Octo

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Gertrude side-eyed Fionn as he plopped down on her broom. It felt weird to have someone else flying with her, especially since a portion of her soul occupied the catalyst that they were both riding on. She had a feeling it didn't like having some big weird dude sitting on it, but they wouldn't be too long. Gertrude lifted off, heading around the cliff in such a way that Fionn would be the one facing it.

Talkative bastard.

Gertrude let out a low growl as he dared suggest what she should do. Part of her hoped this plan succeeded, but a much larger part of her hoped he got killed. A lot.

"I do what I want. It just so happens I was going to do that anyways, OK?" Gertrude grumbled as she sped up. For most people, the ride wouldn't be this smooth. However, Gertrude delegated a lot of the fine movements to the part of her soul that occupied the broom, and its regulation was as close to perfection as a ride could get. Thus, when Fionn was ready to jump, it reared back and worked with his movement to fling him further along.

She wanted to call him something rude as she flew away, but her giving their movements away would defeat the whole damn point of the plan. Instead, she stuck her tongue out and pulled her lower eyelid down with a forefinger. He probably wouldn't see this, but it made Gertrude feel good.

From there, she shot around the mountain and began pummeling Gisela with very quick, not incredibly powerful spells. She figured if she could keep the woman busy like this for a while, things would shake out smoothly.

Things did not shake out smoothly.

Gertrude had under-estimated Gisela's ability to multi-task. She knew the woman could just pour mana into spells to make them work at high levels without an exceptionally long chant, but to have so many active at once while defending herself and watching for runners was quite frankly ridiculous. Gertrude distracted her for a while, but then Gisela unleashed a Shooting Stars spell whose volume took up so much of the horizon that defending against it directly without knowing how much she poured into it would not be feasible.

In short, her broom jolted downwards in a quick and messy maneuver that would have been incredibly dangerous for any other implement to attempt, and the spell essentially forced her out of the sky for the time being.

---

Gretchen had finished chanting a spell that Gertrude was getting ready to unleash, but without Gisela in Gertrude's sights, the spell threatened to become moot. Gertrude was well away from the rest of the group, but Gretchen had a good view of everything going on as she peeked out from behind a tree. Gisela was too far away for someone as weak as Gretchen to affect meaningfully, but Krysia was close by and distracted with harassing the archer.

Gretchen, meanwhile, had a fully-charged Celestial Spears spell and just a little more than enough mana to cast it. Since it could pierce even through armor, it had a chance of severely damaging Krysia if even a couple of them hit.

It looked like Rolan was about to make a move, and once he did, Gretchen decided to use that moment of distraction to launch her attack.

If it failed, well, she'd seen how mad Krysia got when someone had the gall to shoot at her. But that's why she'd stagger a few spears to protect herself if the Demon got close. After that was done, she'd need to rely on the others to protect her.

She hated relying on others, but she knew it was probably the best move she could make in the moment. She wondered if anyone would actually protect her, or if they were all selfish liars like she knew they were. Whatever the turnout, it would be useful to find out a few things.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Gertrude clicked her tongue in disapproval as once again Fionn interposed himself between her and the target of her teasing. She glowered at the man and, for a moment, considered immolation. However, now was neither the time nor the place. If Gertrude wanted out of here, it would be in her best interest to play along at least a little. She was selfish and intelligent enough to understand this, so she wouldn't push the matter.

"I made this broom," Gertrude replied with a growl, "and it's powered by my own magic, so yes, it's strong enough to haul an extra hunk of tin."

She knew where Fionn was going with this, and imagined that it had the possibility of going very badly for him. But it could also go well, which meant getting out of here sooner. Honestly, kind of a win-win. She turned from him, and looked down at the captain. She, at least, seemed to be willing to play Gertrude's game. Watching Fanilly fumble her words looking for ways to flatter her was very refreshing. Gertrude smiled.

"Well, if the cute little mistress implores me so... how am I to refuse?"

When Fionn released her, Gertrude took her broom side-saddle.

"It's true Gisela is a fantastic mage, but if this lot can distract Krysia half as well as they think they can, I might be able to keep the Hundi in check. I have a few advantages of my own."

She turned, once again, to Fionn.

"No illusion magic here. My repertoire is more killing and self-preservation than trickery. We'll just have to make our move after the others start climbing and the attention is focused on them."

She tapped the spot next to her on the broom. If Fionn acquiesced, she'd drop him off once it was clear that Gisela's attention was on the others. From there, she'd harry the Hundi as best she could. Gisela had a lot of advantages, but Gertrude could cheat. The composition of her catalyst made it so that her casting was all but guaranteed to be faster, and Gisela would be working with divided attention.

Not to mention, Gretchen would be hanging back seemingly harmless. She'd be able to complete some chants, and then Gertrude would surprise the Hundi with a fully-charged spell or two.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Gertrude didn't like being ordered around, but she was fine with being asked for things. Especially if it came with such gratuitous praise as the captain was willing to give her, or even the more subtle goading Rolan seemed fond of. Both fed the same stomach. Both had to play her game, and that meant she was powerful and amazing.

Being so enticed, she unleashed a litany of kill-you-dead magic to support the Roses' final push against the Talderians, like a raging boar charging into a herd of sheep.

Only sheep would give their lives so readily. Death was cheap in this realm, but even so, it was gross to watch the stupid animals ram themselves into the Roses' blades and cling to them of their own will. One may as well not have a will at all, if the result is to throw one's life away. As the Roses reached the throne, all Gertrude could do was scoff. She wasn't interested in the hollow praise of some old dead guy, so she slinked off to the side as she was apt to do.

This loner behavior paid dividends almost immediately as Gertrude felt a sense of dread creep up her spine. Perhaps she had time enough to warn some of the others, if that was her instinct, but it simply was not. Her broom yanked both her and Gretchen roughly to the side as she exclaimed the only thing that had come to mind in the moment.

"FUCK!"

---

It was hard not to admire Gisela's Annihilation Star, though at the same time it had Gertrude seething with jealousy. The woman had dug out an entire glass cavern, and from such a distance too. The ambush had cost them a few people, the captain and the oaf being among them, and the message was clear.

Get complacent and die.

Well, it was something Gertrude could get behind, at least. She knew that she was already an amazing genius, but she had no intention of stopping until she was the best. She slinked back to the group like a cat that had been shooed away before getting her due pettings, and glanced at the message which had simply confirmed what she had already thought.

"Gisela the Hundi mage and her fightsexual Demon... friend? Wife?" Gertrude grumbled, "she has the most disgusting amount of mana I've ever seen and probably hundreds of years of experience, and Krysia is a high-level warrior Demon."

Gertrude yawned.

"Well, identifying your routes and splitting up is about all you can do, but that sounds boring. Gretchen and I are gonna take a break while you fine knightfolk carry out the legwork."

With that, she unceremoniously reached out to give Fanny a pat on the head.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Though the fireballs weren't doing as much as Gertrude had hoped, they at least weren't killing anybody, and they were forcing the knights to stay in place and block. It wasn't a bad outcome, but still really annoying. By the time Rolan had caught up to her, Gertrude was in between seething at how heavily-armored the knights were and seething that the dunderheaded boor from the other day had any capacity to perform magic whatsoever (it was stupid people magic, but magic nonetheless).

Gertrude growled as Rolan had the gall to suggest literally any course of action to her, but softened a little at what small reverence he placed upon her abilities. It was the first bit of praise she'd gotten thus far from these fools, even though she'd deserved far more.

"Notice how that pompous popinjay seems to have brought twice as many troops as he'd intended to use?" Gertrude responded, sneering, "my guess is that if I go too hard and kill everyone in the middle, the awaiting flanks will swoop in while the initial crew revive and rotate out. Big waste of mana. The trick is finding a way to maim them just enough, or at least get them out of the way."

She needed something a bit more impactful than fireballs, so the next step up would be...

Ah, there it was. Straight from the Captain's mouth. Adoration. At least, a little.

"Surely you can praise me more, mistress," Gertrude responded, smirking as she got on her broomstick sidesaddle, "we'll see if this gets you any headway. If not, I may just have to start killing the minimal amount."

Gertrude lifted off into the air as Gretchen finished chanting. The other knights had summarily gotten out of the way for her, so the entire area ahead of them was open for the fully-charged spell she had been working on.

"...Shooting Stars!"

It wasn't a high-level spell, but the more you put into it, the more you got. It would be perfect for disruption, maiming, and knocking unconscious any number of the knights directly ahead of her own allies-

Her own tools.

Though it was a bit novel, not having everyone be your enemy.

A countless number of magical bullets rained down on the Talderian knights from above. Those that were quick might raise their shield to the sky, which would leave them open from the front. Those that were not quick might find themselves unconscious or dead from the sheer number and force of the stars. Either way, it was on the Roses to capitalize.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Gertrude frowned. She understood the safety precautions, and was rightfully at least a little impressed that Gisela developed these insanely complex and accurate circles (she had enough damn time to tinker with the things, so it wasn't that impressive), but it still felt like she was being treated like a child.

And Gertrude hated being looked down on.

"I get it, I get it, but I'm not some idiot kid, OK?" Gertrude growled as she quickly memorized each circle, "I'm a damn prodigy. Didn't get any formal education, but I've learned from the best, and I've humiliated plenty of the losers at the Mage's College who paid their way into relevance with daddy's money."

Gertrude stood to her full height, and towered over Gisela, looking down at her.

"I'm no one's apprentice, and no one's colleague, but I don't mind showing you how a real mage does things. I know your circles, Gisela, and I'm not only going to modify them perfectly in the future, but I'll make them even better," Gertrude announced smugly.

Then blushed a little.

"T-that said... I mean, not that I'd even need it, because I'm ridiculously beautiful, but... well, you understand. Knowledge is power, and all. What kind of idiot would relinquish yet another option? You never know when you'll need something. So, y'know..."

Gertrude reached out her hand.

"Uh... there's really no harm in learning to summon a succubus, yeah? Obviously, you understand what I'm talking about. You developed it."

---

Gertrude had an overwhelming desire to glass the entire road ahead of her. To call down a Meteor Fall and just kill everyone indiscriminately. The knights were all bunched together in that pleasing way people get when they wish to protect something precious.

She wanted to shatter that unity.

However, that was not the mission, and Gertrude had no faith whatsoever in their opposition not to revive from point-blank annihilation and say 'but you didn't get within striking range'.

And Gertrude was not about to have to do this test again.

The Captain (her name was Fanny or something) had told her to stay in back and disrupt. Gertrude didn't want to follow orders, but she also didn't want to get too close to the pointy sticks and was more than eager to let the others do that. Well, as basic as it was, the role the Captain gave her suited Gertrude just fine. When Fanilly gave the order to advance, Gertrude poured mana into her broomstick. The catalyst, which carried a portion of her soul, was able to immediately read her intent to cast a fireball, and just as quickly as the mana was supplied, a fireball shot out. And then another. And then another.

Gertrude's aim was to completely bombard the opposing force with terrifying, rapidly-fired explosions, which would likely be made even more disruptive with the smoke that was now descending over the formation. As Gertrude enjoyed the chaos, Gretchen began reciting an incantation behind her.

No one else mattered, because Gertrude was in perfect concert with herself, and she could never let her down.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Gertrude had thought she understood the Demon, but she wasn't getting it at all. Without stakes, a fight wasn't really a fight. Who could try their best if they knew there were no lasting consequences? How could you prove you're better than other people if they weren't giving it their all? No, Gertrude didn't understand it. Even with legends to fight, could it ever be more than a friendly spar?

Gertrude frowned as Gisela rushed in with a bunch of paper and charcoal, and began feverishly drawing a circle. Though Gertrude recognized the contents, the arrangement was utterly baffling. She assumed it had to do with a formula she wasn't familiar with, since summoning was one field in which she had very little experience. Gertrude sighed, and knelt down.

It was easy enough for her to copy the circle perfectly just by sight, but without knowing the underlying formulas of this school of magic, she was unable to make modifications like she liked.

"Mind explaining what I'm looking at? I'm pretty good at copying spells, even if I don't understand everything about them, but I can't do my own thing unless I understand the underlying theories."

Gertrude dropped the piece of charcoal, having quickly and easily completed the circle. A perfect copy.

"Copying is easy. Adding is the fun part."

Fate/Illuminate Histoire

Lucia looked down at where she and Nero's hands connected, frowning slightly. Nero's thumb ran gently across the back of Lucia's hand. Was she nervous? Anxious? Excited? Maybe all of them, but she was definitely uneasy. Lucia knew that Nero would much rather be forward about their involvement, but staying silent and gathering information was their best bet until later. Lucia worried about her own inexperience, but had faith that God had chosen her for a task she could complete.

Surely, the location of her command seals was a sign. Divine providence, communicating to her that she should remain hidden until absolutely necessary. Stay the course, and be rewarded.

But with what? Lucia had no wishes in particular to give the grail. Perhaps her purpose was to find a suitable Master with a wish that would not disturb God's Earth? To find such a person among Magi seemed... difficult.

Not to mention, Nero would likely not accept second place, even if that was Lucia's own desire.

Well, it was no use thinking about such things now. With her unoccupied hand, she gently prodded Nero's forehead.

"No cook wants to hear 'it's no concern to me'. Good food, good wine, good company... all things meant to be enjoyed to the fullest. I want to offer you wonderful, delicious things to make you giddy," Lucia scolded lightly, "but... I understand your concern. We can go easy on the bread, if you like. I'm also preparing a delicious side salad in a light vinaigrette."

Lucia gently let go of Nero's hand.

"Also... thank you for sticking with me. I understand the current leg of our journey is difficult, but I am certain that something wonderful awaits us at the end."

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

"Huh... no preparation or bargaining? Is your arrangement a set rate? You're definitely getting something out of it."

Gertrude lazily swung her legs over and got up from the chair, approaching the Demon to better appreciate her height. She tilted her head and frowned as she looked up at the woman from her full stature.

"Or do you just know that when she summons you, there's a worthwhile fight to be had?"

Gertrude crossed her arms under her chest, her frown becoming a smug smile.

"I know that crazy-ass grin of yours. You like a good brawl? I get it. Crushing people is fun, but I honestly can't imagine there being anything enjoyable in a world where no one really dies. All games with no stakes. Does that really get your blood boiling?"

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

By this point, Gertrude was pretty used to getting yanked around by old ladies with more magic than sense.

But it didn't piss her off any less.

The teleportation went off with a surprising speed, likely due to the Hundi's insane mana stores. Gertrude could practically smell the magic leaking off the woman, and it was enough to make her insecurities flare up a bit. Her eye twitched as Gisela summoned a Demon and ran off, as if Gertrude needed a babysitter. She stretched out on the chair like a cat just getting up from a nap, and looked the Demon up and down.

It wasn't often that Gertrude met a woman taller than she was. This one was a Demon, and by definition something of an outlier, but still it was odd.

Gertrude was, surprisingly, not made to feel insecure by being shorter than this Demon. In fact, it was somewhat comforting. Though she used her height to lord over others, Gertrude was, in fact, a bit self-conscious about it. It was almost nice to not be the tallest woman in the room for the first time in years.

"My former employer had a maid fetish," she answered candidly, "I suppose I just got used to it. Besides, if you dress like people expect a mage to dress, they're probably going to go after you. No group unilaterally decides to murk the maid."

Gertrude raised an eyebrow.

"What's your deal? Did Gisela just cast 'conjure babysitter' or what?"

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Gertrude frowned. An interrogation already? Damn old bat. She didn't want to play this game just to pursue a new avenue of study, but she was at least willing to do the bare minimum to alleviate the boredom. She crashed unceremoniously into the chair and slung her legs over the armrest, turning her head sideways in order to engage with the Hundi.

"I don't think I have the answer you want. I'm bored, and I want to learn something useful and new. I think it would be fun to summon up creatures to do things for me that I don't want to do."

Gertrude crossed one leg over the other, and rested her cheek on her palm, never breaking eye contact.

"Anyways, if it's risky, what better place to pick it up than in Merilia's deathless wonderland? Who knows, the risk might even prove exciting enough to kick this ennui."