Tuujaimaa

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

Kiyo nodded as Selim explained his problem, reaching into her robe as she did so. She took out around 5,000N and handed it to him rather casually as she begun to speak.

"Very well. Consider this a retainer fee to buy your services throughout the journey of our Rites--if anything more than light duty is required at any given point we can discuss a further payment at such a junction. It's a pleasure to be working with you." Kiyo said as the money was taken. She felt oddly invigorated after the battle, and thanks to her intensive usage of Windspeaking she could feel the knowledge within her mind blossoming. As it did so, she felt a similar surge of energy from Mythari, opalescent energy emanating from its form and swirling around it as it underwent some mystical physiological change. Kiyo had seen Natrelmon ascend to higher forms, of course, but rarely so quickly after having captured one--and she could count the number of Mythrael she'd seen on two hands. They were notoriously reclusive, though the Reijin had more experience with Dragon-types than most thanks to their extensive collection of esoteric knowledge and high status. She had conversed with a few of them in her time thanks to her natural gift of telepathy, and had been happy to impart what she learned from the tomes in her family's library to the creatures. Kiyo had always felt like explaining something that she had just read, especially something magical, was the best way to actually internalise the knowledge; that was, she thought, the purpose of knowing so much. What use was her family's collection if they simply hoarded it away and never shared their secrets with the world?

"I also noticed that you seem to be a telepath. It is rare for a trainer to be able to give commands to their Natrelmon without verbage, especially ones as tactical as yours. Though Mythari are naturally telepathic with magically gifted individuals, I too possess the gift of telepathy. It has made for some very interesting situations when meeting with the Song family. Song Lin Tiao is... well, I'm not sure there is a word for how inspiring she is." Kiyo added as an aside. She figured that if they were going to travel together, allowing themselves a strong telepathic link was for the best. In the event of danger, a seamless mental connection allowed for responses that those without the gift simply could not anticipate or keep up with. Having such an advantage would be impressive, and being able to speak to Selim without allowing passersby to understand appealed to Kiyo in an enormous way. There were things she wanted to say that she would prefer her parents did not get wind of, and that secrecy was hard to come by in Lifan.

@Innue

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

As Selim forfeited, Kiyo released an enormous breath that she had been keeping in after her last round of spellcasting, and shortly thereafter started panting with the exertion. Casting so many spells, even with Mythari's aid, was challenging in the extreme--and as it had been so long since she had gotten the chance to use her Windspeaking at all, never mind in combat, and getting used to those movements and invocations of magic again had taxed her far more than she had expected. It was only after a solid minute of panting breaths that she regained the composure to actually speak with Selim about the battle that had just occurred. She gave him a traditional bow, with an additional respectful nod, to signify that they had concluded their battle and that her evaluation of him was over.

"You fought very admirably, Selim--your mind for tactics is excellent, as are your movements. If you had had use of your spear I dare say that you would have won quite soundly, though. If you are still interested, I would be happy to keep you on retainer as a bodyguard--though I imagine that it must not appear necessary that I need one. Truthfully, it would just be to keep my parents happy, but I would be delighted to travel with you as we go about our Rites if you decide not to accept the offer of employment?" Kiyo asked, straightening herself up and readjusting her robes so that they were presentable. It had been a very long time since she had actually fought, and she was impressed that she had managed to keep up so well. She was certainly cognizant of the fact that she had perhaps only won like she did thanks to the advantages she had gained from disarming Selim, but made a note to congratulate what she had done well and improve on what she felt was lacking about her style rather than pressing too far into either option. Balance, and objectivity, were very important when considering one's combat--especially when Kiyo had firsthand experience of how dangerous combat could be on the front lines when the rules of etiquette and decorum were discarded.

@Innue

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

Most accepted. You know what to do.

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

Most accepted, @Eklispe. Post them in Characters and make your intro at your leisure. Preferably before rolls reset tomorrow (^:

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

A few minutes after Ielle's rays were beginning to move towards the deep vermillion and orange that Toran was known for, Yugaku of the Elite Triumvirate simply reappeared in the central square of Toran in a blinding flash of light, a stark white burst against the smoky hues of the sunset backdrop currently framing the city. She took a few moments to gather herself, sending a few messages from her PDA, before pressing two fingers to her throat and calling out across the city in a magically projected voice:

"May all trainers beginning their Rites please gather outside of Toran Arena for their initiation."

A few moments later, Yugaku could be seen with a number of government officials stood outside of the Arena. Several cardboard boxes, stacked four or five units high, punctuated the stairs leading up to the entrance of the Arena, people flitting between them and taking what looked to be small electronic devices with a clear logo on the back saying "Pinehearst"--some trainers who were more tech savvy would know these as Pinehearst PDAs, but they were mostly out of the price range of most individuals thanks to their bevy of sophisticated features and inflated cost (mostly because of the success of Pinehearst as a brand). As the new trainers beginning their rites begun to make their way to the plaza, it was increasingly clear that the PDAs were going to be distributed among them, along with a number of other interesting little tidbits to make their journeys easier.

As the trainers waited expectantly, Yugaku finished making her preparations and turned towards them, a bright smile illuminating her face as she did so. Some of the trainers, if they cared about such things, may have known Yugaku by her reputation as an extremely powerful trainer or as a member of the House of Tradition, one of the four pillars of the central government over in Lifan. If they did not know Yugaku, the first thing they would notice was the thick, black blindfold tied over her eyes. It would be an easy assumption to make that she was blind, but in truth she bore an unnaturally powerful variant of the True Sight gift and the blindfold was mostly something she wore as a matter of ceremony rather than actual function. Once she had seen everyone that she had expected, silently counting them to make sure, she stepped to the edge of the top step and opened her arms wide as if to greet them all.

"Welcome, Trainers, to the beginning of your Rites! I am Yugaku of the Elite Triumvirate, and I am here to give you the information that you'll need to begin and to answer any questions that you might have about the minutiae of the journey that you're about to take. First and foremost, as most of you should know, the Rites are a ceremonial pilgrimage offering respect to the heroes of yore who saved Atren from the precipice of destruction. We ask that you undertake these Rites not only to honour our rich history, but also to allow yourselves to grow and understand your place in the world that blossomed around you.

As most of you will know, the East-West war that took place ten years ago was born of the frustrations that the West had with the East. Though those wounds have since been healed, the central government came out of the war with control over each of the Arenas that make up the path you will travel on your Rites. As a result, we can now offer you all assistance in completing the Rites:

You will each be given a weekly stipend of 500N to spend as you see fit, as well as one of the new PDAs from Pinehearst in order to effectively communicate with one another and keep track of your progress on your journey."

As Yugaku mentioned the PDAs, she waved her hands to the assistants mulling about behind her who begun distributing them, as well as a small plastic bank card emblazoned with the Pinehearst logo, to the trainers.

"This stipend will be deposited into the accounts tied to these cards each week, and will you will find that many local hotels or inns will offer you free meals and lodging. You can check precisely which establishments are offering these benefits with your PDA, which also has several other functions such as internet access, a log of the Natrelmon that you've seen, your current magical talents, and a convenient app that will allow you to access one of the many libraries in each city!

Your goal is, of course, to challenge each of the Arenas in the major cities and then report to the Triumvirate Tower in Lifan to report your findings to myself or my two companions. Beating each of the Arenas is not necessary, only visiting the cities and challenging them in some capacity. You could theoretically be done quite quickly if you like, but this is a journey first and foremost about your personal growth. It is not uncommon for the Rites to take years, and you will be well-provided for, so please take this time to explore everything the world has to offer!

I would encourage you to make friends with one another, so I am going to assign you all into groups to get to know one another before you leave Toran.

Firstly, could Mezhas Nox'vaos, Reijin, Kiyo, and Süne step over here...

Secondly, could Shea Byrne, Axel Wulf, and Cori Turner step over here...

and finally, could Selim Raess Dar, Lillian Bell, Xander of Xuan, and Oz Morioka step over here!" Yugaku shouted, nodding towards each individual and pointing towards the location that they were supposed to stand in. The list of names continued for a good while longer, until around fourteen groups were formed, and Yugaku began speaking again.

"I would like your groups to get to know one another before you leave Toran. You will find that your details are already in each others' PDAs so you can easily contact one another wherever you may be. Additionally, try to meet other groups before you leave! Nothing is binding you together, but it is good to have people that you know before you set off on your journey proper. I shall remain right here for another hour or so in case you have any questions, and in Toran until tomorrow evening at the Ielle's Blessing Hotel. Best of luck, trainers!"

With the speech concluded, the items handed out, and the trainers set into groups they would be free to continue their journey. They could get to know one another in their groups as Yugaku had recommended, or they could choose to simply make their own way. As Ielle's rays disappeared and Indolu gazed down upon the trainers, they would likely want to head to one of the famous establishments in Toran for a bite to eat and a drink, courtesy of the government, or perhaps just find a room in an inn or a hotel to rest in for the night. As the crowd dispersed away from Yugaku's speech, however, there was a distinct feeling of malaise in the air and every so often a faint, vaguely metallic smell that nobody would quite be able to place would grace their senses before disappearing just as soon as it was noticed.

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

Selim's act of running away gave Kiyo the motivation that she needed. Soelbe might have been able to violate the relic rules thanks to the fact it was a ghost, but using an Eldritch Chain on her would do nothing to impede her movement in an effective area thanks to the fact that the active area of terrain was so small. Additionally, none of the Soelbe's light magic could actually affect Kiyo thanks to the protection of Akasha's Edicts. The only power that Soelbe held here was that over Mythari, and Kiyo's gambit left no room for Soelbe's interference. She had to execute this strategy correctly, and execute it quickly, or she would simply forfeit, recognising that the battle of attrition was not one she could win. After all, this was primarily to test Selim's strength, and Kiyo was already convinced of his tactical prowess and physical might, despite the fact that he was disarmed.

Kiyo sped up her chase, accelerating as quickly as she could, and used a single With the Wind to close the distance with her increased momentum. Being able to move the five feet that she had initially stumbled away put her much closer to Selim than before, and thanks to their earlier proximity it was, despite his head start, still just barely in melee distance--though not quite enough that Kiyo felt herself being able to forcibly move him as she had before. She also wasn't sure that she could simply out-speed him, and catch up enough to guarantee her hit. Knowing that she had such limited time and intrinsic disadvantage in a battle of attrition, Kiyo did not feel compelled to conserve her resources in the slightest--though it would be a second before she could dash again, she used Soaring Gusts four feet ahead of Selim and simultaneously had Mythari use another Soaring Gusts just to the right of that in order to disincentivise his dodging right (which would effectively leave him with no recourse and guarantee her hit).

Given that Mythari was also heading towards the pair at its maximum speed, which was not inconsiderable, Kiyo begun the process of executing her final gambit. Should Selim fall into range--and with no recourse as to where he could move, other than back towards Kiyo or southwesterly towards his Soelbe (which would leave him in range for Kiyo's gambit regardless), Kiyo used Mythari's positioning to create her last Wall directly below Mythari, around eight feet to the left of Kiyo and Selim, and would be able to use With the Wind and Soaring Gusts together to slam Selim into it, which would likely do enough damage to put him down for the count. Even if not, Kiyo could launch a barrage of Windborn Weapons at him in order to simultaneously prevent his advance and deal the finishing blows of the battle. All of this would happen within two seconds, three at the latest, which would not give Soelbe enough time to deal enough damage to Mythari or hit the Wall with enough spells to dispel it before Selim would potentially fall prey to Kiyo's stratagem.

All in all, Kiyo was quite convinced that the jaws were closing around Selim in this battle. If things did not unfold as she expected, and Selim displayed an exceptional stratagem to avoid hers, Kiyo would either forfeit on the spot or, depending on precisely what happened, choose to continue with renewed energy thanks to an exceptional display of battle acumen.

@Innue

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

The formation of the blizzard had a little delay, and so Anastasia had time to bark out an order to her Tibearius before the ineffective move would actually impair them in any way. She shouted "Release and chase!", causing Tibearius to release its Flare Core directly towards where Sakura-Re was dodging towards, angled such that its centre would reach the floor approximately six inches in a diagonal line away from the corner marking the boundaries of the Arena. Meanwhile, Tibearius and its shadow headed directly for Sakura-re, its immolating aura starting to fizzle out but not quite having died out yet, and accidentally clipped the Globe of Indolu that was heading towards it. Thanks to the inherent strength of the magic and Tibearius' innate weakness to Light-type magic, the damage was significant - but not enough to put Tibearius out of the fight. With an almighty roar it increased its speed towards Sakura-re, backing the Natrelmon further into the corner she'd gotten herself into.

Meanwhile, Anastasia unleashed the first spell that she'd been charging, a Lesser Fireball, hurtling it directly towards the same corner of the Arena that Sakura-re and Tibearius were currently occupying. Her hand begun to glow again with the same reddish light, signalling that she'd begun the charging of another spell.

@The 42nd Gecko

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

About five feet away from Sakura-re, before the fireball was about to hit her, Anastasia burst into a fit of giggles as the ball exploded prematurely and summoned her Tibearius at the same location. She let out of yell of "Iei, Tibearius!" as she clapped her now more severely glowing red hands together excitedly, seeming to prime the magic within them for release. Taking a second, she then shouted instructions to her pet:

"Channel a Flare Core, Tibearius! Shadow, use Echo of Rend!"

Tibearius dutifully did so, beginning to gather its energy as a small fireball appeared in front of it and begun to steadily increase in potency and size. As it did so, the Tibearius' shadow, stood just next to it, hurled a lance of shadow at the Sakura-re as it moved according to Sune's orders. Anastasia was clearly taking things easy to begin with, choosing not to have Tibearius simply chase the weaker Grass-type Natrelmon down with its immolative aura and attempt to get as much Fire-type damage on it as possible. She was confused that Sune had actually chosen to send out a Natrelmon who had such a pointed weakness to Fire in her Arena, but that just made her think that it would be an easy fight.

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

Anastasia, or Annie for short, greeted Süne with the customary Toranese bow before speaking to him to formally address him as a challenger.

"I am Anastasia Radtfield, master of the Toran Arena, and I accept your challenge."

The introduction was short and sweet, but Anastasia did not seem to want to waste time with pleasantries when there were new things to burn in her arena. She held a small cloth doll loosely in her right hand, vaguely ursine in shape, before conjuring an extremely bright fireball in her left. She watched it for a few seconds, letting it get bigger and bigger, before it was somewhere around twice the size of her head. In the dim light of the Arena, it was easy to see the dark glint in her eyes as she played with the fireball and the pyromaniacal intent behind her actions. Then, seeming to remember precisely where she was and in what capacity she was acting, she shrunk the fireball back down to its normal size, about a foot in diameter, and sent it hurling directly towards where Sakura-Rei was.

Of course, this was Anastasia's beloved pet Tibearius using its innate ability, but she didn't know if Süne knew that. She would wait to see what happened to the fireball before telling Tibearius what to do, and in the interim begun charging her hands with fiery energy. If Süne knew much about Searsinging, he would know that she had begun charging two of its spells and was ready to unleash some havoc.

@The 42nd Gecko

Natrelmon: Reckoning [Creature Capture]

Toran Arena

The Arena was the most central location in Toran for good reason. Its exterior, though much older than most of the current architecture, was extraordinarily well maintained and gave off a somehow simultaneously grandiose and humble appearance. Comprised primarily of ancient stone pillars, long-since bleached white by the sunny clime, freckles and smatterings of gold and carefully maintained metallic paints allowed the light to be caught within the ridges and catch the eye with fiery pockets of effulgent brilliance. Each pillar was slightly different, and though ostensibly simple from the perspective of the ground an aerial view when the sun grew highest in the sky gave them the impression of the body of a phoenix. Each of the columns a feather of the sovereign lord of the South, and its roof depicting a structure not unlike an aviform torso, the exterior was a truly brilliant display of modern technique applied to ancient stonework.

Within the bounds of the columns and the roof was another enclosed space made of a black, volcanic stone similar to--but not quite--obsidian. Carved into it, at the front of the initial structure, was an entryway into the interior. Though it had no doors, little could be seen beyond its bounds but the faint decline of candlelight, and it was unclear precisely what awaited would-be challengers.

Stepping into the Arena's interior, one would find a corridor--some twenty feet long--that did not seem the match the spatial dimensions of the exterior of the building. At the end of that corridor was the arena proper--a large rectangular pit, 30 feet by 70 feet, with a single road to an extended pillar around 10 feet high that clearly awaited the challenger. Opposite it, 60 feet away, was an identical pillar that bore the leader of this Arena: Anastasia Radtfield. A young, and younger looking, girl of only thirteen, her innocent and youthful appearance belied an exceptional wealth of funds, experience, and natrelmon that made her a truly terrifying opponent for the uninitiated or the unprepared. Within the arena, ten feet below the pillars, was a clear chalk boundary 60 feet by 20 feet that appeared to mark the bounds of the arena proper.

Anastasia Radtfield stood, and awaited any challengers that may arise on this day. Given that the Rites were starting again this season, she expected several wet behind the ears challengers to face up against her and fail miserably. The mere thought of it brought a sly smile to her face.

@The 42nd Gecko