2017-07-28: Tournament Finals

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==========================<* Lacour - Arms Coliseum *>===========================

Situated immediately adjacent to Lacour Castle, the Arms Coliseum is a temple to the pursuit of perfection in physical prowess. Built more than three centuries ago by King Etienne I, the Coliseum is laid over with ancient Symbols that blunt weapons and protect combatants on the brink of death, allowing competitors to fight to the best of their ability without fear of killing their opponents.

The Coliseum is the site of the annual Lacour Tournament of Arms, a competition that fuels the spirit of martial artists and weapons merchants both. The Tournament is a spectacle that draws visitors and competitors from across Filgaia, and is the major event on the continent while it is running. A series of smaller tournaments are organized throughout the year; entering as a combatant is free of charge, but spectators pay a nominal fee that nonetheless provides a significant boost to Lacour's coffers.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s8YkgEYlvY

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

It's time for the Lacour Tournament of Arms Grand Finals. The crowd is raring to go, packed to the rafters and the seats and even the seats that aren't really seats. Lunata, for whatever reason, doesn't show up.

Has she... has she fled? Did she flee Lacour in a fit of pique, unable to cope with the stresses of being in the finals, and staking it all on the line? She's just a young girl, and she doesn't even know exactly why she signed up for this tournament in the first place.

But then, Lunata's side of the arena darkens.

A cold chill -- blown through a cleverly hidden airblower powered by a Symbologist with ice spells going overdrive right now -- hisses through the darkness. The loud, high-pitched screeching of bats is heard, and an organ string pierces through the air, reverbed at high volumes through Blastemol(tm)-sponsored speakers in the far distance.

The ground rumbles.

A trick of the light cascades through the air, parting clouds that reveal a violet sky. The full moon -- Lunar in resplendence -- can be seen in the distance, despite the fact that it's daytime. A tall castle, menacing with dark spires, can be seen in the darkened path to the far-off countryside, offering no comfort or illumination.

And from where there used to be ground...

... a throne rises. Opulent and gilded, formed of haute Victorian Gothic sensibilities, with a high-back and skulls on the armrests. Rich red carpet is rolled upon the steps, adorned with what looks like... real? Fake(?) bones scattered across the chiseled stonework. A wineglass filled with a rich ruby-red Pinot Noir is set.

And in the middle of this...

...

"Slouch, girl, slouch!" hisses the stage techie hiding underneath the couch.

"E-eh??" Lunata gasps as she-- tries to lean a little and ruin her seating posture from where she's just seated up, prim and proper, and totally not with back pain-inducing problems like how a proper villain ought to. "Um... like-- like this?"

"Keep going..."

Lunata sighs. "Why do I have to do this...?"

"J-just stick to the script! Remember, you're Lululu Wait, Death Waitress, Lord of Darkness! Make it sound -real-! And throw that wineglass!"

"I--I never said I was any of those things... why do I have to play along with this...? And no! That's good wine you're wasting!"

A deeply heavy, put-upon sigh. She looks up to the audience, and then holds the wineglass in -- far too gentle a manner, as if she's serving it to a customer with the utmost care. She... rummages into her pocket and looks at what looks like a flashcard.

"L-looo and behold, feeble humans, and tremble!

It is I, the Lord of Darkness, the Conqueror of Day!

Long have you trembled in anticipation of bloodshed!

Harken to how your marrow tingles!

Succumb to your innermost desires and roar!

I shall be thy--" A pause. "Savory?"

A longer pause. Smudge smudge smudge. "Savior!"

She clears her throat, pumping herself up further.

"Witness the splendor of my dark arts!

I, Lululu Wait, shall be judge, jury, and executioner!"

Please top up milk and eggs after match!"

Silence.

"W-wait, t-that's-- that's not part of the speech, uuu! I give up!"

She rips the flashcard up and sulks, face flush. She bows her head and exclaims, in the exact tone of a waitress apologising about hospitality service not rendered, "I--I'm so sorry about all that..." 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Big Shal marks out the CaraKin's space in the crowds, because while Lunata may not be there to secure them a row of seats with her deathly presence, sometimes a protective twelve-foot golem does just as well. Slowly - rather slower than normal - it gives a thumbs up to the proceedings; underneath at its feet, Shalune kind of tilts her head to one side, her eyes in thick lines as she heaves out a sigh.

"W-wah... somehow, I thought it might come down to this..." she comments sidelong to the rest of the Caravaneers present, rubbing at the back of her hair; god bless her, she manages to last through the speech without snickering, though she does rather light up in amusement at the last line. "Um, see, I found that card yesterday right when I needed to remember what groceries I needed..."

S-Shalune . . . 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

As always when Lunata was fighting, Jacqueline could be found in the stands, sitting next to Shalune. And right now...she stares, mouth agape, at the display going on in the arena.

...Why? How? There was no way Lunata would have agreed to this...

Well, okay, she probably would have, but only because she was pressured into it.

Jacqueline sighs and buries her face in her hands.

"Oh, Lunata...what're they doing to you...?" Jacqueline mutters. She really hoped nobody was buying into this, because it might reflect badly on the Caravan Kinship to be sponsoring a Lord of Darkness and a Conqueror of Day. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Lady Chloe Alexandre had vanished from the face of Filgaia not long after the tournament.

On an unrelated note, Talise isn't with the competitors. She's seated with the audience, a tankard of beer balanced in her lap, but mostly untouched as she leans forard to try to get a good view of the fight.

While she's got her weapon with her, Talise isn't really expecting to need it, even after the recent Metal Demon and Black Ties incidents. Mostly what brings her here is curiosity. And the worst part of it is, she's not sure whom she should be rooting for.

On the one hand, Garan's out. She'd rather put her eyes out than root for a member of Althena's Guard. Lunata would seem like the natural choice. But...

Truthfully, losing to Lunata had embarrassed Talise more than a little - but it's shifted to worry now that everyone except Garan has lost to Lunata, and not by narrow margins. From Talise's point of view, Lunata's simply cakewalked through some of the best fighters two planets have to offer. It's as if the girl has brought something new and horrifying into the tournament that's far beyond anything the other competitors can muster - and in some ways more than any adult should have to bear, let alone someone as young as the waitress. Is the girl possessed? What does the mysterious lich-cube want with her?

"What happened to my cute little Lunie," she mutters anxiously, cupping her chin in her palm.

"And who thought it was a bright idea to put her on a throne?" 

<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

Arleph Ardan is here, in the stands, eating another bag of popcorn as he tend to be during his observation of the various battles in the arena. He wriggle a kernel between his fingers, frowning at this, before popping it into his mouth.

"Even at the edges of creation," The Symbologist mutter, chewing on his popcorn with annoying meticulous care. "We still have corny promos in combat entertainment. Things never changes."

Unceremoniously, he pops another popcorn in his mouth. Hopefully, the finale will be good... he's a little sad that the people that beat him didn't make it, but there is only two finalists, after all. 

<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.

Tipheria Aredor hasn't been in the crowd for most of the matches, but she's here now.

It's not even part of a plot. She just wants to see some good old-fashioned fighting.

Tipheria has not been in a city this big for very long, though, and she's a little on edge and jumpy. Also, she's annoying the person behind her in the seats (because she's a beastman, and while her antler-like horns aren't ridiculously high - they're mostly wide - they do kind of stick up and out at odd angles).

"Huh," she says to herself, tapping one finger against her knee. "I didn't think they'd advertise being a dark lord..." And yet she still has to cheer for her, because she's not part of Althena's Guard. What is this world coming to? 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

As Lunata engages in dramatics, someone's eyes sparkle in the crowd.

It's Lemina's. Lemina's eyes are the ones sparkling with admiration. ... at least until the final line, at which point her whole face scrunches up a little and she puts a hand over her mouth.

"Oh my gooooooodddddddddddddd," she says, visibly cringing. Her excitement turns to embarrassment and she buries her face in someone's shoulder. There is, a moment later, another, "Mmh mh gfffffffffff," muffled. 

<Pose Tracker> June Lim Ze has posed.

June Lim Ze, now in her new prosthetics, field tested in another exhibition the previous day - is seated in a conventional seat! She seems comfortable, despite everything. She's even holding a sausage on a stick in her prosthetic hand, occasionally biting into it.

The presentation of the Lululu makes her frown... but she finally seems to get it, laughing afterwards. She straightens. "Yeah," she editorializes aloud. "Take some of the direness out of the whole thing. She's a master of battle and entertainment... I guess you shouldn't underestimate the service industry." 

<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.

There is someone else in the crowd here to watch the finals of the match - mainly for the sheer joy of seeing who has managed to climb their way to the top of the (disappointing, really) bloodbath. Agatha would have liked to see more people being maimed and injured than had occurred thus far, but clearly the people who had been worked out the means to keep the participants from slaughtering each other.

Truly disappointing.

Still, there was an aura around the young waitress who had come to challenge for the title - something Agatha had never encountered before, but which she found... interesting. And so Agatha had suppressed her aura, dressing modestly with a large brimmed hat in her guise as 'Anna', and was present in the crowd, watching and waiting.

The fact that the other competitor was poor Thessaly's guardian... well, that just made it even more interesting. 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

The Guard has been present, in some form, in every one of Garan's matches, whether it's a few rank-and-file who acquired tickets, or an entire complement of officers. Leo couldn't make the last one due to a stack of important reports that needed looking at now, sir, but as the combatants enter the arena, he is in the Guard booth, watching them. Lululu Wait's entrance is nothing if not dramatic--and he narrows his eyes, taking the measure of the young woman sitting in that ornate chair. "Did I miss something?" Leo says, to no one in particular. "She wasn't a Dark Lord at the beginning of the tournament, was she?" Unless she was in disguise, that's a possibility he's willing to consider.

She doesn't seem to like the script, though. The reminder about milk and eggs is helpful; those tend to go bad quickly even with magical iceboxes.

On the other side of the stadium, Ida sits in one of the better seats. A cane rests at her right hand, and she is drinking some sort of beverage that is half heal berry cordial and half sparkling water. "I must admit," Ida says, to June, "I was not expecting her to make it this far. She's done very well for herself." 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

The golem that towers above part of the stands, kind of sticking out like a sore thumb, is also holding up a significantly large banner above its head, reading in scattered, scratchy, overly exaggerated script:

GO LUNIE GO

VISIT THE CARAKIN TODAY

WE WILL FEED YOUR FACE REAL GOOD

I'M (but crossed out to:) LULULU WAIT IS NICE, PLEASE SAY HELLO 

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Xantia's here to watch the finals! Probably! Even when she was in the stands before, she failed to pay any attention to the actual fighting. But maybe today will be different. She's at least taken a seat this time, and is wearing a Death Waitress hat. Because she actually knows who that is, and it's actually a cool title. She is duly impressed by Lunata's appearance in the arena.

"Wow, that's some entrance! I didn't know she was a Lord of Darkness!" She pauses, then wonders aloud, "Is that anything like a Lord of Calamity?" Yeah, she didn't really understand much of that. Except for the last part. Picking up food after a fight, that makes good sense.

Of course, food isn't any concern for her, packing another Mega Snack Bag of her own creation, resting in her lap, to periodically withdraw questionable combinations of various snack foods to stuff her face with. Mmm, bacon-covered chocolate chip cookies. 

<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.

Tipheria Aredor has also spent a significant amount of time staring at Big Shal.

Something about it is just barely familiar, and she can't place why. 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

As the ceremonies begin, Ethius sits with the Caravan Kinship. He has special seating privileges from being a competitor. His stare regards the theatrical scene with... indifference? Probably indifference. He takes a look over to those gathered. Clumsy, care-free Shalune and her friend Big Shal having a great time being a mismatched pair of sore thumbs. Cyre, admiring an adorable custard pie (this is canon). Last but not least...

Jacqueline Barber herself, so engrossed in worry for her dearest friend as poor Lun-- Lululu Wait puts on a show appropriate to kick off the grand finals of the Lacour Tournament of Arms.

Ethius closes his eyes, lowering his head.

This must be it.

It can only be this.

It's now or never.

He passes the seated CaraKin one more look. Does he have something to say? He gives them The Look(tm), but does not act to take them out of the world they're a part of. Their concern is in the waitress who could, who may yet be crowned the strongest in the world.

The stare lingers for some time, and then... nothing. Nothing, because Ethius is no longer in that seat. Within a fraction of a second, it's like the man's seeing a bomb drop. He runs through the packed crowds, vaulting past a confused Vaguely-Edible-Foodstuff-On-A-Dubious-Stick vendor, and through a precise mental map of every security route.

Some guards aren't doing their jobs. They want to watch the fight - paradoxically, this is the moment where the coliseum is least secure, once one is inside. Ethius slips past no less than three guards all looking out over a railing.

He touches down within the depths of one of the backstage areas, a place that has proven too difficult and/or risky to penetrate prior. He's only had so many leads to work with on what, where, or why. He only had a gut check for when he first saw the miracle for this year's Tournament of Arms unveiled... and a single driving purpose.

...The single driving purpose being that he has one. Once he finds it, he assumes the rest will fall into place. 

<Pose Tracker> Thessaly has posed.

She, too, is in the box set aside for Guard members, her slender form clad in her usual black silks. Thessaly has her hands folded on her lap, her veiled face turned towards the ring. With Lululu Wait having entered just then, lashes lower over her eyes in thought, though she doesn't move.

It is Leo's remark that has her lifting her head, deep purple eyes falling on the commander when he remarks upon the Death Waitress' entrance.

She says nothing, as always, ever silent unless addressed directly. Her gaze returns to the ring where Garan is poised to make his own entrance - doubtlessly with a little less fanfare than the one that came before. As affable as Garan was, he wasn't a showman, nor did he care much for flamboyant displays of anything. It was one of the reasons why he preferred ranging; even back in Lunar, court in Rolance had been stifling to him.

If she was nervous, or worried about the Imperial Knight, she doesn't show it - her veil makes it impossible to see the look on her face. 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

There was probably an attempt to make Garan Dantear do a big, showy entrance to match with the one by the currently undefeated Lunata Croze, the odds-on favourite to win the tournament. A hard sell by the people responsible for making sure that the Lacour Tournament of Arms was the biggest and most impressive tournament, of arms or otherwise, the universe had ever seen.

And with a friendly smile and an affable tone in his voice, the Imperial Knight of Rolance had assured the staff that it was never, ever going to happen, managing to leave at least one of them deeply terrified despite the red-haired knight's genial manner.

He just gets that way sometimes.

Besides, wasn't this plenty? A rematch between a literal knight in actual shining armor and the 'Death Waitress'? The white enamel and silver chasing of his plate positively gleamed, his sword and shield similarly polished to a high shine, though in the end it was the same garb and gear as he wore during their last bout.

"I thought it was all very intimidating," Garan offers to his opponent, as he stands on the more brightly-lit side of the arena, the reflection of the light off of his steel making luminescent motes dance in the air. "Especially the part about the milk and eggs. Perhaps you should give up the whole 'Lord of Darkness' thing, and stick with cakes. Kill them with kindness, as they say... Make sure all your enemies get fat." 

<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.

Malfi winds her way into the stands, clutching her ubiquitous cup of coffee and a bag of pastries. Unfortunately, most of the seats are taken, so she's consigned to a spot in the upper tiers. It's so very fortunate she has good vision so she'll be able to watch the match! Time to learn more about the Filgaians' fighting styles! Wait, is that tiny slip of a girl down there really a finalist? She doesn't look like a warrior at all! 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Leo can't help but smile, just a little, at Garan's idea.

It becomes a little less funny when he remembers every meeting with Borgan, ever. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Talise isn't too far from Tipheria. "They hype things up a lot. It's sort of stupid," she observes to the antlered woman, leaning over the empty seat next to her so that Tipheria can hear her a little better.

Then she pauses for a second, shrugs, and just takes the seat. She flops into it and crosses one leg over the other.

"She's not actually a Lord of Calamity or anything. I don't think so, anyway. Besides... if I don't root for her, I've got to root for the Guard." Talise crinkles her nose and takes a quick swig of her beer before tossing out, "I'd rather take poison than root for the damn Guard."

That said, Garan's simple but impressive entrance makes it hard for Talise. Part of her wants to cheer for someone who looks more familiarly 'homey.'

The rest of her wants to see if she can find armour like that somewhere. Maybe someone in Filgaia still has some - a purveyor of ancient relics or something. 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata needs to air the crowd out -- though she appreciates everyone that was there to cheer her. She looks towards the CaraKin stand, for a moment pumping her hand towards Jacqueline and Shalune and -- and Big Shal, who's taken it upon herself to advertise. Of course. She watches Ethius leave, but... she perhaps just thinks that he has to go to the bathroom rather urgently or something. Some of the food they're selling here is downright nasty and more lethal than what Filgaia's fauna can offer.

She looks to Garan and-- nods slowly. "... I'm-- I'm not sure about the Lord of Darkness thing either. All I know is..."

Her eyes look ready, and she's stooped into that now-familiar iai stance of hers.

"I'm ready to learn more. I'll give it my all, Mister Garan!"

There's a palpable tension in the air, and then there's a cheer and an exclamation of readiness from the crowd, as both Garan and Lululu Wait's name get chanted in equal measure, the fans and spectators drawing their lines both readily.

She concentrates--

--and leaps back towards the throne, landing on the cushion as she draws her blade at the same time. As before, she creates a slice that seems to cut through empty air, darkness engulfing Garan and shadowing his pearl-white luminescent armor for a moment as a veritable wave of slashes emerge from out of nowhere at him. 

GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Garan Dantear with Papillon Reel!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.

<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.

"She doesn't look like one," Tipheria replies to Talise, without looking at her - she knows who that is by voice alone. And having her here is a little awkward, not that Talise would know that, or know why - and if she did know why, it would be even worse...

"Oh, I hear that," she says, with a laugh. "I'm not cheering for the Guard, either." Tipheria raises her voice, boisterous: "KICK HIS BUTT!" 

GS: Garan Dantear takes a solid hit from Lunata Croze's Papillon Reel for 84 hit points!
GS: Lunata Croze takes Cover! She gains 50 temporary hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Lily Keil remains in her seat with Leon Albus as the combatants begin to join in, and neither of them has the swill that Lacour calls beer with them as they watch. But as always, Lily is watching more than just what she's intending. That doesn't stop her from seeing these... dramatics. The throne, the speech.

She stares.

"...That girl..." Lily shakes her head. she says nothing else. Not until she sees Garan there, and then she sees... someone else she's been watching. Someone she's been watching carefully as best she can since Adlehyde, moving from a seat. "I'll be back," the Kislevi woman murmurs to Leon, stepping through her row and then hopping down the aisle to take up position after him, carefully at first with an eye to who is noticing. But the answer is probably few; they're all busy, after all. There are guards not doing their jobs, and guards that there are.

Lily slips past guards looking over a railing too, leaps down to land a bit behind Ethius as he goes. As she rises, she lifts a cloth mask up over the lower part of her face, over her nose, obscuring her identity to most.

She runs after, waiting for him to stop. Or not.

The fight is starting by now; she can hear it. 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"Ehehe... there, there," the pink-haired mechanic pats the poor fatigued alchemist on the shoulders, good-natured as always even if her second-hand embarrassment for Lunata's sake is managing to dent even her reserves of sunlight and sparkles. "I mean, Lunie's not gonna let it get to her, right?"

Speaking of which, the match suddenly starts, and Shalune spends no time at all hopping up to her feet as she pumps her fists, wanting to get a better view. "Wah, and look at them go!-- it kinda feels like they're both more on board with this fight, doncha think?" she wonders out of the blue, perhaps picking up on the slightly lighter air between the two competitors - and then perking up. "Oh, oh, maybe it's like when they've fought out all their feelings and now they're great friends? ... um~m... but then we'd have to vet him to make sure he's really okay..."

Behind her, Big Shal punches the air - thankfully, nice and slowly, since the golem appears to be vaguely cognizant of what happens to golems who act out too heavily in public - even if Ethius is currently racing off elsewhere. 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

Gwen is there, but barely. Having managed to get some fried bread, a baked pretzel, a fresh lemonade, and fresh donuts. she settles down into her seat and begins the slow process of savoring them. As opposed to savior.

Watching the waitress being forced to take a part in such theatrics causes the courier to briefly lose her appetite. ".... nnn... Lunata, why'd you let them do that to you...? Y'gotta make these sorts of things all about who you are." Gwen then makes a promise to herself: if there's ever a tournament that she ever decides to jump in on, and if, by a slimmer chance, she ever got this far, that will *not* be the way she enters. She sighs, her shoulders slumping. "Well, maybe she'll get some neat loot from this."

As Garan enters with his much more straightforward approach, Gwen begins to gnaw on her donut, looking down below, in the box reserved for guards, to see if that peculiar woman will be there. She is, along with- ah. White Knight Leo. Gwen chews on her donut thoughtfully.

Then sighs. "Man, I wish I could pull off a get-up like that...." Freckles and black just don't pair off well. 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

Gwen is there, but barely. Having managed to get some fried bread, a baked pretzel, a fresh lemonade, and fresh donuts. she settles down into her seat and begins the slow process of savoring them. As opposed to savior.

Watching the waitress being forced to take a part in such theatrics causes the courier to briefly lose her appetite. ".... nnn... Lunata, why'd you let them do that to you...? Y'gotta make these sorts of things all about who you are." Gwen then makes a promise to herself: if there's ever a tournament that she ever decides to jump in on, and if, by a slimmer chance, she ever got this far, that will *not* be the way she enters. She sighs, her shoulders slumping. "Well, maybe she'll get some neat loot from this."

As Garan enters with his much more straightforward approach, Gwen begins to gnaw on her donut, looking down below, in the box reserved for guards, to see if that peculiar woman will be there. She is, along with- ah. White Knight Leo. Gwen chews on her donut thoughtfully, looking back to Thessaly.

Then sighs. "Man, I wish I could pull off a get-up like that...." Freckles and black just don't pair off well. 

<Pose Tracker> June Lim Ze has posed.

"You sound like you've already given up," June says to Ida, with a small grin.

Then she says, "Hey, though, have you been watching most of these matches?" 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Trust me, Tipheria: Talise has absolutely no idea. None.

As far as she knows, nothing's wrong. She just shifts in her chair so that she can drape one leg over the arm of it and into the empty seat beside of her, crossing the other with it in a somewhat crunched but ultimately comfortable position. "See, you've got the right idea," she says with a beer-stein salute for the antlered woman, grinning.

As Lunata strikes out, Talise presses her lips together and sits up a little straighter. "I'm never going to get used to seeing her do that," she mutters.

Her mind, meanwhile goes (LUNIE WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU YOU'VE TURNED INTO A DELINQUENT *sob sob*) 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline glances toward Ethius as he takes his leave. She doesn't know why. She imagines he has a reason - he typically did, even though she couldn't always figure out what that reason was. He was an engimatic fellow, Ethius Hesiod, but as long as he didn't get the group in trouble she didn't mind all too much what he did.

She glances toward Shalune as she pats her on the shoulder and offers a smile.

"I know she wouldn't. I'm...moreso worried about how it reflects on us." She replies. Her eyes do trail upwards slightly toward Big Shal's sign, her lips curling upward into a small smile. When Shalune mentions the knight, Jacqueline turns her attention back to the fight.

It had been close last time, frighteningly so...could Lunata pull out a win again?

"You have a point...we may have to give him a little interrogation afterward, depending on what happens..." She comments with a smirk.

Admittedly, she was a little worried about getting too close to the Guard. What would happen if they found out about Kourin? 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

There was a point in the tournament - really, before his first battle with Lunata - where Garan Dantear's defenses had seemed all but insurmountable. But as his rematch with Alisha had proven, this was far from the case, there were definitely ways to get around the knight's impressive guard... And here, Lunata shows that her speed makes for a strong challenge against it.

The red-haired man is simply unable to get his shield in the way of all of those phantom cuts, and while each individually might not seem like that much, as a whole it still makes for an impressive barrage of hits. A shallow gash opens up along one of the knight's cheekbones, drawing out a slow fan of red against his skin; first blood, quite literally, goes to the waitress.

"Good," Dantear says. "Whatever happens, Miss Croze... Let's both of us come out of this fight with no regrets!"

The knight charges, suddenly, leading with his shield to protect himself from whatver else Lunata might have up her sleeve (and she has a variety of things up her sleeve, he's well aware) twisting when he gets close enough, his right foot stepping forward as he thrusts his sword past his shield; the blade twists as he tries to stab Lunata, to give the girl something else to worry about, before she can really get going with her ghostly protections. 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

June has a point. Ida sort of feels like this is the sort of streak that could come crashing down ingloriously mere inches from the finish line. "I do hope she can take it home," Ida says. "Granas knows she's been through a lot lately." Ida pauses a beat, drinks more of her heal berry quinine tonic thing, and shakes her head. "Some? I admit I hadn't been able to catch all the ones I would've liked to." 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Lunata Croze with Strike Through!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Lunata Croze takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Strike Through for 55 hit points!
GS: Disease! Statuses applied to Lunata Croze!

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

In his single-minded drive to find... whatever it is... Ethius misses the sounds of footsteps behind him. The circumstances could not be more favorable. Two guards at the three-guard-slack-rail stomp a foot into the ground in cheers as Lululu makes the opening play, masking Lily's landing in its entirety. She's going to take a little while to chase him.

Ethius unwittingly leads Lily deeper into the bowels of the Coliseum. Past the lockers, past an office, going... deeper. Darker.

Ethius turns his head sharply to his left. has Lily been spotted?!

"YOU!" Someone calls, with heavy metal footsteps. Grondo Rawlos, the guy who was eliminated from the tournament because Ethius kept running away from him until the armor he wore tired him out. "You little cowardly worm! *I* was favored to win the Tournament! The strongest arm in all of Lacour! Me! I finally caught you out of sight. I'll make you pay f-- FWAAAAAAAAH?!"

Ethius stretches out his hand at the end of a quick Symbological spell. Scorching heat. Heat that threatens to fuse Grondo's armor together, threatening to trap him in a dehydrated state... but Ethius pulls back from turning up the heat further.

Jacqueline told him not to kill any more unless it was life and death.

He supposes, given the circumstances, he wouldn't complicate this much for her, as Grondo writhes and gasps.

It gets noisy again up above, as Garan makes a stabbing play for Lunata's hide.

That's when he sees her reflection in the light. Ethius' head turns anew. 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"Aw~w, c'mon. No-one's gonna think this is actually real, right? With everythin' Blastimol's been doing this tournament, they're gonna think it's just weird pyrotechnics for show, right? And after half the stuff they've pulled out for exhibition matches, no-one's gonna think this whole Dark Lord stuff's for real," Shalune offers back to Jay with a bright sort of smile and a shrug of one shoulder.

It might even be sound reasoning, if your name isn't Leo.

"But y'know-- it does feel better than last match, doesn't it? I mean, Lunie seems a bit more settled, and Mr. Dantear seems--..." she pauses, and scratches at her cheek for a few moments as she considers the word. "...--satisfied?"

As ever, even in the heat of day, Shalune is a big ol' pile of coats and sweaters; she rummages around in one pocket, extracting a wrapped roll of little boiled sweets to toss one into her mouth, then hand the bag in Jay's direction. "Ah, um-- just kinda pass it on to whoever's next along, okay? I ain't fussed." 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong is watching this battle. Or at least he was. He sees Lily stepping away from the battle to drop down past some guards and get all sneaky. What the! That's weird. Is she looking for a bathroom? That's not the way to the bathroom, Fei reminds himself. No, she's not after the bathroom.

He starts following. There are guards that aren't doing their jobs, after all. He starts to slink past the very same guards that Lily just snuck by and--

--CRUNCH--

Fei steps on a popcorn kernel. Somehow it echoes loudly enough and the guards turn and spot him.

"Hey!" He says. "What are you doing!?" The first guard says.

"Get back to your seat! Or we'll throw you out!"

They move forward and promptly form an impenetrable NPC barrier. Fei tries to walk through them but--nope--it's impossible.

"...Lily, I know you know what you're doing..." Fei murmurs to himself. "But I hope you really know what you're doing..."

He makes his way back to his seat. 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata's breathing seems more -- regulated now, more calm. Ge Ramda isn't even yet out, and she seems able to stand on her own right now. The knight bursts past with a particular sense of speed and sureness that she still can't hope to match -- but she's learnt a thing or two, and it's with deftness that she leaps once more.

Garan feels his blade nicking against flesh, but only for a moment -- the blade thrusts through and shatters the throne's backrest into pieces of cheap cardboard and plywood, as the techie behind it 'eeks!' and immediately makes a break for it. So much for the showmanship.

Lunata, meanwhile, lands on the other end with a faint wince as she wobbles on her leg -- that wound will continue to bother her, and she knows this much. But she can't let it slow her down.

She can feel the intensifying grip of the Key upon her already. She stoops towards a stance as she continues this keep-away game, keeping Shalune and Jacqueline's advice both in mind.

"The harmoniums of Yomotsu sound, and toll the ancient bell!

Dare ye perchance to dream, and awaken yonder!

Blossom forth, old eyes, the heralding of spring!

Spirit Arte -- Cherry Ronde!"

She carves her blade in the air again -- and several deft slashes erupt from out of nowhere, forming the crest of the cherry blossom around the space she expects Garan to cross. 

GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Garan Dantear with Cherry Ronde!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear critically Guards a hit from Lunata Croze's Cherry Ronde for 25 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Lucia has posed.

Lucia's shoulder is uniquely well-suited to burying. There's all that red fabric there, and a fair amount of blue hair too -- all in all she makes for a good hankerchief. Gazing down at her companion, the woman, pitching her voice a little louder than usual to get through the crowd noise, wonders aloud -- "Whatever is the matter, Lemina?"

For her part, she's been quiet and thoughtful all day, as though she's seated in a library rather than a stadium. Her distance has narrowed some with the beginning of the fight, but does so much more sharply as Lunata's chant reaches her ears.

Lemina's her first concern, though.

"...do you worship one of the combatants as a false idol, then?" 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline still can't help but worry, of course. Lunata had relayed her own concerns about the possibility of ending up with a bounty on her, and that sort of display...certainly wasn't going to do her any favors in that regard.

...Or maybe it'd make them realize how ridiculous the notion was, and forget about the possibility.

That could happen, right?

...Right...?

Jacqueline offers Shalune a smile, but can't really come up with a response on that front.

"...Yeah, I see what you mean. The arena floor was pretty tense last time, but now...it's lightened up a little bit." She replies with a nod, then accepts the bag from Shalune.

"Oh, thanks!" She says, taking one for herself then passing it along to whoever wanted it next, as requested. 

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Fei's seat is, of course, next to Xantia's, what with the two of them hanging out an awful lot lately. None the wiser, the fiery-haired girl reacts to his quick reappearance, "That was fast! What's wrong, are the lines too long? You should've gotten snacks before things got started!" Because of course she would assume this is about food. "But that's okay, you can have some of mine!" If he dares to brave the contents of the dreaded... Mystery Bag.

Meanwhile, the match continues, and Xantia is having trouble following these fancy sword moves. "So fast... I guess you're gonna have to be really quick to counter that sword style, huh?" She may be taking mental notes for if she ever gets to fight Lunata. Which will surely happen if she has anything to say about it. Fighting strong opponents is something anybody would find fun, right? This whole tournament thing proves it! 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"Wh --" Lucia's completely ridiculous response snaps Lemina out of low-grade screaming into her shoulder. "No! It's -- it's an expression," Lemina answers hastily, visibly flustered by Lucia taking her completely seriously. She pulls away, straightens up, and opens her mouth to speak.

Nothing comes out to further her denial at first, because she's stuck in a loop of trying to find an explanation Lucia will understand, failing, and repeating.

Eventually, she explains, "It's an appeal to Althena for her sake, because losing track of her lines is embarrassing." There we go. Everything's okay here. We're all okay here now. How are you?

Straightening up, Lemina reaches to the seat to her side, and retrieves a massive stack of festival food. With a small, theatrical sigh, she asks Lucia, "... Breaded-and-fried donut?" before taking a bite of one of her own. 

<Pose Tracker> June Lim Ze has posed.

"I was just wondering," June says to Ida, "if you knew much about that... person who was using your shotguns."

Of course after this she has to lean forwards because June is invoking herself and slashing forwards with that blade. "I heard it always comes down to swordsmen," June says with a sigh. "It's kinda depressing, don't you think? Like why can't it be battle axes?" 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

The Imperial Knight's shield glows faintly as he keeps rushing down on Lunata, his intention to keep the pressure on the girl rather than giving her the space to do exactly what she likes. Defense alone wasn't going to win him the day - especially not given the power Lunata is capable of putting out - and the only thing left to do was to seize the rhythm of the battle.

The bright energy glittering over the surface of Garan's shield flares brighter still when Lunata's cuts from nowhere impact with it, his defense this time proving to be enough to largely protect him.

So naturally, he keeps going.

"You gave me some things to think about as well, Miss Croze," Dantear says. "I should really thank you for that. It's difficult to grow without facing new challenges..."

His longsword lashes out, Garan trying to use his larger size to give himself the advantage of reach as he cuts at the waitress, a diagonal stroke from low to high, letting the momentum of his slash mostly play out before following it up with a second, downward cut.

"I wonder what we'll both learn today!!" 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Lunata Croze with Blade Flourish!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Lunata Croze takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Blade Flourish for 62 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.

Tipheria Aredor, who has a bow with her right now (and no other visible weapons), agrees with the whole 'too many swordsmen' thing. Not that she'll say it. 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata's on the move even after her latest strike -- and she's already thinking about that shield again. It's remarkable, and she only wishes she could think like Garan does, having that shield be where it needs to be -- it must be as second nature to him.

She has to keep moving, yet she has to keep on the offensive as well. Even if that offensive may be stymied, she can't shy away -- he'll dominate her with his superior strength and skill in that case. He comes, and it's with more deft movement that she--

--unsheathes her sword.

It's a deliberate move, one that seems baffling to the iai style, yet it affords her her sheath. Metallic and enough to defend herself against the first strike, as sheath clashes against sword -- yet she's still nicked with that followup cut as she pivots once more in a flourishing motion to try to take advantage of the gap between his strike and when she perceives his next defense will be ready. Is there a gap there?

"Let not the mind be like Autumn's moon;

Remain as fresh and pure as a jade pond.

Where, then, has summer's rain gone?

Descend, oh blade of spirit...

Tres Flores!"

She strikes, with confidence. Trailing wakes of cherry blossoms shimmer and cascade with the howling wake of Orochi-Agito, in their exchange. 

GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Garan Dantear with Tres Flores!
GS: Lunata Croze has been weakened by Disease! They take 0 hit points of damage, and burn off their temporary hit points!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.
GS: CRITICAL! Garan Dantear guards a hit from Lunata Croze's Tres Flores for 123 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei sits himself back down. "Oh uh. I just saw Lily heading off, I was wondering what she was up to." He frowns, cupping his chin in deep thought. He glances towards the Mystery Bag.

FEI'S COURAGE: 1/5 - COWARD

"Sure," Fei says hesitantly. "I'll try one." He reaches down to take some and try it. Whatever the result of the Mystery Bag (as determined by Xantia) affects his reaction but the important part is that when he finally swallows he gives his fist a small pump into the air.

FEI HAS GAINED 2 COURAGE

But he remains a Coward. He needs more than that to advance the next rank. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Talise, who has a sword over her shoulder and a gun in her coat, doesn't agree with the sword thing at all.

The sword, after all, is a fine and noble art.

"I feel like I don't know her anymore," she murmurs as Lunata starts confidently dismantling a great big member of Althena's Guard like he's nothing. 

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

As she moves, Lily can hear the sounds of Lunata's movement. She can't hear all of it though; she assumes that Leon will fill her in on what happened, in as much detail as is necessary. She's interested in a diferent sort of game.

Fei is behind her enough that Lily doesn't spot him as she moves, though. Does she really know what she's doing? That remains to be seen.

Ethius, when he finally looks back at Lily, might see a reflection in turn in her golden eyes. But more to the point he'll see a woman in black, long pants tucked into sturdy, but soft-soled boots and a black top draping from her shoulders. Her hair is black, her skin is pale... and she's partially masked. The only weapon she carries is a wicked knife on a boot holster. But she does have a small satchel on her, beaten and worn.

And she's staring intently at Ethius, adopting a wide stance. Her hands are already up, palms open. "Run and I strike. You like to burn things, don't you?"

Black light collects in Lily's palms, purple crackling within. "Explain what you're after and you don't have to be hurt."

If he runs, he can expect two blasts that explode into gray and black and violet straight for him... or where he passes. Collateral damage isn't a problem. 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

"Swords have better market saturation, it appears," Ida says. "Though, quite frankly, I'm certain we'll see an increase in diversity if this year's rules remain."

There was another question there, and Ida is a moment in answering it. She finishes off the heal berry tonic, reaches into the little cooler at her feet, and pulls out the bottle the seltzer came from. "She's a friend of mine," Ida says. "She asked for my sponsorship." 

<Pose Tracker> Lucia has posed.

Lucia frowns. It isn't a wildly serious frown, but it is vaguely troubled. "Do you really think Althena would answer such a frivolous prayer?" After a heartbeat, she answers her own question. "I suppose people pray to gods for all kinds of reasons."

She chews on this. And on a breaded-and-fried donut. "This is sweet. I thought it would be salty." So far her experience with breaded-and-fried food has been largely savory. "What lies within it?" 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Shalune just gets no respect from Jacqueline. Or from Lunata. They even like Big Shal and the Little Dipper more than her. Harrumph. Harrumph!!

Ignoring this DIRE MALIGNANCE, Shalune jogs up and down on the heels of her feet as she watches the fight go on, occasionally pumping her fist into the air. "Go for it, Lunie! You can do it! You can do it~t!" she chimes, one cheek pushed out like a hamster in the way in which she popped several sweets into her mouth only to talk past them.

At least Jay's response does knock her out of her excitement just a little, only for the mechanic to grin brightly across. "Aww, don't worry. If anyone's gonna think she's evil or somethin' stupid from this, we'll just sit them down and feed them 'til they're stuffed. I mean, home cookin' is pretty much pure good, right, an' that's all Lunie." The way she says it, it almost sounds like evil viziers are incapable of opening an oven or something.

Maybe she's got a point?

"Ooh, she's tryin' to keep away, just like I said. I saw Mr. Dantear using his elbows and knees and all sorts of stuff last time. I mean, it kinda feels less knightly and more like a brawl that way, but I guess whatever works in a fight?" 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Somewhere else in the audience, Catenna watches the fight with a quiet interest, taking a few notes in a language not of this continent. If she's doing any rooting, she's keeping it nice and quiet.

--

Somewhere else yet in the audience, one of the competitors' seats is occupied by Fastred Furlong.

Fastred Furlong seems to have transformed into a girl in a newsboy hat and an excavator's outfit with a cigarette and may or may not really be Neriah Parringer. And the real Fastred Furlong may or may not be tied up in a basement somewhere.

Again.

"Jeez, Lunie's so good," Neriah-as-Fastred murmurs past her smoke, leaning forward with bright-eyed intent.

--

Talise, meanwhile, cups her chin in her palm. "I really should look into armour like that," she murmurs. "I mean, it'd be useless if I ever got back on a ship...."

...But for now she's stuck in Filgaia with no hope of returning to a pirate's life, she realizes, before snapping her attention back to the fight. 

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

"Oh. Huh." That's all the reaction Xantia has to the revelation regarding Lily, initially. But now she's kind of curious too, soon suggesting, "I could go fight the guards, if they're in the way!" Because that's always the answer, isn't it?

Fei is certainly brave to even reach into that bag, the mix of various textures within a test of courage on its own. It may be best not to question what they all are. It'd be easy to start imagining some outrageous things, like when kids at their home-made haunted house claim that the things you're touching in the dark are eyeballs or intestines.

The end result is probably not the worst thing that could've happened. The item Fei retrieves is only a beef croquette. It's just... strangely moist. Is that custard pudding it's covered with? It can't just be that, with that strange aftertaste that's literally fishy and and equally literally cheesy at the same time.

Xantia goes ahead and retrieves a pancake covered in noodles for herself, happily munching away. Her courage meter can't be read, because it has a huge crack in it. You don't need one of those, when you don't have enough sense to be afraid when you should be. 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

The power behind Lunata's attack, while not strictly speaking her own, is nevertheless impressive: Garan is able to get his shield up in time, even as the waitress lashes out after his own attack, but for all that his shield deflects the sharp edge of the blade, there's still what comes behind it, the powerful force and the phantasmagoric cherry blossoms. The latter really doesn't seem to do much but look pretty, but the former hits him despite the shield, hits him hard enough that it actually pushes the knight backwards, his heavily booted feet digging twin furrows in the arena floor.

"Heh," the red-haired knight chuckles, focused entirely on Lunata with fierce blue eyes and a wolfish smile on his face.

This isn't going well, he thinks to himself.

Not that he has any intention of quitting before he's beaten.

He steps in again, simply aiming to collide shield-first with the waitress, to leverage his greater mass and superior physical strength in a straightforward manner, hoping to put the smaller fighter off-balance long enough for the single follow-up cut to hit her cleanly. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Lunata Croze with Knight's Charge!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Lunata Croze takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Knight's Charge for 56 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Ethius stands tall as he looks the accosting woman in her eyes. His eyes, hazel, seem... empty, aside from the desire to take everything he sees within. The idea that very little that moves should escape his notice. Every geometric shape, every contour, every line of the person before him and the environs. If he is startled, if he is afraid... he hides it well. (He also cheats by hiding the lower half of his face under that yellow bandanna.)

Explain what you're after? That ends the negotiation right there.

"A precarious situation stands before us." Ethius says approps of nothing, as though he were in the company of a group as aggressive negotiations begin in earnest the only way they can.

Blood.

Ethius leaps to the side as the two blasts of darkness that erode the walls of the inner tunnels of the coliseum, Lunata draws her sword above to land a strong blow.

Above, it is a duel between a Priestess of Death, and an Imperial Knight of the Rolance Empire. Below, there are Knights of Fire who brandish metaphorical swords while surrounded by Dynamite.

No matter where you go in Lacour, the Stages of Death will see nothing less from those who would dare Stab the Swords of Justice.

Below, Ethius covers his head with his right hand as he is showered by the debris of eroded ancient supports, a loud creaking that could deafen as something falls over as trails of gray, black, and violet wash off of him - eroding and sapping his breath.

Something gnaws at his head, his soul. Something deep in him grows... excited? Angry? Mortified? He can't put a finger on it. Is it familiar, or not? It's both at the same time-- but he can scarce afford to dwell on it. He can make out Lily's movements by ear. She might have a foot in that nearby body of water...

"Surge Bolt!" Ethius calls with the tell of the tattoos on his body glowing bright for a moment, as he directs a bolt of electricity into the body of water a short ways off. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Shalune, please don't cheer with your mouth full..." Jacqueline murmurs quietly. It's not quite her scolding voice, though, so it might not be heard over the roaring crowds.

Still, Shalune's reassurance gets a smile out of Jacqueline.

"Maybe I am overthinking this." She replies. "If anyone's still unconvinced after that, then they were hopeless from the start."

A home-cooked meal from Lunata could soothe practically any troubled soul.

Her attention soon returns to the fight, and she nods in agreement.

"Yeah. Sir Dantear...I imagine he's seen his fair share of real fights. There's a time and a place for structured, knightly behavior, after all..." Jacqueline comments. "Sometimes, brawling like that is the answer."

It might be a surprise to hear something like that from Jacqueline. 

<Pose Tracker> June Lim Ze has posed.

"Mm," June says, about swords.

June shifts back in her seat as she says to Ida, a little dire in her tone, "Well, hopefully she happies up. She comes back next year and I'm getting mine back, you tell her that for me." Her eyes aren't going off the match, even as Garan goes for a shield charge - "Oh, hey, using his size against her... Is that going to work on the death waitress, though? I got my doubts." 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei grimaces and gets another point of GUTS to improve his courage with. He still is rank one though.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Fei shakes his head. "If we were to do that, we'd just get ourselves in trouble. I know we're leaving soon, but I don't really want to get Lunata in trouble. Folks know we're associated." He mulls. "Plus if she wins, that's a good thing, right?" She already beat this guy before! What are the odds he's gonna win this time? PRETTY LOW HE FIGURES.

"Lily can take care of herself. She's extremely reliable. I wish she had someone with her but sometimes you have to go it alone." 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

There is presence in the cherry blossoms that, while pretty, indeed does not do harm. Yet, it harkens to a time, perhaps, when Filgaia could be so rife with such flowers, nary but cast to the nether at this point in this dry and husked-out world's state.

That grin has not yet come to Lunata, though she appreciates the rhythm and excitement of battle. More than she really thought she would have, for all the protest she has given to her mother about how she was satisfied to stay back and be a waitress her whole life.

Perhaps the thriving competition of lunch service and the battlefield do have something in common.

There's a darting burst of action, and Lunata springs back with a kind of ready look that's intent upon her face-- and lets herself be collided upon, springing back when she lands just out of reach for Garan's sword to just be a hairsbreadth out of reach. That wasn't an accident -- that was deliberate.

And when she's risen, the flame is in her eyes again as a low and eerie howl starts to filter through the battlefield.

The spectral lich Ge Ramda emerges -- powerful, resplendent, translucent. There's a chill that seems to echo through the crowds, even though the vast majority of them are incapable of witnessing it -- through some sheer presence of coldness, heralding one's intimate connection to death, it stretches its claws out and rings a soft little bell.

A bell that soft harkens the power of life's protection, and the cold embrace of death -- as the ghostly protection once more rises abound her form, forming as an oscillating barrier would. 

GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Lunata Croze with Reviva!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.
GS: Lunata Croze heals Lunata Croze! She gains 200 temporary hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina blinks a few times before electing to simply let this rock. Explaining thousands of years of metaphor, less-than-serious appeals to the heavens, and basic human instincts is just too much work. Besides, her mouth is full! She chows down in earnest, before Lucia's question comes -- and when it does come, she answers brightly.

"It's cake! Well, like... fried cake. Inside breading and frying. It's mega-bad for you but sooooo delicious, and if you're doing magic all the time you need to eat like that anyway..." She purses her lips for a moment, before adding, "Have you really been in town for this much of the tournament and not gone crazy with the food?" 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Okay, something is definitely up. Ida's smile turns into a more sober look, and she nods. She's not sure what to say, if anything--there's definitely bad blood on one side of this match, and there may well be bad blood on the other. The subject change is welcome. "Who first coined that nickname, I wonder?" Ida says. "Was it the promoters? Everyone is selling merchandise with the name on it, now." The chill runs through the stadium, and Ida shivers, pulling her jacket tighter. She feels it in her bones, and in the wounds Lady Harken left.

"I can certainly see why."

MEANWHILE

Leo's eyes fix on Ge Ramda, in all its hideous spectral glory. He sits up a little straighter, observing the way that lich and sword-waitress seem to work in tandem. "Is the secret to her success having a spirit to stand beside her in each fight?" 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

The match goes to a nice start, and Gwen watches in earnest, finishing her donut and following it with a sip of her lemonade. Fishing a hand into her stash of treats, she fishes for another donut, but frowns when... Where is it? Damn it, did she eat it and forget about it? There's the cinnamon donut there, which would be fine, but the powdered sugar donut was the one she was hoping for!

Then she sees it, lying on the floor. Nnnnnn.

Reaching down to grab it with her right hand, she experiences a curious tingle. Enough to be overlooked usually- such things happened when any sort of electricity is involved nearby her, but, still. Bending down, She tries to lay her ear close to the sticky ground her, her eyes glancing with remorse over that innocent-looking powdered sugar donut. Oh, she knows that trick. Sure, it *looks* like it's perfectly fine, but she knows about germ theory.

But enough of that. What exactly is going on down there? Granted, it's not as if she can really get down there to check, with the guards about.

She looks at the donut, the chill of death flowing over her from the battle beyond.

"M-maybe if I slice off the parts that weren't touching the floor..." 

<Pose Tracker> Lucia has posed.

"I've been asleep," Lucia points out calmly. "And... food is not a major concern to me."

So stoic. So serious.

So stealing a second donut. That first one is demolished. 

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

"Aww," is Xantia's reaction to being told not to go with her plan of 1: Start punching guards, 2: ???, 3: Profit! That was the one idea she had! Well, other than just keep sitting here and watch the match, but who'd ever choose to do that about over actually participating in violence? Still, she doesn't actually argue with Fei, she only sighs and halfheartedly agrees with an "I guess so."

A few gasps from the crowd draws her attention back to the fight, where Lunata just... summoned a barrier of some kind. She frowns slightly. "That's it? I thought something really amazing just happened." She's not seeing the death spirit, is she.

GAME> K.K. looked at you. 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

The pink-haired mechanic takes Jacqueline's comment in stride. "M~mm... it's not very romantic, I guess, but then I guess now that I've been in a few fights I don't really see them as romantic either. They're more kind of-- panicked and rushed, y'know? So I guess, in the end, it all comes down to 'do whatever works', huh?"

She pauses, then folds her arms as she leans on the railing, frowning in curiosity. "I guess that all makes sense. I'm not about to get as good as Lunie, but I've been trainin' to try to get better, you know? Gotta pick up my pace if I wanna keep up, right?" she grins brightly; this seems to be her way of dealing with the match and whatever worry over Lunata is left from the build-up to the finals.

"Hmm. Maybe I outta go up on Big Shal for a better look?" she considers, as the golem leans forward to peer down at her with what could be curiosity, if you're the sort to believe in that sort of thing. 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

'Food is not a serious concern,' says Lucia shortly before putting an appreciable dent in Lemina's massive snack pile. Lemina gapes for a moment. "O -- oh," is all Lemina manages for a few moments. Eventually she develops the presence of mind to focus on the tournament match again.

"Wow, she's opening up a really big lead! Or -- starting to, anyway." Lemina frowns a bit, noting, "Then again, that's how it went for me against Garan at first, too..." It is not. Lemina is rewriting her personal history to assuage her massive, fragile ego. 

<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.

Malfi is watching the match intently. Do they call the girl "Waitress of Death" because she seems ready to deal it so readily, holding her own -- or even succeeding against -- a trained and lethal warrior? She does not see the lich. Malfi has all the resonance of a potato. Wait. Maybe the potato would actually have an advantage there... 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

There it is.

Garan had been wondering when the girl would bring out that apparition, letting it defend her with its powerful magical barrier. It would be difficult to get through at the best of times, and this already wasn't the best of times; with the advantage already clearly on the side of the lich-accompanied waitress, this is... A problem.

But not an insurmountable one, he hopes.

"Two against one again, Miss Croze?" Garan remarks, his tone amused, even a bit teasing. "I might almost feel like you were bullying me, now."

But of course, the knight doesn't flinch or back down. It would be ungallant, for one thing... And as he said before, they should neither of them have any regrets when the battle is over. That means they both need to go all out.

Wisps of white light dance along the Imperial Knight's longsword, glittering against the gleaming steel, as Garan takes a step forward and stabs... Not at Lunata herself, strictly speaking, but into the spectral form of Ge Ramda, actively trying to disrupt the presence using the elemental Light he wields from the Blessing. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Lunata Croze with Strike Through!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: CRITICAL! Lunata Croze takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Strike Through for 81 hit points!
GS: Disease! Statuses applied to Lunata Croze!

<Pose Tracker> Thessaly has posed.

The fell thing that Alisha Diphda had warned them about has Thessaly's eyes narrowing quietly from over her veil. Rising from her seat, she moves closer to the railing, a hand settling upon it. Lips press in a thin line, hidden from view. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Essentially." Jacqueline replies with a nod toward Shalune. It was a truth she'd learned firsthand from her time on the road. It was a good thing Shalune was learning that now than in the heat of battle.

She does, however, return her grin with a smile of her own.

"Just keep at it, Shalune. You'll start picking things up quickly once we get you out there and going on Digs. I found them to be quite helpful in getting my bearings in combat when I was first starting out." She replies.

She glances up when Shalune mentions getting on Big Shal.

"She probably would give you a better vantage point..." Jacqueline agrees with a nod. It'd mean she'd have to yell up at Shalune, but that was fine, too. 

<Pose Tracker> Lucia has posed.

"That doesn't look like a lead to me," Lucia disagrees softly, but she isn't looking at the relative buffness of the combatants, she's staring openly at the spirit by Lunata's side. "That's..."

She doesn't finish the sentence, electing instead to keep her cards to her chest and her mouth full of donut.

  • gulp*

Her mouth is surrounded by white sugar, at this point. 

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Height is something they both have; Lily isn't quite as tall as Ethius, though. She spots those eyes in any case, that observational quality, and it's true of her as well. But there's somethng past Lily's eyes, something stronger and more obvious to those who can detect it.

Malevolence, sick and roiling.

But her darkness may have little to do with that. Ethius mentions a situation, and Lily lifts an eyebrow. It could be precarious. But blood is fine with Lily Keil; blood is something she's been prepared for for a long time.

Lily's blasts handle stone as easily as water, and the former soldier is already in motion as they continue. She is not concerned with justice; she is concerned with something else, her foot tapping into water lightly. Suddenly...

The electricity surges through her, Lily's foot wrenching out of the water an instant later as she grits her teeth. "So you can do more than fire," she points out, and shoves a hand downward at the water until its surface turns completely into ice. "That's fine." She begins walking aross.

-=-=-

Another room back here there's been a terrible crashing largely unadible over the rush of noise from the crowds above, but Lily Keil is trapped beneath a stack of metal chairs and metal tables all folded, gradually growing hotter and hotter, already enough to make her sweat. "Hmph." Her gloved hand comes up to a burning-hot table and begins to glow black, before a column of darkness warps the stack before her, the stack over her legs, lets her shove the rest out of her way.

"You're only making it harder on yourself. Do you think you're the first difficult man I've interrogated?"

Still sweating, bleeding from a cut above her eyebrow, she starts stalking towards him with a fireball blazing in her hand.

Above, Garan goes for Lunata's ally(?), his light working a the same time as Lily's darkness. But Lily is still moving. 

<Pose Tracker> June Lim Ze has posed.

Ida is answered after a few moments. "I don't know," June says to her. "But there's always people who do things like that. I'm kind of surprised they stitched it - usually it's just dye or crap they write on shirts or headbands. Or did you never go to the stuff down near the river, Miss Everstead-Rey?" 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei gives Xantia a one armed hug to reassure her that ... uh ... eventually they will do violence probably? He doesn't have exactly a plan for it really but with his life, it seems like an easy promise to make even if he's not going to say it out loud because that's kind of fucked up to promise.

He looks uneasy as Lunata summons a freakin' lich again. Yes, he's used to it, no, it doesn't really help just yet. "That barrier makes her real hard to fight." Fei says. "But Garan's seen it before, he might have a way to punch past it now. Or, uh, you know--"

He glances away. "--not?" 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

The sight of Ge Ramda, to those with the Resonance to, is quite the presence indeed.

Looming high over Lunata, and yet inextricably linked to her as it emerges from her back, the lich is quite clearly a rotted creature of both spectral bits of flesh and bare bone turned yellow over time... yet with its ancient regalia and resplendent bridal kimono, it possesses a certain kind of-- forlorn beauty as well. In some part.

"It may seem unfair... but..."

She steps back and squares against the knight once more, keeping her sword sheathed and focused on her footwork as Ge Ramda throws its arm forward -- and flinches back with a sudden look of realisation as Garan channels the Light. It is not necessarily a creature of darkness, yet appalled and bothered by the elemental presence nonetheless, letting out a little screech as it jerks back and leaves Lunata a little more open than she'd like. It trembles, looking much less poised than before.

It was time to take this a step further.

"Ge Ramda and I are one. And if I cannot learn to live and embrace her, then I shall never be able to escape this destiny."

The crowd is chanting for something big -- Xantia was disappointed nothing spectacular was happening. She shall have it.

Garan is intimately familiar with this now -- the beating of a sudden taiko drum, accompanied by the eerie first three notes of an invisible, inexorable shakuhachi flute player. The crowd's cheer seems to die out with it, as if they are in step, in queue, entranced.

The air pulsates and changes with the thrush of energy starting to build throughout the entire arena -- an eerie blue spectre alights with the character for 'Snow', for the harsh and wintry chill of nature that takes us all is akin to the palm of a Reaper that sees fit to take where it has once sown. A frigid, harsh land where all warmth is supped 'pon, til entropy takes its course.

Though its scent lingers everlong

The form of a flower shall inevitably fade away...

The banging of the wooden drum reaches a crescendo. A male voice enunciates lowly, voice rich and filled with reverb, 'Iyooooooooo-h!'

For whom shall the glory of this world

remain unspoiled and unchanged?

An enigmatic yellow spectre alights at Lunata's side, with the character for 'Moon' -- forlorn and distant is the beauty of Lunar here in Filgaia, looming high in the sky, imploring us to ever higher reaches. Yet it masks a fundamental truth that creatures of day so often forget.

Arrive ye today at the yonder side

Of a mountain evanescent in existence...

An eerie floral spectre alights with the character for 'Blossom', for the reblooming of spring that shall shine beautifully, the evident power of life once more repeating the cycle...

Lunata's very blade is readied at its sheath, emanating with the heralding powers of seasons come, and seasons go, as providenced by the passing of the moon. Dancing ribbons of mystical flame lick at her arms, as Ge Ramda stoops to adjoin her pose. It is as if lich and sword-waitress has become one, placing their very fate on the draw of Orochi-Agito.

Her eyes close.

"Alight past earthly desires we soar, our vigil ever true...

By this sword of mine that shall pierce the realm of Avidya!

Between this very essence of perception and non-perception!

True Spirit Arte!"

An eradicating slash looms over the entire battlefield as she draws, barely controlled swirls of artful energies awash as she draws her blade out -- a lashing blade of pure spectral energy thrashing wildly and smashing arena floor and ribbing harsh against the arena barrier for a moment, leaving cracks in its wake.

"Midare... Setsugekkaaaa--!!" 

GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Garan Dantear with Midare Setsugekka!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear critically Guards a hit from Lunata Croze's Midare Setsugekka for 37 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Thessaly has posed.

As she stands at the rail, the sudden spike of Malevolence has her jerking her head sideways to stare at a distant point somewhere else in the coliseum. For a moment, Lunata and Garan's fight is forgotten - she tastes the sickness of it in the air, extending deep into...

...the earth...?

Right underneath where the Death Waitress and her knight are fighting.

A trap?

Adrenaline spikes hotly in her bloodstream as she suddenly turns, abandoning her compatriots at the Guard Booth in order to descend quickly down the stairs in slippered feet. Black silk moves around her like shadows come alive as she makes a quick descent, until finally getting tired of everyone and everything else in her way.

She suddenly twists sideways, vaulting over the rail and free-falling the rest of the way down below. It would have been a bone-crushing fall, but sorcery does its work, slowing her until slippered feet lightly touch the ground.

Brushing at her skirt with an almost dismissive swipe, she turns to head further into underbellies of the coliseum. She knows what it is she felt.

What she doesn't know, however, is why the hell it's emanating from underneath where her knight is fighting, and if it is dangerous to his bout, she would rather be in position than not. 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"... Hmmm, well -- okay! I trust your judgment," Lemina replies to Lucia, giving her a nod even as she focuses on the fight. "... Man, though, Garan's guard is just mega-out of control. It's too bad he's like every Guardsman." A pause. "A big, stuffy jerk."

Her nose scrunches up and she sprawls across her seat a little. "Uuugughhhh I wish the Guard hadn't been all over top eight..." 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Any plan to get atop Big Shal's hand is quickly forgotten when the lich appears from Lunata's back, accompanied by the swirl of cherry blossoms and the stilling of the air around the arena. Were Shalune a more superstitious sort, she might wonder at the way the phenomenon is becoming something she's almost used to, and can take a sort of comfort in - but at the same time, they've run the gamut of discussions over Ge Ramda's nature.

The short version is that Ge Ramda might be dangerous - might lead Lunata to an risky, premature fate - but at the same time the lich has protected her, and helped her come this far this quickly. When it comes down to it, even if she's biting at her lip in a mild consternation, the mechanic has chosen to trust both of them.

"Wah... okay, here we go..." she mutters to herself, focusing on the fight as if she could learn more from it, as if she weren't kind of incompatible with the pair's moves. Or perhaps she's watching Garan more, and the way the knight seeks to respond to its attack. Either way, she's clearly a fan. 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

"Ah, no," Ida says. She suddenly feels acutely aware of her social standing in a way that seems... uncomfortable. Like she's missed out on something, and marked herself as an outsider in doing so. "I can't say I have. What sorts of things--merchandise?" It's a bit difficult to focus on that, though, when Lunata is pulling out all the stops, to ceremonial musical accompaniment, no less. Her mouth forms a little 'o'

Thessaly stands up, and Leo turns to look at her. He practically has to tear his gaze away from the fight, but there is no mistaking the alarm in his robed agent's posture. If that weren't enough of a clue, the way she just bolts off is even more alarming. "Guardswoman?" Leo says. He rises from his seat and hurries after her, blocking the view of paying customers in his haste. About halfway to her, he senses it. That familiar, horrible, cloying sickness. Malevolence--here? 

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Cecilia Adlehyde was recently near-kidnapped by men who slipped relatively easily into town and are adept at various Criminality subskills like broad-daylight abduction. She has, within the last day or so, had two different discussions about how she should be going around with friends and/or straight-up bodyguards right now. Clearly she would be nowhere near here.

Unrelatedly, a young blonde woman with blue travelers' clothes stumbles into the arena through the press of the presumably-by-now-enormous crowd. In one arm she has cradled a big bucket full of various stadium snacks; in the other, she has a full paper tray of takoyaki because we are at least that anime.

....it's possible the event itself is of only median interest to her. She cranes around for a seat, picks out a face she hasn't spoken to in a while and one who she...probably should speak to at some point, anyway, and somehow Imperial Privilege lets her seat herself nearer to Lemina and Lucia. "Heeeey!" she cheers. "How's fighting? I was, uhm," .... looks at her haul. "...fighting my own battles. Yeah." 

<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.

The fight itself was decent, but the spike of malevolence is something that draws Agatha's attention. She leans forward, keeping one hand on her oversized, floppy hat to ensure it doesn't fall off as she tries to pick out what, exactly is going on.

Nothing obvious, and it didn't appear directly related to the fight. She could find out more, but it would mean releasing more of her powers, which could be...

...well, she didn't think it would be a huge problem, picking her in particular out of this crowd would not be easy. And so she very gently releases the restraints she has hedged about her 'self', a faint trickle of malevolence being added to what is swirling around the arena right now.

And then she smiles. "Oh Lily, what trouble are you getting up to this time?" the disguised witch asks. She quests about, seeing if she can find a place to insert a watcher so she can voyeur more directly. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

"Something feels really off," Talise murmurs from out of nowhere, her focus broken by something she can't quite place. There's a tightening in her chest and a nagging feeling at the back of her mind. On the surface, she has no ability to use magic; she does, however, have the Blessing of Althena just like any other Lunarian.

It's a feeling she finds familiar, roiling in the air - but one she can't quite put her finger on. It isn't Lunata. She's felt Lunata.

Narrowing her eyes, Talise slides her legs down from the arm of her seat. She adjusts her coat and begins to come to her seat.

"Hey, siddown!" someone behind her shouts. Talise winces and crouches, glancing back over her shoulder.

She doesn't quite lose that air of tension - and it seems to pass after a minute. As if something had just ran under her carpet and disappeared. But something's still faintly nagging at her. 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

The attack is fast, and powerful.

Even with the leadup, the admittedly very impressive theatrics, it's difficult to see, difficult to respond to... But after their earlier bout, Garan Dantear would expect nothing less from Lunata.

Rather than the shield, it's the sword that the Imperial Knight of Rolance uses to defend himself against this massive attack, swinging his gleaming blade of steel and actually parrying the blade of spectral energy, cleaving through it so that the waves of power continue on past the knight to either side of him, only eddies of the backwash of Lunata's borrowed power tugging at him.

"It may surprise you to learn, Miss Croze... But I understand what you mean better than it might seem." He can feel the pull of it, through the brand on the back of his right hand, the markings that spread from it along his swordarm. Through the eldritch connection that binds him to the witch Thessaly, that makes him her warden, and she his prisoner.

Something he must learn to live with, at least until he can figure out a way to cure the woman of her curse. He owes her that, at least. That, and much more besides.

Distantly, he's aware of something else - something wrong, but his focus now is on the battle in front of him. Anything less would be a guarantee of loss. Anything less would be a grave insult not only to Lunata, but to the other people he's fought on the path to the finals.

The knight in white and red charges again, lunging at Lunata... And throwing his shield ahead of him, simply lobbing it one-handed rather than keeping it in a defensive posture. It's a distraction, really. A feint.

But it would still hurt if it hit.

In close, Garan's true intention is to bring his longsword to bear against the waitress again, slashing again and again with the gleaming blade, wisps of light like pure white fire clinging to it still as he strives against the spectral defenses that protect Lunata as much as anything else. Ducking low, he twists around to bring his sword horizontally across the girl's belly, before letting his momentum turn him around, springing upwards and slashing downwards, adding the momentum of his leap to the power of the cut.

"GRAAAAAH-!!" 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Lunata Croze with Breaking the Unbreakable!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Lunata Croze takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Breaking the Unbreakable for 138 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Thessaly has posed.

"Forgive me, commander," she murmurs once Leo is within earshot. But for how quickly she has moved, the way she walks is not too hurried, but rather marked with the brisk, businesslike strides of a woman with someplace to be.

Though she doesn't really step, so much as glide; black liquid caressing the ground.

"Normally I would not have acted without orders but I am afraid the source of it is ill-positioned. It is emanating from directly underneath the ring and my primary directive is to protect my lord Dantear."

The doors ahead of her move as if by silent command, banging open as she sweeps through, head held high and her deep violet stare focused forward, the intensity of her hidden expression making them burn within the surrounding shadows. 

<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

Arleph leans forward at this new development, frowning deeply as he pop another kernel of popcorn into his mouth. This is the sort of magic -- nay, technique -- that ought to be observed much more closely. Something do feel off by all this. Something is running down his spine, a dread feeling that something will happen.

It reminds him of Ethius. Why did he throw the fight with him like he did at the begining of the tournament? Is he planning something? The Symbologist close up the bag, shoving the remains into his coat as he starts steping off the stands he's been seated in. He need to keep a good look at the wards on this thing... Or something similar. 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Leo's eyes widen. "Sabotage?" he says, his voice a low hiss. He glances back out at Lunata, but no, he still can't see anything but that horrible spectre of death. In a rare moment of reflection, Leo wonders how strange it is that the spectre of death is the less openly-threatening element here. "You're not going in there alone."

And then it's down into the depths of the stadium. Hopefully this is either nothing, or something Leo can deal with by stabbing it a lot. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline? Well, Jacqueline's still concerned. She can't quite bring herself to trust Ge Ramda fully, but she can at least respect what she's done. It could almost be sad that being concerned is practically her job as leader. Perhaps she should be more concerned about Ethius as well, considering his current situation.

However, he is far from her mind right now. Right now, her attention was fully on the fight and the people in her immediate vicinity. Any trouble in - or below - the stands goes unnoticed by her.

Garan Dantear...an intimidating foe. He wasn't one she'd want to have to face herself.

"Come on, Lunata...you can do this." Jacqueline urges quietly. 

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Yay, future violence! Xantia smiles at the unspoken reassurance. Honestly, she has a talent for landing herself into situations where most would agree that violence is the proper response anyway. It's doubtful that she'll notice any difference in that regard by being in Fei's proximity.

She nods at the explanation, admitting, "Barriers do make it pretty hard to keep punching the way you like." She's noticed that much during the tournament. Not that her 'solution' to this is any surprise. "But you can still get through, you just have to punch harder!"

It's easier to understand than the rest of the things going on in the arena right now, seeing Garan just sort of slicing at the air. "What's he doing? That wasn't even close!" At least she can see Lunata's response, which... is probably some kind of fancy magical, musical sword technique. The end result is certainly impressive, both the attack and the response to it, but all Xantia can really say about any of this is a baffled, "I have no idea what just happened." 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

-=-=-

Hissing fills the ears of those who dare trespass in the tunnels of the coliseum underneath where the final contest continues in earnest. Ruptured piping rapidly introduces manipulatable moisture throughout - more material for Lily to work with. More tools for her ongoing interrogation.

Ethius' bandanna has been pulled off of his face in one of the recent exchanges. Blood trickles down the side of his mouth, painting white stubble on his chin crimson. With more of his face visible, it's... sort of like a mask hasn't been pulled off at all. His expression is unchanging outside of the minimum muscular movements mandated for those automatic processes of living, breathing human beings.

A hand goes to his forehead as the rogue Ether user fills the air with a cutting, slicing mist that stabs at the skin, prompting him to shut his outer eye. The one under his hand is safer.

The Malevolence gnaws. It knows he's aware. It tickles at a psychology so... trained. Now, he can't help but see it - and largely it - over the wide spectrum of spiritual sight.

Behind him, in the far distance that shall always be at the back of his perception, the swirling lights of soft colors and inviting warmth. Ahead of him, to his perception - to whatever has conditioned him so - a series of shapes interlocked over one another made of a color that does not belong. Under a phantom sensation, a ground stretching forevermore decorated in ash with only protrusions of yellowed ivory without pattern jutting out from underneath.

Physically, he's still in the tunnel. Mentally and spiritually... he seems as though he's fighting several impossible battles in that fantastical, imagined landscape.

Lily Keil is implacable. Unstoppable.

Ethius' posture slumps as the mist stabs through his clothes. They are painted a darker hue of red for every new wound.

A cursory, quick cast of a trivial heat Symbological spell makes the air grow heavier - as if to dare choke him. He has two choices. Death by a thousand misty needles, or drown under the weighty evaporating mist. Either would rob him of breath... eventually.

Ethius doesn't hesitate. His chant recovers mid-grunt of pain to re-align and finish casting the spell that would bring further melting heat, washing out breathable air - he could only gasp one more word before he had to take in all the air left to him.

"Overheat!" He all but dares himself to asphyxiate as he swaps seamlessly to a two-handed grip of his quarterstaff, expertly balancing form with decisive, careful movement to make most of what air he has stored in his lungs to take on Lily with a four-part quarterstaff-into-roundhouse kick combo.

Lily Keil is implacable, and seems in part unstoppable.

Ethius Hesiod holds onto his duty above all, except...

...

What is his duty?

Nonetheless it is akin to a moment far above, as the Imperial Knight of the Rolance Empire stands stalwart against the slicing wave of spectral energy that Lululu Wait has brought to muster, to dare try and break through the unbreakable - so, too, does Ethius take up that challenge. 

<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.

The Guards are proceeding to the source of whatever the trouble is, but they are not alone. A mouse skitters along behind them, keeping close to the wall but moving along behind the Beastman and mysterious robed woman at a decent clip. There isn't much of note about the tiny rodent except for the fact that it is jet black, with only a faint touch of grey on its feet and nose.

And the faintly glowing red eyes, of course.

Agatha leans back in the stands, watching Leo and Thessaly's progress. They're clearly trying to find whatever is the matter, and whatever happens...

...well, Agatha will be interested to see just what is going on, and if she can spin it to her advantage. 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

The match is coming to its furor, its climactic and inevitable conclusion.

This was the kind of spectacle that the martially minded citizens of Lacour no doubt came to see, and from further out as well. The splendour of those that have dedicated themselves to the artes -- no matter how they came here... it is at this moment that they must put everything that is them on the line. And Garan-- in that moment--

--finds purchase in his bold and, some would say, foolish moment. For where there is naught but energy, there is still mass and momentum -- and it is that deflection that finds him spared from the waves of power that no doubt would conflagrate and consume the lesser. He is no lesser.

He is the Imperial Knight of Rolance.

"R-really?" There's wide eyes from Lunata -- but it doesn't seem to be from having her technique be parried; no, she's glanced somewhere towards -- below? -- the stands. That presence of Malevolence, here? Was it Miss Lily, was it something else? She seems to have picked up that Garan sensed it too. But his focus in on battle, and she can't spare a moment to be distracted.

Lunata-- jukes, and darts underneath the shield. It may be what Garan's come to expect, and what he's expecting now. Lunata liked to go low, and it adopts well to the transitionary stance where she can pivot and perform one of her many iaijutsu strikes.

She pays for that, and is read.

The longsword comes in fierce against her -- for a moment it could be the clincher, the deciding factor. But it doesn't quite finish her, not in part because Ge Ramda has, with both of its hands, clenched onto the blade before it can drive much further into the waitress. Still, the momentum, willopower and flame casting it abound, drives the blade forward, and it's with a yelp of pain that he drives her backward with that tremendous roar and blasts her back, where she crashes against the other side of the arena wall.

There's an awed 'ooh!' from the crowd.

Yet there's no silence, no room to breathe -- because out of the dustcloud, Lunata's sprung back with a familiar emanation of light from her own blade.

"Divine effulgence, draw forth the essence of this blade...r Let prayer and worship alike be ensconced in warmth!

Engrave this emotion into thy very heart!

Spirit Arte -- Rosario... Impaaale!"

There's no splitting into five, no leaps -- Lunata is taking a lesson from Garan to simply be true to the art of the strike, charging forth into a powerful and explosive blasting thrust that further ruins an already ruined arena. 

GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Garan Dantear with Rosario Impale!
GS: Lunata Croze has been weakened by Disease! They take 0 hit points of damage, and burn off their temporary hit points!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear guards a hit from Lunata Croze's Rosario Impale for 99 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina has been living off takoyaki (and taiyaki, with various exciting fillings!) for the last month. She gets Cecilia. She also waves to Cecilia, noting, "Right now I think it's pretty even! Lunata's keeping herself going, but Garan's guard is just impenetrable..."

She then grabs a whole handful of bacon (where on earth did you find someone selling *bacon*, Lemina?) and puts it directly in her mouth with no class or subtlety. ... Actually watching Lunata go, there's a tiny bit of relief she didn't make it to grand finals. 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

There is something down there. Gwen can feel it now, shifting more towards the center, leaving the immediate area underneath her alone. She straightens enough to look over the ground, and sights-

The trailing sight of the odd woman in black (that is, Thessaly), and White Knight Leo, following after her. Gathering her items, she decides to descend to the railing as well. It's times like these that a person needs to jump into action, to take charge, to run all in guns-a-blazin'-

And there Gwen stands, awkwardly, clutching her food in her arms as she realizes that the drop from the railings to the bottom is rather far down, and besides that, again, there are guards. And what was she going to do, again?

To jump in lightly would likely net her some undue attention.

Finding a seat nearby, she does a little wave at the finely dressed woman next to her, who looks down at the courier through her opera glasses. "Yeah, lost one of my earrings down here." One of her earrings is, in fact, missing, but that's due to something else. "I was adjustin' it and it clear flew off. I think it fell into the stands down here, and I'll just have to wait until- OH would you look at that nice handsome warrior battling that other handsome warrior!"

The woman is not buying it.

And the courier is growing more nervous. At least the battle's heating up! 

<Pose Tracker> Lucia has posed.

"This tournament remains..." Lucia was about to say 'meaningless', but she glances at Lemina and her eyes soften, just a little. "...time-consuming," she says instead. "I am pleased it is ending at last."

Still a party-pooper, but she tried.

It's just possible that she doesn't recognize Cecilia in her new clothes and haircut. It's just possible that's a good thing. "Have you been forced to battle for food, then?" 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Shalune, thankfully for all involved, is sufficiently spiritually unaware as to currently be completely immune to the occasional wisps of Malevolence that make themselves known above ground, wisping into other people's consciousness. In fact, there's probably every chance that her neverending sense of sunshine and cheer would make her immune to the whole concept of Malevolence as a whole, and leave her with the impression that Agatha was just a very nice lady and that K.K.'s armor could probably use some oil and a ventilation flap in the back somewhere.

Big Shal, on the other hand, seems to tilt its head slowly to one side - then in one creaking and uncertain moment, lift a foot as if it had stepped on something.

Not that anything's there, of course, but how on earth does this golem work?!

"What's up, Big Shal?" she cranes her head back up to stare at the golem, frowning a little when all she gets in response is a silent shrug before breaking into a broad smile. "Aww... don't worry, okay? Lunie's got this! Ge-Ge's not even dragging her around as much, didja notice?" 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

The knight knows that it wasn't enough to finish Lunata. The sheer overwhelming force of that attack has put many of Garan's opponents out of the fight in the past, but the waitress' eldritch defenses are quite another thing entirely, in their way. So while Lunata is blasted back, Dantear is already dashing for where his shield has fallen, hooking the toe of his solleret under it and kicking it upwards, catching it, just in time...

To catch Lunata's blasting thrust of an attack on it.

There's no time to brace himself properly, of course, and so it's more a case of mitigation than truly defeating the waitress' powerful strike. Things look grim for Garan, who can feel that Thessaly is up to something, and is aware in his own way that other things are going on. Things that might interfere with the match.

Which frankly, he finds offensive, even if he were currently losing.

"I believe someone is up to some mischief, Miss Croze," the knight tells her, a bit unsteady on his feet as he switches his grasp on his shield, so that he's holding it properly again. "But perhaps we'll be lucky, and they won't manage to interrupt us. Someone I suspect they'd rather regret drawing the ire of is looking into it."

Thessaly, he knows, doesn't generally need to get mad at anyone twice.

Ashes are notoriously bad at provoking anyone.

The Imperial Knight, still focused on the fight in front of him, moves close to Lunata again, swinging his shield to bring the rim of the metal implement towards the girl's face, again a feint - and again, one that's gonna hurt if she doesn't avoid it anyway, because that's how a good feint works - before he slashes low with his longsword, trying to simply overpower what's left of Lunata's defenses. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Lunata Croze with Siege Breaker!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Lunata Croze takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Siege Breaker for 85 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Somewhere else in the audience, Fastred Furlong - actually, Neriah - has stopped watching the match.

That's because she's been staring at her right hand for the past minute or so. Only now does she close it into a tight fist and close her eyes.

It hurts - but not like it used to. Something in her palm tingles subtly, as if Virginia were nearby. She holds onto the sensation, fleeting as it is, but remains seated. Finally, she forces her eyes forward again.

She watches Lunata fight... but her mind continues to wander. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline glances to the side as she hears Shalune speak to Big Shal. Had the golem noticed something...? Come to think of it, she felt a little something scratching at the back of her mind herself, but it vanishes as soon as she tries to get a tighter grip on it, so she ignores it for now.

"Yes...I have the utmost confidence. Sir Dantear is a talented warrior...but I think Lunata has the advantage here." She agrees, turning her attention back to the fight. 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

The shield inexorably holds against the impaling strike, washes of light gleaming off off its reflective surface.

"I can sense it too," she murmurs, her own expression contorted lightly. "Malevolence." She is still not sure whether it's Lily, or something much more dire. But it hasn't broken out in a horrible, gripping way the same way it has been back during Timney... ah, this really all started back there, didn't it?

To think that she'd be here now, standing as she has been.

But there's no time for that. In the wake of her strike, she finds herself a little overextended -- and it's with some caution that she has to reel herself back in and cleanly evades that feint with the shield this time. She's learning, but -- perhaps, not enough. The blade nicks against opaque black legging, and cuts where Garan's blade has once cut her already. She's getting very much hobbled, and she's quite exhausted.

There is a pause, and then she whispers, "... She wishes to test herself against you, Mister Garan. As a warrior, to another... 'please allow me this indulgence,' she says."

The words might not really be clear, but what's clear is the sudden disappearance of Ge Ramda -- the lich not so much disappears as it seems to just -- explode into motes of red-dotted light that seeps within Lunata, thrashing her body for but a brief moment. There is stillness.

"True Spirit Arte," she intones. "Second Verse."

The shamisen is accompanied by backup drums once more, the heat of battle truly welling up with the classical motif of instruments long forgotten in Filgaia.

Look well upon the impermanence of reality.

This intertwining play between creation and destruction.

"My friend, Garan Dantear."

The woman's posture is different -- it's the confident poise of someone who's walked a thousand battlefields. It even sounds like a different voice speaking. An ancient accent, a deep and graceful, refined tone belonging to one of the royal courts.

"You have taught my chosen well.

Thy blade, blessed by the light from a world apart...

The whistle of its steel is as music to mine ears.

The footwork and impregnability of thine bulwark...

It swans with such inexorable art as to be nature."

There's a curled smile, a confident one. She's sheathed the blade, the energy within the arena seemingly seeping within towards its very hilt as a focal point.

"When we both revel in our battledance...

When our bodies bleed, when our tears are at an end.

When our swords are but husks, and our bones ashes.

We shall find true bliss within stillness."

Her poise is powerful -- this is a better glimpse into the refined movements upon which Lunata has but gazed slowly into, like an initiate that can recite, but hardly understand the texts of.

"Receive thee then mine graceful art anew.

For all seasons and life must ultimately submit..."

Nary a spectre of snow nor moon nor tide shall remain.

Drink deep the spiritual ebb of this blade, for one last time.

It is in darkness that Orochi-Agito dwells, and so, with that the energy seeps all into the scabbard of the sword, no less important than its edge. All is cold, unfettered, unfeeling.

The woman's voice is cold, yet sorrowful. Like a mote of snow touched upon nothingness. Like one pilgrim, ever descended upon the gates of the netherrealm, now ensconced within the realms of non-perception. Transcendent, and yet forever in bondage.

"Reverse Spirit Arte..."

She cuts. There's no art in this one, no rhetoric, no theatric, no resounding, resplendent echo.

"... Midare Setsugekka -Yomotsu-..."

Yet its path is inexorably -cold-, as the touch of the Reaper's ought to be. 

GS: Lunata Croze has activated a Force Action!
GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Garan Dantear with Midare Setsugekka!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Cecilia, as advertised, is more focused on the food she's slowly destroying than the fight (she and Lemina may be more of a kin than she would be glad to admit), but she still watches even as a licorice rope disappears into the endless maw. "Wow...I haven't really been watching her fights, I didn't know she was this good! Wow!" She remembers Lunata best as the waitress who gave her hamburgers back in Adlehyde. "...is that a Guardian...?" she mutters, tipping her head. But her head doesn't throb the way it does when the Guardians turn their eyes upon her...

Cecilia Adlehyde is something of an expert at totally missing information easily available to her and so does not entirely process that Lucia may not have recognized her. She will process later that that is...possibly for the better. She chuckles at the question, pleased to hear Lucia's weirdly off-kilter questions again after so long, and after...the last time she saw the woman, in particular. ...and the time before that, too, actually. "No it was a, uh, joke. It's fine. Have you tried these little fried dough things? They have fish bits inside! You can't get stuff like this much further from the coast." (It is possible Cecilia doesn't know the difference between an octopus and a fish.) 

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Lily is busy. She has knowledge that there are people above and around them, but none that they are on their way to her. She has someone of her own to hunt, and that she intends to do. If there is other Malevolence present... Her own can drown it out to her senses at times.

But there is a bit more, isn't there?

The rogue Ether user keeps her mouth shut as she concentrates on her spells, focusing on each detail. She might have revived him should he have allen under her spells... But she hasn't gotten enough information yet, either. Right now, he's only an unknown element to her, a wrench in the works.

But 'Overheat' happens as Lily throws up her hands to defend against the quarterstaff, but those aren't enough; the first blow cracks against her forearm as she attempts to block, the second bashing into her arm, and the third slamming into her stomach before the fourth is blocked by a sudden burst of fire from her hand, feeling the harsh sting of impact in her palm even that close.

"Do you think you're going to stop me? Just tell me what you want. Tell me who you serve, if anyone."

-=-=-

Beautiful swordplay continues above, and Garan's comment about regrets is entirely accurate. Lily for one doesn't want an audience, though she's getting it in short order. For now however she moves into another room, this one all stone and full of sand, and in it there is a thick, unrelenting cloud of hazy dust. Lily's mask is shredded by this point, blasted away by flames, and there are burns and shocks around her body largely concealed by all the black. This means mostly that she can't breathe, that she can barely see in the face of whatever this is. ...Which is exactly what her opponent wishes.

A quarterstaff sweeps away at Lily's calves, knocking her hard into the sand with her eyes squeezed shut. She forces them open against the grit and haze, and the quarterstaff sailing to go straight through her chest gets a shove up as hard as she can to knock it off-course, slamming it straight against her cheek with an audible crack before it sinks into the ground before her.

"There's a wordless, hollow shout as Lily lunges upward, suddenly surrounded in darkness that blinds her, but also sees to completely undo the haze just by destroying all the particles in it. ...And by destroying whatever of Ethius she can grab in the moment before her spell goes away.

It is loud, though. Loud, but not audible to the arena, for all that they can sense Malevolence there. It's not Port Timney levels, but oh, it's definitely there.

A different kind of darkness remains above, opposed by light. 

GS: Garan Dantear critically Guards a hit from Lunata Croze's Midare Setsugekka for 37 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

"What the hell," Talise starts, staring as Lunata seems to become almost like someone else completely. As if she wasn't already behaving like someone else. The lich, she'd experienced; this one's new to her.

Talise doesn't know much about the Guardians; only that that lich thing tried to steal her soul and tortured Lunata in the process. The things it's doing to her young waitress alarm her more and more. Intently, she watches the girl - is she even still Lunata? - unloading on Garan in a way no waitress normally does.

And then Garan Dantear hulks the fuck out and takes the blow like a man, and Talise's jaw just drops. "Sweet Althena's thong," she blurts out in surprise. "How tough is that guy?!"

Then something else gnaws at her sense, then. Talise frowns and gnaws on a knuckle. Whatever's happening out there reminds her an awful lot of something.

Like something she's felt before. Felt more intimately than she'd like. 


<Pose Tracker> Thessaly has posed.

You are not going in there alone.

"As you wish, commander," Thessaly tells Leo as they continue to move deeper into the winding, labyrinthine passages of the arena. Her steps do not tarry, however, having not abated her pace the moment she has gone through the double doors. Here, the Malevolence she senses is stronger.

There is a brief halt, turning those deep purple eyes over to a shadowed corner of their present corridor. A mouse is too small to see, and the areas below too dark.

But it is only half a second if that, until her attention is torn away by a loud sound echoing from within the hidden crevices of the Arms Coliseum. Whatever just happened, it dislodges dust and debris off stone foundations and cracked, ancient stone.

She hurries then, breaking out into a sprint. She is clearly not made for running however, too delicate of constitution to make a real go at it. But determination spurs her forward as she follows the wake of Lily Keil's emanations. Somewhere, submerged in the darkest fathoms of her inner lake, something monstrous and similar stirs.

Her hand lifts to clutch the front of her dress; her heart lurches painfully against her sternum, her lung burn at every inhalation.

She is determined, however, to keep up with Leo. While too breathless to speak, an elegant, alabaster digit points forward to where she senses the disturbance. 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Thessaly's stamina starts to flag in alarmingly short order. Leo stops, turns back to her, and frowns in concern, but she seems determined to just plow through it. Leo can respect that.

In short order, the two of them reach a room with a heavy metal door--it looks like it hasn't seen a thorough cleaning in years, and if Thessaly weren't pointing at the door, Leo would swear it was probably stuck shut with rust or grime. "Stand back," the Beastman says. He grabs the door handle and pulls. Metal groans. Dust starts to seep out from beneath the crack in the door, along with muffled sounds. Something is definitely happening back there.

Leo puts his back into it, and pulls with all his strength. 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"Ah--" blurts Shalune, glancing towards Jacqueline with wide-open eyes for a moment-- and then bolts back to the railing, swinging her arms up in the air in a full shout. "--Lunie! Ge-Ge!" she calls out, and then wavers from foot to foot as she hops back and forth, trying to figure out what to say. "Uh, um-- good luck! You can do it, still! And-- we wanna talk someti~ime!"

... what a straightforward suggestion... 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline quiets, her breath caught in her throat. There it is again. She witnessed it in the battle against Hiro - a change in Lunata's demeanor. Confidence, grace, regality...

Just who had Ge Ramda been?

She sort of leans back in her seat, a little awed.

She returns Shalune's glance, then looks back to the arena without a word. Shalune pretty much said what she would've said, but would Ge Ramda even listen? 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

'For all seasons and life must ultimately submit...'

"No."

The cold of the grave, the harsh bite of Lunata's single-edged, slightly curved blade smash brutally into Garan's upraised shield, the Light the knight has been blessed with shining, a warm lantern against the deep, dark chill.

"No submission. When I cross the veil, it will be with bared teeth. When the reaper comes for me, he'll have a fight on his hands!! I am Garan, of House Dantear! I am an Imperial Knight of Rolance, a bulwark against those who would pull my home down into chaos! And in this moment, I am alive!!" The knight shoves back with his shield, to push Lunata - if, indeed, it is still Lunata Croze as he would understand her - back. Her power is undeniable. There may well be no chance whatsoever of victory.

But that doesn't matter, really, does it? He joined the Lacour Tournament of Arms to try himself against fighters he'd never faed before, in an environment that was less about trying to actively disembowel your opponent. To see how far he could go. And if he loses here, if he comes in second place against a young woman possessed of (or posessed by) a monstrous power... Doesn't he have his answer?

Something to measure himself against. Something to try to overcome in the future.

But only if he gives it everything he's got. No holding back.

No regrets.

Thessaly would feel it, the way the arcane bond between them comes alive, as Garan tries to hook Lunata's sword with his shield, to simply drag it out of the way, to leave her open for a succession of carving slashes with his longsword. To give it everything he's got. To hold nothing back.

"IF I BECOME ASHES... IT'LL BE BECAUSE I BURNED!" 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Lunata Croze with Breaking the Unbreakable!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.

DC: MISS! Lunata Croze completely evades Breaking the Unbreakable from Garan Dantear!

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"It's... yeah, it is," Lemina admits. "But it's also a lot of fun! I've had a blast watching all the matches. ... well, most of them. Some of them have been mega-boring." She does not elaborate on which ones were so dreadfully boring as to rate negative commentary.

"She doesn't get those," Lemina notes to Cecilia. "You might want to try something easier first." She does not elaborate on what might possibly be easier than jokes. Instead, she turns her gaze back to the match, and her mouth hangs open a bit.

"... wow," she says, blinking a few times. 

<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.

The black little mouse continues along after Thessaly and Leo. Not even a squeak out of this one to give it away, at least not until they discover what is going on.

Back in the stands, Agatha continues to watch both potential confrontations with a rather bored eye. She doesn't say anything, although her lips do quirk as Garan and Lunata continue to exchange blows. Who the winner of that fight would be was interesting, yes... although if someone blew up the arena under them, that would probably be an even more fascinating conclusion to the tournament...

Alas, Lily had better self-control than that. Usually. 

<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

Minutes later, Gwen has made a new friend. The lady in the fine clothing has promised to take her up on her introductory discount offer, as she *did* happen to need a souvenir transported to her niece in Port Tinmey.

When Lunata and Garan make their speeches, the first is met with amazement. "Man, if they had come out with that in the beginning for Lunata instead of that whole bit..." As for Garan's? The lady with the spectacles is blushing, quickling waving over her face with her fan. "Oh my, if I was that age again. Ah, did you like it as well?"

Gwen, herself, tips her hat slightly downwards, trying to shade her face. It's one thing to act laid-back and carefree with your feelings; it's another when it quickly springs on you like a normally slow obese cat upon an unsuspecting mouse. "His speech just struck a cord with me."

Because she's blushing as well.

Damn it. First White Knight Leo, now this. S-stupid sexy Althena's Guard! 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

The negatively-edged blade of Orochi-Agito has indeed turned into an artifact of forewarning, a blade tinged with the very touch of death itself. Yet, in the wake of its path, its coldness is struck against Garan's shield, a shining, warm, effulgently glowing thing, a pillar cascading against the dull, clamming coldness of death.

"That," she answers, "is the prerogative of the living."

There's a delighted little chuckle as Garan's shield and sword comes -- they are an unstoppable force, working in tandem, as they ever have been. Where the shield leads, the sword follows, as soldiers would their king. Individually, they are lesser than they are together, the better of the sum of their two parts.

"But only in death's embrace are we all truly loosed.

Think well on the immateriality of that which you fight for...

Think well on the age of Houses, of the due of Empires..."

She turns her head towards Jacqueline and Shalune as they shout for her for a moment. There's a knowing smirk, but she does not answer in turn.

And where Garan's struck with his feint, she's--

--just gone, once more.

She's soared high into the air, with a speed that seems unfettered by such graces as gravity, landing regally upon the tip of one of the arena's crested arches.

"Lunata Croze.

Thank you for indulging me thus far."

And she's suddenly gasping once more, as her vision focuses and she gazes down upon her opponent as she descends.

"Mister Garan... I can't help but agree..." That sword is wreathed in the very same hot-white flame of its own design, a striking contrast to the chill negativity by which she struck earlier. "If I am to succumb to this cycle, and become but a memory to others... it will not be because I've ran away."

The glow grows ever brighter.

"It's because of mother, because of Jay, and Lunie, and the Carakin, and the Yggdrasil folks... because of everyone I've met! Everyone that's protected me, everyone who's guided me every step of the way!"

She draws her sword back as that light starts to incandescently sheathe around her, and she thrashes her blade back like it were a poorly-controlled whip of energy.

"Even if the flower-form must cascade...

Alight us, mortals, in this false Eden!

Embrace it all, upon thine very heart!

Spirit Arte -- Rosario Impale -Anthem-!"

She swings, the light indefatigable where it threshes down upon the arena with rupturous power. 

GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Garan Dantear with Rosario Impale!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear has activated a Force Action!
GS: Garan Dantear critically Guards a hit from Lunata Croze's Rosario Impale for 32 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

-=-=-

Ethius is an anomaly among anomalies. He might be one of the strangest cases she's encountered yet, as he keeps his silence through their harrowing, deadly duel. (Some of it is because he has no oxygen to breathe, but that only excuses a short portion of the time they've fought together.)

Lily has seen into the eyes of so many... informants, in her time. She should recognize all the tells and body language of when someone's got something to hide. How to pry a little further, when to apply a bit more force. Even trained professionals, if they have a thing hiding in their heads... she'll get it out.

This man has resisted. Whatever secrets he's holding, his eyes seem fit to keep under lock and key like no other she's encountered before.

...Unless... no, that would be beyond silly, what if there... wasn't anything? What if it isn't 'won't,' but 'can't?'

-=-=-

Garan defiantly resists the second verse. Ethius has, at last, a definitive upper hand over her after their deadly chase. Blood streams down his forehead. His mouth, once a perfect thin line, parts to let in air to breathe as his nose has become congested with foreign particle matter and also blood. He doesn't ask her any questions, for that split second he has her at his mercy--

No, he never does. Lily would never fall to that, as Ethius' balance becomes compromised with her parrying shove. He falls to one knee as the darkness surrounds her - and she herself rises, brilliantly reversing the situation.

This has been his bane their entire battle - he can't cast as fast as she can. She betrays almost no cues, where he has to be deliberate due to the need to chant, the inevitability of shining lights and geometric symbols giving away where he is.

"Kcchaauuh!" Ethius grunts in surprise - the first she's gotten out of him. A real, human emotion of weakness and acceptance of mortal danger picking through a psyche seemingly so resistant. His hearing is overwhelmed by the spiritual weight of the Malevolence. He misses the sounds of the nearby metal door prying open, bit by bit, threatening to complicate matters with more visitors.

He has no answer to overcome this overwhelming darkness. His only saving grace is to duck his head down through the poncho that Lily has latched onto, separating himself from her grasp as the worn, dusty, blood-stained cloth in a gradient going from ash to maroon is torn into nothingness by the shadow.

Ethius is only concerned with distance, his eyes ready to jump out of his head as adrenaline overpowers his composure. He doesn't look back over his shoulder, unaware of what Lily's next movement might be as he moves to outrun the great darkness - the darkness that twists color and existence so much that judging an accurate 'safe' distance is impossible beyond 'as far as he can.'

He runs the wrong way in which to leave the chamber, to his chagrin - he all but puts his back to the wall as he slams his right hand against it, turning back to the rogue agent as he struggles to formulate his next move. 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

The pink-haired mechanic draws back in surprise as Ge Ramda (SSR Lunata Version) throws them a enigmatic smile; she hadn't honestly been expecting to get any kind of response at all, but it quickly becomes clear to her that the response they did actually get is--

"--she's teasing us!" Shalune blurts in sudden recognition, almost sounding scandalized before she puffs up in protest. "Uuu. That's not fair at all! I mean-- I'm kind of relieved she knows how to tease, y'know, it's nice to see she's kinda human about it all - but even then! I was askin' seriously!" she whines at Jacqueline, for all the good it will do. 

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Barging in a little on the side conversation, Cecilia mutters, "It'll be nice to get back on the road," around a mouthful of fried dough and octopus.

That's gone the next time she speaks. "Yes, I'm aware," Cecilia says, as Lemina corrects her, but there's a certain warmth to it. She didn't quite notice how much she'd missed Lucia's whole...thing. The Teardrop, the desperation in Lucia's eyes that day she got hurt, they're all such faraway secondaries...

The possibility that perhaps others would find them quite, quite primary doesn't really occur to her.

But whatever other thoughts might loom vanish amid the display of Garan's determination, and Lunata's power. "What...powers are these," she murmurs. It's curious, but mostly awe-struck. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

That smirk...! Jacqueline can't help but chuckle. She knew. Ge Ramda gets a few more points of respect from Jacqueline.

In response to Shalune's outburst, Jacqueline pats her on the shoulder.

"She can't avoid us forever, Shalune. We'll have to catch her one of these times." She replies, her emotions lightened a bit.

"Those were some nice speeches, though..." She comments. 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

Sometimes, struggle amounts to nothing.

Garan knows this. He's seen it. In his dreams, every night, he sees the ruin of House Trevelyan. The futility of their battle against the arrayed forces of the other noble houses of Rolance, of the Church, who had named their whole house heretics, declared them anathema for the young woman they'd harboured high in a tower. The futility of his own efforts to lessen the slaughter, the massacre of the common folk who followed the great lords of Trevelyan. They had died as surely as any man-at-arms, any knight, and with less of a chance of making an accounting of themselves in the bargain. Grey-haired and stooped down to the smallest child.

He'd saved one life, that day. Though maybe, in intervening, he'd saved other lives from that one. The girl hadn't been afraid, though anyone in her position would've been.

And now...

"Then don't, Miss Croze," the knight says, moving forward at the freshly-landed waitress, now in control of herself again. She'd been able to avoid his attack completely, moments before. It should be disheartening. He didn't let it. "Don't succumb, or fade away. I told you... I understand what you mean better than you might think." His shield comes up, and it intercepts Lunata's light with his own, and with his shield held up, held AGAINST Lunata's blade of energy, he keeps rushing forward, holding it up as he closes the gap with her.

Part of the job of a knight, of a nobleman, is to inspire others.

"FIGHT, LUNATA CROZE," Garan orders the waitress, his longsword burning with white light like flame, the blade dancing as he gets closer, slashing at the waitress in bright arcs that leave slowly fading smears of purple and red across the vision of everyone watching. "IF YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME A MEMORY... BURN SO BRIGHTLY THAT YOUR NAME IS WRITTEN ACROSS THE SKY!!" 

GS: Garan Dantear has activated a Force Action!
GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Lunata Croze with Blade Flourish!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.

DC: MISS! Lunata Croze completely evades Blade Flourish from Garan Dantear!

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

There was a way in which these arena matches tear down into tumble-drag, no-holds barred melees, didn't it?

Past all the splendour, past all the theatrics, past all the -power-... there is just the bare-naked and unfettered, unrestrained spirit of those who fight. Lunata does not know of the dreams Garan has, the struggles that he has had. Yet, in her own way, she has seen horror freshly herself. The faces of those that prowled the bloodied streets of Adlehyde on that day, the way that creature burst into the Saloon in search of blood only to be stymied by those Drifters. The pale face of her mother as she urges her to live, as she was thrown into the cockpit of the Rephaim.

The contract that she has made, on that day. How she'd saved one life, for her own.

And now...

"I shall not!" Lunata exclaims with spirit, her legs bloodied, her face battered with sweat and grime. "I shall burn... ever brighter! So brightly -- that even death shall have no recourse but to take heed of me!"

Their blades are incandescent with light, clashing with each other. There's a flurry in which no one is the better -- Lunata doesn't dodge, or re-sheathe her sword. Their blades meet, their edges nicking against each other with the full light that has been bestowed upon them. On the one side, the Blessing of Althena, and on the other...

...

"Carve this yet upon your heart!"

The light draws ever so strong as, just like in the battle before, she tempers that blade forward as she attempts to cut through. 

GS: Lunata Croze has activated a Force Action!
GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Garan Dantear with Rosario Impale!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear has activated a Force Action!
GS: Garan Dantear critically Guards a hit from Lunata Croze's Rosario Impale for 33 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Lily's approach is generally frightening because she's so unemotional about it, so closed-off herself. But this is not a typical encounter, and Ethius is not a typical man.

She thought he had to be strange; those eyes of his are even stranger than she imagined before. But no one would come here for no reason. No one would...

Right?

-=-=-

The black-haired sorceress would stare up at Ethius were she able, but instead she can only look at where he might be. She's sees the blood about him; she can smell the blood, unless that blood is hers that she smells. There's less of it than there could be, but still more than enough.

She moves, letting raw power flood through and around her as she hears that grunt of surprise, rounds on it immediatelyto continue her advance while she still can't even see. She does not miss the sound of something opening, but her ears are straining for this already. Shortly she is holding a poncho.

Shortly she is covered in dust as what's left of it blows away around her with the wind of movement. Finally her eyes can open, and though painfully, Lily can see again. The darkness about her begins to fade.

Ethius is at the wall. The battle continues. Above, out in the battle, Lunata's resolve and Garan's inspiration. She can hear some of it, muffled through... But she says nothing to it, because it is not meant for her now. She's not out in the audience, or out in the arena.

Instead, she is approaching, her hand extending outward at her side to craft a black greatsword made of a rent in the very air itself, painful to look upon. She takes it in both hands, in the stance of a Kislevi style.

"I don't need all of you to answer questions," Lily says. "And if you don't... you're a dangerous element best removed regardless."

She steps forward again, and when the metal door opens, the Guard coming in will see Ethius pressed against a wall, and Lily hefting her greatsword about to deliver a strike that could well cleave him in half. 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Magic is hard work! And Lemina is a 90s anime character. "I agree," Lemina admits. "Lacour is nice, but... we have stuff to do." Here Lemina looks to Lucia with a nod. "Mega-important stuff!" She does not elaborate further.

Instead, she reaches into her pile of food, this time pulling out some meat skewers. Gnawing at one lazily as the fight starts to draw in on something resembling a conclusion, she notes, "I... honestly gave up trying to figure it out," with an awkward shrug. "It's -- I think it's magic? But..." 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

Keep fighting.

KEEP FIGHTING!!

The training Garan had endured as a boy had been harsh, and it had began as soon as he was old enough to walk and hold a practice sword. His father would accept nothing less than perfection, nothing less than to forge a finer knight than anything his own older brother, the head of the main House Dantear, could manage. It was not enough to get back up when knocked down. Once, twice, five times, ten, twenty. In training, at tourneys, in life-or-death battle, the need to be indomitable had been ground into his very bones.

The brand on the back of his hand thrums like a second pulse as the Imperial Knight again manages to interpose his shield between the brunt of Lunata's powerful attack and himself, the shield's once-pristine surface now covered in scorch marks where the white enamel hasn't simply been blasted away, leaving naked dull steel visible. He's battered, bleeding. He should give up and lie down.

He doesn't.

"Excellent words!" the knight affirms. His sword still burns, still blazes, as again he tries to power through Lunata's guard, past her own sword... To make absolutely sure that no matter how much longer the fight endures, the waitress remembers that she was in a real battle.

"Now, put them into practice!" 

GS: Garan Dantear has activated a Force Action!
GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Lunata Croze with Knight's Charge!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Lunata Croze takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Knight's Charge for 55 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Struggle must amount to something.

If it did not, then no one would ever struggle -- not here, not elsewhere in this world that seems to be quietly decaying from the inside out. Through the most sun-burnt of arid Adelyn days, through the most bitter of chills as the darkness eclipses the Aveh desert. And if there was something Aunt Hilda -- Uncle Tom -- her mother, Meredin -- her father, Atheron -- Jacqueline -- Shalune -- had ever instilled in her, it was:

Never give up.

The waitress is out of breath and hobbling a little, the grin has now entranced her entirely, like the pleasurable burn of someone extremely high on adrenaline, in the midst of the workout of their life. Keep fighting. Keep fighting.

"Then I shall do just that, with this blade...!"

There's a defiant roar as she springs upon the knight once more, as she simply runs headlong into that charge with her blade struck forth. The light is all but gone from within it, and yet there's an indelible spark from which those that have ever grasped for something ever so elusive will immediately know.

The spark of hope.

"Mister Garann--!!!" 

GS: Lunata Croze has attacked Garan Dantear with Rosario Impale!
GS: Lunata Croze has completed her action.

<Pose Tracker> Thessaly has posed.

Always obedient, Thessaly moves out of the way when Leo takes on a thick metal door with brute force. With a grinding whine, it slowly twists off its frame before the way before them is once again clear of any obstruction.

But she does not wait for the commander to take the field before her.

Like a wraith, she slips silently into the dust-filled space, particles of which practically choked with Malevolence, spilling out into the corridor now that the door has been pried apart. A pale hand lifts upwards, sweeping it to the side - it doesn't clear the influence of the foulness within, but only pushes it aside, like parting a curtain and pressing it in the forgotten corners of the chamber to leave it clear for her and her companion to step inside.

Violet eyes burn a fell light from over the veil wreathing the lower half of her face. In a short distance before her, she catches sight of Lily Keil brandishing her sword, ready to cleave someone else in half.

Black-tipped fingers extend forward, curling them into talons. Will and sorcery weave across the distance between herself and her target, an invisible force lashing forward to seize the blade just inches before it cuts into Ethius.

Her other hand lifts and gestures, cupping underneath. Rolling both her wrists, unless Lily lets go of the hilt, she will attempt to send it (and Lily) lurching away and fly into the wall, blade-first, in an attempt to anchor the other mage there and separate the two.

"It is not in my nature to interfere without orders," she murmurs - and while softspoken, her voice carries strangely and echoes in the fringes. "But I am afraid you have chosen the location of your bout poorly. I do not wish to get in the middle of whatever grievances you have with one another any further, but I will have to insist that you continue your confrontation elsewhere."

And to her, elsewhere is defined as nowhere near Garan Dantear. 

GS: Garan Dantear takes a solid hit from Lunata Croze's Rosario Impale for 152 hit points!
GS: Garan Dantear has Fallen! He is no longer able to fight!

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

The knight knows that even his considerable defenses will crack, if he simply tries to block or parry Lunata's next attack.

Garan twists, trying to avoid the waitress' thrusting charge, but perhaps he's too wounded, too worn down after the fight thus far. Perhaps, in the end, the girl's advantage in speed would've been too much anyway.

Armor shears away, enamel cracking, plate breaking, leather splitting, as the side of Dantear's breastplate simply comes apart under his swordarm, the accumulated damage it's taken finally catching up to it with that last hit.

"Agh..." Garan says, dropping his shield to grasp at his side with his gauntleted forearm, the white flame on his sword guttering out before the blade, too, is dropped.

Slowly, as his will to fight and his body's need to stop war - the flesh triumphing by slow inches over the spirit - the Imperial Knight sinks to the arena floor, first in a crouch, then in a seated position, breathing heavily, painfully, as he looks up at the girl.

"Borrowed power or not, Miss Croze, you earned this victory," he tells her, a wry, lopsided grin tugging his mouth into a broad slash of amusement at this turn of events. "Still, remember your vow the first time we fought. And," he adds, his grin broadening, his eyes sliding shut. "Don't think things will go the same way if we face each other again in the future. Not very dashing of me, getting bested by young girl twice."

"Still, humility is an important attribute in a knight. I yield." 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Orochi-Agito's blade rings for the last time, and at the very least, she seems to have been thrust in so many engagements, so many tete-a-tetes that she can simply follow where Garan's moving towards. It's surprising -- she was expecting him to try to soak through her attack once more, but...

...in the wake of it all... he drops his shield, his sword...

...and she drops her katana too, to his knees as she similarly drops to her knees in a deeply agitated, exhausted posture.

But that grin is still on her face.

"... I know. I know full well your loyalties, and what the Guard seeks to do..." she murmurs with full admission. Even that doesn't seem to deter her at this point, as she grasps onto the sand, against the smashed, shattered tiles of the arena to find -some- kind of purchase.

"... thank you, Mister Garan."

There is silence... and...

...

The waitress struggles as she holds onto her katana's hilt -- and shoves it to the ground as a means by which she props her little frame up. She looks to the skies... then -- to Big Shal, to Jacqueline, to Shalune--

--and thrusts that blade into the air. 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

-=-=-

Cornered.

Ethius has had more than a few near-death calls within the year and a half of his recollection. He doesn't dwell on when, or where, he might actually die. Breathing proves difficult. He doesn't mentally catalogue what wounds he's already suffered. One eye is shut thanks to blood getting in it, the other watching Lily stride up with purpose and certainty in her words.

Something, somewhere, pings in him, when he has this moment of peace where the two aren't chasing one another and trying to melt/impale/choke/disintegrate/obscure/stab one another.

She seems to have zero clue as to who he is.

...Why is that important to him? He stops himself from instinctively bringing his right hand up to his forehead, as a weary and addled mind attempts to formulate his next movement as she readies that sword of pure absence of light - of anything. Any other opponent, shoulder tackle. Lilly has proven too strong at close quarters for him to have confidence in this.

He blinks. His one open eye re-focuses to that same communicative stonewall, waiting for the moment where her muscles commit to the motion to cleave him--

Even in a moment of weakness, Ethius acts decisively - throwing his entire body weight to his right, Lily's left. The save - both movements - are narrow. Ethius' evasion has a clearance of no more than five whole centimeters in avoiding cleaving contact... at roughly the same time the violet-eyed enigma suspends Lily's swing. The debate could go either way if Ethius' life were saved through getting back his rational composure, or through the machinations of a third person.

As Ethius comes out of the evasive roll, he stands with his right hand over the lower half of his bloodied, battered face. His left points the quarterstaff at the new arrival he ought to be thanking for the save.

The situation below the arena rapidly changes. The conflict does not resolve.

A new one might yet form below, as a new champion is crowned above. 

<Pose Tracker> Zetasol has posed.

There is a sudden commotion at the edge of the arena, and then several spectators are pushed aside, sprawling over into the edge of the ring as a pair of men shove their way through the crowd and leap into the arena. Both of them are wild eyed and more than a little disheveled - those close enough can smell the alcohol on their breath. The guards are already starting to move as the two men run into the center of the ring. A couple toughs shoving their way in is rather uncouth, but these things happen at tournaments...

Emil, the first man who is dressed in plate armor with overly large pauldrons, pulls out his sword as the first guard begins to approach. He raises his voice, shouting at the arena. "You call this a tournament!?! This stupid show? You people wouldn't know what real mastery was if it came and bit you on the ass! Real fighters don't use magic, and they certainly don't use ancient buried weapons to shoot a man before he has a chance to raise his sword!" That sounds rather personal, doesn't it? Clearly something has happened to set this guy off, and his companion picks up the screed from that point.

Dressed in shining golden armor with a red cape, Amon pulls his own sword out, and brandishes it towards the crowd. "We're here to show you how REAL warriors fight!" he bellows, his voice slurring ever so slightly as he makes his bellicosity clear. "We've got the skill and experience that all of you fakers lack! You think some women or people who wave their fingers and make flames shoot out their palms can take a REAL swordsman!?! We'll show all of you who the REAL champions of this tournament should be! Come on! You're willing to just bend a knee towards this 'champion'? Don't make me laugh! We've trained for years! So come on! We... we're stronger than the lot of you!"

Despite the bravado, despite their rather reckless challenge, the immediate reaction to these two bravos is to laugh. Spectators call out, shouting for the two to get off the stage. The occasional bit of food or vegetable goes flying out at the pair, almost everything coming up short but still demonstrating the general derision for the spectacle the two men are making of themselves. The guards in charge of tournament security are beginning to approach one again, more cautiously as these two have revealed themselves to be both armed and belligerent, but it is with the air of those who are looking to remove a couple of drunks who are making a scene of themselves rather than people who are expecting serious trouble.

One of the guards raises a hand consolingly, and states, "eh come on now, no need for all this. Tournament was fair and square, and you don't really think you're strong enough to take on everyone at once? You're just going to get yourselves hurt and look like idiots - you're not that strong, especially compared to our champ here-"

'INDEED. YOUR STRENGTH IS LACKING. ALONE, YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE WORLD.'

'AND THUS I ASK YOU...'

'DOTH THOU DESIRE THE POWER?' 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

"Geez," Talise observes from the audience, shaking her head and applauding with a rueful smile. "Utterly owned. Whatever happened to Lunie, she's so far beyond any of us normal people it's almost unbelievable."

There's a certain self-effacing note to Talise's smile, but she puts it aside nevertheless and comes to her feet, applauding briskly for the Death Waitress and her phantom partner. She may not understand what happened to Lunie, but power in and of itself is meaningless without skill, and the girl's shown that she's got both. "We're proud of you, Lunie," she shouts over the growing crowd noise.

But then there's an entirely different type of crowd noise. Emil and Amon come bumbling in, bellicose and challenging the results. Talise frowns and scratches the back of her neck. "Wow, talk about shitty sports," she mutters as she eases to her feet and.... 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Even Shalune is struck speechless as the last few ringing blows are traded back and forth, her breath hushed as she watches Lunata - her longtime friend, and the most unexpected warrior one could ever meet - go head to head with Garan Dantear - who in almost every respect could easily resemble a white knight out of a storybook. She only watches, instead; wide-eyed as the pair continue their fight long past either of them should, the mechanic only barely remembers to hop from foot to foot as she punches again at the air, her breath bated.

When the knight hits the ground, leaving Lunata as the last one (barely) standing, words don't seem to come to her - she just lets out a wordless, astonished whoop of joy as both she and her golem lift their arms to the sky. "A~aah--!!" she yells, all of her stilled energy coming back to her in an instant, and then again "Yea~ah!" before she makes it to the railing, clinging to it so hard her knuckles turn a bright white.

Impulsively, she suddenly hops the barrier in one clear motion. It's a remarkably long drop to the arena floor, and probably dangerous if you're not someone quite as capable of bouncing as the pink-haired girl is - but she takes the drop in a rolling stumble, the only thing on her mind the idea of propelling herself towards Lunata for a congratuluniery hug, not even heeding the pair suddenly kicking up a fuss. 

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

"Yeah," Cecilia nods to Lemina. "Me, too. I needed this, but..." ...she shakes her head, and rather than complete the thought, shoves a takoyaki in her mouth.

Gulp. "She spoke to me before. It sounded like she'd had some kind of uh. Ghost...problems?" She says, slowly, not sure how to articulate. "...I wonder if she really did make contact with Ge Ramtos..."

Because she knows nothing, she can smile a little. "She seems to be making the best of it, I guess." The ending seems amicable enough, and she puts her empty bucket down (WHEN!?!?!) so she can stand and applaud as the tournament reaches its--final...

Her head throbs. Like tinnitus; like air pressure; like being buried beneath a screaming tide, she finds the world falling away. Her fingers rise to forehead, pinching rubbing firmly in some futile attempt to grip the agony and expel it. "My...head," she groans, staggering a little. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Lunata had emerged victorious. Jacqueline is...stunned.

When Lunata raises that blade in the air...Jacqueline stands, and applauds.

"Lunata!!" Jacqueline cheers. She was normally one to keep quiet, but that she was shouting now, for Lunata, was a statement of the joy she was experiencing now.

She is, of course, chasing after Shalune, creating a series of earth pillars to act as a stairway down to the arena floor.

"That fight was...extraordinary, you two!" She says, elated, as she looks between Lunata and Garan.

She then coughs to clear her throat, and begins to rummage through her bags, and pulls out some potions - both of a clear, blue liquid that one who had seen her wares before would recognize as a healing potion. One she sets aside for Lunata, though she's obviously a bit distracted to accept it right now, and the other is offered to Garan.

"Sir Dantear, in honor of your fight, we of the Caravan Kinship would like to offer you this." She says. "Your talents were...simply incredible." 

<Pose Tracker> June Lim Ze has posed.

"What the hell...?" From her seat, June narrows her eyes from behind her tinted lenses. When the two swordsmen make a challenge, June levers herself forwards. "I'm going to do these people a favor," she says. "'Real warriors,' my big white ass-"

When she's fully upright, though, June freezes. The reason isn't entirely clear. 

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Thessaly takes point. This gives Leo the chance to take stock of the scene--unfortunately, he doesn't recognize either one of them in the dust and chaos. A woman wearing what's left of a mask, and... some strange man. "HALT!" the swordsman cries, striding into the room and raising a hand. His other hand edges towards the sword at his side--

Commotion, above. Leo's head snaps upwards, immediately wondering if the two are related. A distraction? He said Thessaly wasn't going in alone, but... "Deal with them, Guardswoman," Leo says. He sounds a little harried, but confident in Thessaly's ability to handle this. As the two men force their way through the crowd above, Leo retraces his steps through the catacombs. He gets back to the staircase, taking the stairs two at a time, before bursting back out onto the ringside level.

"You there!" Leo cries, to the general mass of people around the belligerent drunks. "What is the meaning of this?" His eyes narrow. A voice speaks, cutting through the air like a knife. Leo whirls around--

ELSEWHERE

Ida sees the knot of people, including one very familiar man in armor. Ida's face twists into what is, all things considered, a very noticeable scowl for her. "That one is Emil Blegovich," Ida says. "What in Granas's name does he think he's doing? He's making a scene!" She looks at June, and nods. "I had no idea he was such a poor sport." As June rises, Ida does as well, using the cane as leverage. June freezes.

Ida does, as well. What's wrong...? 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

It is with pain and ache and the burn of her muscles that Lunata throws her arms out, practically accepting Shalune's congratu-lunie and hearing the words of those above her with a suddenly bashful giggle as the wash of combat starts to just drain out of her. She winces with a giggle as Shalune just about bounces and tosses herself onto her like a rocket, and says, "Lunieee! Jay!"

She smiles brighter and watches Jacqueline as she proceeds, not ever having seen the girl be so excited. It's like she's excited for her as well, to be able to -- to do something so big for her, for everyone...

...yet, in the wake of that, she hears those that are yelling, and the guard trying to hold them back.

"H-huh? What are those two...?" she frowns just a little, tucking her head down. "Did we do something wrong?"

Yet, before she can even voice more objection or confusion, -that voice- rings out through the air. Lunata's head whips around and--

<== TO BE CONTINUED... ==

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