Villamvihar

Grimoiric Heart

And here we go! Next round, Wilhelmina is going to figure out that she can do something with the storm!

Grimoiric Heart

That Pageless towered over all of them. It revealed its massive, gaunt form that seemed almost ephemeral as a wraith from humanity's many ghost stories, yet it clearly held a physical presence and it drove an icicle of a shiver deep into Wilhelmina's heart. For a second, she even forgot about the monstrosity beneath him or her circumstances as something primal and ancient in her reacted to the appearance of the thing, curling up into a tiny little ball and screaming into its invisible hands at the top of its lungs. But-

Light met that fear. Her grimoire pulsed once more as she saw Lumiére interpose herself between her and the attack, sparks flying as the long, gnarly claws met the golden forcefield and much like in the myth of the Flying Dutchman's Kindness, hope along with determination soared in the most unlikely of places. Despite the raging storm, despite the visceral repulsion she felt towards Thyerg along with the otherworldly grip of the Pageless' dark nature, Wilhelmina found a steady heart beating within her chest. The core of a true hero echoing within her. Giving her courage to go on and face the massive threat before her.

She swallowed. The world seemed to turn, but Wilhelmina reached out towards the trust she had in the people around her, reaffirming her connections to them and then giving them a pulse of magic through her link. Almost as though she were squeezing their hands in reassurance, letting them know she watched over them.

"W-we s-shouldn't get close!" The Captain's voice still trembled, but it felt more steady with the backing of her Grimoire. "I-I could summon my s-sailors but... there isn't enough space." She needed a platform of some sorts so they could stand on it and use their muskets unless she wanted them to fall into oblivion. Fortunately for her, Thyerg'Xolis acknowledged her request and her eyes went wide when the creature changed its shape. Flesh moulded itself as though it were hot metal poured into a receptacle, shifting in ways that made her want to squirm.

Pushing the urge down her throat, Wilhelmina let loose a loud, somewhat forceful 'thank you' before she shifted her focus and summoned three of her sailors, the finely dressed men immediately going for their muskets and aiming. The rifles exploded with small cracks of thunder, digging into the titanic Pageless' flesh. They would not cause much damage; offense never came easily to the Captain but... Why did she feel a nagging feeling in her mind, the mark of a possibility etching itself into her magical senses? And why did she feel it had to do with when she fell from Thyerg's back? Confused by the feeling, she kept her eyes on the battlefield while loosening a little bit of her focus to search for its source. It seemed too important to ignore.

Grimoiric Heart

My post will be up in a couple of hours, I just need some sleep.

Grimoiric Heart

@Ponn

I can do a post tomorrow if that is all right with you!

Grimoiric Heart

<Snipped quote by Villamvihar>

Well, he can shift his size quite a bit, but at his largest, he could probably grow to perhaps something like this size.

That said, he can also morph his body to create foot/hand holds, raised barriers, and other such things, on his back, for the sailors to make use of (he could also hold a few in his hands/tentacles).

I'm actually working on an Olivia post now, but if you'd like to post for Wilhelmina first, I don't mind waiting.

@Ponn

That is pretty big, though for now I am imagining he is only about twice to thrice as big as a human. Would Thyerg or Olivia offer the opportunity for Wilhelmina to give her sailors a stable platform? Because if so, then I would imagine she would summon them so they don't have to go too close to the hueg Pageless.

Grimoiric Heart

@Ponn Come to think of it, how large is Thyerg? Would Wilhelmina's sailors be able to find steady footing on him to pelt the Pageless with their bullets from afar?

Grimoiric Heart

The Pageless loomed high in the sky. Like a titan or a giant of mythical origin riding a cloud, it hid itself in the folds of darkness that now patterned the skies, far away from the reach of... well, Wilhelmina. Though the Magical Girl boasted quite a bit of power, she had not figured out how to make herself fly or if she even could fly, which presented quite the dilemma: either she remained here, vulnerable and unable to help her allies or she would have to impose on one of them. But which one could she inconvenience freely?

Lumiére could not be it, as she needed her mobility in order to fight effectively. An extra body would just weigh her down and make her more clumsy and even if the magical girl could fight fine with it, that would likely not be enough against an opponent of this size. Likewise, she could not make herself easily at home on Nessie's broom, as it looked quite fragile. Which meant that only one option could transport her reliably.

The realisation almost made Wilhelmina drop her focus.

She swallowed as she felt her comrades take up oaths one by one - even Olivia, so she could move her power to her in case the ethereal maiden required it - pouring her magic into the bonds between them, letting her blessing flow free exactly like the warm, golden glow radiating from her. Not just on the outside, but on the inside as well, the story along with the characters of her grimoire making up for the shortcomings she knew she had. The dread she felt when she looked at the distorted form of Olivia's summon being chief amongst them in this case.

"Y-y-y-es, y-you're fine," Wilhelmina responded to Olivia's question, trying to put a brave front on as always. It did not succeed. "Y-your oaths are all good. I can only give it to three p-people a-at a time, s-so... Thyerg'll be the one to recieve it! B-but oh! D-don't worry, if y-you're in danger, I-I'll be able to shift it over to you, so you won't get hurt as easily and your power will rise and you can do m-more t-things and ohgodI'mrambling." Frankly speaking, the thought of having to ride on Thyerg made her shiver, the very idea lancing into her soul with a cold, serrated edge. She would have much preferred if she could get slowly used to the creature's appearance along with the disturbing feelings it left with her over time, but they were pressed for time. And the option of abandoning her team-mates never even crossed her mind.

The golden magical girl took a deep breath, her blessing fluctuating as she calmed her emotions. Metaphorical hands digging into the story of her grimoire, she found solace in the fact that even the Cape of Storms could be peaceful, that all storms along with ailments would eventually end. With this thought, she steeled her heart.

"Okay. Okay!" Her determination wobbled, yet remained upright. "I'm ready, so let's go!" With her eyes refusing to look at Thyerg'Xolys, it took a while for her to find appropriate handles on his skin. Even then, she could not bring herself to grip the flesh completely tight, the sensation of it under her fingers proving more than enough to remind her of what she rode on despite her best intentions. Fortunately, she had allies to keep track of, with her powers being best at healing along with support, however, her hesitation did prove to be her downfall.

A gust of wind swept her off her perch and for a moment, Wilhelmina felt weightless. Helpless. Buffeted by fierce winds which always raged up here, catching her clothes in a gale. Her scream stolen away from her in a cacophony of noise. Eyes closing as she felt gravity make its inevitable claim. The ground closing in on her like a relentless wall. Moments of her life flashing before her eyes, even her connections shattering for a split second as chilling terror turned her veins into ice. Eyes closed, reaching out in desperation for something, anything that could help her survive this.

She found something.

Even as Thyerg reached back for Wilhelmina with his horrid tendrils, the winds around her resonated with an aspect of her Grimoire, responding to her will. The winds, which had been intent on tormenting her skin just a second before, became docile, then gathered beneath her in a supporting cushion to give her rescuer a crucial moment of still waters, so to speak. And even though she lost the feeling when the squirming tentacles grasped her and pulled her back, the golden magical girl's heart remembered it vividly as it echoed with the very same beat that she felt when she first got her powers.

Of course, the things which now wrapped around her body to keep her secure, gave Wilhelmina a more... immediate concern to think and shriek about.

"I-I really, really, REALLY a-appreciate y-y-your protection, but c-c-couldn't you d-d-do it in a l-less c-creepy way?!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, clearly distressed at the prospect of being gripped by Thyerg's unsavory appendages. "I-it's i-i-i-i- u-unpleasant! I-I-I wish I could summon a s-ship for real!" Naturally, it only took a split second for Wilhelmina to realise she was being ungrateful towards her comrades and hung her head, making sure to close her eyes lest she give herself another reason to heighten her heart rate.

"S-sorry. I-I... u-ummm... E-even if it's unpleasant you're s-still a good... man? I-I will apologise properly later, but Pageless first, p-please!" Goodness, this was going to be such a strange fight.

Grimoiric Heart

I plan on posting for Wilhelmina tomorrow. Unless she dies of a heart attack because of Xolys. Then I will hold her funeral~

Grimoiric Heart

Who will solve the storm Pageless' mystery first. I wonder.

@TheWendil

Clearly, I should be the one. My profile picture proves it.

Grimoiric Heart

@Villamvihar

I know Goodhope would be very reluctant to do so, but since the latest GM post has her deciding to be carried by Xolys, is it okay to assume she just pushed through her fear?

Just wondering, since I'm working on an Olivia post and I wasn't sure how to word things.

@Ponn

She is probably praying with her eyes closed or something along those lines, but yeah, she could overcome her fear / distaste.