke in a very "matter of fact" tone, but his devilish grin was still there. He took out his left hand, clicking his fingers together as a searing hot blue flame came forth. "I myself joined a group not so long back and we want what is best for Edonia. A Magitech free nation that does not need to resort to the barbaric equipment you hold so dear," he continued, his eyes turning to look at Alfen. "I see that the "Van Dragoon Loser" graces us with his presence. What a surprise," he mocked, sniggering as he did so.
Raldo followed with a rather erratic giggle of his own before he saw Rita. He took a few steps closer, hobbling towards the girl. "Is that you, Rita? Looks like the brat left ole' daddy dearest at long last!" Rita recoiled from Raldo's words, still uncomfortable just hearing mention of her father.
"Have you come here to tell us something or are you here only to mock us?" Monarch asked, magic flickering through her fingertips. She pondered something as she spoke. Kazan had mentioned joining an organisation dedicated to removing the art of magitech from Edonia, and the terrorist cell had struck one of the Ozalian university's branches. Could there be a connection? "And what organisation do you speak of? Who are they?"
Kazan's arrogant grin grew even more expressive on his face. "Ha, like I'm going to tell you jack," he replied bluntly, puffing out his chest and spitting. "All you need to know is that our group is doing the right thing for Edonia and that's all," Kazan continued. He sighed, looking at the young, fired up mage that stood beside Monarch. "You can stop glaring at me, Alfen"
Alfen's stare did not break. In fact his stare grew deeper and was fuelled with more hatred. The energy between the two mages was almost thick enough to see and the raw magical energy could easily be felt around them. The magical energy of both parties seemed to only fuel the fire.
Raldo's excitement grew as he walked closer towards Rita. "Hey, why don't we leave these killjoys and get a chance to catch up?" Raldo said, ignoring both Monarch and Crossbones entirely.
Rita shook head violently back and forth. "No! I don't want to!" she said defiantly.
Alfen stepped between the two of them, his hand pressed on the crazed man's chestplate. Alfen's arm was electrified, volts of lightning danced up and down his arm erratically, and at a moment's notice he could loose it all into the man and fry him alive. "Leave her alone" he said, furrowing his brow and gritting his teeth. Alfen shoved Raldo back towards Kazan and he stumbled a few steps backwards. Raldo's grin grew wider and his eyes wild.
"HehehehahaaaHAAAAAAHAHAHA!" Raldo laughed maniacally, staring up into the sky as he did so. "Spider Creation: Arachnid Stingers!" He screamed, swinging both of his arms to the side. Sprouting from his back came eight spider like appendages, almost metallic in appearance and tipped with razor sharp blades. A dark aura spilled from his body like a mist and it wove its way around the spider legs. "Touch me again and I'll flay the skin right off your back!"
Kazan groaned, rolling his eyes at his companion's bloodlust. "Time to not waste this opportunity," he said, tossing his scarf and jacket to the side. He cracked his knuckles and his neck, blue fire still swirling around his fists. "I'll take the magitech scum. Keep that idiot Alfen busy, will ya?"
>> Alfen, Anna, and Rita versus Raldo~
Raldo simply nodded and his stingers stretched wide, scratching eagerly at the air as he took steps closer to Alfen. He then burst into a sprint towards the lightning mage and his comrades. Frighteningly fast, Raldo was already infront of Alfen in a mere second. Raldo's stingers struck at Alfen, as the young mage quickly dodged each of the strikes. Raldo jumped back gathering a purple aura within both of his palms. "Spider Creation: Cold Webbing" Stretching both palms out, Raldo shot forth threads of ice, wrapping around Alfen's arms and legs. Raldo gripped the icy threads and lifted Alfen high into the air, slamming down into the concrete ground. Alfen braced himself as best as he could, hitting the stone cold floor with force. Raldo laughed. "SCREAM FOR ME!" He shouted before taking a direct hit from a blue-ish Skull that struck him with force.
Rita was preparing another skull as Raldo raised up, the blush-ish aura from the impact rising from his body. Raldo licked his lips, looking at Rita with a twisted look. "A little more fight in you than before? I like it!" He quickly gathered speed and sprinted towards. Rita panicked throwing what she had of the conjured skull. Raldo dodged her spell with ease. As he jumped up, hoping to come down, Alfen was already in mid-air with him "Thunder Art: Force Strike!" Alfen channeled the thunderous energy into his hand, blasting Raldo back with great force. Raldo bounced off the ground, but got up, grinning devilishly. "You should've not acted so carelessly, Alfen" Alfen clicked both his fingers. "Spider Curse: Agony Thread" he uttered the incantations.
Alfen quickly checked himself, seeing the weird mark on his exposed forearm. The mark sprung forth spider like threads that wrapped around his legs up to his left forearm and part of his upper body. jolts of purple colour volts spread across his body, sending into a frenzied feeling of pain. Alfen screamed out.
"Alfen!" Anna called out, darting through the air to his rescue with her hands growing bright with magical energy. She pressed her hands against the source of the curse, sending tiny pulses of white energy down them. While it seemed to halt the threads for a short while Raldo's magic was far more powerful than hers, and the jolts of energy carried on along Alfen's body.
Anna screamed herself when she saw the threads start to cling to her own fingers, but managed to pull herself away just before they latched on tightly. She tried to touch him again, either to heal him or move him to safety, but the threads fought back, and she saw that Raldo was about to cast another one of his curses. With no alternative she raised her hands above her head, the white light turning to pink, and bright lights burst forth from her hands.
While Raldo would see a powerful beam of energy tear through the air to strike him, it was merely an illusion to distract him. "Twisted Vision: Vanishing Act," she whispered, and her and Alfen vanished from view completely.
When Raldo recovered he scanned the surroundings and saw that both Alfen and the pixie had vanished. He grit his teeth but grinned regardless, turning to face Rita. Raldo cradled his head, swaying to the left and right, and laughed loudedly. "I do enjoy the screams!" Rita was frozen in fear and shock, her eyes wide, seeeing the crazed psycho hurting Alfen, all due to herself. "STOP IT!" She shouted, her eyes teared. "All you've ever done is hurt people and laughed about it! You frightened me every chance you could get. Not anymore!" She waved her hands in a slow and circular motion.
"Horror Curse: Phantom Limbs!" She pointed forward, as ghostly arms stretched towards Raldo swiftly dodged three of the arms, before the fourth struck him with enough force to stagger him slightly. The other arms he dodged turn around, and grabbed him. the arms threw him into the ground with surprising power, the force showing some wear and tear in his armor and clothing. Raldo 's face grimaced slightly at the barrage, but his twisted grin didn't budge long enough for Rita to notice. As the arms returned to Rita, she panted, not quite used to using up that much mana. "Damn! that used up more energy than I thought" She thought, trying not to panic. Raldo got up, the attack left him slightly winded and bruise. "Wow...now that's some fight...You'll make the best doll for me to have some fun, hehe" Raldo said with tone sadistic and low. Raldo lumbered towards Rita, like a demon, enamored with it's prey. Rita didn't know what to do.
Alfen was lying unconscious due to the overwhelming pain caused by Raldo's curse. Rita felt like she was useless. Raldo gathered more of his darkly purple aura within his right hand: "Spider Creation: Paralyzing Web" Raldo said, launching a sphered of purple spider like threads at Rita. She was caught up in its mass, the threads wrapping around her as quickly as they struck her. Sh could feel the effects of the spell, her arms and legs going stiff. Raldo walked up to her, lifting her up his threads. "You'll be mine, I told you" he said, a twisted grin of pleasure and obsession. Raldo then hoisted her onto his left shoulder.
Rita let out a scream. It was the only thing she could do before her body went completely rigid.
>> Monarch and Crossbones versus Kazan~
As the battle unfolded around him, Kazan simply grinned. Monarch and Crossbones held their ground, waiting to counter whatever tricks or traps Kazan had up his sleeve. The three of them seemed oddly static as the battle unfolded around them, and it was not until Crossbones took a step forward that the warzone sparked into life.
He met Kazan head on, throwing a punch which was met with a swift dodge. The smaller mage pulled his arm back and great claws of blue flame sprouted from his fingetips, and with a quick lash of his hand he cut through Crossbones' armoured chest. Crossbones hissed, feeling the claws cut his skin, but knew the wound would barely broke the skin. Whether it was the best Kazan could do or if he was toying with him he did not know, but Crossbones immediately pulled his arms in closer to protect his body.
The two traded blows expertly, with Kazan gracefully weaving in and out of Crossbones' heavy thrown punches and with the larger man deflecting and stepping just out of the way of the razor-sharp claws which cut uncomfortably close to his body. The fight spilled out into another alleyway with Monarch keeping close behind. Kazan threw out a kick, a small burst of flames erupting from his leg, and knocked the technician just off balance.
With a few seconds of respite Kazan managed to yell "Inferno Art: Sala-" but a bolt of concentrated magic struck the side of his face and knocked him aside almost effortlessly. A heavy metal punch to his stomach made him feel truly sick, and he coughed up a little blood as he stumbled back up onto his feet.
"That the best you've got?" he spat, wiping the blood from his lips. He took another battle stance, raising both of his arms high as if preparing to punch, and let loose a few punches.
Fire flew from his fists and struck Crossbones but his guarded stance meant that most of them broke away harmlessly against his gauntlets. The barrage continued for a few more moments, but every second gave Crossbones a chance to creep closer. He took one heavy step forwards, clenching his fists tightly and pushing himself into a charge.
Kazan took a single step forward, almost mimicking Crossbones' actions, and a inhaled deeply. His grin grew louder and, with a few words spoken underneath his breath, he exhaled. Blue flames burst forth from his lips, scorching the stone pavement and igniting the air around it. Fire coiled towards Monarch and Crossbones, lashing out at them and biting at what exposed skin it could. Crossbones raised his arms, hoping to protect his face, but it did little to shield him from the assault.
"Soul Weaver Art, Cascade!" yelled Monarch from behind him, and Crossbones felt the familiar touch of mystic energy flow out from behind him.
Kazan's blue flames were halted as a deeper blue energy struck it, shielding Crossbones from the force of the blow. While the hulk of a man still felt the heat against his skin it no longer snapped at him, and as Monarch continued her magical assault it gave him more room to work with. He tensed his body and twisted his stance so that Kazan was to his right. He raised his right arm to cover his chest and body and pulled his left arm back, mechanical contraptions whirring and clicking into place.
"Soul Weaver Art, Projection!" Monarch called out, and the force of her magic overwhelmed Kazan's flames.
With more room to push forward Crossbones charged, forcing his way through the wall of raw magic and fire where the two elements clashed and throwing a punch with as much might as he could. Tiny engines on his gauntlets whirred into life, propelling his fist forwards at an incredible rate, and in a flurry of smoke and fire Crossbones launched himself at Kazan.
His fist never met Kazan's body, instead impacting in the side of a wall. It cracked and visibly shook, but Crossbones was more concerned with locating Kazan. His arm was locked in place, embedded in the wall, and his foe was nowhere to be seen.
"Inferno Art: Salamander Tail," Kazan uttered as he clicked his fingers. A long, blue whip of fire sprouted forward from his left hand. "I'll show you what real magic feels like!" he said with a tone of sadistic pleasure, raising his left arm high. He brought down the whip with some force on Crossbones' back, repeating the action, as he increased the ferocity and speed. Laughing to himself, a cruel idea came to mind. His whip coiled itself around Crossbones' leg and he pulled, searing through the man's clothing and pulling firmly on his limb.
Suddenly the whip snapped in two, the flames dissipating before their very eyes. Monarch stood between them, her clawed arm thrust forwards to slice cleanly through the magical whip. It gave Monarch the brief moment he needed to pull his arm free, and they both turned to face Kazan. They both took defensive stances,with Monarch holding her staff outstretched. The head of the staff glistened bright blue and pulsed with energy, but it was not until another burst of fire from above collided with them that the prepared spell took effect.
A bubble of magic pulsated around them, the searing blue flames splitting around them and striking the floor harmlessly. Monarch had seen another surprise attack coming from a mile away. She held the barrier firmly, waiting patiently for the flames to die down, and when they did her grip on her staff relaxed and the barrier faded.
"I think he's gone," Crossbones said, not letting his guard down for a moment.
"What is that coward up t-"
A scream broke their concentration.
"Was that Rita?" Crossbones asked, immediately turning and running towards the source of the sound.
Monarch followed just behind him although she did not respond. That was definitely Rita.
Alfen was still out cold from the curse placed upon him by Raldo, the mark disappeared from his forearm as the pair left the scene, and eventually Anna broke the charm that hid them from view. She tended to the curse as best she could but, while it receeded naturally, it fought strongly against what little healing magic she knew.
A man stepped out from a nearby alleyway wearing a trenchcoat, and a fancy vest and shirt combo with a hat sitting a top his head. He looked at the young lightning mage, shaking his head back and forth. Anna spotted him first, however, and in her panic she hid behind Alfen's unconscious body, peering cautiously at the new man. "I kinda guessed you'd be knocked out, well, Kylar owes me a few bucks." He examined Alfen's body for a while from a distance, but when he went to touch him a tiny figure fluttered in front of his face.
"Leave him alone!" the figure yelled, frowning. Her body was tense and she looked ready to throw a punch, although the man was not sure if she'd even feel it with her tiny frame. "Don't you dare touch him or I swear I'll-"
She was cut off by the man. "Hey, you're a pixie right?" He said calmly. She folded her arms and huffed. "I'm Darren Sazer, a friend of Alfen's and fellow guildmate, did you see how he ended up like this?" He asked, walking up to the young pixie.
Alfen stirred, slowly getting up into a kneeling position. "Wow...the hell happened"
"Raldo placed a curse on you," Anna said, fluttering down to rest gently on his shoulder. "He knocked you out cold with a single spell. I managed to hide you with an illusion but it meant I couldn't protect Rita. If I tried to it would risk letting Raldo know where we were, and then something might have happened to you and her... Raldo took her and now they've vanished."
Alfen slammed his fist into the ground, volts jumped from the small crater he created. "That bastard cheap shot me!" he shouted out of frustation and anger. He stood up, both his fists clenched tight. "It's fine, Anna, that guy was a sicko. We gotta go find Rita and bring her back" he stated.
Anna nodded. "Right. I'll go find Monarch and Crossbones."
Alfen noticed Darren Sazer soon after, but he still grit his teeth and clenched his fists. "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked bluntly.
Darren straighted himself, ignoring Alfen's rudeness in his tone. "Why, Master Luwin sent me hear to make sure you don't cause too much damage. Good to know it's not the usual Alfen amount" he snarked back at Alfen. Alfen crossed his arms and huffed, looking away from Darren. "Don't be like that, I may just now a way to find your pretty young girlfriend" he then winked at Alfen
."She isn't my girlfriend. I've only met her today, and besides she wants to join our guild." Alfen explained to his sharply dressed guildmate, looking no less tense than before.
Monarch and Crossbones reared their heads out from one of the alleyways looking out of breath and slightly sweaty. They showed a few signs of combat but their exhaustion seemed to come from running here rather than fighting Raldo. Anna was with them, leading the party forwards.
"What was the screaming?" Monarch asked. "We came as quickly as we could."
Rita's absence was immediately apparent, and soon both technicians sunk in the spot they stood. The scream was far too long ago for Rita to be nearby, and they both knew Kazan and Raldo would do everything and anything they could do to hide their tracks. Crossbones cursed under his breath, pacing back and forth aggressively, while Monarch was one of the first to notice this new, strange man tending to their wounded.
"And who are you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Darren perked up. He straightened himself up and tipped his hat to Crossbones and Monarch with a gentlemanly demeanor. "Sorry, I'm Darren Sazer, a fellow guildmate to Alfen. I was sent by Luwin as a last minute ally in your investigation team while I do my own investigations on some recent mage killings." He explained himself slowly and calmly, less abrasive and blunt than Alfen, and more polite to boot.
Monarch eyed the man curiously, wondering just how much of his story was true. She had not been told of any late additions to her investigation group and she was immediately wary of the stranger. Still, if his claims were true, then Monarch would rather not outright attack the delegate of the Edonian Siphoners Guild.
"I was not sure if the tale of the Sazer Siblings has extended into the Magitech Guilds...But I have heard things about you, mostly from my Master Luwin and the like. The young girl with you? Rita? She was taken by Raldo....I fear for her safety"
Alfen looked at him suspiciously. "Why is this important to you? Why do you even care?" Alfen questioned. It sounded rude but it was not his intention. He was worried.
Darren sighed. "Both Kazan and Raldo, especially Raldo, have been involved with a group calling themselves the Oroborus Society. They are a group of radical fanatics for the glory of magic and siphoning."
Under their breaths, Monarch and Crossbones both muttered something. "The Guild attacks..."
The mage explained further. "So far I have managed to find out the identities of a few members. Kazan and Raldo are their newest recruits despite their talent. Others include Gilgan Messai, a powerful conjurer with thirteen contracts; Minerle, a famous illusionist; and Orus Voltari, the leader of of this group. There's one more member who goes by the name of Zinko but we know almost nothing about him" Darren placed his a hand upon his chin, stroking it thoughtfully. "There's two actions we can take; find Reynir and get him to track down Rita... or at the least, Kazan or Raldo. We also need to inform her father, did she mention him at all?"
Monarch was convinced. He knew about their plans to contact Reynir and his knowledge of the organisation Kazan and Raldo belonged to was almost overwhelming. Even if he was not a delegate of the Siphoners Guild he was clearly an intelligent and well-informed man. He would be useful. "We have Alfen," Monarch said. "We have the easiest way to get Reynir to support our cause. He should be able to find him and then her quickly."
Alfen looked at the smartly dressed mage. " Rita is the daughter of Reeves Lanna. He's something to do with the Guildmastesr or something" he replied, rubbing his head and slowly scrambling back up onto his feet.
Darren sighed once again, a little heavier this time. "Damn...that's, a little wrench in the action, but not a waste of time."
"I'll go," Crossbones said. "We can't break the bad news through a letter. It doesn't feel right.I'll find out where her father lives through the Ozalian University and fill him in."
Monarch frowned. "You do not have to do that, Jax. It is a waste of time."
Crossbones raised a large, metal glove and grinned. "Relax, Mona. I'll make the most of it. If he's a Guildmaster we could use this to curry favour for our cause and get him to support us. Revenge over the kidnapping of his daughter could be enough to get his help."
"It might be worse," Crossbones replied, shrugging. "We're still trying to make heads or tails of the situation ourselves, but we know for a fact that we need extra manpower. The Ozalian University is unofficially supporting us but they want full deniability if something goes awry, so other than equipment supplies we won't be getting much from them. It's why we're coming to you directly, since the university won't supply us with their own technicians."
Alfen pondered the offer for a few moments longer, but he found the opportunity to break the monotony of everyday life to be a gift. "Count me in," he exclaimed. "I'm either training or...getting disciplinary talks from Masuer, so I haven't got anything better to do!" Alfen nodded, smiling widely.
He nudged Rita, who stood next to Alfen. "You joining too? I mean it would look good for when you join up with the Hawks" He grinned, only getting a rather shy and timid stammer from the young girl.
"I...don't have anything planned, I'll join too," she said. Rita kept as quiet as she could as the eyes of the group descended on her, and her voice came out as little more than a squeak. She turned her attention to the man and the pixie upon his shoulders, eying them curiously. She looked up to the man and the Pixie. "Who might you two be? I'm Rita Lanna" She asked politely.
Crossbones grinned, holding out a thick, metal-clad hand for her to shake, which she did timidly. "Maddox," he said, nodding slightly. "But most people call me Crossbones."
The pixie perching on his shoulder, meanwhile, stood up straight and cleared her throat. She held her chin up high and fluttered half an inch off of the man's shoulder as if to prove that she did not need a human to carry her around. "Anna Stasia, legendary pixie explorer and baker extraordinaire!"
Mona gave her an odd look, but then gave Crossbones an even stranger one. Anna blushed and started to stutter. She made a few small lights appear in her hands. "I, um, also do magic."
"We met up shortly after we split. Anna is a talented illusionist and I think she'll be a valuable asset to the team," Crossbones continued, and Anna breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
Rita's disposition immediately improved, her timid expression turned into a bubbly smile. "Nice to meet the both of you!" she said with a twinkle to her tone and expression, making it almost sweet to hear
Alfen had not spoken since Rita had mentioned her name. The name struck a chord with him and he was sure that he had heard that full name before. Alfen leaned close to Monarch. "You don't think she's the daughter of Reeves Lanna, do you?" he asked with a whispered tone.
"Are you any relation to Reeves Lanna?" Monarch asked, showing absolutely no subtlty in her wording. Alfen cringed.
"Geez, Mona, way to be subtle about it" Alfen groaned, deep-set sarcasm in his voice. Alfen smiled nervously, laughing as a way to make it seem like it was all in jest.
Rita was taken back by the question, her face filled with worry. She stood wide eyed and stuttered, wondering just how to answer such a question.. "Yes, I'm the daughter of Reeves Lanna, Guildmaster of the Lion's Head Guild of Enchanting. I'm not like my father since I don't specialise in that style. I'm a witch, who focus on hexes and curses rather than enchantment...please do not see my father in me. You'll be disappointed," Rita explained as she looked down, her shoulders slumped.
Alfen threw his right arm over her, giving her one of his signature goofy smiles. "Hey now, don't beat yourself up about it! You managed to paralyze me! I'd say that makes you one hundred percent better than your old man!" Alfen said, a warmth to his words.
Rita couldn't help but blush. "Th-thanks...I hope I can be some use in your group, I'll do my best"
Alfen laughed heartily. "That's the spirit!"
The group chatted for a while longer, but the conversation was firmly dominated by Monarch and Crossbones. As the group walked, aiming for the quieter parts of the city where they would not be disturbed, they slowly explained the situation to the other three individuals. One of the Ozalian Magitech Guild's branches located in Edonia had been attacked, and while the organisation's head considered it an isolated incident, others thought something darker was taking place behind it all. Monarch had volunteed to organise the ground effort, working to investigate the matter with her trusted friend Crossbones.
Among the shortlist of candidates for the investigation team was Kaaj Reynir, a man with remarkable magical talents and who was rumoured to be able to track anyone. Unfortunately the man was illusive and had not been seen in years. His close friend Alfen, who stood before Monarch at that very moment, was the only connection she had to him.
In fact, Monarch opened her mouth to ask him if he knew where the man was, but she was quite rudely interrupted by a shrill voice.
"Look at these bunch o' losers!" said the first, mocking them with little subtlty. "Do you think it's really them, bro?" he continued.
The voice came from behind them, and the quintet of mages and magitechnicians turned around to spot them. Two young men slowly walked towards them, turning out from an alleyway to face them. One man was dressed in steel armor, marvellously decorated with runes and patterns. Short brown hair sprouted out from the top of his head and his expression was that of a miscreant grin. The man that stood beside him, a far taller and older man, was dressed in much simpler clothing. The only notable feature was a long pink scarf that was thrown over his shoulder, and that his features were far more rugged than his companion. His expression was rather cold and stoic, although his lips still curled into something of a smile.
"Raldo, shut up," the taller man said, taking a step closer with both hands in his pockets. As he drew closer a dragon insignia could just be seen sat on his jacket's front pocket, the scaled creature coiled around a large letter K. The insignia was infamous in this part of Edonia and all five of them recognised it immediately. The symbol of the Pyros Family.
"Don't be such a buzzkill, Kazan, or else you'll get tangled up in my web," Raldo replied, his cocky grin crowing wider and more menacing.
Kazan looked upon both Monarch and Crossbones, an expression of disgust across his face. "Weak, pathetic magitech users. You are nothing but a plague on true magic and raw prowess," Kazan stated with a tone of arrogance and lack of respect.
Although he may have expected an angered response from the two of the magitechnicians, or even a twitch of frustration from the larger metal man, Crossbones simply raised an eyebrow. Monarch ran her clawed hand through her hair, scythe-like claws shearing away a few strands of her already ragged hair. While both of them were used to being tormented as children, one of the main reasons they had bonded so well, it was rarely their skills with technology that were targeted. Still, the words of Kazan and Raldo meant little to them, and they both shrugged.
Anna was the first to respond, her fists clenched into a ball and her cheeks turned bright red. "And who are you to complain about our stuff? I happy to think the giant metal appendages look rather dashing," she called, folding her arms and puffing out her chest.
"Thank you," Crossbones replied, chuckling. He flexed his hands as if to emphasis his appreciation, the metal gauntlets clicking and groaning with every movement as metal struck metal.
Monarch pushed herself forwards, holding a hand out to keep her allies behind her. "What do you two want? Kazan, you have done enough to be a thorn in my side in these past two months so I am not going to put up with any of your tricks." She raised her claw and pointed at him, taking a few steps in his direction of her own.
Rita looked at Kazan's accomplice. The younger man was Raldo Gregor, one of students she knew from her father's guild. He had been expelled from the guild for deviant behaviour to which her father thought to be very suspicious. She reeled back from the others, wanting to curl up into a ball and just pretend she was not here at all. Rita knew the reputation Raldo had, and to a lesser extent she knew Kazan's reputation, and the sort of things that they were known to enjoy. Rita was scared of them.
Alfen stood his ground, however, and was quite ready for any aggression that the two might try to throw at him., Lightning already crackled across his body, almost dancing down his limbs and into the air around him. Every fibre of his being could feel the tension that was building between the two factions and knew that it could blow up at any minute. He prepared himself for that scenario thoroughly. He hadn't had a good fight for days and secretly he hoped that they would throw the first punch.
Rita moved closer to both Crossbones and Monarch, whispering softly to both of them. "That's Raldo Gregor on the left. He uses curse magic and creation magic together to create powerful spider threads that can do a variety of things. Watch out for him. He's not quite stable and his powers are very erratic," she explained to the best of her knowledge, but even she did not know the extent of Raldo's powers.
Kazan meanwhile had shrugged, a smile filled with pride spilling across his face. The idea that he had managed to limit Monarch's support would have pleased him enough, but the fact she had recieved almost no assistance from the guilds made it priceless. "No tricks are needed. I'm just simply here to make sure you are not causing some sort of hysteria with your ridiculous claims." He spoke in a very "matter of fact" tone, but his devilish grin was still there. He took out his left hand, clicking his fingers together as a searing hot blue flame came forth. "I myself joined a group not so long back and we want what is best for Edonia. A Magitech free nation that does not need to resort to the barbaric equipment you hold so dear," he continued, his eyes turning to look at Alfen. "I see that the "Van Dragoon Loser" graces us with his presence. What a surprise," he mocked, sniggering as he did so.
Raldo followed with a rather erratic giggle of his own before he saw Rita. He took a few steps closer, hobbling towards the girl. "Is that you, Rita? Looks like the brat left ole' daddy dearest at long last!" Rita recoiled from Raldo's words, still uncomfortable just hearing mention of her father.
"Have you come here to tell us something or are you here only to mock us?" Monarch asked, magic flickering through her fingertips. She pondered something as she spoke. Kazan had mentioned joining an organisation dedicated to removing the art of magitech from Edonia, and the terrorist cell had struck one of the Ozalian university's branches. Could there be a connection? "And what organisation do you speak of? Who are they?"
Kazan's arrogant grin grew even more expressive on his face. "Ha, like I'm going to tell you jack," he replied bluntly, puffing out his chest and spitting. "All you need to know is that our group is doing the right thing for Edonia and that's all," Kazan continued. He sighed, looking at the young, fired up mage that stood beside Monarch. "You can stop glaring at me, Alfen"
Alfen's stare did not break. In fact his stare grew deeper and was fuelled with more hatred. The energy between the two mages was almost thick enough to see and the raw magical energy could easily be felt around them. The magical energy of both parties seemed to only fuel the fire.
Raldo's excitement grew as he walked closer towards Rita. "Hey, why don't we leave these killjoys and get a chance to catch up?" Raldo said, ignoring both Monarch and Crossbones entirely.
Rita shook head violently back and forth. "No! I don't want to!" she said defiantly.
Alfen stepped between the two of them, his hand pressed on the crazed man's chestplate. Alfen's arm was electrified, volts of lightning danced up and down his arm erratically, and at a moment's notice he could loose it all into the man and fry him alive. "Leave her alone" he said, furrowing his brow and gritting his teeth. Alfen shoved Raldo back towards Kazan and he stumbled a few steps backwards. Raldo's grin grew wider and his eyes wild.
"HehehehahaaaHAAAAAAHAHAHA!" Raldo laughed maniacally, staring up into the sky as he did so. "Spider Creation: Arachnid Stingers!" He screamed, swinging both of his arms to the side. Sprouting from his back came eight spider like appendages, almost metallic in appearance and tipped with razor sharp blades. A dark aura spilled from his body like a mist and it wove its way around the spider legs. "Touch me again and I'll flay the skin right off your back!"
Kazan groaned, rolling his eyes at his companion's bloodlust. "Time to not waste this opportunity," he said, tossing his scarf and jacket to the side. He cracked his knuckles and his neck, blue fire still swirling around his fists. "I'll take the magitech scum. Keep that idiot Alfen busy, will ya?"
>> Alfen, Anna, and Rita versus Raldo~
Raldo simply nodded and his stingers stretched wide, scratching eagerly at the air as he took steps closer to Alfen. He then burst into a sprint towards the lightning mage and his comrades. Frighteningly fast, Raldo was already infront of Alfen in a mere second. Raldo's stingers struck at Alfen, as the young mage quickly dodged each of the strikes. Raldo jumped back gathering a purple aura within both of his palms. "Spider Creation: Cold Webbing" Stretching both palms out, Raldo shot forth threads of ice, wrapping around Alfen's arms and legs. Raldo gripped the icy threads and lifted Alfen high into the air, slamming down into the concrete ground. Alfen braced himself as best as he could, hitting the stone cold floor with force. Raldo laughed. "SCREAM FOR ME!" He shouted before taking a direct hit from a blue-ish Skull that struck him with force.
Rita was preparing another skull as Raldo raised up, the blush-ish aura from the impact rising from his body. Raldo licked his lips, looking at Rita with a twisted look. "A little more fight in you than before? I like it!" He quickly gathered speed and sprinted towards. Rita panicked throwing what she had of the conjured skull. Raldo dodged her spell with ease. As he jumped up, hoping to come down, Alfen was already in mid-air with him "Thunder Art: Force Strike!" Alfen channeled the thunderous energy into his hand, blasting Raldo back with great force. Raldo bounced off the ground, but got up, grinning devilishly. "You should've not acted so carelessly, Alfen" Alfen clicked both his fingers. "Spider Curse: Agony Thread" he uttered the incantations.
Alfen quickly checked himself, seeing the weird mark on his exposed forearm. The mark sprung forth spider like threads that wrapped around his legs up to his left forearm and part of his upper body. jolts of purple colour volts spread across his body, sending into a frenzied feeling of pain. Alfen screamed out.
"Alfen!" Anna called out, darting through the air to his rescue with her hands growing bright with magical energy. She pressed her hands against the source of the curse, sending tiny pulses of white energy down them. While it seemed to halt the threads for a short while Raldo's magic was far more powerful than hers, and the jolts of energy carried on along Alfen's body.
Anna screamed herself when she saw the threads start to cling to her own fingers, but managed to pull herself away just before they latched on tightly. She tried to touch him again, either to heal him or move him to safety, but the threads fought back, and she saw that Raldo was about to cast another one of his curses. With no alternative she raised her hands above her head, the white light turning to pink, and bright lights burst forth from her hands.
While Raldo would see a powerful beam of energy tear through the air to strike him, it was merely an illusion to distract him. "Twisted Vision: Vanishing Act," she whispered, and her and Alfen vanished from view completely.
When Raldo recovered he scanned the surroundings and saw that both Alfen and the pixie had vanished. He grit his teeth but grinned regardless, turning to face Rita. Raldo cradled his head, swaying to the left and right, and laughed loudedly. "I do enjoy the screams!" Rita was frozen in fear and shock, her eyes wide, seeeing the crazed psycho hurting Alfen, all due to herself. "STOP IT!" She shouted, her eyes teared. "All you've ever done is hurt people and laughed about it! You frightened me every chance you could get. Not anymore!" She waved her hands in a slow and circular motion.
"Horror Curse: Phantom Limbs!" She pointed forward, as ghostly arms stretched towards Raldo swiftly dodged three of the arms, before the fourth struck him with enough force to stagger him slightly. The other arms he dodged turn around, and grabbed him. the arms threw him into the ground with surprising power, the force showing some wear and tear in his armor and clothing. Raldo 's face grimaced slightly at the barrage, but his twisted grin didn't budge long enough for Rita to notice. As the arms returned to Rita, she panted, not quite used to using up that much mana. "Damn! that used up more energy than I thought" She thought, trying not to panic. Raldo got up, the attack left him slightly winded and bruise. "Wow...now that's some fight...You'll make the best doll for me to have some fun, hehe" Raldo said with tone sadistic and low. Raldo lumbered towards Rita, like a demon, enamored with it's prey. Rita didn't know what to do.
Alfen was lying unconscious due to the overwhelming pain caused by Raldo's curse. Rita felt like she was useless. Raldo gathered more of his darkly purple aura within his right hand: "Spider Creation: Paralyzing Web" Raldo said, launching a sphered of purple spider like threads at Rita. She was caught up in its mass, the threads wrapping around her as quickly as they struck her. Sh could feel the effects of the spell, her arms and legs going stiff. Raldo walked up to her, lifting her up his threads. "You'll be mine, I told you" he said, a twisted grin of pleasure and obsession. Raldo then hoisted her onto his left shoulder.
Rita let out a scream. It was the only thing she could do before her body went completely rigid.
>> Monarch and Crossbones versus Kazan~
As the battle unfolded around him, Kazan simply grinned. Monarch and Crossbones held their ground, waiting to counter whatever tricks or traps Kazan had up his sleeve. The three of them seemed oddly static as the battle unfolded around them, and it was not until Crossbones took a step forward that the warzone sparked into life.
He met Kazan head on, throwing a punch which was met with a swift dodge. The smaller mage pulled his arm back and great claws of blue flame sprouted from his fingetips, and with a quick lash of his hand he cut through Crossbones' armoured chest. Crossbones hissed, feeling the claws cut his skin, but knew the wound would barely broke the skin. Whether it was the best Kazan could do or if he was toying with him he did not know, but Crossbones immediately pulled his arms in closer to protect his body.
The two traded blows expertly, with Kazan gracefully weaving in and out of Crossbones' heavy thrown punches and with the larger man deflecting and stepping just out of the way of the razor-sharp claws which cut uncomfortably close to his body. The fight spilled out into another alleyway with Monarch keeping close behind. Kazan threw out a kick, a small burst of flames erupting from his leg, and knocked the technician just off balance.
With a few seconds of respite Kazan managed to yell "Inferno Art: Sala-" but a bolt of concentrated magic struck the side of his face and knocked him aside almost effortlessly. A heavy metal punch to his stomach made him feel truly sick, and he coughed up a little blood as he stumbled back up onto his feet.
"That the best you've got?" he spat, wiping the blood from his lips. He took another battle stance, raising both of his arms high as if preparing to punch, and let loose a few punches.
Fire flew from his fists and struck Crossbones but his guarded stance meant that most of them broke away harmlessly against his gauntlets. The barrage continued for a few more moments, but every second gave Crossbones a chance to creep closer. He took one heavy step forwards, clenching his fists tightly and pushing himself into a charge.
Kazan took a single step forward, almost mimicking Crossbones' actions, and a inhaled deeply. His grin grew louder and, with a few words spoken underneath his breath, he exhaled. Blue flames burst forth from his lips, scorching the stone pavement and igniting the air around it. Fire coiled towards Monarch and Crossbones, lashing out at them and biting at what exposed skin it could. Crossbones raised his arms, hoping to protect his face, but it did little to shield him from the assault.
"Soul Weaver Art, Cascade!" yelled Monarch from behind him, and Crossbones felt the familiar touch of mystic energy flow out from behind him.
Kazan's blue flames were halted as a deeper blue energy struck it, shielding Crossbones from the force of the blow. While the hulk of a man still felt the heat against his skin it no longer snapped at him, and as Monarch continued her magical assault it gave him more room to work with. He tensed his body and twisted his stance so that Kazan was to his right. He raised his right arm to cover his chest and body and pulled his left arm back, mechanical contraptions whirring and clicking into place.
"Soul Weaver Art, Projection!" Monarch called out, and the force of her magic overwhelmed Kazan's flames.
With more room to push forward Crossbones charged, forcing his way through the wall of raw magic and fire where the two elements clashed and throwing a punch with as much might as he could. Tiny engines on his gauntlets whirred into life, propelling his fist forwards at an incredible rate, and in a flurry of smoke and fire Crossbones launched himself at Kazan.
His fist never met Kazan's body, instead impacting in the side of a wall. It cracked and visibly shook, but Crossbones was more concerned with locating Kazan. His arm was locked in place, embedded in the wall, and his foe was nowhere to be seen.
"Inferno Art: Salamander Tail," Kazan uttered as he clicked his fingers. A long, blue whip of fire sprouted forward from his left hand. "I'll show you what real magic feels like!" he said with a tone of sadistic pleasure, raising his left arm high. He brought down the whip with some force on Crossbones' back, repeating the action, as he increased the ferocity and speed. Laughing to himself, a cruel idea came to mind. His whip coiled itself around Crossbones' leg and he pulled, searing through the man's clothing and pulling firmly on his limb.
Suddenly the whip snapped in two, the flames dissipating before their very eyes. Monarch stood between them, her clawed arm thrust forwards to slice cleanly through the magical whip. It gave Monarch the brief moment he needed to pull his arm free, and they both turned to face Kazan. They both took defensive stances,with Monarch holding her staff outstretched. The head of the staff glistened bright blue and pulsed with energy, but it was not until another burst of fire from above collided with them that the prepared spell took effect.
A bubble of magic pulsated around them, the searing blue flames splitting around them and striking the floor harmlessly. Monarch had seen another surprise attack coming from a mile away. She held the barrier firmly, waiting patiently for the flames to die down, and when they did her grip on her staff relaxed and the barrier faded.
"I think he's gone," Crossbones said, not letting his guard down for a moment.
"What is that coward up t-"
A scream broke their concentration.
"Was that Rita?" Crossbones asked, immediately turning and running towards the source of the sound.
Monarch followed just behind him although she did not respond. That was definitely Rita.
Alfen was still out cold from the curse placed upon him by Raldo, the mark disappeared from his forearm as the pair left the scene, and eventually Anna broke the charm that hid them from view. She tended to the curse as best she could but, while it receeded naturally, it fought strongly against what little healing magic she knew.
A man stepped out from a nearby alleyway wearing a trenchcoat, and a fancy vest and shirt combo with a hat sitting a top his head. He looked at the young lightning mage, shaking his head back and forth. Anna spotted him first, however, and in her panic she hid behind Alfen's unconscious body, peering cautiously at the new man. "I kinda guessed you'd be knocked out, well, Kylar owes me a few bucks." He examined Alfen's body for a while from a distance, but when he went to touch him a tiny figure fluttered in front of his face.
"Leave him alone!" the figure yelled, frowning. Her body was tense and she looked ready to throw a punch, although the man was not sure if she'd even feel it with her tiny frame. "Don't you dare touch him or I swear I'll-"
She was cut off by the man. "Hey, you're a pixie right?" He said calmly. She folded her arms and huffed. "I'm Darren Sazer, a friend of Alfen's and fellow guildmate, did you see how he ended up like this?" He asked, walking up to the young pixie.
Alfen stirred, slowly getting up into a kneeling position. "Wow...the hell happened"
"Raldo placed a curse on you," Anna said, fluttering down to rest gently on his shoulder. "He knocked you out cold with a single spell. I managed to hide you with an illusion but it meant I couldn't protect Rita. If I tried to it would risk letting Raldo know where we were, and then something might have happened to you and her... Raldo took her and now they've vanished."
Alfen slammed his fist into the ground, volts jumped from the small crater he created. "That bastard cheap shot me!" he shouted out of frustation and anger. He stood up, both his fists clenched tight. "It's fine, Anna, that guy was a sicko. We gotta go find Rita and bring her back" he stated.
Anna nodded. "Right. I'll go find Monarch and Crossbones."
Alfen noticed Darren Sazer soon after, but he still grit his teeth and clenched his fists. "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked bluntly.
Darren straighted himself, ignoring Alfen's rudeness in his tone. "Why, Master Luwin sent me hear to make sure you don't cause too much damage. Good to know it's not the usual Alfen amount" he snarked back at Alfen. Alfen crossed his arms and huffed, looking away from Darren. "Don't be like that, I may just now a way to find your pretty young girlfriend" he then winked at Alfen
."She isn't my girlfriend. I've only met her today, and besides she wants to join our guild." Alfen explained to his sharply dressed guildmate, looking no less tense than before.
Monarch and Crossbones reared their heads out from one of the alleyways looking out of breath and slightly sweaty. They showed a few signs of combat but their exhaustion seemed to come from running here rather than fighting Raldo. Anna was with them, leading the party forwards.
"What was the screaming?" Monarch asked. "We came as quickly as we could."
Rita's absence was immediately apparent, and soon both technicians sunk in the spot they stood. The scream was far too long ago for Rita to be nearby, and they both knew Kazan and Raldo would do everything and anything they could do to hide their tracks. Crossbones cursed under his breath, pacing back and forth aggressively, while Monarch was one of the first to notice this new, strange man tending to their wounded.
"And who are you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Darren perked up. He straightened himself up and tipped his hat to Crossbones and Monarch with a gentlemanly demeanor. "Sorry, I'm Darren Sazer, a fellow guildmate to Alfen. I was sent by Luwin as a last minute ally in your investigation team while I do my own investigations on some recent mage killings." He explained himself slowly and calmly, less abrasive and blunt than Alfen, and more polite to boot.
Monarch eyed the man curiously, wondering just how much of his story was true. She had not been told of any late additions to her investigation group and she was immediately wary of the stranger. Still, if his claims were true, then Monarch would rather not outright attack the delegate of the Edonian Siphoners Guild.
"I was not sure if the tale of the Sazer Siblings has extended into the Magitech Guilds...But I have heard things about you, mostly from my Master Luwin and the like. The young girl with you? Rita? She was taken by Raldo....I fear for her safety"
Alfen looked at him suspiciously. "Why is this important to you? Why do you even care?" Alfen questioned. It sounded rude but it was not his intention. He was worried.
Darren sighed. "Both Kazan and Raldo, especially Raldo, have been involved with a group calling themselves the Oroborus Society. They are a group of radical fanatics for the glory of magic and siphoning."
Under their breaths, Monarch and Crossbones both muttered something. "The Guild attacks..."
The mage explained further. "So far I have managed to find out the identities of a few members. Kazan and Raldo are their newest recruits despite their talent. Others include Gilgan Messai, a powerful conjurer with thirteen contracts; Minerle, a famous illusionist; and Orus Voltari, the leader of of this group. There's one more member who goes by the name of Zinko but we know almost nothing about him" Darren placed his a hand upon his chin, stroking it thoughtfully. "There's two actions we can take; find Reynir and get him to track down Rita... or at the least, Kazan or Raldo. We also need to inform her father, did she mention him at all?"
Monarch was convinced. He knew about their plans to contact Reynir and his knowledge of the organisation Kazan and Raldo belonged to was almost overwhelming. Even if he was not a delegate of the Siphoners Guild he was clearly an intelligent and well-informed man. He would be useful. "We have Alfen," Monarch said. "We have the easiest way to get Reynir to support our cause. He should be able to find him and then her quickly."
Alfen looked at the smartly dressed mage. " Rita is the daughter of Reeves Lanna. He's something to do with the Guildmastesr or something" he replied, rubbing his head and slowly scrambling back up onto his feet.
Darren sighed once again, a little heavier this time. "Damn...that's, a little wrench in the action, but not a waste of time."
"I'll go," Crossbones said. "We can't break the bad news through a letter. It doesn't feel right.I'll find out where her father lives through the Ozalian University and fill him in."
Monarch frowned. "You do not have to do that, Jax. It is a waste of time."
Crossbones raised a large, metal glove and grinned. "Relax, Mona. I'll make the most of it. If he's a Guildmaster we could use this to curry favour for our cause and get him to support us. Revenge over the kidnapping of his daughter could be enough to get his help."
Aragorn said
There's introversion, and then there's "introversion *hair flips*"
People think they are special and unique and soooo fuckin cool to be introverted, I know this, because my generation grew up with that dumb ideology. Or at least the majority of what I've seen.
Hank said
You're all weird. I've never introduced myself as Hank (or any of my other internet handles) to anyone, and even when I've met up with people that I met through RPG we all comfortably used each other's real names consistently. Losers.
This.
I've met online folks before and we would just use our actual names.
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