VitaVitaAR

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

"It's been better, but I'm fine," Sir Caulder gave a metallic grunt, one hand to the back of his head. Indeed, he seemed to have righted himself well enough, and didn't appear to be struggling with standing. While his heavy visor made it hard to tell where he was looking, he was definitely facing towards the unconscious aessyr in Sir Rolan's grasp.

Dame Yael let out a sigh of relief, and stepped away to help check their surroundings as quickly as possible.

The awake Aessyr didn't need to be told any more. With the hum of her wings she swiftly left Sir Gerard's shoulder, fluttering towards the prone, tiny figure in Sir Rolan's hands.

Her sings fluttering, she hovered just above the other girl, reaching out towards her.

"Enfys! E-Enfys!"

For a few moments, the unconscious aessyr didn't appear to hear her. Perhaps her condition truly was that severe, due to being trapped inside the Gannek's body.

But then---

A tiny, faint noise, barely audible to the Sir Rolan, came from the prone figure.

"Nnng..."

Enfys slowly opened her eyes. With all the grime still clicking to her body, it made her bright blue irises stand out all the more intensely.

"Enfys---!"

The first aessyr's hands clutched at her chest, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes.

"... I stink..."

Those were the first words out of Enfys's mouth as she stirred slightly, a few faded petals falling from her dress. Without another moment wasted, the first aessyr wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged her tightly.

"... Ah... Aithne, you'll stink now too..."

The first aessyr, Aithne, did not appear to think this was a reason to let go. Despite her tiny size, her sobbing was quite clearly audible, now, as she simply held Enfys closer.

"Sir Gerard is right," Dame Yael commented as she approached the nearby foliage to check for any unwanted observers, "It'd be best if we returned swi---"

She was cut off with a gasp of shock as the figure silently stepped from the trees.

He had appeared entirely silently. He had been completely invisible just moments prior.

The figure was tall. Incredibly so, perhaps nearing nine feet. His skin was blue-grey, with darker interweaving patterns running down his shoulders, back, and chest. He wore little clothing, save for a fur hanging from his waits to preserve his modesty, exposing his toned arms, chest, and waist.

His hair was wild, dark, and hung past his waist, framing a slender-featured face with a sharpness that could be described as both handsome and beautiful, his eyes a luminescent green. But his least human features were most certainly the sharp, many-pointed antlers extending from his forehead.

There was no denying the man was fae.

From his shoulder hung a quiver full of black arrows, and in his left hand he clutched a great bow.

"... Children of men," he began, his voice firm and seeming to fill the forest, his eyes cast over the assembled knights, then fell upon the black stain that was all that remained of the Gannek.

He inclined his head slightly towards the knights.

"You have slain the creature I hunted," he continued, "But I do not begrudge your success. It devoured life and sought to feed upon my kin. For this, I thank you, children of men."

@HereComesTheSnow@Eisenhorn

The Elder Scrolls IV: Cyrodiil

I...

Isn't this all too much!?

What kind of day is this!? I've been imprisoned, the Emperor dies in front of me, I have to fight off far too much, and now this elf is telling me that hshe has that thing and we can walk on water because of it?!

Not to mention what I'm carrying---!

Have I woken up in some whole new reality, totally unrelated to the one I went to sleep in? Has the Prince of Madness somehow hopped into my head and twisted my perception of the world around me?

It's just one absurdity after another! So much has happened that the death of the Emperor before my eyes, what I had only just a little while ago thought was the most horrible and surreal thing I'd ever see, now feels almost distant.

I can't help but throw my hands into the air.

"Of course!"

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Robin's blade slowly lowered.

Hard man.

Worse then the rest.

The man who had saved her life---

He couldn't be described in such a way. There was no way he could. He found her struggling, clinging to life, her skin stretched over her bones, and took her in and gave her a future.

Gifted her with the tales of legendary heroes. Filled her with lofty ideals that motivated her whole existence.

The idea of being a hero. Of earning the praise of the masses. Of standing up for the weak and defenseless.

These core concepts formed the very center of her being.

Her grip on the hilt of her spada faltered.

Worse then the rest.

The warm eyes, the gentle voice in which he spoke to her, that took a firm edge when she was training---

That couldn't be.

There was no way.

Despite the fact that she recognized the style. Despite the fact that the timeline added up. Despite the fact that their names were the same---

There was no way such a thing could be true.

Robin's grip on the hilt of her blade grew firm again.

"Y... you're lying," she said, though it was as if she wasn't addressing the bandit directly any longer, "There's no way he was---Worse then the rest? That's... that's a lie, if I've ever heard one!"

... The Old Man had lost an arm. He'd never told her why, he'd lost it before they first met. The Old Man knew how to fight in such depth. He'd never told her why, so she had assumed he had some background as a knight or something like that as she'd grown older.

But she never sought to pry. She thought he'd tell her, in due time.

Worse than the rest.

Her Old Man was a hero. There was no way he could be described like that.

So it had to be a lie. That was the only way, right?

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Dame Tyaethe's flying kick smashed into the great wooden serpent's flank, making its entire body rock. Sir Renar's handiwork was splitting it completely open along its back, revealing fresh green wood deeper inside forming hands attempting to pull its body together and an ethereal glow from even deeper within. For the moment, offensive had ceased, as it became clear whatever constructed intelligence the creature had possessed some sort of understanding of what the knights were doing to it.

Of course, Fanilly couldn't simply stand by. She wouldn't. If her knights were putting in the effort to tear the creature's body apart, than so would she.

"Lord Arken! You heard Sir Fionn, I'll help open it up!" she called, taking a deep breath as she leaned forward. Whatever constructed abomination may face her---

She couldn't allow herself to falter. No matter how her heart beat, she would keep stepping forward. She had to.

Fanilly lunged forward, winding up with her blade and thrusting it deep into the serpent's flank. Already, she could almost see the wood around its entry point starting to bubble, almost rolling and stretching outwards.

Pouring as much strength into her limbs as she could, practically setting the muscles in her arm aflame, the knight-captain dragged the blade sideways. Sir Renar was using such a tactic to great affect, and so she'd split it from the other side.

Together, they'd open up the wooden serpent and create a direct path to its heart!

Arken raised his staff, chanting under his breath for a moment.

"Astral Lance!"

The bolt of magical energy exploded from a magic circle at the head of his staff, searing its way through the air as it hurtled towards the monster's upper body and took out a thin chunk of wood. It wasn't the most damaging spell against such a creature, but at the same time the impact sent it rocking sideways towards Sir Fionn. By now, much of its upper body had come apart, showing green light much like its eyes from within.

And then it ceased to move.

Fanilly paused, yanking her blade from the wood. It had just stopped---?

But why?

With a loud grinding, the noise created by bark grating against bark, the wooden serpent's damaged upper body suddenly raised, the light in its eyes building.

Lady Gertrude and Dame Tyaethe in particular might be able to tell that the heart had suddenly plummeted into its lower body, despite mostly moving around the upper prior.

Lord Arken narrowed his eyes.

There was a build up mana, surging up from the wooden serpent's insides.

And then its entire upper body split apart, tearing open not only along the seams that had been rent through its frame but splitting elsewhere, almost like the blossom of an immense flower, the green light from within building up more and more brightly---

And then spewing into the air as several dozen spheres of emerald light, arcing before they began to descend.

The knight-captain did not need some kind of expertise in magic to understand what this was, immediately springing back and away from the enormous wooden construct the moment the orbs began to hurtle downwards. She could almost feel the air thrumming around her, on her skin, even through her armor.

They'd done so much damage, but it wasn't quite enough to stop its attack. Still, they had to press on---!

Fanilly's shouted order for those in the radius of the ranged attack to move was hardly necessary, for it was clear being struck directly would spell disaster.

While the creature's tactics had changed, there was still plenty of damage done all across its wooden form. The heart had moved downwards, but perhaps it would still be possible to strike it.

@Raineh Daze@Psyker Landshark@Crimson Paladin@Octo@The Otter

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

A sound something like the ringing of a bell and the scraping of steel rang out through the forest.

The darkness seemed to shatter.

The gnawing hunger lifted.

All at once, the Gannek's gut split wide open from the blow, gushing forth blackness and spraying it onto the earth. The split ran further then the blade, running the whole length of the long-bodied creature, its flesh peeling backwards as the contents of its entire body seemed to issue forth.

There were no organs, or even any sign of bones or flesh beneath its skin. Rather, nothing but shadowy bile seemed to flow from its body.

Its head had parted from its neck, spiraling into the air.

The dark feeling of the gluttonous monster's presence had faded in an instant.

The Gannek was dead.

Its body peeled back further, twisting inside-out as it did, fading from black to grey as the shape of its limbs withered and grew less distinct. It suddenly seemed weightless, carried into the air as if it were a shed feather able to be drawn along by the slightest breeze, grey now fading to white as the entire contents of its form now lay on the forest floor.

Soon, the white too, faded, the Gannek's corpse breaking apart and scattering as ash, blowing in the wind.

Its severed head landed nearby, and it too was already withering, flesh desiccating and eyes shriveling. Much like the rest of the body, it suddenly seemed empty and formless, as if it were nothing but skin. Soon, it too had faded to grey, then to white, and then come apart in the wind.

Aside from the black bile splattered across the ground, there was no other lingering sign of the Gannek's existence.

---But that wasn't all.

Within the black bile were scattered fragments of bone, creatures that had been devoured by the monster and long since dissolved into the ichor that filled its body. There were chunks of unrecognizable matter, as well, likely the remains of other unfortunate that had been consumed.

Slowly, the aessyr on Gerard's shoulder raised her small face from his fur collar.

"I-it's... i-it's all gone...! I... E-Enfys!?"

She was on her feet, now, calling out for her friend.

Dame Yael lowered her sword, scanning over the muddy mess the Gannek had left behind. With a groan, Sir Caulder had gotten to his feet, one hand placed to his helmet.

At first, it looked like there may be nothing alive remaining within the black fluid.

But then---

A tiny figure, bile clinging to her form. Her wings drooped, the flower petals composing her dress faded and in some places seeming to have already melted away.

She wasn't moving, but on a close inspection there were signs she was breathing, merely unconscious.

The Knights had beaten the monster.

---But perhaps they still weren't alone.

@Eisenhorn@HereComesTheSnow

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

The rest of the world had faded away.

The sliver of starlight pointed at the tender flesh of the man's throat, her eyes fixed upon him as her fingers wrapped tight on the hilt of her blade.

Robin's heart, long since having adjusted to combat, was hammering.

Edren.

Captain.

She fought like their captain.

These were robbers, highwaymen, and yet they claimed that she fought just like their captain.

Her hand wavered only slightly, and yet the tip of her blade was nearly piercing the foremost of the robbers' throats.

What did it mean?

That question repeated itself in her mind over and over again, bouncing back and forth against the confines of her skull. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that their fighting style was the very same as her own, however degraded it may be in their hands. And they, too, had recognized it.

There wasn't a thought of theatrics in her mind.

Her Old Man couldn't have taught these people, so who? There was no way such a thing could happen.

So who?

Who was tainting the style her Old Man had taught her by teaching it to the sort of people who would rob, and steal, and hurt innocents?

Who would do such a thing?

"Who is your captain?" she asked.

"where is he? When did he teach you?"

The edge on Robin's voice was practically enough to slice the man's throat on its own.

@Psyker Landshark@vietmyke@HereComesTheSnow

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

The sound of tearing flesh an a metallic screech filled the forest.

The Gannek's small eyes had shifted to focus on Sir Rolan for only a moment. And it was in that moment that the force of Sir Gerard's thrust sent his improvised spear through the monster's flesh and penetrating deep into its skull. The scream it released was unnatural, just as every other sound that left its awful maw, but this time it was mixed with gurgling and spitting as black fluid spray from within.

Despite the fact that the treelimb had most certainly entered the spot the Gannek's brain would have been located, the creature's response was not that of one who had been forced to recovered from damage to its brain. It thrashed, more black fluid spilling from inside of it and a foul scent filling the air, but even considering its regenerative abilities there was little indication whatever manner of brain it had was almost certain destroyed.

But that didn't mean that Sir Gerard's gambit hadn't paid off.

Torn flesh twisted, writhing like worms, as it tried again and again to seal but could only flow around the massive improvised stake. The gluttonous abomination may not have been completely immobilized, but it was unable to mend its body with such a thick tree limb piercing through its skull.

The black fog billowing from its back had been disrupted. Little by little, cracks were peaking through the darkness once again, thin slivers of light able to reach down to the floor below in a few spots.

But the Gannek was still able to attempt retaliation.

The arms extending from its mouth, which had fallen slack for a few moments, had risen again. Bonelessly, they twisted their way around the limb in Sir Gerard's hands, wrapping around it and squeezing, both attempting to crush it or pull it from his grasp and reach for the knight.

Sir Caulder was struggling to rise quickly, having escaped serious injury but been knocked senseless when he was sent flying by the Gannek's swiping limbs. Dame Yael had attempted a swift advance, but had to cut here way through three of the Gannek's legs in order to try and reach the open wound in its belly.

Still, this was their moment, their best opportunity was now---!

@Eisenhorn@HereComesTheSnow

The Elder Scrolls IV: Cyrodiil

Did she just say what I thought she just said?

I pause for a moment, trying to process what I just heard. Certainly, magic can defy all sorts of expectations with the many ways in which it can be applied. But the fact she just casually mentioned walking over the lake---

I can't have heard that correctly, could I?

Obviously, the route over the lake would be the most direct possible path. There's no denying that. But until this very moment, I didn't think it was even within the realm of possibility.

To be honest, I still don't think it's within the realm of possibility.

"Er, I know some of the basics... enough to light a fire and heal some light injuries," I manage to respond, regardless. It's really only the most practical spells I was taught when I was helping around the forge. How to start a fire, and how to deal with light burns, cuts, or scrapes. I don't think I'm particularly stunning, but it is magic and it's something I can do.

"Excuse me, but did you say walk over?"

I had to have misheard her, right?

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Wood split and cracked. Under the blow of Sir Fleur's greatsword, the downward slam of Sir Renar's poleaxe, and the thrust of Sir Fionn's blade had split wood and sent cracks running through the creature. Sir Renar, in particular, had managed to create such an impact that the entire serpent's frame seemed to rock, lurching downwards for a moment before stabilizing itself, its body twisted oddly from the wide gash that Sir Fleuri had managed to inflict.

Somewhat less fortunate was the fact that the wood beneath the bark and outer layers that had split was fresh, with green fibers running through it. This meant it would be stronger, but the damage that had been inflicted clearly indicated that it was possible to carve into the wooden monstrosity.

---However.

It was strange how little it seemed to react to the damage...

Fanilly hadn't the need to administer direct orders, for her knights had practically already read her mind. Sir Fionn's rush, Sir Renar's leap, and Sir Fleuri and Dame Tyaethe's charges did exactly what she would have asked for.

The monster was huge, and unknown, but surely it could only attack a single target at once. That meant that attacking the enormous serpent from multiple angles was their best option.

"Tch," Arken took a step back, raising his staff skywards, "It's very likely this creature is a creation of the Moonlit Queen herself. Do you hear that heartbeat?"

It was impossible to miss, echoing through the forest like that.

"There's a fae-crafted heart, deep inside its body," he continued, as the serpent seemed to ignore its current attackers, raising its enormous head and directing its green, glowing eyesockets towards Fanilly and the two mages, "Destroying that would destroy the entire construct, but we have to be able to reach it!"

Fanilly nodded, her eyes running up and down the creature as it raised its head back. Was there a thin point? Some way they could be able to access it more effectively---

Damn it, it was going to attack again!

"Dragonstar!"

The shouted spell name came from beside her, Lord Arken's staff projecting a circle of brilliant purple light that suddenly flashed red and made the air itself vibrate as its bloody glow illuminated the entire clearing. A beacon of magical energy was sent hurtling upwards, aiming directly for the tree-serpent's head.

It struck dead-on, wood splitting and cracking and breaking apart, splitting down the middle with a resounding crack!

The massive wooden serpent's upper jaw had been split entirely down the middle, its enormous, sinuous form rocking backwards for a few moments.

But of course, the heartbeat hadn't ceased.

The edges of the ragged tear in the serpent's head twisted into points, gnarled wood manifesting new rows of razor teeth, its upper jaw splitting into a pair of new mandibles as it renewed its attack.

Arken was already moving. Fanilly followed, putting an arm around Gertrude and pulling her in close immediately without even thinking, hugging her to her body and yanking her along with her as she dove to the side.

Maybe it wasn't necessary at all. Maybe Lady Gertrude would have easily escaped on her own. But the fact was that ensuring the nearest person's safely alongside herself hade been the first thing on her mind.

The enormous wooden serpent's triple-jawed head was sent slamming down, crashing to the spot they had once occupied and gouging chunks of earth up.

Fanilly shot to her feet. The damage to its head hadn't even slowed it down, a spell that produced enough power to split its upper jaw was barely even acknowledged. But it hadn't fully reformed for a reason, had it?

She wasn't the strongest. But good leverage, a strong thrust---

She could at least do enough damage for this.

Fanilly braced herself, clenching her teeth and wrapping her hands around her longsword, then stepped forward and sent the tip forward. It struck firmly, splitting the wood as it hit and burying deep, widening the initial crack she had made in the side of one of the serpent's two upper jaws.

Just as swiftly as she'd struck, she stepped back, yanking her sword from the wood---

And as she did, the edges of the crack she'd created twisted outwards into a new set of snapping jaws, briefly reaching out towards her until she stepped back out of range, as the serpent's head began to raise.

It could change its form on the fly, adapt to the damage, but it couldn't mend it---!

The same was happening across its body. The edges of the gash rent by Sir Fleur pointed and stretched, opening wide into a new maw on the serpent's side and threatening to snap at the knight.

The wood stretched upwards, winding into grasping claws to try and latch onto Sir Renar, and Sir Fionn. But the damage they had done remained, no matter how the serpent twisted its own form.

"Do as much damage as you can, it can't mend the damage!" called Fanilly, "Try and find where the heartbeat is loudest!"

If they could expose it, someone could do enough damage to end this monster---!

@Raineh Daze@Psyker Landshark@Crimson Paladin@Octo

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

"I---Very well, Sir Gerard!"

Dame Yael nodded, swiftly disengaging from the creature a swiftly as she could manage and darting to the side.

The Gannek's unnatural voice came again, shorter this time, when it's limb was pierced by Sir Rolan's strike, twisting its body to attempt to reach with one of its many limbs but falling short of the other knight.

"Thanks!" grunted Sir Caulder, who had been moments away from the monster attempting reaching his head. But his axe was still tied up, those grasping limbs forcing him to remain in place despite the strength he poured into his arms. He could neither wrench it free, nor push through the Gannek's strength in order to make a disemboweling blow. If he released his axe, he could switch to his sidewarm, but the sword simply wasn't made to inflict the deep cuts required as swiftly as he needed to.

But if he didn't do something soon, the situation had every chance of worsening.

As it turned out, it was a decision he wouldn't have to make.

Dame Yael's sword flashed, skewering one of the limbs gripping Sir Caulder's axe through its joint. The monstrous creature shrieked again, its awful, unnatural voice ripping through the forest as its grip slackened.

This was all that Sir Caulder needed.

With a roar, he yanked the axe free from the Gannek's grasp, and sent it slamming down----!

It cleaved through dark flesh, black ichor and an unspeakably foul, decaying scent filling the air. He'd hit his mark and cut clean into the Gannek's side!

Only to be met with a powerful slap, striking him and lifting him off the ground entirely, sending the knight hurtling back. While his army would likely protect him from serious harm, the wind had been knocked out of him.

The Gannek's belly had been cut, deep enough to send black bile and other unsavory fluids spilling from within. But it's sinous, serpentine body had twisted, avoiding being entirely split.

Still, the damage had been done. Unlike its wounded eye or limbs, the injury to its belly was not healing anywhere near as swiftly, oozing foul-scented darkness.

With one of its limbs grasping over the wound, the Gannek attempted to pull back and wrench itself free from the branch jammed deep into is gaping maw.

It was impossible to miss the fact that the area seemed to be growing darker, and the gnawing, hungry sensation deeper in the stomachs of the assembled knights. While no physical symptoms would arise, the sensation of aching hunger was growing stronger.

It was said that the presence of a Gannek could make one feel as if they hadn't eaten in days, some measure of the endless gluttony of the monster being conferred to those around it.

Slits opened along the creature's back, looking like dozens of little mouths flanking the bones of its spine and belching forth black mist. The darkness said to accompany such a monster was said to come swiftly, after all.

It was likely attempting to blind its opponents.

@HereComesTheSnow@Eisenhorn