VitaVitaAR

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

So, it seems the bandits who were present weren't the only humans in the area. And on top of that, they'd committed a theft of one of the Smith's treasured belongings. Not only was it likely they'd have to retrieve it to get a leg in the door, but earnestly accepting the task also meant that the giants would have a positive impression of them.

It was, while more work, ultimately an excellent inroad.

"Gladly, I can't tolerate thieves," Fio said, her attention drifting from the jar for a moment, "If you could tell us what you know of the perpetrators, that would help greatly."

She paused for a moment. Continuing this conversation on two fronts was tiresome, but she couldn't deny the fact that the unseelie's utility magic intrigued her. Indeed, the two that interested her above all was her capacity to manipulate objects' properties and the mention of altering space inside of the jar.

"I'll take the stick, thank you. You may be able to have it back in the future, however."

It wasn't just a move the Sword Witch made out of caution, but one of curiosity. If these altered objects retained this traits in the hands of others, that would make this a far more useful capability.

And as long as she had access to an Unseelie, why not try and get everything she could out of her?

"I'm curious about the spatial alteration, as well," she said, "And I'd like to see further demonstrations of the changes you can make to objects. If you do, you'll get extra honey bread, and maybe I'll throw in some new snacks for you. Do you understand?"

@Rune_Alchemist

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

"Ah, I see..."

The maid nodded when she saw the ash on the knight's shirt. It wasn't as if her duties necessarily covered the other knights aside from the Captain. She was raised alongside Fanilly, one of her personal maids. But now that she was Captain, her personal maids' services were at the disposal of everyone in Candaeln.

"Very well, as one of Lady Danbalion-er, that is to say, the Knight-Captain's personal maids, I shall make short work of this," she asserted, with no small amount of pride. As far as maid work went, it was only obvious that working for the Knight-Captain of the Iron Roses was something to take pride in.

Especially since she had known her for so long.

However, as she approached, the purple-haired maid paused for a moment. Was Sir Lein taking boxes from the supplies...?

"Forgive me for asking, Sir Lein, but where are you going with those boxes, exactly?"

@VahkiDane@PigeonOfAstora

The Maids Guide to Demon Hunting

Her tail furiously swishing back and fort, Elizstrazia was decidedly less then pleased. Certainly, the idea that the slap to her backside was a compliment wasn't lost on her, but she had still been directly touched without her permission.

Not that no contact was good, but she didn't say it was okay!

On top of that, this mission was nothing like what she'd wanted. Eliza wanted something where she could tear through the enemy until there was nothing left but blood and guts.

This wasn't a mission where she could do that at all.

She wasn't going to throw it all away just because she didn't like it, but she wasn't happy, either. Certainly, she could conceal the parts of her body that marked her as a demon, but she didn't like to do it at all.

Still, it looked like that was going to be necessary.

"... Hmph... I'll do whatever, then, as long as we can get this stupid mission done with and move on to something better."

That was her only comment on the matter, really.

@AzureKnight@Rune_Alchemist@Pyromania99@Click This

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

@6slyboy6: I can send a link along in PMs.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

@6slyboy6: It's actually still open, so feel free to sign up!

The Lion's Banner: A Fire Emblem-Inspired Anime Fantasy RP

As promised, Tabitha didn't raise a finger. She didn't even move, simply smiling as she observed the ensuing clash.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the abominable doll monster. Indeed, the demon's strength was able to hold the construct back, long enough for Velvetica to steady herself and take stock of it as swiftly as she could.

Damnable Witch.

Even if someone for some unfathomable reason, wanted to be charitable towards them, they would be forced to acknowledge that their morality was fundamentally not the same as a human being's.

The doll's anatomy was not like a human's. If anything, it resembled some sort of twisted spider with human-like traits, its foremost pair of limbs tipped in those impeccably sharp and precise blades. Additionally, it was a doll. It was unlikely there were any weak points as would be expected on a living thing. No internal organs. No brain. Nothing.

But that didn't mean it was entirely without weaknesses.

Velvetica drew Starshine, the blade smoothly leaving its sheath.

Urden's initial blow failed to do more then slightly crack the doll's exterior, but it did at least prove it was possible to damage.

Unfortunately, it was also quick to retaliate, its forelimbs raising back, elbows bending in the opposite direction one would expect a human-like limb to be capable of as they prepared to strike.

The spear-strike to its left flank did serve to distract it for a crucial moment, its left forelimb bending the opposite direction to lash out at Sir Roger almost immediately, granting Urden crucial window of escape. However, the spear itself did not deal significant damage, skittering across its procelain-like surface and leaving only a barely-visible scar in whatever arcane material composed it.

Velvetica moved forward, but didn't strike immediately. The option to utilize Starshine's abilities was immediately opened in her mind, but before that...

The doll possessed no internal organs, and did not appear to feel significant pain. Instead, it seemed to target threats in proximity and move to eliminate them as quickly as possible. But it still had to move in order to do this. The only way a doll could function was by having its joints be thinner and more flexible to permit movement.

And that meant they couldn't be as durable.

"The limbs! Disable its limbs," Velvetica called, "Aim for the joints!"

Most of Kayliss's knives bounced off of the doll's body without causing visible damage. However, one briefly stuck in the joint of one of its middle limbs. It wasn't enough to prevent it from moving entirely, not yet, but it forced the construct to jerk the leg oddly to restore mobility and dislodge it. A blow from closer range, or a sturdier weapon, perhaps...

Unfortunately, it seemed the abomination was not their only opponent.

Just as Velvetica was about to move in and strike towards the large construct's rear set of limbs, she heard something stirring.

From the dark corners of the room, what previously looked like debris suddenly stirred.

Star white, with lifeless, dull eyes and mindlessly smiling expressions, further dolls rose. These were more human-like, naked but possessing no explicit anatomical features. Unlike the Witch's body, they were far more obviously artificial. They were shaped like young girls, but their arms ended in a pair of razor-edged blades.

"Tch...!"

It was clear the test was not intended to be an easy one, but Velvetica refused to be cowed by dolls. The Steel Princess drew Starshine to the level of her eyes, its tip pointed at the nearest of the approaching constructs.

The largest and most inhuman of them was clearly the greatest threat, but the lesser dolls could surround and kill anyone attempting to focus on it.

They couldn't be ignored.

"If you are not already engaged, hold back the lesser dolls!"

@Raineh Daze@Rin@AzureKnight@Psyker Landshark@The Otter@VKAllen@Eisenhorn@Crimson Paladin@Conscripts@HereComesTheSnow@Octo@PigeonOfAstora

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

A clash of wood on wood. A step to the side.

Another clash.

Each strike was answered.

And in return, another strike followed, the moment Fanilly gained an opportunity. If anything, her blows only grew more intense, her footwork faster, the motion of her body more agile. The more she fought Serenity, the more she became accustomed to fighting her.

Of course, the same could be said of her opponent, for neither girl was able to land a decisive blow against the other. No matter how many times a strike was made, it would glace off of a padded part of the body in a trajectory unable to kill or seriously injure had these been live blades, or meet empty air, or clash against another training weapon.

Fanilly slid backwards along the ground, raising the training sword parallel. An opening. She'd find an opening and strike. How long had they been sparring? She hadn't quite kept track. Her body was on fire.

And yet she didn't really want to stop. She couldn't particularly explain why, but for some reason the desire to keep fighting until she landed that decisive blow had risen within her chest.

Was it a competitive part of her that had arisen, deep inside? Was it a desire to perform properly as captain? Was she actually enjoying this? Or was it a mix of all of these reasons?

Fanilly wasn't sure.

She couldn't tell.

But she took one step forward.

Adjust her trajectory. Slip the blade into the smallest gap. And-

"Lady Danbaliioooon!"

"A-ah!"

Being addressed as such in the middle of a sparring match completely set Fanilly off-balance.

One of her maids had entered the training yard.

A brunette, with soft, warm-eyes and pleasant features. Like her two fellow maids, she had been raised practically alongside Fanilly and was the same age as the Knight-Captain.

Beatrice. While all her maids had been born the same year as she was, Beatrice was the youngest of the three by two months.

"Y-you haven't had breakfast yet... It's been nearly an hour!"

... She had come down here without eating or anything. Initially to go to the library, but then she'd accepted Dame Serenity's proposal.

"... Once we've finished here, I'll-"

It was quite an inopportune moment for her stomach to growl quite so loudly.

She was absolutely starving.

@ERode

---

"... I didn't tell Alaree a single thing about the surprise," the purple-haired maid replied with a frown, folding her arms across her chest, "I swapped them out just a little while ago, since I knew she'd be the only one coming this way. And on top of that, she certainly shouldn't be asking any knights for favors."

The maid let out a sigh, pressing one hand to her forehead.

"That little brat... can't she at least act her age for once? Screwing around like this is completely unbecoming."

It took her a moment to realize there was someone else there.

"Ah, er, Sir..." she paused for a moment, searching her memory, "Sergio, I apologize."

She bowed her head.

"Did you need something?"

@PigeonOfAstora@VahkiDane

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

"If you could introduce us to him once we arrived, we would greatly appreciate it," Fio said, as she approached the jarred fairy with the honey bread. Certainly, there was quite lucky. The first giant they meet was the apprentice of a blacksmith capable of working dragonscale? It was almost too good to be true.

But sometimes coincidences, both good and bad, happened in the real world. Thinking them impossible, or overthinking them, was an exercise in foolishness.

When there was no other explanation, sometimes it really was just how things worked out.

Delivering the honey bread to the unseelie, Fio considered what the fairy had told her. While she knew that unseelie magic was strange in many ways... While she had one on hand like this, it only made sense to see just how that worked.

"If you demonstrate your magic on this stick, I'll give you another piece."

She held up the stick in question, carefully inserting it into the jar after the first piece of honey bread.

@Rune_Alchemist@Pyromania99

Bible of Ichor: Septet for the Dead

"Tch..."

The maid was already gone. There was no use chasing after her.

Now they had to do all they could to free Kordelia and put and end to the beastly threat.

The hand sweeping towards her was immediately met by an ice barrier, hastily materialized as swiftly as possible by gathering but that wasn't enough to completely arrest its motion. In a split second, Aleksiya felt her own barrier slam into her, the impact rocking through her arms, all through her small frame. The world around her blurred, fire tore its way up her limbs, and she was sent to the ground in an instant with an unbidden cry.

Now the hot sensation explodes through her back, instead, the small girl's eyes shut tightly, her teeth clenched.

And yet, her lips parted in a grin.

Her ice barrier hadn't followed her. Immediately, spikes erupted from its surface, aiming to skewer the hand that had slapped her down.

@Rune_Alchemist@Click This

The Lion's Banner: A Fire Emblem-Inspired Anime Fantasy RP

The Witch stepped forward, smiling pleasantly. The creature beside her was unmoving. It was disconcertingly still, unlike the Witch who moved much as one would expect from a living being in spite of the fact she was clearly a doll.

"My my, a Nem, I see?" she said, tilting her head as she spoke, "Seeing you reminds me I should make a nem doll~"

Placing her doll-jointed fingers to her mouth, the Witch giggled. If that was meant to be a compliment or a threat, it was impossible to tell.

Velvetica took a deep breath. Kayliss was correct, of course. There was absolutely no reason to start something here, even if they were facing a Witch. The doll girl, no matter how harmless she looked, was an incredibly powerful and unnatural practitioner of arts poorly understood even by the most learned of magi.

The Steel Princess had to confess she disliked even being near her. But, she was no fool.

Fighting her wasn't necessary. She wouldn't hesitate, even knowing her power was undoubtedly enormous, if it became so.

But striking without reason was foolish.

Still, Sir Roger was right. The absence of any of the prisoners was disconcerting to say the least.

"... You're right, Witch, this is only what we intended," she said, finally, "But this cult took prisoners. Where are they?"

"You don't have to refer to me as 'Witch' you know," responded the doll girl, steepling her fingers and winking, her tongue protruding playfully, "I do have a name."

Velvetica sighed heavily. It was clear the Witch would rather play games then give clear answers from the outset, but it was unlikely they had any other options at the moment.

"Then, what is your name?"

The Doll girl curtsied, eyes shut, head bowed.

"Tabitha. It's very nice to meet you~"

Tabitha.

The Doll Witch.

Some said that when the Doll Witch took an interest in someone, she stole them away. She kept them. She made them into dolls themselves. Even her own body was a doll, no longer flesh and blood but an imitation, pale, jointed, unliving. And yet she moved like a leaving thing. Beyond the paleness of her skin and the joints, Velvetica supposed it would be impossible to tell the difference. Even her skin appeared, aside from an unnatural shine, to be more far more like human skin then she would have expected from a doll.

"... If you took-"

"I know what you're going to ask," replied the Doll Witch, "And I had nothing to do with it. There were no prisoners when I arrived. Not even their bodies. Curious, isn't it?"

She sighed.

"Perhaps they discovered something more valuable they could do with the still-living? Maybe someone left something behind here that would let you know? Alas, I haven't the faintest idea where they may have gone..."

Valuable?

They weren't among the dead. If it was something more valuable... had the cultists sold them?

Or was she rushing to conclusions when the answer was already looking them in the face?

"In any case, as long as you don't plan on disturbing this tomb any further I have no intention of fighting you," the Witch continued, eyeing the demon briefly as she did, "There are simply some things that are better left alone, and you're far more likely to discover the clues you seek in the camp."

Velvetica's hand had not left Starshine's hilt, but she relaxed ever-so-slightly. There was little reason for the Witch to bother hinting at possible evidence for the location of the prisoners if she was the one who took them in the first place. Someone that powerful had no reason to mislead them.

"... However... I wonder if you truly believe yourselves capable? Can you really defend the land and its people from whatever may threaten it?"

What?

"Of course. I am sworn to Velt, and so are my Lions," Velvetica responded, narrowing her eyes. The tone of the Witch's voice...

"Shall we test that?"

She stepped back.

The twisted doll beside her surged forward.

@Raineh Daze@Rin@AzureKnight@Psyker Landshark@The Otter@VKAllen@Eisenhorn@Crimson Paladin@Conscripts@HereComesTheSnow@Octo@PigeonOfAstora