Skai
Aku the Samurai
Pumpkinlord
op2024
Half Pint
Izurich
Damycles
baraquiel
NoctisWorks for me, don't know what you're on about.
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8 yrs ago
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乇乂ㄒ尺卂 ㄒ卄丨匚匚
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9 yrs ago
A sentence you wasted 5 seconds to read.
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9 yrs ago
Who came up with the idea to make our statuses quotes from philosophers, anyway?
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9 yrs ago
We could be doing something productive with our lives... instead, we're here.
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9 yrs ago
A random quote from some philosopher that we'll forget in a few moments.
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Most Recent Posts
Even as Belinda had gradually increased her speed, Vala showed no openings for her to exploit. On the contrary, Vala appeared as if she were dodging with ease. Michelle couldn't find anything either. Her examinations were telling her that Vala was far faster and more agile than they were. Eventually they were knocked back with a kick, leaving Belinda to leap back in response and with time to plan their next course of action. Defense or offense? Belinda thought to Michelle. As Belinda began to deflect and dodge a couple spear throws from Vala, Michelle gave it a second of thought before answering, Defense. I'll take some blows, you learn from them, and we'll go from there.
Belinda agreed and proceeded to switch with Michelle, who summoned her shield to deflect the next spear toss. Just as the force began to dissipate, however, a second and heavier force landed on her shield. They could tell this was not a spear this time, and Michelle looked up from her shield to see Vala having already closed the gap between them, in the air to deliver a spin kick. Michelle's eyes widened in surprise, and Belinda quickly yelled out, ARMOR! Michelle was already ahead of Belinda, summoning her full plate armor and helm to protect her. The kick slammed against Michelle's helmet, her head bending away from the force, but her body remained where it was.
Sensing an opportunity, Michelle reached out in an attempt to grab Vala's leg while it was still there, and, should she succeed, throw her onto the ground for another attempt at a pin. If she failed, she would simply ready her shield and body for Vala's assault.
So far so good. The feint went off without a hitch and Vala went down easily. Now all they needed to do was pin her down. Michelle dematerialized her shield, hoping to get a little more speed and complete their pin before Vala could recover. As Michelle began to go in for the move, however, Belinda couldn't help but feel that something was off. Their plan of attack was going just a bit too well. They went for an arm to lock behind Vala, and that's when Belinda saw it. Belinda's instincts were telling her Vala was already ready for a counterattack, and immediately warned Michelle, SHIELD!
Michelle reacted to Belinda's warning and quickly brought her arms up in time to receive Vala's kick, which forced her to stagger backwards. There was no time to rematerialze her shield in that moment, leaving her left arm stinging with pain. She soon recovered her footing, but by then Vala was also back on her feet and ready for another exchange. Switch, Michelle thought, and Belinda was given back control. "I'll do much more than that," Belinda responded, a grin appearing on her face. Summoning her spear once again, Belinda wanted to go all out, but Michelle was having none of it. Let's be a bit more cautious this time. Feel her out, Michelle directed. Belinda definitely didn't want to, but trusted Michelle's judgement on the matter. She went up to Vala and proceeded to take quick, infrequent jabs with her spear in an attempt to determine her defenses and behaviors.
"Some Chosen One she is, am I right, Michelle?" Belinda muttered jokingly to Michelle, who fumed silently as they followed Vala. Belinda realized just how angry she was this time; it was rare for her to not say anything in response. "Come on, Michelle, you know I hate it when you give me the silent treatment," Belinda added in a tearful tone. "Say something, at least."
...We're going to have a long talk after this, Michelle finally answered.
Belinda perked right back up. It seemed Michelle didn't hate her that much, after all. "I love you too, Michelle. And you know I'm right," she said playfully.
It was a while before they made it to the sports field. As Vala readied up for the upcoming spar, Belinda got into a fighting stance, already imagining the possible ways to make the first move. Michelle, however, already decided on what to do. Let's go with the Blink-Stun.
Belinda silent agreed, materializing her spear into her hands. Belinda began to charge, running leftwards before curving back towards Vera. Then she suddenly planted her foot firmly into the ground, stopping her charge as she pulled her arm back and proceeded to throw her spear like a javelin. Before the spear would hit Vala, however, the spear would dematerialize. At the same time, Belinda teleported behind Vala, transferring control over to Michelle, where she would materialize her shield and slam it into Vala. Should the attack connect, Michelle would proceed into a chokehold from behind as she pinned Vala down.
Michelle had never been the talkative type, but she had no problems listening to people rambling. She nodded and smiled as Vala went on, and it was actually kinda fun to listen. "My name is Michelle Lien. Good to make your acquaintance," Michelle introduced herself. Her gentle smile then transformed into a cocky one as she took on a more tomboyish attitude. Pointing to herself with her thumb, Belinda hijacked their body and added, "And I'm Belinda, Michelle's... sister, I guess you could say. We're two people in the same body. Nice ta meet ya!"
Belinda then returned control to Michelle, who returned to her prim and proper posture. Blushing, Michelle whispered, "Belinda, what are you doing? You shouldn't be-" Belinda, however, was having none of that and resumed control a second time. "I don't know why you're always so uptight about this, anyway, Michelle. There's no need to keep this a secret anyway. We already got cool powers and living beings that aren't human in this world, so why should we feel ashamed about who we are, right?"
W-well, sure, but- Michelle began to say before Belinda cut her off. "But nothin'! I dunno about you, Michelle, but I wanna make a good first impression on our new friend here," Belinda said before turning her attention to Vala. "Anyway, we wanted to join that tournament before, but the school was looking for 'the best of the best', and we just didn't make the cut. It's a real shame."
Belinda waved the statement dismissively before changing the subject, "But enough about me. Let's talk about you! You're that girl... Vala, right? You beat the heck outta Cassius, and I wanna know how you did that." Belinda was eager to learn some new moves, hopefully propelling them forward to a new level.
Well as fun as that way, even I don't wanna go through that again, Belinda asked Michelle. "Never thought I'd see the day we'd be dragging Meredith to the school nurse."
"I know, right?" Michelle sighed. "I'm just glad she made a full recovery."
Isn't she, like, a demon or whatever? She's obviously a lot tougher than we are. Of course she'd be fine, Belinda remarked. Taking on a bitter tone of voice, Belinda added, And she's even got bigger breasts than we do. It's like she's got everything.
Michelle was about to put her hands to them, but quickly realized what she was doing and placed them behind her back instead. Clearing her throat to try to cover her embarrassment, she said, "Maybe not everything. Someone had to inflict those wounds on her in the first place. I guess having too much would make people hate you."
We should find the people that did that to Mer and make 'em pay! Belinda said. Michelle shook her head, rejecting the idea. "We should leave that to the proper authorities. The last thing we need is more trouble on our hands."
That was when Vala decided to make her grand appearance next to her. Michelle, startled, jumped back as she turned to face this newcomer. Speaking of trouble... Belinda said, interested in this sudden new development. "Shut up, Belinda," Michelle muttered. Turning her attention back to Vala, Michelle said, "Sure. Um, where do you need to go?"
Ensure the safety of the hive. Check immediate surroundings for potential resources and predators.
Michael Angie
Michael had been rather interested in Andras' speech about her dream of the Root of All Magic. Ever since he obtained Diana's tips on improving his art, Michael couldn't help but notice a connection between magic and the Blessings. The idea of magic itself was rather vague. It seemed many people had differing opinions of what it actually was, whether it was a form of energy to tap into, or a process to perform a certain action, or something else entirely. However, the main point of magic as a way to influence the world via supernatural means remained consistent throughout most peoples' point of views. Some Blessings granted by the various "Gods" allowed for similar means to achieve similar results. Some were more specialized, while others allowed for more flexibility. Even if it was merely a correlation, he still felt it was worth looking into. As for Andras' dream, there wasn't much he could get out of it. Most of it was just rambling about the Root and the "millions of spells". Still, it did raise the question of what magic really was and how it could be harnessed. Diana's form of magic had many uses, but took a lot of time and resources for it to get results. Magic granted by the gods allowed for a shortcut to achieve faster results with less effort, but it was debatable whether or not it could be called "magic".
Michael's thoughts were cut short by the sudden appearance of the flyers. Upon reading it, he saw that it was about a ball of sorts. Michael's immediate decision was to dismiss it, thinking there was no way he'd enjoy something like this, but still folding the flyer and sliding it into a pocket. He wasn't one to waste anything, not even a sheet of paper. He figured if he really had to go, he could find a cheap mask and costume. Best case scenario he'd find a new connection and figure out where to go from there, and worst case he'd only lose a few hours of training his Arts.
MP : 13 | FP : 24
Taking Laurien's children to Spekatha
We're almost there, little ones. How are you two holding up? Arae asked the two children on her back, Andromeda and Phoset. The two did not respond, which saddened Arae, but she understood. Things were certainly confusing enough. It must have seemed like their life was suddenly spiraling out of control, with their mother gone and them being taken away by a strange entity, even if that entity was a goddess. Arae would do what she could to make them as comfortable as they could for the rest of their stay, but there was only so much she could do to aid them in their struggles.
"...why?" Andromeda asked softly.
Hmm? What was that? Arae asked, turning her head back slightly to look behind her with her right eye.
"Why did you hurt Mommy?" Andromeda asked.
Arae was silent for a time, then began to say, Your mom... did a lot of bad things. She hurt her father, Orvus, and left her sister, Arya. Even after that, she didn't stop doing bad things. Your mom isn't a bad person, though. She's had a lot of bad things done to her, too, and she doesn't know what to do. It's why I did what I did to her. From this journey, I'm hoping she learns what to do from now on and becomes a better person because of it. Does that make sense?
From their blank and puzzled expressions, it was clear that they didn't, but Arae let off a sad chuckle and added, Well, I'm sure you'll understand in time. Soon, they reached the Dragon's Crown, and Arae warned them, This might be a little uncomfortable, but just hold on tight. Then she dived down into the water. The two kids held on, and soon realized they didn't get wet even after hitting the water. The water split apart as Arae moved, as if a barrier was in place to prevent it from reaching the kids.
They emerged from the Pantheon lake, and landed near its edge, next to the Familial Trees. "Here we are, little ones. Welcome to Spekatha, my Sphere of influence. It's not much, but feel free to make yourselves at home," Arae said as the two stared in awe at the various assortment of the Godly Familial Trees.
A serpentine dragon suddenly swooped down, landing in front of Arae. Its passenger slid down its back and bowed down respectfully.
"Welcome back, Lady Arae," Serenis said, raising an eyebrow at the sight of Andromeda and Phoset. "And why have you brought these two children with you?" she asked. Kree made his way over to them, sniffing them both. Then he shrunk down and brought his body underneath them, and expanded again to carry them off and walked over to lie down under Arae's Familial Tree.
"Well, I couldn't just leave two children in the middle of nowhere, with no one to take care of them," Arae said, shifting into her human form. "They need a good home, and it's up to us to find one for them."
"So they won't be staying here, then?" Serenis asked.
"Oh, goodness no. At least, not permanently," Arae answered as she waved her hand in denial. "Spekatha may be calm and serene, but that's all it is, and it is no place to raise children. If they stay here, they'll have all they need here and it won't teach them a thing about hard work. That is why we must find them a home they can properly grow in.
"Hmm... in that case, how about Arya, Lady Arae?" Serenis suggested. "I'm sure she'd be willing to take them in."
"Laurien's sister? Hmm... yes, that could work," Arae approved, nodding. "I'll have to ask her the next time I see her. In the meantime, let us talk about the Spiritii. I hope they haven't been any trouble to you."
"It did take some time to get used to them, but they are a lot more useful than I gave them credit for," Serenis admitted. "But you should already know this, watching through my eyes. Why are you asking?"
"Because it's nice to be able to hear it from you, that's all," Arae said, smiling sweetly at Serenis. Serenis blushed and looked away, which only caused Arae to giggle softly.
"They could do with a little variety, however," Serenis added.
"Oh? How so?" Arae asked, tilting her head slightly.
"All the Fire Spiritii can do is trim and burn away the trees as necessary. However, there are currently no means for the trees to regrow after enduring hardships, Lady Arae. Without it, I believe the trees will have a difficult time maintaining themselves. I've been coming up with ideas on how to improve them, but nothing's complete yet," Serenis mentioned.
"Hmm..." Arae closed her eyes, a hand on her chin as she tried to come up with a solution. Then an idea struck her, and Arae smiled as she returned her attention to Serenis. "Well, keep at it. When your ideas are ready, please tell me as soon as you can, Serenis."
Serenis nodded and said confidently, "Yes, my Lady! I won't fail you!"
Meanwhile, the children were still atop Kree, who was paying them no mind as he allowed them to moving around on top of him. He wasn't sure how long they were going to stay there, but he didn't feel the need to drive them away. He would let them play around him for as long as they wanted.
During/After the battle between Abraxas and the gods
The battle between Kalmar and Orvus' Avatar was intense, and things had taken a turn for the worse just before Arae and Ashalla arrived to support him. The energy discharges from the trees were incredible, and Serenis did what she could to keep them healthy, even after Kalmar's tree died in response to his own death. She was dismayed at the sight, but she couldn't let herself
While she was doing her job, Serenis' mind raced as she tried to figure out how to actually improve the Spiritii. It was a simple matter to just create a new form from scratch, but Serenis soon learned that it was just inefficient on the use of Arae's power. Other kinds of Spiritii would be created, but it was merely a short term solution to what she saw as a long-term problem; it was too inflexible to deal with any future problems that would come up later. She had to find a solution.
Kree and Kris were busy as well. Kree had hunted for fish in the nearby waters outside the Dragon's Crown and did his best to search for edible plants, bringing them to Kris. Arae had taught Kris to create delicious dishes, who in turn taught other Fire Spiritii to help her cook. Kris did what she could to prepare meals for Andromeda and Phoset. She cooked them in front of the kids, making a show out of the process and presenting their dishes with a flourish.
It wasn't too long before Arae returned to Spekatha, shifting into her human form as she landed next to Serenis and looking depressed. "I couldn't save him," Arae whispered. That whisper suddenly turned into a frustrated yell, "He was right there, and I COULDN'T SAVE HIM!" A shockwave of energy blasted out of Arae as she reached out and gripped Serenis by the shoulders, tears streaming down her face.
"Yo-you did everything you could, Lady Arae," Serenis said, trying to console her.
"Did I?" Arae retorted. "I could've done more, if I'd only been faster, been more powerful. I let myself grow complacent, foolishly believing everything would be alright just because we were divine. I can't let this happen again. I can't..." Arae then began to scream as she got a splitting headache, with new images flashing through her mind. Figures she recognized as her friends and family were all around her, each one smiling as they disappeared one by one, despite her telling them not to go. Soon, she was the only one left, and dark humanoid shadows slowly filled the emptiness. They emitted a malicious aura towards Arae as she dropped to the ground, cowering in fear as the shadows grew and towered over her. They began to extend their hands towards her...
"...dy! Arae! Please wake up! Lady Arae!" Silver's frantic yelling and shaking brought Arae back into consciousness. Looking up, Arae saw Serenis, Kree, Kris, and even Andromeda and Phoset around her, looking concerned for her. Arae pushed herself up from the ground, brushing away Serenis' hands as she gave a weak smile and said, "I'm alright, my dears. Forgive me for worrying you."
"My lady, what happened? Why did you collapse like that? You were muttering things, too, like, 'Don't leave me' and 'Please stop'," Serenis said. Kree let out a sad grumble as he leaned in and nuzzled Arae's side.
"It's nothing to worry about," Arae dismissed Serenis' concerns. Getting back up and forcing herself to stay composed, she decided to change the subject and ordered, "Kree, please take the kids elsewhere." As Kree gently nudged them away with his snout, Arae turned to Serenis and asked, "So, how much progress have you made with the Spiritii?"
Serenis pursed her lips in disappointment, but there was little she could do if Arae wasn't willing to share her thoughts. Instead, she reported, "I feel as if I'm close, but I'm not sure how to finalize it. I've been studying the Istalri, trying to see how it forms the Fire Spiritii. The one important thing I've learned from it is that it gathers Soul Ash, then the soul forms and it is birthed into a Fire Spiritus. I was hoping to use that process to create other kinds of Spiritii, but I don't know what the final step should be."
Arae turned to look at the little campfire, giving it a curious look, then motioned for Serenis to follow her. "Come with me," Arae said, the two making their way over to the Istalri. Extending a hand towards it, Arae fired off a pulse of energy into it. The flames flickered for a second before settling back to normal. Arae nodded, saying, "There." Serenis, confused, saw nothing different about the Istalri. "My Lady, what did you-" Serenis was about to say before she was cut short by the sudden appearance of a Spiritus. Unlike the Fire Spiritii that normally populate Spekatha, however, this one was comprised of wind, twisting around and forming tornadoes. Two bright spots appeared as its eyes, blinking twice.
"That was a rather simple thing to do," Arae remarked. "The reason Spiritii were always born with fire is because their souls were always surrounded by fire. Now, their souls is protected from the flames and given a chance to emerge, and it will take in the element it is surrounded with."
Serenis' eyes widened with amazement. She had been agonizing over this problem, yet Arae had been able to come up with the solution in mere moments. It was yet another reminder that she still had much to learn.
"I'll leave it to you to learn how to properly manage them. In the meantime, I have business to take care of," Arae said, walking over to Phoset and Andromeda. It was time to send them to Arya. Soon, they were off, flying out of the Dragon's Crown and towards what would be their new home.
Belinda raised an eyebrow at the "fell down some stairs" excuse, but decided not to say anything. Michelle, however, forced her way back into control over her body. "That can't be, Meredith!" Michelle exclaimed. "That must've been a-" Michelle choked on her words for a second before Belinda retook control. "A really bad fall, Mer," Belinda finished, an overly concerned tone dripping from her voice. She then smiled and added, "Glad to see you're doing better now, though."
What are you doing, Belinda? Michelle questioned Belinda, frustrated that she couldn't get through Belinda's defenses as easily as Belinda had always seemed to make it. You know she's-
'Course I know. Belinda retorted. She must be hiding her bullying for a reason. Probably a stupid one, but it's her choice and I'll respect that. For now, at least.
Returning her mind to the present, Belinda said with a cheeky grin, "Alright, but don't complain if I grab onto anything funny!" She extended her arms to the sides, expecting Meredith to carry her to the classroom.
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